Billy.

I've just watched a comic relief video by my comedy hero "The big yin!" (Please go find it, via Comic relief or on my social media)

I actually had to watch it more than once!

Why?

Here is why....

Because over and over again, the man I watched in ore growing up, the man I only dream of being as funny as, the man who actuality makes me uncontrollably laugh, the man I'd travel miles for, the only man I took my daughter to see (He's that important in my life and she learnt swear words!) The man who walks on a comedy stage not really caring what anyone thinks  and nails Hollywood at the same time just did a masterclass in comedy...

He took the piss out of himself ...A man with Parkinsons and Cancer ..Yup, he is that brilliant and talented he just doesn't care and that makes him, in book, simply hysterical and iconic.

When I was warming up Loose Women, (A sentence I still can't get my head around) Billys' wife (Pamela) Came onto the show, she was the best guest ever..But throughout the whole show I just wanted to tell her "Please say thank you to your husband from me for driving me in the lonely spotlight of comedy!" (I didn't, I was too scared) Although I did tweet her. Pamela Stephenson was as warm and loveable as when as "Scotland's first born" walks on a stage, you just kinda have to  fall in love and hang on his every word!

When I took Roxy to see my hero, it was breathtaking. It was at the Hammersmith event appolo  (I'm pretty sure it's changed names a few more times!) The big yin got a standing ovation just walking on! Seriously .....shouts came from an arena that didn't stop "We love you Billy" I sat with my daughter and in my head said "Yes we do!" I don't think I've ever witnessed such an outpouring of love and he hadn't even opened his mouth. I looked up and back at the huge auditorium I can't even put it words the atmosphere, It really is one of those "You had to be there" moments. In fact thats exactly how brilliantly Billy does his comedy, he takes you there, or is it their, who cares, I was there!

The stage he walked on is where I've walked out to warm up BGT, Gary Barlow and Barry Manilow, I walked his walk and had a picture with the one I always fancied from ABBA ...I sat and watched and thought, I've walked my hero's steps (Although he didn't get an ABBA selfie I'm sure!) I get to say "I walked the same walk , on the same stage, under the same spotlights but I'd swap that any day to experience that moment of watching my hero and we all need a few of them in life!

Over and over (And never out!) The greatest comedian ever! I'll make a donation to comic relief and hold the memory forever. Thank you Anna for not being able to make the gig, because of you I got to show my daughter, who I only wish I was brave enough to be, and I'll never be able to fart on a plane again.

I think my point here is this, Billy Connoly doesn't care what people think, he just does "Him" and he's so loved for it. What a brilliant lesson to us all. Yup it's OK to be just you. 

We live in a world of not being able to be you because it's never good enough. When the "Big Yin" walked on that stage (And every stage I've watched him walk on) He wasn't photo shopped, been on a reality show, had a huge PR campaign to make him loved or hated to earn a few quid, he wasn't branded or come with sponsored tweets or name drops. He just walked in the room, bursting with raw talent and not giving one flying fuck!

I didn't actually take my daughter to watch my hero, I took her to watch a lesson in life...

Just be you! No matter what you do you are going to be judged anyway so you may as well just go and do it anyway, even with cancer and Parkinsons.

It's St Patrick's day, I know Nial, Louis and Eamonn, so I'll celebrate, but only today, tomorrow it's the rugby, you've got 24 hours of my outpouring of love and a "I love you Ireland!" I mean who doesn't!

Thank you for reading.

Sent from just me...

Thank you "Sir Billy Connoly" I think it's about time that happened, if only to hear the routine after.

*Bows*