Like many people, I was saddened by the recent death of Popular comedian, Dave Allen. Over the years I have enjoyed his work enormously and was very privileged to interview him during a tour in Australia a few years ago.
I found the man warm, charming (beyond words!), instinctively funny and wicked!
Here is a sample of the interview with the Great Dave Allen.
Everybody's favourite Irishman, Dave Allen, is obsessed by a secret phobia. He is afraid of lifts.
The popular funnyman was serious when he admitted his fear.
"They are absolutely horrid. I have been trapped in lifts twice and it was very frightening, especially for one who has such a vivid imagination as I have", Dave said.
Dave was currently on tour in Australia for a series of performances at the Comedy Theatre.
Despite his vicious atacks on religion and bureaucrats in his TV and stage shows, Dave says his is a humanitarian.
"I enjoy the world, and I enjoy relating to people, Ms. Olga Savvidis", he enthused with a wide grin; I have more respect for the man in the street than for institutions, like churches, which close your mind and restrict your thinking", he said.
Dave said that he revels in studying human behaviour.
"I look at the world for different reasons. I am curious to find out why people walk when the 'Don't Walk' signals flash, why they take the risk and rush through the traffic lights.
"And I am curious about the folk who display enough patience to wait for the green light before walking across the street. In most cases this sort of behaviour reflects their overall relationship with other people. It's this sort of observation that gives me creative ideas."
Dave said he often started his show with two minutes of silence to establish a rapport with his audience.
"I use this time to establish eye contact, to check them out and also to give them a chance to check me out," he said.
Dave Allen was born David Tynan O'Mahony, the son of an Irish journalist. He has been a professional entertainer for over 30 years.
Churches and politicians may fear and hate him but his public adores him. Dave said that his fan mail is just about as bizarre as his comedy sketches.
"One woman demanded that I send her a pair of tights because while I was doing a sketch on a screaming warewolf, her cat took one look at me, screeched and dug its claws into her stockings...I eventually sent her the pair of tights, with one leg bigger than the other," he grinned.
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