Jamali Maddix: I was high when I did my Chortle Student gig

Comic was suffering from a blood infection

comedy Jamali Maddix has told how he was ‘high on drugs’ when he performed in the Chortle Student Comedy Award – which he went on to win.

The comic took part in the competition back in 2014, the day after he came out of hospital having suffered a blood infection from a tattoo.

Speaking to The Observer today, he recalls: ‘I got this tattoo done at uni and it got infected. The day I came out of hospital, I had a heat for a Chortle comedy competition and won it.

‘Everyone was like, "Man, your style is so laidback." But obviously I was high on drugs.’

‘Being off sick gave me time to prepare for the final – I ended up winning it and that’s where I met my agent. He said, "If you want, you can finish uni first," and I was like, "Nah, I want to be a comic." I’m grateful to that dumb tattoo. I just wish it wasn’t so shit.’

The image on his forearm is of a man wearing a suit looking into an abyss. He previously said: ‘It’s that idea of me actually doing what I want to do and fuck the corporate shit. That’s why I put it on my forearm, so I can’t work in a bank. I don’t want to be a bank teller – I want to be a comedian.’

Here’s Jamali’s first set, performed at the Oak House halls of eesidence in Manchester.

And here he is in the final at the Edinburgh Fringe five months later.

Maddix was speaking to the newspaper to promote Follow The Leader, his show which airs on U&Dave from September 17.

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Published: 8 Sep 2024