April 18, 2024 • 7 mins
Irish Comedian Ed Byrne spoke to Russell Clarke and Lisa about his stand up show Tragedy Plus Time which hits Perth in May plus he also told them about the piece of Prince memorabilia that he owns.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Ed Burd showed Tragedy plus Time is on at the
Asta Theatre May three as part of the Comedy Festival.
Tickets through Perthcomedy Festival dot com Ed Burn that was
for you.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
That was very nice of you. I got to say
you're doing your research. You know that I'm a Princes side.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
In fact, tell us about the guitar you have, Yeah, a.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Pot of guitar and an auction that used to belong
to Sheila that Princes played on the on the prop
Grane tour. Yeah, it's a it's a copy of a Honer.
Mad Cat apparently had a copy made because he didn't
like the way the pickups in a regular Honer. Mad
Cat worked with the pedals he was using, so he
had a custom made by in New York.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
He always wanted to be fantastic.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Now I'll do a twenty minute version of Controversy the
after show part in the two Wow.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
That is awesome. Now about you, Tragedy plus Time. It's
the title of the show. It's a bit of a
nod to a Mark Twine quote. Please explain for the
the unknowing.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
I don't even know what Mark Twain. I think he's
one of those people that people just give him credit,
particularly you just go crediting.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Plus this week already.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
God, yeah it was I think it was actually a
guy called Steve Allen. They came up with the idea, really,
humor could be defined as tragedy plus time. Yeah, the
idea that's something that's not funny at the time, we'll
become funny later. And so it's kind of a look
at that through the focus of a very minor tragedy
that took place in my life, which was getting my
(01:42):
car broken into, and then a more major tragedy, which
was the death of a family member. So you know,
I know it sounds quite serious, and there's there's some
sad moments in the show. Of course it is overall, Yeah,
it's a funny shows ridiculously right, I one.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Hundred humorous tragedy plus time because no one cares about
news for somebody, if it's a question of the amount
of time, of course, absolutely. When did you realize what
timing is everything? Maybe Mark twice inside timing is everything?
Where did you realize it that you had a knack
(02:24):
for finding now this is the other thing for finding
the humor tragic events Not everyone can do it, But
do you want to.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Look for it? It is an art, yeah, I think.
I mean I kind of got a field for comedy.
I used to work in the student union, which I
know put people off me, but you know, I was
I was a student, so I was like, but I've
got involved like a student you know, union activity. So
(02:49):
I was like a tool amongst tools. Yeah, but I
used to. I would host pub quizes and karaokees and
things like that, and I kind of get a field
for you for just getting in front of the crowd.
And then I started after I dropped out of college,
I started them seeing a comedy club in Glasgow where
I lived, and you know, just that was it. Then
(03:12):
I did that for a few months, then moved to
London where the streets are paved with comedy clubs.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Yes.
Speaker 4 (03:21):
Yeah, And there's a lot of talk about this at
the moment, and man, how do you feel You know,
there's this whole division here between the woke the the
anti woke factions in comedy. People have taken their side.
How do you feel about it? Well, what side do
you take?
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Oh, I would say I'd be more woke than anti woke.
I've got to say I find I find a lot
of the I find I find the idea of being Well,
it's very easy to define yourself as anti woke, because
people who are anti woke will define anything as woke
as being anything they don't like. See, woke used to
be in some thing, and now it just means anything
(04:02):
that sends to the left of the person saying the
word woke.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
Like anything you've vote it down over time.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Yeah, yeah, it's just becomes it's it's become an utterly
meaningless term. I think it's just I think sometimes people
who are being too right on, and sometimes it just
means anybody who just thinks, I don't know, racism is bad.
(04:29):
Having said that, I find I find anybody who's whose
humor is derived entirely from being woke and getting over
to clap how woke they are, or being anti woke
and getting over to clap how anti woke they are.
I find both of those factions equally tedious. Yeah, I
do find myself something just going yep, that's an interesting statement.
They're a joke coming, yes, and yeah, yeah, but it
(04:55):
is weird. Yeah, how tribal the industry seems to have become.
I find we're talking about tribalism. I've never been in
the country like Australia, or maybe it's a city like
Melbourne where the day of the week seems to make
more of a difference to how the audience react. Really,
because it's the difference between a Wednesday Tuesday audience and
(05:16):
a Friday Saturday audience is just night and day. Anyway,
I'm suring around the UK, it's not not really that
big a difference compared to.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Here alcohol Wednesday, because we always refer to you a
Wednesday night, a school night, and so we we are like,
I mean, you've been in a student union, we're luck well,
like a bunch of students once against a Friday night,
just going a bit silly.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
But that's okay.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Now I find audience that I sitting there like on
a Wednesday night and they're like, we shouldn't be out.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
This way, naughty.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
By the way, that's a very tidy Australian accent.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
You just it wasn't oh yes, it wasn't overdone. It
wasn't underdone. It was right in the middle.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
The one that I just can't I can't get. I
give you one sentence with the New Zealand Action if
you won't judge me, it's quite an extensive menu. Very good.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
That's very good. That's very good.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
And being able to appreciate that subtle nuance between the two.
Now when you're in Australia coming up next month, you
can just pay attention to just how different it is
between the states too, and then then you've become a
master of the the accent.
Speaker 4 (06:47):
There's the difference between Melbourne.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
And Yeah, and it could also vary from Jason Day.
I find as well AnyWho edburn May three as part
of the comedy Festival at the Glo that Asta Theater.
Good goodness, that is Thursday Friday.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
You'll be fine, it's.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Gonna go off. You're gonna get a final gig of
my Australian tourist.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
You're gonna get Friday tour vibes. I I drive past
the Asta Theater every day and my way home from
a work and there's a one of those big video
ads screens, so I sit, I quite often sit at
the lights and look at your lovely face and so
look for.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
I don't don't don't take that in a weird.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
Storkery way, a voice to the face, but lovely to
put a voice.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
To the face. See you on the third of the
Asta
Ed Burd showed Tragedy plus Time is on at the
Asta Theatre May three as part of the Comedy Festival.
Tickets through Perthcomedy Festival dot com Ed Burn that was
for you.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
That was very nice of you. I got to say
you're doing your research. You know that I'm a Princes side.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
In fact, tell us about the guitar you have, Yeah, a.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Pot of guitar and an auction that used to belong
to Sheila that Princes played on the on the prop
Grane tour. Yeah, it's a it's a copy of a Honer.
Mad Cat apparently had a copy made because he didn't
like the way the pickups in a regular Honer. Mad
Cat worked with the pedals he was using, so he
had a custom made by in New York.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
He always wanted to be fantastic.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Now I'll do a twenty minute version of Controversy the
after show part in the two Wow.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
That is awesome. Now about you, Tragedy plus Time. It's
the title of the show. It's a bit of a
nod to a Mark Twine quote. Please explain for the
the unknowing.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
I don't even know what Mark Twain. I think he's
one of those people that people just give him credit,
particularly you just go crediting.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Plus this week already.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
God, yeah it was I think it was actually a
guy called Steve Allen. They came up with the idea, really,
humor could be defined as tragedy plus time. Yeah, the
idea that's something that's not funny at the time, we'll
become funny later. And so it's kind of a look
at that through the focus of a very minor tragedy
that took place in my life, which was getting my
(01:42):
car broken into, and then a more major tragedy, which
was the death of a family member. So you know,
I know it sounds quite serious, and there's there's some
sad moments in the show. Of course it is overall, Yeah,
it's a funny shows ridiculously right, I one.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Hundred humorous tragedy plus time because no one cares about
news for somebody, if it's a question of the amount
of time, of course, absolutely. When did you realize what
timing is everything? Maybe Mark twice inside timing is everything?
Where did you realize it that you had a knack
(02:24):
for finding now this is the other thing for finding
the humor tragic events Not everyone can do it, But
do you want to.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Look for it? It is an art, yeah, I think.
I mean I kind of got a field for comedy.
I used to work in the student union, which I
know put people off me, but you know, I was
I was a student, so I was like, but I've
got involved like a student you know, union activity. So
(02:49):
I was like a tool amongst tools. Yeah, but I
used to. I would host pub quizes and karaokees and
things like that, and I kind of get a field
for you for just getting in front of the crowd.
And then I started after I dropped out of college,
I started them seeing a comedy club in Glasgow where
I lived, and you know, just that was it. Then
(03:12):
I did that for a few months, then moved to
London where the streets are paved with comedy clubs.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Yes.
Speaker 4 (03:21):
Yeah, And there's a lot of talk about this at
the moment, and man, how do you feel You know,
there's this whole division here between the woke the the
anti woke factions in comedy. People have taken their side.
How do you feel about it? Well, what side do
you take?
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Oh, I would say I'd be more woke than anti woke.
I've got to say I find I find a lot
of the I find I find the idea of being Well,
it's very easy to define yourself as anti woke, because
people who are anti woke will define anything as woke
as being anything they don't like. See, woke used to
be in some thing, and now it just means anything
(04:02):
that sends to the left of the person saying the
word woke.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
Like anything you've vote it down over time.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Yeah, yeah, it's just becomes it's it's become an utterly
meaningless term. I think it's just I think sometimes people
who are being too right on, and sometimes it just
means anybody who just thinks, I don't know, racism is bad.
(04:29):
Having said that, I find I find anybody who's whose
humor is derived entirely from being woke and getting over
to clap how woke they are, or being anti woke
and getting over to clap how anti woke they are.
I find both of those factions equally tedious. Yeah, I
do find myself something just going yep, that's an interesting statement.
They're a joke coming, yes, and yeah, yeah, but it
(04:55):
is weird. Yeah, how tribal the industry seems to have become.
I find we're talking about tribalism. I've never been in
the country like Australia, or maybe it's a city like
Melbourne where the day of the week seems to make
more of a difference to how the audience react. Really,
because it's the difference between a Wednesday Tuesday audience and
(05:16):
a Friday Saturday audience is just night and day. Anyway,
I'm suring around the UK, it's not not really that
big a difference compared to.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Here alcohol Wednesday, because we always refer to you a
Wednesday night, a school night, and so we we are like,
I mean, you've been in a student union, we're luck well,
like a bunch of students once against a Friday night,
just going a bit silly.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
But that's okay.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Now I find audience that I sitting there like on
a Wednesday night and they're like, we shouldn't be out.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
This way, naughty.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
By the way, that's a very tidy Australian accent.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
You just it wasn't oh yes, it wasn't overdone. It
wasn't underdone. It was right in the middle.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
The one that I just can't I can't get. I
give you one sentence with the New Zealand Action if
you won't judge me, it's quite an extensive menu. Very good.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
That's very good. That's very good.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
And being able to appreciate that subtle nuance between the two.
Now when you're in Australia coming up next month, you
can just pay attention to just how different it is
between the states too, and then then you've become a
master of the the accent.
Speaker 4 (06:47):
There's the difference between Melbourne.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
And Yeah, and it could also vary from Jason Day.
I find as well AnyWho edburn May three as part
of the comedy Festival at the Glo that Asta Theater.
Good goodness, that is Thursday Friday.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
You'll be fine, it's.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Gonna go off. You're gonna get a final gig of
my Australian tourist.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
You're gonna get Friday tour vibes. I I drive past
the Asta Theater every day and my way home from
a work and there's a one of those big video
ads screens, so I sit, I quite often sit at
the lights and look at your lovely face and so
look for.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
I don't don't don't take that in a weird.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
Storkery way, a voice to the face, but lovely to
put a voice.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
To the face. See you on the third of the
Asta
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