Five questions for John Scott

Scottish stand-up John Scott returns to the Edinburgh Fringe with his political stand-up show, Dissent. We ask him five questions. 

Tell us about your show…..

My show is a political satire show called Dissent. The hour gets around such stuff as Westminster, the Arab Spring, Rachel Dolezal, the war on terror. There’s a chunk of biographical stuff in there too. George Carlin is probably the biggest influence on how I tackle things. He used to describe what he spoke about as “the big world and the little world” – meaning he does big issues mixed with everyday stuff. So far it’s going great and audiences have really enjoyed it. I even got a cuddle from a German man the other day.

If you weren’t a stand-up what would you be and why?

A gardener. I’m staying with my elderly mum at the moment. I earn my keep by doing stuff like the garden – it’s very relaxing and therapeutic.

What’s the best and worst thing about being you?

Being a comedian. I get to do a job I love, but in doing that job I’ve made myself totally unemployable. If the work dries up I don’t see any prospective employers being thrilled about what I’ve been doing for over a decade.

What do you get up to in Edinburgh when you’re not on stage?

Try to see comedians I enjoy. I recommend Vladimir McTavish, Gav Webster, Gregor Burns, Rob Mulholland, Martin Mor, Susan McCabe and Seymour Mace.

Describe your perfect Edinburgh Fringe…

And the winner of the Foster’s Comedy Awards is…Nah, just kidding. I think I’ve cracked it this year. I’ve chosen to remain detached from press. I don’t know when they’re in, I don’t know what they’re saying. That results in a completely unaffected performance. I feel the people buying tickets deserve that – and so far that’s been working just fine.

John Scott: Dissent, The Stand 2, Edinburgh, 6-30 August (not 17), 16:50, £8. Tickets.