Steven Merchant: Ricky Gervais' much funnier half (The Wall Street Journal)

Merchant says he finds his comedy in being onstage as victim, not victor – an interesting take for one so successful in his writing career – but then again, look at some of the characters he’s created. “I find that for me, a comedian should be lesser than the audience and self-deprecating. Woody Allen is a big hero of mine…and Richard Pryor – for all his magnetism and swagger onstage much of what he says is undermining himself; his crazy behavior – hanging onto the universe by the fingernails. I find that very appealing; whereas I can admire an Eddie Murphy, but walking onstage in a one piece leather jumpsuit just seems very odd to me – if you want to be Rick James, be Rick James. His persona is sort of a swaggering swordsman and I’m just not that.”

Merchant’s show is funny, empathetic–and popular with a certain set. In the audience for this show were three Brits: Emily Blunt (with husband John Krasinski), Kate “Underworld” Beckinsale and Academy Award winner Colin Firth. And for all his frustrations over his lanky frame and challenging height (he tells an interesting tale of how one has sex when the average women is 5’4” to his close to 7’ stature), Merchant is undoubtedly a charmer – handsome in that geeky sort of way and a man who actually puts his cards on the table – not something a lot of men are willing to do these days. With that kind of healthy attitude, Merchant will probably find himself his one and only very soon.

Stephen Merchant’s one-man show continues in San Francisco, Tuesday January 24th at Cobb’s Pub.

rollandoz

To read more:  http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2012/01/24/tall-tales-from-the-co-creator-of-lifes-too-short/?mod=google_news_blog