I knew it would be hard to be funny in a world without Jacko. In fact I wondered if anyone would be able to laugh again. And just when it felt like people were just about to get ready for laughing again after the death of Jade Goody. And tragically she died just as I sensed that people were ready to laugh again after the death of Lady Di. It makes my job very hard indeed, to be standing in front of room after room full of people who can't laugh due to grief. Thinking about it I am not sure who it was who made them unable to laugh before Lady Di died. Maybe Jesus. The Lord of the Dance Settee trumps the Queen of Hearts, the People's Racist and the King of pop. But believe me no one has been laughing at me for nearly two decades now and it makes my job very hard.
I had had another of those tired days when I was in a bit of a funk and had got little to nothing done and wasn't in the mood for a gig. It was a late one, down in the basement of the Leicester Square Theatre.
It wasn't the best one of the week, but it went well enough. But I forgot to try out all my new Michael Jackson observations (which despite the few vociferously cross people were nearly all about the coverage and the reaction rather than about Jacko himself). I did do a bit early on though where I said that I worried that the toothbrush moustache made me look like a paedophile, but argued that if I was actually a paedophile I would be doing my best not to look like a paedophile, so almost certainly wouldn't grow this moustache and thus look like a paedophile. Unlesss it was a double bluff, but that would be unlikely to work. I can't see many parents saying, "Well he looks exactly like a paedophile, so logically he can't be one. So of course he can babysit our kids." Especially given the fact that most paedophiles you see in the papers do really look like paedophiles. "So my advice to paedophiles is to try and look a bit less like paedophiles. You know if you want to get away with it... Or," I added, "You could just have loads of brilliant hit records and then die and then everyone will love you whatever you've done."
Some of the audience laughed (over the death a bit quick, you bastards) and there were a smattering of jokey boos. "Oh yes, people booing there. People booing me for being against paedophilia. "You'll never guess what I saw at the Leicester Square Theatre last night. A comedian who was against paedophilia and thought it was wrong. I'll have you know that I soundly booed him.""
But that was it.
On the night bus home I watched the first episode of "Pulling" on my iPhone. I know I am a bit behind the times on this one, given the show has now been cancelled, but I thought it was terrific. Just like Pyschoville it is a blisteringly good first episode, hitting the ground running, introducing all the characters in a natural way, not treating its audience like they are stupid. I think I am going to enjoy catching up on this one. Even from one episode I find it difficult to believe that this show has been taken off the air, when so much formulaic and unfunny crap is on. But at least it got to the stage where it got on TV and it has received widespread recognition of its excellence. It gives me hope for the future, but also makes me realise that I've got to raise my game and have a long way to go if I am ever going to be that good. Especially given the fact that all these chastised whilst alive, but worshipped when they're dead celebrities keep on dying before their time.
If you want a limited edition "Who is Virgilio Anderson?" T shirt then you only have until 4pm Monday 29th June to order. That's when we're having them made and we've decided to only do one print run. An amazing 50 odd of you have ordered so far, but that means it will be come a potential collectors item if either me or Virgilio Anderson become famous, so
buy now before it's too late. The GFS can back to the serious business of selling DVDs and failing to sell posters.
