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Rhod Gilbert and I don’t have that much in common. Rhod is tall, rugged and - according to the ladies - very good looking. I’m… not. Where Rhod is The Voice of Wales, I once had to say “Cashier Number Three” when the machine in my local Post Office broke down. However… we are both Welsh comedians who tell stories about the villages we came from. Whilst we've done TV things together (Glee Time and Stand Up if You’re Welsh) we've rarely done stand up together. (Maybe promoters don’t want two Welsh acts on the same bill - best to give someone else a chance.) So, as we so rarely meet, when it was suggested I interview Rhod for RedHanded I jumped at the opportunity. The only thing to sort out was… which pub to meet in and whether we drink before, after, or during the interview? We did all three. And I don’t remember the name of the pub.
Bennett: Hi Rhod. Been a while.
Rhod: Yes it has. How you doing?
Bennett: Alright thanks. You?
Rhod: Yes, not bad at all. Very busy.
Bennett: Great.
There was then some general catching up, chit-chat, and the first drink.
Bennett: So, I’ll just put this recorder on and ask you a couple of questions.
Rhod: No problem.
I then fiddled with the voice recorder on my mobile phone (I’d lost my Dictaphone!) and eventually got it to work.
Bennett: So, where are you from originally?
Rhod: I’m from Carmarthen. Actually in my act I say I’m from a place called Llanbobl - although to be honest that’s a place I invented. I sometimes ask audiences if anyone has been there, and incredibly people often say they have!
Bennett: So what are you up to at the moment?
Rhod: Well I’m touring my show Who’s Eaten Gilbert’s Grape and I’m currently working on The Big Welsh Challenge, alongside Cerys Matthews, where I’m learning to speak Welsh.
Bennett: So you don’t speak Welsh?
Rhod: No. Not yet. But I’m getting there. I did study languages, I did French and Spanish.
Bennett: I know a bit of Spanish. Shall we do the interview in Spanish?
Rhod: Why not?
I then attempted to carry on the interview in Spanish. It didn’t work.
Bennett: So what jobs did you have before you became a comedian?
Rhod: I picked cabbages with a mate of mine in Australia for a while. I then did Market Research for eight years. I was actually about to take over the company, when… I decided to go into comedy instead! That was in 2002.
Bennett: And the following year you won the BBC New Comedy Awards.
Rhod: Yes. You did that too one year, didn’t you?
Bennett: Yes. I was the joint runner-up with Peter Kay. Don’t know whatever happened to him. So what’s been your worst gig to date?
Rhod: I recently did a corporate gig for the Party Industry. Seven hundred and fifty people who organised parties. You’d think they’d know how to behave. There had been a free bar for four hours before I went on! As I started there were people shouting, singing, standing up…I did as much as I could before they started booing and slow-handclapping. The worst thing was, after I’d finished my set, I had to go back on and hand out awards! I even had to have my photo taken with the winners. These people who had been booing me were now happy to have their photo taken next to me!
Bennett: So were you into comedy when you were younger?
Rhod: No, not at all. I know it sounds odd but I never watched or listened to any comedy. Although I did see Ryan and Ronny somewhere once. The first real comedy gig I saw was Eddie Izzard when I was 27!
Bennett: So how would you describe your own material?
Rhod: It’s a mix of observational and invented nonsense. Just surreal made up stuff really.
Bennett: Do you still get nervous before a gig? I know I still do occasionally.
Rhod: I do get nervous before some of these corporate gigs. Of course the audience doesn’t usually care about you and your comedy, they just want to hear if they’ve won ‘Turnip of the Year’ or whatever it is! But I do have that fear and angst that I’ve just said or written my last joke. I’m going through a dry patch at the moment but hopefully it won’t last. There’s no better feeling than writing a line, putting it out there and hearing it go down well.
We chat about this for a while and talk about stuff we’ve written recently. Then there’s a toilet break and another beer.
Bennett: So do you enjoy performing in Wales?
Rhod: It’s the best. I love touring in Wales. And the comedy scene is growing which is great. There are a couple of big clubs like The Glee and Jongleurs and half a dozen smaller ones. And there are some good Welsh acts like you (I blush), Chris Corcoran, Lloyd Langford. And it’s true what they say, Welsh people really do have a great sense of humour.
Bennett: Which other acts do you like at the moment?
Rhod: I like We Are Klang, Daniel Kitson. Tom Stade…
We both nod and heartily agree. We then do extracts from Tom Stade’s material, but don’t do it justice.
Rhod: There are some people who have been plugging away for years but haven’t had enough recognition.
Bennett: Talking of recognition, you are known as the Voice of Wales. How did that come about?
Rhod: I don’t know really. They just liked my voice and asked me to do the ads. I’ve done about six or seven of them now.
Bennett: So what’s next?
Rhod: Whatever I enjoy. I love doing my radio show (Saturday, 11am-1pm, Radio Wales) and I’m currently working on a sitcom idea. I’m not one of these people looking to be famous; I just want to do what I enjoy and what makes me happy. At the moment that’s doing my radio show and touring.
And as I get one more beer in, I know that Rhod will not only continue to make himself happy but also bring happiness to those who listen to him.
Hang on a minute, isn’t it his round?…

Rhod brings his new stand up show Who’s Eaten Gilbert’s Grape to the Glee Club in Cardiff on March 20. Tickets at www.glee.co.uk or
0870 241 5093. You can hear Rhod on Radio Wales every Saturday from 11am-1pm.
See www.myspace.com/rhodgilbertcomedian
for more.

It seemed like the perfect combination. Take two of Wales' funniest comedians, mix in a few beers and let the banter begin. Bennett's just trying to work out how he ended up buying the drinks

When Bennett met Rhod