Kentish Express Ashford & District - What's On
SHOW ME THE MONEY
The three larger-than-life stars of cult hit Storage Hunters bring the fast-paced show – and maybe the bolt-cutters too – to the Kent stage this week. Angela Cole tested her shorthand meeting frontman and auctioneer Sean Kelly
‘I think
I’m good at stoking people up with my high-energy, in-your-face style’
What’s it like being on tour with T-money and Green Mile?
It is the first time we have gone out on the road together. But I have known them years. These guys are two of my best friends. Before we did Storage Hunters, Tarrell, Cameron and I performed stand-up together for many years. We did seven shows a week every week for eight years. That’s why we’ve got such good chemistry on stage.
Why do you think is the appeal of Storage Hunters?
There’s all kinds of weird stuff that comes out of storage units. I would just say I stopped getting shocked! It has this real element of gambling. Cut the locks and look inside – you have no idea what’s going to be in there. The show has comedy, drama and big characters. It’s so easy to get caught up in the excitement of an auction. I once sold a puppy for $17,000. People start to lose their mind and forget how much money they’re spending at an auction. They want to outbid each other.
How did you find out you could be an auctioneer and speak so quickly?
My friend asked me to step in for the auctioneer at a show and I thought ‘I can’t get on stage and do that’. But he was going to pay me £5,000 for an hour so I did it! I went on to Youtube and tried to mimic what they were doing. I had to really stop and think about what I was doing and saying. It does take years to get good at it. Everybody in the beginning tries to go really quickly. You have to get the rhythm. The cool thing about being an auctioneer is that there is no rule book. You can make bid-calling how you want. I think I’m good at stoking people up with my highenergy, in-your-face style. Because I’ve done stand-up, I know how to work with audiences.
Tell us about the show.
We will each do our stand-up and we talk about our lives and some of the stuff we have done. Then there’s the auction. I hope we get to make a difference and raise a lot of money for Help for Heroes. I served in Iraq and have a strong connection with wounded veterans. If people don’t know what to expect from our shows, I’d like them to come out at the end and say, ‘Wow, that was really fun!’”
How do you like working with a live audience?
It’s such a rush for me. Comedians are true illusionists because they give you the impression that they are thinking up crazy stuff off the top of their heads, and we buy into that. I also believe that after every show, you should meet your fans. Normally, I’ll be in the lobby for three hours. I think that is really important.