Jack Rooke is one thing of a stand-up curiosity. A naturally, humorous and interesting determine who eschews the concept of out-and-out jokes and trite content-free reveals, in favour of painfully humorous tales embedded in shifting and even motivating programmes. In an period when the bad-taste gag usually grabs the headlines, it’s refreshing to see somebody creating reveals which can be extra about emotional punch fairly than glib punchlines. To have a good time his new collection Glad Man (all episodes embedded within the article – you’re welcome) we spoke to him about his historical past with binge consuming, why Quavers received’t get him and the way he tried to bowl his weight away.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soyvzGNPDIk
Initially, inform us about Glad Man. Your first present Good Grief (which is good and nonetheless out there on iPlayer by the way in which) handled a interval of tragedy in your life. What are you specializing in with this present?
Glad Man is in regards to the options to the male psychological well being disaster on this nation exterior of simply speaking. It’s about discovering the issues that younger males can do which can be free and are simply accessible and that maybe aren’t being run by way of the NHS, however that also help good psychological well being. There’s a kind of failure within the help system infrastructure in sure areas on this nation that signifies that some males don’t get the assistance that they want.
The collection is impressed by my pal Olly’s suicide. He took his personal life when he was 27 and I genuinely imagine that earlier intervention for him would have been a life-saver. But it surely’s actually a celebration of him and I don’t need it to be too unhappy or miserable. I would like the programme to encourage and empower folks to have extra instruments to assist themselves.
Males’s psychological well being has been gaining lots of protection just lately due to the efforts of Princes William and Harry to carry #headstogether and get folks speaking about psychological well being – is that sufficient?
The present mainstream protection of psychological well being is so saturated with calls to speak and simply conversations about conversations. For me, it’s actually unproductive to encourage males to speak and go to their GP in the event that they’re then going to cock-up all of that bravery by placing a bloke on an 18-24 week ready record to do one thing about the way in which they’re feeling. That you must kind out the infrastructure and the help companies on this nation earlier than you have got this clarion name for males to exit and discuss.
That’s why I’m actually proud to be an envoy for CALM and I’ve been since I used to be 18 years outdated. I believe they fill within the hole that the federal government have created by supporting males in a approach that’s accessible to guys and that’s pleasant and approachable and humorous and life-affirming. It’s nice to see psychological well being rising to the highest of agendas however I’m by no means positive if it’s simply wanking into the abyss about speaking with out truly sparing a thought for what could possibly be the answer. I believe it wants infrastructural reform and extra options which can be free and straightforward which is what Glad Man is all about. Within the programme I’m assembly up with a number of completely different males who’ve completed fairly radical issues like chilly water swimming, operating and drag all to assist themselves really feel higher.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKPZd98ha-g
You additionally attempt posing for a life drawing class within the programme. Would you say that was a great motivator to really feel higher about your self?
I’m going to make this one straightforward: no.
Okay. Male physique picture is a rising subject, or it’s one that’s gaining traction as an concept that possibly males generally don’t really feel great about how they appear. Is that one thing you see in your individual life?
I believe with male physique picture it’s both finish of the spectrum. Sadly, you’ve obtained larger guys who probably have low vanity who’re actually beginning to really feel the crunch of not assembly as much as masculinity’s portrayed splendid. Then I believe you’ve obtained blokes who’re actually lacking the purpose of life as a result of they’re simply thrashing themselves with protein shakes, obsessive about health and picture as a result of it’s clearly filling a void somehwere else. It’s the boring age-old factor of claiming that we have to be balanced.
You’ve misplaced lots of weight your self just lately, so properly completed for that! What was your motivation behind that?
I’ve needed to shed some pounds just lately for well being causes and since, I received’t lie, it’s a tough factor to be efficiently gay, be fats and get laid particularly when homosexual tradition actually, actually promotes a hyper-masculine, oiled-up Greek God picture. So I believe for me I had these considerations and it’s laborious to stability each vainness and desirous to be completely satisfied and to be embraced no matter measurement you’re. That’s what I hope Glad Man has is this concept that you recognize what, fuck it, I don’t have probably the most stereotypically splendid of masculinity however my masculinity is past muscular tissues. The explanation I’m an extremely robust man is as a result of I’ve handled so many fairly tragic experiences and are available out the opposite facet, in a position to chortle and to have a good time the folks I’ve misplaced. I believe that’s what marks you out as a robust man, fairly than somebody who’s hooked on protein shakes.
So how did you shed some pounds then? Bought any suggestions you can share?
Typically, I used to be simply taking care of myself and watching what I ate. I attempted a number of weight reduction programmes with my mum, Slimming World however it wasn’t actually for me. I favored parts of it, folks coming collectively as a neighborhood and having a joint aim. I believed what was fascinating a few weight reduction group was that it gave you a secure house to fail in and I believe in society lately there are only a few locations to fail. You may’t fail at work. You may’t fail as a mother or father. You may’t fail on-line. So to go to a weekly weight reduction assembly and in case you’ve placed on and failed you discover that individuals are nonetheless supporting you. I believed that was actually human and I liked it. Then alternatively I used to be like, “Oh my god it is a cult.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9q764eFIaM
Enjoyable reality about you is that you simply’re an excellent ten pin bowler. Maybe it’s much less well-known although that you simply truly began bowling to shed some pounds – is that proper?
It’s true. Once I was a youngster my GP informed me that I wanted to do extra sports activities as a result of I used to be chubby. My dad needed to do one thing with me and him on Saturday mornings and the native tenpin bowling membership was there and open and so fairly than truly doing bodily train I simply rolled a 14lb ball down a lane in a warehouse that smelled of ft and sick. Me and my dad ate worse meals as a result of each bowling alley within the nation is correct subsequent door to a McDonalds they usually additionally had scorching canine merchandising level contained in the lanes, so it was totally pointless for weight reduction. The most effective factor I take from it although and my one tip is that with reducing weight it was good to attempt to do it with another person and have that help (the MAN v FAT Discussion board is this fashion).
In Good Grief you had been very open about binge consuming – what do you concentrate on that now?
For me it was once actually dangerous. It occurs once I really feel fairly low and it’s about management for me. Meals and management are intrinsically linked in lots of people’s lives, it’s one factor you can management how a lot or how little you place in your physique. I discovered that any time I’m burdened I discover myself strolling by way of the kitchen opening cabinets and I catch myself and suppose, “What am I doing!?” You’re simply opening cabinets meals and it’s mad. You realise that you simply do it in a daze and you then suppose, possibly that is why I’ve obtained huge tits.
You’re touring from April twenty eighth till June twenty fourth (tour particulars right here), how do you handle to remain wholesome on tour provided that storage forecourts are notoriously laborious to seek out salad at.
It’s actually boring, however it’s simply planning. It helps having a stage supervisor that’s fats phobic, so he’s positively not going to let me stuff my face with Quavers which is an effective factor. It’s doubly vital to eat and dwell properly on tour as a result of your psychological well being is paramount and below strain. If you happen to had been consuming McDonalds on a regular basis you’d kill your self half approach by way of and I actually don’t need to find yourself feeling suicidal at a service station at Leamington Spa.
Due to Jack for talking to us and tell us what you concentrate on Glad Man over on the discussion board.
