Veteran London-based Romanian comedian Radu Isac returns after his last interview on this podcast in 2022. Radu catches up with your host Kuan-wen to chat about how his career plans and gigging pattern change along with the moving landscape of the comedy industry. Between this episode and the first interview three years ago, Radu released his comedy special “Keep Coughing” on Youtube and organised his own tour across continental European cities.

Regarded as the comedian’s comedian in Romania (some fans even described him as Romania’s George Carlin), Radu shares his approach performing in front of liberal and less liberal audiences, British and a more internationally mixed audience and why he thinks it is important to be able to make different crowds laugh. He talks about running the popular bi-weekly Immigrant Comedy show in London and why comedy should remain a safe space for the expression of ideas, as he has done so in his comedy special.

Radu’s comedy special “Keeping Coughing” (free to watch on Youtube)

Radu’s live comedy show “Sadly Funny" at Top Secret Comedy Club in London 6 April 2025

---------------------------------

Follow Radu on Instagram and his website

Follow your host Kuan-wen on Instagram

---------------------------------

00:34 Intro

02:06 Summary of Radu’s prior appearance on this podcast

03:49 Gigging less often outside London now

04:36 Radu’s vs liberal audience and comedy shows with audience less sympathetic with immigrants

07:53 An example of audience not taking Radu’s poking well

09:32 How to and who to mention the act is foreign?

10:51 Change of career goals - non-native English speaking audience and touring outside the UK

16:29 With non British audience in mind, changes in joke writing?

18:23 Casual racism from English hosts of podcasts Radu went on

20:52 Touring (gigging) in continental Europe

22:21 A released comedy special recorded in Vienna (and another unreleased version recorded in London)

24:41 Difference between UK gigs and gigs in continental European cities

29:57 Running Immigrant Comedy Show and Radu’s criteria for “immigrants”

34:00 Romanian Youtube users’ comment on Radu’s accent

36:09 On Radu’s comedy special on Youtube “Keep Coughing”

37:22 On the joke “A vaxxed anti-vaxxer”, Radu’s intention and his approach

44:16 Radu’s social media

---------------------------------

If you like the episode, please share it and leave a review. For any comments or suggestions, please contact us on Instagram or email comedywithanaccent@gmail.com

---------------------------------

Podcast intro music by @Taigenkawabe