My new regular blog is here:

www.chrismayo.tumblr.com

Hello again,

Hello,

Well, after enough backwards and forwards-ing to various blog sites, i've decided it's easier and quicker to just host it on my website, so here is my new blog, ready to be read, ignored, laughed at, laughed with or whatever your activity of choice may be for it.

I write to you now as an ill man, my nose is sniffling and i've just eaten four eclairs. The latter brought on by the former in an attempt to cheer myself up. I hate colds with a passion but my girlfriend Nicki lovingly donated it to me as some sort of snotty token of love. As a self confessed hyponcondriac, I feel at my worst and most reflective when I have a cold, there's something about being all bunged up and groggy that makes me feel closer to death. Of course, if I thought logically, any moment is bringing me closer to death, so I should probably not blame my cold, and just get on with it.Well it's winter, what else is there to do than think about the ice cold weather and my inevitable demise.

I was reading an article the other day from the Guardian website, about how a Cambridge University geneticist claims in the future the human lifespan may reach 1000 years. For some that is their idea of hell, for me, it is massively exciting. Of course, the chances of that happening are realistically slim, but it would be pretty fun. Am I the only person that thinks, ok, well I have 70 years left on this planet, better get some work done? Maybe 70 is being optimistic, though apparently optimistic people live longer, so let's stick with it.

If you are curious, click here for the article

From the ages of 0-15, nothing really matters to us on a important level, we feel we will be young forever, and everything is fine. Now I know I can grow a beard and have bills to pay things are a little bit more serious. Sure I could shave and save a little money, but that is beside the point.

Doing comedy is a great escape from 'real life' and partly why I do it, you always feel young and playful, and are distracted from the serious things. The same can be said for eating too many sweets and watching Spongebob Squarepants, but at least comedy is work, sort of.

Last week I did some work as a stand in on the new X-Men film (XMen: First Class). I was a stand in for new character Banshee, played by Caleb Landry Jones (No Country for Old Men). Being part of a film, again, is a great escape, though of course, being on set, you immediately lose the magic of film. Whilst rehearsing Kevin Bacon hit his head on a wall, it was at that point I thought, "oh no, not even Hollywood actors are invincible!" Another dagger in my childhood heart.

Being paid to stand in on set while the crew set up shots, then sit and eat all day long and watch big scenes be filmed is pretty good fun. The previous week I was an actor in a "Which?" advert, with lines and everything, far from the rogue head banging of Kevin Bacon, but we all start somewhere right?

My week ended with a gig in Poole, a few days after the snow chaos that hit the UK. The entire country seems to shut down. God help us if we ever get snow on a Sunday, we won't be able to get anywhere, and if we do end up getting out, there will be fuck all to do. "This modern, free thinking, top of the range fashion shop must close today for it is chilly and the Lord wants me to sleep". So says the consumer code.

Needless to say 100 braved the icy conditions and made it to the Lighthouse Arts Centre. A totally bizarre gig, that ended up being a 3.5 hour marathon of comedy. The headliner was running late, and the audience were getting restless, anyone would have thought they were in the Jeremy Kyle studio waiting for the results of a DNA test, some people even stormed out they were that impatient. So, as compere, I was told, I would have to "fill" words that no comedian wants to here. I ended up doing about 25 minutes of material, mostly improvised or new, having already done my best stuff. It was a liberating feeling, knowing I was stood in front of of 100 people who were waiting for the headliner, but who had to get through me first. Like a bouncer at a strip club, I held them back from the main course. Nonetheless, it went very well, and I was cheered and applauded with the blitz spirit high in the room. Those people that left will never know what they missed out on but at least they got their cars out before the car park closed.

I appreciate I haven't really moaned or complained in this blog, is this a new sign of things to come? Probably not. Christmas is coming soon, and I've got three presents. Can't we all just accept that we love our family's, do we really need a mammoth amount of food, drunk relatives, wallet-busting presents and enough chocolate to make the Easter Bunny spunk on his tummy fluff? We do? Oh ok, well, as you were then.

Merry Christmas one and all.

In gig news, I am currently working on my first solo show for various festivals next year, including Edinburgh.

I'm doing my first run through in London on the 8th February and would love you to be there. Check out the gig list for upcoming shows and whatnot, hope to see you at a gig soon.

Bye for now
Chris x