Sam Lake

Written by: Si Hawkins
Published: Tuesday 10th January 2023

One random comedian, eight random questions; it's the ultimate test of funny person and fate. This week we welcome one of the great Lakes, right up there with Ricki, Greg and Superior - or he's well on the way, anyway.

Sam Lake already has some enviable awards and writing credits on the CV, and is about to live-record his first full-length show, Cake, at Edinburgh institution Monkey Barrel next week, followed by several London dates. He seemed to be having a lovely time performing that at last year's Edinburgh Fringe - or was it more stressful than it looked?

"It was immeasurably stressful!" Lake reveals. "I don't recall a harder month in my comedy career. After the dust of the fringe had settled, I was able to reflect and go 'You know what, you actually did alright!' But whilst you're in it, it's terrible.

"There were highlights, of course. My show is all about having to reschedule my wedding because of the pandemic and what that taught me and how the day ended up going. I honestly loved the 'doing the show' bit. I loved giving people my fun little badges. I loved seeing them on people's lanyards around the courtyard. I loved hearing people say lovely things about the show. I love hanging out with SOME people in comedy again.

"Just literally everything else that month was awful. Two stars."

That's showbiz. Sam Lake, your Random 8 await.

What was your career dream, as a kid?

To be a video games developer. But my careers advisor at uni told me it would be very tough, so I immediately gave up. I'm very easily swayed.

When were you most embarrassed?

Probably recently when I was misgendered over the phone by someone on a customer support line. I got a free voucher out of it though so, oh well.

Ever met a surprisingly great or awful famous person?

I work in comedy, I meet awful people literally every day! Someone actually famous though, I met The Chuckle Brothers when I was four, and all I can say is that it was traumatising.

The weirdest thing in your wardrobe?

I have a cheerleading outfit I wore for Halloween years ago. My husband was supposed to be an American footballer but his costume didn't arrive on time, so he went as a matador and we said I was a cheerleader for bullfighting specifically. No one bought it, but we looked great individually.

Which superpower would you go for, and why?

I think people forget with this question that if you have a really powerful ability, people will expect you to always be fighting crime. So with that in mind, I think I'd just want to be like Dazzler, that one from the X-Men who can make cool lights and is really good at roller skating I think. Maybe earn a living running discos.

The worst thing you ever ate?

Hershey's chocolate. It tastes like, and is anatomically similar to, vomit.

Ever gatecrashed anything interesting?

When I was little, my mum took me to the cinema to see Harry Potter and we accidentally walked into the screen too early and saw half of a different film before seeing Harry Potter. It's not particularly interesting, BUT my mum did then prepare me for when the police would 'inevitably' come and arrest her for movie piracy.

Which TV show would you love to have appeared in - and which part?

Either The Traitors OR Eurovision. I promise I am being as humble as possible when I say I'd be incredible on both those shows in whatever capacity.