Taking a look at some of Dane Baptiste’s work online, something that might become immediately clear is his tendency to deliver his jokes with a completely straight face.
And it’s this signature sense of stoicism that makes him such an interesting comic to watch, and a good person to interview – you never know what’ll come out of his mouth next! As the first Black British person to be nominated for an Edinburgh Comedy Award in 2014, it’s clear that Dane has been making waves that won’t be stopping any time soon.
Currently on tour with his latest show, ‘Gold. Oil. Drugs.’, the London-born funnyman lets Pride in on a few of his thoughts – from the UK comedy industry and his career journey, to musings on the Royal Wedding…
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On working hard…
Understand that I write 95% more than anyone in this industry – black or white, pound for pound, anywhere in this country. If that’s bragging, I don’t care! I don’t give a damn. I grew up in Lewisham, south London, so most aspirations among my peers was to be rappers. That’s definitely been a big influence. I write the equivalent of a new song every 48 hours. I write when I’m inspired. Even if I have a very fleeting idea, something stupid, I’ll write it down.
On what to expect from ‘Gold. Oil. Drugs.’…
Firstly, none of that will be given away at the show – just so that you’re aware. It’s about the fact that we live in a world where people aren’t as big on religion and church as they have been in the past – but at the same time, there are things that people worship that have no scientific basis. People sometimes make out that if you believe in God, you’re quite backwards, but there are a lot of practices of today that are actually quite backwards – for example, people seeking validation from complete strangers via social media. How about the fact that the planet’s resources are running out, but people are consuming more than they ever have done? My tour is an evolution of my style of comedy and talking about topics more in-depth. It’s revealing a new side of myself, and also hoping to remind other people that before all that other stuff, we now live in a time where there are so many people on the planet, and so many things we can occupy our time with. Attention has become an invaluable currency.
On staying focused on the big issues…
The Harry and Meghan [Markle] stories can be a nice distraction for a bit, but it doesn’t take my attention away from other issues – like the fact that slavery still takes place in Libya, and other places like Dubai. When the engagement news came out, at first I was like ‘oh, that’s exciting…’ and then I thought, ‘why am I paying for this?!’
On the success of viral comedy from the likes of Mo the Comedian and Michael Dapaah (Big Shaq)…
It’s a trend like any other. I embrace it, and I don’t wanna be resistant to any changes and trends – it’s cool. However, like every trend, it doesn’t mean you have to jump on it right away. I don’t personally feel a pressure to start jumping on the online stuff, just because everybody’s doing it. I think it’s a good thing though. Especially in the case of black comedians and artists of colour, where they may have had their talents obscured by mainstream media outlets – using social media is a way to circumvent the main gatekeepers and get themselves out there, and it definitely works. A lot of people have had success with it, and most of the time, the ones who succeed have paid their dues to work towards this point. The cream will always rise to the top, however you do your comedy.
On realising he was funny…
I liked being funny when I was at primary school, making people laugh was a pastime; typical class clown. I guess I realised I was being funny when I’d just be moaning about stuff and people would laugh – ‘oh Dane, you’re so funny!’ I was the comedian of my family too. I’d just talk about stuff that bothered me, or that I was passionate about, and people liked it.
On taking the leap to pursue comedy professionally…
I quit my job. My manager at the time was probably one of the worst human beings I’d ever met – and I got to a point where I realised that no-one’s ever going to make you rich, or fulfilled; you’re there to make their job easier. Also, around 2008, there was a financial crisis, so no job security – and I’d spent a lot of time wondering about what people thought I should be doing. I thought, I’m not getting any younger, so why not do something that I actually want to do? And if I fail, at least I tried.
On diversity in the British comedy scene…
I want to say it’s getting more inclusive, but I don’t necessarily think it’s an urgent topic for people who are involved on a critical or industrial level. But with comics making waves on social media, for example, they can’t be ignored anymore. I think black comedy’s getting a lot more recognised now, and they’ve found out a way to cut out the middleman and get right to consumers. Since my nomination [for the Edinburgh Comedy Award], it’s been nice to see more black people and people of colour getting noticed, and displaying their talents – but if I’m honest, I still think the institution of comedy is still woefully behind when it comes to representation.
Dane Baptiste’s ‘Gold. Oil. Drugs.’ show is touring the UK now – for tickets, head to danebaptiste.co.uk
