Comedian Karl Spain has told how he grew up with Tony Holohan in Limerick revealing the Chief Medical Officer was a hoot back in his youth.
Karl, 49, told the Irish Mirror: “In all my 20 years in comedy the most famous person I’ve ever met has been Tony.
“I used to gig with Michael McIntyre in the clubs in England, but people get more excited now, when I mention Tony.
“He went to school with my brother and he once garryowened a rugby ball that just missed my mother’s greenhouse.”
The stand-up added: “Tony was about 15 at the time, he would have needed all the medical help he could have found, if he had broken my mother’s greenhouse.
“My brother knew him very well, we all were pals.
“We had a pool table in the house and Tony was cheating one of the lads at pool, he kept taking the ball out of the pocket.
“So the guy he was playing potted about 12 balls before he even came close to realising.”
“But no honestly, I think he’s doing a really good job with Covid.”
Karl is back tonight at the Roisindubh.net for his Comedy KARLnival Zoom Online.
Featuring AL Murray - The Pub Landlord, online sensation Bernard Casey and Kerry’s Local Gossip & Aideen McQueen - So You Think You’re Funny? finalist.
Karl said: “Al’s character, the Pub Landlord, can sometimes be pro Brexit.
“I think the Brexiteers started taking him under their wing, saying he’s one of us but he was just taking the piss.
“Bernard Casey is an internet sensation, he’s only going to get bigger, he was doing the INEC in Kerry, before Covid hit.
“Aideen McQueen is just fun, she’s one of these people who lights up the room.
The zoom element allows interaction between the comics and audience adding a good atmosphere.
He added: “It’s brilliant, we get to heckle the audience in the room if they choose the VIP, we can hear the audience laughing too.
He joked: “So it’s the closest thing we get to a proper gig, the drink is really cheap at supermarket prices.
“We did a few gigs last year, it was so much fun.
“I think when we get back properly it will be like the roaring 20’s, once we’re all clear it will be an amazing atmosphere around the place, a constant Electric Picnic.”
