ED2019 Caro Meets ED2019 Comedy ED2019 Interviews

Jack Tucker: Comedy Standup Hour

By | Published on Monday 13 May 2019

If you’re a fan of 2018 ThreeWeeks Editors’ Awards winners Zach and Viggo – and let’s face it, most of you probably are – you might find that our first Edinburgh Fringe interviewee of 2019 looks a bit familiar. In fact, our featured act Jack Tucker may just possibly be the alter ego of someone whose first name rhymes with, um, Jack.

Jack is from New York and – we are told – has been around the comedy circuit for a pretty long time, so I was surprised I hadn’t heard about him before. I arranged a quick Q&A to find out more ahead of his Edinburgh stint this summer.

CM: Can you start by telling us a bit about yourself? Where are you from and what’s your background?
JT: Hello England!!!!!! Hello, my name is Jackson Tucker, I am a stand-up comedian from New York ‘The Big Apple’ City and I’ve been doing stand-up comedy for forty five years. I’ve been performing on the Upstate New York regional comedy circuit for awhile, but I am ready now. My wife and I recently separated – but I’m still wearing the ring, so don’t tempt me ladies!!!! But in all seriousness she did leave me and I haven’t seen my boy Joe for a few weeks…

CM: How did you get into stand up? Did you always want to do comedy?
JT: Asking Jack how he got into standup is like asking a tree how he got in the ground – he’s always been there. You know the old saying, if a tree makes a joke in the woods, does anybody make a sound? Yes: everybody laughs!!!! Really makes you think….

CM: Tell us about your career path – how did you get to where you are today?
JT: I made the right decisions over and over again. I made the right jokes, I chose the right woman, and I slept with the right people. I made such a consistent streak of good decisions, the other comics started calling me Lucky Jack. Not sure if this translates to English culture, but in America we have these things called decks of cards. Traditionally there are fifty-two cards in pack, and one card in particular is called a Jack. You’re not gonna believe this but historically this card is known as a lucky card. How crazy is that? You can’t write this stuff!!!!

CM: Tell us about your show ‘Comedy Standup Hour’? What can we expect from it?
JT: You can expect to love every minute of it!!!!! It’s full of jokes, gags, and even a little bit of physical slapstick humour as well. Who knows!!! It’s probably gonna be one of the best things you’ve ever seen unless you’re some sort of real loser jerk or nerd. Or a millennial: YUCK!!!!

CM: How would you describe your style of comedy?
JT: My comedy is pretty crazy. Some people say it’s a bit like the Wild West. The venue is the town jail, the audience members are all jail cells, and the prisoners… are laughs. Luckily for them I’m the greatest bandito the world’s ever seen – and If we all play our cards right, we might just pull off the greatest heist in comedy history.

CM: Who would you say influences your comedy?
JT: Former New York Yankee and New York Mets outfielder, Daryl Strawberry. Here’s a guy that was able to play on two rival teams in the same city and bring the good people of New York together through America’s god-given game, baseball. You know, a lot of people said his career would never be the same after all those drug charges but who’s laughing now? My audience, that’s who!!!!!

CM: What would you say is your greatest strength as a comedian?
JT: It’s hard to say really. When you’ve been doing this as long as I have, you don’t have any weaknesses. I’ve got great jokes, impeccable delivery, and honestly I have a great body too (strong). I’d say that’s my greatest strength. Just to reiterate, my strength is my greatest strength.

CM: What do you think makes an audience a good audience?
JT: I think I would make a pretty good audience. You know sometimes I wish I could be in the audience for one of my shows. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to watch myself onstage. I think about it a lot actually. Imagining how cool it would be to see me crush. I would obviously heckle (funny) and I would have a really good time roasting each other.

CM: What made you decide to head to Edinburgh this year? Why haven’t you been before?
JT: You know I only heard about it this year and I’ve never been to England before so I’m really excited about that!!!! I’ve never performed at an arts festival either. I’ve been around for awhile but I usually perform at strip joints and titty bars, so this is new territory for me. I hear they’ve got a pretty decent burger out here and I have always wanted to eat a burger everywhere I go. So I guess I’m pretty excited about that.

CM: What are you expecting from the Edinburgh experience? What are you looking forward to? Do you have any worries?
JT: Like I said, this is my first time in England so I don’t really know what to expect! I do know you guys do some whacky things over here. I heard you even drive on the wrong side of the road!!! That’s crazy!!!!! You’re gonna crash your car if you don’t start being careful!!!

CM: Do you have plans to see other people’s shows in Edinburgh? Whose?
JT: No thanks (boring)

CM: Are you planning to take in any Scottish tourist spots while you’re there?
JT: I’m really hoping to make it over to Europe on my day off. I’ve always been jealous of Great England’s ability to travel freely throughout Europe. How’d you swing a deal like that?!?!? Our president is the best businessman in the world and we couldn’t even do that!!! You guys are so lucky you can just go to the rest of Europe and work or live there if you want. No problem. No questions asked. That’s amazing!!!!!

CM: What dreams and ambitions do you have for the future? And what plans do you have for after the Fringe?
JT: I plan on winning the Perrier Award and my fulfilling my dream of buying the New York Mets. To be totally honest with you I’m 100% certain both of those things will happen in the next month. My dad is a big Mets fan and it would really mean a lot to me if we could make this happen. I really miss my dad and I hope he sees this.

Jack Tucker performed ‘Comedy Standup Hour’ at Underbelly Cowgate at Edinburgh Festival 2019.

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