LCS INTERVIEW - Viz creator Simon Donald talks swear-words & comedy heroes

Sultan of Swearing - Simon Donald

If you've ever found yourself sniggering at a copy of the foul-mouthed comic Viz (and who hasn't at some point in their lives?), then the chances are you'll know that it was created in the late 70s by Geordie likely lad Simon Donald and his brother Chris. These days Simon's a stand-up comic and hasn't worked on the mag for years, but is still heavily associated with the cavalcade of sweary, politically incorrect characters it brought to life, such as Sid the Sexist, the Fat Slags, Roger Mellie and Buster Gonad. A hugely popular Viz spin-off was their regularly updated 'bible of swearing' known as Roger's Profanisaurus, which enhanced the vocabulary of filth-fans across the country, and currently holds over 300,000 rude phrases. 

So it's safe to say Simon knows a fair bit about swearing then. That's why he's taken to the road to educate as well entertain you with his show Simon Donald's School of Swearing, which comes to The Exchange Bar in Leicester this Monday (11th Feb). I took time out from huffing and puffing about how busy I am, to bother Simon last week with some questions which he was kind enough to answer, instead of telling me to go f*** myself...

LCS:  This seems like a different kind of show to the character-based stand-up you were doing a while ago -  like, more educational and shit... What's behind the change of format?

SD: I started doing straight stand-up in 2005, switched to characters in 2008 and turned back to straight stand-up last year. I guess my work is a bit like a magazine, a mixture of stuff. I do different styles of comedy to suit different subjects.

Peter Capaldi as Malcolm Tucker: a King amongst Pottymouths

LCS:  I believe you have some celebrity swearers included in the show - whose use of bad language do you admire the most, and why?
SD: Peter Capaldi (from The Thick of It) is a particularly good swearer. I recognise a lot of what he says from my days on the Profanisaurus... I remember being very impressed at hearing the Monty Python team swear on records and in the cinema, as they weren't able to swear on TV. They were so good at it. Then I heard Peter Cook and Dudley Moore doing Derek and Clive and my swearing world moved to a whole new level.

LCS: Could you share with us one of your favourite profanities?
SD: 'Wanking chariot'. It means single bed. It was sent in by a Viz reader.

LCS: Did you ever imagine growing up that you would be able to make a living out of naughty words?
SD: Yes, but I did have a vivid imagination.

LCS: At what point did you start to realise that would be possible?

SD: In 1985. We'd been producing Viz for six years from our bedroom and suddenly the UK's biggest publishers wanted to meet us and discuss deals.

LCS: Where do you look for inventive new swear-words these days?
SD: I can't say I look. I use Shakespeare's model - If I need a word that doesn't exist I'll make one up. 

Simon Munnery - the preferred choice of Simons everywhere

LCS: Are there any comedians appearing at Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival that you are a particular fan of? Who would you recommend that your fans go and see?

SD: Comedy is so subjective, it's difficult to recommend anyone without a chance people will wonder what on earth you thought they would like about a show (tell me about it!!). That said, one comic who has never let me down, and is on the day after me, is Simon Munnery. His 'Fylm Makker' show is genuine genius. 

Personally, I couldn't agree more. Thank you very much to Simon for sharing with us. By all accounts his show promises to stimulate our brains as well as merely titillating our funbags (sorry, it's infectious), and is sprinkled with celebrity swears and anecdotes from his Viz days. So to enrol in the ultimate evening class in foul-mouthery, get along to the Exchange Bar on Monday 11th Feb. Tickets are available from the comedy festival website

And while we're on the subject of turning the air blue, I can't help shoehorning in a quick plug for my friend  Keith Allott, who has recently produced a series of short films about swearing - take a look here: http://www.youtube.com/user/BadshoesFilm. We're hoping to get Simon Donald swearing at us on camera on the day of his show - fingers crossed...