Intelligence Squared: An Evening with Alan Davies (Part One)

Date: January 16, 2026
Host: Jenny Kleeman
Guest: Alan Davies
Producer: Mia Sorrenti
Location: Union Chapel, London

Overview

This episode of Intelligence Squared features renowned comedian, writer, and actor Alan Davies in a candid, insightful, and often deeply emotional conversation with host Jenny Kleeman. Drawing from his latest memoir, White Male Stand Up, Davies discusses key moments from his career in comedy and television, the personal struggles that shaped him, and the evolution of the stand-up world. The conversation is rich with honesty, humor, and asides on mental health, fame, and the lasting impact of childhood trauma.

Key Discussion Points

Alan's Return to Stand-Up and Touring

• Hiatus from Touring: After a decade away from large tours, Alan explains that his absence was due to both personal struggles and practical life circumstances, including having a third child and writing his previous memoir.
  • “There was a period between 2001, I think, and 2011 where I didn't do it at all. And partly that was to do with not having any material and thinking and becoming paranoid about being recognized and fame. And I was having a damaged and troubled time.” (04:11)
• Motivation to Return:
  • “I thought, well, I'm 60 next year. If I don't go on tour soon, I might die. So that is a good motivator.” (05:02)
• Thinking Ahead:
  • As a parent and someone who has been ill, he emphasizes the importance of planning, which inspired his show Think Ahead.

Comedy Today: Fear of Cancellation & Changing Scene

• On Cancel Culture: Alan notes he’s never aimed for contentious material, but recognizes that the world and comedy itself have changed.
  • “I've never really been a contentious comedian... I've always been quite the people pleaser.” (06:03)
• Subject Matter: Now, stand-up is more challenging for him since he addresses personal childhood experiences, not just lighthearted material.

Stand-Up Failures and Vulnerability

• Bombing at the Comedy Store: Alan recounts a disastrous 1999 set when his TV fame prompted heckling, leading him to avoid stand-up for ten years.
  • “People started shouting things out about Jonathan Creek or Abbey national… I just couldn't manage it. And I didn't do stand up again for 10 years.” (08:02)
• Realization: Through writing, he realized stand-up was vital to his mental health and creative wellbeing.

The Nature of Stand-Up Comedians

• Egomaniacs & Misfits:
  • “Monumental ego is really important… The circuit... could absorb anybody. And it absorbed a lot of addictive personalities.” (09:35)
• Diverse Backgrounds: The original stand-up circuit was filled with people from every walk of life, not just aspiring TV stars.
• Shift in Scene: Now, the path from open mic to stardom is visible; back then, it was a “weird bunch of weirdos.”

Memoir Title: White Male Stand Up

• Provocative Choice: Alan chose the title based on criticism from the ‘80s as the circuit became dominated by white men.
  • “I remember… someone was bemoaning… the circuit was filling up with white male stand ups. And I remember thinking, oh shit, that's me.” (12:44)
• Evolution and Diversity: There are now far more opportunities and more diversity in UK comedy, and, in Alan’s words, “it's all the better, really.” (15:46)
• Personal Motivation: The book is about how trauma lingers, the need for reckoning, and giving hope to others who carry similar secrets.

Writing About Abuse and Healing

• Three Memoirs:
  • Just Ignore Him (previous): Confronted abuse by his father and loss of his mother.
  • White Male Stand Up (current): How his past shaped his comedy and life.
• Honesty in Storytelling:
  • “Go towards the loss.” — advice from author Claire Keegan that guided his true memoir writing. (20:19)
• Safe Spaces and Fear: Publishing truths about abuse was terrifying. The media sometimes violated his trust by publicizing details against his wishes.
  • “I was so frightened of the story. I was so frightened of what people would think. I don't know. It's hard to explain because it's not even really conscious, your fear. It's really inside you.” (22:57)

Navigating Fame

• Ambivalence about Recognition: Fame brought both joy and deep discomfort.
  • “You can't turn it off and no one gives you a talk… One morning, I mean, literally overnight, people start just staring.” (29:12)
• Life Changes: Now, family life focuses him beyond self-obsession and the complications of fame.

The Dynamics of Being Funny with Others

• Stand-Up vs. Ensemble:
  • “Most stand ups would tell you that they really would just like to have the microphone for themselves.” (33:01)
• QI Panel Show: He reminisces about the chaotic creativity shared with other comedians.
  • “No one knew what was going on and you had to get the ball in the air and you had to collaborate… I preferred that.” (33:09)

Responsibility and Impact

• Readers Reaching Out: After his memoir, many contacted him to share their own secrets of childhood abuse.
  • “I always thank people for telling me… My intention was to write my story and for that to be. And I felt the book was the best place for it.” (36:00)
• Effect on Family: Alan is clear-eyed about how trauma shadowed his marriage and parenting; writing is a way to clear and organize those effects.

Lasting Effects of Trauma

• Undercurrent of Trauma:
  • “I think for people who haven’t been abused as children… you don’t really imagine how it is that undercurrent throughout your adult life ever present…” (38:11, Kleeman)
  • “It's there all the time... what became most difficult was I never knew when it was going to happen. So someone going past my bedroom door, even now… creates a tightening in my chest.” (38:38)
• Onstage Honesty: Davies now integrates these realities into his new stand-up, aiming both for humor and for connection with others who have suffered.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Drive to Perform:
  • “If I don't go on tour soon, I might die.” (05:04, Davies)
• On Stand-Up as a Meritocracy:
  • “Stand up is still the person who gets the biggest laughs will get booked... It's you and the audience.” (06:23, Davies)
• On Unvarnished Memoir Writing:
  • “I wanted it to be much more unvarnished than that. And some version of honest or truthful that includes all aspects of my life.” (07:28, Davies)
• On Trauma’s Lingering Effects:
  • “You just carry everything with you wherever you go… and you have to deal with it. Otherwise it’s gonna fuck up your marriage, your kids, your family life, your future. It will get you, and you have to deal with it.” (15:13)
• On Advice from Claire Keegan:
  • “Go towards the loss.” (20:19)
• On the Reality of Abuse:
  • “If you're a victim of abuse, you'll just carry the fear with you. You don't tell anybody.” (22:13)
• On Surviving Fame:
  • “You can't turn it off and no one gives you a talk... people start just staring.” (29:12)
• On Sharing Burdens:
  • “It's awful what people do to kids. And so I just get upset. But I did. That's what came from it.” (37:27)
• On Trauma as a Constant:
  • “It's there all the time…” (38:39)
• On Stand-Up’s Evolution:
  • “Now I realize that, having got the skill to do that, now I can maybe say something that's worth saying.” (34:24)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 02:14 — Introduction & Alan’s status as a comedian, start of in-depth conversation
• 03:37 — Alan’s return to touring and reasons for long absence
• 05:37 — Addressing the dangers and challenges of modern stand-up
• 07:20 — The impact of bombing at the Comedy Store
• 09:08 — What it takes to be a stand-up, diversity of original comic circuit
• 12:17 — Discussion of memoir title, origins, and diversity in comedy
• 17:54 — Reflections on writing about childhood abuse in memoirs
• 22:02 — The fear and difficulty of going public with family trauma
• 29:00 — Alan’s complicated relationship with fame
• 33:01 — Team dynamics on QI, difference between solo and ensemble comedy
• 35:26 — The aftermath and responsibility of sharing trauma publicly
• 38:38 — How trauma lingers; integrating it into his comedy

Tone and Style

The conversation is deeply personal, frequently self-deprecating, and colored by Alan Davies’ characteristic wit. Even discussing intense and difficult subjects, both Davies and Kleeman maintain an open, honest, and at times warmly humorous tone, fostering a sense of intimacy and trust with the audience.

For anyone interested in the intersection of comedy, trauma, fame, and resilience, this episode offers both laughter and profound insight.