September 8th 2024.
Rachel Parris, former co-host of BBC, is gearing up for her comedy tour with a renewed sense of determination. As a woman who isn't afraid to voice her opinions, she is well aware of the challenges that come with it. Her upcoming show, Poise, tackles the topics of motherhood, middle-age, and the current state of politics in a musical comedy extravaganza. It's a comeback after a much-needed summer break, during which the UK government underwent a major change with the Labour party taking over from the Tories after 14 years.
With the change in government, Rachel had to make some adjustments to her material. Her jokes about Tory politicians had to be toned down, and she had to come up with new material about the current cabinet and Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer. When asked about the lack of comedic material about Starmer, Rachel joked, "The fact that the most comedic thing about Starmer that anyone has found is that he's a bit boring, is in itself very boring. So that's not a joke that I'm making in my show, because everyone's made that joke, and it's not very funny."
The election also had an impact on her show, as she had to rewrite some of her material for the Autumn leg. Rachel gained public recognition from her work on BBC's satirical series, The Mash Report, alongside co-host Nish Kumar. The show, which aired from 2017 to 2021 on BBC Two and then moved to Dave as Late Night Mash in 2022, became popular for its political takedowns and hilarious monologues. However, the show has now been scrapped, but even after two years, Rachel still faces online abuse from trolls. She recalls a recent incident where she received hateful comments for commenting on a harmless post by Joel Dommett's wife, Hannah Cooper.
Rachel believes that this kind of online abuse is a reflection of the rampant misogyny present in society today. She argues that misogyny should be treated as a hate crime, and incidents, such as the recent terrorist attacks in America against women, should not be ignored. While Nish continues to speak out boldly, Rachel has found herself holding back due to the hostile online environment. However, she has had a much better experience interacting with her audiences during live shows.
Rachel and her comedian husband, Marcus Brigstocke, co-host a podcast together, and she is happy to see more and more women in the comedy industry. She recalls a recent gig where she felt uncomfortable due to the sexualized atmosphere, and for the first time, she spoke up about it, highlighting the need for more equality and representation in the industry. Despite the progress, she believes that there is still a long way to go, especially in the upper hierarchy, which is still male-dominated.
For those interested in attending her show, Poise, tickets are now available on her website. Rachel believes that the future of comedy lies in live shows, as getting on TV doesn't guarantee success. She believes that the internet is where comedians can gain recognition and make a name for themselves. As she faces new challenges, such as poking fun at the new Prime Minister, navigating middle-age, and learning the intricacies of video editing, Rachel is ready to take them all on with her trademark wit and humor.
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