Phil Nichol
Encyclopedia
Phil Nichol is a Canadian comedian
, singer-songwriter
, and actor
.
to a Scottish mother, but raised in Canada
. He first found fame as a member of the musical comedy trio Corky and the Juice Pigs
, known for the song " Eskimo"
Nichol's 2002 Edinburgh Festival Fringe show Things I Like I Lick was nominated for the Perrier Award. In 2006 Nichol won the if.comedy award (successor to the Perrier) with a show entitled The Naked Racist which he performed at The Stand
; he later performed the same show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. In 2007, Nichol was nominated for Best Headliner at the Chortle Awards.
On 23 September 2007, he was a last minute replacement to host the second half of the charity show A Seriously Funny Attempt To Get The Serious Fraud Office In The Dock.
angrily and repeatedly interrupting a rendition of "Eskimo" - a song about a gay Eskimo with a rubber fetish wishing for whaleskin tights - stating that it was homophobic; Nichol stated that the song was written to "express solidarity." The "Nearly Gay" material itself has been described as Nichol "ranting about queers" and "recounting Nichol's drunken effort to cop off with a transsexual" in a four-star review by The Guardian.
's musical Taboo
which premièred in the West End
in 2002.
, playing a member of the production team.
Nichol appeared on a special edition of the UK game show The Weakest Link
in 2007, featuring comedians. On being voted off he stripped naked before taking the 'walk of shame'. Host Anne Robinson
joked on Outtake TV
that 'it was disappointing because he only had a small part'.
He also appeared on Series 19 of Never Mind the Buzzcocks
.
On 21 November 2007, he featured as a guest and musical artist on The Graham Norton Show
, performing a tribute to his fellow guests The Dukes of Hazzard
actors Tom Wopat
, John Schneider
and Catherine Bach
, as well as a further song to a woman whom he described anecdotally as "a stalker of his".
Nichol performed the voice of Fat Ed in the comedy puppet show Fur TV
which aired on MTV One in 2008.
Nichol is currently the narrator for the late night comedy clipshow "What The F***?!!"
Nichol portrayed Terry Gilliam
in the BBC adaptation Holy Flying Circus
, covering the controversy surrounding the release of Monty Python's Life of Brian
.
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
, singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
.
Comedy
Nichol was born in ScotlandScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
to a Scottish mother, but raised in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He first found fame as a member of the musical comedy trio Corky and the Juice Pigs
Corky and the Juice Pigs
-Filmography:* 1996 - A Little Off the Top* 1996 - MadTV * 26 October 1998 - SketchCom -References:**...
, known for the song " Eskimo"
Nichol's 2002 Edinburgh Festival Fringe show Things I Like I Lick was nominated for the Perrier Award. In 2006 Nichol won the if.comedy award (successor to the Perrier) with a show entitled The Naked Racist which he performed at The Stand
The Stand Comedy Club
The Stand Comedy Club are three stand-up comedy venues in the cities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle upon Tyne.-History:The Stand hosted its first regular club night on Thursday 21st September 1995: seven people came and the total box office was £22....
; he later performed the same show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. In 2007, Nichol was nominated for Best Headliner at the Chortle Awards.
On 23 September 2007, he was a last minute replacement to host the second half of the charity show A Seriously Funny Attempt To Get The Serious Fraud Office In The Dock.
"Nearly Gay" and accusations of homophobia
In 2005, Phil Nichol performed his one-man show of "Nearly Gay," a show about being a straight man with a predominantly gay social group, at the Edinburgh Fringe, to positive critical reviews in the mainstream media. Nichol has stated that the show was partly conceived in response to fellow comic Scott CapurroScott Capurro
-Television appearances:-Stage appearances:-Personal life:In October 2006 Capurro purchased a flat in Bethnal Green and considers himself a London resident.-External links:* * *...
angrily and repeatedly interrupting a rendition of "Eskimo" - a song about a gay Eskimo with a rubber fetish wishing for whaleskin tights - stating that it was homophobic; Nichol stated that the song was written to "express solidarity." The "Nearly Gay" material itself has been described as Nichol "ranting about queers" and "recounting Nichol's drunken effort to cop off with a transsexual" in a four-star review by The Guardian.
Theatre
One of Nichol's major roles was as Philip Salon in Boy GeorgeBoy George
Boy George is a British singer-songwriter who was part of the English New Romantic movement which emerged in the early 1980s. He helped give androgyny an international stage with the success of Culture Club during the 1980s. His music is often classified as blue-eyed soul, which is influenced by...
's musical Taboo
Taboo
A taboo is a strong social prohibition relating to any area of human activity or social custom that is sacred and or forbidden based on moral judgment, religious beliefs and or scientific consensus. Breaking the taboo is usually considered objectionable or abhorrent by society...
which premièred in the West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
in 2002.
Theatre credits
- 2002-2003: Taboo, Philip Salon
- 2003: 12 Angry Men, Juror 10
- 2004: One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, Cheswick (understudy for R.P. McMurphy)
- 2005: The Odd Couple, Speed
- 2005: Edward Albee's Zoo Story, Jerry
- 2009: Simpatico, Vinnie
Television
In 2006, Nichol featured in the first series of Rob Brydon's Annually RetentiveRob Brydon's Annually Retentive
Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive is a British television show, first aired on BBC Three in July 2006. Devised by Paul Duddridge, it concerns the making of a comedy panel game show called Annually Retentive, themed around historical events, and hosted by Welsh comedian Rob Brydon...
, playing a member of the production team.
Nichol appeared on a special edition of the UK game show The Weakest Link
The Weakest Link
The Weakest Link is a television game show which first appeared in the United Kingdom on BBC Two on 14 August 2000 and will end its run in 2012 when its host Anne Robinson ends her contract. The original British version of the show airs around the world on BBC Entertainment...
in 2007, featuring comedians. On being voted off he stripped naked before taking the 'walk of shame'. Host Anne Robinson
Anne Robinson
Anne Josephine Robinson is an English journalist and television presenter, known for her assertive views and acerbic style of presenting. She was one of the presenters on the long-running British consumer affairs series, Watchdog, from 1993 to 2001 before returning in 2009...
joked on Outtake TV
Outtake TV
Outtake TV is a blooper show originally hosted by Paul O'Grady from 2002 to 2003, then, by Anne Robinson from 2004 to 2009 and as of 2010, Rufus Hound. Robinson had been presenting the show 2004 to 2009 and airing on BBC One. It replaced the channel's original blooper show Auntie's Bloomers...
that 'it was disappointing because he only had a small part'.
He also appeared on Series 19 of Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Never Mind the Buzzcocks is a comedy panel game television show with a pop music theme, currently without a permanent presenter. It stars Phill Jupitus and Noel Fielding as team captains. The show is produced by Talkback Thames for the BBC, and is usually aired on BBC Two...
.
On 21 November 2007, he featured as a guest and musical artist on The Graham Norton Show
The Graham Norton Show
The Graham Norton Show is a British comedy chat show that is broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom. It was originally shown on BBC Two from February 2007 to May 2009 until it moved to BBC One from October 2009...
, performing a tribute to his fellow guests The Dukes of Hazzard
The Dukes of Hazzard
The Dukes of Hazzard is an American television series that aired on the CBS television network from 1979 to 1985.The series was inspired by the 1975 film Moonrunners, which was also created by Gy Waldron and had many identical or similar character names and concepts.- Overview :The Dukes of Hazzard...
actors Tom Wopat
Tom Wopat
Tom Wopat is an American actor and singer. He first achieved fame as Luke Duke in the long-running 1979 television series The Dukes of Hazzard, along with John Schneider. He also played Jeff, one of Cybill Shepherd's ex-husbands in the TV series Cybill.-Life and career:Wopat was born in Lodi,...
, John Schneider
John Schneider (television actor)
John Richard Schneider III is an American actor and singer. He is best known for his portrayal of Bo Duke in the 1980s American television series The Dukes of Hazzard, and as Jonathan Kent on Smallville, a 2001 television adaptation of Superman.Alongside his acting career, Schneider performed as a...
and Catherine Bach
Catherine Bach
Catherine Bach is an American actress. She is known for playing Daisy Duke in the television series The Dukes of Hazzard and Margo Dutton in African Skies.-Career:...
, as well as a further song to a woman whom he described anecdotally as "a stalker of his".
Nichol performed the voice of Fat Ed in the comedy puppet show Fur TV
Fur TV
Fur TV is a comedy puppet show produced by MTV Networks Europe and airs on MTV channels throughout Europe. The show uses Muppets style puppetry, but in a more adult setting. The characters are shown to undertake human activities such as drinking and having sex.-Cast:The main characters are Fat Ed...
which aired on MTV One in 2008.
Nichol is currently the narrator for the late night comedy clipshow "What The F***?!!"
Nichol portrayed Terry Gilliam
Terry Gilliam
Terrence Vance "Terry" Gilliam is an American-born British screenwriter, film director, animator, actor and member of the Monty Python comedy troupe. Gilliam is also known for directing several films, including Brazil , The Adventures of Baron Munchausen , The Fisher King , and 12 Monkeys...
in the BBC adaptation Holy Flying Circus
Holy Flying Circus
Holy Flying Circus is a 90-minute BBC television comedy film from 2011, about the 1979 television debate about the film Monty Python's Life of Brian...
, covering the controversy surrounding the release of Monty Python's Life of Brian
Monty Python's Life of Brian
Monty Python's Life of Brian, also known as Life of Brian, is a 1979 British comedy film written, directed and largely performed by the Monty Python comedy team...
.