How comedy legend Billy was calmed by tea after drunk heckle
IT’S one of his most famous comedy monologues but Sir Billy Connolly momentarily lost his own sense of humour when he was heckled during an early performance in his home city.
A former entertainment booker at Glasgow University’s Queen Margaret (QM) union has told how the comedian walked off stage after an audience member shouted out ‘blasphemous’ during The Crucifixion.
She said the comedian ‘was not a happy man’ but calmed down after he was taken backstage and given a cup of tea.
The famous monologue, which caused upset amongst the churches when Connolly first performed it, re-imagines Jesus as a Glaswegian working man, in the last few hours of his life, where the last supper takes place in the Gallowgate instead of Galilee.
The crown of thorns is re-imagined as a “jaggy bunnet” while Jesus tells Judas Iscariot: “See you Judas, you’re getting on ma’ t***.”
Christine Hamilton, who was the QM’s booker, said: “One of Connolly’s brilliant classic stories was The Crucifixion and that evening in the QM, he was closing his act with this when, towards the end, someone shouted out ‘blasphemous!”
“I believed at the time and still believe, it was a drunken heckle but the Big Yin reacted by walking off the stage.
“He retreated to the board flat where we gave him a drink – might have been a cup of tea.
“He was not a happy man. “No one asked for their money back and we put it down to some bad behaviour from a member of the audience and maybe a bit of over sensitivity on the part of Connolly.
“He was clearly taken aback by the drunken heckle and his customary prowess at dealing with hecklers deserted him.”
The story will form part of an exhibition of memories shared by staff, gig goers and bands celebrating the 50th birthday of the venue, which has played host to bands including Queen, The Smiths and Nirvana.
One gig goer has told how a local band called The Plimptons played a shortlived set at the QMU in 2012, writing: “They were good, but this gig is mainly notable for the fact the lead singer stripped naked and performed like that for five minutes or so before he was kicked off the stage!”
Another music fan described a encounter with a famous US band.
He writes: “We bumped into these American guys outside the QMU we got talking, sharing ‘jazz fags.’
“After a while they asked us if we would help them get their gear inside the gig for £20 each and free tickets.
“The band, were the Ramones.”
There is still time to get involved in exhibition celebrating the venue’s 50th birthday.
Send images of ticket stubs, press cuttings and stories to www.qmunion.org. uk/qmu50