Likewise with comics because I do musical comedy, I was always seen as a second-class act.

Some musicians are a bit humourless about their art: they lose sight of the fact that as well as exercising their muse, they're there to entertain. What could musicians learn from comics, and vice versa? I know some perfectly sensible, very grounded people who are funny. That we're all manic-depressive alcoholics just stumbling along in the chaos of our private lives. It looked like I was deliberately cocking a snook at their good intentions. I was performing at an evening of rapprochement between the white New Zealanders and the Maori community, but I didn't know that, so I just blundered in doing an irreverent song about racial harmony.

If you haven't prepared properly for a gig, then you can find yourself in an awkward place. Have you ever had an embarrassing moment on stage? Religion doesn't cut it any more, so what do you do? Go out in a big group and have a good old laugh. And when you're in a bit of a state, you need cheering up. We're the most depressed nation in Europe: we take the most illegal drugs, we have more alcohol-related days off and more teenage pregnancies. Why is there such a boom in comedy in Britain?īecause we're in a bit of a state. I remember there was one teacher who used to sweat a lot in class, so I rigged up a shirt with two tubes under the arms I'd pretend to be him, and water would come squirting out. We would mercilessly mock any slight weakness in the teachers. I was always part of the end-of-term review at school. When did you first realise you were funny?

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