INTERVIEW with
Tom Stade
I Swear To Tour
Palace Theatre, Westcliff on Sea
12th April 2019
Tom Stade
I Swear To Tour
Palace Theatre, Westcliff on Sea
12th April 2019
One of the most prolific and engaging stand-ups of our time. Tom Stade has appeared on our televisions in Ch4’s Comedy Gala, BBC One’s Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow, The John Bishop Show and Live at the Apollo. In fact Tom Stade, has been around for quite some time with this year being the 30 year anniversary of his stand up comedy career.
Following last year’s smash-hit UK tour, the Canadian comedy legend is back on the road with a brand-new show. ‘I SWEAR TO…’ which is picking up just where it left off, as according to Tom, an hour simply wasn’t long enough.
“Well I had to call it something and it’s a catchy title,” 48yr old Tom tells me, “I had so much stuff, I thought, you know what, I’m gonna release the B side. Turns out it’s even better than the A side!”
Direct from the Edinburgh Festival, Tom attempts to figure out exactly where he fits into this emerging new world of feelings and FaceTime. When did he, and all his stuff become vintage - and why didn’t he see it coming?
Armed with his usual swagger and playful sense of mischief, I chat to Tom as he explores these generational conundrums, and a whole lot more.
So just what will Tom be delighting his audiences (which include his loyal fans, known as the Stadinese Army) with, this time around.
“You know what everyone is asking me that and I’ve pulled so many answers out of my ass but the end game is it's me just trying to figure out what this new generation wants out of us old people.”
“Times are a changing,” he continues philosophically, in that familiar husky voiced Canadian drawl, “and the fact is that I was there when times were a changing for me, when I was in my 20s, hassling old men 'cos they were dumb."
"Now I’m the dumb dude but I think the 20 year olds are the dumb dudes now because I have retrospect, whereas they don’t.”
Following last year’s smash-hit UK tour, the Canadian comedy legend is back on the road with a brand-new show. ‘I SWEAR TO…’ which is picking up just where it left off, as according to Tom, an hour simply wasn’t long enough.
“Well I had to call it something and it’s a catchy title,” 48yr old Tom tells me, “I had so much stuff, I thought, you know what, I’m gonna release the B side. Turns out it’s even better than the A side!”
Direct from the Edinburgh Festival, Tom attempts to figure out exactly where he fits into this emerging new world of feelings and FaceTime. When did he, and all his stuff become vintage - and why didn’t he see it coming?
Armed with his usual swagger and playful sense of mischief, I chat to Tom as he explores these generational conundrums, and a whole lot more.
So just what will Tom be delighting his audiences (which include his loyal fans, known as the Stadinese Army) with, this time around.
“You know what everyone is asking me that and I’ve pulled so many answers out of my ass but the end game is it's me just trying to figure out what this new generation wants out of us old people.”
“Times are a changing,” he continues philosophically, in that familiar husky voiced Canadian drawl, “and the fact is that I was there when times were a changing for me, when I was in my 20s, hassling old men 'cos they were dumb."
"Now I’m the dumb dude but I think the 20 year olds are the dumb dudes now because I have retrospect, whereas they don’t.”
|
Does he feel that he’s older and wiser now then? He replies, “My world is slowly diminishing, that world is being taken away from me - I can look at it as that, or I can flow with this river that I don’t really agree with,” he reasons. Tom clearly doesn’t have a stoner reputation for nothing. I ask him how the ‘flowing’ is going?
“The flowing is going actually pretty good. I think that I’m a little more aware than most people for some reason. But the world gets bigger and harder as we go along and that’s just the way it is.” |
I interviewed Tom a couple of years ago before his last tour. We're around the same age and his kids, Kira and Mason, are the same age as mine, so a lot of what he talked about in his last show rang scarily yet hilariously true. I can't wait to find out how the next chapter plays out in this new tour.
“I’m trying not to be the ‘parent’”, is the answer. “What the whole thing of ‘I Swear To’ is, is that my kids are done; they’ve all moved out of the house now.” How the hell did he manage that?
“Ninety tickets from tonight's show goes to Kira’s flat,” he jokes. “I don’t even know if I want [the money] it back. I just want it to stop. It’s like haemorrhaging. These kids cut my financial chute open with their education!”
It’s just as well then that Tom is playing sell-out shows, although you definitely get the sense that Tom is in his element performing stand up.
“I love it. I'm sitting here writing the new show while I’m doing this show and I’ve just been laughing at myself. Like this year right now, 2019 will be my 30th anniversary of being in comedy, so obviously I love it."
“I’m trying not to be the ‘parent’”, is the answer. “What the whole thing of ‘I Swear To’ is, is that my kids are done; they’ve all moved out of the house now.” How the hell did he manage that?
“Ninety tickets from tonight's show goes to Kira’s flat,” he jokes. “I don’t even know if I want [the money] it back. I just want it to stop. It’s like haemorrhaging. These kids cut my financial chute open with their education!”
It’s just as well then that Tom is playing sell-out shows, although you definitely get the sense that Tom is in his element performing stand up.
“I love it. I'm sitting here writing the new show while I’m doing this show and I’ve just been laughing at myself. Like this year right now, 2019 will be my 30th anniversary of being in comedy, so obviously I love it."
When Tom isn’t doing stand up, he can often be found at a concert or two, Country 2 Country, Snow Patrol and Pearl Jam have been a few recent ones and you kind of get the impression that Tom would be right at home living the rock star lifestyle himself; not least because for this tour he has introduced to the merch stand an exclusive 30 year anniversary Tom Stade long sleeve t-shirt. [hint] I really want one.
“They’re awesome,” Tom proudly tells me. “I was like, you know what, comedians don’t have that. You don’t have a Russell Howard shirt do ya? Are you walking around with a Kevin Bridges shirt? I tell you what you are walking around with - a Tom Stade t-shirt!” So I’m gonna play it like we’re rock stars and do all the things they do - you know what I mean?” Oh, I do.
However, perhaps showing his age a tad, Tom tells me his next gig trip will be to see Keith Urban in Glasgow. “I love his tunes man. When I was young I was all Pearl Jam, anger and all that. Now that I’m older, I just wanna hear happy shit. It’s all about ‘falling in love with my gal', now. I’d like to know how he writes tunes to woo Nicole Kidman?”
Tom has been woo’ing his beautiful wife, Trudy, for over 23 years now after a whirlwind Vegas wedding. He tells me, fondly, “She’s my favourite out of all the girls,” cheekily adding, “out of all the one’s I’ve met yet anyway.”
Tom has recently been involved in a BBC Scotland film, The Grey Area. I ask him how he got to be a part of the hard hitting drama which tells the story of a young rapper struggling to overcome the consequences of drugs and gang violence. The tv film includes cast of real life ex-offenders, addicts and dealers in Edinburgh.
“It was really weird. I have a theory on how it happened because my son, Mason, who’s a screen writer was doing a video for this guy Podgy, a grime rapper who knew Gary Fraser [writer and director of the film] and he said that the guy he was looking to cast had to be a Canadian guy. He found out that I was Mason’s dad and he asked if I could come in and read for the part which I did and he went, you’re perfect and so I got it. Everything in the film is true to life.”
“They’re awesome,” Tom proudly tells me. “I was like, you know what, comedians don’t have that. You don’t have a Russell Howard shirt do ya? Are you walking around with a Kevin Bridges shirt? I tell you what you are walking around with - a Tom Stade t-shirt!” So I’m gonna play it like we’re rock stars and do all the things they do - you know what I mean?” Oh, I do.
However, perhaps showing his age a tad, Tom tells me his next gig trip will be to see Keith Urban in Glasgow. “I love his tunes man. When I was young I was all Pearl Jam, anger and all that. Now that I’m older, I just wanna hear happy shit. It’s all about ‘falling in love with my gal', now. I’d like to know how he writes tunes to woo Nicole Kidman?”
Tom has been woo’ing his beautiful wife, Trudy, for over 23 years now after a whirlwind Vegas wedding. He tells me, fondly, “She’s my favourite out of all the girls,” cheekily adding, “out of all the one’s I’ve met yet anyway.”
Tom has recently been involved in a BBC Scotland film, The Grey Area. I ask him how he got to be a part of the hard hitting drama which tells the story of a young rapper struggling to overcome the consequences of drugs and gang violence. The tv film includes cast of real life ex-offenders, addicts and dealers in Edinburgh.
“It was really weird. I have a theory on how it happened because my son, Mason, who’s a screen writer was doing a video for this guy Podgy, a grime rapper who knew Gary Fraser [writer and director of the film] and he said that the guy he was looking to cast had to be a Canadian guy. He found out that I was Mason’s dad and he asked if I could come in and read for the part which I did and he went, you’re perfect and so I got it. Everything in the film is true to life.”
“I’m really honoured to be a part of it with those guys. Everybody in that production is really hard core. Most of the people in that film have seen some shit. Some of them have been in jail and this film is their stories. The fact that they let me in was really an honour and then to get along with all of them was great. I think they’re the funniest. Guys who have been in jail have dark senses of humour.”
You do have to wonder, with Tom playing to packed houses and his obvious popularity, just why he isn’t a household name. He responds, in his usual laid back style, “I’m cool enough to stay the course - 30 years - I don’t change my opinions I just figure out how to incorporate them in this new world. I’m more blown away on how far I’ve already gotten, so anything after that is just gravy man.”
“I got a loyal fan base, like, more loyal than anyone’s. I got people who come to shows 6 or 7 times. I got people that have got blown up who saw me in Iraq. And there’s something about being a ‘cool little secret’ that is also awesome. I should have died in a small town in British Columbia when a log fell on me. Now I’m touring every town in the UK with people knowing who I am.”
"I’m letting my legend grow so that when I have a heart attack at 52 all of sudden, my kids reap the benefits of my awesome fame. I’m the ultimate hipster comedian - I’ll wear that title until I get a promotion.”
Of that, I have no doubt.
For tickets at Southend's Palace Theatre - www.southendtheatres.org.uk Box Office: 01702 351135
The Grey Area is available on BBCiPlayer
You do have to wonder, with Tom playing to packed houses and his obvious popularity, just why he isn’t a household name. He responds, in his usual laid back style, “I’m cool enough to stay the course - 30 years - I don’t change my opinions I just figure out how to incorporate them in this new world. I’m more blown away on how far I’ve already gotten, so anything after that is just gravy man.”
“I got a loyal fan base, like, more loyal than anyone’s. I got people who come to shows 6 or 7 times. I got people that have got blown up who saw me in Iraq. And there’s something about being a ‘cool little secret’ that is also awesome. I should have died in a small town in British Columbia when a log fell on me. Now I’m touring every town in the UK with people knowing who I am.”
"I’m letting my legend grow so that when I have a heart attack at 52 all of sudden, my kids reap the benefits of my awesome fame. I’m the ultimate hipster comedian - I’ll wear that title until I get a promotion.”
Of that, I have no doubt.
For tickets at Southend's Palace Theatre - www.southendtheatres.org.uk Box Office: 01702 351135
The Grey Area is available on BBCiPlayer
“UNMISSABLE” Edinburgh Evening News
"SACK LOADS OF CHARM. POISE AND FREE-FLOWING SPONTANEITY. MISCHIEVOUS,
HIGH-SPIRITED, NO-NONSENSE STAND-UP FROM AN EXPERTLY SKILLED PRO” Chortle
“EVERY INCH A STAR. IF COMEDY IS THE NEW ROCK AND ROLL,
THEN TOM STADE IS KEITH RICHARDS” Daily Record
“HUGE PRESENCE. REALLY KNOWS HOW TO WORK A ROOM. ATTITUDE AND ENERGY.
PROPERLY HILARIOUS, THOROUGHLY ENJOYABLE” Mirror
“SO COOL HE COULD WELL BE THE ANSWER TO GLOBAL WARMING.
GLORIOUSLY FUNNY” Scotsman
"HE HAS SIMPLY GOT FUNNIER AS TIME HAS GONE ON. THE SHOW LEFT ME EXHAUSTED FROM LAUGHING SO MUCH. IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN TOM STADE YET, YOU'RE MISSING OUT”
The News, Portsmouth
"EVER THE SHOWMAN HE GOT EVERYONE ROLLING IN THE AISLES STRAIGHT FROM THE START…HILARIOUS HUMOUR, BOUNDLESS CHARM AND A RAZOR-SHARP WIT. A MASTERCLASS. HAD THE AUDIENCE IN THE PALM OF HIS HANDS. EPIC! A PERFECT NIGHT OUT. 10/10” Nights Out Newcastle
"SACK LOADS OF CHARM. POISE AND FREE-FLOWING SPONTANEITY. MISCHIEVOUS,
HIGH-SPIRITED, NO-NONSENSE STAND-UP FROM AN EXPERTLY SKILLED PRO” Chortle
“EVERY INCH A STAR. IF COMEDY IS THE NEW ROCK AND ROLL,
THEN TOM STADE IS KEITH RICHARDS” Daily Record
“HUGE PRESENCE. REALLY KNOWS HOW TO WORK A ROOM. ATTITUDE AND ENERGY.
PROPERLY HILARIOUS, THOROUGHLY ENJOYABLE” Mirror
“SO COOL HE COULD WELL BE THE ANSWER TO GLOBAL WARMING.
GLORIOUSLY FUNNY” Scotsman
"HE HAS SIMPLY GOT FUNNIER AS TIME HAS GONE ON. THE SHOW LEFT ME EXHAUSTED FROM LAUGHING SO MUCH. IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN TOM STADE YET, YOU'RE MISSING OUT”
The News, Portsmouth
"EVER THE SHOWMAN HE GOT EVERYONE ROLLING IN THE AISLES STRAIGHT FROM THE START…HILARIOUS HUMOUR, BOUNDLESS CHARM AND A RAZOR-SHARP WIT. A MASTERCLASS. HAD THE AUDIENCE IN THE PALM OF HIS HANDS. EPIC! A PERFECT NIGHT OUT. 10/10” Nights Out Newcastle
|
21 Mar
PORTSMOUTH New Theatre Royal newtheatreroyal.com 22 Mar TUNBRIDGE WELLS Trinity Theatre trinitytheatre.net 26 Mar NOTTINGHAM Glee Club glee.co.uk 27 Mar BROMSGROVE Artrix artrix.co.uk 30 Mar BARNSLEY Civic barnsleycivic.co.uk 31 Mar EDINBURGH Stand thestand.co.uk 2 Jun
SHREWSBURY Theatre Severn theatresevern.co.uk 3 Jun ABERSYWYTH Arts Centre aberystwythartscentre.co.uk |
4 Apr
CANTERBURY Gulbenkian thegulbenkian.co.uk 5 Apr HEMEL HEMPSTEAD Old Town Hall oldtownhall.co.uk 6 Apr NEW MILTON Forest Arts forest-arts.co.uk 7 Apr CAMBRIDGE Junction junction.co.uk 11 Apr NORWICH Playhouse norwichplayhouse.org.uk 12 Apr SOUTHEND Palace Theatre southendtheatres.org.uk |
14 Apr
COLCHESTER Arts colchesterartscentre.com 3 May DARLINGTON Hullabaloo darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk 4 May DUBLIN Whelans whelanslive.com 5 May GALWAY Roisin Dubh roisindubh.net 6 May BELFAST Black Box blackboxbelfast.com 7 May INVERNESS One Touch Theatre www.eden-court.co.uk |
9 May
GUILDFORD G Live glive.co.uk 10 May READING South St Arts readingarts.com 23-24 May LONDON Leicester Sq. Theatre leicestersquaretheatre.com 26 May CHELTENHAM Town Hall cheltenhamtownhall.org.uk 31 May TIVERTON Comedy Hall comedyhall.co.uk 1 Jun BRISTOL Tobacco Factory thecomedybox.co.uk |
