Simply Red, Frank Skinner, Ashley Banjo & Rockin' In The USA - Elton John

From comedian & writer Paul Kerensa:

Years ago, I read something, written by someone here, that helped kickstart my stand-up career. Was it the CD in-lay to Simply Red’s Stars? Well, something got me started, but no – Frank Skinner’s book ‘Frank Skinner’ was released in 2001, just as I took my first Bambi-like steps onto the comedy circuit. Between gigs, I’d read how Frank started. His book even pondered, as I was then, questions of faith and language, what’s appropriate, what’s honest.

18 years on, I’m gigging half in comedy clubs, but half in churches. The heckling’s kinder there. “We forgive you!” etc. But recently, one vicar surprised me. All robes and Gandalf beard, he greeted me pre-show in the vestry-slash-green-room, saying: “Well, we’re all looking forward to a ‘flipping’ good night.” Only he didn’t say ‘flipping’. His words continued like stilton: strong, cheesy, with a blue vein to it.

I think he was trying to fit in, using what he thought was ‘comedian-speak’. I explained I’d be more family-friendly, given the gig included, well, families. But to be honest, offstage, I’m not all holier-than-thou. You know, I eff and/or jeff, when I’ve dropped a jar on my foot, or turned on the news.

Generally when the Bible talks about swearing, it’s swearing oaths. “Don’t swear by heaven or earth or any other oath,” it says, “Just let your ‘yes’ be ‘yes’ and your ‘no’ be ‘no’.” Alright, elsewhere “crude joking” and “irreverent babble” is advised against. I am imperfect, I’m prone to both, and I’ll aim to improve.

But we’re all perfectly imperfect. Yet I’ve met some who feel they don’t fit with church, because of their language. Who blush on swearing in front of me, a Christian, as if I’m one to judge. That vicar didn’t blush – in fact he kept on going. I’m not condoning it, but I’m not judging it.

Today more than ever, I’d focus on our ‘yes’s being ‘yes’, our ‘no’s being ‘no’, our words being genuine, rather than worry if they’re too salty, too earthy – when ‘salt of the earth’ is perhaps what we’re meant to be. I’d rather a church, a community, a world – with a good honest welcome for all, even if – perhaps especially if – some words we use are... simply... frank.