Phil Turner, gaffer of Blindmice Media (that’s us!), is used to leading conversations in Sheffield’s business world, but on March 20th, alongside seven other brave souls, he’ll be stepping into an entirely different kind of spotlight.
Phil’s taking on the challenge of performing his own stand-up comedy routine at Chuckles for Charity, a fundraising event for The Sheffield Hospitals Charity. We caught up with the main man to find out how he’s feeling about it all…
So, Phil, what made you say yes to this challenge?
I’m still not sure I did say yes – I think I might have been stitched up! But in all seriousness, it’s for a brilliant cause. We’ve worked closely with Sheffield Hospitals Charity in recent years, and if me embarrassing myself for a few minutes on stage helps, then why not? Plus, I’m always encouraging people to step out of their comfort zones, so it’s about time I did the same.
Have you ever done stand-up before?
Funnily enough, I am a bit of show-off so I did something similar a few years back. I’m not sure if that adds extra pressure or not! I’ve done plenty of public speaking, but telling jokes to a room full of people who expect to laugh is a whole different ball game. There’s nowhere to hide. If you mess up in business, you can usually fix it. If a joke flops… well, you just have to stand there and take it.
How are you preparing for the big night?
A mix of denial and panic, mostly! But I’ve also been writing some material, testing it out on unsuspecting friends and colleagues and generally making a note if anything vaguely amusing happens. We’ve Anthony J Brown mentoring us and that’s been super helpful. The key thing is to find your voice, be yourself and have fun with it.
What’s been the biggest challenge so far?
Finding that fine line between what’s funny in your head and what actually works in front of an audience. I’ve realised that just because something makes me laugh, it doesn’t mean it’s going to land with a crowd. Timing is everything.
What do you hope people take away from this event?
First and foremost, it’s about raising money and awareness for the charity. But I also love the idea of bringing the business community together in a completely different way. We spend so much time being ‘professional’, this is a chance to let loose, have a laugh, and show that we don’t take ourselves too seriously.
Any final words before you take to the stage?
Just that if I bomb spectacularly, I expect Exposed readers to be very kind in their reviews. And if I somehow pull it off, I’ll be demanding my own Netflix special.
Catch Phil and a lineup of brave local business leaders at Chuckles for Charity, March 20th at The Leadmill, Sheffield. Tickets available now from the Sheffield Hospitals Charity here: Sheffield Hospitals Charity – Chuckles for Charity tickets
If you can’t get there on the day but want to sponsor, Phil’s Just Giving Page is here:
