I think Tim Vine is very, very funny. In fact at the time of interviewing him he held the Guinness World Record for the most jokes told in an hour.
I remember watching him in “Whittle” on Channel 5, and in “Fluke” (the gameshow based purely on absolute chance) on channel 4, so I bought his “Tim Vine Live DVD” last year. It’s genuinely one of the funniest things I own.
So I thought I’d use my internet contacts, (wink wink) and email him.
What a lovely bloke! He emailed me back the very next day, and agreed to my downright cheeky request for a quick interview.
(cue the Waynes World Dream Sequence…..)
The Intro…
80s : Can you sum yourself up in 5 words?
Tim : outgoing, lazy, happy, creative, scared.
80s : Can you make another word to describe yourself using 1 letter from each of the above 6 words?
Tim : TAPES
80s : What have you been up to recently?
Tim : Editing a film i which i play an airline pilot.
80s : Any plans to release your recent ‘Current Puns’ tour on DVD?
Tim : yes. hopefully through my Tim Vine website by october or november.
Now, some 80s Things…
80s : I’m guessing you’d have been about 10 at the start of the 80s. How did a typical 80s school summer holiday go for you?
Tim : staying in bed late and family holidays to newquay and time spent with my dog called mickey who is long since dead.
80s : What was the worst illness you had in the 80s?
Tim : Hooping cough.
80s : What was your fave 80s TV programme?
Tim : the young ones
80s : What was the best 80s theme tune?
Tim : well starsky and hutch hit a bit of the early eighties so that.
80s : Can you hum it in a recognisable way?
Tim : yes. mmm mmmm mmmmmm mm m.
80s : Did you have a favourite 80s toy or gadget
Tim : casio keyboard MT 40. i’ve still got it and still write songs on it.
80s : Aaah, songs. What was your favourite 80s song.
Tim : gold . spandau ballet.
80s : Did you used to tape the chart show off the radio, and make cassette compilations of your favourite songs?
Tim : no but i think my brother did and i borrowed those tapes.
80s : Were there any 80s TV programmes that you used to watch that made you scared?
Tim : no i was a teenager in the eighties.
Next, it’s the “80s One Or The Other…”
(where you pick one answer out of the 2 options.)
80s : Punk or New Romantic?
Tim : punk middle class.
80s : Paddington or Top Cat?
Tim : top cat
80s : Mr. T or Hong Kong Phooey?
Tim : hong kong fooey
80s : Rubiks Cube or Spirograph?
Tim : spirograph
80s : Summer Holidays or Christmas Holidays?
Tim : christmas
80s : Thanks for those Tim. Finally, just out of interest…. On your last DVD, you filmed your life for a month. When your garden was visited by neighbouring cats, you attempted to attached a ‘trespasser’ sticker onto cats heads. We saw you get one of them. Any news?
Tim : i’ve stopped doing that . it was too much effort. now i just wave at them from my window and they ignore me. i don’t really like cats attitude.
80s : Fair enough!
Tim Vine is touring again, as part of his Current Puns tour.
Click here to check his tour dates, or for news on his forthcoming Current Puns DVD.