Jimmy Carr on his Netflix show, comedy’s evolution and why he’ll keep joking about terrible things
British comedian, who's postponed his Hong Kong show because of Super Typhoon Mangkhut, says it’s great that comedy is becoming a platform for debate about wider themes, but he will stick with tried-and-tested material for now
NOTE: Jimmy Carr's tour date in Hong Kong was postponed because of the approach of Super Typhoon Mangkhut. The show was rescheduled to March 27, 2019 at Kitec, Kowloon Bay.
Fast-talking comedian Jimmy Carr is having one of his busiest years to date; following a string of Asian shows, he will embark on dates in Europe and the United States. But the 45-year-old Londoner isn’t complaining.
“Work is more fun than fun for me,” he says. “If I take a week off, it’s not as fun as touring Hong Kong, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur in a week. That’s more fun than a holiday.”
His new tour, called “The Best Of, Ultimate, Gold, Greatest Hits Tour”, is a nod to compilation albums full of recycled hits by old-school musical acts. It will mine the most effective jokes from his previous special shows, with some references to recent events such as the royal wedding of Britain’s Prince Harry to American actress Meghan Markle. It will pack in, Carr estimates, 250 jokes into a 90-minute set – but will also leave space for the audience interaction he relishes.
“My ideal show is 80 per cent written material; great jokes you can’t wait to tell people. Then the other 20 per cent is funny interaction with the audience – stuff that can only happen that night in that room where, if you try to tell someone about it afterwards, it doesn’t make any sense,” he says.