Peter Kay isn’t the first comedian to deal harshly with hecklers – but will this incident be one of the most damaging? His eviction on Saturday night of two overenthusiastic audience members has raised more stink than most such encounters. Why? I think it’s because of the brutality of this kicking-out – and how jarring that is in relation to Kay’s lovable image, and to the nature of his comedy too.
The prime offender at Kay’s gig on Saturday night was a man shouting out the comic’s most famous catchphrase, “garlic bread”. This is not an unusual thing to do at a celebrity comedy show, where joining in on the catchphrase is often encouraged as all part of the communal fun. I’ve seen the show in question, which Kay premiered – after a long absence from the stage – more than two years ago. It is, in a sense, more catchphrase than comedy, fashioning TV themes, advertising jingles and the most popular routines from Kay’s career into one intense hit of relatability and fellow-feeling. If you don’t find yourself joining in, Pavlov’s doggy style, you’re not watching it properly.
