Born in Grays, Essex, in 1961, Joe Pasquale is a comedian, actor and author. His career began as a runner-up on TV talent show New Faces in 1987. Since then, he has toured his absurdist slapstick standup, as well as winning I’m A Celebrity in 2004, performing in panto and lending his signature high-pitched voice to animations such as Garfield 2. He also writes horror fiction – his latest, Of Mice and Wolfmen, is out now. Pasquale begins his tour of The New Normal – 40 Years of Cack! on 28 July.
This photo was my first TV appearance on New Faces in 1987. I came out to the Rocky music and was wearing very baggy boxing shorts. I would punch the punching bag and it would bounce back and hit me in the face, and I’d fall on the floor. That was the opening of the act. I had no idea what I was doing. I didn’t feel self-conscious being half-naked on TV, or about anything, ever. That’s one of the things you have to get over, being a standup. If you’re vain, you shouldn’t be going out in front of people trying to make them laugh. You have to get rid of every piece of insecurity and just go mentally and emotionally naked.
