Cultural Life: Tim Key, comedian - Features - Comedy - The Independent

Comedy

Tim Vine's off the scale. Exhaustingly funny. For his Chat Show, his guests are plucked from his audience. He gives them the big build-up, hauls them up and then interviews them. Well, sort of. He mainly does jokes based on their name, profession and whatever other details they can squeeze out, in between his stunning wisecracking. Inclusive, hilarious mayhem.Books

Ross Raisin is amazing. He wrote God's Own Country, which was splendid. Waterline is even better. A beautifully realised nightmarish vision of a man's descent to rock bottom. It killed me.

Music

I'm touring at the moment. My tour manager has Spotify on his phone. He drives, I hunt down pleasant tunes. Shiniest gem so far has been Eartha Kitt's version of "The Girl from Ipanema". A voice so chocolatey you want to feast on it. If that's not possible, just listen to it whilst eating an XL bacon double-cheeseburger on the M11.

Film

I only just watched Submarine on DVD. I read – and loved – the book. But Richard Ayoade's a very wise oyster and his directorial debut is beautifully done. Sally Hawkins is ridiculously good in it. I haven't been to the cinema recently. I'm considering cancelling a tour date to watch Looper.

'Tim Key: Masterslut', touring to 13 November; then 15 to 24 November, Arts Theatre, London WC2 (www.theinvisibledot.com)

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