Comedy Legend Ian Stone: Five Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became A Professional Comedian
We have enough comedians in this country. Try something else. I think we can all agree that more research needs to be done into the packaging issues for motorway service station sandwiches. Perhaps consider that as a career path.
As a part of our series called “Five Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became A Professional Comedian”, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Ian Stone.
Comedy legend Ian Stone will be performing at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe.
Ian is ranked as one of the top 10 stand-up comedians in Britain by The Independent and due to the hugely popular sold-out 2022 Ed Fringe show, Ian Stone will be returning with an even bigger, better and funnier performance at this year’s FREE FRINGE in August. Performing in the Ballroom at the Counting House at 4pm* every day from 3–27th August — Ian is on a mission to solve all the world’s many problems with an hour of finely crafted comedy!
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
I was a normal child who very early on was taught the value of ‘one’s own company’.
Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path as a comedian?
Years ago, I went to an Arsenal away game at Bolton Wanderers. On the way back, there was a long delay at Nuneaton station and the train buffet ran out of sandwiches. We spent two hours in Nuneaton station with nothing to eat. While hunger stopped my fellow football fans from finding the Nuneaton/nothing to eat reference amusing at the time, a seed was sown in that carriage.
Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
I once bought a £5.49 meal deal at a petrol station in a motorway services and dropped the sandwich on the forecourt. I had to go back into the petrol station and buy another sandwich, thus totally negating the saving from the meal deal. The woman behind the counter said that for another 50p I could have another drink and another bag of crisps but I think she may well have been on some sort of commission.
It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
The meal deal sandwich disaster wasn’t funny at the time but it still resonates. The tuna and sweetcorn sandwich that I originally bought with the meal deal turned out to be the last one. I had to choose between cheese and ham and chicken and avocado as a replacement, neither of which appealed. It just drove home to me the fine line between happiness and despair. I’ve learnt that fillings matter.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
I don’t know who the person responsible for stocking the Bolton football special buffet car with sandwiches was but their lack of foresight when it comes to the hefty appetites of inebriated, travelling football fans got me started on this whole journey. So that person. If they’re no longer with us (it was in 1978 and one can’t imagine that even then, children were given that level of responsibility so it’s possible they’re dead), I’d like to pass on my thanks (and also the thanks of my audience) to any surviving family members.
You have been blessed with great success in a career path that can be challenging. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path, but seem daunted by the prospect of failure?
We have enough comedians in this country. Try something else. I think we can all agree that more research needs to be done into the packaging issues for motorway service station sandwiches. Perhaps consider that as a career path.
You have such impressive work. What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now? Where do you see yourself heading from here?
I’m developing a new one man show “My favourite fillings!”
As a tie in, I’m also in the ‘waiting for feedback’ stage for my proposal “The Ultimate guide to Sandwich Fillings”. Tagline ‘like Michelin only nothing to do with the tyres’.
What do you do to get material to write your jokes? What is that creative process like?
Life presents us with many opportunities for creativity. A minor mishap on the motorway (working title) was the inspiration for my first show “What’s the deal with meal deals!” — A comedic tour de force — The Ludlow Advertiser
Super. Here is our main question. What are your “Five Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became A Professional Comedian” and why? Please share a story or example for each.
- Check sandwich packaging before making any purchase
- Open up any sandwich packaging inside the shop so even if the worst happens, the sandwich lands on tiled flooring rather than concrete.
- Expect absolutely no sympathy from motorway service station employees when perfectly understandable accidents occur.
- Even if they only cost 50p, a second bag of crisps and another fizzy drink are just empty calories.
- A packed lunch is a good alternative option.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
There’s no substitute for tuna — Ralph Waldo Emerson 1895. More relevant today than ever (although I would add sweetcorn but I don’t think that delightful combination had been attempted back then).
You are a person of huge influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?
Three words. “Adequate. Sandwich. Packaging”.
Is there a person in the world whom you would love to have lunch with, and why? Maybe we can tag them and see what happens!
Who can afford lunch? I’ve just shelled out for almost two meal deals. That was a joke. But if he was available, the Dalai Lama. If not him, Gregg Wallace.
Are you on social media? How can our readers follow you online?
I’m @iandstone on Twitter and Instagram
This was so informative, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!
Comedy Legend Ian Stone: Five Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became A Professional… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.