I have heard a lot of good things about Ollie Horn, but even if I hadn’t, he’d have piqued my interest with the show title ‘Comedy For Toxic People (And Their Friends)’. As soon as I saw it, I wanted to find out more. 

He is, of course, renowned for his excellent storytelling skills, in demand as a host and broadcaster, and also a co-founder of RGB Monster, a comedy production company that develops technology driven format comedy shows. 

I did wonder if I’d be allowed to attend the show, because I don’t generally regard myself as toxic, except in very trying circumstances. And that prompted as good a question as any to start things off… 

CM: Can we start with the title of your show this year: ‘Comedy For Toxic People (And Their Friends)’? Do we have to be truly toxic to come along to the show – and do we have to have friends?
OH: You don’t have to be toxic, but if you’re not toxic I’d rather you’re at least hot, so you’re not a total vibe killer. And you don’t need to have friends, but it’s better to come as a group rather than by yourself because there’ll be a lot to debrief after the show. Mainly: how does he get away with this?

CM: Can you tell us a bit about the content of the show? Do you have stories to tell?
OH: My previous shows were all storytelling shows and this show has very few of them! I don’t really have a very remarkable dating life, but the one or two observations I have seem to be quite relatable.

The show is about me being 32 and not yet having a wife – which is remarkable – so I’ve decided to have a toxic rebrand to get one.

It’s me explaining how I’m approaching the dating market in a more toxic way and hitting on any audience members that let me.

CM: What made you want to focus on this topic? What was the inspiration for it?
OH: I wanted to make a really, really funny show where the audience are laughing right from the off. Dating and relationships is one of the most well-trodden paths in stand-up, so I wanted to do it from a different angle, as a character. Also, I don’t have a wife and I’m pretty confident I’ll get one by the end of the run.

CM: How would you describe your style of performance, for those who haven’t seen you in action?
OH: If you’ve seen me before, then expect something quite different! I’ve got a reputation of being a genial storyteller – yuck! – and this show couldn’t really be further than that.

It’s rude, improvised, messy and basically quite objectionable content performed by somebody who, after over ten years of doing this, now knows how to read a crowd and work out what the boundaries are!

Audiences have been telling me that they laugh without really knowing why, and that’s sort of the best I can hope for from an audience.

CM: You once did a show called ‘Pig In Japan’. It was a while ago, but we didn’t do a Q&A with you then, so can I ask now about the story behind that? ie, can you tell us about your time in Japan?
OH: I went there as a postgraduate researcher in trademark law, and ended up being a very minor TV and radio personality. The show told that story and ambitiously tried to touch on themes of identity, stereotypes and ‘othering’.

I’m very grateful to have spent my early 20s in Japan, it was a good place to defer learning how to be a proper adult, the culture has many wonderful aspects to it that have shaped me for life, and I had a huge amount of fun.

CM: Back to the present, now, though: you’re also hosting a thing this year called ‘Not My Audience’ – can you tell us a bit about that?
OH: Yeah! It’s maybe my favourite part of the day. It’s a panel show where three comics – usually my friends and often famous ones at that! – answer daft audience questions that are picked through an app we’ve built.

It’s really silly, really funny and always a great show. Comics love coming on it because it tests their comedy muscles and they end up getting laughs in really unusual places, by collaborating with the other panellists.

CM: This isn’t your first Edinburgh rodeo, of course: what makes you keep coming back?
OH: I’m sick in the head.

CM: What do you love about the Fringe?
OH: It feels like a campus of comics. I bump into my friends all the time, and I sincerely love hearing about their challenges and successes, and helping out where I can. It also just feels really cool to be making things that people travel a long way to come and enjoy.

CM: What will you do in Edinburgh when you are not performing?
OH: Pie shop on South Bridge, and helping to make sure that the 20+ shows in the RGB Monster portfolio are ticking along nicely!

CM: What’s the best thing that’s ever happened to you at the Fringe?
OH: Snogging an audience member within an hour of a gig. I’m a cool guy.

CM: Can you tell us a bit more about your past, now? How did you get into comedy and performing – was it always your plan to do this kind of thing?
OH: I was actually a pretty shy child, but I got into drama and enjoyed plays and music and whatnot. Didn’t actually know this was a job you could do until quite late. My plan was to be an intellectual property lawyer. But don’t worry, I won’t tell you my copyright jokes – you’ll only steal them. 

CM: What have been the highlights of your career thus far?
OH: Every time I’m paid to do comedy, even now, it still feels utterly magical. Every gig I do, even the rubbish ones, feel like I’m living the dream.

Being able to travel, collaborate and perform with comics that I grew up admiring, and hearing kind words from audience members who I’ve entertained, are a perpetual and constant highlight that I’m very grateful for.

CM: What aims and ambitions do you have for the future?
OH: Trophy wife: find out more at my show.

CM: What’s coming up next for you after this?
OH: I’ll take two days off then it’s back to the circuit and touring for another year! Comics always say that there’s stuff in the pipeline but they need to keep it secret, so I’ll just say that too, to make me appear more successful than I am. 

‘Ollie Horn: Comedy For Toxic People (And Their Friends)’ was performed at Hoots @ Potterrow – and ‘Not My Audience! The Stand-up Panel Show You Control With An App!’ at Laughing Horse @ 32 Below – both at Edinburgh Festival 2024.

LINKS: olliehorn.com | x.com/olliehorncomedy