Johnny Vegas reveals Daniel Kitson made him quit stand up

Johnny Vegas revealed the reason behind him quitting stand up was comedian Daniel Kitson! 

Vegas quit stand up 4 years ago when he felt he couldn't stand up(forgive me for that one) against the likes of Daniel Kitson. He also felt it was becoming less of a challenge to win over audiences the more famous he became. As he moved from playing tiny pubs and clubs to theatre he noticed people came to see him more so because they recognised him from the television.

Speaking at the Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival Vegas said 'Kitson is the reason I stopped stand-up.I was getting to the end of my journey anyway, when I did three gigs with him. On the first, I thought, 'This is brilliant, I’ve got to pull my socks up and get my act together.On the second, I felt I’d gone 15 rounds with the comedic Mike Tyson.And on the third, I felt I’d seen comedy take its next evolutionary step. There was no bitterness - but almost a pride in the direction that comedy was going. But I thought I would never have the talent to match that... I'll never rise to that'.

The comic admitted he had mixed feelings when it came to fame, where it gave him security financially and also opened doors it made him less of a comic as he got comfy in his new found fame. His stand up act never transferred to TV 'my stand-up DVD was the worst example of what I did; and I’d hate to be remembered that way’ said Vegas.

However the star also revealed he had not given up on live comedy and would be interested in making a comeback at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival because he needed 'closure' on his stand up. 

Words:Claire Duffy

Story by EI Team | 09:00 | Monday 11th February 2013 | Comedy

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