COMEDIAN Jason Manford is a regular on TV quiz and panel shows presenting Bigheads and What Would Your Kid Do? He is bringing his show ‘Muddle Class’ to UCH next Wednesday.
Limerick Post had a chat with Jason and learned about his Irish roots. He will be calling to his uncle here in Limerick while he is in town.
While we don’t have a class system here in Ireland as such, we are capable of being “tuppence looking down its nose at a penny” as good as any other nation. So it is probably fair to say that an Irish audience will very much relate to a comedy show that talks about living in a Muddle Class?
“When you first write a show you worry that it is just you,” says Jason Manford.
“The more I have done it the more I have found people go, actually, yeah, we are in a similar situation because we’ve got different jobs. When I was young our parents were in jobs that were manual labour, in very traditional working class jobs and now, the lines are blurred a little bit. Its a very different world – I mean they are selling olives at Lidl!!” laughs.
Jason’s show talks about getting caught speeding, accidental racism and that moment when find yourself saying what your parents said to you – You don’t know how lucky you are!!
“You never think you will end up saying it!”
“Its a tough balance – they don’t know the half of it, bloody hell – You are aiming to give your kids a better start in life than you had.
“But you don’t want to raise them SO different that you’ve got nothing in common.”
Muddle Class is an over 14s show which is good news for teenagers into stand up comedy that find themselves not able to go to most Over 18’s comedy shows.
“The show has been written for grown ups but sometimes you get someone who is 14 and into their comedy. They have probably seen everything on YouTube anyway.”
“Generally I’m not the sort of comic who is into upsetting people. That is why I put on my shows 14+ and you are good to go.”
One of Jason’s new TV shows ‘What Would Your Kid Do’ has struck a chord with audiences and it returns in the new year.
“Its great fun, loads of fun. I know they say never work with children but they are fantastic.
“These days everybody, regular people, are so media trained when it comes to what they say and don’t say on TV but these kids haven’t got that far yet. They are just honest you know.”
Jason recorded new episodes just last week. Expect to see a Christmas Special and a full series out in Spring 2019.
With Celebrity Big Brother just finishing last week I enquire if Jason would ever consider doing the reality show circuit.
Laughs! “Nah, unless a terrible tax bill comes in!
“I don’t think there is any reason really – I’d hope that I could avoid that for quite a few years. If you don’t need to do it then Good God, why would you!”
Jason comes from a big family of musical talent. His mother Nora Ryan is from Dublin.
“She came to Manchester in the 1950’s played with my grandfather in an Irish Folk band and they had 11 children and they taught them all instruments and how to perform.”
Jason released an album of songs dedicated to his grandmother called ‘A Different Stage’.
Jason hosts his ratings-winning three-hour live show on Absolute Radio every Sunday morning from wherever he finds himself on tour.
With playlists of indie rock and classic hits featuring the likes of Arctic Monkeys and Kings of Leon, “The playlists are a bit too cool for me to be honest. I am a bit more Neil Diamond and Willie Nelson!”
Singing, radio djing and TV shows are all part of Jason’s world but stand up is his first love.
“That is the main job. Because you are in charge of it, there is no director or editor or producer. Also you get the direct feedback. You know how well you have done. You don’t have to wait for viewing figures or reviews. You know how it went because you heard it. There is sort of charm about that. That is why it will always be the Number One job.”
Jason Manford performs at University Concert Hall this Wednesday September 26.
