Jonah Hill fails on stage

Movie comedian Jonah Hill has given up hopes of a career in stand-up – because he was terrible at it.

He spent six months performing at American comedy clubs for his role in the new movie Funny People, along with his co-star Seth Rogen.

But Hill admits that he got heckled a lot and that Rogen – who started his career as a stand-up – far outclassed him on stage.

He said: ‘I never done stand-up comedy before. When they recognise you from a movie or something you get a free five minutes when they're excited to see you. And then after that if you suck, you just suck, which I did.

‘I would go with Seth a lot, who was really good because he did stand-up a lot when he was younger. And I don't think anything gives Seth Rogen more joy in the entire world - not the idea of love, or birds in the sky, or eternal happiness - more than him watching me tank on stage. He was the only laugh in the room at the time.’

Published: 22 Jul 2009