Performer: Paul ‘Silky’ White
Photograph by: Andy Hollingworth
Show 1: Paul ‘Silky’ White: ZIUQ! at The Stand Comedy Club 4
Show 2: Paul ‘Silky’ White: Singer Songwriter Comedian Spy at PBH Free Fringe, Liquid Rooms
Promoter: Indie

Tell me about your Edinburgh show.

In a minute… How are YOU doing?

Tell me about your first gig.

Erm, it was years ago. 1994. University gig in Fife. Bill Bailey was headlining, Julian Barrett was opening. Seriously, how are you? Shall we order food, or just get a drink?

Do you have any rituals before going on stage?

I remember how lucky I am to swear at people for money, and check my bald-ass white privileges. What about yourself? Have you used Tinder before?

Tell me about your best and worst review.

I’m concerned that this date isn’t going very well.

I once got a 5* review sent to me while sat on the loo, which didn’t make up for the fact my housemates had used all the paper. I’m doing two shows, one at the Stand (ZIUQ! A family-friendly ish backwards pub quiz) and one on the PBH Free Fringe, Singer Songwriter Comedian Spy) neither of which make up for my rusty dating game.

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

I don’t tend to get reviews because I’m not on telly or fashionable. This is where I mumble something about ploughing my own furrow, but I’d like Seinfeld money without any of the accompanying pestering. Let’s just get drinks.

How do you feel about reviewers generally?

People gotta eat. If you’re going to review, make it worth reading, and about the thing you’re reviewing. Your name isn’t on the ticket. Potatoes gonna potate. Do you do any reviewing? What star sign are you?

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?  

Offence, yes, criminal, no. If we could legislate against weapons-grade bell-endery, where’d we get most of our public figures from?

Are there any subjects that are not suitable for comedy?

Yes. Anything that denies someone humanity. Unless they’re a proper lemon-scented eight-sided leatherbound south-facing hand pump, in which case it’s a grey area.

Have you ever gone too far?

Of course. That’s how we learn, and admittedly sometimes die unnoticed and unremarked, just so future archaeologists have shit to scratch their head over. Unless you mean too far in a bedroom context, in which case, no, safe, sober, sane and consensual all the way.

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

They’re all better than real work, aren’t they? Let comedians whinge about office Christmas party gigs when they’ve done a full day shift as a bin man.