Richard Herring's perfect weekend
Multi-award winning comedian Richard Herring has been making the nation laugh for more years than he cares to remember. We caught up with him to find out about his perfect weekend.
Multi-award winning comedian Richard Herring has been making the nation laugh for more years than he cares to remember. We caught up with him to find out about his perfect weekend.
It's Friday afternoon, what's on your mind?
As a comedian Friday afternoon does not signal the end of work, in fact work is probably just about to begin. So I am probably thinking about how to get out of the traffic jam I am and get to where I am going in time.
My current tour is called What Is Love, Anyway? It's based on the question posed by the insane, Welsh, poet-philosopher Howard Jones in 1983.
In in the intervening 28 years, no one has dared to answer . . . until now. So, come Friday, chances are I'll be driving to a provincial theatre to perform What Is Love, Anyway?
Who normally has the pleasure of your company at the weekend?
I spend any free time I get with my girlfriend, but I will probably be gigging, so will be seeing a select bunch of nerds who dig my stuff. And hopefully they will be laughing.
For instance, on What Is Love, Anyway? I'll be asking those around me whether love is just a chemical reaction in our brains by which our body selects potential sexual partners, or if it is a magical force which guides us unerringly to our soul mate. Oddly it's usually waiting until we're off our face at a night club to do so!
How do you prepare for a big night out?
I might put on a nice shirt and my favourite shoes, but I am more interested in going out than preparing to go out.
What's your favourite party outfit?
I have some new Jeffrey West boots that I like very much. But I am not too bothered about what I am wearing, so much as where I am and who I am with.
You've just arrived at the bar, what's your first drink?
It varies so much these days. I don't like drinking alcohol as much as I once did and try to limit things. So it's a toss up between wine and beer, but I drink wine too quickly and beer makes me feel bloated, so I might have a cup of tea instead.
What is your favourite nightspot and why?
As I work most nights my favourite place to be is at home with my girlfriend. This questionnaire makes me realise how boring I am.
It's a sunny Saturday, what are you up to?
Probably sitting inside writing blogs, but if I get my arse in gear I love to go walking or running by the river.
What's your most memorable weekend and why?
If I could remember, it wouldn't be memorable surely.
What's the recipe for a perfect night in?
Home cooked food, bottle of Champagne, DVD, Scrabble, early night.
What's your favourite DVD and what would you eat while watching it?
This is Spinal Tap. I might eat some meat on tiny bread so I can join in with the film.
Sunday Breakfast-cooked or continental?
I have porridge with fruit for breakfast every day
Sunday lunch; down the pub or home cooked?
Down the pub. Nice pint of Guinness.
Where and how do you like to relax?
I need to get away for a fortnight to really relax, sit on a beach, reading books, drinking cocktails.
I spend a lot of my time working, writing, touring or on TV. For instance, I recently completed my 94 date nationwide tour of my Edinburgh Fringe show, Christ on a Bike: The Second Coming – including 26 dates at the Leicester Square Theatre.
I'm also busy on other projects. In 2010, I published my book How Not To Grow Up and released Hitler Moustache on DVD.
I also recorded the first series of his BBC Radio 4 show Richard Herring's. That's just touching the surface – you can understand why my idea of relaxing is to sit on a beach, read books and drink cocktails.
You've got a whole weekend off and a wad of money in your pocket. Which country would you head for?
Probably Italy. I love the culture and the food.
* Richard Herring plays Stafford Gatehouse on January 21, Birmingham Glee Club on February 1, Wolverhampton Civic on February 16 and Shrewsbury Severn Theatre on February 29.
