Reginald D Hunter is one of the comedy greats.
Aside from having the most mellifluous voice in the business, a gorgeous Georgian purr that could charm birds from the treetops, Hunter isn't short on the wisdom department, either.
Whether musing on invasive thoughts, the opinions of others, or the difference between principles and situational ethics, Hunter is never less than fascinating company on the latest Square Mile moments.
The comedian is bringing his latest show to the Edinburgh festival so you'll have a chance to experience him firsthand.
Listen to the podcast first though – and check out some extracted quotes below.
On gutting it out
It was my third week at RADA. I was doing stage combat, tore my ankle. They offered me my tuition money back and to pay for my flight home. It was a dig-in deep moment – I could say, 'I did my best, bad luck tore my ankle.' Or I could gut it out and see what happens. But if I go home now, I go home with nothing.
On principles vs situational ethics
I was taught back home that there's a difference between principles and situational ethics. Principles are meant to serve you and protect you, even from yourself. Situational ethics maintain your adaptability to most situations. I was taught that principles were the best: con artists, chancers, happy-go-lucky people have situational ethics. But over time, I began to realise that situational ethics means you can cope, you can make lateral moves, you can play outside the box...
On hitting the comedic sweet spot
Midway through the run of a show, all of a sudden one night it clicks and it makes sense. And when it clicks, you go, 'oh, I'm about to become really good for a while' – and that feels good. When you get in that zone, it makes food taste better, it makes sex better, it makes sleeping better, it makes talking to boring people easier.
On the personal sacrifices
I worry sometimes what the pursuit of excellence in this has cost me personally: friendship-wise, relationship-wise, even family wise. I think I was one of those people who took out the seats in his plane so it could fly faster. Sometimes, I get in my own head and feel a bit heroically wistful: I feel like a middle-aged Bruce Wayne. I've done all of this, and I'm a bit more sore and a bit more lonely, and this Gotham City really ain't better off.
On invasive thoughts
For years, I used to try and distract myself from my invasive thoughts: music, vaginas, drugs. But now, I'm more apt to go, 'well, what's that really about?' And I've come to find out in my personal experience that when I go back to apologise to people, about things that trouble me or trouble me about my behaviour, very often the situation didn't mean the same thing to them. Often they didn't even remember! I get messed up over stuff that nobody else seems to care about.
View on Instagram
