Molly McGuinness
Published: Tuesday 1st April 2025
One random comedian, eight random questions; it's the ultimate test of funny person and fate.
This week we look forward to A Lovely Weekend, which looks forward to the Edinburgh Fringe, but in Manchester in June. It's a festival of preview shows, featuring a fine bunch of comics, from John Kearns, Harriet Dyer, Jordan Brookes and Rachel Fairburn to Frankie Monroe, Mark Silcox, Sharon Wanjohi and - today's guest - Molly McGuinness. Her title certainly catches the eye.
"Slob is my debut show about when I suddenly entered my thirties and began questioning if I'd spent too much time slobbing out," McGuinness explains. "I started beating myself up for spending too much time thinking about what song I'm gonna do on karaoke and not enough time on anything else really.
"But then I got a life-threatening illness, ended up in a coma and - on doctors orders - I had to keep being a slob. It's about sickness and about all the pressures we put on ourselves but it's also just fun and daft really."
Those shows all take place at Fairfield Social Club, which is handy for this Salford native. Do those cities figure heavily in Molly's stuff, like, say, Scorsese and New York?
"I've spent my whole life in either Salford or Manchester so it's very prominent in the show," she says. "So yeah it's exactly like Scorsese with New York. Think Mean Streets but I'm Harvey Keitel and instead of the mafia it's CeX."
Then in August that show will be at Monkey Barrell's Cabaret Voltaire, at the Edinburgh Fringe. But right now, Molly McGuinness, your Random 8 await.
Who was your childhood hero - real or imaginary?
Spongebob or Hilary Duff.
What's the best thing you ever bought a ticket for?
I went to see Lady Gaga on the Born This Way tour on my own when I was twenty. I dressed up in mesh and tit tape and queued up all day and I managed to get pulled up on stage! It was dead embarrassing though because I'd bought a Lady Gaga lunchbox from the merch stand and had to carry it round on stage the whole time whilst dancing to Marry The Night.
When she hugged me my mesh got stuck to her dress and she started walking away so I had to go "Gags, we're stuck!" So she ripped my dress which was fair enough.
It's either that or when I saw the Rock of Ages musical starring Curly Watts.
What's the worst thing in your wardrobe?
I bought a pink "I love to fart" t-shirt but the heart for love is red and barely visible so it looks like it says "I too fart" which feels a lot worse for some reason.
Which film/TV show would you love to have been in (and which part)?
My lifelong dream is to be on ITV's Dressed To Impress. Nothing I'd love more than three men running around Manchester Arndale panic-buying me a floral top from Quiz. Then I get to try on the outfits whilst me and my mates take the piss.
Ever gatecrashed anything interesting?
When I was a teenager, me and my friends would go to the cinema on a Saturday morning and drink Glenns Vodka with Dr Pepper and come out smashed. We were walking around town and there were loads of people queuing up in the freemason building and I thought it would be funny to join the queue.
Turned out it was to audition for Masterchef. When I got in there they asked me what ingredients I brought and all I had with me was Wotsits, a pepperami and a packet brioche. I mushed them all together and made a cheese dog. Turns out Masterchef wasn't ready for it.
Do you have a favourite device?
I can't say my phone even though it's my phone so my second would be Roku. I always leave Roku City playing all day. It's so comforting, it's like looking at a fish tank but better. I wanna live in Roku City.
What should be Britain's next national anthem?
Egg, Sausage, Chips and Beans by Lancashire Hot Pots.
Who are you most envious of?
I wanna say Trisha Paytas' kids but maybe that's too niche for British Comedy Guide so my second choice is Jonathan Ross, because he's got loads of cool Japanese collectables and a big titty goth girlfriend/wife.
A Lovely Weekend happens June 6-8 at Manchester's Fairfield Social Club. Tickets
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