There is a fine line between contempt and catharsis.
It is one Jack Dee has been skirting for more than three decades as a successful comic, actor, television host and author.
Known for a sour demeanour and brisk deadpan delivery, each performance – whether its stand-up comedy or television game show I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue – finds the Englishman looking like he’d rather be anywhere else.
The audience loves it, of course, because Dee, 60, voices many of the everyday irritants we silently endure.
"We all have anger and it's a legitimate emotion," he tells The National before his Dubai Opera show on Wednesday.
"Now, the real question is what to do with that anger and I somehow managed to turn it to comedy, which the audience seems to like.
“I know I feel better when I am doing it and I think the audience does, too, because I am articulating some of the hidden thoughts they may have not put together, yet, but as soon as I say it they immediately recognise.”
Tapping into that "angry person inside of all of us" has done wonders for Dee’s career.
After making his stage debut in an open-mic night in London institution The Comedy Store in 1986, Dee soon hit his stride, winning a British Comedy Award for Best Stage Newcomer in 1991 followed by a run of television comedy specials, including 2004's well received Jack Dee Live at the Apollo for the BBC.
His biggest TV success, ironically, was winning the 2001 season of Celebrity Big Brother.
As the resident grump, each episode had him dishing hard truths to fellow castmates, such as Boyzone singer Keith Duffy and boxer Chris Eubank, with episodes ending with Dee hoping to leave, to no avail.
By the time the pandemic hit in 2020, Dee already spread his talents to acting and starred in the sitcoms Josh and Bad Movie, in addition to conducting a steady stream of theatre tours across the UK.
For a self-described workaholic, how did it feel to have all future gigs suddenly disappear?
"It was a new experience for me,“ he says.
"I always had that mentality of 'I live for work' and for that to suddenly stop was initially scary, and what worried me was I realised that I quite like it."
Then again, the idea of not working is relative for Dee.
The 18 months away from the stage gave him a chance to revisit other projects.
One of those was completing his third book, What's Your Problem?
Designed as series of agony aunt columns, the work required Dee to undergo a four-hour online crash-course in psychotherapy in order to provide advice for people’s woes.
This is all done in Dee’s inimitable style, of course.
For example, when a young artisan asks how he can woo back his angry and heavily pierced partner, Dee replies: “buy a giant magnet.”
"While writing a book is less immediate than the stage, the actual process remains the same," Dee says. "I am still writing with the audience in my head and I can genuinely feel whether it’s going to work or not."
Dee also says he's looking forward to his Dubai show, which he describes as a revamped version of his 2020 tour, with new material to reflect the current circumstances.
He must have had plenty of inspiration, as the past two years have been frustrating at best.
"Sometimes, I do feel indulgent in that I am allowed to let all this stuff out on stage," he says.
"But this is what makes stand-up comedy special. It can be very visceral and honest."
Jack Dee performs at Dubai Opera on Wednesday. Doors open at 7.30pm. Tickets from Dh195 are available at dubaopera.com
FIGHT CARD
Sara El Bakkali v Anisha Kadka (Lightweight, female)
Mohammed Adil Al Debi v Moaz Abdelgawad (Bantamweight)
Amir Boureslan v Mahmoud Zanouny (Welterweight)
Abrorbek Madaminbekov v Mohammed Al Katheeri (Featherweight)
Ibrahem Bilal v Emad Arafa (Super featherweight)
Ahmed Abdolaziz v Imad Essassi (Middleweight)
Milena Martinou v Ilham Bourakkadi (Bantamweight, female)
Noureddine El Agouti v Mohamed Mardi (Welterweight)
Nabil Ouach v Ymad Atrous (Middleweight)
Nouredin Samir v Zainalabid Dadachev (Lightweight)
Marlon Ribeiro v Mehdi Oubahammou (Welterweight)
Brad Stanton v Mohamed El Boukhari (Super welterweight
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
FIGHT CARD
From 5.30pm in the following order:
Featherweight
Marcelo Pontes (BRA) v Azouz Anwar (EGY)
Catchweight 90kg
Moustafa Rashid Nada (KSA) v Imad Al Howayeck (LEB)
Welterweight
Mohammed Al Khatib (JOR) v Gimbat Ismailov (RUS)
Flyweight (women)
Lucie Bertaud (FRA) v Kelig Pinson (BEL)
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (BEL) v Regelo Enumerables Jr (PHI)
Catchweight 100kg
Mohamed Ali (EGY) v Marc Vleiger (NED)
Featherweight
James Bishop (AUS) v Mark Valerio (PHI)
Welterweight
Gerson Carvalho (BRA) v Abdelghani Saber (EGY)
Middleweight
Bakhtiyar Abbasov (AZE) v Igor Litoshik (BLR)
Bantamweight:
Fabio Mello (BRA) v Mark Alcoba (PHI)
Welterweight
Ahmed Labban (LEB) v Magomedsultan Magemedsultanov (RUS)
Bantamweight
Trent Girdham (AUS) v Jayson Margallo (PHI)
Lightweight
Usman Nurmagomedov (RUS) v Roman Golovinov (UKR)
Middleweight
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Steve Kennedy (AUS)
Lightweight
Dan Moret (USA) v Anton Kuivanen (FIN)
The%20specs%3A%20Taycan%20Turbo%20GT
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDual%20synchronous%20electric%20motors%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2C108hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2C340Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20automatic%20(front%20axle)%3B%20two-speed%20transmission%20(rear%20axle)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETouring%20range%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E488-560km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh928%2C400%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EOrders%20open%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2019 Haval H6
Price, base: Dh69,900
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
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- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Switch%20Foods%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Edward%20Hamod%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Plant-based%20meat%20production%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2034%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%246.5%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%20round%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Seed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Based%20in%20US%20and%20across%20Middle%20East%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg
Real Madrid (2) v Bayern Munich (1)
Where: Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
When: 10.45pm, Tuesday
Watch Live: beIN Sports HD
THE SPECS
BMW X7 xDrive 50i
Engine: 4.4-litre V8
Transmission: Eight-speed Steptronic transmission
Power: 462hp
Torque: 650Nm
Price: Dh600,000
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
'Skin'
Dir: Guy Nattiv
Starring: Jamie Bell, Danielle McDonald, Bill Camp, Vera Farmiga
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More on Quran memorisation:
Results
1. Mathieu van der Poel (NED) Alpecin-Fenix - 3:45:47
2. David Dekker (NED) Jumbo-Visma - same time
3. Michael Morkov (DEN) Deceuninck-QuickStep
4. Emils Liepins (LAT) Trek-Segafredo
5. Elia Viviani (ITA) Cofidis
6. Tadej Pogacar (SLO UAE Team Emirates
7. Anthony Roux (FRA) Groupama-FDJ
8. Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:00:03
9. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep
10. Fausto Masnada (ITA) Deceuninck-QuickStep
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
