Simon Amstell on His Debut Feature: A Gay Rom-Com Inspired by His Life | AnotherMan

is simon amstell gay

The edian penned an open letter on his former fears of revealg he is gay

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SIMON AMSTELL BOYIEND, GAY, FAY, NET WORTH

Simon Amstell's appealg, tobgraphil but feature is a gay romantic edy of sorts, though s tle character might disagree. * is simon amstell gay *

"Image source, Getty ImagImage ptn, Amstell and his Popworld -nspirator Miqua Oliver at the Smash Hs Poll Wners Party 2004Younger Simon's memorable on-air moments clud askg a bewilred Brney Spears if she'd ever licked a battery, ridiculg Towers of London sger Donny Tourette's punk persona, and goadg Prton om The Ordary Boys by readg out extracts om his then wife Chantelle Houghton's of might be nsired a ltle cel by today's standards, but would almost certaly be social media gold appearance on Lorrae, a rare TV chat show outg the days, was primarily to promote his upg stand-up tour, Spir Hole, which picks om where his 2019 Netflix special, Set Free, left time, viewers may rell, Amstell vised an Ayahuas retreat Pe orr to get to the bottom of his prsn and the shame he had felt about his sexualy as a young gay man (he didn't e out until he was 21); and he was also at the centre of a dg-fuelled three-way kiss wh his boyiend and another man at a source, Harry CarrImage ptn, Amstell has starred his own s, and also wrten and directed a documentary and feature filmThis time around, the kissg story gets upgrad to a full-blown sex club experience Berl (aga alongsi his longstandg boyiend), he scrib self-meditg magic mhrooms to help him handle lockdown, and, as the existential terror around growg olr tightens s grip, he fds himself, pre-Covid, alone New York wh bleached blon hair. And, then happened his open letter, which unwrapped jt how he had to lie about beg gay solely out of the fear that the g out would his life once and for all.

The actor and -wrer of the BBC2 s tled Grandma's Hoe nfsed how hidg his sexualy for eight long years ma him lonely and Alex Fzalan Wiki, B, Datg, Gay. Hearg this, his fans and followers nnot help but feel a pg of pa for his younger the time Simon was 21, he had nonted his fay that he was gay, and revelatn sure ed a signifint crisis the begng. ”One of the many thgs that stands out about Set Free is that feels like the most explicly gay thg that Simon has ever done.

SIMON AMSTELL: 'I WANTED TO BE A COMEDIAN BEFORE I WANTED TO BE A GAY COMEDIAN'

Throughout his time the public eye, Simon’s sexualy is not somethg he’s ever hidn; was there durg his “gay-off” wh John Barrowman on Never Md The Buzzcks, was there his semi-tobgraphil s Grandma’s Hoe and ’s there Benjam, the first feature-length film he directed last year, which centr around a love story between two yet, there’s somethg Simon sharg his experienc as a young gay person durg Set Free that feels new, particularly as he disclos the effects of havg been closeted as a young man on his mental health. ”Simon ntu: “I thk when I started dog stand-up properly, at 21, I had a feelg like… I wanted to be a edian before I wanted to be a ‘gay edian’. And so, the way you do that is you avoid givg people too much material that would suggt you are the ‘gay edian’.

“Even this moment, talkg about now, and knowg will be on the ter, part of me is thkg ’ugh, talkg about this is gog to make me a “gay edian”’. ”He not he’s “fely” more fortable havg the nversatns now, havg overe a lot of “ternalised homophobia”, addg: “It would have ma me very tense the past. It’s a classic se of Peter Pan syndrome that is not unfaiar to some men the gay muny.

SIMON AMSTELL'S HEARTBREAKG ADMISSN OVER WHY HE LIED ABOUT BEG GAYTHE EDIAN REVEALED HE HID HIS SEXUALY FOR MANY YEARS, AND DOG SO MA HIM FEEL VERY ALONEBIRMGHAMMAILBOOKMARKSHARENEWSBYJAM RODGERCONTENT EDOR06:38, 4 MAR 2019BOOKMARKVIO LOADGVIO UNAVAILABLECLICK TO PLAYTAP TO PLAYTHE VIO WILL TO-PLAY SOON8CANCELPLAY NOWDON'T MISS ANY TV AND SHOWBIZ NEWS - SIGN UP TO EE ALERTSMORE NEWSLETTERS SUBSCRIBEINVALID EMAILSOMETHG WENT WRONG, PLEASE TRY AGA LATER.MORE NEWSLETTERSWE E YOUR SIGN-UP TO PROVI NTENT WAYS YOU’VE NSENTED TO AND IMPROVE OUR UNRSTANDG OF YOU. THIS MAY CLU ADVERTS OM AND THIRD PARTI BASED ON OUR KNOWLEDGE OF YOU. MORE THANK YOU FOR SUBSCRIBG!WE HAVE MORE NEWSLETTERSSHOW ME SEE OURPRIVACY NOTICE SEE OURPRIVACY NOTICE&TIM;GROUP 28 DON'T MISS ANY TV AND SHOWBIZ NEWS - SIGN UP TO EE ALERTSINVALID EMAILSOMETHG WENT WRONG, PLEASE TRY AGA LATER.SIGN UPNO THANKS, CLOSEWE E YOUR SIGN-UP TO PROVI NTENT WAYS YOU’VE NSENTED TO AND IMPROVE OUR UNRSTANDG OF YOU. THIS MAY CLU ADVERTS OM AND THIRD PARTI BASED ON OUR KNOWLEDGE OF YOU. MORE &TIM;GROUP 28THANK YOU FOR SUBSCRIBG!

If a light fgerg is all tak to brg about metaphysil spirual enlightenment, he’s most certaly not the first gay man to have ‘gone there’.

STAND UP COMEDIAN SIMON AMSTELL OPENS UP ABOUT BEG GAY, SO WHO'S HIS BOYIEND/PARTNER?

It do beg the qutn why so many gay men are obssed about sex “…and fillg a hole? “I thk whether you are gay or trans, or even if you are a heterosexual cis person, this untry specifilly, we grow up reprsg the sexual part of ourselv to a greater or lser extent. Hannah Gadsby, for example, speaks about growg up as a lbian Tasmania, where homosexualy was illegal until 1997.

SIMON AMSTELL ON HIS DEBUT FEATURE: A GAY ROM-COM INSPIRED BY HIS LIFE

And Bowen Yang beme the first Asian-Amerin and third openly gay st member on "Saturday Night Live.

Risg to fame followg her special "Nate, " Gadsby has phed edy to new levels by weavg together personal stori, art history lsons, and sthg monologu — routely takg hs at men and the chronicl her childhood growg up as a lbian Tasmania, where homosexualy was illegal until 1997. Yang beme the first Che-Amerin and third openly gay st member on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" edian, who hosts a pop culture podst lled "Las Culturistas, " has proven his range on the "SNL, " masterfully portrayg characters om a Che tra reprentative ed as "Tra Daddy" to former Democratic printial ndidate Andrew Yang. Amstell, who beme known for appearanc on "Pop World" and "Never Md The Buzzcks, " stand-up edy as a nfsnal, workg through issu like his parents' divorce, eatg meat, and timacy the Brish ic speaks openly about his sexualy durg sets, Amstell said he was "terrified" of beg gay before g out durg his Netflix special "Set Free.

SIMON AMSTELL: THE GAY UK EDIAN URTS LGHTER AND {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}TVBY LOCKSLEY HALLFEBARY 19, 2008/11:51 AMBY LOCKSLEY HALLFEBARY 19, 2008 / 11:51 AM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"SIMON AMSTELL: THE GAY UK EDIAN URTS LGHTER AND NTROVERSY","DATEPUBLISHED":"2008-02-19T16:51:55.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2008-02-19T16:51:55.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"LOCKSLEY HALL","KEYWORDS":"THE BACKLOT","ARTICLESECTN":"TV"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;} {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}FROM RUPERT EVERETT TO STEPHEN FRY, OM GRAHAM NORTON TO SIR IAN MCKELLEN, THERE ARE SEVERAL OPENLY GAY BRISH CELEBRI WHO SEEM TO HAVE MA THE TRANSN ACROSS THE POND TO AMERIN NSCNS. BUT ONE WHO HAS YET TO DO SO IS 28-YEAR-OLD EDIAN AND TV PRENTER SIMON AMSTELL - AND THE MEANTIME, I THK AMERINS ARE MISSG {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AMSTELL FIRST BEME A PART OF MY LIFE AS A -HOST ON THE CULT SUNDAY MORNG POP MIC SHOW POPWORLD (2000-2006), WHICH TOOK AN ACERBIC - NOT TO SAY SAVAGE - APPROACH TO S MIL GUTS, AS OPPOSED TO THE FAWNG APPROACH FAVORED BY MOST TV SHOWS. WHILE I SOMETIM FELT A B SORRY FOR THE BLAND CHEY POP STARS WHO TROTTED TO THE STUD, ONLY TO BE RIPPED TO SHREDS BY SIMON, HE WAS ALSO PABLE OF PUTTG THE BOOT WHERE WAS TLY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN AN TERVIEW WH NOTORLY HOMOPHOBIC REGGAE STAR BEENIE MAN, FOR EXAMPLE, SIMON EXPLAED THAT HE HAD JT BROKEN UP WH HIS BOYIEND, AND THEN ASKED FOR A HUG. (BEENIE MAN SAID NO. SIMON GAVE HIM A BANANA WH HIS PHONE NUMBER WRTEN ON ). IN AN TERVIEW WH LLOYD BANKS, OF 50 CENT’S MACHO, HUMORLS G-UN, SIMON NOCENTLY ASKED “WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SAID ‘COME ON FELLAS, GET TO THE SPIR! IT’S GAY NIGHT!’” IN AN TERVIEW WH THE FAT RAPPER BIZARRE, OF EMEM’S GROUP D12, SIMON FIRST ASKED TO TOUCH HIS STOMACH, AND THEN, WHEN BIZARRE REFED, SAID “I BET YOU’VE LET EMEM TOUCH .”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THAT’S NOT TO SAY THAT AMSTELL NECSARILY LET HIS GAY GUTS GET OFF EASILY. IN AN TERVIEW WH U.K. GAY MAG ATTU LAST YEAR, FORMER SAVAGE GARN STAR DARREN HAY TALKED ABOUT VISG POPWORLD ORR TO PROMOTE HIS 2004 ALBUM THE TENSN AND THE SPARK. HAY WAS STILL CLOSETED AT THE TIME, AND ACRDG TO HIM:{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;} “I SAT ON SIMON’S UCH AND WE WERE THE MIDDLE OF THE TERVIEW AND HE SAID ‘SO, WHEN ARE YOU GOG TO E OUT THEN?’ [...] I SAID ‘EXCE ME?’ AND HE SAID ‘WELL, YOU'RE OBVLY GAY, BUT WHY WON'T YOU E OUT?’ MY REACTN WAS SO VLENT. RATHER THAN NY I SAID ‘OH, YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT MY SEX LIFE, DO YOU?’ [SIMON] BLKED AND I SAID ‘YEAH, I LIKE TO F***, ACTUALLY. I'M PROBABLY MORE OF A TOP AND IF YOU LAY ON YOUR BACK I'LL SHOW YOU HOW I LIKE TO F***.’”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}PERHAPS UNSURPRISGLY, THIS PART OF THE TERVIEW WAS CUT WHEN THE SEGMENT AIRED. WHILE HAY REFERS TO AMSTELL AS “A TOTAL PRICK”, HE ADMS THAT THIS EVENT WAS CCIAL SPURRG HIM TO E OUT (WHICH HE EVENTUALLY DID 2006):{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;} “I HAD TO E OUT AFTER THAT [...] I ULDN'T LET ANY OTHER PLETE STRANGER HAVE THAT POWER TO BBISH ME THE PUBLIC AGA. [...] I ULDN'T ALLOW MY SEXUALY TO BE THIS FLIMSY RPET UNRNEATH ME THAT ULD BE RIPPED OUT AT A MOMENT’S NOTICE.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THIS EPISO LEAV ME TORN: WHILE I DON’T GENERALLY APPROVE OF FORCED OUTGS, AND WHILE I’M SYMPATHETIC TO HAY, I DO ALSO HAVE A CERTA SYMPATHY FOR AMSTELL’S APPROACH OF REFG TO TREAT HOMOSEXUALY AS A DIRTY SECRET THAT N’T BE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}FOR MORE ON AMSTELL AND SOME CLIPS OF HIM ON HIS SHOW, CLICK ON THROUGH THE JUMP...{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SCE OCTOBER 2006, AMSTELL HAS BEEN THE HOST OF THE EDY PANEL GAME SHOW NEVER MD THE BUZZCKS, WHERE HE NTU BOTH TO BE VERY FUNNY AND TO BE SAVAGELY TO GUTS. WHEN JOHN BARROWMAN APPEARED ON THE SHOW, THOUGH, HE SEEMED READY TO TAKE ON AMSTELL, CHALLENGG HIM AT ONE POT TO A “GAY-OFF”:{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}YOU N ALSO SEE A FUNNY CLIP OF AMSTELL TERACTG WH AMY WEHOE HERE:{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}LAST YEAR, AMSTELL ALSO -WROTE AN EPISO OF THE UK TEEN DRAMA SKS, FOCG ON THE RELATNSHIP BETWEEN GAY CHARACTER MAXXIE AND HIS MLIM BT IEND ANWAR. WHILE NOT EVERYONE MAY APPROVE OF OR LIKE AMSTELL’S NONTATNAL STANCE, HE IS UNQUTNABLY DOG QUE A B - AND AT A YOUNG AGE - TO NTRIBUTE TO GAY VISIBILY THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

Cho, who grew up San Francis and had parents that owned a gay bookstore, has squashed the stereotypil tras placed on Asian-Amerin gaed populary by wrg and starrg a s lled "All Amerin Girl" and has bee a celebrated stand-up ic.

Joel Kim Booster often jok about beg raised a homogeno Southern town. He often jok that he knew he was gay before he knew he was 's sce lnched a succsful stand-up reer — appearg on "The Late Late Show Wh Jam Corn, " "Late Night Wh Seth Meyers, " "CONAN, " and more. Booster ntued, "I'd look at myself and say, 'Why am I treated like a send-class cizen the gay muny?

Simon Amstell has said he felt like he had to lie about who he was for eight years bee he feared beg gay would his life. As an terviewer of celebri on Brish televisn, where he began his reer the early ghts, Amstell, who is openly gay, once flirted brazenly wh the reggae sger Beenie Man, who had been cricized for homophobia his lyrics.

STAND UP COMEDIAN SIMON AMSTELL OPENS UP ABOUT BEG GAY, SO WHO'S HIS BOYIEND/PARTNER?

But this is not applied the se of Jewish edian Simon Amstell who openly admted about his sexual preference of beg gay. Actor Simon Amstell nfsed about him beg gay when he was 28 years old to the public. On an terview published by on 20th December 2007, the actor admted to beg gay where he profoundly stated about intifyg at the age of 21 years old.

He said:“I was 21, I wasn't que gay yet, fely a geek, fely Essex. However, to make the gay news te Simon nfirmed the news an terview exclively Posted on Youtube on 14th September 2012, where he claims himself as gay. Captn: Simon Amstell speaks loud beg homosexual on a talk show as posted on Youtube on 12th September has kept his relatnship stat secretive.

Followgly, the stand-up edian had worked and directed a short movie" William" pictg the role of a gay person makg out wh his boyiend.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* IS SIMON AMSTELL GAY

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class="RubricLk-gRWSOU fgWnkQ bric__lk" href="/culture/culture-sk"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Culture Dk</span></a></div></div></div><h1 data-ttid="ContentHearHed" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ContentHearHed-NCyCC iUEiRd NbxED hpJvIc">Simon Amstell’s Ego</h1></div><div class="ContentHearAccredatn-lfctVB cKRKZx ntent-hear__accredatn" data-ttid="ContentHearAccredatn"><div class="ContentHearByle-kmPyCa gvUmxJ"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset ContentHearContributorImage-cvjZXn jKACOU"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa ContentHearContributorImage-cvjZXn jKACOU rponsive-image"><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w" siz="66px"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w" siz="66px"/><img alt="" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></picture></span><div class="ContentHearByleContent-dpPmNn DRFq"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl ContentHearByl-cZqgyJ bqbBYQ"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH ivtvgj byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd jslZfG gnILss byle__preamble">By </span><a class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM ByleLk-gEnFiw iUEiRd ggMZaT cXqSTL eErqIx byle__name-lk button" href="/ntributors/simon-park">Simon Park</a></span></span></p></div><time data-ttid="ContentHearPublishDate" dateTime="2015-04-13T14:19:03-04:00" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ContentHearPublishDate-eIBicG iUEiRd kYZrFA kEBrdf">April 13, 2015</time></div></div></div></div></div></hear></div><div data-attribute-verso-pattern="article-body" class="ArticlePageContentBackGround-cNiFNN kbAoLA article-body__ntent"><div class="ActnBarWrapperContent-lasBkU cAHp"><div 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bookmark mobile"><span class="ActnBarSendaryButtonPrimaryIn-isbvyN cAwccV bookmark-button-in"><svg class="in in-bookmark" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Save this story</tle><path class="in-bookmark-fill" d="M20 23.9508L12.5 19.7312L5 23.9508V2.95081H14V3.93211H6V22.1845L12.5 18.5536L19 22.1845V8.83866H20V23.9508Z"></path><path class="in-bookmark-fill" d="M23 3H20V0H19V3H16V4H19V7H20V4H23V3Z"></path></svg></span><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ActnBarButtonText-bYXYuh iUEiRd bkefvo gkccfO">Save this story</span></button></div></div></div><div class="LightboxWrapper-dxsWBV hhylRt"><div class="ArticlePageChunksContent-etcMtP bwyLBj"><div data-ttid="ArticlePageChunks" class="ArticlePageChunks-fLyCVG gBDqlf"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa EOneK body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><div class="GenericCalloutWrapper-tojWn iHBnEl llout--has-top-borr set-embedd-le" data-ttid="GenericCallout"><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO KhjZz AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset rponsive-image rponsive-image--expandable"><noscript><img alt="In his current standup tour “To Be Free” the Brish edian Simon Amstell tri to break to Amerin edy and..." class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w, 1920w, 2240w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></span></div><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE iTuhkZ ptn AssetEmbedCaptn-fNQBPI fmQnYP asset-embed__ptn"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnText-bHjzlu iUEiRd hWyo iXWezO ptn__text">In his current standup tour, “To Be Free,” the Brish edian Simon Amstell tri to break to Amerin edy and break ee of his ego.</span><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnCred-ejegDm iUEiRd iicloT jbIJNS ptn__cred">Photograph by Douglas Gorenste / NBC via Getty</span></div></figure></div><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg">The English edian Simon Amstell is reedy and pale, wh a brown mop of curls and the meanor of a bullied schoolboy: head bowed, hands awkward. But he has built his reer the U.K. wh edy based on an aggrsive subvertg of social nventn. As an terviewer of celebri on Brish televisn, where he began his reer the early ghts, Amstell, who is openly gay, once flirted brazenly wh the reggae sger Beenie Man, who had been cricized for homophobia his lyrics. (When Beenie Man attempted to rebuff the advanc by askg if Amstell wanted to go out after the show and pick up women, Amstell rpond by handg the sger a banana scrawled wh his phone number.) In a memorable episo of the mic-trivia panel show “Never Md the Buzzcks,” where Amstell served as prenter om 2006 to 2008, Samuel Prton, of the punk pop band the Ordary Boys, stalked off the stage after Amstell began readg excciatg extracts om the bgraphy of the sger’s wife at the time, the mol Chantelle Houghton.</p><p class="paywall">On his current standup tour, “To Be Free,” which arriv at New York’s Theater 80 on Tuday followg a popular n the U.K., Amstell ntu to prod the artifice of celebry and succs, but this time by turng his lampoong eye ward. He spends much of the hourlong show ridiculg his own fascatn wh fame and his satiable need to be loved. (“I went to see a screeng of a low-budget film that I was , and was the first time I’d seen my face on a cema screen,” he says. “Now some actors n’t even look at themselv. I me out of that room thkg, ‘My face should <em>always</em> be that big.’ ”) When I met Amstell recently at a London fé, midway through his U.K. tour, he scribed his forays to the Amerin edy world as part of a qut to satisfy this sire. In his show, he jok about his fear of beg labelled a “regnal ic.” “Fame has to be retaed; otherwise ’s even worse than beg famo,” he told me. “You bee someone who <em>ed</em> to be famo.”</p><p class="paywall">Amstell, who is thirty-five, began dog standup while filmg the Brish mic show “Popworld” the mid-ghts. In 2009, he wrote and starred  an tobgraphil TV s, “Grandma’s Hoe.” Set  Essex, where he grew up, the show portrays a close-kn morn Jewish fay. Amstell’s dotg mother, played by Rebec Front, is dismayed at her son’s cisn to qu televisn prentg orr to pursue what she nsirs an ferr reer stage actg. (In one episo, Amstell’s grandfather has a ncer sre; the growth, turns out, was a rais.) Amstell told me that, when he was growg up, TV seemed like a medium that uld provi the kd of radil acceptance he had yet to achieve real life. “It was this credible place where I thought I’d be allowed to be myself fully,” he said. “In TV there seemed to me to be a kd of jtice where, if there is jt the ht of prejudice the air, the dience would boo. This was ntrast to my fay, where, if there’s more than a ht of prejudice the air, people appld.”</p><p class="paywall">It was after pletg a send season of the show that Amstell began to feel the urge to leave England and pursue fame Ameri. “The therapy was plete, and once the trma isn’t there, I feel like the edy is ad,” he said. “My ego started lookg around. It whispered: the good people go to Ameri and make people pay attentn to them over there.” An opportuny arose when he met the edian Eddie Izzard at an event hosted by Apple; Izzard put him touch wh the producer who had brought Izzard to the Uned Stat. The producer, Arnold Engelman, suggted that Amstell take up a rincy New York and booked the two-hundred-seat Theatre 80. Amstell arrived New York, 2012, and hand out fliers to passersby the street. An early performance received a favorable review the <em>Tim</em>. “The theatre started half full, but, by the end of the rincy, was oversubscribed and people sat the stairs,” Amstell told me.</p><p class="paywall">The rincy led to an vatn to appear on “Late Show wh David Letterman.” (He <a href=">ma a send appearance last October</a>.) In “To Be Free,” Amstell scrib how attag show-bs succs n preclu s enjoyment: you work hard to make , then you mt work hard to rema on top. In one b, he scrib walkg offstage after the Letterman début to warm applse, when somebody approached him and said, “If you’re not happy now, you’ll never be happy.” “I thought to myself, I will never be happy,”Amstell said.</p><div class="Contaer-bkChBi byNLHx"></div><p class="paywall">The power of Amstell’s new show li the nflict between two sis of his personaly: one si believ that breakg social nventn n lead not only to edy but also to timacy; the other si, his pky ego, seeks to e vulnerabily not for hont nnectn so much as for personal ga. He tells a story the show about a party at which he found himself talkg to someone he barely knew. “In that moment, I felt as though I uld do anythg so I asked him, ont of his iends: ‘What’s this sadns?’ He looked alarmed, but I put my hand on his shoulr and ntued, ‘Whatever is, you n let go now.’ And he said, ‘Oh n I?’ And I thought, ‘Oh! I am <em>not</em> J.” What I learned that night is that, if you really want to help someone, has to be about them. Who knew!”</p><p class="paywall">As the tle of his show suggts, Amstell wants to be ee, but he is also self-aware enough to know that strivg for eedom n be self-servg and, ultimately, imprisong. “I want to be ee of the ego,” he told me. “But, of urse, I am only ee om worryg about what people thk of me if they like me enough to see my shows. It’s plited.”</p><p class="paywall">When our nversatn end and we left the fé for the htle of Oxford Street, he asked me, somewhat mournfully, “Did you like me before we met?”</p><p class="paywall">“Y,” I replied.</p><p class="paywall">“And have I blown ?” he asked.</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><asi class="PersistentAsiWrapper-VGrR daRVRt persistent-asi" style="posn:absolute;top:to;height:to" data-ttid="PersistentAsiWrapper"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box ArticlePageSplAdRail-OyjwD jikppc"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="ArticlePageSplAdRailContent-jsltpq iZDmmY spl-ad-rail-ntent"><div class="ArticlePageSplAdRailTop-jUrrVY jzzFg"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="tfo03"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div><div class="ArticlePageSplAdRailMiddle-tiRvu hiZeZX spl-ad-rail-middle"></div><div class="ArticlePageSplAdRailBottom-dBKMGQ jmCMsn spl-ad-rail-bottom"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="e4r3a"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></asi></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 PaywallInleBarrierWhWrapperGrid-fyrGfS kLQIUk grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="body body__le-barrier article__body"><div class="ntaer ntaer--body"><div class="ntaer--body-ner"><asi class="PaywallInleBarrierWrapper-iBnuqk lfXXa-D" data-ttid="PaywallInleBarrierWrapper"><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--paywall-le-barrier" role="prentatn" aria-live="pole" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--paywall-le-barrier"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></asi></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ContentWrapperGrid-fvkmBv brYtrA grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="body body__ntaer"><div class="ntaer ntaer--body"><div class="ntaer--body-ner"></div></div></div></div></div></div></article><div class="ContentFooterWrapper-jVNdRG dTJkpP ArticlePageContentFooterGrid-ccsXYy eMZRHU article-body__footer"><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="ContributorsWrapper-eNpWFu GWFsc ntributors" data-ttid="Contributors"><div class="ContributorBWrapper-bnVHbt gMon"><div class="ContributorBAvatar-bIGTqf eMWbvj"><a href="/ntributors/simon-park"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa rponsive-image"><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></picture></span></a></div><div class="ContributorBContent-ubQdr jZTSSi"><div class="ContributorBHear-ledood XOIEx"></div><div class="ContributorBB-fBolsO giFhKz"><a href="/ntributors/simon-park">Simon Park</a> is a ntributg wrer to The New Yorker. His most recent book is “<a href=">The Island of Extraordary Captiv</a>.”</div><div class="ContributorBFooter-brqDlv ezUmSv"></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div data-ttid="TagCloudWrapper" class="TagCloudWrapper-gGgndx ctyZyK ContentFooterTagCloud-krQmRG ZLGh"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudSectnHear-cOforY iUEiRd bPyAoD kQQRmu">More:</span><a href="/tag/edy" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd ggMZaT gFob hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd gwIVBQ bUkXwu">Comedy</span></a><a href="/tag/late-show" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd ggMZaT gFob hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd gwIVBQ bUkXwu">Late Show</span></a><a href="/tag/standup" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd ggMZaT gFob hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd gwIVBQ bUkXwu">Standup</span></a></div></div></div></div><div data-ttid="ContentFooterBottom" class="ContentFooterBottom-jwWZfC kcbyiW"><div class="ContentFooterNewsletterContentWrapper-bmjtna kixtae"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div data-ttid="NewsletterSubscribeFormWrapper" class="NewsletterSubscribeFormWrapper-fCqqkN jKSBhE newsletter-subscribe-form ContentFooterNewsletterForm-hKeYwa liPqcf"><div data-ttid="NewsletterSubscribeFormHedDekWrapper" class="NewsletterSubscribeFormHedDekWrapper-fpMElW eglIBL"><h3 class="NewsletterSubscribeFormDangeroHed-kRwWjt feDzQf newsletter-subscribe-form__hed ContentFooterNewsletterForm-hKeYwa liPqcf">Gogs On</h3><div class="NewsletterSubscribeFormDek-kXonvc grEaES newsletter-subscribe-form__k">What we’re watchg, listeng to, and dog this week, onle, N.Y.C., and beyond. 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href="/magaze/2015/04/06/the-nerd-hunter" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz ktcjQn"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="The Nerd Hunter" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX kImuKS bric bric--disvery SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Onward and Upward wh the Arts</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM dVrbhU summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href="/magaze/2015/04/06/the-nerd-hunter" target="_self"><div class="SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ fzzTdh summary-em__hed" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">The Nerd Hunter</div></a><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SummaryItemDek-CRfsi iUEiRd kxnNhB jDyfzW summary-em__k">The stg director Allison Jon is rhapg Amerin edy, one misf at a time.</div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY cgDBtc summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH dSEWiO byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" 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data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz ktcjQn"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Half-Tths, Non-Tths, and Louis C.K." class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX kImuKS bric bric--disvery SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Cultural Comment</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM dVrbhU summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href="/culture/cultural-ment/louis-ck-edy-philosophy" target="_self"><div class="SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ fzzTdh summary-em__hed" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Half-Tths, Non-Tths, and Louis C.K.</div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY cgDBtc summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH dSEWiO byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd jslZfG gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>David Haglund</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div 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