D**khead hopes to get a rise out of Cavan audience

Comedian PJ Gallagher speaks to the Celt in advance of his show 'Dickhead', which comes to the Hotel Kilmore in Cavan this Friday night, in what will be the grand finale to his current tour.

The poster for the standup show says it's about 'a history of the Irish willy' but PJ says it's not at all!
“Really, I just keep saying the wrong thing at the wrong time... it's about me in my forties realising that I've kind of learned nothing and, the older I get, the more I realise I have less of a clue what's going on in the world so I just went with the term 'Dickhead' so it's not subtle but, then again, neither am I.”
An interesting fact for PJ – his show will be going head-to-head with 'The Vagina Monologues' in the Ramor Theatre on the same evening. “That is absolutely hilarious that there is Vagina Monologues in one place and a show called Dickhead in another place, in Cavan!,” he retorts, bursting into laughter.
“It's a brand new Border in Cavan, it's not the border with the North anymore, it's the border of whether or you want to pick Vagina Monologues and seriousness against a dickhead telling jokes. I know which one I'd go for."
Asked to clarify, which one, he responds, almost scoldingly: "The dickhead telling the jokes of course!"
On the topic of standup comedy and whether he prefers delivering his scripted material or improvising on the night, PJ is torn. “I think you need both because if it's all the scripted stuff, then people realise that it's just a script and they know they're not getting an original piece. I think what makes comedy special, is that no two shows are ever the same... and you want to tell the jokes that you've spent the whole year bloody writing as well, you want to get it all in, so I think one doesn't really work without the other.”

Naked truth 
He has no hesitation in picking his favourite character down through the years and quickly names Jake Stevens from his Naked Camera TV show. “If it wasn't for Jake Stevens, I'd still be a motorbike courier to be honest with you... Jake gave me more than I've ever given back to Jake,” says PJ, speaking with a sort of warm fondness you might reserve for a favourite uncle.
Interestingly, Jake is also the character with which he most identifies. 
“I got to make Jake up myself from scratch and he was the first character for Naked Camera that we knew worked and he was based on people I knew in my life. Jake is the most confident person who has never been right about anything in his life and I think that pretty much sums up what I aspire to be,” explained PJ.
The funny man is currently on our TV screens in 'The Young Offenders' playing Barry, the school principal. The role is in stark contrast with the one originally played by PJ in the film of the same name – a crazy Dublin drug dealer.
PJ's enjoying the challenge of playing a more serious character for a change. 
“He's the straighest character I've ever gotten the chance to play. All the other characters are really over the top and ridiculous.”
Asked about his plans for the next comedy tour, PJ says that he is first waiting to hear when filming for the second series of Young Offenders will begin – though he doesn't feel he will do a full tour again. “I'm going to write another show and do it but it's never going to be a full tour again... it's too much, you just can't do everything,” he said.
In addition to his part in Young Offenders, PJ is also enjoying presenting a new breakfast radio show on Classic Hits 4FM. He co-hosts 'PJ and Damian in the Morning' with former 2FM DJ Damian Farrelly.
“It's what I prefer more than everything. I love doing TV and I love doing standup but I've never taken to anything in the same way that I've taken to radio, I absolutely love it!”
Getting back to this Friday's Cavan gig, PJ agrees that what he loves about Cavan people is that they don't take themselves too seriously and are generally laid back.
Put on the spot and asked to tell us his favourite Cavan joke, PJ is stumped but he does remember something from one of his Cavan Crystal Christmas gigs vividly.
Well let's hope this Friday's audience at the Hotel Kilmore can make PJ laugh just as much as they're certain to laugh themselves at this self-confessed 'dickhead'.
 

* Tickets cost €20 and are available from hotel reception.