The hilarious Stephen K Amos in back in Australia and will be making his way to Perth next month. We caught up with the cheeky comedian and got the low-down on the touring lifestyle, living life as a celebrity and why Amos is ‘the laughter master’.
Welcome back to Australia.
I love it, I love the weather, the people, everything.
This time you’re making your first trip to Tasmania, have you been yet?
I have never been to Tasmania; everyone tells me it’s beautiful, it’s stunning. I have read up on the history of Tasmania and I will not be holding back
I’ve never been to Tasmania, it’s the state we quite often forget to put on the map.
I know it’s such a shame, by all accounts; the beauty of the place is breathtaking. So if nobody is there, at least I’ll be able to get some good photographs.
Are there any places in the world you’d like to go to that you haven’t been before?
I’d like to go to Greenland, the Antarctic; see what that’s all about. I haven’t been on any high mountains so maybe that’s on the cards.
Your show is called the “Laughter Master”, what gave you that title idea?
Well I’m like an orchestra and I’m the orchestra leader. The audience is my very talented musicians and someone’s got to be in control and that person is me. So you’re going to laugh and were going to master the art of laughing and we’re gonna think along the way.
I watched your show a couple of years ago when you were in Perth and it felt very much like it ‘just happened’.
Thank you, that’s the image I like to put across. If something happens in the room, I want to always be in the moment and if something happens and it’s funny, then we’ll run with it. There is a script obviously, so long as you guys keep enjoying, I have done my work.
That’s interesting because I remember reflecting on it thinking, I’m sure there was a script but it didn’t feel like it was there.
Great! For me personally, the best comedians and some of the best shows are the ones you can actually remember. And time just goes by so quickly because you are all sharing that experience together.
Do you find comedy is different depending on the size of the room you play?
Yes, it depends on the room, day of the week, like if it’s a Wednesday evening it can be a very quiet audience or if it’s a big show, a Friday or Saturday the audience can be very boisterous. But it also depends on the time as well. So yes, lots of many factors and variables.
You seem to be on a constant touring circuit, is there a point you’d like to do something a bit different?
Well I think if I found love and we decided to have kids then maybe that day will come. But as of yet I am enjoying the lifestyle, traveling around the world doing jokes. I mean what other job would you want?
Stephen K Amos plays His Majesty’s Theatre April 28 – May 1 for the Perth Comedy Festival.
Graeme Watson
