This year Alan Andreson returns to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with his globetrotting, comedy whisky show, Whisky for Dafties. Sample six malty, peaty beverages whilst Alan explains the history, methodology and lore of the great drink that is whisky. Martin Walker finds out more.
Whisky is my calling whilst comedy is my career. I have stumbled across a show where I get to enjoy both my career and calling and make the purchase of whisky a legitimate tax expense. My wife wishes I could do the same with her love of gin, shoes and Polynesian ethnography.
“Is there a more quintessentially Scottish show at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe? A bucketload of whisky and barrel of laughs all topped with a mouthful of cheeky Glaswegian patter. All that’s missing is a round of golf, midges and deep fried pizza.
“Three years ago the licensing authorities tried to ban the show stating it promotes irresponsible drinking, they almost succeeded earlier this year in Perth Australia. Two years ago Dummies Empire tried to stop the show. But after three years of sell out shows across the globe I’m still pouring drams and educating people of the sillier side of Scotch.”
You’re at the Beehive Inn as part of the Scottish Comedy Festival.
“The Beehive Inn has the best selection of single malt whiskies of any performance venue in Edinburgh. It was a no brainer, a very Scottish show about a very Scottish produce should be with a very Scottish venue. Oh, and even more Scottish... the venue hire was bloody cheap!”
For you, is Stand-Up Comedy a career choice or a calling?
“Whisky is my calling whilst comedy is my career. I have stumbled across a show where I get to enjoy both my career and calling and make the purchase of whisky a legitimate tax expense. My wife wishes I could do the same with her love of gin, shoes and Polynesian ethnography.”
Have you ever gone too far?
“I go too far all the time, however it is always with a smile on m face. Bizarrely in over a decade of doing this comedy malarkey I have only been punched once. That was in Liverpool and it was thoroughly undeserved.”
If you were curating a stand-up show for television, who would be your guests?
“Nobody called Russell. Nobody who is a 3rd rate Stewart Lee wannabe. Nobody with skinny jeans and big hair. Nobody who was born after 1980 and claims that their comedy career was inspired by, or their favourite comedian is, Bill Hicks. Nobody who does whimsical humour that is lacking in punch lines. Nobody who is actually posh but pretends not to be. Nobody who is fat and continually does jokes about eating cake. Nobody who is short and continually does jokes about standing up in taxis. Nobody who is added to the line up to to ensure there’s a token representation along the lines of sex or race or sexuality or geography or whatever else the BBC thinks they must do to appease the PC brigade at the expense of the show being funny.
“Sadly the ones I really want are dead - Bob Monkhouse, Dave Allan, Frank Sidebottom, Bob Monkhouse.
“So that leaves my six favourite comedians: Terry Alderton, Janey Godley, Gary Delaney, Andrew Maxwell, Vic Reeves & Bob Mortimer.”
Broadway Baby Listing and Edinburgh Fringe Box Office: http://www.broadwaybaby.com/shows/alan-anderson-whisky-for-dafties/702298
Website: www.whiskycomedian.com
Twitter: @whiskycomedian
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewhiskycomedian
Podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/mr/podcast/whisky-comedia...
YouTube Clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyAyVaoAnoQ
