Latest news with #AlPorter
Extra.ie
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
Al Porter has had to learn to live with awful abuse
Comeback comedian Al Porter said he's learned to live with people who call him a 'pervert' and that he has rediscovered his love of performing as a stand-up comedian. In a wide-ranging interview with the Dubliner also insists that, following an extended spell in the wilderness, he does not care if TV and radio opportunities no longer come his way. And he said his on stage performance has matured with the years, and that he is no longer 'as camp as I used to be'. Porter, who is in a long-term relationship, said of his previous on-stage persona: 'In retrospect, I think some of it was kind of put on because you thought that's what was expected at the time. Or I think it was my age more than anything and my nervousness. Comeback comedian Al Porter said he's learned to live with people who call him a 'pervert' and that he has rediscovered his love of performing as a stand-up comedian. 'But listen, I'm still gay, there's no denying that, but maybe I've just toned things down.' Porter is back on the stand-up circuit following accusations of inappropriate behaviour from some of his colleagues on the comedy circuit. At the time, the Tallaght entertainer was at the very height of his fame. As well as his comedy gigs, he had TV and radio shows, a column in a national newspaper and there was even a Netflix special in the works. Then, in a matter of days, it was all gone. Porter's professional and personal life fell apart when she was accused of a sex attack dating back to late 2016. In November 2019, he walked free from court after a charge of sexually assaulting a young man at a Dublin venue was dropped. Al Porter. And now, six years on, an older and wiser Porter – whose real name is Alan Kavanagh – is a firm believer that: 'If it doesn't kill you, it makes you stronger'. He said it was during his spell in the 'wilderness' that he rediscovered 'what I really loved, and that was performing'. 'That's what I did when I was five, six, seven, years old, getting up and wanting to read poems. I would write poems to my class and entertain them and be wheeled from classroom to classroom as if I was the TV. 'So that's what I missed. I didn't miss TV. I didn't miss the radio. I didn't miss writing for newspapers.' He added that while he would 'consider' offers for media work, 'I am in no way yearning for it.' He told Extra: 'I'm not trying to prove anything. This is me… Alan Kavanagh is Al Porter. We're the same person. 'I found when my life fell apart, that people used to try and use the fact that Al Porter wasn't my real name, people tried to use that against me in a weird way, like almost, to try to suggest, l am false altogether.' The comedian said he decided to change his stage name to Porter because, 'when I was starting out there was a singer on [former RTÉ music competition series] You're a Star called Alan Kavanagh. So I chose the name Al Porter and I loved it. And I still like that name. I'm proud of it.' Porter candidly admits he is 'ashamed that I brought trouble onto that name and I dragged that name through the mud, fairly and unfairly'. But he said he never considered dropping his stage name or to even temporarily move abroad to start anew. 'People said to me, 'did you never think of going to Australia? Did you ever think of doing stand-up comedy in America and then coming home?' And I would say to them, 'I'm not in the business of running away,' like I'm not gonna change my name.' Al Porter. Pic: Sean Gallagher Photography Now firmly back on the stand-up circuit and playing to packed theatres, Porter said he has learned to live with criticism or hate that lingers on long after the scandal that turned his life upside down. 'Look, there might be some people who hear my name who go, 'Oh, him. Is he not a pervert?' And look, I can live with that. I truly believe that whatever happens, I'm going to have a good life. 'I do believe that if I continue on the track I'm on, it'll be more people than not that associate that name with more good than bad. 'That's one of the things I love about doing comedy now… I've never been freer because I'm like, 'well, you know, I've got nothing to lose and everything to give.' 'I mean, what could people write about me that they haven't already written?'
Irish Daily Mirror
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Al Porter admits he tried to 'numb life and reality' with booze and drugs
Comedian Al Porter has revealed he numbed his "life and reality" with pills and weed as he shows off an incredible transformation. Porter quit booze and drugs four years ago after he was accused by several men of inappropriate behaviour and sexual misconduct in 2017. In a new post, the Dubliner reflected on how different his life is now compared to back then. Showing fans a series of pictures down through the years on his social media, Porter wrote: "Wow! This pic came up as a memory. "It reminds me how far you can come with love and support and time and a lot of effort in the right direction. "Here, in 2019, I'm burying my head in the sand, trying to smile, but drinking myself into oblivion, trying to numb life and reality with drink, Xanax, weed, anything. "I didn't want to accept my life or really be in it. I'd let so many people down and didn't know what to do. "The next pic over is a couple of weeks ago finishing Hell & Back for Cystic Fibrosis. "It's a real smile. 4 years sober, even longer of counselling, and years of what my friend in restorative practice calls accountability in a supportive environment - not hiding from reality of your mistakes, but getting support to change, be better and to see a future for a different you, opportunities to make a positive life and contribution to society again." He said he feels "blessed" to have so much "tough love" in his life. "I am very blessed to have had so much love and sometimes tough love in my life, that gave me a reason to do the work on myself; to change drastically and turn things around and I'm not finished yet. "I am very grateful for the people that saw a future for flawed person who had made mistakes when I thought there was none. "There is always a chance to better yourself and better days ahead if you change things - it's not easy but it's worth it."
Irish Independent
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Streets of Sligo, Knocklane Traditional Music Festival and more - the top ten things to do in Sligo this week: June 18-24
We've compiled a list of the best events taking place in Sligo this week. Knocklane Traditional Festival The annual Knocklane Traditional Music Festival takes place in Maugherow this weekend from Friday June 20 until Sunday, June 22. There will be music sessions, workshops, talks, a celebratory concert to mark 10 years of Benbulben Comhaltas Branch, and lots lots more. Tickets for workshops are available via eventbrite. More details on the event Facebook page. Al Porter Get ready for an unforgettable night of comedy at Lillie's Laughs, where the laughter is guaranteed to flow as smoothly as the cocktails. This Friday, June 20, it's the turn of the and only Al Porter, making his debut at Lillie's Laughs for the very first time. Al Porter is known for his quick wit, charismatic stage presence, and razor-sharp humour. Tickets via eventbrite. Songwriters in the Round Gráinne Hunt, Eve Belle, and Emma Langford share their songs and stories at a special event at Murphy's Live, Murphy's Hotel in Tubbercurry on Monday, June 23. This promises to be a great night of music in a cosy, intimate venue. Tickets are available via eventbrite. Michael Rooney and June McCormack The much-loved Lunchtime at the Well series continues this June with a very special performance from celebrated traditional music duo Michael Rooney and June McCormack, known together as Draíocht at Hawk's Well Theatre on Wednesday, June 18 at 1.10pm. While the event remains 'pay what you can', advance booking is essential to guarantee a seat due to its overwhelming success. The Highstool Prophets The Highstool Prophets bring their concert series to the Radisson Blu, Sligo this Thursday, June 19. These shows have seated/standing optional and are proving to be a great success throughout the country. Under 18s must be accompanied by an adult. Tickets via eventbrite. iDance Get ready for a spectacular showcase at Hawk's Well Theatre on Sunday, June 22 and Monday, June 23. Talent shines as dancers aged 3 to 18 from iDance take the stage. They'll mesmerize you with a vibrant mix of styles including Commercial, Acro Dance, Musical Theatre, Jazz, lyrical and Hip Hop. Tickets from Hawk's Well box office. Sue Paling Memorial walk/ride On Saturday, June 21, Sathya Sai Sanctuary Trust for Nature will be holding a memorial walk and ride in honour of the group's founder Sue and to raise funds for her beloved animals. Meet at Coney Island drive at 12:45pm and at 1pm start your walk/ride to Coney Island. Participants are encouraged to bring dogs and horses, as long as they are friendly with others. Bríd Harper and Ryan Molloy Bríd Harper and Ryan Molloy come to the Coleman Music Centre on Saturday, June 21. Bríd Harper and Ryan Molloy are renowned Irish musicians who have collaborated on numerous projects, including concerts and recordings. Tickets available from the Coleman Music Centre box office. Streets of Sligo The Streets of Sligo 5k returns for the first time since 2019, taking place this Saturday, June 21. Race will start and end in Queen Maeve Square. You'll be racing around some of Sligo town's top spots including Sligo Gaol, Sligo Abbey and down the main throughfare of O'Connell Street. Full details on Ballinacarrow NS 7k run and walk A 7km run and walk takes place at Ballinacarrow National School on Thursday, June 19 from 6.30pm. The event starts at the school gates. Kids go free.
Irish Daily Mirror
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Al Porter: 'It's become aren't I a f**king mess? And let's all laugh about it'
'It's not about being Al Porter, the big success, look at me in my shiny suit. It's become more about aren't I a f**king mess? And let's all laugh about it.' Al Porter is back, and he believes he's more relatable and funnier than ever with his new stand-up show Algorithm that debuts this August. A play on how we are all addicted to our phones and the tailored content they feed us, this show will resonate with any twenty or thirty-something living in their parents' box room or forking out €1k a month for a windowless shed. 'It is literally a snapshot of my life now as a 32-year-old,' Al says. 'I'm in a pretty common 32-year-old's position, which is living with a partner or a boyfriend and two housemates in a windowless submarine in the middle of town. 'And trying to make rent and then my friends are getting married, and then it's like, am I supposed to get married? 'Some of the other comedians in Ireland who are playing Vicar Street are doing really well in life, but I'm on a big stage and I am very much in the same boat as the audience.' The Dubliners last stand-up show A Work In Progress came after his six-year hiatus when he fell from grace of being Ireland's brightest new star selling out theatres and popping up everywhere on TV and radio. He was embroiled in controversy after a sexual assault claim was made against him to Gardaí, but it was later withdrawn by the DPP. His first show back focused on 'cancel culture versus consequence culture', his recovery from alcohol, and how he got through the darkest times of his life. But, Al says he's ready to push on and enjoy the little things in life that make it funny, and that's exactly what Algorithm is about. He draws a lot of inspiration from his childhood in Tallaght, where he was the flamboyant child that wore a suit to sport's day and spoke back to any kid that tried to tease him. The comedian said: 'I was scrawny, I was pale, I was limp. I wasn't sporty. But if you were confident, you didn't get slagged. "When I was 12 I remember kids being like 'You are gay' And I was like, 'Who told you? Your dad? Cause I was with him last night!' So having audacity and being a bit of a peacock. If you were gonna be different, you have to show people that you didn't give a f*ck.' Al believes he can be more himself now, and tell jokes that he wouldn't have before, since he's not connected to a radio or TV station. He said: ' I'm not a part of the establishment, I'm not kind of holding out hope that I'll get on TV or radio, so I've never been more of just one of the normal people. "I don't have to give a f*ck about sponsors or producers or anything like that. So I can talk about anything I want. I even have jokes about Ryan Tubridy. I was talking about me losing weight, so I was like 'Six years of bad press and the weight will just fall off you'. And then I said, 'You know, Tubridy almost disappeared''. Al is writing a play inspired by his working-class family, called The Kavanaghs. It's about a gay man who lives in his family home with his partner and they are all trying to leave to catch a flight for a wedding in Germany. His problem? It's a little more than just inspired by his family, it is his family. The Tallaght man explained: 'The dad is an army sergeant and the mother is a parish secretary. ' They're going to a German wedding because my brother married a German girl. I always say that he was on Tinder and he swiped too far right. I also always joke that it's great to have a German in the family because it's just another person who doesn't like to talk about the past as much as me.' While the comedian is keen to move on with his life, he believes his fall from such a high pedestal has made him much more relatable, and also funnier. He said: 'I find my shows are funnier now because I've gone through stuff that is more relatable to people. "I have funny stories about AA, like AA will put your f**king problems in perspective. When you're sitting there feeling bad for yourself, thinking 'I could have been the next host of the Late Late Show' and then someone stands up and is like, 'It's been 10 years since I ran over me mother-in-law. 'So, being somebody who's struggling to make their rent, being somebody who's in AA, being somebody who's failed publicly and is trying again, all that stuff makes you more normal and funnier.'
Irish Independent
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
See pictures from Wicklow petting farm
The sold-out event featured attractions such as face painting and a cosy movie corner, perfect for the whole family. Youngsters in attendance were able to create lasting memories through an indoor petting farm, which allowed them get up close and personal with an array of different animals, including furry bunny rabbits and cute recent hatchlings. Parents had their cameras at the ready at all times to capture the special moment between their child and the animals present in the petting farm. There was also an opportunity to catch some Easter-themed cinema offerings in the comfy movie corner, as families gathered together to watch all the action unfold. There was also plenty of arts and crafts activities lined-up for all the talented kids present. Meanwhile, The Avon also has an action-packed line-up of different events taking place over the coming weeks, starting with a performance from Irish stand-up comedian Al Porter taking place on Thursday, May 8. 'The Art of Living' takes place on Sunday, May 18, from 9.30am to 4.30pm and is a special one-day training event designed to help you reconnect with yourself, release stress, and embrace a new way of experiencing happiness. Rooted in profound teachings on mindfulness, meditation, and personal growth, this event brings together The Positive Habit Community for a truly enriching experience. Through a carefully curated blend of teachings, meditation, hypnotherapy, qi gong and an immersive sound bath, you'll be guided to explore timeless wisdom in a way that is both practical and deeply restorative.
