Al Porter: “I feel so keenly the stress and chaos of life and the madness of it”

We all know Al Porter as being the funniest man from Tallaght (and Ireland right now), but last Sunday morning on RTE Radio we were given a little insight into the man behind the laughter.

The Springfield native discussed a wide range of issues on Sunday with Miriam on RTE Radio One, such as joining the priesthood, his inspirations, making it in the UK and much more, but it was his reasons for wanting to give such a “light, sparkly, silly show” every night that offered up a sneak-peak into who Al really is, and why he feels the need to fill people’s lives with laughter.

Speaking to Miriam O’Callaghan he said: “I think that the reason I put on such a light, sparkly, silly show and so long is actually because I feel so keenly the stress and chaos of life and the madness of it.

“I’m at home, I’m lonely and I want to meet somebody and I’m struggling with this or that, and because I have that, I go, ‘when I get my chance I’ll tell you what, nobody is going to be feeling like that when I am on stage’.

“I think if you were more secure in your person you would be more like Des Bishop […], and I love him and he’s beautiful, but I’m not secure enough to want to educate my audience, I just want to distract them.

“I think distraction is the key to happiness, and also, I say this at my show, you don’t have fun, you make fun.

“Fun never just happens to you, you have to make it, and there are people who are at home and have been dealt a bit of tough hand and I hope they get the opportunity to go, ‘I have to make a bit fun for myself today’, and that could just be the cup of tea or treating yourself to what you like on the telly.”

For more from Al Porter check out this week’s Echo where Mary Dennehy speaks to one of Tallaght’s favourite people about his comedy heroes, winning an IFTA, his fondest memories of growing up in Tallaght, mental health, and even his black that made a scary guest appearance on Living with Lucy.