Post by hodaharb on Oct 18, 2008 13:50:42 GMT -5
Peter Kay
Peter John Kay (born 2 July 1973) is an English comedian, writer, producer, and actor. His work includes That Peter Kay Thing (2000), Phoenix Nights (2001), Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere (2004), Britain's Got the Pop Factor ... and Possibly a New Celebrity Jesus Christ Soapstar Superstar Strictly On Ice (2008) and other independent productions.
Early Career
Kay attended Mount St Joseph High School, leaving with with one GCSE in Art. Kay took several menial jobs, including working in a toilet roll factory, Netto supermarket, a Cash and Carry, and a Bingo Hall, which later inspired episodes or sequences in That Peter Kay Thing. He began a degree course at the University of Liverpool but was unable to cope with the written work and dropped out. He then attended the University of Salford where he studied for a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Media Performance, which he completed. This involved a stand-up course at which he excelled. His first stand-up was a competition in Manchester, hosted by later co-star and co-writer of Phoenix Nights, Dave Spikey. Peter was last on the bill and won the competition, beating fellow stand-up comedian Johnny Vegas.
Kay's earliest TV appearance was an interview with Granada Television in which he listed the contents of his room, as well as detailing his experience meeting Jimmy Savile. This would later be used in That Peter Kay Thing, in the role of Leonard de Tomkinson.
Kay's experience working at the Manchester Evening News Arena inspired him to wear the official yellow jacket of the MEN Arena for the final performance of his Mum Wants a Bungalow tour. Kay has said that he sought a career in comedy. During his time working as a cinema usher, he experimented with stand-up, participating in several local events, as well as others at the Comedy Store in Manchester. After losing his job at the cinema, Kay was presented with the choice between finding another menial job or moving into comedy.
After he entered and won Channel 4's So You Think You're Funny contest in 1997, his first semi-professional stand-up appearances were at the 1998 Edinburgh Fringe festival, where he received a prestigious Perrier Award nomination. During this time, he also appeared at various other clubs, such as London's influential Comedy Store, and the Barracuda Club in Lincoln. Although this led to a certain level of public recognition, it was only after his heavily-promoted show Live at the Top of the Tower in 2000 that Kay attained mainstream recognition.
During this period, he appeared on several chat shows, such as Parkinson and Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, where he had previously been a warm-up man. Production also began on Phoenix Nights, which was to see him achieve critical acclaim as well as mainstream success. Subsequent advertisements for John Smith's Bitter, which imitate the realistic style of Phoenix Nights, saw Kay develop his now much-repeated catchphrases "'Ave it!" and "Two Lamb bhunas".
In 2003, he was listed in The Observer as one of the 50 Funniest British Comedians and also directed one page of Nuts magazine. In addition, he made an appearance in a 2005 poll of comedians and critics to find The Comedian's Comedian, a search for the 50 greatest funnymen of all time. In March 2005 he also came top in a survey sponsored by the Jongleurs comedy club chain to find Britain's favourite comedian.
In 2004, Kay caused controversy with a joke about murdered television presenter Jill Dando. The Sun newspaper covered the story on its frontpage, labelling Kay as a "sick comic".
In 2006, a Channel 4 television show 100 Greatest Funny Moments voted him at the #1 spot, for his most notably stand-up act, Mum Wants a Bungalow tour at the Bolton Albert Halls, including his description of a family wedding and Bullseye.
On 17 April 2006, Channel 4 broadcast a "Peter Kay Night", showing out-takes from Phoenix Nights (previously featured on DVD), a behind-the-scenes documentary of the Mum Wants a Bungalow tour and also the whole Peter Kay Live in Manchester show. During this evening, Kay was seen in character as Max (from Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere & Phoenix Nights) discussing the tribute with Paddy (Patrick McGuinness). Max stated that he disliked Peter Kay and thought that Channel 4 was going downhill for dedicating an entire night to him. Paddy wondered why ITV have not snapped up Kay. Max is shown to be ignorant of current events, failing to realise that civil partnerships are now legal and that Elton John has made use of it, to controversial news stories involving Michael Barrymore, Gary Glitter, Diana, Princess of Wales and Michael Jackson. Channel 4 repeated the "Peter Kay Night" on 25 March 2007.
Filmography
* New Voices [episode "Two Minutes"] (1997)
* Coronation Street (Shopfitter) (1997)
* Comedy Lab [episode "The Services"] (1998)
* Live at the Top of the Tower (2000)
* That Peter Kay Thing (2000)
* Phoenix Nights (2001-2002)
* 24 Hour Party People [Don Tonay - Club owner] (2002)
* Live at the Bolton Albert Halls (2003)
* Roddy Smythe Investigates... (2003)
* Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere (2004)
* Coronation Street (Eric Gartside) (2004)
* Live at the Manchester Arena (2005)
* The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse (2005)
* Peter Kay: Driven to Distraction (2005)
* Max and Paddy's Power of Two (2005)
* Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit [PC MacIntosh] (2005)
* The Catherine Tate Show (Guest Star) (2005)
* Doctor Who - Love & Monsters (Aired 17 June 2006)
* Little Britain Abroad (Christmas 2006 Specials)
* Comic Relief Does Little Britain Live (DVD) (2007)
* Peter Kay - Stand Up UKay (DVD) (2007)
* Roary the Racing Car (Voice Over (Big Chris)) (2007-present)
* Britain's Got the Pop Factor... and Possibly a New Celebrity Jesus Christ Soapstar Superstar Strictly On Ice (2008)
Peter John Kay (born 2 July 1973) is an English comedian, writer, producer, and actor. His work includes That Peter Kay Thing (2000), Phoenix Nights (2001), Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere (2004), Britain's Got the Pop Factor ... and Possibly a New Celebrity Jesus Christ Soapstar Superstar Strictly On Ice (2008) and other independent productions.
Early Career
Kay attended Mount St Joseph High School, leaving with with one GCSE in Art. Kay took several menial jobs, including working in a toilet roll factory, Netto supermarket, a Cash and Carry, and a Bingo Hall, which later inspired episodes or sequences in That Peter Kay Thing. He began a degree course at the University of Liverpool but was unable to cope with the written work and dropped out. He then attended the University of Salford where he studied for a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Media Performance, which he completed. This involved a stand-up course at which he excelled. His first stand-up was a competition in Manchester, hosted by later co-star and co-writer of Phoenix Nights, Dave Spikey. Peter was last on the bill and won the competition, beating fellow stand-up comedian Johnny Vegas.
Kay's earliest TV appearance was an interview with Granada Television in which he listed the contents of his room, as well as detailing his experience meeting Jimmy Savile. This would later be used in That Peter Kay Thing, in the role of Leonard de Tomkinson.
Kay's experience working at the Manchester Evening News Arena inspired him to wear the official yellow jacket of the MEN Arena for the final performance of his Mum Wants a Bungalow tour. Kay has said that he sought a career in comedy. During his time working as a cinema usher, he experimented with stand-up, participating in several local events, as well as others at the Comedy Store in Manchester. After losing his job at the cinema, Kay was presented with the choice between finding another menial job or moving into comedy.
After he entered and won Channel 4's So You Think You're Funny contest in 1997, his first semi-professional stand-up appearances were at the 1998 Edinburgh Fringe festival, where he received a prestigious Perrier Award nomination. During this time, he also appeared at various other clubs, such as London's influential Comedy Store, and the Barracuda Club in Lincoln. Although this led to a certain level of public recognition, it was only after his heavily-promoted show Live at the Top of the Tower in 2000 that Kay attained mainstream recognition.
During this period, he appeared on several chat shows, such as Parkinson and Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, where he had previously been a warm-up man. Production also began on Phoenix Nights, which was to see him achieve critical acclaim as well as mainstream success. Subsequent advertisements for John Smith's Bitter, which imitate the realistic style of Phoenix Nights, saw Kay develop his now much-repeated catchphrases "'Ave it!" and "Two Lamb bhunas".
In 2003, he was listed in The Observer as one of the 50 Funniest British Comedians and also directed one page of Nuts magazine. In addition, he made an appearance in a 2005 poll of comedians and critics to find The Comedian's Comedian, a search for the 50 greatest funnymen of all time. In March 2005 he also came top in a survey sponsored by the Jongleurs comedy club chain to find Britain's favourite comedian.
In 2004, Kay caused controversy with a joke about murdered television presenter Jill Dando. The Sun newspaper covered the story on its frontpage, labelling Kay as a "sick comic".
In 2006, a Channel 4 television show 100 Greatest Funny Moments voted him at the #1 spot, for his most notably stand-up act, Mum Wants a Bungalow tour at the Bolton Albert Halls, including his description of a family wedding and Bullseye.
On 17 April 2006, Channel 4 broadcast a "Peter Kay Night", showing out-takes from Phoenix Nights (previously featured on DVD), a behind-the-scenes documentary of the Mum Wants a Bungalow tour and also the whole Peter Kay Live in Manchester show. During this evening, Kay was seen in character as Max (from Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere & Phoenix Nights) discussing the tribute with Paddy (Patrick McGuinness). Max stated that he disliked Peter Kay and thought that Channel 4 was going downhill for dedicating an entire night to him. Paddy wondered why ITV have not snapped up Kay. Max is shown to be ignorant of current events, failing to realise that civil partnerships are now legal and that Elton John has made use of it, to controversial news stories involving Michael Barrymore, Gary Glitter, Diana, Princess of Wales and Michael Jackson. Channel 4 repeated the "Peter Kay Night" on 25 March 2007.
Filmography
* New Voices [episode "Two Minutes"] (1997)
* Coronation Street (Shopfitter) (1997)
* Comedy Lab [episode "The Services"] (1998)
* Live at the Top of the Tower (2000)
* That Peter Kay Thing (2000)
* Phoenix Nights (2001-2002)
* 24 Hour Party People [Don Tonay - Club owner] (2002)
* Live at the Bolton Albert Halls (2003)
* Roddy Smythe Investigates... (2003)
* Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere (2004)
* Coronation Street (Eric Gartside) (2004)
* Live at the Manchester Arena (2005)
* The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse (2005)
* Peter Kay: Driven to Distraction (2005)
* Max and Paddy's Power of Two (2005)
* Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit [PC MacIntosh] (2005)
* The Catherine Tate Show (Guest Star) (2005)
* Doctor Who - Love & Monsters (Aired 17 June 2006)
* Little Britain Abroad (Christmas 2006 Specials)
* Comic Relief Does Little Britain Live (DVD) (2007)
* Peter Kay - Stand Up UKay (DVD) (2007)
* Roary the Racing Car (Voice Over (Big Chris)) (2007-present)
* Britain's Got the Pop Factor... and Possibly a New Celebrity Jesus Christ Soapstar Superstar Strictly On Ice (2008)