‘WHAT AM I DOING? WHERE IS THIS HEADED?’
Craft work
His scholarly outlook is not the only thing that makes REGINALD D HUNTER stand out from the crowd. Mark Robertson finds that TV is not his ultimate goal.
nlike actors with their new movie. artists with a
new exhibition or authors with a new book.
comedians have nothing tangible to punt. They are punting themselves. This means that an interview is less about their actions and more about them as people. Reginald H Hunter is the perfect interviewee for being open about motivations and insecurities while not spoiling the best gags t'or vou. He’s even more conscious ol‘ it now. as he‘s writing a new show tor lidinburgh this August. ‘Well. I‘m reall_v loathe to talk about it.‘ he savs in his ti'eacl_v (ieorgian growl. ‘This is the earliest I've started working on an lidinburgh show and the ideas are still l'orming. I want to keep ret'ining it but il‘ I had to. I could go into previews right now.’
Hunter's motivations tor brewing the pert'ect comic stew are honourable. and there's always the nagging reminder that he's been the bridesmaid alter several l-‘estival visits. Nominated once tor Best Newcomer and twice for the grown-up award. it would be eas_v to speculate that he's aiming for the winner's enclosure this time round but there‘s more to him than that. ‘You need time to hear voiirselt’ think. "What am I doing'.’ Where is this headed?" And there are some things that I do on stage. some tendencies of mine that l reall_v don‘t like and it‘s been partl_v about trying to curb those things and make my peace with them. Part of it is also about the direction that I really wanna go in terms ot‘ stand-up. I'm not one of them cats that hope stand-up will take me somewhere else.’
It is refreshing to lind a comic who isn‘t using the
circuit as a launch pad to the inevitable game show or sitcom. Like many. Hunter has been through the small screen treadmill. having written and starred in a (‘hannel 4 ('uiiicrlv [uh piece called Blackout. a darkl) hilarious tale iii a white middle-class woman who turns into a black man when she gets angry. \\'liile Hunter is jovial about the experience 'the_v gave its a shitload of mone_v to make it: we should have gone to the Bahamas or something instead but he l‘eels the gogglebox distracts him trom his calling. ‘I think tor a comic who's reallv dedicated to stand-up it takes some consideration what _vou piit _vour allegiance with. Other things require attention or energy and it's line it viiti'i‘e willing to do that. It's one (it the reasons whv I don't have a relationship right now. I know some great women. but the) require a certain level ot' attention and the} almost wish I was with another woman rather than them have to be competing with staiid-up.'
Hunter is a comed_v mtiso. .\'ot to be mistaken with a comedy nerd one ol those bii}s who can recite verbatim chunks of Hicks. Bruce or [Hard and ruining it for the rest of us but a scholar who takes his business verv set'iottsl). In the past he has been branded the ‘Samuel L Jackson of stand-up'. In truth. this is a short-sighted and even littItII) racist comparison. Yes. he mav be black. American and quick-wilted but. it. anything. Hunter is more the Bruce Lee of stand-up. a creature ultimatel) ItiL‘ltsetI on one goal: the pei‘l'ection ot’ his comic crat‘t.
The Stand, Glasgow, Thu 23 Mar.
Alun Cochrane l iétVlltt) charmed our socks ott thlt his favourite wort is. he's now illVllltt us Comedy With .‘Iad Hits. Which Will make you sad, lhen happy again. llien sad éttlétltt. lhen happy again lhen ,. Hr‘el, Glasgow. [hit to Mar.
Mark Steel Not loi iiottiinii is his l\/ show called lhe Mark Wee/lectures Hut at least he won't deliver his messages With patched elbows. We hope. any road. See Answer Machine. page i 1?. [he Gantge, (3/asgow, In 1/ Mar
Frankie Boyle (in W, he may well mock the week, but here he'll rock the weekend. Clever tWIst that. eh’? See Comedians Opinion. Hie (,3arage, Glasgow, Sat 18 Mar.
Wil Hodgson l veryone's favourite pink motiicaned anti fascist West Country lioy Wlll he letting off his usual head of analytical steam. See 5) Reasons. Bret Glasgow, Wed ’22 Mar.
Reginald D Hunter the coolest cat in comedy liree/es in to scare the pants off the so called opposition. See preView, lett. The Stand, Glasgow. the 93 Mar.
The Mighty Boosh thl the guys be able to save Nahoo from the hands of a era/y manwrtch’? this is one of many questions arising from the Boosh chaps new show. See What Did You Think? page 2. Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, Fri 24 <3 Sat 25 Mar
Henry Rollins Not someone you'd immediater assocrate wrth rip~roaring laugh-asniinute rollercoastering of fun, but the pictured guy's 25 Years of Bu/lsh/t tOur should throw up some hilarious titbits. Usher Halt Edinburgh, Sat 25 Mar.
‘t; 9/) Mar 700‘) THE LIST 43