The multi-award winning and openly gay Northern comedian, Alan Carr performs at Soho’s straight friendly lesbian and gay comedy club this coming Tuesday, 21 October 2003.

We caught up the man the Sunday Telegraph called "belly achingly funny" to find out a little bit more.

You`ve been called "the spiritual son of Frankie Howard." How does that make you feel?
Honoured and flattered, I am a huge fan.

How would you describe your comic style?
Telling stories about the mundane with bitter undertones.

Have you consciously drawn your comic inspirations from the great effete funny men of the past?
Not consciously but I think we all grew up with them I remember feeling a link with them but I didn`t know why- obviously I do now.

For many gay men the `straight acting` tag is all important, but with you it seems to be the opposite. What is it that attracts you to camp humour?
My humour isn`t camp - I am camp. And it annoys me when camp in the gay world is seen as a handicap. Personally I find the `straight acting` gays ridiculous, come off it I mean we can all grow a moustache and shop at Matalan can`t we?

How has your sexuality informed your work?
I don`t really talk about gay issues, in this game I try and appeal to the most people and then you can hopefully get further and more money.

Do you think it`s important for the gay community to laugh at itself?
God yes. Especially gay bar staff. Why are they always so miserable? Mind you the minimum wage is no laughing matter.

Are you as bitchy and funny off stage as on?
As you can tell from the answers to these questions - of course!

What do you think is the main difference between a straight and gay crowd?
The gay crowd tend to listen to the words and the word play whereas straight audiences wait for the punch line, but as long as everyone laughs in the right place that’s all I can ask.

Is working on show business as good a way to pull the boys as we`ve been led to believe?
No. No one has ever approached me but that`s probably because I am usually being whisked away in a limo with my entourage to the Ivy!

One of your Edinburgh Festival reviews said that you adore "prancing on stage with a physical showbiz style that would put a Broadway showgirl to shame." So would you like to be a musical star?
No I’ll leave that to Claire Sweeney - she does it so well.

Or is it the fishnets and dressing up that attract you?
I am not going to honour that question with an answer, oh all right then yes.

Talking of other careers, is it true that you still work at a call centre?
No, but the way my careers going I will be back there in the near future.

Are you ever tempted to tell a joke down the phone or heckle your customers?
Why joke and heckle when a simple Fuck Off is so much more effective.

You were the winner of the 2001 BBC New Talent Competition. How important
was the award to you?
Its nice to think that such an establishment as the BBC would rate you and its a fantastic feeling to think a 1000 people entered and I am better than all of them .Ha ha!

Has it helped your career?
Yes, I wasn`t expecting a TV show out of it but I’ve been on more pilots than a horny trolley dolly. The award has meant I can leapfrog others and get a bit more money for gigs.

People often say that all comics had a `difficult` childhood
No my childhood was great, I had fantastic parents. It was only at 18 that I realised life was difficult and unfair.

And finally, where would you like to be in five years time?
Appearing in a sitcom that I’ve written myself and maybe a bit of film work. I would love to do a big theatre tour of my stand-up.

Interview with Stephen Beeny

Alan is on at Comedy Camp this coming Tuesday, 21 October 2003, alongside Julia Morris, Natalie Haynes, Susan Murray and Simon Happily.

Comedy Camp
Downstairs at Barcode
3-4 Archer Street
London, W1
Information: 020 7483 2960

Every Tuesday, doors open at 7.30pm every week, with the show at 8.30pm.

For all the latest information and to book tickets to this great night out – pop over to the Comedy Camp website.


Tickets cost £6 for members (or £8 including membership) and Bookings (recommended) can be made at www.comedycamp.co.uk or from TicketWeb on 08 700 600 100 (national rate number) - a small booking fee applies.