Today on the Engaging Marketeer podcast, I’m joined by award-winning comedian Phil Reid. Phil has been in the entertainment industry for over a decade now, touring both the nation performing stand-up as well as the seas as a regular cruise ship performer. Not only that, but Phil is an experienced pantomime performer, adding to his impressive CV. Today, Phil and I are discussing his comedy roots, the ups and downs of a comedian’s career and how his career has been shaped by lockdown as well his panto work.
Listen to the full episode now, which includes these highlights:
Phil on his comedic roots…
Darren: One thing I like to ask when I’m talking to comedians is why the hell do you do it? What possessed you to actually want to be a comic?
Phil: I’ve always enjoyed making people laugh from an early age, but also I think the biggest influence that I had was my Dad. I used to really love watching my dad laugh and I thought it was just something comforting about it. That was where it really began.
…on taking on comedy as a job…
Darren: When you told your family that you were going to be a stand-up comedian, what was the kind of response you got?
Phil: I still get it now – it’s not a real job. It’s not really something that I ever went ‘this is what I want to be’, it was just something that I talked with my agent just to find out if there was any path that we could go down like for comedy, and they gave me the name of the Frog and Bucket in Manchester, which is quite famously known among comedians, so that’s where I really started to get into it.
…on his stand-up influences…
Darren: What sort of comedians were you basing your original early career on?
Phil: I’d probably say there was a lot of Lee Evans in there, probably I think because it’s kind of ingrained in me, but not really to the extent of Lee Evans’ act. People would say that Lee Evans was just a carbon copy of Norman Wisdom when he was coming up; obviously those elements are in there, but if you look into any comedian you’ll be able to see their influences.
Darren: I think you’re right because people will try and pigeonhole somebody and say that you’re like this person and that’s how they’ll try and describe them.
…on comedy he doesn’t enjoy…
Darren: Is there any particular kind of comedy that you you don’t like? Because I’m not a fan of Tim Vine, for example, with the punning, it’s just not my kind of humour, no offense to Tim Vine.
Phil: I was very fortunate I got to work with Tim in 2014, and the way he has the audience in his hand to hang on every word is just surreal to see. When it comes to comedy I don’t like, I wouldn’t say it’s a style that’s not for me, it’d be more the comic I’m maybe not a fan of.
Darren: So who would that be?
Phil: You’re not gonna like everyone, it’s impossible, and as a comedian it’s impossible to have everyone like you which is kind of something that I’ve kind of accepted.
…on the struggles of being a comedian…
Darren: One thing I do want to ask, because the career of a comedian is very up and down with very long trips, not necessarily for much money. When you get there, how do you make that work?
Phil: It’s just more about having as many different fingers in as many different pies as possible. I’m very fortunate in the situation that I’ve kind of opened myself up vastly, so I do comedy clubs Friday and Saturdays, I do holiday parks, cruise ships, theatre supports and, during lockdown, I got a radio presenting job, so again that’s something to mark off on the CV.
Darren: You’ve got different types of audiences then. Your stand-up at the comedy clubs, they’re going to be an adult audience, they’re going to expect the full-on swearing repertoire, whereas that’s a massive big red flag for the panto audience. So, what do you think you’re gonna do in terms of doing that for branding and getting yourself out there on social media when you have very different essentially audience avatars?
Phil: That’s what I’m still working out. It’s finding that balance. I do feel that I maybe need to release more, but then finding that balance between putting stuff out there and how you want to represent yourself is difficult.
How to reach Phil for bookings
Darren: If somebody wants to book you to hire you for anything, what’s the best way for them to get in touch with you?
Phil: Best way to get in touch with me is all via social media. I have a website at the minute, but it’s down, so that’s probably no good. I have control of all my social media, you can message me, whatever you want to do. Well, not WHATEVER you want to do.
Darren: Anybody wants to hire Phil for 30 minutes, whatever you want to do, get in touch.
As Phil says, the best way to get in touch with him for stand-up or other entertainment bookings is through his social media channels, particularly Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Phil will continue to make audiences all over the UK and beyond laugh, and he’s sure to be a busy man when panto season gets back up and running in the next couple of months.
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