As Valentine’s Day approaches, ask almost anyone on any street in whichever country in the world what is the most important factor in any relationship, both those with friends and those with partners, and I can almost guarantee what would come out on top: a sense of humour.

Perhaps in Britain this is more important than anywhere else; our food isn’t all that great, the weather varies from miserable to dire with the occasional glimpse of average, and politics is invariably boring (except when misguided students are busy hurling fire extinguishers at upholders of the law).

So, what do we do? We laugh. We make a joke out of everything: homosexuals joke about their sexuality, and the foreign joke about their ethnicity. Stephen K Amos, open about both his homosexuality and with roots in Nigeria, perhaps epitomises this. Of course, whilst he jokes about it all there is a more serious subtext. If “along the way” he can “make them [the audience] think about race issues, sexuality issues” then he’s “happy with that”. That makes him a social philosopher and all round funny man.

Making fun of oneself a disarming technique to make the general public engage with issues that otherwise aren’t so close to them, but there’s still an element in Amos’ routines of avoiding issues that are at the forefront of public opinion. He’s not alone. So why do comedians focus on racism and not on finance? For Amos it’s because he doesn’t “want to remind them [the audience] of the negative stuff that’s happening in the world, stuff that they’re all aware of: the political crisis, the financial crisis, all that kind of stuff...I want them to laugh, to forget all their woes and troubles, and to come away laughing.”

With his philanthropic intentions, it’s clear that Amos doesn’t sell out to the celebrity circus, and mentally he is razor sharp. His intelligence is clear in his routines. As comedians tend to be, he is extraordinarily observant, and he gets almost all of his inspiration from “Life, people”. Many people around us will moan about everyday life and the folk on the streets, but Amos doesn’t feel that way: “I enjoy watching people, I enjoy walking around with a pad and pen and taking notes.” His enthusiasm is infectious, and that’s what makes him so entertaining to watch.

He’s aware of the necessity for a “survival instinct” when on stage; the famed British self-deprecating streak is great for “disarming other people before they can attack you” by showing off one’s own insecurities and hence one’s own vulnerability. Having said all of that, Amos says he doesn’t “feel vulnerability”, perhaps down to his secure family and childhood.

I wondered who was his greatest comedy influence was, and he was quick to give the accolade to his dad. As I suspected, this strong father who “worked two, three jobs” and tirelessly looked after his family is the person Stephen looks up to most in the world, and not just because of his comic ability. That kind of family stability means that, unlike the many for whom acting the clown is a way of plastering over cracks, for Amos comedy is a strength he discovered by accident. “I went travelling when I finished my studies and I met a woman and she said I was funny, so that’s how it happened for me.” He was studying Law, so it was “completely out of the blue”.

Even now he’s not just a comedian; his wit and intellect are also tied in with a keen acting talent. More serious roles are something that have come his way without effort: “all the roles that I’ve done so far have been offered”. At the moment, he doesn’t have an agent, but Amos says “that’s something I may well pursue”.

All this coercing laughter from the masses and gallivanting around the world – is it what he loves? It’s taken over his life to the extent that the other day he “found myself going into my own home trying to get into my bedroom using a nectar card!”. His proudest achievement is nothing to do with comedy; it’s being a decent person. “I’m a good uncle, I’m a decent person, and I think that accounts for a lot. If you asked my friends and family about the kind of person I am, I think they’d respond favourably, and that’s my proudest achievement. I’d hate them to think I was a dick.”

It won’t come as a surprise to hear that fame wasn’t something he searched for. He “just wanted to do jokes”. It’s reassuring, that, coming from a comedian.

Stephen K Amos is performing at The Cambridge Corn Exchange on Friday 11th February – just one stop on his tour, 'The Best Medicine'.

 

Stephen K Amos: In Brief

 

1) Who’s your biggest influence in...

your career?

My dad, he’s a very funny man.

your life as a whole?

My dad, he’s worked so hard, working two or three jobs, and he’s raised 7 kids who are all decent human beings.

 

2) If you only had one more gig, where would you choose to have it?

A beach in Thailand. The audience would be an eclectic mix of people from backpacking students to Thai locals to anybody else in the United Nations.

 

3) Who’s your favourite current comedian?

I do love Eddie Izzard.

 

4) Favourite book?

To Kill a Mockingbird. It’s very poignant, and I love the film. I love the fact that it deals with so many issues about people and relationships.

 

5) Do you have a favourite joke?

Yes, but I couldn’t repeat it.

 

6) What’s your favourite comedy film of all time?

The Three Amigos

 

7) Who do you think is the greatest comedian of all time?

Richard Pryor