Ardal O'Hanlon is so big in the US that Jerry Seinfeld opened for him for a recent show. Not really, but sort of. "It was bizarre," says the laconic O'Hanlon. "I arrived at the venue in New York where I was doing my show and the owner was in a total tizzy saying 'Jerry Seinfeld is coming down to do some material'. It was decided to put him on before me rather than after me. He was obviously very good. But I did notice he left the building before I did my set, so I just talked about what it was like to have Jerry Seinfeld as your support act ..."
Things are certainly taking off Stateside for the Monaghan comic, with a number of juicy offers coming his way. "It all started when I went over to do a festival in Montreal called 'Just For Laughs' last year," he says.
"It's sort of an American version of the Edinburgh festival but even more commercial and television-driven. I had another mad experience in Montreal. I was on the same bill as William Shatner (Star Trek's Captain Kirk) who was MC'ing the show I was on. I must have done quite well on the night because there was a bit of interest from US TV companies."
The end result was that he's just filmed his own half-hour special for the Comedy Central station (due to go out in the US over the next month or so), has already appeared in a small-budget - "so small, we didn't get paid" - gangster comedy film in Los Angeles and has turned down a part in a sit-com over there. "I can't see myself moving over there," he says, "and you really have to be there all the time to avail of the opportunities. I would like to go over and do the odd film role though, but I'll just have to wait and see what the reaction to the TV special is."
Currently in the middle of a British stand-up tour, O'Hanlon is also all over the TV screens, whether it is repeats of Father Ted, presenting "best of" shows, featuring in ITV's thirtysomething comedy drama, Big Bad World, or in the second series of the work of comedy genius that is My Hero.
"My Hero is an unashamedly prime-time, mainstream, traditional sit-com. If you're looking for something provocative and cutting-edge you should be watching Jam," he says. "The reason I agreed to do it - and it's not something I regret - is that I was persuaded to be in it by Geoffrey Perkins, the producer. He was the producer of Father Ted also and has been something of a mentor to me, so I let him persuade me to do it. It's obviously not my cup of tea." His other TV show, Big Bad World, in which he plays an Irish journalist, is he says, more of an "acting stretch".
"It's a comedy drama, which has been compared to Cold Feet, even though it was written long before." It's very well-written and when I was offered the part, I thought it was a real challenge. After Father Ted, I wanted to avoid anything that was in any way similar to Father Dougal, so I jumped at the chance. Big Bad World has got very good viewing figures but there was a problem with the transmission of the second series, only three episodes were shown and then it disappeared. It's going to be re-scheduled soon."
What he really wants is to write his own sit-com. "That could still be a few years away. For a start, I haven't found my writing soul mate yet. It's not something I want to do just for the sake of doing it. I want it to be good". In the meantime though he's due to deliver another book - the follow-up to Talk Of The Town - and to continue with his own live shows.
"I'm really happy with the way the live shows are going, happier than I've been in a long time. I'm certainly more enthusiastic than ever before." For a long time as a stand-up, he was punching over his weight - he was doing very nicely as a comic before Father Ted, but the show's success saw him tripling, if not more, his audiences overnight. He's had to walk a fine line between staying true to what he believes in comedically and catering to his new audience.
It's something he can be touchy about. "For a long time, I felt really trapped by a persona. Dougal came out of elements of my stand-up character that I had pre-Ted - all that use of disconnected lines. For a while, I found myself getting really uptight about what I was doing, not knowing who I was catering for. But I think now I've broken free from that persona and I'm enjoying it much more."
Ardal O'Hanlon performs at the Watergate Theatre, Kilkenny, on June 3rd as part of Murphy's Cat Laughs Festival. The festival runs over the June bank holiday weekend. Website: www.murphyscatlaughs.com He also performs at Dublin's Vicar Street on June 5th, 6th and 7th