Adam Kay is a comedy writer, author, comedian and former doctor. He is best known as author of the number one bestselling book ‘This Is Going to Hurt.’
The book’s sold over one million copies and has been translated into thirty three different languages.
Adam Kay sat down with City News and discusses what it’s like to have this degree of success from the book.
“It’s been very strange. I get these emails from the publisher saying its sold all these copies this week or its won this award. There’s always this unwritten sentence at the beginning of the email saying, we’re not quite sure how this has happened. That’s how I very much feel about it as well.”
What part of the day are you most creative?
Adam is a night owl living in a slightly different time zone, waking up in the morning later and going to bed later.
“I do most of my writing at night.”
“I think it’s because I’m very dis-tractable. I’ll come out of air plane mode during the day and I’ll have eight emails to reply to, they’ll be loads of new things on Facebook and Twitter.”
“During the day, I’ll gladly prioritise that over the stuff that I am meant to be doing.”
What is your favourite interpretation of your book cover?
Countries around the world have published different book cover versions of Adam’s book ‘This Is Going to Hurt.’
“Sweden took a more risque approach with the rubber glove being snapped onto the hand ready for action. China’s version is extraordinary. It’s beyond description.”
Why did you want to be a doctor?
Discussing his choice to become a doctor he says, ‘I don’t know if anyone when they are a teenager can make an informed choice about what they really want to do.’
‘I come from a family of doctors. My dad is a doctor and two of my siblings are doctors.’
‘For me it was what I would do as a job if I didn’t come up with a better plan.’
Why the transition from medicine to comedy?
Whilst working as a doctor, Adam had a bad experience in the labour ward which put him off the profession.
Adam, along with his partner, sold their former flat to start out his career in comedy.
As a result of his career Adam had enough money in the bank to try and find something else for six months after leaving the medical profession.
“For me, comedy was the closest thing I had to a plan B. The only thing I had really done at medical school was doing these comedy reviews. So I stepped out of medicine and looked at my life and looked at what else I have as a skill set.”
Are you a political person?
A lot of Kay’s comedy sketches and writing involves political themes.
Asked if he is political, Adam said:
“I think an interest in politics is an interest in the world we live in. Politics effects all of us. I would never be a politician because I’m not one of the people who wants to be in charge.”
What advice do you wish you had been given when starting your career?
“I think there should be a check for people to determine whether they really want to go into medicine. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a privilege to do a job like that. But, it’s a difficult job. It’s the toll it takes on human beings. I would still be a doctor. But I wouldn’t have done ops and gynae because I don’t have thick enough armour.”
Adam’s new book ‘Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas’ will be released on the 17 October 2019.
The book is available for pre-order now.
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HeadlineIf I Knew Then: Adam Kay on the journey from doctor to comedian
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StandfirstCity News talks to Adam Kay, comedian and author of the bestselling novel 'This Is Going to Hurt.'
Adam Kay is a comedy writer, author, comedian and former doctor. He is best known as author of the number one bestselling book ‘This Is Going to Hurt.’
The book’s sold over one million copies and has been translated into thirty three different languages.
Adam Kay sat down with City News and discusses what it’s like to have this degree of success from the book.
“It’s been very strange. I get these emails from the publisher saying its sold all these copies this week or its won this award. There’s always this unwritten sentence at the beginning of the email saying, we’re not quite sure how this has happened. That’s how I very much feel about it as well.”
What part of the day are you most creative?
Adam is a night owl living in a slightly different time zone, waking up in the morning later and going to bed later.
“I do most of my writing at night.”
“I think it’s because I’m very dis-tractable. I’ll come out of air plane mode during the day and I’ll have eight emails to reply to, they’ll be loads of new things on Facebook and Twitter.”
“During the day, I’ll gladly prioritise that over the stuff that I am meant to be doing.”
What is your favourite interpretation of your book cover?
Countries around the world have published different book cover versions of Adam’s book ‘This Is Going to Hurt.’
“Sweden took a more risque approach with the rubber glove being snapped onto the hand ready for action. China’s version is extraordinary. It’s beyond description.”
Why did you want to be a doctor?
Discussing his choice to become a doctor he says, ‘I don’t know if anyone when they are a teenager can make an informed choice about what they really want to do.’
‘I come from a family of doctors. My dad is a doctor and two of my siblings are doctors.’
‘For me it was what I would do as a job if I didn’t come up with a better plan.’
Why the transition from medicine to comedy?
Whilst working as a doctor, Adam had a bad experience in the labour ward which put him off the profession.
Adam, along with his partner, sold their former flat to start out his career in comedy.
As a result of his career Adam had enough money in the bank to try and find something else for six months after leaving the medical profession.
“For me, comedy was the closest thing I had to a plan B. The only thing I had really done at medical school was doing these comedy reviews. So I stepped out of medicine and looked at my life and looked at what else I have as a skill set.”
Are you a political person?
A lot of Kay’s comedy sketches and writing involves political themes.
Asked if he is political, Adam said:
“I think an interest in politics is an interest in the world we live in. Politics effects all of us. I would never be a politician because I’m not one of the people who wants to be in charge.”
What advice do you wish you had been given when starting your career?
“I think there should be a check for people to determine whether they really want to go into medicine. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a privilege to do a job like that. But, it’s a difficult job. It’s the toll it takes on human beings. I would still be a doctor. But I wouldn’t have done ops and gynae because I don’t have thick enough armour.”
Adam’s new book ‘Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas’ will be released on the 17 October 2019.
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