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EXCLUSIVE: Russell Howard Brings His Comedy from London's Stages to Mumbai's Sophia Bhabha Auditorium
Russell Howard talks about touring India for the first time, his writing process, getting heckled while grocery shopping and much more in an exclusive chat with Pinkvilla.
2025 is going to be a busy year for Russell Howard. Many of us made New Year's resolutions in hopes of getting a new start this year, perhaps you hoped to dust off that gym membership you bought back in January 2024, or maybe you said 'New Year, New Me!' while drunk at a party, wishing on your stars that it'll finally be true. The British comedian, on the other hand, has decided to take on the world this year.
Howard started his 2025 touring the Nordic countries and will start the Asian leg of his tour in Hong Kong. From there he'll travel to India for two shows, one in Mumbai, another in Banglore, and finally closing off in Singapore. The 44-year-old will then move back west for his many shows in Europe and then in the U.S.A.
In a candid exclusive chat with Pinkvilla, the comedian opened up about his much-awaited first show in India, bombing on stage, a fan interaction that'll have you scratching your head, and comedians who've inspired him.
Russell Howard's big Indian debut
If you've ever watched a Russell Howard special, then you'll know the essence of his comedy lies in his talent for turning personal experiences into laugh-out-loud punchlines. "I love going to a new place and trying to observe it and understand it and see what's funny about it, and then throwing it on stage." He added, "It's my favorite thing to do. So the show will be a mixture of stand-up material that I've written before and stuff that I will think of when I'm there, and I kind of mix it together. And that's what makes international gigs so much fun."
The comedian likes to draw inspiration from his surroundings, and he plans to do that for his two highly-awaited shows in India, "I'll go to Mumbai a couple of days before, and I'll just probably walk around, listen, take the place in and then try and regurgitate what I've seen on stage."
Maneuvering himself out of the 'awkwardness'
The host of The Russell Howard Hour is no stranger to bombing on stage. "So the way I work stuff up is I go to little comedy clubs in London, and I take a piece of paper and I try stuff out, and if it dies, it doesn't make it (to the shows)." He explains, "Really, you just kind of have to shrug your shoulders and move on. But occasionally you have those moments where you try something, it doesn't work." But someone of Howard's stature who's been around the block for a minute knows how to work out the kinks on the spot, he adds, "I've got enough skill to kind of, you know, maneuver myself out of the awkwardness."
"I'm so old and long in the tooth, the idea of just getting shamed and feeling embarrassed doesn't really happen." He knows there is a chance his stuff might not land with the Indian audience but Howard is ready to take it on the chin and move on. "It'll be really funny if stuff doesn't work in India, if it's worked everywhere else because then it gives you a new experience." As per him, he'll just have to keep ''the third eye open and laugh" at himself.
Hilariously peculiar fan interaction
Another thing he finds funny is a peculiar fan interaction he had at a supermarket. Fans around the world have done some bonker things for the people they admire. Fans of musicians have caused actual earthquakes, admirers of actors send them the most lavish gifts and heart-touching letters; what do you think comedy fans would do to show their love? Well for Howard, it was getting his "food heckled" while grocery shopping.
Calling it his "oddest experience" he revealed, "I remember I was once in a supermarket in England, and a man was looking at my basket, and he was like, 'There's nothing funny in there'. I was like, 'What?' and (he asked) 'Where's all the funny stuff?'". The supposed fan was "furious" at him for not having "comedy food, like a couple of Melons, and a Banana." Hilariously the man believed, "that comedians ate funny things, and that's how they became funny."
His comedic inspirations over the years
Growing up Russell was an avid fan of iconic British comedian, Lee Evans. But along the way the list of names he looks up to has expanded. Like many comedians, he admires the likes of, Richard Pryor, Bill Hicks, Billy Connolly, and George Carlin. Admitting to be a "bit of a comedy nerd" he reveals, recently one specific veteran of the industry has grabbed his attention, "Lately I really, like, love the the way that (Jerry) Seinfeld works. I find his work ethic, really fantastic, and his writing process, I absolutely adore."
He explains it's all about taking inspiration from others. He puts it in football terms, saying, "If you're Cristiano Ronaldo, you see somebody do a new football trick, you're like, 'Oh I like that. I'm going to learn how to do that.' And you try and do your version." He continues, "You're always standing on the shoulders of giants and trying to kind of find that perfect hour that's so blistering and so funny and so perfect for the right audience that you've really made your mark."
With DeadAnt's third edition of The DeadAnt Loop bringing Howard to the Indian shores on February 8 and 9 in Mumbai at Sophia Bhabha Auditorium and in Bengaluru at Good Shepherd Auditorium respectively; he is all ready to make a mark on a new audience and leave them laughing for "as long as possible."
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