This Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Rick Murtagh will tell you why misanthropy and nihilism are positive, realistic qualities and try and be nice about it. He’s performing alongside Russ Haynes and Matt Francis in a show that promises to be one of the picks of the Free Fringe.
If you don't know who Saskia Howard from Big Brother is then you are a tremendous human being - well done, you!
“The show is called A Rather Pleasant Misanthrope which I consider to be an accurate description of myself. It is essentially just me airing my frustrations and examining things I find too weird in our culture that is just casually accepted. I'll talk about why my misanthropic nature is actually quite a positive thing and why you need negativity in your life and I am gonna try and be nice about it - will totes provide the megalolz!”
Why did you choose to perform as part of Laughing Horse?
“Laughing Horse have been very good to myself and Russ Haynes who I am doing the double header with so I have no problems with working with them.”
Why did you get into performing comedy and how did you get started?
“I've always been a fan of comedy but typically as soon as I saw Bill Hicks and George Carlin I was just blown away and never realised comedy could go that way. I toyed with the idea for two years before finally getting on stage in June 2012 and did OK but my last joke died which for some reason didn't bother me.”
Tell us your best and worst experiences as a comedian.
“Best experience has to be performing in front of 2000 bikers this year in Cheshire. It was very scary, it felt like I was doing a bit in Sons of Anarchy. The crowd were awesome and the promoter offered me a line of coke like it was a bag of crisps - I didn't do any coke, I had bad hay fever that day.
“Worst experiences have to be dying in front of 100 middle-aged folk and with me last joke being met with silence but one guy disappointingly crying out, ‘Really?!’ after the punchline.
“Second one was when I was introduced on stage after the MC got in to a fight with Saskia Howard from Big Brother; proper cat fight, drinks being poured over each other, the works. If you don't know who Saskia Howard from Big Brother is then you are a tremendous human being - well done, you!”
If you were curating a stand up show for television, who would be your guests?
“I'd pick Alfie Brown as he's one of the more exciting comics we need on the circuit and Don Biswas and Russell Hicks are both fantastic performers and inspirations. Kyle Kinane would be headlining. I would also invite Saskia Howard from Big Brother to be an audience member provided she wouldn't be allowed any drinks.”
Broadway Baby Listing and Edinburgh Fringe Box Office: http://www.broadwaybaby.com/shows/happy-a-rather-pleasant-misanthropic/702515
Twitter: @rickstandup
YouTube Clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6JSkH_tDnI
