Life according to...
The original social isolator on the joys of being stuck indoors
Comedian Limmy
You put your new series together months ago, writing, filming, directing, editing and starring in it yourself. Now everybody’s making their own wee films in the house because of Covid-19. Did you know something we didn’t?
It looks like it was made in the last few weeks. I wonder if people will think that’s what I was thinking – is it possible just to make something by yourself just in the house, just observing things in the house, the toilet, green screen and just popping out now and again but you’re the only person in it because you can’t get anyone else because it’s illegal almost.
You’ve a knack for finding the comedy in everyday scenarios we all experience, but don’t necessarily consider funny… Some of the sketches have actually come from the short stories in the books I’ve written. And then there are the ones like the sketch about the dirty towel hanging on the washing line, wondering if people are going to see it and think: “Their towels are minging.” These are wee thoughts I have around the house. It’s almost like my character Dee Dee from Limmy’s Show – the musings of a guy shut in the house. You’ve been socially distancing well before anyone had heard of it.
Pretty much, keeping two metres away from everybody, especially in the house with my girlfriend and my son. “Nobody come near me when I’m filming this!”
You released Surprisingly Down To Earth, And Very Funny: My Autobiography last year. You’ve always given candid interviews, but some of the things in this book were shocking. Were you worried about revealing as much as you did?
No. It felt good. I didn’t feel brave or anything like that. The only bit I wasn’t sure about was the criminal stuff, me admitting to all the bad stuff I’d done, and that’s not even all the bad stuff I’d done. You’d have to be off your nut to admit all
the bad stuff you’d done, like the time you put salt on a snail or something.
You’ve made 20 episodes of comedy over the years, won two BAFTAs and written three books. What’s your favourite outlet for your work?
Live streaming and chatting to folk on Twitch (the online gaming platform). I always got really stressed about the other stuff, making the telly, writing books. This is what I’ve been doing for the last year and a half and it’s brilliant. When life returns to normal what are you looking forward to doing most?
I love just sitting in the house. I don’t like going out. Honestly, I prefer being in front of the computer or the telly, and I can make money that way because people chuck you money while you’re on. That’s the ideal way to spend the rest of my life. I found those other things really stressful, so why would I go and do something more stressful?
You’d have to be off your nut to admit to putting salt on a snail