He starts by striking up a ‘friendly’ chat with a front-row audience member. Then, with his biting sarcasm, he completely demolishes his chosen victim. The audience roars with laughter; they’re loving it. For Liverpool comedian Paul Smith, this is exactly the goal. So how did he build his career and what has his journey been like? Find out more at liverpoolski.com.
How It All Began
For Liverpool-born Paul Smith, his comedy career is said to have begun in 2006 when he signed up for a four-week stand-up comedy course. He explains it was a drastic measure to overcome his chronic shyness – something akin to a bungee jump for building confidence. From that moment on, Smith was a changed man, feeling completely at home on stage.
Our hero, as he admits himself, wasn’t a natural-born comedian. While he now confidently works the crowd, making them laugh, back then the most he could manage was a modest joke among friends. Smith took the course at the Rawhide Comedy Club under the tutelage of master of the stage, Chris Cairns. His debut performance was met with applause from an audience of three hundred, and he even received some encouraging feedback in a letter.
Even before this, Paul had occasionally shown his comedic side, making jokes online. He also tried to make a name for himself as an actor, appearing in a TV series about comedians. The concept was to pit one generation of comics against another. However, by his own admission, it was a wholly negative experience, so he returned to Liverpool to lick his wounds.
After that, the comedian decided to focus on performing in his hometown, and Hot Water Comedy Club became his second home. For a while, he worked as the compère, but the Liverpool stand-up also began putting on solo shows. Their success was phenomenal—something incredible not just for England. The club went on to become the largest in the UK and even in Europe, but more on that later.
Many of his colleagues influenced Smith the comedian, but he singles out two in particular. The first was the aforementioned Chris Cairns, his course tutor. In the early stages of his career, Paul learned a great deal from him. The second is Toby Hadoke, although he is a very political comedian, a subject Smith stays away from. Smith didn’t copy Hadoke’s topics or style but rather emulated his effortless stage presence.
Videos of Smith’s performances went viral online and changed the course of his career. Initially, he was hesitant to have them posted, but he later realised it was the right move. That’s how Paul became a stand-up comedy star.
So, what makes his performances special? And how do the audience members he ruthlessly mocks feel about it?
Paul Smith’s Unique Comedy Style
By 2024, Smith was already very well-known thanks to his show ‘Pablo’, his funniest to date. He is touring various cities with the show, which is advertised as a jaw-achingly funny experience that will have you rolling in the aisles from start to finish.
So what causes such a reaction?
It all starts with innocent questions to a chosen victim, usually in the front row: “Hello mate, what’s your name? What do you do for a living?” After that, the stand-up needs nothing more. He immediately has a plan to destroy his conversational partner with sarcasm. But Paul insists it’s not malice or harshness, but rather cheekiness. To prove it, Smith advises watching videos of his performances more closely.
Smith’s family often features in his stories. He claims this happens with their consent, as the comedian discusses his material with them. His loved ones have no objection to being characters in his witty performances. His wife usually comes out on top in these candid tales, so the comedian himself often becomes the butt of the joke. This explains why she is perfectly happy with her role.
Do audience members try to get into the front row to become stars of a viral video? It varies. Often the front seats are empty because some people prefer to laugh at others, not at themselves. In his early stand-up shows, Smith had to come up with ways to entice people into the front row.
On the other hand, some people are desperate to be in the front row so they can brag to their friends about how Paul roasted them. But that’s when the club staff step in to do the opposite. If someone is too keen to sit at the front, they’ll likely be seated at the back. The Liverpool comedian says:
“I’m a very good reader of body language, so I know who is waiting for me and who isn’t.”
And he chooses the audience member who wants it the least.
In real life, however, Smith is completely different – friendly, warm, and charming. He can transform a rowdy crowd into one that is captivated yet well-behaved. Paul is a master storyteller with a knack for a killer punchline. He has a wealth of material and delivers it brilliantly.
Hot Water Comedy Club
Let’s also talk about the main hub for these shows – the Hot Water Comedy Club, located in Liverpool’s Blackstock Market area. In spring 2024, the club opened a new 589-seat venue in a transport depot near the city centre, making it the largest in Europe and the second-largest in the world, after California’s ‘The Laugh Factory’.
It all started more modestly in 2010 when Smith was given a time slot and a space in a nightclub in the Blackstock Market area. As Paul won over audiences, the need for expansion grew, eventually leading to a £7 million investment.
Smith is the biggest star to have emerged from Hot Water. Other stars who have passed through its doors include Adam Rowe, Jamie Hutchinson, and Tony Carroll. Paul believes Liverpool has the strongest collective of comedians in the country, if not Europe. If London disagrees, he suggests they battle for the title in a fair showdown for the hearts of the audience.
Successes and Failures
Paul Smith’s life and career have seen both highs and lows. He was named Liverpool’s Best Newcomer in 2006 but bombed in the semi-final of the ‘So You Think You’re Funny?’ competition. The comedian admits he never performed well in major competitions like that, as his nerves would get the better of him. His greatest competition success was reaching the final of the Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year.
Smith considers his first solo show in Liverpool to be his best gig. He thought no one would turn up, but he managed to sell out the show. Paul’s mum was in the audience, and he succeeded in winning over the crowd, establishing a strong following for his future shows.
Examples of Smith’s jokes in interviews:
– What’s the biggest animal you think you could beat in a fight with no weapons?
– I’ve thought about this more than any other question. A goose.
– What’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve had to go to hospital for?
– The birth of my son. I wasn’t even needed.
According to some journalists, it’s this simplicity of humour that makes Paul Smith’s performances so viral on YouTube, where they rack up views from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands. He has been embraced because he is natural, and also because something genuinely unexpected can happen on stage. Improvising on the spot, knowing only your conversation partner’s profession, is a true art form.
Smith admits that many of his friends are funnier than him. He adds that at a party with mates, he wouldn’t be the star, which might disappoint some people. But the thing is, not everyone can feel confident on stage while simply being themselves. That’s exactly what Paul manages to do, which has made him one of the most prominent comedians of the 21st century in the country. He himself, however, has a more modest view of his success, attributing it to the phenomenal work of the marketers at Hot Water Comedy.
If you’re interested in stand-up and comedy, you might also be interested to learn about an older generation Liverpool comedian, Mick Miller. Another amusing character is the Wrocław stand-up artist, Bartosz Zalewski.