Style over substance

While most stand-up comedians sport lighthearted routines that
actually flow, Dylan Moran takes a more schizophrenic style. His
wandering mouth covers a spontaneously discovered range of topics,
from the inherent stupidity of children to a tirade about religion,
as he all the while sips on a large glass of wine and drags on a
cigarette. Moran never stays on one idea for more than a few
moments, but jumps around from thought to thought in a way that has
been described as resembling stream of consciousness.

“My material came from hanging around Dublin bars,”
Moran said. “I saw a few stand-up acts 10 years ago and was
actually impressed. I was expecting a half-assed bunch of
ex-university people knocking around.”

But for Moran, the decision to be a comedian was, much like his
act, spur of the moment. Before he began trying to make people
laugh, Moran had a set, but very unproductive, way of life.

“I really just wanted to smoke a lot of weed and write
terrible poetry,” Moran said. “It’s really no
more complicated than that I suddenly started getting
paid.”

However, this seemingly smooth transition into the world of
comedy has led Moran to far more exciting things than he knew
before. Now a well-traveled man, Moran has transformed from an
unknown scruffy poet into a somewhat-known scruffy comedian.

“I had a great time in New York, and I have also been to
Paris and just got back from Scandinavia,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to coming to Los Angeles. I have
already been there twice, but not for stand-up. I was also very
drunk and don’t remember much about it.”

Moran’s recent travels have offered him the chance to
perform before a wide variety of different cultures, often with
different results. After his gig in New York, Moran found that the
American perception of comedy is far different than the ones
overseas.

“The culture in Britain is far more hostile than it is
here,” Moran said. “You will definitely be shouted at
more in Europe, while Americans seem to be slightly more fearful of
interjection.”

Despite some yells he may have met with in Europe, Moran’s
relaxed, almost crude attitude has made his comedy readily
adaptable to many different roles. After gaining ground as a
comedian, Moran also appeared briefly in the movie “Notting
Hill” and played a much larger role in “Shaun of the
Dead.”

“I am really up for anything as long as it doesn’t
involve farm machinery or livestock,” Moran joked dryly.
“I don’t pursue anything. I get calls from lunatics to
do “˜a hot new project’ with what is most likely the
lowest budget in recording history.”

Moran, who has dubbed Richard Pryor as his greatest comedic
influence, uses the wit of his own random thoughts to bring a
relaxing air to his often shockingly cynical humor.

Though the casual demeanor generated by his wine and cigarette
may seem to connote “improv,” Moran does put a certain
amount of planning into his act.

“There are many ad-libs. I know what I am going to say, I
just don’t know what order it will happen (in),” he
said.

In addition to a distinct lack of cohesion, Moran’s
material is mostly pessimistic, dry and critical of the world at
large and the smaller details it contains. Nothing is safe and
everything is fair game.

“It comes from anywhere and everywhere,” Moran said.
“I don’t sit around thinking, “˜Oh, this is
funny,’ or, “˜Oh, that is funny.’ I just see if
what is on my mind has any currency. It’s not like material
is a present left by the stand-up fairy.”