Fitzdog Radio #1113: Kevin Bridges (October 22, 2025)
Overview
This lively and honest episode of Fitzdog Radio sees comedian Greg Fitzsimmons in a transatlantic hang with Scottish comedy superstar Kevin Bridges. As Kevin tours the US for the first time, the pair dive deep into stand-up, the quirks of the Scottish and American comedy circuits, cultural differences, politics, family, and the wildest gigs they've ever played. Punctuated by heartfelt stories and plenty of hard laughs, the episode is a candid exploration of the comic life, language, and surviving in and out of the spotlight.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Opening Catch-up & Vegas Stories
- Greg updates listeners on his recent state: battling depression, a twisted knee, and the peculiar kindness experienced using a cane or scooter (“Pity is amazing. People go out of their way to treat you nicer ‘cause they feel sad when they look at you.” [04:33]).
- Swapping depression stories for comedy observations, Fitz riffs on Vegas: the overwhelming faux culture, expensive tickets at The Sphere, and the rough variety of crowds.
- Vegas Comedy Crowds: Challenging to work with due to their varied backgrounds; a tense exchange over an abortion joke leads to reflections on audience dynamics and mockery of outrage.
- “I said, it's quantifiably a funny joke, because the other 300 people just laughed." [06:06]
Scottish Accents, TV, and Performing in the US
[16:23–20:15]
- Kevin discusses the transfixing effect his accent has on Americans: “It's got a similar effect on American brains. It's like Adderall. It really makes people pay attention.” [16:23]
- The relative rarity of Scottish accents on TV and the idiosyncrasies of US vs UK regional identity (“People don’t understand Wales here.” [18:19])
- Culture Clash: Greg shares about his experiences with UK hospitality; Kevin reflects on British guns vs US gun culture, reinforcing a running theme of national differences and misunderstandings.
Guns, Rogan, and Range Stories
[20:15–24:39]
- Kevin laughs about UK comics being invited to shooting ranges in Texas and the surreal nature of American gun culture ("We just see guns as PlayStation games." [21:06]).
- Greg shares a wild story of going to a shooting range at 7am with Joe Rogan: “This guy comes out...cowboy hat...four women in lycra shorts and halter tops...they are insane.” [22:00]
- The contrast in approach to safety in the UK vs US (“12 minutes is not enough” for an AK-47 safety briefing. [24:23])
Comedy Trajectories, Scottish Independence, Brexit
[26:05–28:11]
- Kevin unpacks the emotional and political complexity around Scotland’s independence referendum: “In 2014...55% of the country voted no...The question was, should Scotland be an independent country? I voted yes.” [26:31]
- Brexit’s admin headaches ended up dampening Scottish enthusiasm for another bid at independence—“Who can be bothered, right, having to go through all this?” [28:07]
Comedy After Covid; Touring the US
[30:00–32:31]
- Both reflect on the comedy boom post-Covid, with audiences more enthusiastic than ever to be back in clubs and theaters.
- Kevin discusses playing much smaller rooms in the US than in the UK, allowing for experimentation and looser, more topical sets. “It gives you that bit of leeway to mess with the show and keep it topical...I’m probably going home with an extra 20 minutes based on America, based on the shit that’s going on.” [31:54]
Accents: Challenge and Advantage
[32:28–33:55]
- Kevin speaks candidly about his worries breaking into the US due to his accent; had similar experience even in England and would “fake an English accent on the phone” to get booked ("I used to phone them and just do an English accent...Then I would rock up and do the set." [33:08])
- He consciously adapts his style and clarity depending on the audience but is careful not to alienate Scottish fans: “When people start understanding you outside Scotland, people in Scotland are done with you.” [33:44]
Selling Out Arenas, Burnout, and Taking Time Off
[34:06–36:54]
- Kevin talks about his decision to take two years off at his peak: “I stopped enjoying stand up...my dad said, ‘Why don’t you just stop?’...I bought my mom and dad’s house, a speedboat, and a box at Celtic Park. That was it. I cashed in my chips.” [35:44]
- Taking time off and living in Spain led to a creative revival and renewed his love for live performance.
Arena Comedy Dynamics & Imposter Syndrome
[37:18–38:49]
- They discuss the psychology of arena shows: “The imposter syndrome is overwhelming at times, but you go, they don’t see themselves as 12,000 people. Just individual people want to hear what you’ve got to say.” [37:23]
- Greg shares his own arena “learning curve”: you don’t need to be more animated—let the screens do the work.
Stories: Oasis, Family, Stand-Up Origins
[39:10–47:14]
- Kevin’s fandom for Oasis and Noel Gallagher, whom he met backstage: “Probably my son being born and Noel Gallagher dedicating a song [to me].” [41:44]
- Deep dive into Irish, Scottish, and UK familial connections—Kevin and Greg both discuss their Irish roots.
- Kevin shares how his dad accompanied him to his first stand-up gig as a 17-year-old: “Comedy was always me and his thing...he would be delighted that I eventually came to the States.” [57:24]
Saudi Arabia Gig, Middle East Tour Offers
[49:28–53:39]
- Kevin describes being offered (but declining) recent gigs in Saudi Arabia—“They actually pay you the money. It's not a private company, it's the government. That’s the difference.” [49:50]
- Recalls a harrowing early-career set in Saudi for £200, including nearly getting detained at the airport for acne pills mistaken as drugs (“Drug trafficking is punishable by death. So I'm going to get my head chopped off. Never been so grateful to have a spotty face.” [53:08])
Fastballs with Fitz: Comedy War Stories
[62:10–83:36]
- Bizarre openers: “There’s a guy...used to bring a plank of wood, like a two-by-four and set up fruit and veg and start smashing.” [63:07]
- Fistfight tales: performing in prisons, being threatened (“A guy actually stood up during the set...‘Back to my cell’. He was hating it that much. He went back to his cell.” [67:46]); the perils of Scottish hecklers (“I'm gonna kick your cunt in”—explaining the Scottish liberal use of “cunt” and differences in how aggression plays between US/UK crowds [68:53])
- On hacking his early material: “Because I started at 17, the whole set was fairly hack...every comic in Glasgow starts off just talking about how rough Glasgow is.” [81:48]
- How rhyme slang works, colloquialisms, and challenges of being understood as a Scot in America—Kevin even uses an American accent to order things in hotels for ease. (“‘Hey, can I get an iron and an ironing board?’ And they go okay sir, we're just gonna send that right up. It's just—life is so much easier. I'd fucking love to be American.” [76:29])
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Accents:
"It's got a similar effect on American brains. It's like Adderall. It really makes people pay attention."
— Kevin Bridges [16:23] -
On being pitied with a cane:
"Pity's amazing. People go out of their way to treat you nicer ‘cause they feel sad when they look at you."
— Greg Fitzsimmons [04:33] -
On post-Covid comedy:
"People, when you almost—you realize you almost lost something, people get a hunger for it."
— Kevin Bridges [30:40] -
On arenas vs. clubs:
"The imposter syndrome is overwhelming at times...they don’t see themselves as a crowd of 12,000 people—they’re just individual people."
— Kevin Bridges [37:23] -
On Scottish independence & Brexit:
"...The question was, should Scotland be an independent country? I voted yes. Yes, obviously...But as soon as we voted to stay in, the UK votes to leave the European Union."
— Kevin Bridges [26:35 & 27:46] -
Family & comedy legacy:
"Comedy was always me and his thing. So to come to the States, he would be delighted that I eventually went for it and came over here."
— Kevin Bridges [57:24] -
On breaking into America:
"I was like, I don't genuinely know if they're gonna understand me...I used to actually phone them and just do an English accent...They booked me in, then I would rock up and do the set."
— Kevin Bridges [33:08] -
On hacky material:
"The whole set was fairly hack...all about how rough Glasgow is."
— Kevin Bridges [81:53]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- [00:09–08:40] — Greg's Vegas stories, depression, being noticed with a cane
- [16:23–20:15] — Scottish accent effect, TV, and accents worldwide
- [20:15–24:39] — US gun culture, Joe Rogan gun range story
- [26:05–28:11] — Scottish independence, Brexit, political fallout
- [30:00–31:54] — Comedy boom post-COVID, differences between US-UK touring
- [34:06–36:54] — Kevin’s burnout & two-year break
- [39:10–41:51] — Oasis at Croke Park, Noel Gallagher story
- [49:28–53:39] — Gigging in Saudi Arabia, near-miss with authorities
- [62:10–63:38] — Wildest opening acts, prop comics, physical messes at gigs
- [67:21–70:46] — Performing in prison, real danger with Scottish hecklers
- [76:18–78:21] — Adapting accent in America, Scottish-American slang confusions
- [81:48–83:36] — Hacky bits, early material, and classic Glasgow-Edinburgh rivalry
Conclusion
Kevin Bridges’ first US tour adds fresh observations to his razor-sharp comic sensibility. This episode is both a celebration of cross-cultural comedy and a touching meditation on family, ambition, and the relentless need to connect—often against the odds of dialect, distance, and the absurdities of life.
Greg Fitzsimmons: “You show up. I’m a comedian. You’re a comedian. But we go deep.”
Kevin Bridges: "Thank you, brother. A pleasure to meet you, Greg. Big fan as well." [85:13]