Today is a landmark day in the Holland household. A true first – or at least a first in over twenty years. I refer to the return of Patrick from his school tour of Sri Lanka – and the end of this kid free house that we have been for the last week. Not to…
This date, April 7th last year is a memorable one for me but for all the wrong reasons. A day on which two men died, I was very fond of. Gavin was just 53, a father of four with the world at his feet. A man I greatly admired and I miss very much. Gav…
Given that Nikki is a photographer and responsible for some stunning reportage images of the various Holland boys over the years, including Tom and his mundane life – you might think it unwise that my favourite photograph of Tom’s childhood is not one of Nikki’s photographs – and is in fact a snap, taken by…
There are easier things to do in life than being a stand up comedian. Especially being a comedian with no gimmick: no musical instrument, props, or character. Just me and my stories, here goes… As such, most stand-up comics crave familiarity to reduce the stress. Fear of the unknown as they say and it follows…
At a party over the weekend, a frequent topic for discussion was Michael Jackson. A life of unparalleled success but equally matched by utter tragedy and scandal also. I have not watched the documentary – not an area of my interest being just one of the many reasons why. I don’t know whether Jackson is…
Gigging this week and in order… Vienna, Budapest, Brighton and tonight, to top it all… no not Vegas, but Sevenoaks of course! And what a small world it is. After the gig in Budapest a man approaches me. He looks a little sheepish and anxious. He is good looking and in suspiciously good shape for…
Much debate and discussion about Brexit – variously described as a disaster or an opportunity depending on perspective and with purported experts lining up on both sides, so what chance the ordinary punter of making any sense of the damn thing? An area that interests me is culture and how varied the people of Europe…
I have never been woke or trendy. I don’t even remember being down with the kids, when I was a kid and so last week, I felt very current and modern when I was required to wear a dress for a commercial casting. Comics of a certain age who happen to be pale, male and…
Not easy making a living in the arts. Certainly, the odds are firmly stacked against with millions taking aim and so few hitting the target let alone the bullseye. We are familiar with statistics about how many actors are unemployed. Variously 90-95%. And I can attest to the reality that most authors can only dream…
My life is a simple one, in a professional sense of the word, anyway. I make people laugh in return for money. An unusual transaction and not an essential one, like being a surgeon – but there is a demand for laughs and since I have jokes and stories… But this does not mean my…
