Fringe preview: Viv Groskop

Journalist, writer, comedian and TV presenter Viv Groskop brings her show Vivalicious to the Guildford Fringe on July 17. William Gadsby Peet discusses Putin's tiny hands and Michelle Wolf's eyeshadow

  • You’re a bit of a Russian politics buff, what’s going on with all the scary Putin-led headlines?

Don’t believe the Putin hype! You’re only playing into his tiny power-obsessed hands! (Yes, he too has tiny Trump-like hands.) When it comes to Russia, my advice is this: read widely (especially read Masha Gessen) and avoid paranoia. The picture is not optimistic but it’s not as wildly pessimistic as it can sometimes be portrayed. Russia is a massive, complex country. Putin may have won 76% of the vote in the recent election. But that doesn’t mean 76% of people are passionately in love with him, despite his manly chest.

  • Your book The Anna Karenina Fix extracts life lessons from classic Russian literature, what’s your favourite?

Obviously it sounds weird to take life lessons from the world’s most miserable and depressive literature. (Spoiler alert) “Don’t cheat on your husband and then throw yourself under a train.” But in fact Russian classics are so clear-eyed and realistic that they’re far more inspiring than many other sappy books. My favourite lesson is from Chekhov’s Three Sisters: Don’t compare yourself to others. The grass is not greener. And you don’t need to go and live in Moscow, you’re fine where you are.

  • You are a journalist, writer, comedian, TV presenter and radio presenter, what do you enjoy the most?

I love the unpredictable chaos and randomness of stand-up comedy when you never know when your next heckle is coming. Latest loud interjection: “I love your eyeshadow. Where is it from?” I attract an excellent class of eccentric, style-obsessed heckler.

  • As a female comic, what did you make of western media’s reaction to Michelle Wolf’s White House Correspondence Dinner set?

Everyone went crazy over Michelle Wolf’s set without actually watching it. She made a very funny and well-aimed joke about another woman (Trump’s press secretary) bending the truth on a regular basis. Everyone who didn’t want to admit that this person bends the truth said, “How dare a woman attack another woman? We are living in terrible times!” But the terrible times we are living in have nothing to do with women attacking women and everything to do with not being able to call out lies. That is what comedy is for and Michelle Wolf did a great job. Plus, she herself has great eyeshadow and we all know that’s what matters most.

  • What can we look forward to from Vivalicious?

This is a show about becoming your “best self” in preparation for the coming age of President Oprah Winfrey. It’s an exploration of my own lifelong obsession with self-help, therapy and mindfulness and how it does not seem to have improved me that much. Is it all a waste of time? Am I just not trying hard enough? Or does there come a point in life when you should just accept you are a bit rubbish? There will be a lot of fun and silliness and hopefully some pointers on how not to live your life.

Viv Groskop performs Vivalicious at the Star Inn on July 17. For more information and to book tickets (£7), visit: guildfordfringefestival.com

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