This year I would imagine that Jimmy was going stir crazy, as a consequence of one lockdown after another, preventing him from performing.
In the first 3 months of 2020 he’d played around 49 gigs and then none at all between April and July. From August 9th to year end he managed a grand total of 22 (unless I missed one). This must have been torturous for the man who likes to perform 2-300 gigs a year.
At the end of March, he’d been desperate enough, for camera time, to launch the Little Tiny Quiz of Lockdown.
I’ll run through some of 2020’s concerts – to give you an idea of what lengths he went to, to perform. This was the Terribly Funny tour (the first iteration) and this first post is just for August.
Proof of Vaccination?
Jimmy’s Netflix special, His Dark Material, was released December 2021, but contained material from this tour. A joke about the COVID vaccine (“raise your hand”) is still being brought up by people that probably never even bought a ticket nor watched the special. The joke was circulated on Social Media as evidence that he was shilling for Big Pharma and somehow responsible for people dying, losing their jobs etc.
As is usually the case with these “joke outrages” – it would appear the other 200+ jokes in the special WERE jokes. But this one exception was an actual INSTRUCTION and should therefore be punished.
The reason for mentioning that here is that some people very confidently state that he prevented the un-vaxed from attending his gigs. This is not thinking through how on earth he could ask the unvaccinated to raise their hands if they had not been allowed in…??
As someone who went to a couple of gigs in this timeframe, I can confirm that he NEVER asked for proof of vaccination at any stage in the ticket buying / entering the venue process.
Where you see masks or spaces between seating, in the stories below, this was at the insistence of the venue, as they tried to stay within whatever guidelines had been issued that week.
Venues were having huge financial issues and trying to come up with ever more inventive ways to host events.
Now that’s out of the way – what did August 2020 look like?
Warren Outdoor – August 9th
Brighton’s The Warren is in the city centre and normally stages the Brighton Fringe. To try and regain some normality they set up spaced out picnic tables…on the beach. See the picture in this story.
Jimmy performed, on the 9th, in front of what cannot have been more than 150 people? (and posted a couple of pictures of his own).
Royal Oak Pub Garden, New Malden – August 10th
The capacity was probably about 50 and Jimmy performed twice on the 10th. This was in the pub garden, looking like he was standing in front of a B&Q display of sheds.
The show was put on by Outside the Box Comedy Club and there are a couple of pictures in this post.
Dubai, Dubai World Trade Centre, August 12th to 14th
Dubai invited him to perform at Dubai’s Summer Surprise 2020 and he did 3 shows, August 12th to 14th.
There are some August 2020 interviews in this post.
There is a fairly long interview here (with Time Out Dubai) – possibly another indication of how bored and attention starved he was!! At that point only 2 shows had been arranged but a 3rd was soon added.
The venue is about 3,000 seats and it was being set up as half capacity with people in family groups.
The backstage area was not socially distanced and, at the time, pictures were posted of Jimmy posing with events staff and fans (everyone with masks in hands).
The Instagram link, below, is Jimmy announcing his 3rd show (Instagram video posts refuse to embed).
https://www.instagram.com/p/CDiPhcVp0-Q
Unfortunately, on his return to the UK, he had to quarantine for 2 weeks. When the gig was being arranged he’d been assured that an Air Bridge would be in place – but it wasn’t.
He mentioned in a How Neal Feel episode that a guy tool his temperature at the airport and he’d said “dude, everyone’s hot, what are you doing” (it was 44 degrees at NIGHT).
Norwich Theatre Interlude, August 28th
On the 28th Jimmy performed 2 shows…in a circus tent. Norwich Theatre’s Interlude Festival was held in a big top tent in Chapelfield Gardens, Norwich.
There are some more pictures of the tent, inside and out, here.
A Bottesford field, August 29th and 30th
Just The Tonic Outdoor Events set up a comedy event in a Bottesford field (normally used for car boots), near Nottingham. Some promos referred to it Comedy in a Field and some Laughter in a Field.
Jimmy was initially booked for two shows on the 29th (6.30pm and 9.30pm) but two more were soon added on the 30th.
Looking back is it just me that finds it funny that the ads, for an outdoor event, said “Doors open 4pm”?
It was set up like a drive-in movie with social distancing between groups. I cannot imagine how on earth the comedians managed to get any sort of atmosphere going. There is an image in this BBC story that gives you an idea of the layout (it also says they expected 470 people per event).
Tickets were rather shockingly priced at £55 to £165 but this didn’t stop all 4 shows selling out.
Virgin Money Unity Arena, August 31st
If at all possible – this one looks even more depressing (see image here).
This review suggests that he performed 2 x 1 hour sets. As it’s not mentioned anywhere else it’s not clear whether the reviewer meant that there was an interval – or whether the audience were changed over, for a 2nd show.
Getty Images have 10 photos from this gig.
By September 17th the party was over for this venue (and most others) as, from midnight, households were not allowed to mix. All further events were cancelled.
The remainder of 2020 has now been detailed – here
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