I owe it all to Spider-Man’s dad
Jason Byrne says Tom Holland’s father had a huge impact on his career after he was a Fringe judge and put the stand-up into a final
IRISH comedian Jason Byrne has revealed he was given his big break at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe by “Spider-Man’s daddy”. The 52-year-old, who is also a Radio 2 DJ, admitted he has Hollywood actor Tom Holland’s dad Dominic to thank for kickstarting his comedy career 30 years ago.
But Jason said he made a real fool of himself when he bumped into Dominic a few years ago in the Scots capital and discovered who his famous son was.
The stand-up, who hails from Dublin, said: “I’ve known Dominic all my comedy life. In 1996, when I was just starting out, he was a judge in the So You Think You’re Funny Competition? at the Fringe, he put me through to the final.
“I’ve always been grateful to him for championing me.
“Then a few years ago I bumped into him on the Cowgate and we chatted for ages.
“He told me he was just about to head down to London to visit his son who was Spider-Man.
“I just assumed he was taking his kid to some fancy dress party and said, ‘Well that’s cool! How long did it take you to make his costume?’ He stopped in his tracks and said, ‘You know my son is Tom Holland?’
“I was mortified his kid was the actual f ****** Spider-Man and there was I thinking Dom was rustling up a costume. How I hadn’t put two and two together before then, I will never know. There’s not many folk who can say Spider-Man’s dad gave them their big break.”
Jason, who is back at the Fringe with his No Show at the Assembly Hall, said the festival is the equivalent of the comedy Olympics and coming to Edinburgh is the highlight of his year. The comic, who hosted his own chat show in Ireland, said: “I love the Fringe. I’ve been performing since 1996 – so three decades. Over the years the fear has turned to enjoyment.
“The Scottish audiences are great to try out new material on as they don’t heckle, they just tell you s*** and make you think on your feet, which I love.
“The reason my show this year is called No Show is because when the organisers rang in January asking what my 2024 show was called, I said I had no show and they decided to call it just that.
“I basically just go in there with some props, interact with the audience and just go with the flow. The great thing about Edinburgh is you are allowed to create your own f ****** madness.”
The dad of two said some of his favourite audience interactions have happened at the Fringe.
Jason said: “One night, I looked up and there was a full wedding party – bride, groom, bridesmaids, guests, the lot – sat up in the balcony.
“The bride told me they come and see me on the same night every year in August and had accidentally booked their wedding for the same date. They had just got married, headed to my gig and then were
going back for the dinner and reception. They said I was too good to miss. “It was so good, the rest of the audience thought it was a plant. Yes, I was going to put aside 35 tickets at the Assembly Hall for the sake of a good tale? Not on your life. I’m just really quick on my feet.”
He added: “Another time, I told a guy his girlfriend was really pretty and that he should hurry up and propose. He then told me he was planning asking her later that night and the ring was in the house.
“I stopped the show, sat on the stage and waited until he took a taxi home and came back with the ring. “He came on stage and asked her. She said yes but the comedian in my was wishing she hadn’t.”
Jason, who has won several awards, admitted he is so quick with comebacks and put downs he has banned himself from using insult comedy on the streets.
He said: “Comics are all dark b ******* . People ask us what makes us laugh and we can’t really tell them as we would end up getting lynched. Insult comedy is considered blackbelt and shouldn’t be used on the street.
“I don’t allow myself to use it at the school gates or with my partner’s friends who are trying to be funny and aren’t. Dinner parties are a nightmare and weddings are worse as you continually have to bite your tongue. You will notice comedians all leave the room when everyone else is drunk. They can’t take the risk of saying what they truly think.”
Jason, who appeared in hit TV series Father Ted, said the Big Yin is one of his heroes.
He said: “I was inspired by a lot of comedians growing up like Tommy Cooper, Spike Milligan and the Monty Python gang but Billy Connolly was a hero.
“The only person that made me laugh until I cried was him. I got into comedy soon after.”
Jason is taking his Fringe show on tour in the autumn with dates in Dunfermline and Glasgow. He admitted he has fallen in love with Edinburgh as much as the Festival.
The funnyman, who was a judge on Ireland’s Got Talent, said: “I love the Scottish capital. I stay near the Meadows and the first thing I do when I come up is raid the charity shops for golf clothes and clubs and then I go pitch and putting.
“I then head to Soprano Ice in Bruntsfield for a facial. I give the owner tickets and she gives me facials. It’s ace.
“My tour manager and I rent bicycles from Soul Cycles for the entirety of the festival and, between my shows and watching others, we cycle all over the city. I also love going up Arthur’s Seat.
“The other upside about being in Scotland is getting to play golf with my old friend Fred MacAulay, who is a gorgeous, gorgeous man.”
● Jason Byrne’s: No Show is at Edinburgh’s Assembly Hall until August 24 at 8.40pm. No Show the Tour will be at Dunfermline’s Alhambra Theatre on November 24 and Glasgow’s Glee Club on November 24. Tickets available from www.jasonbyrne.ie
I love the Fringe. Over the years the fear has turned to enjoyment JASON BYRNE ON HIS LONG-TERM LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE FESTIVAL