Parenting Hell with Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe - S8 EP54: Jeff Innocent

Episode Date: July 12, 2024

Joining us this episode to discuss the highs and lows of parenting (and life) is the brilliant comedian - Jeff Innnocent. You can get tickets for Jeff's 'Smart Casual' tour HERE Parenting Hell is a Spotify Podcast, available everywhere every Tuesday and Friday. Please leave a rating and review you filthy street dogs... xxx If you want to get in touch with the show here's how: EMAIL: [e-mail] INSTAGRAM: @parentinghell MAILING LIST: parentinghellpodcast.mailchimpsites.com  A 'Keep It Light Media' Production  Sales, advertising, and general enquiries: [e-mail] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello, I'm Rob Beckett. Hello, I'm Josh Winnockham. Welcome to Parenting Hell, the show in which Josh and I discuss what it's really like to be a parent, which I would say can be a little tricky. So, to make ourselves and hopefully you feel better about the trials and tribulations of modern-day parenting, each week we're chatting to a famous parent about how they're coping. Or hopefully how they're not coping. And we'll also be hearing from you the listener with your tips, advice and of course, tales of parenting woe. Because let's be honest, there are plenty of times when none of us know what we're doing.

I'm going back to university for $0. I'm going back think university is for. Get Uber won for students. With deals this good, everyone wants to be a student. Join for just 499 a month. Savings may bea, eligibility and member terms apply. Hello, you're listening to Parenting Hell with. Rex, can you say Rob Beckettett,

and can you say Josh Whittak? Josh Widdickham. Well done. That was superb. Oh, you like this, Rob. Yeah. This is Rex, my two-year-old, introducing Rob and Josh. He is little brother to Edie, who is six.

We live in Beckham. Beckham, that is down the road. And mum, well close. Liz, so the mum grew up in Devon and went to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to the the the the the the the the the the the Down the road. And mum, well close. Liz, so the mum, grew up in Devon and went to school in Exeter. Oh, look at this. It's a Rob and Josh absolutely combo. And Dad, Andy, did the comedy circuit with Rob many years ago. What's that surname?

Andy Davies. Andy Davies. I wonder why you didn't do it with me. So we have something in common with both of you besides parenting. We love the show. It always brings us smile to our faces, Liz, Andy, Eady and Rex. Oh, I know Andy. That's her dad. Yeah. You must have done the gigs of Andy Davies. You don't do the lines den, Rob. Thank you for listening, Andy. That's the t it? It's his wife.

That's his wife was messaging in. That's his wife messaging in and it's his daughter. But that was his daughter, right, I was going to say, I was like, fucking how I, you must have had a kid at about six if that's his... No, no, no, no, that isn't it? Still tired. No, I've just got confused because Andy Davis was also the name of the producer guy that used to go on Jonathan Ross's TV chat show and sit next to him. Yeah, remember that weird bit? That was odd, wasn't it?

Yeah, so there's loads of these like, on his like, on his gigs he's done or like he's done a couple of Edinburgh shows and a few YouTube videos and then it goes down to like front note with Jonathan Ross and I was like it was on Jonathan Ross with Gary Linica Richard and Judy and Ozzy Osbol I was like oh no that's the other Andy Davis. That's a good selection of bookings isn't it? There's a right old mad time the first series of Jonathan Ross so that producer he'd like I'd like a to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to the to to the to the to to the to the to to the the the the to to the the the the the the to the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the they. I'm they. I'm they. I'm the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the th. I'm th. I'm th. I'm th. I'm th. I was the. I was. I was just just just just. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was like. I was like. I'd totally forgotten that happened. He'd like, just come on for a bit at the start and have a chat. Yeah, it's because it was, he used to be on Jonathan Ross's radio two show. Ah. First episode of the first series of Friday night with Jonathan Ross was John Lydon, Tamson, O'Hawait, Neil Hannon.

I'm gonna say it. Yeah, not that strong. Well, I tell you what, don't you worry mate. It must have been a hit because the next week... I love Tabbs and Althwhite. Next week, Richard Harris, Kim Kowtowel, Elton, John, we're just warming up. Falk it out. How about this for a line up? George Foreman, George Foreman, George Foreman, George Foreman, and Fulch, Fulch and Pauli. Foultoy. Fnay, Falk, th. Falk, th. F. F. F. Foull, and, th. F. Foull, and, th. F. F. the, the, th. th. the, th. th. th. the, the, the, th. th. F. th. th. Fog. th. th. the, th. th. th. th. the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. toe. toe. toe. toe. toe. toea. too. too. toea. toea. toea. toe. toe. toe. th. th.uk Bacartney, former bloody out. It dropped off slightly when it was Barbara Windsor, Mark Lamar and Samantha Mumber. Then it was Ronan Keaton, David Blaine and Ronnie Wood. Jesus Christ. Wow. Mental. It's so funny reading old lineups like that. God. I wonder what that is mad, isn't it?

The Hugh Jackman, Marianne Faithful, Leslie Phillips. Oh my, that, the what, the carry-on bloke? Cliff Richard, Carol Smiley, Elvis Costello. That's a bad week, that is a week, week. Dale Winton, Phil Jupiter's, Tom Jones, Red, on Chili Pen. I don't know what I find it so funny. It's just madness. What year would disappear about?

2000? That was, yeah. 2002, that was, yeah. Crack me out that, that did. I used to love that show. Still do. But what I mean is like, it was when everyone watched the same things, do you know what I mean? We would have been teenagers watching that, will me? It's like 22 years ago? Yeah, I'd have been 19, yeah.

Exactly. But when you're 15, 16, tell and tele's so important to you. This is youth TV, it's best. I'm not missing Dale Winton and Phil Jupiter's on the same bill, not on a Friday night, not me. Anyway, do we want a couple of correspondence bits before we bring in our guest? Yeah, all right, and then one more line up. Okay, that's right. I'm running out a line off.

Here's a boomer. Hi Rob and Josh, please, tod. th. th. th. to to to to to to to to th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. to to to tho. tho. the the the. th. th. th. th. the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. the. the. the. the. toean. toean............................................ was around 10 I stole about 15 pounds from a friend's bedroom. I still feel terrible about it to this day, but in my defense she was showing off a lot and it was 1990, so that was a lot of money to a 10 year old. Yeah. As punishment, my dad decided that a prison simulation would be suitable to teach me a lesson. What? He made me clear up my entire bedroom of everything. Then I had to stay in there for about four days, I think. I had all my meals there, and I was only allowed out to go to the toilet. It was a height of summer too, as I remember watching my dad mow the grass and

my brother playing outside. I do thiii thii. 10 year on. Have we had this one before or is it a similar? I don't remember. I've thought we had that one before or it's someone else got the same treatment but it was like in the 80s and 90s you pretend to do your child as a prisoner. Kid, ow. I remember watching and row the grass. I've just seen something about simulation theory. You aware of this? No, what's that? So it's basically the idea? So it's basically, it's basically, it's basically, it's basically, it's basically, the idea, the idea, it's basically, the idea, the idea, it's basically, the idea, the idea, the idea, the idea, the idea, the idea, the idea, the idea, the idea, the idea, the idea, the idea, the idea, the idea, the idea, the idea, the idea, the idea, the idea, their their their their their the idea that you know how advanced everything's getting. Yeah. Yeah. And so as things just get more and more advanced, eventually you're going to be able to go into a simulator that's exactly like real life, yeah, or like living in existence that will feel so real that that will feel so real. And that is so likely to happen that that means the odds are you are currently living in a simulation. Oh and what you're experiencing now is a simulation because the

chances are that we're going to get to such a point of advancement that everyone is living in a simulation and the odds are that this is a simulation. Right, okay. Well and we don't even realize it is because it's such a good simulation. Yeah, because it's such a good simulation. Okay so my head. Someone says things well if you lived every day over and over again like and you could choose how your life went for infinity and you go, oh I'm gonna be like a millionaire and have a yacht and do this and do that. Eventually it would go on so long you'd end up picking the same life as you've got now. You what? I don't really understand it. Write in if you understand that. I don't get it. I'm trying to find more lineups with Jonathan Ross.

Go on, hit me with one. I'm struggling now, I'm back to 2011. Oh, they'll be quite strong by then, right? Because... I think just less nostalgia driven. Yeah. There was Kermit the Frog Miss Piggy, Hugh Bonneville, Jack White, or in the Arctic monkeys. It's a great week, isn't it? It's a great week, isn't it? That's a good week. I'm got the list of guests on there. Sad times. Right, let's do one more correspondence and we get our guess. OK, one more correspondence.

OK, we've got some funny things your kids have said here, Josh. OK, go on. Kia Aura, Rob and Josh, which must be the New Zealand for something. New Zealand? Because Charlie from Welling to unstick it before peeing. I'm foolishly responded, I don't understand that feeling because I don't have a penis. Well he loved this phrase and started repeating it in all sorts of non-penius related context. E.G. when I was trying to get his remote control car working, Mama, you don't understand because you don't have a penis. Oh God. Needless to say I was terrified he would use his new favourite phrase with an earshot of

strangers. Thankfully this has not happened yet, thanks all the laughs, Charlie into Wellington, New Zealand. They are weird things, little penises, aren't they? Well all penises, not just little ones. Are you pleased that you've dodged the small penis? I don't mean in your life. Well I'd say's every size, but it's pathetic when not non-erect. Yeah. I flaccid, my penis is an absolute disgrace. That wasn't what I meant, by the way. I hate having to shower in public because it's, but I'd say, at a full mask, no problems with it whatsoever.

I'd say that would be worse ifatted penis in a public shower. Do you often shower in public? No. At the gym you get all like old men with a horrible cocks flapping about. You should be ashamed of your bodies. Let's not just be walking around naked. Yeah, no I'm not shamed on our body but I just don't think you need to see. Oh you should be wrong. I've seen it. We should do more body shame on our body. But it's just like I think. I th th think. And I think I think I think I think I think I think think I think I think it. And I think it's think it's think it's think it's th th th th th th th th th thi thi thi. thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi th. th. their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their th. No. No. No. th. th. th. th. th. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. I thi. I theeeeeeateat thooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. No. No. No. No.amed as part. I'm not shamed on our body, but it's just like, I think dicks are intriguing. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. And I think it's because you don't see him very often. If you had a dick on your nose, you'd.

If you dicks were on your nose, you'd be obsessed with looking at all the different types of thips, you. There's more different types of dicks than noses. Yeah, I'd say dicks are the most random and different body part out of all the body parts. Yeah, more so than nipples, hands fit. Yeah, dicks are all mental. You ain't seen enough dicks, mate. No, wow. And vaginas are different. They're all different.

I'd be gutted if this was my episode and this is my intro, but there we go. Jeff Innocence, the man who's going to have to put up with that. Right, guests this week, Jeff Innocent, who's a legend of the comedy circuit, Josh. It feels like, no offence Jeff, because he's a bit older and I think he's aware of the 60s. He's 60s. the circuit and he's always been on the circuit. He's always smashed gigs and done well, but he's recently got on Instagram and his clips are going mad and he's sold out a tour, he's put on more dates and stuff. So he's a super funny comic. Google image him, you will probably recognize him from an Instagram clip. Do you know I mean? Or you'll have seen him at a club over the year especially in London. Yeah. But also also you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you to to to to to to to to have to have to have to have to have to have to have to have to have to have to have to have to have to have to have to have to to have to have to have to have to have to have to have to have to have to have to have to have to have to have to have to have to to to the the to the the the the the the the the the the the the their their their their their their their their cl. their cl. He their cl their cli. I their cli. I their cli. I. I also more importantly, very interesting, four children, one of his children he didn't know he had and got reunited with them on MySpace. It also

talks about his son being gay and how he has dads and sons coming to his shows where the son's gay and because they're connecting with his material talking about that. So loads going on with his kids and his super funny comedian. So here's Jeff Innocent. Jeff Innocent, welcome to the show. We're very excited about this one, Jeff. Yeah, we've been looking forward to this. Me and Josh are big fans. It's a pleasure. I'm so happy to see how many tickets you're selling. How well we're doing because you've been a legend of the comedy circuit for years. And I think if you talk about comics long enough everyone will we always go how comes Jeff Innocent never toured and got you know but now you're through Instagram you found your audience you're doing these massive tours that's selling out and it's well deserved so I'm buzzing for you you must

be loving it I am loving it it it was an unexpected as well not something I would have been able to do myself so I've had outside help from my sidekick Sam Piconi. I didn't even know what Instagram was actually. In fact, when I first had a viral video, somebody said to me, whatever your years has gone viral and I thought that meant I've been cancelled or something. Honestly, because it doesn't sound good, does it? No. You're not used to the language of technology. He showed me what that meant that it was over a million or something. So it's been a bit of a learning curve for me, but I'm absolutely overjoyed by the whole thing after doing comedy for so long. How long have you been doing it, Jeff? Because you was a legend of the circuit when I started and I feel like I'm getting on now with it. I've been going for about 27 or 8 years.

Yeah. However, I didn't start until I was 41. So it's not as if I've been doing it all my life. I did lots of things before that. Oh really? I didn't know that. Yeah, so it's just, it's happened late in life, late in my comedy career.

And it's been fantastic, and I've really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really that I that I that I that I that I that I that I really that I really that that stage for an hour with audiences that have come to see you. I mean you two guys have been down that road already before me and it's a real joy that when people come and they've come to see you and they wait outside for you as well, but not in the old way when people used to wait for me. Our first impression of you Jeff, because obviously you're a very physical imposing you know look like a tough guy if someone see you in the street I remember when I was an open spot you'd teach me self-defense moves in the dressing room before

gigs I don't know. Oh no it's so funny it was just setting Sam who's up for me I'm around his house at the moment because my I can I don't even had to even had to set this up we were just looking at a picture of John Rob in John John John John John John John John John John John John John John John John John John John John John John John John John John John John John John John John John John John John John John John John John John John John John. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I was a to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to the to the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the te. I the the te. I the the the the try. I was I was I was I'm told. I'm told I was I was I'm to to yeah. I told him a story that once I was coming up for a grading with my martial arts and I was working with Stuart Goldsmith and I was using him as a crash test dummy. I moved because I had a grading and some months after I walked into a green room and saw who I thought was Stuart Goldsmith and started throwing him to the ground and wrestling. It was actually John Robbins. I didn't know. I was throwing him to the ground and wrestling. It was actually John Robbins. I didn't know. I thrown around a bit.

I thought, why did he act so weird? We had fun with this last time. And he was down and started talking. I looked at him and in my head I thought, it's not, it's not a student-a-guy Well, those nerdy white guy comics all look the same. They all look the same, those skinny middle class white guys. But I've stopped doing, I still do a little bit of boxing. I don't want anyone out there thinking because I've stopped the martial arts, they can say, live it is. So I still do a little bit of boxing, but I've stopped the crowd mugs.

the crapping involved and when your joints are going and your knees are going, that's very good. So how old are you now, Jeff? Do you mind me asking? Well, 69 in February, it was 68. 69, wow. And so your first tour was at the age of 68? Yeah, I know. And through Instagram as well.

You wait until you get on Facebook, you're going to clean up if you do it on Instagram. What are your audiences like? Are they like young Instagram people or are they like? Not really, I mean, there are one or two of those, but I seem to have, I've got the audience I deserve it. I think you get the audience that your material attracts. Yeah. I'm getting people in their 20s and people in the middle there and they're beautifully there all seem to be people from my routines. Oh, that's what you talk about. Yeah, so when I meet them afterwards, they make you up to do selfies and that, as you know,

that's what they do now and that's part of the job. They're keen to tell me their story. So it can take a long the selfie. Knogne than th th. I th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. they's they's thi. they's they's they's they're they're thi. thi. thi. they're they're they're they're they're they're they're they're they're they're they're they're they're they're they're they're their. their. they're thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. ta. ta. ta. ta. ta. toge. toge. toge. toge. th. th. th. thi. thi. thi. thi, the show takes longer than the show. I mean it's double. The show's only an hour. It takes two hours, but you may I don't know how familiar with my material, but it's about, you know, I have a black wife, I have a gay son, I have a Jewish dad. And all of these people are turning up, you know, I'm having these black women introducing me to their white husband as if it's some sort of cult that I've debated. I'm having dads with their gay sons coming along, I mean this is beautiful man, coming along to see me, you know, I talk about having a gay son and what that's like. It's beautiful. Oh, that's amazing. Your act is, I'd say, sort of a nice combo of Mickey Flanagan and Sean Locke where that's sort of a quirkyer. that's, th sort of quirkier edge. That's a lovely combination that's very complimentary but maybe

you're right yeah yeah maybe and I still think that's one of the best sorry Jeff go on. No you're gonna say one of the best I'm not gonna let you know you're gonna say it there Rob he's interrupted at that point what does actually link it to the podcast but one of the best jokes that I just always stick to me is when you talk about having your black wife in the joke from Sierra Leone and then people think you look racist they come up to you and go oh you still living in Canning Town you must have been one of the only white faces left in East London and you go in East the Sunnard I'm one of the only white faces in my own fucking house because of your kids mix and mix they the line. I mean what I like about those lines, they're lines that you don't write, aren't they?

You know those lines that just come to you naturally and you think this is the sort of thing I'd say in conversation. And when you manage to capture those in your comedy, that's a great thing isn't it? Because well this is me, it's natural me. And those big lines are all, I think, for me anyway, are all things I would just say in a conversation with friends or whatever. And I'm very, taking years to capture that, I think, really. Do you enjoy that? Because obviously when you go on, people have certain expectations and part of the fun of watching you is obviously, you subvert those

expectations so much? Do you really enjoy that? That must have been quite difficult to get the handle of, right, initially? Very much. In some ways, however, the people that are coming to see me already know that now, of course. So yeah, yeah. Then I imagine that joy has diminished slightly. I mean, when I walk into clubs and they don't know who am, I enjoy that unexpected. But yeah, yeah, th, the the the their their their their their their their their their their to to to to to to to to to to to to to to be to be to be to be to be, to be, to be, to be to bea, their, to bea, to bea, to bea, to bea, to bea, to bea, to bea, to bea, to be. to be. to be. to be, to be. to be. to be, to be. to be. to be, to be. to be. to be. to be. the the their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, th. th. th. th. th. too. today, tooe. tooe. tooe. tooe. tooe. tooe. tooe. tooe. tooe. am I enjoy that unexpected. But yeah, of course it's a gift really isn't it to look a certain way and be another way. It's a great comedian. Well that's the thing I have people don't realize I'm such an alpha when they meet.

Yeah. Yeah. Then you're doing martial arts. Let's ask you about your kids, Jeff. How many kids have you got? Okay right. I've got four children, three different mums, and three different moments in history. Let's put it that way. So they're not from the same conventional nuclear family set up. In fact, one of them was a turn-up on the internet one, which you hear about happening to people and it happened to me. Oh you didn't know about at all. I didn't know she existed. Wow. That was quite a few years ago now I can't remember how long well I tell you what was before Facebook.

Friends reunited. My space yeah so my daughter who I did bring up she got in touch with me and said that a girl a girl has got in touch with her on my space and said that I think your dad is that that that that that that that that that that that that th th th th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi to to to to tho tho tho tho th. I didn't th. I didn't th. I didn't th. I didn't th. I didn't th. I didn't th. I didn't th. didn't th. didn't th. didn't th. didn't th. didn't th. didn't th. didn't th. didn't thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to thi tho. I didn't thi thi thi thi. I and said that a girl has got in toucest with her on my space and said that I think your dad is my dad. Fuck God. Get out. Yeah, so that's all worked out beautifully. So I met her and what happened was her mom, you know, it was a fairly casual relationship but her mom didn't know my surname, she didn't know where I lived, but she knew my daughter's name because I'd taken my daughter there a couple of times.

Yeah. So she knew my daughter's name. My daughter's name is quite unusual. So the girl has gone on to my space, look for the name, looked at this girl was mixed race like her and just thought, okay, maybe this is the same one and it was. Wow. Wow. It's over good. She's now got a son and I'm a granddad. That's incredible. Yeah, it is incredible. And what was that first meeting like? That must be. I put it off for a while. I think I was in denial.

The whole thing was not to take on board. So I think I kept putting it off and hoping that my daughter would develop a relationship with her and then eventually I would see it. we arranged to meet, you know what she said, oh, it still hurts me now. When I met her, she said, I used to come to London and every time I did, I used to think, I wonder if I just walked past my dad. Oh my God. Oh, no, you're now even telling you that.

Yeah, yeah. So I'm so happy to have met her and developed a relationship with her over the last few years. Yeah, it's been fantastic. So that's one of them. So how old are your kids now then? What you got your thought? Well, my daughter is 40, the one who turned up is 38. And I've got a son who's in his mid-30s and I've got a son who I live with. I'm at home now as a single parent living with a 19-year-old. So, wow. The odd couple. It's a odd, the odd, the odd, it's, it's, the odd, it's, it's, the odd, it's, the odd, the the the the the the the the th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thi. thi, th. th. thi, thi, th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. Well, th. Well, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th. Well, th. Well, th. Well, th. Well, th. Well, th. Well, th. Well, th. Well, th. Well, th. I is is th. I's, thi. I's, thousand, thousand, thousand, thousand, thousand, thousand, thousand, thirty. My thirty-a. My thirty-s. Well, that. Well, th.. So, the odd couple, it's fantastic. You see, because of the nature of my relationships being sort of unconventional, I've never actually lived with any teenage children before. Oh really? So this is the first time I had to live with all that teenage. And you're 69? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And that's the other thing. When I had him I was 50. And it felt pretty cool. You know, I thought, well, look at me, yeah.

50-year-old, just having a kid. But now that he's 19 and the month 69, it doesn't feel so cool. How is it then, having a 19-year-old that I imagine's going out, coming in late and, you know, when you're 69 and you're touring and stuff, and the the th and th and th and stuff, th and stuff, th and stuff, th and stuff, th and th and th and th and stuff, th and stuff, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thi. But, thi, thi, thi, but, but, but, that's, but, thi, thi, thi, thi, th... But, th.... But, he. But, he.. But, he, he, he, he.. But, he, he. But, he. But, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's thin, he's thin, he's thin, he's thin, he's thin, he's thin, thin, thin, now. thin, now. thin, now. Now, now. Now, now. Now, now. Now, now. Now, now. Now, quiet life now, do you? Jeff, or you still? I think I'm the rock and roll one. Really? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I think so. I'm the one he said, oh, haven't you got any key? Or what time you'd call this? Or I'm the one that's the rock and roll one, really? Because kids have got recently,

recently, teen ages and early 20s have got a lot more kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind, kind, kind, kind, kind, kind, kind kind, kind all that kind of stuff as opposed to what we were like. I know. Have you seen the difference in those times by having kids over kind of different generations like that? Well, simply not with them, but maybe with me. I mean, I used to be, you know, I used to also be a DJ and spend weekends being out, 247. And so I think the change has been more with me and the type of dad I was when I was younger is very different to the type of dad I am now that I'm in my 60s. Yeah. I've been my twenties having a couple of children. I was busy doing other things as well. Busy, living a life, being a DJ. Even though I had children and I didn't neglect them, you've always got something else that you're doing.

Maybe you've always got something else that you're doing. Maybe you, I don't know if you've been a younger dad, but even though you love them and you're devoted to them, there's always something else you're going to, isn't there? Yeah. Well, I suppose I was 29, I was 29 when I was 29 when I had my first children, but I was still busy. And I was 29 when I was younger and they go, Oh, no, tha, in a 19 I was in 19 I was in 19 I was in 19 I was in 19, I was in 19, I was in 19, I was in the the the the the the the the the first, I was I was I was I was I was in the first, I was my, I was my, I was my first. I was my first. I was my first first first first first first first first 20. I was my first first th. I was my first th. I was my first first th. I was my first first first my first my first my first my first my first my first my first my first my first my first my first my first my first my first my first my first my first my first my first my first, I was my first my first first first, I was my first, I was my first, I was my first, I was my first, I was my first, I was my first, I was my first, I was my first, I was my first, I was my first, I was my first, I was my first. I was my first child, I was first children, I was first children. I was first children. I was first children, when, I was first children, when, I was first children, when, I was first children, when, I was first. th. th. I was first, I was first, I was first, I was first, when, I was first, I was younger and they go, oh daddy can you come and play? I go, yeah, in a minute, in a minute. Whereas when I had my son at 50, I realized this was a second chance or another chance to do it, do the right thing maybe. Yeah. Now with him when he was a child,

can you come and do this, daddy? Yes, every time. So much more devoted hands on and spent more time. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. the the their. their. their. ti. thi. ti. the their. ti. thi. thi. the thi. thi. their. thi. thi. thi. their. I was. their. their. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. And, their. And, their. And, their. And, their. And, their. And, their. And, the their. And, the their. And, their. And, the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the todeea. And, toda. And, toda. And, toda. And, toda. And, today, theyy. And, the they. And, the the their. And, the him, but at the same time not as much energy or not as connected culturally, so I don't play football with him or I don't play computer games. So it's a trade-off all the time, I think. But then you're the king of Instagram, so he must be impressed like.

You know, I don't know if he is or not. However, he's at performing arts college, okay. So on a couple of occasions when people have come back from the college's mates, they've been all over me. Oh really? They've seen me on Instagram. But I don't get that sent from him that he's impressed, but his friends seem to be in fact, one of his friends came around with his girlfriend and she was in the kitchen. I was in there with my underpants and crot at the sink. And she went, oh my god, I just realized who you are. I must have a selfie.

So you can never escape the selfies even in the suble you own. But we've got a great relationship and he's a great kid and I enjoy being a single dad. To run your Instagram, have you got someone that's running it for you? How like... I've got something, you know, I would never know how to do that in a million years. Robbie, I had to go to a different house to make a zoom call. Yeah, no.

Yeah, no, no. No. No. What it is, during lockdown, I'm doing all the whole hour for some reason. Something, oh yeah. So I thought, don't, I don't want to risk it. So I've had to come around to Sam's house who does my Instagram to do this. Yeah. But don't wait a minute.

It's all rare modernist Canadians on the war and interesting books. their course. And you'd be in your pants and cro. So have you even got the your phone? It's on my phone, yeah, but I don't really look at it very much. That's incredible. What a thing to happen? Like you're just not even a, so you're just like do whatever you want with these clips and... Well, it's not exactly that is it? I mean, the clips are not random or arbitrary, are they? Yeah. But I just said, look, you do whatever you do what you think, th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. the th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thi. thi. thi. thi. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. That's th. That's th. That's th. That's. That's. That's. That's. That's. That's. It. It. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's th. It's th. It's th. It's th. It's thin. It's th. It's th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, thi. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, said, look, you do whatever you think. In fact, every turn, he said to me, oh, if we do this, this will happen.

I don't think so. I don't know. We can do a turn. We'll set out. Yeah, yeah, if you say so. So every turn, I've doubted it. Amazing. Well, you're on the tour dates up. Okay, that's quite a difficult thing to do because if we're getting something juicy,

then you're gonna start shouting Tamworth. Yeah, yeah, yeah, sorry, you'll say so what was it like when your son came out? And I'll say, so what was it like when you're the tour? And I'll say, theyn. He was one of those gay immediately. Just completely obvious from the start. I mean I do a whole big routine about about him changing his mind and coming in. That would be the shock for us. And so it's never been discussed. Well, this is a kid who, I wouldn't say when he was a baby you could tell, but as soon as we started taking him to nursery, he was always the alternative to the to to to their, to be to be their, to be their, their, to be to be their, their, to be to be their, to be to be to be to be a to be a to be a to be a to be a to be to be a to be to be to be, is, is, is, is to be, is, is to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be, is a to be to be, is a to be, is a to be, is a to be, is a to be, is, is to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be the the the the thi, is thi, is thi, is thi, is thi, thi. thi. theeateateate. thi. theateate. thi. theateat, is a toooomorrow, is a too, is to to toell, but as soon as we started taking him to nursery, he was always looking for an alternative to that kind of masculine image. Although I didn't remember what that was then, but it turned out, obviously, that's so he's always been sort of openly gay and not traditionally masculine. I was going to say, so that must be lovely for you to see other dads and their sons come into your shows, that because it feels like you're th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, to to to to to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be thu, but, but, but, but, I thu, I thi, I thi, I thi, I thi, I thi, I thi, I their, I was their, I was their, I was their, I was a today, I was a today, today, I'm today, I'm today, I'm today, today, but today, but today, but today, but today, tir sons coming to your shows that because it feels like you're very open-minded and it's not been any issue for you but for some people it is an

issue for the person who's coming out or the parent. I think it is and even though I'm not on a crusade but it's nice to think that your comedy what does Trevor Grith has called it changes the situation you know Trevor is a play comedian and his ideology is spoken through the character Eddie Walters, who's the teacher in this night school of stand-up comedians. And one of the things he talks about is how comedians, I think it's something like a proper comedian, a real comedian, pushes through the laughter to change the situation. And even though that's not my intention and I'm not on a crusade, when, when, when, when, when, when, when, when, when, when, th, th, th, th, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, is thi, is thi, thi, is the their, is their, is their, is their, is their, is their, is their, is their, is their, is their, is their, is their, is their, is their, is their, is their, is their, is their, is their, is their, is their, their, their, their, their, is a their, is a their, is a the'm not on a crusade, when I realize that the things I talk about and the way in which I talk about them can change the situation,

can change the way people think about things, that is very rewarding. I think it's also a testament to you as a parent and to his mom, that he was in a situation where he was able to just express himself like that he was in a situation where he was able to just express himself like that. Do you know what I mean? I think that's a really good reflection of you guys as parents, right? Thank you. Although I take it to granted, but you're right. I mean, I might be in the minority with the way I responded to this, and that traditionally people, from my age and background, would not be embracing that situation. Yeah, and not just just just just just just just just just just just just just just just just just just just just just just just just just the other other other other other other other other other other other other other other other other other other other other the other other other the other other that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that's that's that that that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's not be embracing that situation.

Yeah and not just your background, you know, like the other end of the social spectrum, imagine if he'd grown up and you know, that feels like I'm going to home and go, imagine if he's grown up and named some Tory minister or whatever, but like, do you know what I mean? It feels like such a kind of gift that you can give him that he can just do that he can just do that, he that he that he that he that he that he that he that he can come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come that he that he th, he th, he th. He tho, he can come tho, he can come come come come come come to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to do that, he can come home from school and put girls clothes on and makeup and stuff and in a different era with different parents that would just not have been a option. Well you know even in this era as well George. Did you come up against people commenting on him and his behavior when he was young?

Well there was, I was out with him on a bus, there was some local kid on the bus, some like more traditional kid this way. He went to him, why are you a boy or a girl? And he went, I'm a boy girl and I called, yes, that's my son. As quick as a flash, he had an answer for that. I've never, I mean, I don't know if he on a personal level what he's had to face, but he's never come home with any stories about him being abused in any way whatsoever. So I think he's been privileged enough to live in a more modern world than when I was his age. Yeah, definitely. He's a huge kid as well so I think he'd come unstuck. Oh, it's a big lad as he? Oh, huge, yeah bigger than me, bigger than me and taller bigger so I think he's he's fairly safe you know. I've got the tour dates here do you want me to have you got him Josh? Yeah I have so you're back on tour from September yes I am yes when you're in Oxford Cambridge

which is selling fast Chalmsford sold out Bedrexham, which is the only Welsh date, Hull, York, Otley Leeds, Tring, Southampton, Luton, Guilford last few tickets, Guilford, Liverpool, theatre in Cornwall, Guilford, Liverpool, Huddorf, Huddshire, Cholminton, Portsworth, Notting Christmas, December the 18th, that's selling fast. Well I think we did sell down in the square theatre already. Look at that, you're flying. Yeah it is.

Yeah, it is. The old Cornwall They hurt, they do, yeah, actually. All of them are different shows, they all do come, yeah. And they're sort of in the show, not just my son is in the show, but my other daughter's in the show in some way. Hey, that's, I don't know if you've ever been in that position where you're about to bark on a routine about a routine about a routine about a routine about a routine about a routine about a routine about a routine about a routine about a routine about a routine about a routine about a routine about a routine about a routine about a routine about a routine about a routine about a routine, the audience. Yeah. Like the stiffens. Yeah. Doesn't add an extra layer, doesn't it? Especially, I feel like you really need to have it honed and be on top of it.

Because when you are right in a routine, certain things get stretched in ways that you're maybe not happy with, but you need to stretch it in that accurate, totally honest. Luckily, I've been able to explain that to her as well, and she was fine with that. Is it your daughter that you met through my space? No, no, she's been to the show,

but I did do something about her years ago when I did first meet her, but my son's in the show and my eldest daughter, who, I've got this routine, she's, she's, she's, she's, she's, she's, she's, she's, she's, she's, she's, she's, she's, she's, she's, she's, she's, she's, she's, she's, she's, she's, she's, she's, she's, thin, thin, and she's, thin, thin, thin, and she's, the thi, thi, and she's, and she's, and she's, and she's, and she's, and she's, and she's, and she's, and she's, and she's, and she's, and she, and she, and she, and she, and she, and she, and she's, and she's, and she's, and she's, and she's, and she's, and she's, and she's, and she's, and she's, and she's, and she's, thin.... thin. thin, thin, thin, th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th threaten, th th th th th th th, she's in the corporate world, which is not something that I was hoping for. I don't have enough of money, but in a sense, I'm still a little bit disappointed because that's not what I had in mind. So I did some stuff about that. And then as I was coming to it, I thought, oh, and I was in Hastings, that she lives near there and I said, I remember saying, oh God, I'm back to talk about my daughter and she's actually in the audience. I'm not really sure how to do this now,

but I carried on and it was okay. But yeah, they will come to the comedy and I think they're all sort of proud and I think what's happened is, I think they go to work and people know who I am in their work. They're bosses go, oh, I saw your dad on tel here or I saw your dad. So I think it's helped them a bit up the status somewhat. Or maybe it could have had the opposite effect of course.

Yeah, I'm granddad twice, twice. Twice. And what's that like? Are you an on-call granddad? Well, I'm not, I think I resisted being called granddad for a while. Did you? I did. It takes a while to, I mean, I don't know, you're probably not grandparents because you're too young, but I wasn't ready to be called Granddad and it felt a bit weird. So my daughter would say hello to Granddad, go let me call me chair, it's okay. They're honey. So I've had to lean into it a bit. Yeah. So are you Granddad or you Grandpops, Grandpee? What are you? One's Grandpah? One's Granddad. How old are they? 10 and 2? Are you babysitting then because obviously you're a single parent to a teenager that you. th. th. th. th. they. th. th. th. the their. th. th. the th. the th. the th. th. the to. to. the to. the to. to, to to to to to to to me, their, their, their, to me, to me, to me, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, the, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, they. So, they, they. So, they. So, they, they. So, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, the're a single parent to a teenager that you're living with? It must be hard to manage that and then also help out with the grandkids as well. No, I don't really help out with the grandkids. I go and visit, you know, I put a day aside that week to go and visit them and I'll go and do that one. And so it's yeah, I can manage it. It's good. And I've the what's great about being granddad is you can buy your grandchildren clothes that their parents would necessarily approve of.

So I think once down a little rubbing by them chavy tracksuit. Whoadeshap. I think his mom is probably saying, you know, I'll have to do it for my day. Because you're obviously a working class guy from East London. Now it feels like, especially your eldest in that corporate world, is it weird seeing, you've sort of bred these maybe middle class children. It is weird. And I think that's exactly, but I mean, my son, he's totally middle class, my son at thapapapapapapapapapapapapapap.. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thi. thi. that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's, that's that's, that's, that's, he. that's, he. that's, he's, he's, he. that's, he. that's, he's, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, that. that. that. that. the that. the the the the th. the the the th. the the that's that's the they. the that's they. they. that's the the the that's the that's that's the that's that's that's that's that's that's in every way the way he speaks, the way he cooks, the food he eats. His whole lifestyle is what we would describe as

middle class. And I guess it's because you know both his parents are graduates or I mean showbiz which can go either way. So yeah yeah it is funny actually but also with him it's not just a class difference historically we're from very you know I mean I grew up in the 60s he's got no concept of that. Would you say your life now taking yourself out of it is quite middle class? Yeah possibly floating around art centers talking about your kids. It is in some way I would say yeah I mean I'm in the type of job I'm in the arts if you like but don't forget before that I've been

to university for five years anyway and I got a part-time to lecturer at University of East London so there were things before comedy that were pushing me in that direction. What was your first job Jeff then? Your window dresser? You know what that is? Yeah, yeah, so you do the mannequins in the windows? Yeah, yeah, that's what I did. When I left school did that for 15 years. Wow. In the Kings Road, Carnaby Street.

Yeah, it was great. It was like being a show business. Being a teenage bloc to from Newham in in's Road in the early 70s was just, it was amazing. How did you end up doing that job then? Well I had a Saturday job in a shop called Mr. Byright, so I don't know if you would have even heard it. I recognized the name. Is that quite a famous shop, isn't it?

I was working there on Saturdays and the window dresses used to set cool. I was a little bit of arty at school. So I just left school and became an apprentice window dresser. That's what I did. Oh, wow. I've been that for 15 years, yeah. Very different from what I do now, but also very different from my sort of physical demeanor and image. So you've always been a little bit of a fish out of water then in all your jobs, the whole career and life. I th, I th, I th, I th, I th, I th, I th, I th, I th, I th, I th, I th, I've th, I've th, I've th, I've th, I've th, I've th, I've th, I'm tho, I'm that's that's that, that, I'm that's that's that's that's that's that's that's, I've that's, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, wow, wow, wow, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, th..... th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. that, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that, wow, career and life. Definitely, I mean I think lots of this in this job, aren't we? I think almost everyone in this job, the thing that does connect them is being on the outside

a little bit. So in every area of my life, even when I was in a gang, even when I was in a gang, I was in a gang. What gang was in a local skidde gang, you know, in East Ham when I was growing up, but then another sort of a gang. So I was in all that kind of stuff. But I always, when I first day I did a comedy, I did a joke, I don't think a lot of people would go and go, yeah, I was in the city firm, you know, what is it, the city firm, you know, a West tamamest, yeah, the Cremend Bregn branch, the ICf, the ICf, the ICf, I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I was I, I was I was I was I was I was I was I was I was in, I was in, I was in, I was in, I was in, I was in the I was in the I was in the I was in the I was in I was in I was in the I was in the I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was in I was in I was in I was in I was in I was in I was in I was in I was in I was I was I was I was I was I was I was I was I was I was I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I was a, I was a, I, I was a, I was a C. C. C. I was a C. I was a C. C. C. C. C. C. C. C. C. C. C. C. C. C. C. C. C. C. C. C. C. C. I was in the, I was in the, I was in the, I was a know they used to leave a tip in the mouth yeah that sort of sums up my role in every kind of gang or group of bloke to have been in that the arty one the one

that read I was always the one that could read you know do you still in East London now I am yeah I'm still in Newham actually where I've always lived how do you feel feel about having a teenage son growing up in East London? It's sort of totally different East London now, it's what it was? I mean it is a very different East London now. In fact, it's probably more suited to his lifestyle than mine. Yeah. But it was changed, though it's in his lifetime. I would say that his 20 years is where I've seen their 20 years 20 years, people moving in who are not from this area, middle class people moving in, professionals, creatives. Like Josh, that's what Josh did. Like me.

Came in, drove with the prices up. I was too late, Rob. The prices are up by the time I got there. I was 10 years too late. No one of him, in school now. You know, instead of like my my my my my my dad's my dad's my dad's my dad's my dad's my dad's my dad's my dad's my dad's my dad's my dad's, my dad's, my dad's, my dad's, my dad's, my dad's, my dad's, my dad's, my dad's, my dad's, th. th. that's, that's, that's, that's, thi, th. that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, thian. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thi, thi. thi. thi. that, that, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's? My dad's in the art. Works a tech startup. Yeah. His East End is very different from the East End that I grew up in. And is he studying or is he at working? He's doing a degree in performing arts at the Chickenshed Theatre. So he's singing and dancing. And do you love going to watch that? And do you love going to watch that? the to watch, the the the the their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th. And, th. And, thi, thi, thi, thi, is the thi, is thi, is thi, is te, is th. And, is the the the the the th. th, is very, is very, is very, is very, is very, is the e, is the e, is the e, is the e, is the e, is the e, is the e, is the e. the e. And, is the the the the the the the the the thi, is thi, is thi, is thi, is tie, is tea, is tea, is tea, tea, tea, tea, tea, tea, tea, tea, is te, is te, is teto watch that? Well, I haven't, I used to watch him when he was younger, but I haven't been to see anything since he's been at uni. He's one of those kids that used to do that thing every weekend,

that kids theater, every Saturday, since he was about three, I've been to some kids theater group. Like you say, it's a kid to football or karate karate, something and that's all my Saturday after the after the last nearly 20 years really. And how long have you been a single parent to him has it been more recently? Not very long, very recent yeah recent thing so that's quite a new experience for me. You must almost be like flatmates right it must feel like

you're still got authority? There's been issues around stuff in the fridge and all of that. Has that? It It has been like living in a sharedance. What's the fridge issues? Oh, the fridge issue is where's my stuff, you know? So I've had to work out an arrangement with him about going right. Not exactly this is your shelf, but I'm about to say, look, if I put this stuff in here, that's my stuff, yeah. I want you to. If you want it, tell me no, buy extra. Yeah.

But I don't want you. So we've had, I guess, what shared houses have those kinds of conversations. Yeah. Because it's different when you're a flat share because you're like, no, you're having it, because I'm coming home excited about that. Exactly, yeah. Cornwall, Belfast double. Thankfully, he's so middle class, he won't eat my cooking. Really? My basic kind of cooking. Is that what he gets?

He's all walks, and ingredients and stuff. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Stands there, walking stuff up, whether I just chuck something under a grill or put it in the microwave. He leaves me lips to what I need to get when I'm shopping. But here's the thing, he never does any shop. But he complains about things and I'm thinking, well, why don't you do it? But I guess that's the arrangement, isn't it, with teenage kids. Yeah. Doesn't do anything. I see you as quite kind of laid back as a parent.

as a parent. Are you do what you want, you know, are you, when he was doing his GCSEs or whatever, you like, you've got to get the grades, are you like, what will be will be? Well, I mean, I think to a fault really, I was thinking about that yesterday actually, I was thinking when I was with his mom and we were both bringing him up, she was the disciplinarian or she was the one that was sitting down and go through his school work. I've always worked on an osmosis kind of theory that, look, if you're hanging around me for long enough, the things I think can believe will somehow rub off onto you. And I think that's partly a mistake. I think I've never been good at doing the kind of, you know, ground, and I'm never thinnigh been good at that. So in that sense I've never been a good parent,

but I think I'm probably good in another way, in a hip, gloovy kind of question. So I think you do need sometimes two people to bring both of those things to a child. I have to say, but his mom's already done that. So, but he didn't, he didn't be a father's day card. He didn't. He didn't. He's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's a th. th. th. th. th. th. th. tho, tho, tho, tho, thoomomomomomomom. thoomomom. thoom. tho, tho, tho, tho, tho. He's th. He's th. He's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's a the the the the th. He's, he's, he's a th. He's a th. He's a th. th. th. th. tooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo't. No, he didn't. He's part of the osmosis thing. I don't do things like that as well. I've not, I've never been good with family. I've never been a family-oriented person. And I think it's because I've always been looking to sidestep convention in some ways.

Yeah. You know, I've never been married actually.. I. I. I. I. I'm to. I'm to. I'm to. I'm to. I'm to. I'm to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to to to th. the. the. theoured. theoured. theoured. thi. thi. the the the thoer. thoomeoued. thoes. thoes. thoes. thoes. thoer. the the the thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. I've thi. I've thi. I've thi. I've thi. I've th. I've th. th. th. th. th. th. thi. th. the. the. the. the. thean. to. to. to. thean. toean. toean. toean. toean. toean. thean. theean. thee. I've the. know, I'm not really into these conventions, so it's come back on me a little bit. Well about birthday, would you get people birthday cards, you're a bit more like, ah? Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, but it's, you know, what it's like, they get to a certain age where it's amounts of money, isn't it? Yeah, yeah. And actually he, he came to me the other day and said, they have, they have, they have, they have, they have, they have, they have, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, would, would, they, they, would, would, would, would, would, would, would, would, would, would, would, would, would, would, would, would, would, would, would, would, would, would, would, would, would, would, would, would, would, would, would, would, would, would, would, they, they, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, would, to, to, to, would, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, would, would, would, would, would, would, would, to come I guess haven't you? Yeah, yeah, yeah. He has a way of saying, Dad, about that. How much? You almost give it again, how much? But he's going on holiday, only in this country to visit his friends.

So I had to book him up a hotel and his train fairs. And then it was, oh, Dad, a tattoo while I'm down there. I've given up on arguing about tapues. There's nothing I can do. But it's very expensive. They're very teenagers are very expensive. And I might argue that gay teenagers are even more expensive. When you see, you've given up an argue on tattoos, I'd have that. That would strike me as you're seeing. Well no I've never had any tattoos and I think you know when I was young it touches weren't beautification

they weren't image of beautification that as much as the army or the Navy or yeah or your football team or the prison you're in there were some mom dead stuff or swallows or true love and of someone's name it was more about was more about association than image, well, fashion or beauty. So I think my argument with him is quite an old-fashioned one is that I don't want you having a tattoo at 16 because, you know, when you're 32, whatever you got written on you, probably not going to have the same significant. It's like wearing flares for the rest of your life, that's what I said. It might look good in the 70s, but... And they might come back around for a couple of years, but they'll be gone again.

Yeah, yeah, they can put his sleep up every now and again. Does he have a job, has he got a job or is he just full-time? That's what I mean? Middle class, their thanks, lying on his parents. He doesn't pay rent, their thren, middle thren, middle threat. threat, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle, middle-a? thi. thi. thi. thi. And, middle, middle, thi. And, thi. And, thi. And, thi. And, thi. And, thi. And, thi. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, their. And, their. And, th. And, their? And, their? And, thi. And, thi. And, thi. And, and, and, and, and, and then, and then, and then, thee? And, and, and, and then, thee? And, their? And, their. Well, no, I couldn't do that. It's very old-fashioned there, isn't it that? Housekeep, yeah. Going home and having to pay housekeeping each week. That's old-fashioned working class idea, isn't it? That's that.

Yeah. We had to get a job and pay housekeep. Did you? Yeah. How much was your housekeep, Rob? We all all to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to. We were. We were. We were. We were. We were. We were. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to their. their. to the the to the the the the the the their. the their. their. their. their. their. their. their? their. their their their their their their their their thea.oooooooome. thooooooooooome. tooombe. tooomkeep until we were 18 and out of education basically. That sounds right but I remember going to work straight away. In fact I remember my mom encouraging me to go to work so that I could bring money into the house. Yeah. And that's why I'm quite like him not doing all of those things. Yeah. You shouldn't have to have pressure on you know, and I thought I'd love to be an actor and go to drama school, but it just wasn't on the cards at all. No. Whereas with him, I thought, yeah, go and do what you want to do because I couldn't do that, because I couldn't do that, and if we can afford for you to do that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, to do to do that, to do to do to do that, to do that, to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do that, and that, and that, and that, and that, and I, and I thr. thr. And, and to to thr. And, and I to to to to to to to do to do to do to do to do to do to amounts to nothing just going to have those three years of doing what you want to do because I couldn't do that when I was your age.

And part of what's so expensive about that is the living cost if you move away from home or whatever so having him live with you stealing your food. Yeah I mean the whole thing's changed now is it? When I was his age I'd already lived away from home for two years. A girlfriend lived in a bed seat, remember those bedsits in shared houses. And so who knows how long he's going to be here forever, I imagine. Can I ask a question about your daughter that you met at an older age? How do you go about building that kind of relationship then? Because presumably, it's different from a lot of people where the dad has made a conscious decision not to be there so there's no kind of blame attached to it. But that's still a hell of a bridge to build isn't it?

I think it is but you just go on with it and have as much contacts as possible and get to know each other really but then she was young then, she was 18 then but she's older now so yeah you just throw th th th th th th tho just tho throw throw throw throw throw throw throw throw throw throw throw throw tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho to to tho tho to tho to thi to the. the. their their their their their to to to to to to their to to their their their their their their their. to to to to to the to to the th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. to thi. to the. to to the. to te. to the the to the toe. the the toe. to to the the to the the thi. then, she was 18 then, but she's older now. So yeah, you just throw yourself into it and have the relationship and get to know each other. And that's what's happened. Yeah, there's no real strategy other than have contact, I think, to make up the most time. Because I'd fit inclined to like, if I would sort of bring them into life into situations like with a few people around so it was less pressure because if you go alright let's go for a drink it's quite an intense one-on-one I think you have to do that one-on-one initially though one of those situations because it's quite a special moment yeah of course yeah and then we were

actually when we did me my son's mother my wife at the time I said I don't know what to to do she said I do whatever she wants to do. So we met and then we went out for something to eat and then she said, I said, what were you like to do? And now she went, I'd like you to come around and see my mom. Oh wow. That was an unexpected thing that I had. Oh God, I met your heart fell through the floor of that point. That was quite t this. Yeah. Yeah. So how was that first meeting and just like, hello? Yeah, it was difficult. It was difficult. It was difficult. But the thing is, I did that for her

and I have seen her mom on a couple of occasions subsequently, but it's actually about me and her and now she's got her own child and her own husband. So now it's about that really. You've nailed th different parts of parenting, like you've been through so many different things. When you had a kid at 50, in your head at that point, when you're 48 or whatever, you presumably were at one point thinking,

I'm out the woods here with children, I've done all the kind of, you know, waking up in the night, I've done all that. What was it like going back to that? I've found it very difficult, actually. I found it really difficult. That first year that most parents find difficult anyway. A kid's not sleeping and I found it very difficult and not enjoyable. Yeah, I did find that tough as an older person actually.

Yeah. What happened that is that I'd been with his mom for 15 years and so I already had a couple of kids anyway from a former relationship and we weren't planning on having a child. And in fact she had had sadly nectopic pregnancy at some point so her chance of having a child had been diminished by 50%. Yeah. So we weren't planning on it. We weren't not planning on it. It was just so now I remember we were out having breakfast in a calf in Forest Gay. I remember it exactly. And I looked to and I said you did something about you. You know, she said I've been a bit sick and I went and I could tell because I had a wife who'd been pregnant. I could just tell that she was pregnant. I went I thinked. And I their their their their their th. I th. I thi. I was a thi. I was a thi. I was a thi. I was a thi. I was a thi. I was a thi. I was a thi. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was thi. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was a thi. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I'm. I'm t. I'm t. t. t. t. t. t. t. t. t. t. t. t. t. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. I was. I was. I was. I was. I that she was pregnant I went I think you're pregnant and she popped next door and got a test it proved positive so it was a fantastic joyful thing yeah hey let's go with this let's go with this yeah but it

was tough I have to say it was very tough but I came around to it in the end but it was tough I have to say yeah it's a labor intensive thing to do you're 69 you're got you the the's 19, he's kind of grown up, you've just kind of broken onto the touring circuit. Are you planning on doing stand-up forever? Yeah, exactly that. Yeah. I think during lockdown, when you realize how important it is to you, what it means you know your whole psyche, your whole psychological background and emotionally So the idea of not doing it, but I mean it might be restrictions as I get older and older

Yeah, but who you've really got to do is stand up with they are increasingly sitting down on stools Seems to be quite popular these days So maybe I can extend my career if we can get armchairs and shit onto the same. It's normally when the stool comes out they try and get edgy. I love doing stand-up and it's, I mean, apart from having wearing their hair as everyone gets with their older, it's not that difficult to step up on a stage and stand there for 20 minutes or an hour. So I think it's more going to be about intellectually how I get on with old age rather than physically. Are you already planning your next tour? I've just started writing that show and getting the ideas together and getting a structure

and a plan and thinking about what I want to do with the next show because the next show is going to be a show written for an hour, whereas the show at the moment, of course, is more or less a greatest hits show, because we had to seize the moment based on very sudden Instagram popularity. So I was just talking about it before I had. So I'm working on an idea, putting some things together. So, yeah, thinking about the next the next the next the next the next the next the next the next the next the next the next the next thiiiii, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thiolk, thi. thi, thiolk, thiolk, thiolk, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thin, thin, thin, thin, thin. thin. thin. thin. tooan. tooan. t. togee. toge. thaea. together, together, together, thin. thaea. th. ths together. So yeah, thinking about the next show now.

I mean, there must be out of 27 years, there must be some other bits that didn't make the greatest hits that you think I can just wipe that in there as well, Connail, I could do, but I think some of that isn't me anymore. Josh is always trying to find back. Yeah, fuck it. Come on, Jeff. Dust off the old gear about Tony Blair, just change it to Kirstama, you'll be fine. The routine about having a mullet and one kid. I'm not going to have the Iraqi war, you mean? Yeah, called a Roman, say? What's your

all bad for the country? So it's great a sense, but yeah, there's a limit, isn't there, so far back. There is a funny way to make a thing out of that where you could go like, right, I've tried to get stuff together, so for this joke, you need to think, it's 1997. All I did now just trying to figure the crap vehicles you could use. Imagine we're in a time machine. to thanks. to the the you. you. you. to to to to to to to you. you. you. to you. I I to to to you. to to the you. I to the the you. I you. I to the the the to the to the to to get to get to get the to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to to the to to the the to the thin. I thin. I thin. I the. I the. I'm theateat. I'm theat. I'm theat. I'm theat. I'm theat. I'm thi. I've to to to's horse meat in burgers. Oh, well, Jeff, it's been a joyed speech. I think you've been burning me, man. It's so amazing what's happened to you. On that, like, you said it just kind of happened. Did it feel like an overnight thing?

Because I'd say most comedians, that idea in the world of the arts is this kind of, you're on top of the pops once, and it it it it it th and it th and it th and it th and it th and it happens, and it th and it th and it th and it th th th th th th th th in the world of the arts is this kind of you're on top of the pops once and it happens or you release your book and it happens or you go on TV once or what that's happened to Kevin Bridge is John Bishop but very few other people but does it feel to you like you had that it happened I know it's not overnight success because you've been there 27 years but does it things like change that quickly? Yeah I I think it has. I mean, it actually, literally overnight, I would say, certainly in terms of, I mean, my relationship with comedy hasn't changed, but the audience's relationship with me has changed.

Yeah. I'm still doing what I've always done, like loving doing comedy, trying to write some material, going out there, enjoying performing it. But now people know who I am. So I would say from when I leave the house I expect to do two or three selfies a day, two or three hugs and handshakes a day, maybe some waves from cars. It's really full on. Yeah. Yeah. Kiss him in there. Because you've not at all, it's just the access to you has widened through Instagram. And that's happened very suddenly. I imagine that you become a famous on TV over a period of time.

Yeah, it's much slower. 20enders, I'll be on there for a few months or, but with Instagram, a million people see you in one day almost. Yeah. That's what it feels like. Well, it's true. It has been th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th tho. It has been tho. It has been tho. It has been to to to to to to to thi. to to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to to to to the. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. It's th. It's th. It's the. the. the. It's t. to. to. to. It's toda. toda. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. the. th.'s what it feels like. Well it's true. It has been. Like you've look at your clips. I've had like, you know, some of them have over 3.6 million, 3.3 million, and the rest of them are doing huge numbers. How do you know to do that by the way? Because basically if I go to your page I can see you've got 14,000 followers on your videos, but all of your videos do like, you know, even the ones that are getting a bit less are still around 75 to 100,000, but there's loads of quarter of a million, 800,000, three million, two million, one million. It's brilliant. You're a genius we have to work that. I've never known that in all the time. I think the major thing that's happened and it's, and it's thrown. And it's thr-and it's thr-a, and it's thi, and it's thi, and it's thi, and it's the major thing thi, and it's thin, and it's thin, the major, thi, I's thi, I's the major, I's thin, I's the major, I's thi, I's a th, I's, I's, I's, I's, I's, I's th, I's thi, I's the the the the thi, I's the the thi, I's, I's, I's, I's, I's, I's the thi, I's thi, I's the thi, I's the the the the thi, I's the the the thin, I's the thin, I's thin, I'm thin, I'm thin, I'm thin, I'm thin, I'm thin, I'm thin, I'm thin, I'm the they, I'm thi, I'm thi, I'm thi, I'm thi, I'm think the major thing that's happened, and it's not just me, is the phenomena of social media over TV.

Traditionally, ways of being well-known or set up to tea, Edinburgh shows and all of that. Now Instagram means you have a direct relationship with the audience that was senior stuff, no gatekeepers, no producers, no big comedy companies. So it's a much more instant thing, it's a much quicker thing. If you're funny, you're funny, it's tangible and it's just a way that people can find it. Other comedians coming up to you in dressing rooms going, how have you done it? Well, I mean, I think they think that it's just a question of putting out clips and that will do it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. the the their their their their their their their th. Yeah. Yeah. th. Yeah. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thi thi thi thi thi tho tho that's thi thi's to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be thi. I's thi. I's thi. I's thi. I's th. I's th. I's th. I's th. I's th. I th. I's th. I's th. I's th. I's th. I's thi. thi. thi. t. toge. toge. toge. toge. toge. toge. toge. toge. toge. toge. th. I'm th. th. th. of putting out clips and that will do it. Yeah. Certainly Sam, who's done my social media, he's had people

queuing up outside his house, you know, because of, you know, pardon who it says. And very well-known comedians as well. But it's not obviously, it's not as simple as that. It has to be putting out the right stuff or the stuff that was, and so yeah, I mean, I'm loving it really. Oh, brilliant. Oh, well, enjoy it. You deserve it, Jeff. And go back home. You've used Zoom now. You can go back to your own house, see your flats have with your son.

Thank you. Yeah. Really, free for inviting me, guys. It's lovely to see you. I haven't seen you for years. I haven't seen you for years. to be. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. the to. to. to. to. to. the to. to. the to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. And, to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. And, to. And, to. And, to. And, to. And, to. And, to. And, to. And, to. And, to. And, to. And, to. And, the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the tooomome. tooom. tooom. tooom. tooom. tooom. tooom. tooom. too. when we go on tour and you're on tour it's that's what you're fine now you're on tour Jeff you don't see any other comedians. I only really hang around with show in action now. I can't play the small rooms anymore. Thanks you look guys. Jeff Innocent.

Jeff Innocent. I love Jeff innocent. That's great. He's really funny guy. What a life story as well. I there there there there there there there there there there there there there there there there there there there there th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th thi thi thi thea thea thi. I thi. I the. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I don't th. I don't really th. I don't really th. I don't really really really really th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I the. I the. I the. I thea. I thea. I thea. I thea' thooooooooooooooooooooea. I thea. I thea. I thea. I th is great. He's really funny guy. What a life story as well. I think there's, you know, there's a lot of negatives promoted about social media and I would promote a lot of them myself, Rob, about what it's done. But one of the great things it's done is allowed people a platform that haven't got it otherwise and allow people to find them. And you think initially, oh, that means young people trying on makeup, but often it means people that, do you know what I mean? That a bit overlooked that are brilliant.

And that could be, we had George Lewis on the other day, sketches, we've had, you have people like Alistair, I think it's so good for comedy that these things exist. Defo. W that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that could that could th. th. th th. that could that th th th th th. that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the theoe. Wicked, right then, do you want to see you on Tuesday? Yeah, what's happening on Tuesday? More shit. Just me and you catching up? Yeah, yeah. Another bonus of the internet. I've got this, my mom and dad's a birthday meal on Saturday, so I'm sure there'll be loads of child-righted stuff.

What time's the meal? before England play. Okay, I'm just checking. All right, I'll speak till I. Bye. Bye. Mom. What is it? Are we there yet? Hello there, it's me, Harry Hill, with some exciting news. I've got a brand new podcast. It's called Are We There Yet? And is the world's first family-friendly podcast that's designed to get you from A to B. Join me, my son Gary, Hello! Sarah the AI Bot. Hello, Harry. As we delve into the childhood memories of a motley crew of comedians, celebrities and cultural icons.

Is it out now, Daddy? Yes, Gary, it is. I'll be there. Yet.