Jimmy, you Carr-n’t be serious?

5:08pm Tuesday 12th June 2007

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Jimmy Carr is not at all bothered about political correctness in his stand up routines, as Jeremy Austin finds out when he talks to the king of deadpan comedy.

Jimmy Carr has become a regular fixture on our TV screens fronting shows such as 8 out of 10 Cats. But he says his real love is his live gigs, and to prove it he has embarked on a mammoth 10-month tour with more than 100-dates.

Jimmy warns his shows are not for the faint hearted.

"It's not for the easily f***ing offended," he said. "It's not even for people who are difficult to offend. Essentially, the show is for people who are without a moral compass."

Despite having occasionally caused controversy with some of his more politically- incorrect jokes, Jimmy makes no apologies for his material.

He said: "In terms of taste and decency, I think you can say pretty much anything in a comedy show.

"Being politically correct is important if you are a doctor or a lawyer or a policeman or you work for social services or any of these important jobs in society where people are relying on you.

"But as a comic I say rude and offensive things and it's not for everyone."

He added: "This year the tour is called Gag Reflex for no real reason. Anyone who has come to see the show before will know it's just a long list of jokes," he said.

"There's no method in my madness."

Filming commitments limit Jimmy slightly but he's found a way round it by being dedicated to weekend gigging.

"I can only really tour on Fridays and Saturdays because of the TV stuff, writing and stuff I do during the week so I go on Friday and Saturdays all through the year.

"It's the best bit of my job because people like going out on Friday and Saturday.

"Wherever you are in the country, Weston-Super-Mare on a Tuesday night, it's difficult to get people out. They are thinking Hang on, CSI:Miami is on. What you talking about? I'm not going out'.

"So it's nice to go on when people are in a good mood on a Friday night. They've got out of work they've had a few drinks they are going to a show.

"Saturday is the same and again Sundays are great. You've only got to be funnier than Heartbeat."

Jimmy's relentless string of gags style is quite different to the more narrative format his idols such as Stephen Wright, Dave Chappell and Chris Rock use.

Jimmy's says he's more inspired by the word of mouth nature of comedy.

"I love people coming up and telling me jokes. I think that's what jokes are," he said.

"The best thing you can do with a comedy DVD is invite three or four mates over, get a pizza and some drinks and watch it.

"I think it's weird how social laughter is. You laugh with other people."

Jimmy admits to having an anorak's interest in comedy and how jokes work, what humour is.

He wanted to keep his stand up silly but explored the serious side of humour by co-authoring The Naked Jape, out now.

"A lot of people when they want to be taken seriously, they write a serious stand up show about their life and who they are and I thought I'll keep my live show exactly the same.

"I've got 400 jokes in the book as well as essays on the elements of jokes and where they come from and the anthropology and stuff.

"Putting together a joke list was amazing because you see all the joke books and they are like 1,001 Funny Lines but no there are two funny jokes in there and a lot of rubbish so it was quite nice to come up with a perfect list."

Safe to say Jimmy's shows will have more than two jokes.

Jimmy Carr Fairfield Halls, Croydon, June 15. Box office 020 8688 9291. The Orchard, Dartford, July 3. Box office 01322 220000.