Catie Wilkins

Written by: Si Hawkins
Published: Friday 11th March 2022

It's not normal really, life on the road. So you can understand when stand-ups eventually decide on a big diversion along a sit-down-with-a-nice-cup-of-coffee career path instead, if dedicated enough to do so.

Catie Wilkins secured a firm footing on the live circuit a decade or so ago, then reverted to her desk-based alter-ego - Catherine Wilkins - and became a top young-person's author instead. Meanwhile, Wilkins also began co-hosting the hugely popular Drunk Women Solving Crime podcast, which has spawned its own live show. It's the circle of life; the wheel of fortune. In fact, her latest book also delves into live comedy.

"You're Not the Boss of Me is the story of Amy Miller, a confident, ambitious Year Nine girl who loves comedy and wants to write and perform sketches in her school comedy show," Wilkins explains. "Some boys take over the production and try to stop her. Eventually she realises that some of what is happening is sexism and she has to take a stand."

Which does raise the question: are there themes and scenes inspired by her early days in the clubs?

"I guess you could say that some of it is inspired by my early stand-up days. But that's not entirely fair. I had lots of times where nothing sexist happened. Probably. And also it's more about the subtle structures of gatekeeping and bias that applies to everything."

We'll get one over on the gatekeepers later. First, it's Balls' Night.

First gig?

I did my first gig aged 24 at the Bedford in Balham, on the Tuesday night new act night, then run by Ed Balls. I just wanted to do it once to say I had tried, but it actually went well (for a first gig) and Ed said I should come back.

The room was probably half full, and I remember making the comedians at the back laugh as well as the punters. It went so well it gave me a sort of false impression of what doing comedy would be like.

Favourite show, ever?

It's probably still winning the Gong Show at The Comedy Store in 2008. It was a crazy night. Jim Jefferies was the host and I remember all the comics being really worried that he was going to make the atmosphere even more brutal. I didn't arrive early enough to go on in the first half, so I figured it would definitely be a bear pit by the second half.

Right before I went on, a girl had been gonged off and she chucked her pint all over Jim Jefferies. The atmosphere was properly hostile because apparently she'd come with a load of men who wanted to get him outside or something. Anyway, the crowd was really booing everything. Everyone since the pint-chucking was getting gonged off after two-to-five seconds.

I went on expecting the same and somehow got laughs. It felt like magic. After I hit my five minutes and got off, Jim Jefferies said, 'I'd like to thank Catie for saving the room because we're happy again now.' And then I won the night with the audience cheering the loudest when the winners had to do one more minute of material. It felt amazing to have an audience choose you. Especially an angry one that didn't want to be impressed or supportive.

There's lots of gatekeepers and people sometimes say women aren't funny. But I feel like that night, at least, empirical science proved that we are.

Worst gig?

I don't know which to choose. There's probably at least five that still make me cringe in shame when I remember them. Let's go with the one where the guy shouted 'get your tits out!' I pretended I thought I knew him and said, 'Uncle Joe?' Which got a small chuckle. But I'd lost the room.

How did you find the transition to book-writing; do you like or lament the lack of audience?

It's definitely different when you don't get the immediate hit of the laughter, or feedback for what's definitely funny very soon. I think I missed it at first.

The good thing is that I think the experience of writing and honing stand-up material is invaluable for when you want to write other funny stuff. You sort of know more instinctively what works and where the beats are. I think the longer you don't do stand-up for, the harder it is to go back because the adrenaline is so crazy when you're not used to it, and you're not match fit.

So I'm glad I get to do it a bit still with Drunk Women Solving Crime. And I guess it's less pressure because I share the stage with my co-hosts, Hannah George and Taylor Glenn.

What's the weirdest thing that's ever happened on Drunk Women Solving Crime?

Well now. Probably the weirdest coincidence was when our guest turned out to be related to the case. The auntie of our guest Jo Elvin was the one to testify in court to help put away Darcy Dugan. We were pretty shocked by that, but it all checked out.

The live shows have great energy in that rowdy fun way. For Men's Month we had Kiell Smith-Bynoe on, and he kept sharing his bottle of tequila with the front row and topping up everyone's glasses. Our audience like to shout out answers to the case questions as we go, so we get heckles of people yelling dates, geographical regions and general historical knowledge.

One time in Manchester the whole audience joined in with us singing some impromptu Beach Boys. And one time we accidentally drank the prosecco that was supposed to be a prize for the audience crime section.

Is there one routine/gag you loved, that audiences inexplicably didn't?

There's been a few areas I've tried to tackle on stage that are maybe too dark, or too sad. They will make my friends with a dark sense of humour laugh, but they don't translate to the stage. It's too tragic maybe.
Possibly no one laughs because they're feeling sorry me. I think if I could find a way to gag it up it could still work, but I haven't found the way to do it, and people are left maybe thinking, 'that poor girl doesn't realise how sad her life is/was.'

Was there a point where you gave up performing live, or did you always expect to go back one day?

I always say I've paused rather than quit. It's harder to fit anything/everything in with two small children. I know there are people who do it, and congrats to them, it's very impressive. But I don't know how I would do it.

I still scribble down stand-up notes. I have ideas. But with lots of other projects on the go I don't think I would be able to give anything like the energy that stand-up requires. Plus I get to still do live stuff with Drunk Women Solving Crime too. So it's all good for now.

Any interesting reviews stick in the mind - for the books, shows or podcasts?

There's been lots of great reviews for the podcast and the books. Is this the bit where I'm supposed to brag? Waterstones called my new book a "side-splittingly funny and whip-smart slice of young teen fiction"; The iPaper called it 'Empowering and witty.' Drunk Women Solving Crime has been called "True Crime Stars" by the NY Times and "thoroughly entertaining" by The Guardian.

How do you feel about where your career is at, right now?

I have surpassed my wildest dreams (my dreams were not very big to be fair). But I'm really happy I get to do the things I do.

You're Not the Boss of Me by Catherine Wilkins is out now, published by Nosy Crow.