He's also a regular fixture on British TV with popular shows such as Russell Howard’s Good News and Mock the Week.
Now, the comic is stepping out of his comfort zone by touring the world with shows across Asia, Europe and Australia. His U.S. tour kicks off on March 17 at House of Blues Dallas.
Howard will travel across the States in a tour bus with his wife, 8-month-old son and his supporting act as “one big happy family.” Hopefully, it’s just the baby crying at the back of the bus at the end of the night and not the comedian.
Performing in new countries reminds Howard of his early days as a comedian but instead of “being a kid who is chancing his arm,” he has decades of experience adapting to new situations.
The comedian can also use his travel experiences as material to establish a deeper connection with his audiences.
“The thing about gigging internationally is that it gives you more strings to your bow because you’ve got street-level knowledge of what it feels like in Holland, Denmark or Auckland or Washington or wherever it may be,” Howard says. “You’re not getting material from the internet or your country. Traveling as a comedian gives you more spices to add to your comedy casserole.”
The comedian becomes a sponge as he soaks up the culture and local humor to add to his set. He believes that “the very nature of being a stand-up is that you’re a troubadour” and it’d be a wasted opportunity not to reflect on new experiences for his comedy routine.
Howard declares himself the “king of adapting” to different crowds and comedy styles, which he'll need to do, seeing as American humor can be a difficult bridge to cross for some British acts.
“American audiences have such a reputation as being big fat laughers," he says. "The big difference between U.S. and British comedy is that maybe we are a bit less high-status and can take the piss out of ourselves in a way that doesn’t happen, broadly speaking, as much [in the U.S.] That self-deprecating humor is a big part of being British.”
Reaching a certain status as a comedian can sometimes make it difficult to gauge whether your new material is truly funny or whether people are ready to laugh at the preconceived idea of it being funny.
The Brit Is Coming
Howard believes the only way to test whether new material works is to turn up unannounced at smaller venues in the cities where he’s performing to gauge the crowd’s reaction.“If people are already fans then they have a vested interest. There’s no point in getting rid of that and being sadistic and going out of your way to perform to people and make it hard for yourself,” he says. “There’s a useful amount of duress when you’re creating new stuff, if you just do it in front of your fans then it makes you a wee bit narrow."
That's why when he's in the U.S., he takes advantage of the rich comedy club culture to test himself in New York or Los Angeles, which can sometimes be a daunting experience.
“I figure out what works and what doesn’t and what needs changing, otherwise you’re leaving it to chance," Howard says. "It’s a real kick in the ego teeth sometimes to rock up to a comedy club in New York.
“We had just done 10 nights at the Royal Albert Hall and broken the record and then we were in a comedy club in New York and there’s about 60 people there and you’re just dying on your ass thinking, 'Oh fuck, this really worked a week ago.' But that’s the process, man, you’ve just got to do it in order to make the shows great.”
Despite being a household name in the U.K., Howard largely avoids the celebrity circuit. He would much prefer to prioritize other aspects of his life, such as comedy, spending time with family or playing 5-aside football.
“I would rather go to a comedy club and try out new jokes than go to a red-carpet event, unless it was a film I wanted to watch," he says. "If you’re just going to be photographed and be in the Daily Mail, I couldn’t think of anything worse. It’s not my world and never has been.”
Howard will kick off the U.S. leg of his tour on March 17 at Dallas’ House of Blues, 2200 N. Lamar St., before performing across Texas with shows in Houston, San Antonio and Austin. Register at dallasobserver.com to win free tickets.
