Barry: one seriously funny guy
"Prepare yourself to fail, because you will. However, don't take it as a failure, take it as a lesson and start again."
One of South Africa’s favourite comedians, Barry Hilton, sat down with the News and got serious about the entertainment industry, as well as life as a comedian.
Barry will be live on stage at Silverstar in Krugersdorp, with his new show Evolver, on 28 and 29 October. The News asked him what inspired him to create Evolver.
“It’s an extension of my everyday life and a look into my ADD. When I wake up in the morning I intend to have bacon and eggs for breakfast, but get into the kitchen and end up making porridge. My mind is a busy place and I change it often. My show constantly changes and continues to evolve, as it has done over the last three decades.”
So what makes Evolver different from his previous shows? It’s simple: he converses with the audience.
“I don’t talk at them or belittle them, we’re in it together. Even though the show changes, there is a thread that runs through it and at the moment, it’s mathematics, believe it or not!”
The News then asked him what made him realise that he wanted to pursue a career as a comedian. “Many years ago, there was a programme on TV called Biltong and Potroast – it was more of a joke competition than anything else. From the comfort of the couch in my lounge, I used to beat the comics answering the jokes before they could. That’s when I knew I wanted to be a professional comic.”
The road to success does not come easy, and he has had to deal with a lot of criticism.
“Negativity and criticism never go away. When someone says I’m bad, I say – ‘Yes, clearly, so bad that I’ve been doing the same job and getting paid really well for it, for 34 years’. But it still cuts. I’m a human being. I have feelings. And realistically – if the critic is so good, why isn’t he doing my job? The tiniest negative feedback sends me spiraling downwards and it’s not a nice place to be. But, I always remind myself that the next step from being down is going up, so it’s not all bad.”
It’s not all giggles and rainbows, though. Although he is a professional comedian, he also deals with heartache.
“Comedy equals tragedy plus time. Everybody has a certain amount of tragedy in their life. But if you’re lucky enough you can see the funny side and laugh about it. That’s what I do. The night my father died, he was in hospital hooked up to all sorts of apparatus. My brother asked him how he was going to sleep that night. My dad took off the oxygen mask, sat up, and said, ‘With my eyes closed, you plonker’. He went to sleep and died that night. He passed away with a laugh.”
His favourite place to perform locally is a tiny theatre in Swellendam, and internationally it’s the Main Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House.
Barry shared the fact that after 34 years in the business, he still gets nervous.
“In the 15 minutes before going on stage, I just sit quietly by myself trying to calm my nerves. After 34 years as a professional comedian, I still get the worst feeling of failure before a show which makes me sick to my stomach.”
He closes off his interview with the following advice for aspiring comedians:
“Prepare yourself to fail, because you will. However, don’t take it as a failure, take it as a lesson and start again. Also, hard work is the answer. Many people see comedians and think their life is easy. When I started I could do four hours, but I’d been practicing and writing material since I was eight years old and I started my path at 26 – so you do the maths. My secret is: ten seconds a day. That equals 3 650 seconds a year which equals 60 minutes give or take which equals one hour. And if you’re not prepared to write a new one hour set each year, you shouldn’t be in the business and you’ll find it hard to grow.”
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