With her new tour, Coconut, coming to The Old Rep on the 27^th of February, I managed to get a call with Shazia Mirza to discuss the show, the industry post-pandemic and comedy in a world of cancel culture; and you can buy tickets here!

First of all, what should people expect from your new tour, Coconut?

I think people can expect a lot of laughter and that’s what we need after the pandemic.  A lot of laughter and a lot of jokes, you know. I wrote this two years ago and, over the pandemic, I changed things about the show… it’s based on or inspired by my time on the Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls, about how women survived better than men. I’m talking from personal experience, it’s about identity, survival, men and women, a lot about the world and a lot that people can relate to.

I’ll be seeing you at the old rep later on in the month, 27^th Feb, which is a rescheduled date, how have you found that the pandemic has affected the industry? What do you think can be done?

People are desperate for a laugh

Well, people are desperate for a laugh. People have told me they haven’t been out for two years, to a live event for two years. They haven’t left their house and I think people are still scared to see each other, and I think the more they see each other, the better things will get. People will start to feel better about coming to see comedy.

You aren’t a stranger to TV, with Travel Man and obviously Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls, have you done any filming lately you can let us in on?

Actually yes, there’s been a lot lately. Would I Lie To You with Rob Brydon and Lee Mack next month, two episodes of Just a Minute, a pilot for Giles Brandreth, I was on The Apprentice: You’re Fired recently, there has been quite a lot.

Do you have a favourite? I imagine the Island is up there.

Well Bear Grylls was awful. It was the most difficult thing I’ve done in my life. I love doing QI and talk shows and panel shows are always fun to do, you know, Jonathan Ross and Graham Norton that kind of thing. If I had to pick one, well, I really enjoyed Just a Minute; It’s really old-school, must have been going for 50 years now, Paul Merton’s done it a lot, and it’s definitely one of those things to do before you die. It’s funny and it’s intelligent and I really enjoy that.

I’d say in your career you aren’t exactly a stranger to dark humour. Following Jimmy Carr’s recent controversy after his Netflix special, do you think he went too far? Do you have anything to say about this situation?

So, I’m a comedian. I believe in freedom of speech. The thing is, I’ve made jokes about 9/11, things that people might be upset by, might be offended by. To some people, the things I’ve said aren’t acceptable. But, as a comedian, and as I said, I have to believe in freedom of speech. I believe that as a comedian you have to be able to say what you want, and I wouldn’t be able to believe in freedom of speech if I said you can this this BUT you can’t say that. It doesn’t add up.

As a comedian, […] I have to believe in freedom of speech

You managed to survive the Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls, do you think your comedy, and more broadly comedy in general, can survive cancel culture?

Well, you know, I think comedy has survived really. And people have always said offensive things. Comedy is a generational thing and so is offense. Looking back, you see people like Bernard Manning, Jim Davidson, Roy Chubby Brown, and all these people were popular at some point in time. When it comes to what they say, right or wrong, that’s your personal opinion.

Have you ever self-censored?

When it comes to comedy, you have to make sure you know your audience. If someone offers me a million pounds to do a corporate and they ask me to not mention sex, I won’t mention sex. I want that million pounds.  You just need to know your audience. At the Royal Variety, there are things you can’t say, you can’t always say what you want, but if you have an issue with that you just shouldn’t take the gig.

I think there’s a general perception that students are usually too politically correct or don’t appreciate dark and edgy humour and are overly sensitive, do you think there’s any truth to this?

Well, I think that’s also a time thing, you know. Students are different in different times, from the 70s, 80s, 90s, from when I was a student to now. I don’t think that’s true of all students, but I do think it’s true that students nowadays are much more sensitive to people’s feelings and needs, but I don’t think that means they don’t like dark or edgy humour.

Students nowadays are much more sensitive to people’s feelings and needs, but I don’t think that means they don’t like dark or edgy humour

Is there anything you’d like to say to UoB student?

Well, I’m from Birmingham, I grew up in Edgbaston you know, right near the University of Birmingham, I went to school in Birmingham. Students are extremely lucky; Birmingham is so multicultural, there’s every class and every type of person and I think that’s great for students. It’s a really cheap city, there’s some really cheap and really great curry, enough for it every night. There really is so much to soak up from Birmingham, It’s such a great city and I really think that’s reflected in the city’s comedy. I’m really excited for The Old Rep on the 27^th and I hope to see many students there.

 

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