cover of episode Mark Steel, comedian

Mark Steel, comedian

2024/12/29
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Desert Island Discs

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@Mark Steel : 喜剧的精髓在于出乎意料。我的喜剧节目《马克·斯蒂尔漫游小镇》就是基于这个理念,我前往不同的城镇,寻找当地居民的热情和对当地独特事件的看法作为创作素材。在斯基普顿,我发现当地居民对一家名为基思利的商店有着强烈的负面情绪,这给了我创作灵感的火花。 我从小就渴望在舞台上表演,八岁时在德文郡的度假营写了一首关于动物的诗歌进行表演。尽管当时表演技巧稚嫩,但我对舞台的渴望却从未改变。 我的养父母是典型的工薪阶层,家庭环境相对单调,缺乏书籍和音乐。然而,这并没有磨灭我对艺术和思想的追求。我15岁时因逃课参加板球课程而被学校开除,但这对我来说却是人生中快乐的时刻,因为我终于摆脱了学校的束缚。 我的亲生父亲是一位职业赌徒,与卢肯勋爵是朋友。我成年后才开始寻找我的亲生父母,这其中充满了戏剧性和意外。我与亲生父亲见面后,我们相处融洽,他是一个非常友善的人。 我经历过许多人生的挑战,包括我父亲的精神疾病,以及我与养父母之间关系的复杂性。这些经历都成为了我创作喜剧的灵感来源。 我热爱音乐,我的音乐选择反映了我人生不同阶段的经历和感受。从米莉·斯莫尔的《我的棒棒糖男孩》到激进乐队的《以名义杀人》,再到尼娜·西蒙的《爱我或离开我》,每首歌都承载着我独特的回忆和情感。 我经历了癌症治疗,这让我对人生有了更深刻的理解。尽管治疗过程很艰难,但我最终战胜了病魔,这让我更加珍惜生命。 我的喜剧生涯始于达利奇诗歌协会,那次演出虽然反响平平,但却让我意识到喜剧表演的挑战和乐趣。我热爱与观众互动,希望我的表演能带给他们快乐和思考。 @Lauren Laverne : 作为节目的主持人,Lauren Laverne主要负责引导Mark Steel讲述他的故事,并就其人生经历、喜剧创作以及音乐选择等方面进行提问。她引导Mark Steel分享了他童年、家庭、职业生涯以及寻找亲生父母的经历,并对这些经历背后的故事和情感进行了深入的探讨。Lauren Laverne的提问和引导,使得Mark Steel能够更完整、更深入地展现自己的人生故事和喜剧理念。

Deep Dive

Key Insights

Why did Mark Steel leave home at 18?

Mark Steel left home at 18 to escape the stifling environment of Swanley, Kent, and moved to a squat in Crystal Palace, South London, where he became involved in the punk scene and political activism.

What was Mark Steel's first experience with performing?

Mark Steel's first experience with performing was at the age of eight when he wrote and recited a poem about the A to Z of animals at a holiday camp in Devon.

How did Mark Steel's biological father influence his life?

Mark Steel's biological father, Joe Dweck, was a multimillionaire professional gambler and a friend of Lord Lucan. Discovering his father's identity added an unexpected twist to Steel's life story, which he often incorporates into his comedy.

What inspired Mark Steel's interest in comedy?

Mark Steel's interest in comedy was inspired by his early experiences performing, his love for making people laugh, and his exposure to the emerging alternative comedy scene in the 1980s, particularly through figures like Alexei Sayle and venues like the Comedy Store.

Why did Mark Steel choose 'My Boy Lollipop' by Millie Small as his first desert island disc?

Mark Steel chose 'My Boy Lollipop' by Millie Small because it was the first song that sparked his affection for music when he was five years old, despite growing up in a household with little exposure to music.

What was Mark Steel's experience with his father's mental health?

Mark Steel's father suffered from mental health issues, likely bipolar disorder, and was placed in a mental home in Dartford. Steel visited him regularly and developed a closer relationship with him during this time, despite the challenging circumstances.

How did Mark Steel's adoption story unfold?

Mark Steel was adopted at ten days old and grew up in Swanley, Kent. After becoming a father himself, he began tracing his birth parents and eventually discovered his biological father, Joe Dweck, and learned about his birth mother, Frances, who lived in Italy.

What was Mark Steel's first stand-up gig like?

Mark Steel's first stand-up gig was at the Dulwich Poetry Society, where he performed an angry poem about being unemployed. The audience's reaction was underwhelming, with one woman complimenting him on remembering all the words rather than engaging with his message.

Why did Mark Steel choose 'San Quentin' by Johnny Cash as one of his desert island discs?

Mark Steel chose 'San Quentin' by Johnny Cash because of Cash's radical and compassionate approach to protest music, particularly his performances in prisons, which resonated deeply with Steel.

How did Mark Steel's experience with cancer affect him?

Mark Steel was treated for throat cancer with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery. Despite the brutal treatment, he has recovered well and remains optimistic, with regular scans showing no signs of cancer.

Chapters
Mark Steel, a renowned comedian, discusses his comedic approach, which involves exploring the unexpected and absurd aspects of British life. He shares anecdotes from his show, "Mark Steel's In Town," highlighting how he discovers humor in ordinary places and people.
  • Mark Steel's comedic approach is centered around the unexpected.
  • His show travels across the country, exploring local stories.
  • "Mark Steel's In Town" started in Skipton, where a woman labeled Keithley a 'sink of evil.'

Shownotes Transcript

Mark Steel is a writer, comedian and radio presenter.

His performing career began as a poet in the alternative comedy scene in the early eighties at the Comedy Store. A regular presenter on Radio 4, he began his award winning series, Mark Steel’s in Town in 2009.

Alongside his performing career, he’s been a regular newspaper columnist writing for the Guardian and Independent Newspapers. Mark was born in 1960 and adopted at ten days old by Doreen and Ernie. He grew up in Swanley, Kent and left home at 18 to live in a squat in Crystal Palace. After his own son was born, Mark spent many years tracing his birth parents and eventually met up with his genetic father who had been a professional gambler and a friend of Lord Lucan. Mark has two children and lives in London.

DISC ONE: My Boy Lollipop - Millie Small DISC TWO: Janie Jones - The Clash DISC THREE: San Quentin (Live at San Quentin State Prison, San Quentin, CA - February 1969) - Johnny Cash DISC FOUR: Killing in the Name - Rage Against The Machine DISC FIVE: Trøllabundin - Eivør Pálsdóttir DISC SIX: Love Me or Leave Me - Nina Simone DISC SEVEN: Into My Arms - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds DISC EIGHT: 1977 - Ana Tijoux BOOK CHOICE: Wisden Cricketers' Almanack LUXURY ITEM: A piano CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Love Me or Leave Me - Nina Simone

Presenter Lauren Laverne Producer Sarah Taylor