English comedian Russell Howard performs in Dubai for the first time on April 20, 21 and 22 at Dubai College Auditorium, fresh off of a UK tour. Howard, 37, has become known through shows such as Russell Howard’s Good News, Mock the Week and, for a short two years, a radio programme named after him.
Speaking on the phone on Wednesday, he told Gulf News tabloid! about the time he betrayed his brother in the UAE — and his next big dream of riding a bird.
It’s your first time performing here. What do you have planned?
I’m doing an hour set, so I’ll pick from the two hours I did on my recent tour. It’ll probably change night to night as we do more fun, weird, interesting things in Dubai.
Have you been to Dubai before?
I’ve been a few times. My brother’s appendix burst when we were here on holiday. He was in hospital for the whole week. Whilst he was recovering, I snuck away and swam with dolphins at Atlantis and I’ve never told him that I did it. It’s that awful thing where you’re waiting for your little brother to fall asleep, and then I got back just before he woke up. He’s like, ‘Did you stay here all this time?’ I was like, ‘Absolutely.’
Do you remember the toughest crowd you’ve ever performed to?
There’s a place in England called Romford in Essex. I did a Christmas show there and a lady threw a [sex toy] at me. And it hit me in the face. That was definitely the weirdest — if someone’s throwing sex toys at you, they’re not fans.
A cliche question, but when did you realise you were funny? Was it when you were a kid?
The thing about school in England, it’s kill or be killed. You just have to become funny or your life will be hell. You’re just going to get the [expletive] kicked out of you — you’re either a big lad and you can beat people up, or you’re funny and you get out of trouble. It’s completely a defence mechanism. I also come from an incredibly funny family — it turned out I had the best apprenticeship in comedy just because my grandad and mum were really funny.
Is there anyone in your friends or family who’s off-limits in your routines?
They love it, to be honest. They come to all my big shows and enjoy being part of it. They’re always the winners — I’m always the idiot. It’s not like, ‘Oh, god, my mum did this and I hate her.’ I adore my mum and I love how free-spirited she is, she doesn’t give two hoots about societal convention.
Is it easier or harder to write material in today’s social and political climate?
I don’t think the world has ever been more interested in the news than we currently we are. There was always this conception that audiences are turned off by politics, but I definitely know that’s not the case anymore. Talking about Trump or British politics, people are really tuned in. We’re waking up every day saying, ‘He’s done what?’ All the loud voices in the media seem to be the right-wingers, certainly in my part of the world. So it’s [Nigel] Farage or it’s [Geert] Wilders or it’s [Marine] Le Pen. I understand why people are angry, because the haves have more and the have nots have less. But what I don’t understand is why are all the dissenting voices right-wing? There’s no Gandhi, there’s no Martin Luther King. Not to sound too lofty, but I think that’s an interesting place where comedy can exist — really great comedy can question these so called truths and attack them. That’s certainly what we try to do with the TV show I do — attack people who do ludicrous things.
What’s next for you? Is there anything you haven’t achieved — any format or medium you’d like to try?
I’ve never rode an ostrich. My friend Steve, he’s done it and he said it was great. He was on his honeymoon. Apparently they’re really fast.
