#110 Jimmy Carr - How to Live a Better Life

Jimmy Carr is an world-touring comedian, writer, author, TV host for shows including, ‘8 Out Of 10 Cats’, ‘Roast Battle’, and ‘Big Fat Quiz Of The Year’. He is a hero of mine. For this episode, headed from Glasgow to London to have a conversation with the deepest thinker, hardest worker, and kindest soul in comedy. Beyond the dark mask you've seen on stage and on TV, Jimmy's origin story is complex, and his thinking is philosophical. I was blown away by how he has turned his remarkable life story into a set of lessons for us all to take onward. Despite how he presents himself, Jimmy’s story is one that begins as a working-class Irish immigrant in Slough and will inevitably end with him being cemented as a legend when his physical being is no longer around. But, the path there has not always been as straightforward as it seems. Jimmy shares with me the intimate details of grieving his mother, facing the wrath of public cancellation, and wrestling with dyslexia. He also astounded me with novel ideas around comedy’s role in society, how to serve your future self, and the importance of experiential learning. Filmed in the very basement where I first fell in love with stand-up, this episode is a full-circle moment. And with stunning cinematography by the talented Andres, it's a visual feast. My sister and I used to watch Jimmy in our miserable tiny house in a council estate in Ayrshire, and now I had the opportunity to bring her to meet her hero too. Jimmy was my gateway drug to comedy. And, as Jimmy professes, comedians are drug dealers. But, the drug prescribed by Jimmy in this episode isn’t one of laughter (despite there being plenty) but a drug that allows you to become the future you, today. You can become a Patreon here: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/developmentbydavid⁠ You can watch Jimmy’s new Netflix stand-up special, ’Jimmy Carr: Natural Born Killer’, out on the 16th April 2024. You can purchase tickets for Jimmy’s brand-new international tour, ’Jimmy Carr: Laughs Funny’, here: ⁠https://bit.ly/49u9iex⁠ Follow Jimmy: Twitter - ⁠https://bit.ly/4awtUEe⁠ Instagram - ⁠https://bit.ly/3PULKbt⁠ YouTube - ⁠https://bit.ly/3xrXsEc