FRINGE 2009 - Jason Cook

Tue 3rd Mar, 2009 in Features

This iconic show, a stalwart of many Adelaide Fringe festivals returns to The Gov showcasing the hottest new comedy talent direct from the Edinburgh Festival. The 2009 line-up includes Eddie Ifft (USA) a welcome, return visitor to our fair shores and who will be headlining the extravaganza plus special guests, Jason Cook (UK – Geordie) and Jarlath Regan (Ireland). Jason Cook shares a few words before heading to Adelaide for the first time.

Are you looking forward to the Festival Fringe? “Oh, absolutely,” Jason said. “It’ll be the first time I’ve been to Adelaide, and I’m very excited. I’ve done other big festivals all over the world and Adelaide has always been fondly talked about by the other comedians. You have quite a reputation to live up to!”

Is it hard being funny all the time? “You should probably ask my wife,” Jason replied. “She has to put up with it, I do sit and try jokes out on her all night if we’re in together, although when I just asked her about this very question she did say “Sometimes I just tune you out”. She may not last the night.”

How did you get in to comedy? “A friend of mine asked me to join his sketch group as I was always making people in the pub laugh. I started performing and just got addicted to it. I left my job, sold my house and car and got a job working in a comedy club in Newcastle to make ends meet. After a while I moved to Manchester with a few friends, got an agent and here we are.”

Do you recall your first big break? Yes, it was performing at a 3000 seat venue in Newcastle, my home town (where Ross Noble is from). We had been given an arts grant for our sketch show and part of the scheme was to perform at this big charity concert. I remember being on that HUGE stage thinking “I should definitely be doing more of this kind of thing, this is nice…”.

What has been the highlight of your career to date? I won the “Best International Act” award at The New Zealand Comedy Festival last year that was pretty special, I was up against some people that I would call my comedy heroes so to be held in the same regard as them was very flattering. And in last year’s Edinburgh Festival, we had to put on extra shows as we had sold out the entire run and there was still demand for tickets. In a festival where people moan that the average audience is 4 people to have to scout around for extra venues makes you quite big headed. Ask my missus she said I was “insufferable”.”

Your bio says that you have a thing for dwarves, newspaper vendors and toilets at raves – is there anything else we should be wary of? “I’m not sure really, things come and go, I think I have ADD because my fascination with things seem to change quite often. Me and the wife will be trying for a baby soon, so I’m suddenly interested in ugly children. There are LOADS of them about, and I know to their parents say they are perfect because they love them but they must KNOW. My mates kid has webbed eyes. That’s not normal. But you can’t say anything can you?”

Does a comedian plot or plan to pick on someone in the first or second row? “I think some do,” Jason believed. “I don’t see it as “picking” on people. I just like to have a chat, see where the funny is in people. Everyone has a funny fact or story and if you’re too aggressive people just shut down and won’t tell you anything about themselves. Although you do sometimes get people who sit at the front JUST to be picked on, seriously, it happens. Those are usually the people who want to talk to your for HOURS after the gig – the scary people. But I never really have a “plan”, because no two audiences are the same, and I think it makes for a better show to just go with what you think that crowd needs. That’s why you’ll probably see me saying “Oooh! I must tell you this” as and when things come to me.”

Are there any particular comedians you look up to? “The list would be too long to print I think. Ross Noble, Daniel Kitson, Jimeoin, Billy Connolly, I really could go on for days. I think I tend to like the kind of comedians who you can imagine having round your house for a cup of tea.”

What would you been doing if you didn’t get in to comedy? “Probably still be in the merchant navy really, travelling the world making the rest of the crew laugh.”

What’s your best line for a heckler? I try not to use standard “put downs”, the best way I’ve found is to just let them talk for a little bit, which usually gives you as much ammo as you need or they will just embarrass themselves,” Jason revealed. “I only really have one rule which is “if your heckle is good we’ll have fun with it, if you heckle is bad, I’ll destroy you”. Sometimes (very VERY rarely) a heckle can take the show in a new direction, and be something positive, usually when someone is trying to add a punch line to a joke, or contribute something positive to the night to keep the fun rolling along. There was a beautiful one last year in New Zealand, a guy in the audience had been in the army, and when a woman at the back heckled for the third time, he just leaned forward and said “switch off the lights mate, I’ll take care of her”. So we spent the rest of the night talking about what we would do if we each had our own personal assassin, it was wonderful. However if people are just trying to disrupt the night, or listening to their beer voice which is telling them “You’re funnier than this bloke, go on, shout something out and prove it”, then they get the sharp end of the stick. I’m not proud of it but I have made women cry and made more than one man leave the venue is shame. Not kicked out, just left because they had made me turn the crowd against them that much.”

Show Details for Jason Cook:

Best of the Edinburgh Fest
The Gov, 59 Port Road, Hindmarsh
7.45pm each night (no Mondays)

And

Best of the Fest – Late Show
The Gov, 59 Port Road, Hindmarsh
Every Fri & Sat night of the Fringe
Doors open from 10.00pm

Book on the Fringetix Website or call 1300FRINGE (1300 374 643).