INTERVIEW
Tom Stade
I Swear Tour
Palace Theatre, Westcliff on Sea
8th December 2017
Tom Stade
I Swear Tour
Palace Theatre, Westcliff on Sea
8th December 2017
Tom Stade has been popping up on our tv screens and touring all over the world with his stand up gigs for quite a few years now, appearing on shows such as Live at the Apollo, Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow, Lee Mack’s All Star Cast, Dave’s One Night Stand and Channel 4’s Boyle Variety Performance. He is also co-writer of Frankie Boyle’s Tramadol Nights and has produced his own online sitcom with Daniel Sloss called M.U.F.F.
Canadian born, Tom, 46, currently resides in Edinburgh and is currently touring the country with a brand new show ‘I Swear’ which has been quoted as being “mischievous, carefree and enlightened, no subject is taboo.” For those who have experienced one of Tom’s epic narratives, never has a show been more appropriately titled. Tom pledges to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, providing an inspiring and incisive antidote to these dark and uncertain times.
I catch up with a slightly hungover Tom as he is being driven to one of the last three shows of ‘I Swear’ at the Edinburgh Fringe which evidently went down a storm judging by the heap of rave reviews I read before talking to him. Known for his gregarious, half-drunk, stoner persona on stage, I’m greeted by that very familiar gruff voice on the other end of the telephone. Here’s how our conversation went….
Thanks for chatting to me today. You’re currently at the Edinburgh Fringe with only three shows left to do and you’ve had some really good reviews for the show?
Mmhmm….I seem to have outdone myself - I feel like Snoop Doggy Dog coming up with funky assed shit nearly every single day [laughs].
Haha…..does that mean there’s something different every time you do the show then; or do you keep it the same?
Oh no, no, no, there’s something different. The show completely keeps changing depending on who I’m talking to and all that sort of stuff. It’s kept it really fresh for me. We’ve had people come back two or three times now.
Oh really, I know when you’ve been touring your fans keep on coming back again and again, don’t they?
Oh for sure, this is the Stadinese Army we’re dealing with! [laughs]
Of course! You live in Edinburgh. I suppose the good thing about living there, when you’re doing the Fringe, is that you don’t have to worry about finding digs at all?
That’s right; and it keeps me sober, because I live 20 minutes out of town so I always have to drive home. I’m loving it. Last night I had my first day off [laughs] and now I’m regretting it [laughs].
Oh, so you made up for lost time on the boozing then?
You betcha - but what a party it was! I’m not regretting anything - we had a blast!
Canadian born, Tom, 46, currently resides in Edinburgh and is currently touring the country with a brand new show ‘I Swear’ which has been quoted as being “mischievous, carefree and enlightened, no subject is taboo.” For those who have experienced one of Tom’s epic narratives, never has a show been more appropriately titled. Tom pledges to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, providing an inspiring and incisive antidote to these dark and uncertain times.
I catch up with a slightly hungover Tom as he is being driven to one of the last three shows of ‘I Swear’ at the Edinburgh Fringe which evidently went down a storm judging by the heap of rave reviews I read before talking to him. Known for his gregarious, half-drunk, stoner persona on stage, I’m greeted by that very familiar gruff voice on the other end of the telephone. Here’s how our conversation went….
Thanks for chatting to me today. You’re currently at the Edinburgh Fringe with only three shows left to do and you’ve had some really good reviews for the show?
Mmhmm….I seem to have outdone myself - I feel like Snoop Doggy Dog coming up with funky assed shit nearly every single day [laughs].
Haha…..does that mean there’s something different every time you do the show then; or do you keep it the same?
Oh no, no, no, there’s something different. The show completely keeps changing depending on who I’m talking to and all that sort of stuff. It’s kept it really fresh for me. We’ve had people come back two or three times now.
Oh really, I know when you’ve been touring your fans keep on coming back again and again, don’t they?
Oh for sure, this is the Stadinese Army we’re dealing with! [laughs]
Of course! You live in Edinburgh. I suppose the good thing about living there, when you’re doing the Fringe, is that you don’t have to worry about finding digs at all?
That’s right; and it keeps me sober, because I live 20 minutes out of town so I always have to drive home. I’m loving it. Last night I had my first day off [laughs] and now I’m regretting it [laughs].
Oh, so you made up for lost time on the boozing then?
You betcha - but what a party it was! I’m not regretting anything - we had a blast!
So can you tell me a little bit about the show? It’s called ‘I Swear’ so you’re obviously going to swear a lot in it. Do people get offended by swearing anymore?
I don’t know. I think it all depends who’s swearing for some people. People are kinda used to me - that’s always been my thing, I’ve never held back on language because I just find them to be words. I find them to be colourful but that’s just a little bit of the show. The show is really more about a journey between Millennials and Baby Boomers and all the things in-between that have changed. The Baby Boomers get involved, the Gen X and the Millennials all get involved and you start realising actually how much we have in common.
Really?
Yeah! It’s an amazing thing because most people talk to 60/70 year olds like you’re talking to a 60 year old, you know? The way you talk to somebody dictates how they’re going to talk back to you. So if you talk to somebody like she’s an old lady, she’s going to be an old lady but if you talk to that lady like she’s 20 years old, she’ll remember everything she did when she was 20 and she’ll bring it right back, so it’s really an amazing thing to me. Like when I’m talking to 60/70 year olds with the same disrespect I talk to 20 year olds, everybody loves it. All of a sudden they’re not put in that role that they’ve been given for some reason. They can take their masks off and be the person that they really are. Believe it or not old people are less offended than young people too. That’s something I learned. I’m kinda just bringing everybody together and showing that there is a common bond.
So with your own children being Millennials, what are they like?
Oh my God, I’ve got free range kids - I don’t think I’ve disciplined them ever [laughs] fingers crossed, so far so good. They’re fabulous, they’re funny, they’re everything. They’re just really funny people because as soon as they get to sixteen all of a sudden they’re not little kids anymore and it’s hard not to treat them like they’re your children because they’re fighting to become men and women. And so the way me and Trudes (his wife) have raised them, they’re treated as men and women - I don’t really know how to say that any better; we have wonderful conversations with them. There’s no judgement or anything like that. [pauses] But I will say they are fucking messy.
Oh God tell me about it! (I have two the same!)
Like, “Hey, it’s a towel, it’s easy to put back on the rack.”
Haha…I’m glad I’m not the only one who has that problem!
Oh no Kim, there have been many screaming matches on how to keep the place clean.
Yeah and the bedrooms, with drinks and cups and everything on the floor
Oh yeah, and them sneaking their little bottles of vodka in.
Yep…had that too!
Of course you have Kim, try to think back to when you were sixteen - what you did?
I know what I used to get up to!
Exactly man! You’re a hypocrite! Plus we live in a time where you couldn’t even discipline them if you wanted to. So the best you can do is try to relate to them, that’s about it.
Good advice.
Because of that, the kids today are a little more disrespectful to their parents than we were. Just a little bit more. The things that kids say to us I would have never said to my parents in a million years, but it’s just a different time.
The Millennials, they’re just rebelling - I can’t wait for their kids to start rebelling against them - I’m gonna love it. I’m gonna sit back and have a coffee and watch the fireworks. It’s the day me and Trudy will celebrate! “Oh your kids aren’t picking up after you, they don’t even want to talk to you? OK.” “Hey grandad, do you wanna hang out” “You betcha I do grandson [evil laugh] let’s mess up your mum’s house today shall we?”
I don’t know. I think it all depends who’s swearing for some people. People are kinda used to me - that’s always been my thing, I’ve never held back on language because I just find them to be words. I find them to be colourful but that’s just a little bit of the show. The show is really more about a journey between Millennials and Baby Boomers and all the things in-between that have changed. The Baby Boomers get involved, the Gen X and the Millennials all get involved and you start realising actually how much we have in common.
Really?
Yeah! It’s an amazing thing because most people talk to 60/70 year olds like you’re talking to a 60 year old, you know? The way you talk to somebody dictates how they’re going to talk back to you. So if you talk to somebody like she’s an old lady, she’s going to be an old lady but if you talk to that lady like she’s 20 years old, she’ll remember everything she did when she was 20 and she’ll bring it right back, so it’s really an amazing thing to me. Like when I’m talking to 60/70 year olds with the same disrespect I talk to 20 year olds, everybody loves it. All of a sudden they’re not put in that role that they’ve been given for some reason. They can take their masks off and be the person that they really are. Believe it or not old people are less offended than young people too. That’s something I learned. I’m kinda just bringing everybody together and showing that there is a common bond.
So with your own children being Millennials, what are they like?
Oh my God, I’ve got free range kids - I don’t think I’ve disciplined them ever [laughs] fingers crossed, so far so good. They’re fabulous, they’re funny, they’re everything. They’re just really funny people because as soon as they get to sixteen all of a sudden they’re not little kids anymore and it’s hard not to treat them like they’re your children because they’re fighting to become men and women. And so the way me and Trudes (his wife) have raised them, they’re treated as men and women - I don’t really know how to say that any better; we have wonderful conversations with them. There’s no judgement or anything like that. [pauses] But I will say they are fucking messy.
Oh God tell me about it! (I have two the same!)
Like, “Hey, it’s a towel, it’s easy to put back on the rack.”
Haha…I’m glad I’m not the only one who has that problem!
Oh no Kim, there have been many screaming matches on how to keep the place clean.
Yeah and the bedrooms, with drinks and cups and everything on the floor
Oh yeah, and them sneaking their little bottles of vodka in.
Yep…had that too!
Of course you have Kim, try to think back to when you were sixteen - what you did?
I know what I used to get up to!
Exactly man! You’re a hypocrite! Plus we live in a time where you couldn’t even discipline them if you wanted to. So the best you can do is try to relate to them, that’s about it.
Good advice.
Because of that, the kids today are a little more disrespectful to their parents than we were. Just a little bit more. The things that kids say to us I would have never said to my parents in a million years, but it’s just a different time.
The Millennials, they’re just rebelling - I can’t wait for their kids to start rebelling against them - I’m gonna love it. I’m gonna sit back and have a coffee and watch the fireworks. It’s the day me and Trudy will celebrate! “Oh your kids aren’t picking up after you, they don’t even want to talk to you? OK.” “Hey grandad, do you wanna hang out” “You betcha I do grandson [evil laugh] let’s mess up your mum’s house today shall we?”
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You started off wanting to be an actor didn’t you?
Yes, I did. That was my big play but comedy sort of stepped in. It’s pretty much the same kind of thing. It’s definitely got the common thread to it, I mean there’s a lot differences between it too because real comedy is being who you are. Not a character, but to find out who you are is a very long and arduous journey for sure. I don’t think it’s a coincidence though that a lot of comedians act, do you? No, because you’re doing it every night anyway. When you're doing jokes and stuff like that, you’re usually acting them out too. You’re giving the premise and then showing the person on stage so there’s always that bit of acting in any good comedy anyway. So I think that’s why there’s always an easy transition - for really good comedians anyways. I think with you though, what we see of you on stage is a lot how you are in real life? Yes it is. That is the one thing I stay true to because when you meet me off stage I am the exact same thing that you just saw. And there’s a certain comfort in that, I think people like that. It’s not an act. It is an act but it’s not an act - is what I’m saying. |
You’ve got a lot of loyal fans who come along to your gigs. Is it true that you go back to their houses for a drink sometimes afterwards?
Of course I do. That's because after the show I take off the superstar uniform and I go back to just being Tom, man. I get to travel around to all these places and these people open up their homes to me, it’s an amazing thing. And all of them are lovely, man.
A lot of fans can probably relate to you and what you’re saying on stage because a lot of it is probably what they’re thinking isn’t it?
Mmhmm, except I’m a little more in your face about it, that’s all, because I’m a realist man.
Of course I do. That's because after the show I take off the superstar uniform and I go back to just being Tom, man. I get to travel around to all these places and these people open up their homes to me, it’s an amazing thing. And all of them are lovely, man.
A lot of fans can probably relate to you and what you’re saying on stage because a lot of it is probably what they’re thinking isn’t it?
Mmhmm, except I’m a little more in your face about it, that’s all, because I’m a realist man.
I love the story where your dad gave you advice about meeting up with your fans after your shows, comparing it to you getting to meet Eddie Vedder after a Pearl Jam gig, who you’re a big fan of.
You go out and meet them and take the photos and they get to tell you really nice things like how many times they’ve seen you. It’s fun, it’s good and they feel like they had a great night and didn’t waste their money.
You’ve been to Southend a few times now haven’t you?
I have. There’s two theatres there isn’t there? And I always play the shitty one!
Haha..It’s a lovely theatre
I always make fun of that when I get there. Of course it’s a lovely theatre, I always just laugh because I wouldn’t feel comfortable in the nice one. [The Cliffs Pavilion]
You’ve got 56 venues to do and Southend’s the last one?
It’s gonna be a long one man and then I’m going to take a year off; but I’m going to go mental on this one. We’re gonna drive up and down the country, which is cool, and me and Trude can just get in the car and go to all these gigs and have a good laugh. Me and Trude have been best friends for like 22 years or so. We’re fucking awesome together man. It’s a very rare thing for somebody to be together as long as we’ve been together, especially getting married in Vegas. Who knew what was gonna happen, and here we are. So it’s all sweet and she’s even driving me to this gig so…..
Oh so you can have a drink today then?
Oh, I can’t drink anything any more today! I’m drinking water all day!
You go out and meet them and take the photos and they get to tell you really nice things like how many times they’ve seen you. It’s fun, it’s good and they feel like they had a great night and didn’t waste their money.
You’ve been to Southend a few times now haven’t you?
I have. There’s two theatres there isn’t there? And I always play the shitty one!
Haha..It’s a lovely theatre
I always make fun of that when I get there. Of course it’s a lovely theatre, I always just laugh because I wouldn’t feel comfortable in the nice one. [The Cliffs Pavilion]
You’ve got 56 venues to do and Southend’s the last one?
It’s gonna be a long one man and then I’m going to take a year off; but I’m going to go mental on this one. We’re gonna drive up and down the country, which is cool, and me and Trude can just get in the car and go to all these gigs and have a good laugh. Me and Trude have been best friends for like 22 years or so. We’re fucking awesome together man. It’s a very rare thing for somebody to be together as long as we’ve been together, especially getting married in Vegas. Who knew what was gonna happen, and here we are. So it’s all sweet and she’s even driving me to this gig so…..
Oh so you can have a drink today then?
Oh, I can’t drink anything any more today! I’m drinking water all day!
Interview: Kim Tobin
For more information on the tour and the show at the Palace Theatre on 8th December click here
