TALK TALK
What people are saying about Eddie Izzard

[Madeleine Martin, Actress]

(When asked what what TV people are watching):
Madeleine Martin, 14, plays David Duchovny's daughter on new series Californication: The Riches, simply because "I love Eddie Izzard." She worked with him on Broadway in A Day In The Death of Joe Egg.

[Alex Dallas, Actress]

Dallas hung out with Robbie Coltrane and Eddie Izzard in the early '80s, when she was a founding member of Sensible Footwear women's comedy troupe. "Eddie Izzard wore oven gloves in the shape of animals on the street, busking..."

[Ben Cooper, Head of Programming BBC1]

And what's your most embarrassing moment?
Doing an impression of Eddie Izzard, who I think is brilliant, when I met him.

[Eric Idle: Actor, Comedian]

Eric Idle's 2003 Greedy Bastard Tour included a stop in Boston (he performed at the Orpheum). In his new book, "The Greedy Bastard Diary: A Comic Tour of America," he writes about his day off in Beantown: It's brilliant to have a day off. I slip into Macy's and buy some makeup. The assistant looks at me in horror as I slap on a liquid base and ask knowledgeably about blush. Early shoppers watch askance as a very mature British man leans into a mirror dabbing on concealer. It's kind of fun. Appropriately, Eddie Izzard calls. He's in town. Neither of us are working tonight so we decide to meet for a movie. I meet Eddie at the movies and we watch "Mystic River." Afterward we cab for coffee and a Kaliber at the Parish Cafe, on Boylston Street. I remind him that the last time I saw him (about three weeks ago on the L.A. leg of his Sexie tour) he was sitting backstage with Sharon Stone talking about La Perla underwear. He laughs and raises an eloquent and ambivalent eyebrow. "Well, you have to," he says. The very nice people at the Parish Cafe won't let us pay. The odds against two British comedians wandering in off the streets have clearly impressed them.

[Cherielynn Westrich: Musician]

On your demo CD, is the title of the song "Have You Got a Flag" a reference to the Eddie Izzard routine? And what is the dialog in that song taken from?
" Cherie: Yes it's Eddie Izzard. I wasn't sure if people would get that. The voiceover is [Charles] Manson at a parole hearing."

[Tori Amos: Musician]

"...And all of a sudden there is a flash of light. And where has it come from? Watching Eddie Izzard do Ozzie as well as Ozzie does? Mixed with the love of a good man. Mixed with watching a transvestite perform 'I've Never Been To Me' by Charlene, Mixed with your mom barely surviving a cardiac arrest... and then voila. There it is. Finally you stumble upon the second well."
(thanks Champagne)

[Brian Dennehy: Actor]

In response to the question of whether he was nervous about the upcoming Tony awards for which he was nominated:
"No, not really. I expect Eddie Izzard to win, though. He was amazing in Joe Egg. He's a real interesting guy (chuckle)."
(thanks Jennifer)

[David Mamet: Playwright]

He plans to send him Faust. To play Mephistopheles? "Or Faust himself," says Mamet. "As they say in my country, he can put his shoes under my bed any time he wants. He's a great artist. I revere him." (thanks Peggy)

[Mark and Lard: Radio Personalities]

Who's the funniest guest you've ever had on the show?
Mark: Funniest guest.... Ally McCoist, he's highly infectious.
Lard: McCartney was a laugh.
Mark: Also Eddie Izzard, Harry Hill.
Lard: I like Peter Kay.
Mark: Oh and Stephen Fry was good. He came in just at the time he'd admitted he'd tried ecstasy.
Lard: Moby wasn't funny. When he was on our show. He is now known as Moby Dick. Did you see what I did there? I used his uncle's novel to berate him.

[Rory Bremner: British Performer]

Who is the funniest person you know?
Becky Ware, by e-mail Iain Duncan Smith. I don't know him exactly, but what I see makes me laugh. He reminds me of Caspar the Friendly Ghost. My favourite comedians are Billy Connolly, Eddie Izzard, Peter Kay, Ricky Gervais and Ross Noble, and I thought that Dame Edna's appearance on Parkinson was one of the best turns I've seen for a long time – sharp and full of mischief. And, over the next few weeks, I know the Johns will make me laugh a lot.

[Sean Hughes: British comedian]

"Eddie's brilliant but his act doesn't go anywhere". (thanks Andy)

[Moby: Musician, from his online diary]

"...in other news, isn't eddie izzard terriffic? i was watching an eddie izzard concert last night (recorded at town hall in nyc, 2000) and i was reminded of just how remarkable he is." (thanks LeeAnne)

[Kevin Smith: Filmmaker, on seeing the movie Spiderman]

"Now, being an American, we get all the good stuff first (with the exception of tea, Monty Python, civilisation in general, international respect of our peers, Eddie Izzard, and a good look at Baby Rocco), so I've already seen the flick." (thanks Heather)

[Alan Davies: Comedian]

What have been your most memorable London meals?

When I first started on the comedy circuit in 1989-90, I used to hang out at the Red Rose Club on Seven Sisters Road with people like Jo Brand, Eddie Izzard and Mark Lamarr. We'd congregate at 2am at a late-licence Cypriot restaurant called Kostakis or something. There was always lots of laughter. Memorable meals depend more on who's there than where you are. (thanks Mimi)

[Robin Williams: Comedian, Actor on not watching tv or sitcoms]

"You know what I grew up watching when I was a kid? Walter Cronkite on 'The 20th Century,' " he said. "I watch news, Discovery Channel like a bandit, History Channel. And other than that I don't watch a lot of TV. If a friend has a special, comics I know, like Eddie Izzard, I'll watch those. But I mean, I guested on 'Friends' and I had no idea. I knew some of them, but that's it."

[MAUVE by Simon Garfield. Published by Faber and Faber How One Man Invented a Colour that Changed the World In AUTHOR'S NOTES pg 197]

"After all these years, everyone has their own mauve. In the duty- free catalogue on Virgin Atlantic there is a picture of Eddie Izzard with his usual painted fingernails, and the option to buy the item called Virgin Vie Spring Nail Polish. 'Make your friends green with envy, and your nails glossy green or blue or mauve.'........................." (thanks Francesca)

[Diana Krall: Jazz singer/pianist extraordinaire]

"[On the road, I carry] an Eddie Izzard video called 'Glorious.' When I'm exhausted, I put it in and start laughing right away."

[Brian Molko: Member of music group 'Placebo']

"I was having a conversation with [comedian] Eddie Izzard the other day," says Molko. "He's a good friend-and a self-confessed transvestite. and I'd never really considered myself to be a transvestite until this conversation with Eddie. But it just became glaringly obvious that if he was, then I definitely was. I don't go out without make-up on, just like girls don't usually go out without make-up on. Dresses, I find, are impractical in social situations, but I enjoy wearing them a great deal on stage."

[FULL INTERVIEW]

[Robin Williams: Comedian, Actor]

Who makes you laugh?

Bobcat Goldthwait, Eddie Izzard, George Carlin, Jonathan Winters, Cedric the Entertainer. Billy Crystal really makes me laugh, because he teaches me about sports. I feel like some heterosexual queen asking: ''Now, what does that man do? A point guard? Oh, my, he is so big.''

[FULL INTERVIEW]

[Debra Messing: Actress]

Rosie: Who makes you laugh?
Debra: My husband, my dog, Larry David, Chris Rock, Ellen DeGeneres, Eddie Izzard.
[Tom Waits: Actor, Musician]

Tom Waits squats down on the fender of his blue Coupe de Ville and decides to tell a joke. Two men, he says, are sitting on a bench in Central Park, talking about their retirement. “I got this new hobby,” says one, “I took up beekeeping.” “That’s nice,” says the other. “Yeah, I got 2,000 bees in my apartment.” “Two thousand, huh? Where you keep ‘em?” “Keep ‘em in a shoebox.” “A shoebox? Isn’t that a little uncomfortable?” “Ah, fuck ‘em” According to Waits, Eddie Izzard didn’t get it either. Waits concedes that you probably have to have lived in New York City for a few years to fully appreciate the joke.

[FULL INTERVIEW]

[Lady Galore: Member of music group 'Thrill Kill Kult']

Photographer: I'm wearing my Scooby Doo boxers.

Lady Galore: SCOOBY DOO!

Who's the Eddie Izzard fan (referring to the comedian on TV)?

Lady Galore: well me,

Buzz McCoy: What?

Lady Galore: The man on the TV

Buzz McCoy: what? I never know his name but I've seen this a million times.

Lady Galore: yeah I've met Elliot (ed: I think she meant 'Eddie') quite a few times, he used to drink in my local when I lived in London. We used to get together and talk about frizzy things, and he was gorgeous and he never used to wear makeup out, but he always had he's fingernails painted.

[FULL INTERVIEW]

[Judy Dench: Actress]

Who on TV do you find sexy?

Eddie Izzard. I'm a huge fan and have seen his stage show twice. Everyone seems to be in love with him...men, women, dogs....I wish there was more of Eddie Izzard on TV.

[FULL INTERVIEW]

[Courtney Scarborough: Actress]

BEN: What's your favorite cross-dressing story?

COURTNEY: I don't really have a favorite story but I do have a favorite cross-dresser - Eddie Izzard. I can't believe that I don't know any good cross-dressing stories. I feel so uneducated. Oh wait, I do love that part in Monty Python's Life of Brian when all the women dress up like men in order to stone the blasphemer. Actually, since Brian's mother Mandy was played by Terry Jones who is a MAN... is THAT really an example of cross-dressing?

[FULL INTERVIEW]

[Neil Hannon: Member of music group 'Divine Comedy']

Mr Divine Comedy, which comedian would you like to hang around in purgatory with, and why?

Eddie Izzard, of course. He'd make purgatory seem quite beautifully silly and keep amusing me with his oufits and make-up. I would sing him epic songs about how nice life was—which he would love.

[FULL INTERVIEW]

[Stuart Fisher: Comedian]

What is the most interesting thing you've ever experienced?

Gee.. Ummmm... I guess Meeting big names like Adam Hills, and Sue Ann Post (Beautiful People), and more recently Eddie Izzard. I met him at MICF 2000, and was lucky enough to get an invite to hook up with Eddie and his crew after his Brisbane Show. Another amazing guy... It seems that the people I admire most are open, honest, no bull shit people. I like that.

[FULL INTERVIEW]

[Cynthia Plaster Caster: Makes plaster molds of celebrity penises]

John: Have you ever been turned down by anybody?

Cynthia: Actually, Eddie Izzard, the English comedian turned me down. I came on quite strong and he just recoiled.

[FULL INTERVIEW]

[Tim Booth: Member of music group 'James']

S.M: Very, very sick?

T.B: I went to see Eddie Izzard in New York, live, and it was like a 102 degrees outside, and I went in and it was like minus 20 with the air conditioning, and I caught something from the air conditioning about 12 weeks ago. So I advise people never to go and see Eddie Izzard in New York. (Laughter) I told him off actually, I said I was going to sue him, but he, he declined.

[FULL INTERVIEW]

[Cherilynn Westrich: Member of music group 'Rentals']

On your demo CD, is the title of the song "Have You Got a Flag" a reference to the Eddie Izzard routine? And what is the dialog in that song taken from?

Cherie: Yes it's Eddie Izzard . I wasn't sure if people would get that. The voiceover is [Charles] Manson at a parole hearing.

[FULL INTERVIEW]

[Terry Gilliam: Python member, filmmaker]

Q: Is surreal humour a particularly British form of comedy?

A: I don’t think so, apart from Spike Milligan and he’s Irish! Comedy wasn’t really Surreal until the Goons came along, then I suppose there was Max Wall and then Python. Now I’d really only call Eddie Izzard surreal.

[FULL INTERVIEW]

[Tom Lehrer: Humorist]

Barnes & Noble.com: Do you think there are any daring comedians today?

Tom Lehrer: I can't think of anyone, because now you can say anything. So I can't imagine anyone saying anything shocking that would be funny also. It's only surprising when someone actually deals with issues, like Eddie Izzard. He did a special, and he talks about things. He talks about the French Revolution, and in the middle of it he turns to the audience and says, "You don't know what I'm talking about, do you?" Now that's brave.

[FULL INTERVIEW]

[Neil Finn: Former member of music group 'Crowded House']

Surreally, we are joined by cult live comedian Eddie Izzard (also gigging in town tonight), and Neil and he fall into a long discussion on the prospect of touring the newly PC South Of Africa. Beds are finally made for with the promoter's promises of a trip to Loch Fyne and a lunch of stout and oysters ringing in the communal ears.

THAT EDDIE IZZARD, HE WAS A REALLY NICE guy but he told me that he never does TV. He said that it was something he was very clear about, not doing TV. So I get to my room and I switch on the TV and first thing I see is him. There he is!"

[Isabelle's Gift: Music Group]

Back round to touring, you're doing one of your legendary Halloween gigs which promises to be a riot as you make more of an effort with Halloween in america than the English, what's the chances of us seeing you play the UK in the near future, and as an American what do you think is good about the UK? "We would like the opportunity to do some dates in England but we need to find the right sort of band to tour with, specifically they must be cool, drink as much as us and be prepared to share their women! If they can meet these three criteria's then everything will be fine. Good things about England are: You've got no guns, great school systems, and Eddie Izzard. I won't have to drive for an hour to get a copy of Kerrang as I do here, it just sucks that I'll have to leave my videos behind."

[FULL INTERVIEW]

[Kim Hope: Australian Comedienne]

Is Kim Hope looking forward to stalking Eddie Izzard?

The comedian purses her lips. "Stalk - it has such a harsh ring to it. Follow too closely, perhaps."

[FULL INTERVIEW]

[Jools Denby: Author]

And a rather ambivalent view of the audience as well? This presumably comes from your experience. Reading some of your previous work, I can see it being confrontational, at least to some of the audience, in the same way that Jamie's comedy is confrontational.
Jamie does what I do on stage. That's the part of her character that is mine. One is how tall she is; the other is what she does on stage. The rest of it: I'm actually more like Lily as a person. Jamie's height and this thing that people have expectations of women who are tall, that they are big, tough Valkyries you know, and if they catch you crying they don't know what to do. They might comfort someone smaller. So she has my physical attributes and what she does on stage is what I do on stage. I couldn't do somebody who just did gags, because I've never done gags. I don't relate to gags at all. I mention Eddie Izzard, my favourite comedian, that's what makes me laugh.

You also mention Lennie Bruce. Does he make you laugh?

Yes, he does, the films I've seen. I love another American, Flip Wilson, and that guy with a band, Spike Jones. I loved those American comedians that we used to listen to on tape. But with Lenny Bruce there was this idea that you could have reality involved in it.

One of the most interesting experiences I had recently was seeing Eddie Izzard playing Lenny Bruce.

Was he good? To be honest with you I didn't think he could do it.

He did an Izzard version of Bruce, if you can imagine it. It was fascinating. Particularly because Izzard's comedy is not about making political points...

It comes in because I think he's a thinking person. A lot of the points he makes are social politics, like that thing about how the English think they are so great they don't have to learn another language. What I wanted to say about Jamie as a comedian was that she was concerned in an everyday way with politics and the expression of politics, and it wasn't weird to her. But as times changed, she had not changed, she couldn't, because her whole personality was so heavily invested in what she did, she couldn't take the politics out of what she was doing.

[FULL INTERVIEW]

[Advantages of a Classical Education]

Perform Stand-up at the Vatican?

British comedian and transvestite Eddie Izzard, who has been flaunting his bilingualism in France recently with extended versions of his famous "mon singe est dans l'arbre" routine, has revealed that he also studied Latin and school, and that we must not rule out a "Quintus est in atrio" sketch for the Pope. (October 1997)

[FULL INTERVIEW]

[Bruce Vilanch: Comedy Writer]

Is there a celebrity you haven't written for that you'd like to?

Vilanch: (English comedian and actor) Eddie Izzard is absolutely brilliant. I would love to write something for him. I'm sure there are others out there, but of the top of my head...I'm tempted to say Matt Damon, just for the meeting (tosses off a quick, naughty smile). But I actually know him so that doesn't count.

[FULL INTERVIEW]

[Kathryn Williams: Singer]

Do you think that men look sexy in skirts?
Yes

Is it in an Eddie Izzard thing?
Erm, I'm not really into the makeup or nail varnish thing really, I just like seeing the straight of the skirt with a bit of package.

[FULL INTERVIEW]

[Laeticia Ray: Dancer]

Who would be your ideal party date?
Laeticia: Eddie Izzard, because he's so funny.

 

 

 

 


the man | the myth | the shoes | groovy news | recent updates | photo gallery | current tour info | tour archives| stage & screen |
the hive
| izzard.com board | shop eddie | fun stuff | feedback | faq | sitemap | eddienet | site survey | CoD Cabana |
guestbook
| email Momo | home


site design by:  auntie momo designs    [FEEDBACK]     Providing the latest in Eddie news since July 1999