Hello Bob, so where ya from & where ya at, geographically speaking?
Bob : I grew up on a farm outside of Falkirk, moved to Edinburgh when I was 20 and I’ve been living here ever since.

When did you first realise you were, well, funny?
Bob : I found out that I was a bit funny when I was in high school but that was more funny/peculiar. In 2006 I got a job wandering around the guided balloon selling ice cream to people. which I took as an opportunity to be sarcastic and talk a load of nonsense to the general public. one day a woman asked if I was actually selling ice cream or doing a show about ice cream, which during August in Scotland seemed more feasible, I sold her an ice cream and cracked some jokes. She still didn’t believe that I was just a humble ice cream vendor, three months later I did my first gig.

Upon which life-experiences do you draw your own comedy?
Bob : How much of my life experiences go on stage? Just the funny ones or the truly tragic ones. Which is kind of a blessing and a curse. whenever something awful is happening to me in the back of my head I think “this will make a great set” but when everything is fine I secretly hope for disaster to strike so I have something to talk about on stage.

What does Bob Graham like to do when he’s not being funny?
Bob : In my spare time I usually try and do as little as possible mainly watching films or drinking. though last year I started learning mixed martial arts in an effort to get out of the flat more and get slightly healthier. Luckily most audiences find the idea of someone my height wrestling a cage fighter inherently funny, oddly enough so do I.

What is it about performing live you love the most?
Bob : I love performing because no matter what’s going on in life, good or bad, all gets muted for the 10 to 60 minutes you’re up there. Then when you’re done life kicks in again and you have to wait until the next gig.

What are the differences between the UK comedy scene, the Irish & the Australian?
Bob : I don’t think there’s a huge difference between the Irish and Scottish comedy scenes apart from Ireland is separated from England by the sea where as Scotland is separated from England by the lake district. the Australian comedy scene is quite different in that there’s only five or six cities with comedy scenes and they’re all hundreds of miles apart. The last gig I did in Australia an other act complained that driving for an hour to get there was a bit much. I pointed out that given the scale of the country it wasn’t that much and most UK acts would scoff at her complaint, I said as I scoffed at her complaint. then I complained that the trains there don’t have toilets and an hour on a train with no toilet was worse.

You are bringing your show 6th show to the Fringe this August, can you tell us about it?
Bob : My show this year is called decade, it’s all my favourite bits of material from the past ten years and a few new bits about getting older. Also quite a few stories about wrestling with cage fighters when you have a tendency to a say the first thing that comes into your head.

Since your first time at the Fringe, what have you learnt in the interim about your comedy?
Bob : What have I learned from my first fringe? Mainly that it’s a bit of a slog and there’s no point complaining about it. A lot of acts travel a long way and spend a lot of money and have a terrible time which is their choice at the end of the day. I look at it as an opportunity to do what I love every day and I get to spend the rest of my time seeing shows and hanging out with my friends and colleagues. It’s also easier than trying to sell ice cream in the pouring rain.

In one sentence can you describe the experience of performing in Edinburgh in August?
Bob : The fringe in one sentence? Either soul destroying or completely rewarding depending on your attitude.

What will Bob Graham be doing after the Fringe?
Bob : Post-fringe I plan on sleeping for a week, then trying to figure out what to do for next year.

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You can catch Bob this Fringe as part of the Scottish Comedy Festival

@ the Beehive Inn

3-26 August (15.15)