‘I love seeing people’s jaws hit the f loor’
Russell Kane talks about the reality of cancel culture and people sliding into his DMs
Multi-award winning comedian Russell Kane sure knows how to wow a crowd with his hyperactive presence and crude gags. Since winning the Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award a decade ago, Russell is busy with his stand-up at Live At The Apollo and hosting his chart-topping podcasts
Evil Genius and Boys Don’t Cry, entertaining us all throughout the lockdowns.
Here, Russell, 45, talks about the link between homelessness and mental health, and what he has in store for us this year...
Hi Russell! What inspires your comedy?
I tend to chase hashtags. So if I see something bubbling up like Eat Out to Help Out, I’ll chase that hashtag. I’ll read all the opinions about it and see which way it’s going. The problem at the moment is it’s the same topic every day. It’s just Boris f ***** g up again.
What about your podcast
Boys Don’t Cry?
I was inspired by listening to my female friends saying,“Why don’t men talk about this?”It’s liberating because men can say what they really think and why, but it’s also for women as these are things they would love to know the answers to.
Boys Don’t Cry? Infidelity. The definition of cheating has changed massively in the last
10 years. If someone over
60 messages me, the same rules should apply as if a
23-year-old influencer from Basildon did. If I liked a DM from someone, [my wife] Lindsey said it would be cheating. Now and again, you do get sent a body part. I suppose most girls are gambling and thinking,“This is probably going to work!” To be fair, if I was single it probably would!
Who would you choose to be your next guest on your podcast
Evil Genius?
I’m hoping to get Tyson Fury. I want to grill him on that gap between how people view masculine men and the reality of what’s going on inside the big cuddly bear paradox.
‘We live in an era where someone can say one thing and they’re cancelled!’
Who has been the best guest so far?
When we did Gandhi, that really stuck in my mind. I just love seeing people’s jaws hit the floor when you say something like, “Gandhi was a racist!” But we live in an era of a culture where someone can say one thing and then they’re cancelled.
What have you learnt while working with Centrepoint?
Everyone who has been affected by mental health issues will know that just next to the mental health pillars is homelessness. They’re so linked. There are very few people who end up homeless without mental health issues. So people really need to draw the link between homelessness and young people’s mental health because it’s very strong.
Russell Kane is an ambassador for the UK’s leading youth homelessness charity Centrepoint, which helps homeless young people find a job and a home. Centrepoint’s ‘New Route Fresh Start’ encourages people to take on a 5km or 10km and raise money for the charity, while giving a homeless young person a fresh start.Visit centrepoint.org.uk/getinvolved/events-calendar/ new-route-fresh-start/