STEPHEN K AMOS SPEAKS

STEPHEN K AMOS

The lovely Stephen K Amos hasn’t half had a busy year with a BBC TV series, a radio programme and two tours under his belt. Not one to rest on his laurels, his latest show arrives in London town next week, featuring laughs aplenty.

But we wanted to get serious with the comedy maestro – so we sent Lee Dalloway to get his views on some current headline issues over a pint or two…

 

THE ROYAL WEDDING

You know, when you can get a royal wedding sick bag I think it sums it all up. It’s extraordinary, there was so much merchandise and stuff; it’s really not my thing at all. It was good for morale, I guess. Am I a royalist? Absolutely not! I mean, the only way I’d be in the official wedding photographs at the palace is if I was standing at the back holding a tray!

BIN LADEN AND THE BANKERS

This was the perfect time to bring out news like this, everyone was still thinking about the royal wedding… but there’s no proof! I’m not sure if it’s just another cover up – probably to take attention away from the bankers. Those bankers in America that managed to fuck up the whole world! Obama’s financial advisors in the White House are people who used to work for these banking institutions – ridiculous! But the worst part is that the people who caused this haven’t been punished. Millions and millions have been wasted, why have they not been made accountable? More people are happy to line the streets to wave at rich people getting married than being a united force against the corrupt elements of our society.

OLYMPICS

I think it’s going to bring a lot of publicity to the country, but it’s also going to bring a LOT of people, I’m hoping not to be in the UK when the Olympics happen. Yesterday I got on the tube for the first time in a long while – it was packed, hot, slow… can you imagine what it’s going to be like when the Olympics happens?  Also, I don’t like that they’ve created a lottery to get tickets… WHAT? I’ve got a wide screen TV thanks, I’ll have the best view at home!

HOMOPHOBIC ATTACKS, EAST END ANTI GAY STICKETS

Of course it’s very worrying. I’m not sure who’s responsible for the stickers; it could be extreme weirdoes trying to divide communities by proportioning blame on other communities. We shouldn’t be complacent at all; there are still people out there who don’t like homosexuality.

A friend of mine was killed in Clapham in a homophobic attack, so these kinds of things enrage me. It’s not all about Old Compton Street, clubbing and bars; it’s about having respect for your fellow man and fighting for all of our rights. Think about the other communities around the world, and in our country, that don’t have the perceived safety of London, yet there are still homophobic attacks here.

Despite the global recession, wars, natural disasters, there are still people on the planet who are quite happy to physically assault someone else for their sexual orientation… and if that’s not madness I don’t know what is.

AND WILL YOU BE DISCUSSING THESE TOPICS IN YOUR SHOW?

Well, in my opinion, people who come to my gigs are savvy anyway, I don’t want to be up on stage telling people what we’re talking about here – I can’t see the funny side in that. I’m not one of these political comics; I don’t have an axe to grind.

I have the opportunity to get political by speaking at UK Pride’s and Black Pride, by getting out there and representing. For my shows, I want them to come away from their lives, spend two hours in my company and just laugh.

 


Catch Stephen K Amos: The Best Medicine on Saturday 21st May at the London HMV Hammersmith Apollo. To book tickets, call 08448 444 748 or log on to www.hammersmithapollo.net.


 

 

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