Jamie MacDonald, the celebrated stand-up comedian, recently performed at our all-colleague Connect event at Stirling Court Hotel. Ahead of the event, Michael Donaldson, our Storytelling and Media manager, spoke with Jamie about his journey into comedy.
Diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa at 16, Jamie faced progressive vision loss. In denial, he spent the next ten years trying to live as though nothing had changed.
He recalls: “In my late teens, life took a bit of a turn when I lost my sight. It was already a chaotic time, and losing my vision definitely put the brakes on typical rites of passage, like learning to drive. But I come from a strong, optimistic family – we’ve always been look on the bright side types. I still had four out of five senses, so that wasn’t too bad!
“However, I was in complete denial, and it wasn’t until I was studying law at Aberdeen University that I finally had to admit I couldn’t see properly and needed help. I knew I’d end up having an accident otherwise, so that’s when I started using a white cane. This gave me a level of freedom, but it stripped me of my identity. I’d gone from being Jamie the student to that blind guy over there.”
“After university I kind of drifted from one thing to the next, not sure what I wanted to do, and eventually found myself working in a corporate bank in London. There was a comedy club nearby, and I’ve always loved comedy – my whole family does. I started doing open mic nights for fun. I enjoyed it but didn’t take it too seriously at first. Then the credit crunch hit, and we all got laid off. Looking back, it was probably the best thing that could’ve happened because I knew I wasn’t going back to banking. I decided to give comedy a real go, along with some voiceover work, and slowly started breaking into the industry. Fast forward ten to twelve years, and here I am, a bit further up the ladder, with a wife!”
Now a successful comic, and award-winning radio and TV personality, Jamie explains that he used comedy to take control of his vision impairment and build confidence, turning his vision loss into a strength.
“I realised that if society saw me as different, I might as well embrace it and aim to be extraordinary. Comedy allowed me to reclaim my identity and take ownership of my blindness, giving me the confidence to be more than just that poor guy with a disability."
“In comedy, having a unique selling point is key, especially with how much the scene’s changed. No one’s interested in me talking about sex, politics, or current affairs – there are plenty of people who do that better. What people seem to enjoy is my take on life as a blind person. Like when someone stops me in the street and asks if I need help tying my shoelaces, and I’m like, ‘Thanks for telling me, but I can kneel down just fine.’ Or the time a homeless guy asked for change, then clocked I was blind and said, ‘You’re alright,’ as if not being able to see automatically means I couldn’t possibly have any change on me!
“I like highlighting those everyday moments, as well as the funny products designed for blind people. I mean, I’ve got this insulated, non-slip, anti-spill mug – but who’s sipping champagne from one of those? Most of my material comes from my life. I enjoy everything I do – comedy, radio, TV – but if I had to choose, stand-up is my favourite. The only downside is the travel; UK trains can be a real hassle! That said, TV and radio are great too. Shows like Have I Got News for You are a blast. I enjoy the quick thinking and getting in a good line. Plus, it’s recorded on a Thursday, so I get my weekends back!
“I absolutely loved being on Celebrity MasterChef. It was such a brilliant experience. The episode where I got eliminated – the quarterfinal – I knew I was out, but I didn’t know why until I watched it back myself! Turns out my beef hadn’t rested properly, and my chocolate mousse hadn’t set. Fair enough, really. My favourite dish had to be my “Thighs Wide Shut” – a chicken thigh burger. I even made my own mayonnaise, which was nerve-wracking! For a moment, I thought I’d never buy mayo again, but… well, I have since. The dish was a play on Eyes Wide Shut. I surprised John and Greg by making them wear eye masks so they could taste the food as I do. It added a bit of theatre, and I hope my appearance on the show encourages others with vision impairments to try cooking.”
What makes me happy?
Professionally, it's when a gig goes well. There's nothing better than finishing a great show, having a beer afterwards, and knowing everyone had a fun night. That feeling of everything coming together is hard to beat. On a personal level, my wife recently bought me a tactile chess board, and we’ve been playing quite a bit. I even managed to beat her once – though she was pretty tired at the time! Still, I was delighted. I’ve discovered I’m not very strategic, but it’s a lot of fun regardless.”
Advice: If anyone wants to get into comedy go and do open mic nights, but make sure you write a script. As just because you might be funny in the pub, it’s different going up on stage with a couple of hundred people staring back at you, so be prepared.
Joke: I used to hate my eyes, then I grudgingly accepted them, and now I ultimately enjoy them. I know this sounds significant, but I had the exact same journey with olives.”
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