Alexander Bennett

Written by: Si Hawkins
Published: Tuesday 16th June 2020

One random comedian, eight random questions; it's the ultimate test of funny person and fate. This week's comedy specialist is Alexander Bennett, who has just uploaded a new special, They Call Me Daddy Punchlines. It's a show that asks the question: who does Alexander Bennett think he is?

"Someone was very dismissive of my experience based on very reductive observations about my identity, so I wanted to do a show about the complexity of identity," he says. "There are some big and complex themes in the show, and I now look at some elements of it and wish I'd phrased it differently. But I suppose that's the nature of trying to analyse something complex through stand-up."

He does pen a good punchline, too. So how did the recorded version come about?

"More comics need to film their shows! People go up to the Fringe every year and basically throw an hour of stuff down the drain, it makes no sense! If you can put stuff out there people can find it, and you can try and build an audience. I went to film school so I've got the skillset to do that, and also I know some great people who very generously helped out. I'm really going to try and produce more filmed content going forward."

Time to press play. Alexander Bennett, your Random 8 await:

What was your childhood career dream?

I mean, honestly it was to be a comedian - but I was obsessed with animation growing up, particularly The Simpsons, anything produced by Aardman and a lot of stuff on Nickelodeon, specifically Invader Zim. When I was a child I saw my career dream as being almost the career Seth McFarlane has had.

Which historical figure should get more attention?

Off the top of my head, Mary Shelley, for being a fascinating personality, helping define the horror genre as we know it and being politically way ahead of her time.

What's the most regrettable thing you've ever bought?

An absolutely terrible PS2 game as a kid that looked like it was about robots punching each other but was actually an incredibly slow, complex and boring strategy game.

That being said, I really do hate paying for a takeaway or a restaurant meal that sucks - because it's a treat; you treat yourself and it's terrible and you hate yourself for spending the money.

Your most interesting injury?

I woke up in a field with a broken leg two days into university. I still don't know what happened.

What was your proudest moment?

I suppose the things I'm proudest of are making things work that could have been a disaster. So when myself and Dan Cardwell did a show called Dan Vs Food at the Pleasance Grand last year, and had so many comics trying to make a man eating a meal entertaining, and it worked.

Or the first year we did my game show set in Hell - Hell To Play. So many things went wrong in the run up to that fringe and it looked like it could be a disaster but we had loads of fun with it.

Who's your ideal long-journey companion (loved-ones excluded)?

Christ, I don't know if I want a companion on a long journey. Maybe Bob Mortimer. He's great.

Is there a book or film that changed your life?

There was a book I kept renting from the library when I was a kid, it was a big thick yellow hardback book by Aardman about how they made all their movies, and it was that book that really got me into practical filmmaking. So that changed my life in a career/skills way. But maybe actually the book Stone Cold by Robert Swindells had a greater impact.

I read it as a young teen and it had a real effect on me, it's a book about homeless kids, and it set in my mind an importance on having empathy for outsiders and people on the fringes. I think a lot of people would say something loftier than that, but I think we underestimate the impact the things we absorb as kids have.

Who are you most envious of?

How long have you got? I really try to keep a check on envy these days. I'll go with Michael Sheen. Look up his romantic history. Bastard.

Alexander Bennett: They Call Me Daddy Punchlines is on YouTube now