MY STRUGGLES ARE LAUGHING MATTER..

Anything can be a joke if you're decent at heart

- BY CIARA O'LOUGHLIN

AL PORTER says he has no fear as a stand-up comedian, saying anything can be joked about once you're decent at heart.

After his career derailed for six years following sex allegations, he says he feels freer to be funny now.

He doesn't tip-toe around cancel culture, saying no subject should be off the table, once you've put the work in and it’s funny without being hurtful.

Al told the Irish Mirror: “Tommy Tiernan is a good example of that. He's put his foot in it a few times, but we know he's coming from a good, decent, kind place, and he’s just having fun.

“I want people to feel that release of, ‘Oh thank f**k some-one’s having a laugh’ about this stuff that makes us tense.

“I love finding a way to talk about anything without being mean-spirited.

“The example I use is the trans stuff. I do jokes about my trans friends that includes them, that are honest.

“I have a friend from home who is a black trans man in Tallaght. Let’s not pretend that isn't comedy gold.

"I tell him I'm going to write a song about him: Come out ye black and trans. It's the spirit you approach it with."

Al believes he can be more himself now, and tell jokes perhaps he wouldn't have before, since he’s not connected to a radio or TV station.

He said: “I'm not a part of the establishment, I'm not kind of holding out hope that I'll get on TV or radio, so I've never been more of just one of the normal people. I don't have to give a f**k about sponsors or producers or anything like that. So I can talk about anything I want."

SHED