Emma McAlpine spends 15 minutes in the company of stand-up comedian Josie Long.
A Josie Long show is like a hit of comedy crack straight to the soul. You walk out feeling glorious and determined to live your life a little bit better. Then you come down to earth, the cynicism creeps back in and you start craving another hit. After seeing her latest show, Be Honourable in Edinburgh, I left full of new intentions and soon-to-be-realised potential. Do more good, eat more porridge, read more Kurt Vonnegut novels. And I’m just one of many won over by her infectious enthusiasm, noble ideals and enjoyably silly sense of humour. Currently, she’s on the road, touring the show (which subsequently got nominated for the main Edinburgh Comedy Award) around the country. I caught up with her en route to a gig, to talk breakfast, book-writing and the Tories…
Hi Josie, how are you doing?
Not bad. We’re stuck in traffic at the moment at the very bottom of the M4 on our way to Bristol so we’re a bit annoyed but it’s all good.
Do you have a support act to keep you company?
Yeah I’ve got two and that’s made it even better this year. The three of us can help each other and if we all have a bad gig it feels easier because we can say “Those people were arseholes!”
You got nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Award this year. Congratulations!
Aw, thank you. I really didn’t think it would happen. I never want to know if the judges are there at the Edinburgh shows so I wasn’t expecting it. I’m really happy about it and I know that it doesn’t really matter but at the same time it’s really nice to have that recognition.
Your show had a bit more political bite to it than usual.
I was thinking about this today, my other shows have all been loosely political in some way. They are all about challenging what you feel like you’re allowed to do but I guess this one is more explicitly about me saying the Tories are cunts.
And how amazing porridge is.
Yes, that too!
You’ll be pleased to hear I had some this morning.
Did you? What did you have it with?
Honey. You get a choice of either honey or fruit compote with your porridge at Pret and honey is by far the best.
Yeah, you don’t know what’s in that compote. I always try and have nuts or fruit with my porridge. I’m ridiculously austere at breakfast time.
In the show you also talk about a man called Walter Ezell who did this amazing photo blog of every breakfast he had for a year. Does he know there’s a comedy show about him out there?
Yes because I did genuinely ring him and asked him if he’d be happy with people knowing about this stuff and he said ‘sure’ but I’m too scared to ring him and tell him ‘By the way do you know how much I love you’ over and over again. I think if he knew the extent of the stalking he might be a little perturbed! He was so nice though and we chatted for quite a while over the phone. I think I actually thought we’d be best mates before I spoke to him.
You must get to meet quite a lot of people you admire in your job. Who was the last person you met that made you childishly excited?
Well. I did a gig in New York the other week and on the gig before me in the venue were two guys from 30 Rock - Pete and Lutz - and I lost my mind with excitement. I do love my job for that.
You’ve also got your own book coming out soon haven’t you?
Yes. It’s going to be a tour guide to England but it’s really a guide to living a silly, more imaginative life so a lot of it will be made up.
Is it quite daunting writing your first book?
Yeah it is, so I’m taking a lot of time off to do it. I’m not gigging for three months after the tour, apart from the odd one here and there so I can get it done. I’m a little bit intimidated but hugely excited at the same time.
Josie Long: Be Honourable is at the Soho Theatre from Monday 25th-Saturday 30th October
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