Award-winning Canadian comedian John Hastings returns to Edinburgh Fringe this August with his latest show: The Times They Are A John Hastings.
With a 17-year comedy career under his belt, John will be sharpening his razor-keen wit to share insight on topics including Covid, TV auditions, mental health, kinky sex, alternative spirituality, psychedelics, self-acceptance and cat ownership.
We catch up with John for a chat…
-You went viral after Dennis Rodman heckled you in Los Angeles – tell us more…
I was at the comedy store in 2016, and Dennis Rodman the basketball greatest rebounder, if I could speculate, was “on everything but skates”. He was ruining the show, and for some reason, nobody was lighting up this mother ****er so I did. It’s funny that video I think is discussed more than watched. Go see it! I am mega proud of arguing with a drugged-up friend of a Korean dictator!
-What’s been your most memorable live show and/or heckle (apart from the above)?
I think doing AGT to no Audience on the day Covid started sticks in my mind, having to improvise my best friend’s eulogy was memorable as hell (though not a gig, but still spoken word) and the entire saga of hosting Late N Live from 2015-2019 were all heckle filled hurricanes. Honestly, I don’t want to encourage pricks to come ruin a show. If you are lucky enough to be there for something special, that’s great! But know that performer on stage would rather do his bits than play police the douche with an audience member.
-What was it like being on America’s Got Talent with no audience during Covid?
So f***ing surreal. It feels like a story I was told, but few things will top doing comedy without the most important part of comedy. Come see this hour. Lovely lil Easter egg joke about that incident.
-With a 17-year comedy career, what have been some of your highlights to date been?
This interview! I dunno, if I am honest! I have liked and found every moment weird. Not to be a sap, but I like getting on stage every night. I don’t and really try not to care about anything else. I am a comedian. F***ing proud of my jokes. Always trying to get better. All that fun stuff you read painted on the walls of daycare.
-You’re a Canadian living in the US, and you memorise ‘everything stupid that Americans say’ – what’s the most stupid thing British people say or do?
Brexit. Vote for Tories etc etc.
-What are you looking forward to most about your run at this year’s Edinburgh Festival?
Love me the secret soup restaurant, probably smoke weed by Holyrood again and let’s all hope the good crepe stand is back.
To book tickets for John’s Edinburgh run:
www.tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/john-hastings-the-times-they-are-a-john-hastings
Karen Woodham is the founder and owner of the Blazing Minds. She is also a Cinema reviewer and works with RealD 3D reviewing the latest 3D releases and IMAX, she has also had several articles published in various publications including the first edition of SFW Magazine. In 2015 she became an Award Winning Blogger and also has her website listed as one of the UK’s Top 10 Film Blogs.
