From Seattle, to London, to Edinburgh comes the superlative Erich McElroy

Where are you from & where are you at, geographically speaking?
I’m from Seattle originally, but I’ve been in the U.K. since 2000 and
currently live in the mean streets of Kingston upon Thames.

When did you first develop a passion for comedy?
It started right after I moved to London. Comedy was in every function
room in town back then. Then the recession hit and the circuit slowed
down a lot. That’s when I started being a full-time comedian. In comedy
timing is everything.

What are the differences between a British comedy audience & an
American?
I have never really performed in the US as a stand-up. I started here
and gigged here – British audience are great. Feisty, a bit drunk, and
demanding.

You decide yourself as a centrist comedian, can you explain?
Well, I’m on the left side of the political perspective but I also
believe that to really get anything done, we have to recognize that
means sometimes moving to the center or sometimes even the centre. In
the UK and in the US (I still get a vote there) where both countries are
so polarized we can’t get anything done if we don’t try and meet half
way. I talk about that in the show, but in a funny way.

You’ve been on some highbrow TV & radio, how do you find the
experiences & just how politicized is the broadcasting output of
Britain?
The UK radio and TV tries way to hard to be neutral, especially since
the written press seems to go out of it’s way to be totally partisan.

You’ve got three famous comedians (dead or alive) coming round for
dinner. Who would they be & what would you cook; starters, mains &
dessert?
Jon Stewart, Samantha Bee and Lee Mack. The first two because they are
some of the best topical comics ever and the third cause he is one of
the best live comics I’ve ever seen and a lovely guy. I wouldn’t cook as
I”m awful at cooking. This will sound sexist, but my wife is a great
cook – but if that was wrong I’d get some takeaway.

You’re performing at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe; what are you
bringing to the table?
FUNNY! It’s a fun show, not a heavy political rant.

If your comedy style was a soup, what would be the key ingredients?
A bit of everything, with some good chunks of meat to sink your teeth
into.

Will there be jokes about Boris & Trump in your show?
One of each. It’s more about personal politics and our daily battles to
do the correct thing.

You’ve got 20 seconds to sell the show to somebody in the streets of
Edinburgh…
It’s funny, because it’s true. Actually, some of it’s not true, but
it’s still funny.

What will you be doing for the rest of 2019?
After this month? Sleeping. Then getting a giant bowl of popcorn to
watch all the Democratic Presidential Primary debates.