Fast Show comedian Simon Day will talk about his memoirs at Blackheath Halls

BLACKHEATH born comedian Simon Day will return to his home town this week before the release of his memoirs Comedy and Error.

Day, famous for portraying characters such as Billy Bleach, Competitive Dad and Dave Angel: Eco-Warrior, in seminal comedy series The Fast Show, will be appearing at Blackheath Halls on Saturday to talk about his story of drugs, crime and comedy.

Describing his life with extraordinary candour, he will offer an insight into his journey from the early days to his descent into addiction and homelessness and on to meeting a young Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer, setting him on the road to stardom.

What prompted you to write the book and was it quite a cathartic thing to do?

Simon Day: A guy heard me speaking about being in borstal and he was a literary agent. He told me I should write a book. I thought he wanted a comedy book but he meant I biography. At first I thought, I don’t want to do that. I don’t want everyone knowing what a terrible life I’ve had.

But I sent him about 7,000 words and took it from there.

I’ve told all these stories before, especially my time in a borstal. At the time I was in there I thought it was a kind of an interesting thing because I was middle-class and it was at the time of the racial riots.

Not many people go through this and see the system in operation. Unfortunately I had to deal with the prison side of it too so I couldn’t just be an observer.

You’re known for your characters. Do you feel quite vulnerable building a show around just yourself?

SD: I did a stand-up tour a couple of years ago as myself for the first time ever.

I was so useless at being myself, doing promotions for other things, I thought it would be good for me to do that. Although, I didn’t think it was as good as my character show.

It is certainly odd promoting this new book because I can’t go along dressed as a character and be funny.

I’ve got to talk about some very real issues which happened in my life and some I’m ok with and some I’m not. It is quite weird.

The Fast Show was so iconic. It feels like when those seminal sketch shows left our screens, a void was left which has never been filled...

SD: The people in the industry are obsessed with new people, young people and shows to capture the younger market.

They try to copy popular shows. They are obsessed with trying to please people and are forever chasing their own tails.

It’s not enough to just be funny. I mean, I just did a show with Paul Whitehouse called Bellamy’s People and they cancelled it.

Paul said in the meeting, “You’d probably have preferred it if we’d copied The Fast Show again”, and they agreed. But that would have been pointless really.

You suffered from addiction and depression. How important was your sense of humour in getting through those bad times?

SD: It was very important to me. A lot of people who become comedians are confused or angry.

From my point of view, I didn’t like nothing happening. Silence was my enemy and I couldn’t just sit there. If it was too quiet I felt I had to say something. It comes from that really. It was about putting on a show to be more interesting to the gang.

Did you use comedy as a crutch then?

SD: Exactly. It stopped me getting beaten up at school, but I always loved performing and entertaining and I always have. I loved funny people and characters.

You got your big break from Vic Reeves? Did you see that as a career defining moment at the time?

SD: Him and Bob rented an office, by coincidence, above a friend of mine’s shop.

My friend told me to write a stand-up set because he thought I was funny. So he pushed me into doing it.

It was a talent night and Reeves and Mortimer were judging it and I won. Then they asked me to come on tour with them. Much of it was because they liked my company as well as the show.

Are you grateful for the darker aspects of your past?

SD: Being in addiction, not being treated and not knowing anything about it, I could have done without it all.

Had I been diagnosed, in those days people didn’t know anything about addiction. Maybe in Notting Hill or Hampstead. But certainly in my area and with my parents generation they didn’t really know anything about it.

I went through the prison system completely undiagnosed. Now they have AA meetings in prison. But in those days people just thought you were an idiot or a criminal.

A lot of comedians have struggled with addiction. What do you put that down to?

SD: I think comedians don’t particularly like themselves. They say addiction comes from a lack of self-worth and a lot of people in showbiz feel they need to put on a show because they don’t actually like themselves as they are.

Does fame exacerbate the problem?

It doesn’t help because you get paid a lot of money and have a lot of time on your hands, with people telling you how funny you are. To try and not believe that lie is hard.

I’m married now and a lot more centred. I’m not saying I’m perfect or a Buddhist but I’m a lot happier than I was.

Simon will be appearing at the Lee Road venue on Saturday at 7.30pm and tickets cost £12. To get hold of yours, call 020 8463 0100 or visit trinitylaban.ac.uk