Performer: Alistair Williams Photograph by: Steve Ullathorne Show: Alistair Williams – Great White Male Venue: Just the Tonic – Just Up The Stairs Promoter: Live Nation in association with UTC Artist Management Online: Box Office Website
Tell me about your Edinburgh show.
My show is called Great White Male. It’s a show about women’s rights.
Tell me about your first gig.
My first gig was at the Lion’s Den open mic night. I did great.
Do you have any rituals before going on stage?
Nope
Tell me about your best and worst review.
“Alistair Williams is another white male” is one of my least favourite review lines. You’re supposed to read criticism and improve. Struggling to see how I can be less of a white male on stage.
My best review was in the final of the Amused Moose last year. I was selected as one of the top ten fringe shows after I produced an hour of comedy that helped people know what food was really healthy. The reviewer claimed she didn’t understand what my show was about and then went on to opinion that as a was a skinny man I shouldn’t be allowed a voice to tell people what to eat.
During this Edinburgh run, do you plan to read reviews of your show?
Absolutely not.
How do you feel about reviewers generally?
The audience are the only real reviewers and they like me.
In April 2018, YouTube comedian, Markus Meechan (aka Count Dankula) was fined £800 for training his girlfriend’s pug dog to do a Nazi salute with its paw, in response to the phrase ‘Gas the Jews’. Do you believe Meechan committed a criminal offence, and why?
No. I believe this country is supposed to have free speech. Who decides what is offensive?
Are there any subjects that are not suitable for comedy?
Nope
Have you ever gone too far?
Nope
Looking back over your time as a comedian, tell me about the best gig of your career.
I got a standing ovation at the comedy store, that was fun. I believe I’m one of the quickest ever acts to graduate to full weekends there and it’s my favourite place. I love comedy by the way. I’m just burned out with the industry and reviewers that don’t seem to put funny first.