Q&A: Mark Thomas

‘My most unappealing habit? My innate wish to find the best in everyone, even my enemies. And lying’ Mark Thomas was born in 1963 and raised in London. He was educated at boarding school and went on to be a standup. In 1996, Channel 4 gave him his own series, The Mark Thomas Comedy Product , and he began to combine comedy with political activism. In 2004, he won the Global Defence of Human Rights award. His current tour , and new book , Extreme Rambling, is about his walk along the entire Israeli separation barrier. When were you happiest? A minute after getting married. The registrar asked my wife how she felt. She replied, “Trapped!” Perfect. What is your greatest fear? Getting asked to go on a reality TV programme and agreeing. What is your earliest memory? My mum cooking on a Baby Belling Which living person do you most admire, and why? Nick Clegg: his ability to wake up each day, look in the mirror and not put a gun in his mouth is astounding. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? Modesty. What is the trait you most deplore in others? Indifference to me. What would your super power be? I just want to get through each day without the need to shut my eyes for 10 minutes. If you could bring something extinct back to life, what would you choose? Nationalised industries. Who would play you in the film of your life? That bloke from the Go Compare ad . What is your most unappealing habit? My innate wish to find the best in everyone, even my enemies. The ease with which I forgive. And lying. What is your favourite book? Nigel Slater’s Appetite , easily the book I refer to most. What is the worst thing anyone’s said to you? “I am afraid he died.” What do you owe your parents? An upbringing imbued with the Protestant work ethic, and a working knowledge of every swearword and its combinations by the age of eight. What or who is the love of your life? Me. Which living person do you most despise, and why? Rupert Murdoch – if you are going to

Posted by on April 8, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.