Top 10 Eddie Izzard Moments

Izzard regularly weaves pop culture references into his set, to share his many musings on everything from James Bond to Star Trek. Here, he rounds on horror movies, to provide a unique assessment of the genre’s many, many pitfalls. Tackling vampire films in particular it’s a topic that lots of comedians have harnessed before, but Izzard’s creative, stream of consciousness approach makes the usual observations feel fresh again.

Performance-enhancing drugs in sports has been a hot topic for years, so trust Eddie to offer this as a solution. For another stand-out stand-up routine, he concocts the idea of an Olympic Games where certain drugs are actually mandatory. And the comic’s imagination runs wild with the possibilities, as his unusual pitch gathers pace. In a matter of minutes he has us convinced that the Stoned Olympics would be a sporting spectacle, and then some.

With roles in films ranging from the heist sequel “Ocean’s Twelve” to Disney’s “The Wild”, Izzard’s acting career is rich with variety. But this early role still stands out. In the cult superhero comedy “Mystery Men”, Eddie plays one of the hilarious henchmen to Geoffrey Rush’s Casanova Frankenstein. Donning a disco look, he’s given limited screen time as Tony P - but the bits he is in are brilliant. Cameos rarely get cooler.

Most of us have experienced the apparent oddness of an out of hours grocery run, but clearly Izzard has been going to an especially strange petrol station. This exaggerated description of the perils and pitfalls of late night shopping somehow manages to seem weirdly relatable and bafflingly absurd. From the disinterested cashier to the apparent creepiness of other customers, he shines new light on running last-minute errands.

Eddie’s routines often breach the British Empire, usually taking an apologetic stance for some of the less commendable moments from British history. And here he takes aim at the UK’s questionable past treatment of other countries, with a simple but spot-on observation. Before neatly shifting focus to the Second World War, and the American role in the conflict. If only real-life political negotiations were this straightforward and honest.

Even in the prime of his career, Izzard has never been shy about expressing his political opinions. A long time supporter of Britain’s Labour Party, in the 2010s he began showing serious interest in running for Parliament himself. Though his initial attempts to join Labour’s National Executive Committee were unsuccessful, he eventually earned a seat in March 2018 - and has also declared interest in running for Mayor of London in 2020. Before long he could be knocking on the door of Number 10 itself.

Another gag from his late ‘90s “Dress to Kill” show, and another regular topic in Eddie’s routines; religion. Whilst pondering the Church of England, Izzard imagines an exceptionally ineffective method of testing religious dissidence - with the joke getting more ridiculous by the second. Izzard has always cited Monty Python as one of his greatest inspirations, with John Cleese even calling the comedian the ‘Lost Python’, and the iconic troupe’s influence is clear to see here.

Many famous people have staged big charity fundraisers, but Izzard’s efforts trump almost every other celebrity push. In 2009, despite having limited running experience or training, he completed 43 marathons in 51 days all across the UK for Sport Relief. The titanic undertaking even earned him a special award at that year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year. What’s even more impressive is that he went and did it again, following that feat by running 27 marathons in 27 days across South Africa in 2016, raising another £1.35 million for Sport Relief.

British films and American blockbusters clearly sit poles apart on the cinematic spectrum, and Eddie knows it. Here he turns the stylistic differences into an all-out chasm, by reimagining what famous movies might look like on different sides of the pond. Dropping references to classics ranging from “Raging Bull” to “Star Wars”, Izzard’s bizzare riff rounds on all types of movie stereotype, bridging the gap between the States and the UK - and pitching punchlines left, right and centre.

“Star Wars” skits are a must-have for many comedians, but Izzard sets the sci-fi benchmark with this one. Musing over everyday life on the Death Star, Eddie’s imagining of how Darth Vader orders lunch has achieved a legendary status amongst stand-up comedy fans and the “Star Wars” fandom. Inspiring many a meme and viral video, this sketch knocks all the darkness out of the Dark Lord - with zero lightsabers required.