Johnny Vegas
Real name:Michael Pennington
Date Of Birth: 05/09/1970
The son of strict Catholic parents, Pennington joined a seminary at the age of 11 but left after 18 months, deciding a career in the priesthood was not for him.
Instead, when he was old enough, he headed for London to follow his new chosen career, pottery, and studied ceramic design fort hree years.
He flirted again with the idea of joining the church during a period of depression at the age of 24, but instead chose a career in comedy.
Johnny Vegas Videos
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An Ideal Night Out
BBC
A little over 24 hours after explaining why he was no longer doing stand-up, Johnny Vegas was back in the same Leicester venue doing, what to most observers, would have looked pretty much like stand-up.
True, in hosting a night of comedy themed around the axed BBC Three sitcom Ideal, he has curbed the self-loathing rage that made him such a mesmerising, if messy, comedian at his unassailable peak. He confessed to still having ‘waves of anger trying to get out’, but these days he’s learned to control them.
If you didn’t know what he was capable of in his previous form, you would have credited this as a fine example of the compere’s craft – a fluid, spontaneous dialogue with the audience that created unique moments of magic. The living cliche that was the drama student, a fey middle-class curate’s son in hippy garb, provided most laughs at his expense, but not all were easy ones, as Vegas’s fertile mind makes leaps and connections that are beyond the obvious.
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Yet he also knows when to hold back... this wasn’t the manic Johnny Vegas Show with the other comics as an afterthought; he managed the energy of the supportive room well, allowing every other act to shine.
He was less fastidious about timekeeping though, and the scheduled end time whizzed past, so the demands of the last train home means I can’t report on the stand-up stylings of Ben Crompton (aka Colin, to Ideal fans) or the promised ‘live dubbing’ of an episode of the show. Nor can I tell you about creator Graham Duff, due to appear but medically absent by abscess.
Opening act was Mick Miller, enjoying a much-deserved career revival since being cast as the father of Vegas’s Moz. The alternative comedy pogrom cast all old-school club comics into the cultural wilderness, but Miller proves there was plenty of talent on that circuit along with the dross, and that we shouldn’t write off a whole generation. His gag rate is enviable, and while the format might be traditional he imposes his own personality – and writing – on to it. His drunk Noddy story is a classic comedy performance, but all the gags have perfect rhythm, and there’s a real twinkle to his delivery as well as a commitment to the punchline that some more anecdotal comedians would do well to emulate.
Character comedy stalwart Peter Slater – Christian-turned-killer Alan in the show – found Miller hard to follow, and acknowledged the fact, as he donned the guise of ‘king of entertainment’ Bernard Bananas. Because Vegas already so completely inhabits the persona of the shabby wreck beneath the showbiz glitz, Slater’s brand of anti-comedy struggled to emerge from that sizable shadow. We’ve seen bad jokes, bad magic and bad guitar playing as devices so often, he didn’t offer enough of a distinctive take. But when he started bantering with the particularly perspiry punter he’d volunteered, the spontaneity of the encounter proved a lot more fruitful.
After a break full of photographs and autographs for the fans, Vegas introduced Joanna Neary for a couple of one-woman sketches, which went down a storm. Her ultra-nervous presenter giving a talk about sex toys might hit a few familiar areas, but the skillful delivery makes it zing; while her stand-up routine skewers the cliches of the ‘I know what you’re thinking...’ brigade with an astute knowingness.
Overall, this is a great premise for a comedy night, given the number of strong stand-ups employed on the series who could do with a profile lift. And it delivers for the audience too: an Ideal night out is not just a punning title; it contains a truth, too.
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Older Comments
Alan Hodson - 17/04/2020
He has the same affect on me that Tommy Cooper used to have-I just have to see him and i burst out laughing.
Kitty - 20/12/2010
Was at Just The Tonic last night and saw Vegas, the worst stand up I have ever seen, he died on stage and resorted to trying to make jokes about not being funny and ruining the show - the words 'taxi' were shouted out several times - thank god for the other acts.
jane - 20/12/2010
I saw him in Nottingham last night and he basically just crumbled on stage, very sad and a waste of a talent
Jenny - 20/12/2010
He's losing it - was rambling on and on, no one could understand a word he was saying at Just the Tonic Nottingham last night.... Sad to see. Embarrassing...
Steve Flashman - 15/10/2010
Johnny Vegas is an ARTIST. You don't expect an artist to get it right every time..He doesn't work as a painter, (or as a potter!) he doesn't work as a recording artist or as a musician.... He works LIVE! (And nobody works live anymore... Apart from people like Johnny Vegas) When it's good it's genius. It's not perfect.... (Well how good would it be to watch Francis Bacon sketch?) Respect to the Pennington and his loyal audience.
Susan - 27/07/2009
Loved the show last night in Nottingham. It was the first time I'd seen Johnny Vegas live. He was terrifying, shambolic, sad, sweet and very, very funny. Aw, that poor lad in the front row, though. He'll probably be traumatised for life. Magnificent show.
Michelle - 13/01/2009
I think you are brilliant very funny on screen and i think you have done excellently in losing the weight, although you were cute before. All the best.
Smithy - 30/06/2007
I think Johnny is a comic genius! If you watch him on any TV appearance you can't help but laugh so hard your sides hurt. He is a real legend!
mark - 23/11/2006
I am from St Helens and know Johnny fairly well, when you talk to him the pub or in the street he is a funny man without doubt, however when I've been to a show of his I've been bored out of my brains most of the time
Craig Matthewman - 06/06/2006
The man is a f***ing legend.
Linda D - 22/01/2006
Vegas represents the god-awful state of the British comedy scene at present. The need of comedy clubs to get arses on seats and the media's obsession to fill our airwaves with anyone who's ever stood on a stage provides us with comics of no craft or talent; just noise. It is us, the paying customers, who ultimately provide Vegas with a platform. His act is based upon his weight, alcoholicism and social deviance. There is no semblance of material, just mindless ranting on stage and yet some look to excuse this as genius. Comics like Vegas, along with other proponents of this style (the hugely overrated Phil Nichol and middling Brendon Burns) are only interested in one thing, which is their own desperate self-promotion; hence the reliance on shock tactics and volume to get noticed
Klapsomounis - 05/01/2006
Complete garbage! Berating an audience when pissed out of your brains does not qualify as comedy. I am at a loss as to how Vegas became successful.
Xargarth - 05/12/2005
Johnny Vegas can be...funny, but only when he's not out of his mind drunk.
Joyof - 01/10/2005
After seeing Johnny tonight at the Theatre Royal, I am fairly disappointed.It was as if he did't have to try, because he was showing in his home town.He did a total of 50 minutes and kept looking at his watch.His heart wasn't really into it - so at 10:45 he tried to pacify the audience by offer of a a stagedive and a round of drinks at the local pub.Yes Johnny is extremely funny ,but inconsistent these days unlike his early days.
Emma - 13/09/2005
He's an obese alcoholic slob, I can not believe people are entertained by him, it makes me feel sick to watch him.
Charles Thomson - 28/05/2005
Having seen him in small slots on various shows I must say that I love the way he rants at audience members because I agree with him on hideous novelty t-shirts, which are the bain of my life, that sort of thing. However, I couldn't sit through an entire show of Mr Vegas shouting at people.
Mr G Raff - 25/05/2005
A bloody genius.
John Cook - 27/02/2005
Is this what passes for comedy? Vegas on the Comic Aid show last night was just diabolical and offensive. He is obviously living under the delusion that he is funny. Slagging off the audience is neither funny or witty. I'm just glad I didn't pay 50 quid to see him.
Lady J - 26/01/2005
My friends and I went to see Vegas in Nottingham for the Tsunami relief. By the time Vegas came on stage he appeared to be too drunk to make any sense. His act was very poor and it seemed he was struggling with personal issues and that it was taking it's toll on his act.
We left before the end of the show as it was too embarrasing to watch the poor compere and backstage crew trying to help Vegas make it through his act. I can't help but feel a bit sorry for the guy.
Jonny - 25/01/2005
I have seen the most bizzare Vegas performance ever, at a tsunami gig in Nottingham. A stubborn refusal to acknowledge the audiences lack of interest in his pissed act where he spurted rubbish intertwined with genius. Kept on going, revelling in his self destruction. Its three days later I still can't work out whether he's a genius or just a (very) big joke (not in a good way). No doubt there is a fine comedian lying there, its just about whether he wants to bring it out or not, sometimes its funny either way, sometimes its not.
Norman Dee - 12/01/2005
My experience of Vegas, and there have been a few, is that he will either die on his ass or give you the night of a lifetime. Night like those I saw in Edinburgh, in Nottingham, in London will keep me coming back again and again. It's a roller coaster ride and if god is holding your hand and he's the funniest man you ever met and you will wet your pants. If you have been to a bad gig i sympathise, I too have cried with fustration and walked, but that won't stop me I will be back, this man is a born comedian, hugely talented, never give up!
Roy Haggerty - 15/11/2004
I'm tempted to say he's funny cause I also come from St. Helens but unfortunately he's never made me laugh. Southerners like him cos they don' understand him. To me he's just a normal St Helens bloke, nothing special.
Shorn - 13/11/2004
Not funny at all. Perhaps if Johnny is still performing sell-out tours to hundreds of thousands of adoring fans in 50 years time, he'll have the right to slag off Cliff.
Baby Fat Head - 02/07/2004
Vegas died on his arse in Nottingham last night. He was headlining. He really shouldn't have bothered turning up. I doubt there was anyone left to see the end of his act. I wouldn't know however, as I joined everyone else and left early. Abysmal.
Ed Gamble - 06/04/2004
Anyone at the Comedy Store last night would agree, Vegas is a genius. Headlining an absolutely stellar bill of eight acts and two comperes, with all the other acts getting ten minutes, Johnny ranted for 50, and even got a kiss from a bird in the front row for his troubles. Being front row and very close to a topless Johnny Vegas is not something I'll forget in a hurry. Cracking night out.
David - 01/04/2004
Legend? One rule of being a comic... be funny. Mr. Vegas played Glasgow last week and died on his feet. He had no idea what he was rambling on about and the more he dragged on from one ill-fated attempt at being funny to another the more people left. With half an hour to go the venue had dispersed and Mr. Vegas was getting desperate, giving one last burst to save the night he decided to do his impression of a fat alcoholic lying on his arse. It never really came off but it did provoke some funny outburst from those who had stayed to poke fun at him. What a waste of a night.
Dave Twentyman - 20/01/2004
The funniest comic around.
Dean Evans - 15/01/2004
Genius!
Shabby - 27/10/2003
Johnny Vegas in Brighton came on drunk, which is to be expected because he always is, and miserable, which is to be expected seeing as his wife has left him, but he forgot jokes, which we don't expect, became incredibly sexist, which is what we expect from someone like Bernard Manning and completely ignored the need to be funny asking 'why should i be funny for you lot?' Because I paid £17 to watch your fat arse, you prat. Iused to think johnny was rock n' roll, now i see him as a tired old roly poly droll. Rubbish.
Susabella Saspirella - 25/09/2003
He is superb. We saw him at the Montreal Comedy Festival a couple of years ago. The Canadians didn't know what had hit them. There was such a sharp intake of breath when he came on dressed only in beige trousers and an ill-fitting safari jacket that I thought that most of the audience was asmathic.
Julian - 19/09/2003
Only one word to describe him: legend
Wil Hodgson - 11/09/2003
Awe inspiring. Forget his TV work, Vegas must be experienced live where he is a master of both comedy and pathos