Abie Philbin Bowman, stand-up comedian, talks to
EOIN BUTLERabout humour and religion, the reality of a famous name and online electioneering
Do you remember the first audience you stood in front of?It was a school debate when I was 11 years old. We were all supposed to be up in a hot-air balloon, but there was only enough fuel for one person to land. We each had to assume the persona of a historical character and make the case for our own survival. I chose Jesus. I said: "Look, I died for your sins, you should at least be willing to die for mine." I remember my father saying, "that's really blasphemous. But it's also very funny!"
Your first comedy show was also about Jesus.That's right, it was called Jesus: The Guantánamo Years. The premise was that, if Jesus came back today, he'd never get through US customs. In some ways, it was quite a pro-Christian show. Jesus was the hero, horrified at what his followers were doing in his name. I happen to be an atheist. But if there is a God, one of the greatest gifts he has given us is humour. So it baffles me that none of the various religions encourages laughter.
Mormonism, surely?Not as the butt of jokes (laughs). I mean, there's no religion that commands its adherents to go out and laugh. Comedy is subversive. It can be used to expose hypocrisy and nonsense. That's why organised religion is too insecure to promote it. I took the Guantánamo show to Edinburgh, with the expectation of losing about €2,000 on it. To my own shock and horror, it was a complete sell-out and was covered in Le Monde, The New York Times, the BBC and Sky News.
You had initially sought fame as a singer-songwriter, hadn't you?I tried it, but I ended up spending two years failing really, really badly. You've heard of the whiny, bearded, sentimental, self-indulgent, sexually frustrated songwriter who goes to house parties and murders Bob Dylan songs? I was that guy. I even had a song about it. It was called Villain Killin' Dylan.
Is there more of a camaraderie among comedians?A certain amount. There's a certain sense that we're all in it together and it's a really tough business. But equally, there's a huge bottleneck of comics all in competition for a small number of comedy-club spots. If somebody gets a break, everyone else wonders, well, why didn't I get it? It's not because we're bitchy or mean-spirited. It's just an inevitable part of the profession we choose.
Comedy is a cruel business. What compels any sane person to pursue it as a career?People say, oh, you mustn't have been loved as a child. I think the opposite. I was over-loved as a child. I had a mother and a father, but I also had a brother and sister who were 11 and 12 years my senior. It was like having four parents. My sister is a therapist. Her way of helping the world is finding individuals and dealing with them one-on-one. My preferred way is to jump on the biggest soapbox I can find and say, "Right, here's what I think we should do!"
You're obviously from a very well-known family. Is that a help or a hindrance to you in your career?Both, I suppose. When I started out, I just called myself Abie. I didn't want people to think: "Oh, he's the guy with the dead brother." The name itself is a mixed blessing. People remember you a bit more easily but, equally, they might be more keen to see you fail. But look, I succeeded in Edinburgh. I played Pakistan and America. I'm pretty sure nobody in Lahore was thinking: "Oh my God, isn't he the son of the guy who does Questions and Answers."
You were able to try your hand as a songwriter, and take a comedy show to Edinburgh, without having to worry about making rent every month . .. Absolutely, that's a fair point. I did have that cushion of having a few years to play around with. But I've always been conscious of having to make my own way in the world, without the help of Mummy and Daddy. I have had a very low-cost life. I've never drunk alcohol. I cycle. I don't eat out a lot and I've saved what I have earned.
You kept an election diary for RTÉ radio's Late Debate show. What will be your abiding memories of the campaign just past?I suppose the extent to which the campaign happened online. I got into a Twitter spat with Lucinda Creighton at one point. She had all of these posters up saying "Lucinda for Truth", "Lucinda for Courage". I said, yes, what about "Lucinda for Modesty"? Also I took a test on Votomatic.ie which gave me a minus-12 compatibility with Sinn Féin. A Sinn Féin member immediately tweeted back saying they'd have to change their entire policy platform – they wouldn't be happy until they had a minus-30 compatibility rating with Abie Philbin Bowman. So we were interacting at least.
Abie Philbin Bowman's new comedy show, Sex, Lies & the KKK, tours Ireland beginning March 13th. See AbieLaughs.com for details
