Simon Donald: The Legacy of Viz and the Power of Swearing

Simon Donald started Viz in a Newcastle bedroom in 1979, created some of British comedy's most enduring characters, and spent years watching people fail to understand why it was funny — including some of the people who tried to put it on television.Simon Donald is a British comedian and co-founder of Viz, the satirical comic magazine that became a cultural phenomenon in the late 1980s and 90s. His creations include Sid the Sexist and Roger's Profanasaurus. After leaving Viz in 2003, he transitioned to stand-up, performing at the Edinburgh Fringe and comedy clubs across the country.What starting an underground comic in a Newcastle bedroom in 1979 actually looked like — and how it became what it becameThe challenges of bringing Viz to the screen — and why translation from page to television is never as simple as it soundsHow the magazine's irreverent humour did and didn't survive contact with the film and television industryWhat stand-up teaches you about timing that comic strip work never quite doesConnect with Simon here:YouTubeFacebookFind us on social media — links on the About page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.