Tommy McCarthy: First Headline Stand-Up Show, Boxing Future & Acting Aspirations!

Tommy McCarthy has spoken of his future beyond boxing & he looks set to have an equally successful career in the comedy circuit.

Tommy has his first ever headline show coming up this coming Saturday the 27th April at The Roddys. He'll be supported by two great acts in Darren Matthews & Adam Mogey which is set to be a great night of comedy.

"I just started doing this for the craic & now it's started snowballing but now I'm headlining a show & it's a little bit more, I don't know if pressure is the right word but it's on me to sell the tickets. I'm looking forward to it but I'm just hoping people buy the tickets."

I think it will be safe to say Tommy will sell the tickets fairly easily due to his rise in standup & with his fans of his podcast.

The Whiskey n' White podcast has grew over time to become one of the biggest podcasts here. Tommy presents it with long-time friend and recently retired Super-light weight boxer, Tyrone McKenna.

"Me & Tyrone grew up together, we've been best mates since we were kids. We always talked about doing Whiskey n' White as a bit of a double act, wether as a podcast or not."

Tyrone McKenna had previously started his own podcast with comedian Sean Hegarty but due to boxing commitments couldn't find time to continue the pod.

It was actually fellow West Belfast comedian & friend, Paddy McDonnell who suggested they start their own podcast as a duo.

"Paddy McDonnell had said his brother produced him so me & Tyrone said right lets give it a go & it started to go well." The Whiskey n' White podcast has grew very quickly & the guys have already done three live shows of it for their fans.

"It was never in the plans to start doing live shows but we got a phone call from The Devenish after a couple months doing the show like here, do you want to do a live one? It was meant to be in the small room but there was such a demand they actually put us in the big room with 500 tickets sold.

All the shows have been good & there's a demand for more but Tyrone is currently taking a wee break from the shows so hopefully we'll have one in the summer."

A running joke that continues with the Whiskey n' White guys & 'Tea with Me' host, Shane Todd is that of getting actor James 'Jimmy' Nesbitt on the podcasts.

"Shane has made it very public that Nesbitt was his dream guest but I was in a bar around Christmas time & randomly Jimmy Nesbitt walked in. So I introduced myself, said I do a podcast with Tyrone McKenna & would love to have him on. So he gave me his email & he got back to me, he's been on & everything's been brilliant.

We've actually formed a really good friendship with Nesbitt & we're in a WhatsApp group with him & everything."

That one must sting Shane.

Despite being a well known face through his boxing career, especially in his home city of Belfast, the boxer turned comedian has spoken of his newfound fanbase gained from his standup career & successful podcast.

"Boxing is such a niche market not everyone likes or watches it whereas comedy & podcasting is so popular. It definitely has increased my profile & I'm getting more people coming up talking to me.

As well with boxing, people think fighters are serious people but with doing a podcast & comedy, people are more comfortable approaching you cause they know you're a regular person & not a fighter 24/7."

Tommy also hosted the first dedicated Soul Festival in Belfast at the Mandela hall last February which was a raging success & something he'd love to be involved in again in the future.

"A girl Siobhan Brown organised it all & brought in some really brilliant acts, guys & girls from down south & over in England. It was a really brilliant event, really enjoyed it & would love to do more stuff like that in the future."

Mcing events like that wouldn't be alien to Tommy as he's always MC'd boxing shows since he was young & he's transferred that skill to hosting events like Soultrane & different comedy nights such as the NI Comedian of the year awards.

"Mcing comedy shows is less pressure cause people aren't there to watch you, they're there to watch the acts so there's no pressure on you to be funny. Obviously you have to crack a few jokes but if you don't have much to say you can bring the next people on so yeah I think it's a lot easier MCing comedy shows than doing a set."

He has done a bit of acting before as he filmed a 'Rocky' themed sketch alongside Ciaran Bartlett for one of Tyrone McKenna's upcoming fights. Something that he says they have plans to do more in the future.

"Sketches cost money so we're just waiting for the right moment to do them but we have loads of them planned out."

It's not just 'Rocky' themed sketches he wants to act in though as the former European champion wants a role in the franchise films themselves.

"Creed 4 is what I want & then I seen Rocky on instagram saying 'is it time they release another Rocky?' so I would love to be in either a new Rocky film or Creed 4.

Tommy is also hosting a roast battle this coming June with next week's guest Justin Freeburn. Comedians will battle it out & the crowd will decide the winner, love the format & will be a great night with 12 great comedians.

Find out more about the roast battle event in next week's interview.

How did you get into standup?

"When Tyrone was doing his podcast with Sean Hegarty I was a guest on it & was there just to talk about boxing. Sean had said is boxing what you want to do or do you have anything else you'd like to try? I said I'd love to try anything that's going, whether it was music, acting or even standup.

Tyrone said that 'he think he's funny as fuck & thinks he could do standup, get him a gig'. So Sean said he'd give me 5 minutes on his show coming up. So I went & tried it out & it went really well. Paddy McDonnell was headlining the show I had done, it was up in Coalisland & Paddy gave me a lift.

On the way up he goes 'listen, we'll see how it is don't be too nervous or worried because no one is expecting anything from you. If you get a couple of laughs happy days & if you don't it doesn't matter. So I done the 5 minutes & I killed it & he goes Tommy that was brilliant do you want to do the Féile? Since that day it's just been rolling.

When did you get into standup?

"That was July 2022, so yeah not too many months ago."

What's your plans for the future? Is it still in boxing or is the boxing chapter over?

"Boxing has been my life & I haven't turned my back on it yet. My future I feel definitely lays in the entertainment industry, I know boxing is a form of entertainment too but I feel I still have a lot to give in boxing."

What would be your favourite venue be to play?

"I done a gig in The Roddy's about a month ago & it was unbelievable. I love The Devenish too, I've done it a few times.

I don't have an absolute favourite but I love doing the West because I'm from the West."

Is there a venue you've played that was great to play for the look of it etc?

"The way the Devenish is laid out is brilliant, that theatre style but then we done Soho in London & it was a real comedy club & I like it cause it felt like you were in like those ones you see on tv but they are all good, it is so hard to actually choose."

Who would you say is the best comedian in NI at the moment?

"People would say I'm biased but Paddy McDonnell."

What would you say has been your worst ever gig?

"I done one in a club for a nightclub's staff do & obviously it's all young people who aren't there to watch comedy. So when I was doing it there wasn't even anybody listening but I didn't care. Just usually if you do a comedy gig people are there to see it & listen but this one was just like no-one had any interest in it."

Who would you say is the most underrated comedian here at the moment?

"There are some really good ones. Well I don't know if she is underrated because she won the award the other week but Jazz Sierra, she is really good.

Sean McAleavey is very funny too & Adam Mogey is brilliant he is actually doing support for me too."

Where would you like to be in 2 years time with comedy?

"A Netflix special & doing arena shows. The Irish version of Dave Chappelle.

Soul music or Hip Hop?

"Probably soul music because without soul there is no hip hop."