So I reiterate here, the bill is dead. The story of this great city is about the years before this night. Nice hi everybody, it's a new episode of Hong Kong. I haven't started the timer. Here you go Simon, are we on Yeah, we're yes okay, we'll keep saying that yes, we are both well, I am starstruck. We have the most famous comedian has entered this room. Yeah, we're over here. We're sitting with our. Well, my buddy Paul Taylor. You guys just met? Yeah, we just. Met and.
Yes, So Vivek Yeah. Co host Paul Taylor Guest. Hello Vivek, you take over. All right, so basically we have a guest for a change because we realized the Mohammed story sucked. Yeah. And we need a professional to keep this entertaining. So we decided to go big or go home. Oh, yeah. We're like, we're not just get like any comic from the Hong Kong. See, We're not getting any comic from the Asian team. We're getting a coming from which scene? The French one. Weirdly French one.
Yeah, yeah. From same food. All right, that's where we came from. All right, so we got we got Paul Taylor over here with us on the podcast. He came in and the hot summer day in Hong Kong. And I always appreciate when I hear people say, Oh, man, this is this is hot. And I'm like, you're enjoying this once in your lifetime, man. No, I this is not enjoying and this is, I don't know how you deal with it. Well, you were born here, so you were. Born. Yeah. I didn't know there was a better
weather. I actually, I'm looking at the cameras now and I think this is our 200, whatever 20 episode. I think he might be the whitest guest we've ever had. I'm wearing a white T-shirt. I blend into this background perfectly. I think. Is he the whitest? Can you think of someone else whiter? I believe he is in fact the whitest guest we've got. And the fact that you are so white that you're not even from Hong Kong white, you're not from Asia white, you're literally. From the white.
I'm from the I'm from the I'm the OG white, yeah, from the island that decided to colonize everyone exactly so. We had a comedian in Shanghai, Byron Murphy is Irish, OK, And he would go up and say like, hey, I'm Irish. In case you haven't, you can't tell by me getting sunburned by. The lights. Exactly right there, right? Yeah, see that? We're getting sunburned by the moonlight. You're like, yeah, yeah. Typical one something sunburning you and. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Your T-shirt sunburning.
You or just being translucent? Yeah, just glow in the. Yeah, exactly. You're back after. So a quick back story, Paul stand up comedian base in in Paris and we met in 2017 when you were doing a an Asia tour. Yeah, in with a show called Honglay. Yes. Explain to the audience why Honglay. Yeah, so I started doing comedy in 2013 and based in Paris. I've been there for 16 years.
And like in France, the way the stand up thing well, or the, the, the stand up sort of scene works, it's very difficult to do like to earn a living by just doing like 1020 minute gigs. It's better now because there are more comedy clubs that have opened. But before you have to like write an hour show and really tour that show. That's it. You start from zero to one hour. Well, you can do like 10 minutes, but you're not really getting paid for it. But then you jump basically from
like 10:15 minutes to one hour. Like there's no, there's no way you can do. Sometimes you'll do 30 minutes. Like if me and you were like, yeah, great, can we let's work on a. Show half together, do you have? Yeah, yeah, but the show has to be an hour itself.
Yeah, exactly. Yeah, OK. OK. So I started putting together like this hour show, and I realized that some of the jokes would work in English or they would need to be said in English, some of them in French, and some of them you kind of needed to understand both languages to understand like the nuance between them. Yeah, like the play on words or whatever it was. So when I was putting together my hour, I was like, well, I I can, I can do an hour if it's
bilingual. I don't have enough to just do one hour in English or one hour in French. But you decided against getting someone else to fill the extra time. You're like, how can I double my money cutting my car? In half, yeah. I want it to be all about me exactly. All about me exactly. Fuck everyone else. And so I had a friend of mine called Sebastian and he is an American in France and sort of similar vibe but he had a show fully in French and then a show fully in English.
The show is maybe like 80% the same. Oh, OK, if he does do that, but. Yeah. But you guys, yeah, you guys have that in common because I obviously performs in Cantonese and 100. Percent and also in English. Yeah, I could do like I've done my solo show in English and also solo in Cantonese. Right. And what percentage of it is the same? I find nowadays I've tried to write all my jokes bilingually so that they can work in other
language. But I what I found is initially when I first started, there were maybe 50% at most could be used in both languages. Half of it. So like the same bit. I would write some stuff and my God, this only flies in Cantonese. For example, like when I would talk about how I go to a restaurant here and people would respond to me like, oh, he speaks Cantonese in Cantonese. The the joke is of how So the
joke is this. OK, it's in Cantonese, but I'll translate to English. So like I'm sitting over there in a, in a typical Chinese restaurant. I sit down in very common in Hong Kong because space is precious. You have to share tables, right? So I have a couple sitting opposite me and I sit down and I call the waiter in Canton. Wait, full game go. Yeah, I speaks in Cantonese and the girlfriend's like, whoa, he
speaks Cantonese, right. And the barb's like if he speaks it, he understands it. So that I found a way to translate to English, but initially I couldn't find the way to say it because like in cavities, I said Gothic Tank is like such a straight, can speak, can understand. It's such a direct word that's like, I get the joke in beauty with the English, like if you can speak it, you can understand it. You're like, understand. Oh, I see what you did over. There.
You know what's throwing me off, though, is, like, what I'm really enjoying, because we only spoke, like, for five seconds, is that you've got, like, the Hong Kong accent. Oh, speak English. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You don't have the Hong Kong face. I don't I. Love it. It's really. That makes me so happy because he thinks he doesn't have an accent. No, I have the Hong Kong taught English accent.
That's why, yeah, exactly. I've met people from Hong Kong but who are Asian descent looking right. And I'm like, you sound like because I can discern between Hong Kong and Singapore. Yeah, I think I would go down, I mean. The normal English person or anyone you know who hasn't met anyone from those countries would just be like, oh, it's, it's. Asian. Yeah.
Yeah, exactly. Yeah. So yeah, it's really funny because it reminds me of a story of a French friend of mine who is her parents are Chinese, moved over to France and she was born in France, grew up in France, speaks French with a French accent, obviously, but also speaks English with a French accent. And when she did her, she went to Manchester in the UK to study. And she was telling me that the, that the people over there, they just didn't, they didn't believe
her. They couldn't, well, they couldn't process the fact that she was Asian looking. Yeah, but was speaking English like this. So hello, how are you actually? I will tell you about a story about someone, you know, Bon, I mean. Oh, yeah. Bon. I mean, yeah, Yeah, He came to with to do that the French shows in Shanghai years ago. Yeah. And he barely speaks English. No, actually, it's actually worse, because what I mean is that is a Vietnamese French
comedian. Yeah. And he obviously speaks fluid French also very, very, very quick. Like, I understand French. Yeah. I couldn't understand. Anything. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But then his English is really bad, and he has an Asian face. Yeah. Yeah. So that's even more coming because the bits of English he knows is really, like, stereotypical, like, yeah, yeah. Yeah. In Shanghai and he's like, oh man, yeah, it's not good. People look at him, man, the
French way. He took over Vietnam and was really, really put a number on you. Man, Yeah, yeah, between I'm like, I'm like full the the most hated person. I'm like English living in France, the two countries that have fucked the entire rest of the world. Absolutely, man. Like actually, I want to go back to for people who don't know you, like, why do you speak affluent French? So I studied French like mine. I started learning in French when I was 5, when I lived in France.
When I was a kid, my dad got a job in a bank in Geneva in Switzerland. So we lived across the border in France. And so for those sort of four years I was there as like an International School. So I French and English speaking, but then also because my mom's from Northern Ireland and my dad is from the north of England and I was in like this American International school, but we were living in a French speaking country. I had like all of these different accents going around.
So are. You what they call the TC like the third culture kid. Would you identify as one? You didn't fit in the culture that you're living in, but then you also kind of fit in, as in you identify with that culture, but you're not from that culture. Like, I live in Hong Kong. I identify myself as a Hong Konger, but I just am not a Hong Konger as per SE. Yeah, but you ever not a third culture kid? Third, culture is like your parents have to be from 2 separate places and you're born in 1/3.
Place what's that? My dad was from hell. So you know, I mean technically, technically, you know right over there. So I believe it's a very separate. Yes, he is. That is the actual Satan, Yeah. Yeah, I don't know. Yeah, maybe. I don't know. I don't know like. Where your your dad? Where is, where is he from? He said. The north of England, OH. OK, so no, that makes them the same, like they're English. Yeah, they're, they're Yeah,
Well, yeah. Yeah. See that's where, that's where the Chinese border helps, you know, when you're technically from the same kind of landish, but you can see. No. And I have two different places. Yeah, like Northern English kind of we, we don't, we identify with the Southern England. Yeah, exactly. But they're still, but they're still, they got the same passport. So exactly. Yeah, my mum, my mum from Northern Ireland, a completely different sort of thing.
But yeah, I it's European. Anyway, ultimately, like fucking Europeans are the same. So yeah, OK, you, so you grew up basically learning English and French. Yeah. And then I level pretty. Yeah. And then I studied it throughout school, throughout my university degrees in French and Spanish. And then I've been there for the last 15 years as well. Wife's French so everything my whole life is in French based. And you used to work for Apple. I did, yeah.
I worked for like 10 years for Apple is. That is that something that would that it's not a secret, you just posted about it. Yeah, yeah. This is part of your ACT as. Well, yeah, sometimes. So yeah, like how did you end up in Apple? It was like a a part time student job. So when I was at university 10 years, well it started as a part time student job. Like it'll be funny if you're just a good yeah, you need. To take 10 years for again. Yeah. Learning French.
That's how long it takes to learn a language. It's. 10 years. And so, yeah, I was, I was at university in London and in order to like pay for beers and whatever, I started working like part time at the Apple store, the Big Apple store there in Regent Street. And then did that for a few years while I was at university. I did a year abroad while I was at university.
So I had to go to Canada for eight months because it's a French speaking like I went to the French speaking part of Canada to be. Quiet. To Kibi quiet called call yes to try and improve my French there and I was still working at Apple then went to Sydney for like 5 months, worked at Apple there, moved back to the UK and then oh. Yeah, it sold your soul to Apple, hey. Yeah, basically. And then then when I finished my degree in 2009, they announced that they were opening Apple in France.
So I moved to France. And you were like, it's inevitable. Yeah, I have to. Now, yeah, exactly. So I moved to, I moved to Apple with France and then that was around the time. Wait wait wait wait. So Apple movies to France? You didn't move to France and have to work at Apple. No, I, well, they didn't move me there. I moved myself there, but I went there because. Of Apple. You were in Sydney working at Apple? Yeah. And you found out that France is opening an Apple store.
Yeah. And you requested in the office. You're like, hey, just want to say Cosay. Shave you Dre an iPhone? See if we play, yeah. We play. The MacBook, iTunes. Yeah, exactly. Lacrosse on lacrosse on Seal VU play so well, yeah, I was in Sydney, but I moved back to the UK for it to finish my last year of my university. And it was while I was in that last year that they announced that they were opening stores in France. So. We were working at Apple in the UK when you. Yeah, OK, yeah.
So you were still with them? Yeah, yeah, I was still with them this. Is your full time obviously. No, this was all still part time because I was doing my degree still, so it was like I was working. Maybe I don't. Know no, no, when we say when we say full time, we don't mean like the amount of effort you put in. We're literally asking like the job right here. Yeah, it was.
It was like part time, but then yeah, when I finished my degree, I was like, cool, I'm enjoying working for the company. Yeah. So I'll move to France and and then move into like a full time. Are you able to say what you were in charge of? Like what were? You yeah. So well it, it changed. So at the beginning, I was just like a, a, a what they call a specialist like a, a salesperson basically in the store, yeah. Then it don't they call them a genius?
Or is that? No, they're the, they're the technical, they're the ones that fix your stuff. Right. So the the specialist is more like, hey, like I'm looking, I don't know which iPhone to buy. Can you help me out? Yeah, Yeah. So I would help them out for that. Then I moved into like a customer service role, which
doesn't exist anymore. Yeah. But it was basically like if you had a problem, you'd come in and you'd speak to people in orange T-shirts and they were the ones that sort of said, oh, you need to speak to this person. It was kind of like a liaison. Yeah, yeah, Yeah. Like triage in like a hospital. Yeah, exactly. So it was that for a bit. And then when because I'd started gaining experience and they were opening in new countries, I became like a trainer.
So I would I would then train the new employees that were joining the company. Oh. OK, OK. So, OK, yeah, you got. It and then I the. Student becomes the master. Yeah, and then and then I became the trainer of the trainers. Wow. Yeah. So you're basically 2 steps behind Steve Jobs like you're. One, one step you're talking about, Yeah. You're just waiting for. Him to go? Yeah, he was. Making the products you were like this is how you use the product, yeah.
Exactly. You thought about it, but let me tell you how. That you were. Actually, my first time over here, it wasn't to Hong Kong, but it was to Shanghai. It was to train a bunch of people who were opening. I can't remember the name of the Apple Store in Shanghai now. It was one of the Apple Stores in Shanghai. Yeah, So you. Oh yeah. Wow. So, OK, so when you say training, would it be like the technical stuff, as in like here's a mango?
But I know you won't read it, so let me reread the manual to you. And it was more, no, it was more training them about the culture of the company and also like how to be like the kind of customers, like how because The thing is like we would hire people that didn't necessarily know the technical stuff. Yeah, but because they were just nice humans, because the technical stuff you can learn, but you can't really learn how
to be a personal a nice person. So so we would, then we would then so they would go through a bunch of different training. So if you're a technician like a genius, you would go through like the global orientation orientation, which was like a two week thing so that you got everything. And then like the technicians will go out and do their special training, The managers will go out and do their special
training. And so I would, I would like do the initial, I'd be in charge of like the initial two week training that would be in like in a hotel. Yeah, let's let's try not to get sued by Apple, but I'm going to try to ask. Yeah, go on if we. When do they tell you that the that the old version slowed down on purpose and then you have to buy like when do they tell you to tell the customers? Well, you think they What does it say? Why does my battery keep dying
exactly 6 months? Well, I I was gone by that stage, but so you. As insiders know that know that they're designed to. I'm just going full conspiracy. Yeah, they're designed to. No, no. No, we like there's nothing like like honestly, like the the thing it was because the question I would usually get is like when do they when do you find out a new product is coming out? Yeah, it's like we find out when we watch Tim Cook or Steve Jobs on stage doing the thinking of
the world. They're not telling any. There's like a group of like 50 people that know so like. Like when you see like everybody bringing in their iPhone because it has a problem suddenly after the last update. No, I mean, because that's also it's like, I feel like since social media has taken off, like that's become a thing when in reality it's like it's like 10% of cases. Do you know what I mean? Or it's 10% of people that are using it in it's usually the fact they're using it wrong.
But they did like with the, with the with the, I can't remember which software update it was. It was like the the reason it it that it would slow down or whatever was to protect the battery because the the newer operators. They're still paying you, Paul. No, but it's actually what it is. Like it's just do you know what I mean? Like it's like the thing of like there is no conspiracy. It's just it that's just what
ended up happening. Like they should have told, they should have told people before been like, if you, if you want to update to this new software, yeah, it's gonna it's your battery's gonna drain quicker because you aware of. Yeah, so so because you could because then when when it when it kind of came out, I think they gave people the choice to like, do you want to keep the speed and the battery and the battery life is going to drain quicker or do you prefer the
battery? I can't remember. It was like optimized whatever the setting. Was, but they wouldn't. Like on the on the setting, on the update like setting. It was. It's not anymore. Like, I don't think it's a problem anymore, yeah. Also, I love this like 3, like we have like one of the biggest touring stand ups in Europe and we're talking about Apple. For 15 minutes. Exactly right. That's the whole point. That's what we're all about being like.
Well, you discuss jokes, not really whether or not an. Apple update is worth. Doing or not so. When when did the stand up come into the equation? You're working for Apple. How old are you at the time? Like when you're training the training. The training at that age, so I worked from Apple from 20 to like 29, so this would have been around years. Yeah. Fuck, so I would have been about, I think I was like 2324 when I got the training job. OK, OK. I know what's going up.
When did that? That happened. Well, the original original of it happened in my last year of university when because I've been thinking like I I think something drew me to being in the middle of a crowd. OK. From when I was a kid, because I remember when I was 12, I used to watch wrestling. At the time it was WWF. At the time it was WWF. Yeah. We're probably our generation. WWF. Fuck the animals and the pandas. It was WWF. Yeah. What? Not World Wildlife Fund. Yeah. It was the World.
Worldwide Wrestling Federation. Wrestling Federation. Yeah, exactly. All right, brother. Yeah, yeah, yeah. The Rock wasn't doing movies. He was. He was doing a People's Elbow. Yeah, it was. Hulk Hogan. Yeah, Every fucking match. So I loved like I loved wrestling. And for some, like I remember the when the school sort of courtyard that we had where you would walk into the locker rooms to put your bag before we enter class. Yeah. It was like it was called the quad.
So it was like this area where there was like 2, like at the end of it, there was the locker rooms, but then there was 2 like grass sections with a path that went through the middle. And I remember when I would walk through that, I had this like image of my mind of like I was walking to the ring basically. Track like audio track in the background. Yeah, and just, and like all the audience going crazy.
So I was like 12 so. So I don't know why I wanted to do that at the time, but that was like something there. So then in my last Fast forward like 10 years to when I'm at university, 21, and I start watching, it was the time when the BBC, they'd opened up a thing called iPlayer, which is where you could watch back old stuff, yeah, old episodes of stuff online, yeah. And so I started watching ATV show called Live at the Apollo which. Oh yeah, comedians. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
So I started watching that and I was like, oh, this. I was watching like DVDs of comedians having recorded at like the O2 Arena, which is, you know, 15,000 people. Yeah. And the thing came back. I don't know, they're like the visceral thing of like, I was like, oh, this is cool. Yeah. So anyway, there was a comedy night at the university, at the pub that was at the university, and there was like 3 comedians and the two of them were shit, Yeah and the last one was okay.
I was like that's weird. They're the two first ones. They getting paid to do this and it's not funny What I now realize as a comedian is like they just we weren't the right audience, right, right. So they. Were actually good like in hindsight. I think so. I think they were doing clubs because they got onto that gig because they were in the circuit and doing well. But that night it was just shit and, and so I was like, well, how like how complicated can it
be just. Told them exactly, yeah. Exactly. So then, you know, I type into Google like how do you become a stand up comedian? Did you actually? Yeah, so funny. And so it was like you the, the, the, the, the, the, this is when I was in London. So it's like the, the, the I'm shocked. I've lost. Apple will let you use Google search. The what's it called The the no, the hold on the the the not the journey. The le bacur in French. Oh. Yeah, like the this, the the
course, whatever. The way to. The way to become a stand up was like open mic. So I went to, so I went to go see some open mic nights as an audience member with some of my friends and they, they were all horrific. You know, it was the most awkward cringe. Like you're like, oh God, what? When can we leave? And then on one comedy night, open mic night, one guy pulled out. He was too nervous however, so he and so my best friend was like, mate, go and ask the MC if you can do 5 minutes.
I'm like, no, I don't, I'm not. So he went and asked, yeah, and he got me to do 5 minutes because I've been thinking about what I would talk about so. Your buddy knew that you had like your. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So they say it was like the group of like four of us, You know, they knew that it was kind of my, my, my, like I wanted to. Do it. And you were preparing, Yeah. And that's why we were going to open mic night. And so he was like fuck it, get up.
So I did 5 minutes. It wasn't good, but it wasn't bad. Sure, but it it got me. The bug. Well, it got me the bug of like, I think I can do better. Sure. So then I signed up for a couple. I think I maybe did 10 open mic nights in London. This is in 2009 before I moved to Paris. Then I moved to Paris with Apple. Work takes over. I get promoted a couple of times in in like the first year and I don't do stand up for like 3
years. So my official start is like 2013, even though I had like those 10 open mics four years previous. But so 2013 is when I start. I emailed my friend Sebastian now because he was the only person doing English comedy similar to you guys in Shanghai when I came over the first time and I was like, hey, like I'd love to do 5 minutes. Like this is me back being like I've performed at the Comedy Store in London. You know I'll be. I'll give you the honor of having me. Yeah, yeah, exactly.
Like I've done all these gigs in London in the Comedy Store was like the Gong Show or whatever. But I performed at the Comedy Store in London. So he was like, yeah, you come and do 5 minutes. So the 6th of January was the was the on 2013 was my first 5 minutes. Yeah, in Paris. And then I did some English stuff and then what? What kind of show was that? Was it a big show? Small show?
No, it's like. Club show, maybe like 50 people, yeah, it was like a club show where there was a few of us on the. Showcase. Yeah, yeah. And then, you know, on one of the nights there was a French comedian doing it in English. She was like, oh, I run this other night. Yeah, come and do it in French if you want to do it. So then I started doing it in French and it kind of ballooned from there, basically. Ah, yeah, yeah.
It's one of those things that you did that you can't connect with this person that just began the whole. Journey, Yeah, as as it always does. Like that's how you know that you, you kind of like the comedy thing is a very yeah. Relationship based, of course, like, oh, you're on my night. Well, why don't you come on my night? Yeah, you know, and then on my night, you meet somebody else who runs the other show across town and they're like, oh, why don't you come over for that?
And then that, you know, at some point you meet somebody who's like, oh, can you open for me at this big venue? And you're like, oh fuck, I get to do 300. Now wow 300. People, I remember the first time I was actually opening for Bun. I mean this. Oh, funny. Yeah, so he, he, he, so he introduced me on a show. One of the funniest jokes, obviously, is we're doing it in French. And he's like, you're right. The next comedian comes from a country where it rains so much.
When you look at your app and it tells you the temperature, it's not the temperature of the air. It's the temperature of the water that's falling from the skies all the way from England. Just give it out from Paul Taylor. Nice. So I did, I did my my set and he was like, cool, do you want to open for me? And he was at the time doing a show at a 300 seater place called the Apollo in Paris. So that was like my first sort
of big 10 years ago. No, this was more, this would have been in 2014. So like, yeah, like 11 years ago. And yeah, it was, it was amazing to do like a show in such a big venue. And then, yeah. And then just you build relationships, you keep going and then it's like, alright, cool, I have to build an one hour show. Let me try and figure out this bilingual thing. So I did the show in both languages where most of the people said it's not a good idea because French people don't
speak English enough. So. And you're cutting your audience in half. Yeah. I was like, yes, but maybe it's unique enough. Yeah, people will come. And thankfully, at the same time as I launched my one hour show, I also had a video that went viral on. That was gonna be my next point on YouTube. So yeah, you have the that canal please video is the lobbies. Right, Yeah, so the before canal, so canal police is like the HBO of France, right, But before them.
So I did. This was before, obviously, Instagram Reels and TikTok. It was we were all watching videos, you know, horizontally. Oh yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. And so I had made with a friend of mine, It was part of like what part of my thing that I did on stage. I was talking about how the French say hello and goodbye
where they kiss on the cheek. And as an English person, it's very awkward because I didn't know how many kisses you're supposed to give, you know, which side of the face you start on. Because depending on the North or the South, it's all kind of very weird. Wait, so you you had that like you had AI? Imagine it's a sketch group of sorts. It's called French and fried. Well, no, So no, that was just, that was my like closing bit on stage was like how the French
say hello and goodbye. It was like this whole thing. And I saw, I saw you do it in Shanghai, and I was explaining it to somebody the other day, right. It was so funny because it's so drawn out. Yeah, it's so long. So like, you're kissing like everybody in the front. Yeah, I'd be like, if this is a house party in France, I would go down to the audience, be like, bonjour, bonjour. And I'm like, oh, but then if you go to the fridge and get a drink, you then have to cheers
everyone individually. Cheers. And then if it's someone's birthday, you're like, and then if you have to leave the house, then you're like, all right, bye. It was just like a it was so I would do like that to the front row. So anyway that my friend who runs a thing called French fried, it was like the Kung Fu comedy club but the Paris English speaking night. He was like can we make a video?
Of that. Not of that specifically, but it would be cool to make a video to get more audience into the room. So I was like, and this is before people were. Filming. Oh, so just filming your set online? Not to do? Well, no, this is before anyone was filming any sets online. Oh yeah, before any, before any of the people that you know who? Yeah, they would. See their clicks? Yeah. No one did that. You didn't know about subtitles and everything like just.
Whatever. No. And, And no one, you know, you couldn't afford to bring in a camera that cost, you know, no one was doing it. I feel like I'm in a dinosaur saying this, but this is like 10 years ago. Yeah, just 10 years ago. Exactly. I know. And so now, obviously, if I was to do it again, I'd film it on stage. But we were like, and I'm a huge fan of films and I'm a huge fan of like 1 take. Shots. So I was like, I've got an idea because it's I'm talking about French House party.
Like why don't we film that whole bit? Like I'm doing it as if I'm talking to the camera stand up wise. But let's film it in one take. So we did it. We walked through a bar and I was explaining a thing and then there's a table there where I would go. I'd do the exact same thing as I did in my in. My show the front row, yeah. But yeah, but it was filmed in like a one take thing, whatever, and it blew up. It got like 1,000,000 views in a week, 1,000,000 views on YouTube at the.
Time. That was crazy, yeah. Actually now I think. Is yeah, you better tick tock, but this? Is like you're going viral moment. This is you becoming famous moment. Yeah, correct. Yeah, in France. Yeah, exactly. Well, even like it made it, because what happened was six weeks before that the terrorist attacks happened in Paris, where they went in and shot a bunch of people at the theatre.
The Abdul thing. No, that was the, this is the Bataclan one where they, like, they tried to blow up the standard of hearts. They it was horrific. So France was like in a really down mood. And then six weeks later, this video comes out where I'm making fun of the French. Yeah. Yeah. And like, it got onto BBC News. It got onto like CNBC, like this English person making fun of the French. Wow. Yeah. So it kind of popped.
And then that's when the French TV company got involved and like, can you, do you have any more of these videos? Yeah. Yeah. I'm like, no, but oh, I can like, let's take it yeah. And so that turned into a series called what the fuck, France, which was basically the same concept of me talking to camera being like, hey, this is one. This is something I don't understand about France. Here's the three reasons why.
And so we but. You're also doing it in French and English. It was mostly in English but French subtitles. But if I was speaking to a French person in the video, I was speaking to them in French, which is really. Cool, because that means that you can appeal to the French. Exactly. That's amazing. And then you So from there you now have your own TV show pretty much even if. It's like a sketch show. Yeah.
It's like a yeah. So I did that for like a year and a half, all the while I'm doing my shows at the weekend. Yeah. So it was it it just a coincidental timing of it both like it wasn't enough manufactured Like now, now you would manufacture. Yeah. Now the strategy is like we. Put a video up now. So that's the viral you put the. Clips online and then you do your show and then, you know, everyone's kind of doing that because that's, you know, accidentally. That's what I found and it and
it and it worked really well. So yeah, that that year was pretty crazy. And that was the year that I came over here in 2017, yeah. So you're now like, what level are you at in terms of like draw inside France, like when you're touring? Well, so the interesting thing and it's like kind of my dilemma in life right now is like, it feels like it feels like I was riding away for a bit and it feels like the waves disappeared and it feels like no one gives a
shit, right? Yeah, I'm selling more and more tickets and bigger and bigger rooms, right? You know, like in, as I said earlier on, like I finished my last show at the arena in Paris, which is like 5000 people. And then when? I go was that like easy to sell? It wasn't easy, but it it, it wasn't like sold out in 2
minutes or anything, but it was. But it was like it felt like, you know how it is like sometimes when you really push, push, push this one, it felt like a like like you were happy with how how you got to the sell out. Yeah, for sure. And then like around the country, the usually the I mean like 1000 or 2000 seat theaters.
So the numbers say that like the, you know, more and more people are coming to the shows, but the, the overall feeling, because I'm, because I'm not doing the TV stuff anymore and because it's like, I feel like in France anyway, I don't know how it works sort of over here. It feels like someone pops. Yeah. And they're like the hot shit for like a year and then somebody else pops and then somebody else pops and you're just trying. They've forgotten you. Yeah, exactly.
Like the, I guess the general media or the general industry are like, Oh yeah, that was a thing. But then. But then somehow through online community, like you're still bringing more and more people. Like, you know, the show that I'm doing here has more people than the previous time I came. And, you know, the same with the Australia tour that I just finished with more people coming to all of those shows. But yeah, it's it's, I'm not in the what's it called the zeitgeist, the.
Yeah, yeah. You're not like, yeah, the the hot star that everybody tells comedy. Let's get this guy. Yeah, exactly. Like it's and then I feel like, yeah, I feel like people pop, people pop, people pop and then you pop and then you just maintain like the the. Goal is to. Maintain whatever you've got. You know, like, that's the hardest part, right? Yeah. To maintain it, yeah. Yeah, well I mean a couple of
things here. 1 is that I was watching re watching Jim Jeffries special recently alcohol across and he talked about how he's like depressed or whatever, but he talked about how the concept of dreams he goes like I have made it further than any point that someone from my looks or intellect should go yeah and his punchline is like, you know what I'm going to do tonight cry myself to sleep. And he talks about like his journeys like oh, when I started I was like, oh, I deserve this
No, I deserve this. Yeah, no, I'm not on TV and I'm fucking depressed and I want. To kill myself. Yeah. And it's kind of like similar, not necessarily obviously an extreme, but like it's like a, isn't it like a symptom of like someone getting bigger in the industry? Probably I think so. You know the thing that. Like we're never happy with where we. Are and the question I get like a lot is like, oh, you know, what's next? I'm like, yeah, there is no this is next.
Like this is like, yeah, if I get to do that in theory, like what I should be doing, what I should be saying is like I'm doing this tour. This is amazing. Yeah. The next is keep to be able to keep doing this. Yeah. But you're always there's always somebody who's further. Yeah, whatever that means higher. Up, whatever that means. Am I going to go for the Yeah, yeah. You know, so you're like.
So I think that, but what you're saying is right is like, you know, that my initial dream or my initial thing was like, can I earn money doing stand up, you know, in Paris? In front of 50 people. But then that happened and then so I'm just making up new shit. But that's but that's what
everything, man. Like, for example, if you look back at 10 years ago, as you said, 50 people would have blown your mind already, like they came to watch me want right now, 30 people be like that should be day one sales minimum. Yeah, right. And then at the same time, the audience them said, look at you like, is that the goal you're aiming for? That's way too low for you? But no, but that was pretty good already. Like, no, but you shouldn't be that. I shouldn't. OK, well.
Because from an audience perspective, like everyone in the entertainment industry, it's like, if you're not famous, like the first person, people not in the industry will be like, oh, are you like, well known? Yeah, I'm like, what does that even mean though? Yeah, I don't like I. Mean if if 1500 people are coming to my show, I guess that means well known, but you you're not going to see a newspaper article about me. Yeah. I mean, back in the day, you would.
But now it's just like I'm, you know, we're having lunch because this is the other thing is like, OK, you go, all right, well, what's the next step? Bigger theaters. What's the next step? TV show, What's the next step? I'm in a film, whatever. But then I'm very conscious of the fact that if I get, you know, if, if you see like a Ricky Gervais, for example, you go cool. But if I if I become that we couldn't have had lunch today in a place that we had lunch. You just can't do that anymore.
Get mopped and then yeah, yeah. It's just like we couldn't even do this because the manager was. Like hey why are you doing it for free you dumbass. Or like the manager and is talking then to the agent who's talking to the thing. And then like, even though we know each other exactly, then it's like, oh, you know, you know, because someone's taken over my social media so you can't get in touch with me anymore because it's my fucking community managers. Like who's this Muhammad guy? Yeah.
Do you know what I mean? Like it's. It would be yeah, yeah, I lose control and I don't want that either. Do you know what I mean? I. Don't want that exactly. I mean, I put it. Yeah, you don't want to like your friends. Like, like you might have not even known that I'm here until like, I reached out. Exactly. I forgot it, which is fine, but like we didn't even communicate as you said because you're like like and you would have missed out on catching up with an old. Friend. Exactly.
Because of all these players, I was watching the Avicii documentary on Netflix. I don't know if you watch that one. Is that more? Is that recent? It's very recent, like last year. Or earlier, because it was a documentary. I feel like 10 years just after he died, there was a thing that came out this. Is a new one and it's honestly, it's celebrating his life more and it's a lot of recordings that he has done with his real
voice. But one of the things, pretty much the biggest thing that stood out for me was basically what we're saying, He said he thought he made it once he start stopped worrying about how much the cap is to the next gig. Yeah, yeah. And he said right after that moment, it was all the same. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Which is, I mean, crazy, but that's the thing with everyone, like even Bill Gates said what? The burger tastes the same, you
know? And then after a while you're like, it's the same burger, dude. Yeah, I could have $1,000,000 in my bank account. It's still the same damn burger. And I, I agree with you on that. Because like, that's the problem of someone that's in it versus people around. Like, why wouldn't you want to do this big theaters? I'm like, yeah, that'll be awesome. But there's a price to pay, which is if I'm doing those theaters, I have to be at the
level of that. And then I've got people mobbing me. For example, like let's say Kevin Hart, he's huge, right? He can sell out easily like that. However, he also, like you said, conscious, you know, walk down the street. But all right, you know, I'm just going to go walk like, no, no, no, they're they're taking photos of you. What's he wearing? What's he doing?
And then at the same time you make a tweet, you get in trouble immediately because the world's watching you and every word matters where it's like, let's say if you said something, the chances are then getting offended so much that you're on the news is not as high as no. One cares because the news are going to be like this half famous comedian.
Trying to hard. Country on the other side of the world and said something that no one gives a shit like it's and and that's it's kind of it's kind of a sweet spot to be in.
You know, it's because, because I see obviously my wife who works with me as well, But then she, you know, she's already, you know, she already feels awkward when we both go out of the house together and we go to like to the, to the supermarket, whatever, because she's like, if somebody spots you, like, I don't want people to think, Oh, Paul Taylor's with this fat, ugly bitch, you know, because she thinks bad of herself like that. I'm like, no one's thinking that. Don't worry about it.
But so it's already affected her. And then, like my daughter who's at school, like, I don't want it to have, you know, she's already gonna get made fun of in France because she's half English. First of all, it's like, oh, yeah, you're English, blah, blah, blah, France, England, whatever. But then also it's like, oh, your dad's not funny. So I don't want her, you know,
it's just like this weird. So you're conscious of all of this as well as you are like thinking of your career, Like would you, would you not take an opportunity, like a big opportunity? Easy for us to say assume here all hypothetical, but would you actually like, let's say you're yeah, offered a movie that would put you on a like, you know, a household name in France. Would you be conscious of all of this when you are making this decision? Probably not. Yeah, that's the thing.
Like The thing is, is like as much as I'm like, yeah, I don't want that life. Like if it comes like I feel like if it if it happened, no one's knocking on my door right now, but if they were then you just go fuck it. You like you only live once, Like what? You know what I mean? Like. You always wonder, like, what if, you know, if I did, you never know and your whole life, right?
Yeah. I think that's again one of those things that you have to think, OK, I believe I read a book somewhere where this guy that used to be on The Beatles peed or something, right. He was on the in The Beatles. You got kicked. That original drummer? Yeah, the. Original drummer, yeah, right. And his whole story is that he got depressed and unhappy and. Oh yeah, it's the subtle I'm not giving a fuck that book Yeah. So basically talks about him getting kicked out.
And initially he was really upset, but eventually he actually, I know that all the problems that The Beatles had, he's like, you know what, I'm glad I'm not in that man. I actually enjoy my family and I'm. Very happy there, you know, and. I think that's one of those things where honestly it's, it's, I find the more I do, the more you're like, yeah, you know what?
It's at both ends. When you work with, let's say rich families, rich people, they've got their own problems because like now everywhere they go, they have to make sure they're wearing Gucci's and stuff. And here I just put on the whatever I want to wear. Exactly. And I think that's the issue is that kind of like, but you're kind of like, but what if I never do it? I'll always wonder what it's like. Yeah. You know, So it's that leap of faith.
The same with the comedy, man. Like if you didn't take that open mic spot, you could have been very different. Yeah. You know, and I think as, as comedians ourselves, a lot of our job requires us to take those leaps of faith. Even with the joke. We're like, well, I'm just gonna say it and see what happens. Yeah, Yeah, yeah. Send our nature to like, be like, yeah. If it comes, I'm gonna give it a shot. Yeah, well, and that's the thing. Like, you know, we.
I've always, we've always joked to my wife, you know, we're like, Oh yeah, we'd love, we'd loved a house in Corsica, which is like an island off of France where she spent her all her summers as a kid because her grandfather was Corsican. But, you know, it's like it's one of those things where the place costs like 3 million or whatever.
She's like, oh, all you need to do is like a film, you know, if you do a film and you're like a, a main character in a film or whatever, then, oh, we could do it. I'm like, yeah, yeah. But you know, but then we, we half joke about it. Like, I've been in a couple of films in France, but they're like, you know, stupid small roles or whatever. But yeah, it's a really fascinating dilemma, but it's it's so interesting also.
Like before a listener or someone watching this or listening to this, looking at your life from the outside. Like I actually just pulled up your post that you posted a few days ago. About 10 years ago, you quit your dream job from Apple to become a comedian and you are now selling out shows in Australia, New Zealand. In 2015, you would have never thought you would be performing to thousands of people outside the world.
And this is 3 days ago. Yeah, I'm cut to you now, going like, I don't know, man, You know what I mean. Like because I'm. Watching this like reading this would be like this is amazing. You guys like saving the dream? He's like the most successful and. Then. You know, like, I don't know. Well, yeah. Well, that's yeah, that. I mean, that's always like the, the, the customer facing stuff, yes. And like what's going on internally, 'cause people, I mean, most people don't give a
shit. Like, yeah, you know, you like what's going on behind the scenes. And so, yeah, like some of the stuff is interesting. The behind the scenes we go, you know, I'm not obviously no one has, you know, the the perfect day.
But yeah. And that's like when I was in, in finishing off the Australian tour and even coming here now, I'm just like, like trying to remember that as much as I hate like some of the background shit that goes on that like drives me crazy that ultimately I'm very lucky to be able to be in this apartment right now in the middle of Hong Kong on a Tuesday afternoon before I do a show this evening. Like I'm getting paid to do this, like to be here.
So like, well, you're not going to pay to do this one, but. I don't like. I might not. Yeah, yeah. Oh, you told me. What now you're finding? Out. That's why you paid for lunch. OK, now I get it. Yes. So yeah, like, it's it, you know, it's I'm in a very privileged position as well. But then you just have the demons in your head going, well, could it be better? Am I doing the right thing? That's what I was asking you because like.
You because you're in a bigger like, I guess like whatever, a few steps ahead of me. I'll speak for myself. Don't you think it's just like a symptom of the industry anyway, because it seems I'm thinking exactly the same looking at you. I'm like, I wish I could be. And you're like, I'm like look at you and you're like, well, I can be. I wish I could, you know, I'm sure. Even Ricky Gervais. Has the same thoughts about like where where the fuck where do you?
Go looking at like I want to be in Hong Kong. What the hell man? He's thinking like oh shit, I wish. So I can just have lunch and hunt. Yeah, Yeah. Well, there you go. So I think. So I think, well, maybe that's it. Maybe that's you. You aim, you aim, you aim, you get bigger and bigger or whatever. Yeah, whatever that whatever getting bigger means.
Do you know what I mean? Like in theory, it's just like what the, you know, if you're well known, whatever that means, Yeah. And then when you're at that stage you go fuck, I really wish I could just want to have lunch with my friend. At the place. That we used to like 15 years ago, but I'm gonna get mobbed if I do that. So So you have to have the kind of money where you could book. Up the whole place.
Well, I just listened. To a podcast with Ed Sheeran, who had to build well, he had to he chose to build in his back garden in England like a pub, like a proper like really 60 seat a pub because he was saying that like, you know, for a while when I would come back to this little town where he grew up, he'd go out with his friends at the local pub. But then, you know, the media got a. Hold of it. And so he would get mobbed and his friends were like, dude, all I want is to have a beer with
you. Like, I don't want to, I don't want to be here like when people are taking photos, like. And so he built a pub in his back garden to invite like his friends and close family and whatever. So they could still have the thing but not have the paparazzi or people be like, how can I take a yeah, so but I think that's, you know, he's touring the world doing the stadium show. That's crazy. He he's not like he's he is just show. I don't even know what they what I I can't even imagine.
Well, I can't imagine because I like I've watched the pink documentary where she was travelling with her kids. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, and. You know, like. They finish the show and then they go back to the hotel and she's looking after the kids. She's mum again. Yeah, Yeah. As soon as the show's finished. It's bizarre. It's yeah, it's it's bizarre, but it's, it just, it's really normal. It's like, you know, when I I mean, I've been away from home
for like, 2 1/2 weeks. So I get home on Saturday and Sunday's Mother's Day in France. So on the Saturday, Dad now. Yeah. So on Saturday, jet lag, I have to figure out how to get my wife out of the house because I've bought her some presents from here. Like a card that I'm going to have to get my daughter to make the card to be like, right, draw the card for mummy. It's Mother's Day, blah, blah, blah. We've also got like a, a friend's.
I would you call it birthday, like a one of my daughter's friend's birthdays on the Sunday. It's just like, it's an intense weekend. Just like. All right, I'm back to being Dad. Yeah. I'm back to, to, to, to, to, to the duties. Yeah, I think that's also like. Because I don't know who who said it, like something like comedian or whatever. You were also talking about, like how, oh, it was Jim Gaffigan because that's five kids.
Yeah. And he talked in many interviews about how much his kids think his kids think he's lame, which is really. Yeah, every very grounding. And to them, he's just like this older guy or whatever he makes, like, whatever Jokes. Yeah. And it's actually cool looking at you as, like, a young dad or looking at him talking about it. It's like, it's really like it counters or like, if it gets in your head a little bit and you go back and your daughter's like, well, you gotta sit on the
floor and draw with me now. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Hey. But. This like. Paparazzi. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, and. Yeah, that's exactly. That's like, I feel like it's more of a more of a thing that we need as comedians as well is to is to still live life. And yeah, because that's what we talk about right Where? And the thing in France, what's kind of weird is like the famous comedians over there, they're like proper stars and they behave like stars as well. They dress too nice to be on
stage. You know, they, they, I don't, I can't relate to they're getting. Their like they're getting their. Like Mercedes vans to pick them up with their fucking. You know, like with a bodyguard. Yeah, it. Feels like they're a movie star and they'll cause a lot of them do movies as well. But you're just like, dude, like, what are you? Like how how do you relate to the person who's from the random town in France and, and, and make fun of yourself when you're
dressed like that? Yeah, you'll be too good for them. Yeah. Exactly so. It's funny you mentioned Jim Gaffigan because yeah, like it's like he even like Louis CK 'cause he had two daughters, you know? And it was like, yeah, at some point it's like it's real life 'cause you just have to go to school. Yes, and drop your kids off and you still have to interact with the teachers or the other parents. You still have to go to like the the end of year dance, the
thing. Yeah. And then so you're interacting with other parents and it's awkward. You know, it's just like, yeah, you, you have to you, you agree over there. Yeah, exactly. And that. And I think that also I I understand if you're a musician or if you're an actor like you, you, you don't want to do that nor do you need to like, because no one knows who you are. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, because no one knows who you deeply. But as comedians, we share our lives. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And so if we're talking. About oh the. Other day I was, you know, doing this and that and the other if your other day doing this, that and the other is cool. Yeah, it yes. School. It's relatable. But if it's like I was at this award ceremony, blah, blah, blah, it's like, all right, all right, mate. Calm it down here. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Yeah, You kind of lose that. Yeah. As you said, you can't relate to them because the person buying the ticket is like an average person, right?
So if you lose that touch of how can I relate to the audience, then it's kind of over. And we know a lot of examples of that. Like, you know, famous comedians who now talk about stuff that, like, you as a regular viewer, you're like, what the fuck is he on about? Yeah. Like, he's like, are you talking about, like, rich people problem, famous people problems? Like it's not. It's not relatable. Anymore and that's not how you started.
When you look at Seinfeld, as much as I like him back then 30-40 years ago, and it's like, have you ever noticed this and that? And in his last couple of specials, it did feel a little out of touch. It did feel like he's talking about you've seen whatever the homeless people or whatever he's doing for you and you feel like. OK, you're not. You're not living the same thing. So we are living anymore. Yeah, But you mentioned Ed Sheeran earlier.
I might have mentioned this on the podcast before. I have a buddy back in Shanghai. Ed Sheeran came a few years ago to play the Mercedes-Benz Arena, the biggest arena in pretty much all of China. And my buddy Chris, who actually does stand up as well, he went to school with with Ed Sheeran. No way. Pretty well no. Way, yeah, but Chris is. Also kind of like he is very
like I would say airhead. He's just like not interested in a lot like as he lives in a very small bubble and he knows Ed Sheeran very well and he doesn't know how big his career is at all, really, right? Because to him it's just Ed, the guy who is like now does music. Yeah, yeah, yeah. For Chris, Ed just does music right. It's good though to. Have those people.
Around you like at Ed level to be like my closest friends are the ones that made me, you know the like that I was at university with this like they're still my best friends when I go back to the UK and we like we barely talk about what I do like we just we shoot the shit as if we're just you know, as if nothing sort of changed because because we still can like we can still go to the and we can still do that kind of stuff and hopefully that'll never change.
Sharon got in touch with. Chris when he came to Shanghai, right? And Chris having no fucking idea how big he is, he goes, hey, man, I'm doing a gig. And he goes like, is it in the pub? Like, do you want me to bring my friends? Like you want me to like spread the word around? And Ed is like, I'll be fine. And he goes, OK, should I buy a ticket to support you? He's like, I'll put you in the guest list. And he said. It's a Mercedes-Benz arena. But Mercedes-Benz actually has
smaller venues, OK? And Chris went fully convinced it is one of those, like you say, Mercy is Benz Caracone. You like grow up in London? Yeah, outside of London. He say grow up in London. Yeah. So he was like, it's Mercy Benz. It's probably like one of the shitty bars outside, right? Goes there, realized he had sold out the arena. Yeah. And he still had no idea. He's a friend. That's crazy. He also asked him if he wants. A couch to sleep on. Amazing.
But then yeah. Just like to him, it's just his friend. Yeah. He's just like, oh, Edison Tower, like, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's super. Cool. Man. Well. I mean I put. It this way, the one last thing I shared with you, I remember that idea. You said you need $3,000,000 together. What's the place in Coco, Cuso, whatever. Corsica. Corsica. Yeah, that's what it's attitude. All right, so. Here's the idea. Yeah, okay, so you need $3,000,000, but you don't want the fame that comes with it.
Yeah, my recommendation is this. You have a lot of inside information for Apple that you worked over there. Yes, that's the thing I don't but. You write a. Show with a lot of those sprinkled into it. Yeah. Have only one short clip that you put online, Apple. Like threaten Apple. But oh, by the way, I'm gonna do this tour. We're in books on all these places now and they pay me off you. Yeah. Exactly, yes. And NDA, no one ever needs to know about this.
Take that video off that you have the $1,000,000. You're famous. Nobody knows that you are famous. And then I got the money. You're in. You're doing that. Your wife's happy, you're walking in the supermarket. They're like, aren't you the guy that does the bit about the kissing on the face? You're like, yes, they don't know about the alphabet. Yeah, yeah. It's a win, win thing. You're still doing shows where let's say 5000 maximum of 50 people.
You continue that life. Your daughter thinks you're still lame. Life is good. And you go back home and I'm like, hey, how's the couscous? They live in couscous. Couscous right over there. Man, that sounds like a good plan. I wanna ask you that the most like. Probably like annoying and frustrating question to end with. What's next for you, Paul? The show tonight is. Next. OK. Yeah, by the time this comes out, this is. In like 2 weeks, Yeah.
So we have killed it. You got multiple standing ovations. Amazing. You did a. Crowd surf thing. Which is crowd surf. Yeah, yeah. Had some hookers backstage. Champagne was flowing. Yeah, it was. It was not alcoholic. For both of us, yeah, yes. Well, yeah, this tour like goes until like the end of next year or not the end of next year, sorry, the middle of next year. So like in OK, so we're recording in May. So you're on the road, basically, Yeah, kind of like I've, I'm, I'm.
Once I'm finished this, I'm back home for three weeks and then it's the US and Canada for like 5 weeks. I come back from that for like the month of August and then September is like all of Europe, not France. And then January, February, March is the like France, the French like. And this is all It's 100% in English, yeah. Still 100% in English. And then I don't know. I'll either I, I don't know.
It's either I carry on or I do like a second tour with the same show maybe potentially, or if they're like, oh, it's probably better if you have a new show, then maybe I'll start doing a French show. I don't know. The the the the next, the immediate next is stage. Like this is it's what I do and it's it's I enjoy stand up. Like, yeah, yeah. Yeah, right. Shows to work, yeah. And then if something.
Comes of that, you know, like ATV project there's The thing is like what also what's next is really difficult to establish. Like a couple of months ago I got involved. I was in an episode of Top Gear, but the French Top Gear. Oh fine. So that was cool like I know you know I couldn't I could never planned for that yes yes. Do you know what I mean? So then that what did you do on top key like I? Was I was like. So the French, they they've just hired 3 new presenters.
It's kind of like what the UK went through where the pre presenters there was a bit of controversy. Yes, they hired 3 new guys and one of the episodes is basically the UK like the the King Charles has like sent over a person to quality control these three to make sure that they're so I put them through a bunch of challenges to make sure they're apartment to host the the the French, the French Top Gear. That's cool. Obviously you're in such a
unique position. As an English guy, like living in French speaking and and being an entertainer, that's super cool. So and that's. Kind of the thing where, you know, like 6 months ago you could have never, no one could. I could have never gone. Oh, my next thing I want to do a Top Gear is like somebody called me, you know, a contact from a contact. He was like, we're filming Top Gear next week and we really want you to be in this episode because we've got an English
thing. I'm like, are you kidding me? Like it's the show that I grew up with. Absolutely. So it's, I think like to answer the question, like the what's next is whatever happens. Yes, yes, you know, like I'll, I'll keep doing my thing, which is stand up and doing the online stuff and whatever comes to that comes to that. If if I, if I'm doing this in 20 years, like ultimately I'm happy.
And then if other stuff comes of it, whether it's film, TV hosting, whatever it is like it's just added bonus basically amazing. Thank you so much for. Doing this thank you guys for having me this is amazing. A couple of things. One is how do people find you online? And two, we're about to record the Patreon, but we'll do that How do people find you online? First, online you have to. Type in Paul Taylor and then comedy because there's so many Paul Taylors that there's like a
jazz musician. There's a dance company called Paul Taylor. So it's Paul Taylor comedy. Are you the most famous one? I think it depends on the region. Like if you type in Paul Taylor in in Europe, Yeah, I think I'm probably the first one that comes up right over here. It's probably the dance company cuz I think yeah, just like Sir. Google Paul Taylor. Google, but just Paul Taylor. You might have already googled. Me. Oh yeah. True. Yeah, yeah, yes. In history, yes. Wait, can you?
Do can. You do? Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. OK, let's do it. Let's tell people, so where else? All of the social media. Stuff TikTok, Instagram comedy, Paul Taylor comedy, Paul Taylor comedy on all of the things. OK, so we're Googling. Paul Taylor on and you are in Chinese as well. Rebecca, can you read this? Bolo Thai huh? You are that. What is it? Bolo Thai. Oh, Bolo Thai Khan, I think. Yeah, Bolo Thai Khan. That's amazing. Oh wow, There you. Go I like this. Paul Taylor, Italia.
That's the clothing brand, Taylor. OK, so yeah, I'm. Still number. One that's good. OK, good. Nice. Sorry, not bad. That's amazing, yeah. OK, so on the Patreon. Did I tell you do Patreon? It's like 15 minutes. Great. I love it. I'm on Patreon. As well. Oh, you can find me on Patreon. Oh, there you go. What is? What do you do on Patreon? Well, so I was I. Used to do like a live every Monday so I'd sit in front of I would have a beer. I remember that. Yes, yes.
And then I. Would do like an extra hour for the Patreon crew. Now I've stopped doing the live stuff. I do just like like a little exclusive behind seen videos where I'm like, hey, I'm like I'm on tour, whatever, like and and I chat to them and how do people find we'll put all of. This in the show at patreon.com. Slash Paul Taylor. Great. OK, so on the Patreon. I want to, like, pick on something that we talked about over lunch. That Dave Chappelle thing made me crack up.
So. So you have had you have had to open for him a few times in Paris. Yeah. And you can't. Sounds like I was forced like you've. Had you've had to open for it yesterday? I mean you. So Chapelle would like you to open a map. Done on Tuesday. No, there's a club with 50. People that need me Mercedes-Benz are reading my ass. But they're funny. They like. You're telling me over lunch a few times you try to do this thing when you, like, want to hang out with him, and somehow
every time it just went wrong. Yeah, and it was. But there's also some information that we should probably not do it anyway. So I think it's safer on the Patreon. Yes, that's what I'm are we is that oh. We so we're we're is that is that is that, is that how you're promoting A patron? Correct. Here's my Dave Chappelle story. Yes, yes, yes, exactly you. Guys know what's up man, I like it. Of course.
So we're gonna, Yeah, we're. Gonna go on the patron for your Dave Chappelle story, which is very, very entertaining. So join us in the patronpatron.com/opod. Paul, thank you so much for joining us. I appreciate it. We'd love to have you here. Next time. Because my friend. Yesterday told me there's two ways in Cantonese to say thank you. One is it being given to you. One is like, yeah, I'm goy and daughter. What's the What's the first one? I'm goy. I'm going. Is that good?
Is that what I would say now to say thank you? No, if you were. Speaking, you wouldn't say thank you at all. Oh, fuck you. Yeah, exactly. There you go, it's. Much better, yeah. They did nothing for you that you have to thank. Them, man Okay, alright. Well, you did. You invited me onto the podcast. No, you could tell me. You wouldn't tell the camera. Then oh them because them OK. Yeah, you see, like the transaction I'm going. Yeah, you can. See that? Yeah, exactly.
Yeah, but. Then again, with the with the poor action, I don't feel, I don't feel the sincerity over there. Thank you for watching. No, that's all good. I think you would. Go in like torte as in like, you know, thank. Thank you so much Like I didn't I didn't really owe you anything. I didn't give you something where I shouldn't have accent. Yeah, whatever. OK, so look at your your. Middle camera here and go. Yeah, what am I saying, Torte? Torte all. Right.