ANDREW O'NEILL
The ten-year-old Andrew O'Neill is standing on the stage in front of his school in assembly. He is performing sketches from the Comic Relief Big Red Tape mixed with stuff he and his friend Tom have made up themselves. And the audience is laughing. It works, this comedy lark.
Fast forward eight years and you'll find him recording sketches on a camcorder with his A-level art class instead of doing work.
Fast forward another eight years. Oh, hang on. Take the batteries out and rub them between your hands. Okay. Now fast forward another eight years and Andrew is standing with Steve Coogan in a hi-fi shop in Watford, with a big fuck-off camera pointed at him. It really does work, this comedy lark.
I began stand-up on January 16th 2002, at the Laughing Horse Camden, opening the second half.
I was quite good. Did five minutes of material in about three. Coined the term 'comedygrind' to describe my 'style'.
Live Shows
Winston Churchill was Jack The Ripper (2006), The Last Show Around (2005), Andrew O'Neill and James Sherwood, Apparently (2004)
Radio
The Milk Run on BBC Radio One This show was great. Got loads of sketches broadcast, got lots of experience writing and performing and now have access to BBC photocopier and printer!
Television
Saxondale, BBC Two (brilliant). The Salon, Channel 4 (shit)
I did The Salon, or as I now like to call it, The Fucking Salon because my old schoolfriend Pasa Mustapha worked on it. I'd never watched it, because I really really hate reality tv. But I did it in the spirit of adventure, and am glad I did, if only because I now know not to do anything like that again.
But then I did Saxondale. So I think there's a karmic balance at work now.