Where are you driving to? What car have you got?
Well – I’m on my way to Carlisle at the moment and I’m driving some sort of Peugeot thing… Yes, it’s a glamorous life being a comedian let me tell you.
How did your first ever gig go?
Brilliantly actually. I was 24 and I managed to get a small slot so I told a couple of jokes and it went down really well. The second gig went just as well and I started to think that I was the bee’s knees. Obviously then, the third gig was a disaster, it was a real lesson.
Have you got any favourite put downs – are you heckler friendly?
I’m not really that kind of comedian. I am aware that some stand-ups court that, almost as part of their act. But the way I see it, people have paid money to come and see you, I usually play little arts centres and those sort of venues and people know what sort of thing to expect. It would be just weird if they then started heckling me.
Are all comedians depressed clowns?
Nope, not at all. There is this popular image of comedians mining that material to make a show out of it.
But I’ve found that it is possible to also write good comedy without it having to come from a dark place. I think, because of the nature of this job that if you are that way inclined it may bring that side of you out. You do have a lot of time to sit and think about yourself – if you are naturally depressive, then sitting for a couple of hours in a coffee shop in Carlisle could well bring that out of you.
When you tell people that you are a comedian, do they take you seriously (apologies to Bob Monkhouse)?
It’s becoming more acceptable nowadays. Most people understand what you’re talking about when you tell them that you are a professional stand-up. You’re less likely to have people saying ‘go on then, make me laugh’ You do occasionally get people who get a bit strange with you.
I was in the back of a taxi the other day and the driver asked me how much I could earn for a gig. When I told him, he got really angry with me. He stopped the cab and told me to get out. He seemed to think it was too much for just getting up on stage and telling some jokes. It was a shame, he was probably having a bad day.
What does the new tour (Bad Man Tings) focus on?
Well it was born out of a tour that I did in Edinburgh – I sort of wrote and changed a lot of the material while I was on stage – I talk a lot about my thoughts on reaching the ripe old age of 34.
Statistically it’s supposed to be the happiest age of your life and it seems to be going well for me so far – I’ve done shows about divorce, depression and taking hallucinogenic drugs (which is not to be recommended by the way) but now I’m living with someone new and I’m actually happy in my own skin. I’ve really embraced middle age, I’ve taken up gardening, and I’ve developed a real fascination with air plants.
What’s next in the world of Carl Donnelly?
I’m looking forward to taking my tour to Australia, I’m going to go to a comedy festival in Melbourne and I’m writing a new show. I tend not to look any further forward than six months, but the next six months are looking pretty good for me.