| RICHARD
HERRING INTERVIEW |
SIAN:
Did you always want to be a comedian? When did you realise that it was
what you wanted to do?
RICH:Yes, pretty much, but it's the kind of job your
career's officer tells you that you have no chance with. It was only
when we did well with shows at University that I thought I could really give
it a go.
S: How did you start in comedy?
R:Professionally, doing 'open spots' (unpaid gigs) in
London and writing for Radio 4's 'Weekending'- but I did revues at school
and lots of comedy and acting at University.
S: What are the best/worst things about fame?
R: We're not really famous! I get recognised about
once a week. The best things for us are the people who like our stuff
and the letters they write and the fact that they get something out of our
shows. The worst are the people who think that as they've seen us on
telly that we're their property and that they have a right to be rude and
hang around us all the time.
S: What do you think of your fans? What do they do for your attention
at gigs?
R: The real fans I really like. They send funny
letters and in effect, pay our wages. It's nice to know that our humour
connects with people. For attention, some fans wear homemade T-shirts
with our faces on. Once, one bloke came up on stage uninvited!
They heckle in a supportive way. Nothing very bizarre!
S: What are the best and worst things a fan has done?
R: The worst wasn't really a fan, but a drunk
bloke in Edinburgh hung around being annoying for an hour. When I asked
him to go home and sober up he tipped a glass of water over my head!
The best- there are so many really. We get some very touching letters
from people who've been helped through stuff by laughing at our stupid rubbish!
My play ('Punk's Not Dead') got a few letters from 30-something blokes who
identified with it. And they say, "Moon on a stick!" to us, and nothing
else!
S: Tell us about one amusing incident from your Autumn tour!
R: The tour was actually quite dull in terms of amusing
stories. But one night, Stew said that I'd eat anything that was thrown
on stage, and someone threw some shampoo- and I ate it! That stuck in
my throat and tastebuds for days!
S: Finally, what do your family think of what you do?
R: They're very supportive and proud and always
have been. They keep giving me ideas for sketches, but they're all rubbish!
S: Thanks Rich!
