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Desert Island Discs: Archive 2005-2010

Johnny Vegas

Desert Island Discs: Archive 2005-2010

BBC

Personal Journals, Society & Culture

4.4804 Ratings

🗓️ 3 October 2010

⏱️ 35 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Kirsty Young's castaway is the entertainer Johnny Vegas.

As a stand-up comic he made his name as one of the most brilliant and unpredictable acts on the circuit. His stage persona was a belligerent drunk who would heckle his own audience. But the more successful he became, the more the similarities between his own life and his stage character seemed to blur. "I found popularity through self-destruction" he says, "and that can be quite addictive". In recent years, he has cut down on his drinking, lost weight and now got engaged - all part of a plan to ensure he reached his 40th birthday and could be a proper father to his young son. "Life's actually turned around and been very good to me," he says.

Producer: Leanne Buckle

Record: Hurt - Johnny Cash Book: The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists. Luxury: A Kiln.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Hi, it's Nicola Cocklin.

0:02.8

Young people have been making history for years, but we don't often hear about them.

0:06.6

My brand new series on BBC Sounds sets out to put this right.

0:10.6

In history's youngest heroes, I'll be revealing the fascinating stories of 12 young people

0:16.0

who've played a major role in history and who've helped shape our world.

0:19.8

Like Audrey Hepburn, Nelson Mandela, Louis Braille

0:23.2

and Lady Jane Grey, history's youngest heroes with me, Nicola Cochlin. Listen on BBC Sounds.

0:30.5

Hello, I'm Kirsty Young. Thank you for downloading this podcast of Desert Island Discs from BBC Radio 4.

0:36.8

For rights reasons, the music choices are shorter than in the radio broadcast.

0:41.2

For more information about the programme, please visit BBC.co.com.ukes slash Radio 4.

0:47.6

Music My castaway this week is Johnny Vegas.

1:07.7

As a stand-up comic, he made his name as one of the most unpredictable and brilliant

1:11.7

acts on the circuit. His stage persona, a self-pitying drunk, belligerently heckling an audience,

1:18.3

who at times were unclear if they were watching a well-honed comedy act or witnessing a genuine

1:22.8

breakdown. These days, with his stand-up work behind him and after a good degree of success as an actor, he describes himself as an entertainer.

1:31.1

He's also consigned his heavy drinking to the past and lost a third of his body weight, both part of a plan to ensure he reaches the ripe old age of 40 and can be a proper father to his young son.

1:42.6

He once said, I always consider myself creatively at my best

1:46.3

when at odds with the world.

1:48.7

You once said that.

1:49.8

I'm wondering now if you still feel that way

1:51.3

that it's always better to be the grit in the oyster.

1:54.4

I think it was certainly right for Johnny as a character.

...

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