Performer: James Nokise
Photograph by: Matt Grace
Show: Talk A Big Game
Venue: Stand 4
Promoter: Indie
Online: Box Office Facebook Website

Tell me about your Edinburgh show.

I got challenged to do show that doesn’t have any politics or social commentary in it, so I’ve made a show on sports… which may or may not have social commentary and politics in it.

Tell me about your first gig.

I left the mic stand in the middle of the stage.

Do you have any rituals before going on stage?

Yes.

Tell me about your best and worst review.

I got called “Odious” by a reviewer when I was starting out, and was so stupid I didn’t know it was an insult, so told people proudly I’d been called “Odious” by the NBR.

During this Edinburgh run, do you plan to read reviews of your show?

No, but I’ll cheat and ask the venue read them so they can chuck em up, or burn every physical copy.

How do you feel about reviewers generally?

There’s worse ways to get a free ticket. I just hope they’re being paid.

In April 2018, YouTube comedian, Markus Meechan (aka Count Dankula) was fined £800 for training his girlfriend’s pug dog to do a Nazi salute with its paw, in response to the phrase ‘Gas the Jews’. Do you believe Meechan committed a criminal offence, and why?  

…Count.. Dankula? That’s a real Comedian? The fuck is going on in the UK? We have “Youtube comedians” in NZ, and they’re often tone-deaf assholes too.

Are there any subjects that are not suitable for comedy?

No. But if you’re going near a sensitive subject, they better be killa gags. Also don’t be a dick when you offend someone – you knew what you were getting into.

Have you ever gone too far?

Yes.

Looking back over your time as a comedian, tell me about the best gig of your career.

I lead a march on Parliament – still not sure how that happened…