Knock, Knock, Who’s There? An interview with Margate's Charlie George
Comedy columnist Zahra Barri talks to Margate comedian Charlie George about growing up as a Jehovah’s Witness, birdsong podcasts and facing the darkness
Image by Matt Crockett
The first time I met Margate comedian Charlie George was on an all-female comedy road trip en route to Manchester Women’s Comedy Festival. Car full of oestrogen, three things happened:
1) We all got our periods before we’d hit the M25
2) We debated who had the funniest vagina joke (Charlie George), although I did win funniest vagina
3) We discussed the latest sleazy male comedian to watch out for.
It was so… wholesome. Like Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow meets Thelma and Louise. Except fortunately none of us died at the end (unless you count me bombing on my arse to 50 angry Mancs). Instead, George regaled us with hilarious anecdotes of her childhood spent as a Jehovah’s Witness and then even further hilarity ensued when she told us the laugh-out-loud story of how she was kicked out by Jehovah for some amorous activities with a girl crush of hers.
If you think that sounds like an episode of a Charlie Brooker show, then it probably is, as George has written for his BAFTA-winning shows. George is SO funny about being an ex-Jehovah, she gave me a regret... what hilarity did I miss closing the door on that double-glazing salesman? What guffawing banter did I miss closing the door on the TV licence lady? What comedy gold did I miss closing the door on that bloke who told me he’s my ‘real’ dad. Never will I close the door to salespeople again. Today I open the door to the funniest comedian this side of Margate to chat about how being a Jehovah prepared her for the comedy world (something about knock-knock jokes?), her ever- growing TV appearances and how she finds the ‘silly’ in the darkest places.
Image by Matt Crockett
You’ve had huge success appearing on Rhod Gilbert’s Growing Pains, ITV’s Stand-Up Sketch show and The Apprentice: You’re Fired. Why then don’t you have a podcast?
Ha! Probably because I’m actually quite a quiet or low-noise person offstage and, if I’m honest, because brown women aren’t often encouraged to speak unless it’s tokenistically or about something sad that’s happened to us.
If you did, what would your podcast be?
At the moment I think there’s so much noise and opinion in the world, I’d love a podcast or soundscape series that was about listening. Really listening. It’s a skill I’m trying to learn! But yeah, I’d love something nourishing for the soul, about the stories and wisdom of our indigenous ancestors set to nature sounds and birdsong… how soothing would that be for the world right now?! A beautiful remembering that it’s not all polarising - peace is possible.
Image by Rosie Powell
How has being an ex-Jehovah shaped your comedy?
I think I got most of my main life skills that mean I can now do stand-up as a job from going door-to-door as a Jehovah’s Witness. The main skills you need in both are public speaking and handling weirdos. Otherwise known as dealing with the general public.
Also facing shame, humiliation and risk with a fearless resolve. You haven’t really lived till you’ve tried to sell God to racists in the Wiltshire countryside armed with nothing but pamphlets and a smile.
Me and my sister, like all children, found a way to make it a game - we’d flip a coin to see who’d get the racist ones. I’d often lose. I’m darker, but she can’t run as fast.
I suppose it’s shaped me in that I don’t run from what would scare most people - I turn towards it. The dark uncomfortable stuff about us as humans… I explore that quite a bit in my comedy.
Finding a way to make the dark less hidden, heavy or scary - I think that’s what a good idiot and clown can do. As well as failure! We nail that one completely.
Describe your comedy in three words
Dark. Feral. Silly.
Who are you the comedy love child of?
If Kiri Pritchard-McClean and Lee Evans had a gangly mixed-race baby?!
Who are your inspirations?
I’ll never forget there was this theatre company called Gonzo Moose who came to my secondary school in Wiltshire and in the cast there was this woman called Pascal who played an entire Greek senate, switching seats to embody all the characters and give them different features and mannerisms.
She had this really malleable face and she was just hilarious - with one look she could have an audience howling in recognition of who that was. I was mesmerised. I knew then that was exactly what I wanted to do with my life. Be a total idiot for laughs! I had a roundabout way to it, but here I am!
Best gig?
I did a gig at the Bush Theatre with this amazing troupe of award-winning burlesque performers Lolo Brow, Lilly SnatchDragon and Scarlett O’Hora at their night called Lads.
That was when I still started my stand-up set by coming on stage draped in a St George’s flag, wrestling off my strap-on from under my floral dress to Colours of the Wind from Pocohontas. (Sorry, Mum.)
The audience were the rowdiest I’ve ever heard and at the end of your set if they like you they stamp their feet and chant LADS LADS LADS! Pure joy!
Image by Rosie Powell
Worst gig?
I hate dying in front of people I respect and admire - that has to be one of the worst feelings available.
But also recently I performed to six people in a vagina museum. A cavernous white-walled space, surrounded by giant labias all somehow staring at me as a train went overhead loudly drowning out my set and a woman in the front row ate noisily from a Tupperware. I’ve wanted a vagina to swallow me whole before, but not like this…
When did you realise you were funny?
Bible study. They’re really long and boring, so I used to take advertising slogans and put them in the Jehovah’s Witness literature and then pass them around to see who I could get to crack… a high performer was the classic: “Maybe she’s born with it, maybe she’ll burn in hell!”
What are your comedy plans?
Oh gosh, I try not to think too far ahead and attempt to enjoy and be in the moment I’m in these days. (Hard with a phone, isn’t it!)
You live in Margate. What are the best Margate comedy gigs?
Chumps Comedy is really lovely! I did a gig for them opening for a larger act at the Crab Museum once and it was so fun and a great atmosphere.
ABOUT ZAHRA BARRI
ABOUT ZAHRA BARRI
Saudi Arabian-raised Egyptian/Irish writer, stand-up comedian and PhD researcher has featured on Channel 4’s Only Jokes a Muslim Can Tell and BBC Radi. Her debut novel Daughters of the Nile won the Unbound Firsts Writers of Colour competition, is out now and has been described as “A bold multi-generational debut, exploring themes of queerness, revolution and Islamic sisterhood”. Her work is supported by The Society of Authors and the Arts Council.
Zahra is doing a Q and A/drinks/discussion event of Daughters of the Nile hosted by stand-up comedian Sadia Azmat on 18th July at Rochester’s Store 104. Tickets are available from Store 104 (book is included in price of ticket) https://www.store104.co.uk/products/daughters-of-the-nile-book-launch-ticket
