February 12th 2025.
In a more intimate setting, Peter Kay could have handled the situation more gracefully. It's become quite common on Elon Musk's X platform to see people claiming that, in 'Two-Tier-Kier' Starmer's Britain, individuals are being imprisoned for simply voicing their opinions. This culture war surrounding free speech has now made its way into the world of comedy, with a man from Manchester alleging that he was treated like a criminal for being asked to leave a Peter Kay show after repeatedly shouting "Garlic Bread." It's almost as if we're living in a police state.
The man in question, Philip Peters, spoke to the Daily Mail about his confusion and frustration at being removed from Manchester's AO arena. He's now demanding an apology from Peter Kay himself, claiming that he was even left bruised by the door staff who ejected him, all at the request of the car share star. As a fellow comedian, one might expect me to automatically side with Kay, cheering him on as he urged security to kick Mr. Peters out and even calling him a "p***k."
Peter Kay's shows are constantly selling out, with thousands of people flocking to see him. However, I must admit that on my own tour, where I perform in front of a couple hundred people and am still selling tickets on the day of the show, I can only empathize with Peters to a certain extent. Many of you reading this may not have heard of me, but that's exactly why I wanted to offer my perspective. While Peter Kay is selling out massive venues with a capacity of 20,000, I am performing in much smaller venues. It's almost like comparing apples to oranges.
But truth be told, I don't attend shows like Peter Kay's, even as a fan. I usually go as a regular audience member, not a performer. However, I must admit that live comedy doesn't really work in those large, impersonal venues. As a working comedian, I can understand the frustration felt by both Kay and Mr. Peters in this situation because, let's face it, this isn't how comedy was meant to be experienced.
It's not just Peter Kay who has struggled with hecklers in these large venues. I've seen some of the best comedians the UK has ever produced struggle in front of adoring fans who arrived drunk, shouted out their favorite jokes, and put the comedian in an awkward position of having to ask them to tone it down. As comedians, our job is to make people laugh, so it's not an easy task to tell someone to stop enjoying themselves so much. And let's not forget that Garlic Bread is Peter Kay's signature joke, his equivalent of Paul McCartney playing "Hey Jude," and yet, as he stated in his statement, it was being used to disrupt his show.
It's a difficult situation for any performer to be in. But from a fan's perspective, he's just a huge admirer who has likely spent a lot of money on tickets, transportation, and drinks. And his crime was simply shouting out his favorite punchline? That's why they're both right in their own way, but it's also why I believe the circumstances are to blame. If this had happened in a smaller venue with a capacity of 300, Kay could have easily addressed it, made eye contact with the heckler, shut him down, and moved on. But in a venue this size, with people constantly moving around and a large distance between the stage and the audience, it's impossible to properly engage with the crowd.
Of course, hecklers can be annoying for both the audience and the comedian. But in my experience, they're rarely trying to ruin anyone's night. In this day and age, where most people watch stand-up comedy through viral clips on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, it's easy to see why some may think that heckling is part of the experience. "Come out, give the comedian some banter, and if you're lucky, they might even give it back to you. Maybe someone might even film it!" This is the sad reality of stand-up comedy in 2025 - loud, social media-driven, and taking place in massive arenas that strip away the true essence of what comedy is all about.
So while I continue on my own little tour, earning in months what Peter Kay likely earns in seconds, and struggling to sell out even smaller venues while he entertains tens of thousands, I can take some comfort in knowing that I never had to kick anyone out for shouting "Garlic Bread." It's just me, my budget hotel room, and my thoughts after a good or bad show, dealing with the occasional heckler. Do you have a similar story to share? I'd love to hear from you. Let's keep the conversation going in the comments section below.
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