COMIC Dave McSavage has blasted calls for the State to fund comedians and declared: “You get funny or you starve.”
The 59-year-old creator of The Savage Eye said the thought of comics getting Government payments to do stand-up is “not a good idea”.
It comes after Fine Gael’s Brian Brennan yesterday hit out at the Arts Council for not helping struggling performers.
The TD for Wicklow–Wexford said the body — which pockets €140million from the State — does not allow some comedians, showbands, drama societies, Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann and Fleadh groups to apply for funding.
He has called for a widening of Arts Council guidelines on who can receive funding — to include stand-up performers like Dave.
However, the award-winning entertainer disagrees.
Dave told The Irish Sun: “To me this sends out the wrong message.
“You need f***-all money to be a stand-up, just a microphone.
“If you create a great piece of comedy, people will pay for a ticket and come and see you.
“Put simply, you get funny or you starve. Hunger and poverty can be a great motivator.”
Dave added: “For me, getting free money is not a good idea. In my drinking days, I would have drunk the money and not done anything.
“Unless a comedian had a bad car accident and needed to pay for physio, or needed money to film a TV project, I don’t think this would work.”
Dave, who starred in 2014 film Calvary with Brendan Gleeson, also claims comedians could be less funny if they had to fill out Arts Council Forms.
He said: “I’d imagine you’d have to tick boxes in the application form and include one-legged people in all your jokes.
“Government funding could kill comedy. Too often you have artists walking around thinking just because they have received State funding that validates their work, which is all wrong.
“These people are also adept at getting funding because they know the right things to say and how to present themselves. Wealthy patrons have commissioned artists to paint, sculpt or write for them in the past but I don’t believe in Government funding for comedians full stop.”
USED TO POLITICS
Dave is well used to politics — his dad is former Fianna Fail minister David Andrews and his brother is Fianna Fail MEP Barry Andrews.
Speaking at a Dail Committee yesterday, Deputy Brennan asked why the current Arts Council exclusion policy exists towards some artists.
“Put simply, you get funny or you starve. Hunger and poverty can be a great motivator.”
Dave McSavage
He said: “There is good work currently being done providing funding for some sectors and I encourage continued support for artists at a grassroots level.
“The Arts Council funding aims to generate high quality experiences for the public to engage, develop talent and a programme to provide services that support the work of artists.
‘DIFFICULT PROFESSION’
“With this in mind, we need to know how organisations such as the Fleadh Cheoil and talented people such as comedians are not included?
“To me, a comedian getting up on a stage is a really difficult profession and a wonderful art form.
“They should have the same opportunity to access funding.”
He added: “The Arts Council of Ireland’s current strategy, Making Great Art Work, is all about strengthening the position of the arts in Irish life through supporting artists, promoting public engagement and fostering a diverse and vibrant arts sector.
‘RESPECT THEY DESERVE’
“Why are only certain artists included? Why should a Comhaltas artist differ from an opera singer?
“The Arts Council must ensure that all artists are treated with the respect they deserve by broadening its interpretation of art and ensuring more artists receive funding opportunities and resources.”
“Government funding could kill comedy. Too often you have artists walking around thinking just because they have received State funding that validates their work, which is all wrong.”
Dave McSavage
Responding to Dave’s comments, Brennan said: “Comedians and other artists deserve the opportunity to apply for funding to support them in their performances.
“Not all comedians on the circuit have enjoyed the same success as Dave, who is a household name.”
He added: “Funding could be the vital difference in keeping them going rather than some of them having to give up performing.”
‘FUNDING EVALUATION’
A spokeswoman said: “The Arts Council has for some time funded the platforming of comedy through our support of arts centres and festivals, thereby providing important regional performance opportunities for a wide range of comedy.
“The Arts Council is currently undertaking a large-scale research project into current and emerging artforms and art practice in Ireland.
“The results of this research will assist in evaluating how we can be more inclusive of evolving artforms and arts practices in our funding.
“At present, multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary artists who include or combine comedy with other artforms within their practice can apply for Arts Council funding via the multidisciplinary arts team.”
