Alexei Sayle on today’s slick business

The Comedy Store pioneer says that leading comics today are have ‘achieved the status of rock stars’ and can call on the help of an entourage like ‘a well-drilled team – whereas I seem to remember the people looking after me were more like the cast of a failing circus’.

Sayle’s comments came as he interviewed Catherine Tate for today’s Radio Times and noticed the ‘vibe of excitement’ around her.

But he said: ‘While learning how to exploit their talent much more efficiently than in my day, modern comedians such as Catherine have acquired a much more balanced view of the dangers that come with achievement in the entertainment business.

‘This crop of performers has learnt from the mistakes my gang made and are much more business-minded and level-headed, with none of the shambolic chaos that typified the spirit of my generation.

For her part, Tate spoke of her love of stand-up, which she took to after drama school so she could be in control of her own career destiny, rather than waiting impotently for the phone to ring.

‘What I love about stand-up is that it’s a time-served apprenticeship,’ she said. ‘You have to learn how to do it over a number of years.

‘And it’s tough, there’s no room for deluding yourself. You can’t say “my act works on many levels” – if the audience isn’t laughing, you’re doing something wrong.’

The interview is to promote Tate’s dramatic role in The Bad Mother’s Handbook on ITV1 on Monday

Published: 13 Feb 2007