Jim Campbell interview

Ryan Duggins talks to Jim Campbell, the co-presenter of The Football Ramble podcast (the biggest independent sports podcast in the UK), and a stand-up comedian too...

It seems that, amid the sleaze and ignorance that seems to soak the Football punditry world like a laddish marinade, there is some hope. Jim Campbell has been a member of the largely successful 'The Football Ramble' podcast since its arrival to our ears in 2007, and has been an ever-comical presence within the team ever since. However, it is not just the microphone of the studio in which Jim engages entertainment; a notion that his stand-up act would fully support.

"They are both very different things really. It's an act with stand-up, and it's myself with the podcast, which I think is the general consensus of comedians who get into podcasts. But we are very comfortable with each other on the show, so we all help each other through; whereas on stage you are on your own, and you die by what you do."

Being quite a new addition to the circuit, Campbell has developed his own brand of anecdote-based comedy in which he meanders across the stage with flair, expressing through equal doses of annoyance, frustration and surreal pokes. Pokes that got him to the final of 'So, You Think You're Funny?', a competition that has been the spring board for many commercial successes.

"My first ever gig was actually booked for me by a friend of mine, and to be honest, if she hadn't have done that, I probably would never have done it. I always wanted to get into comedy, but in a broader sense, because I always enjoyed writing and that side of things. Even when I started doing stand-up at variety gigs, it took me a fair few years to actually find the comedy circuit. But once I found it, I have never even considered looking back."

"Not to sound arrogant, but I already knew I could do live comedy before the competition. I just enjoy it so much, and I am a strong believer of the notion that you get out what you put into things. I work very hard at stand-up, and because I had already reached another competition final before, I knew that I had something. It's just finding the motivation to push on really, but the morale boost of reaching a final makes a big difference."

"Those competitions are great for giving you a leg-up and a bit of exposure, but they mean nothing on their own. You have to do something else to prove that you deserve to be there, and you deserve to win this thing. There are comics who didn't make the final who are doing better than me now, which proves really that the competitions form a bit of a false hierarchy."

Although referring to being pushed into stand-up by a mate as the starting point of his comedy career, a nitrous-oxide splurge came in the form of a most unexpected blessing in disguise, one that gave Jim the urge to kick-on in comedy...

"Being made redundant really gave me the time to commit to stand-up, which I hadn't been doing before, which is the real reason why I took off quite quickly, compared to my first year or so doing live gigs. I had a lot more free time to write material and such, so incredibly, the whole experience was a really good thing for me."

In his current career, Jim is a highly-followed football pundit, blogger and general lover of the game, as well as being a stand-up. But with The Football Ramble having already smashing through its original humble prospects (the podcast went from four lads talking in a kitchen in 2007 to the number 1 spot in the iTunes sports podcast chart in 2009, beating shows from The Guardian, The Times and the BBC), surely Jim's own career has to take precedence from here on in?

"I hope I never have to make that decision of choosing between the two to be honest, and I think I can do both. There are plenty of comics out there that do comedy podcasts and other projects that form part of their career. I think it's all part of the same package really, the stuff that I do."

The Ramble itself very much portrays the chaps as being constantly-bantering, always-approachable, and people who just adore the company of fellow football fans. Their own image can be compared, although quite loosely, to the characters of HBO's TV show Entourage, in which four normal guys are plunged into the world of Hollywood. The actors who play the leading roles have constantly spoken about the frustrating nature of their show being confused with reality, with approaches from strangers to smoke Marajuana and go partying, for example. Although the podcast isn't a series of fiction, one would imagine similar problems would arise when this approachable, fun-loving nature is thrown out to the masses?

"We do sometimes get that sort of thing, but to be honest, I don't mind it at all because if that's why people like the show, then that's completely fine. Sometimes it is a bit 'out-of-the-blue', but that has to be cool because we set ourselves up like that."

"We are just completely ourselves on the show - we are just natural like that anyway; we're not really putting anything on. So it's quite easy to be natural when you meet people who like the show, and it's always great to meet the listeners."

Being a keen Tweeter (if that is the correct term of use. I hope it is, as 'Twitterer' sounds medieval and almost sadistic), can be a poisoned chalice at times. The strive to extend the figure that poises above the 'followers' label can end in annoyance from those followers if they get a lack of response to questions, mentions and other such Twitter-based tools of engagement. With vast Tweeters comes vast expected effort...

"Twitter is a really good thing for me because I can test out ideas on it, and you very swiftly get responses to whether the stuff is good or bad. Our listeners really aren't shy."

"I am very aware of the need to try and respond to everyone to avoid appearing aloof, so I do try and talk to as many people as I can. Obviously it's difficult with so many people wanting to get in touch, but it's a great thing to be able to communicate with the fans of the show in that way"

Jim's addiction to the red half of North London has brought him to get involved with the 'Be A Gooner, Be A Giver' foundation, as he will be performing to raise money for Centrepoint, a charity that works towards giving homeless young people a chance at a better life. On the bill alongside Jim Campbell will be TV's Jack Whitehall and Milton Jones, and rest assured, that no percentage of ticket revenue will go towards the Arsenal transfer kitty.

The gig will take place on March 7th at the London Comedy Store. Tickets Oh, and if you haven't already jumped on the Ramble-train, visit www.thefootballramble.com