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Selfridges presents:

the LIVE LOL-ATHON

Words: Chekii Harling

Let’s face it, we could all do with a few laughs right about now; that’s why we rallied our most hilarious friends from the worlds of stand-up comedy, drag and music to bring you a show-stopping six-hour LOL-ATHON on Instagram Live on Friday 15 May.

There were brilliant comedy and music sets from Melanie C, Glyn Fussell, Diane Chorley, Grace Campbell, Jayde Adams and many more, all in support of mental health charity Shout. Shout is the UK’s first 24/7 text service for anyone in crisis, anytime, anywhere – and to celebrate the amazing work they do, you could donate directly via our LOL-ATHON live stream. If want to offer support or know somebody who is struggling, give Shout a shout via their website: www.giveusashout.org. 

 

 

 

Missed the Instagram Live stream? Get to know a few of our brilliant entertainers who performed on the 15th May below, and we’ll see you over on Instagram @theofficialselfridges for the next live event 

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Glyn Fussell, Co-founder of Sink the Pink

 

Have you always had a taste for the dramatic?

I was born a performer! I’m one of seven [siblings] and my mum was a childminder, so I had an audience that had to pay attention from an early age.


Tell us a bit about the companies and events you’ve co-founded – namely, Sink the Pink, East Creative and Mighty Hoopla.

In a nutshell, Sink the Pink is the world’s biggest club night collective for gender-benders and beautiful freaks! East Creative is an agency that offers creative consultancy and casting services to brands, and Mighty Hoopla is a 30,000-strong annual festival of pop, colour, freedom and joy, [normally] held every June in Brockwell Park, London. 

 

My WFH look is a green thong and some nipple tassels!

- Glyn Fussell

Now that physical spaces are closed, how are members of the LGBTQ+ community finding ways to come together online? 

I am talking a lot more to people close to me, and that’s been great. We’re always so busy and don’t find the time to fully connect! My community is the most creative bunch of show-offs, who are utilising all the ways to come together over this period.

 

You love an extravagant outfit; what are your key garments at the moment? 

It’s all about pieces, lots of contrasting pieces… I love shapes that make your body look different, too – big hats, shoulder pads you can see from Mars and disco golf shoes. However, my WFH look is a green thong and some nipple tassels!

Grace Campbell, stand-up comedian and activist

 

What do you love most about stand-up comedy?

I feel so happy and alive when I’m performing stand-up – I love being able to tell a joke and instantly know whether it’s funny or not. My comedy is inspired by issues that I feel need to be discussed: sex, relationships, politics, men in politics… I hope I can inspire other people to speak out about these topics having seen my stand-up.
 

You co-founded the activist collective The Pink Protest.
What does the organisation stand for, and what does it hope to achieve in the near future? 

The Pink Protest is a collective for female activists. It’s a group of young women who work in different creative industries while simultaneously campaigning for equality. Our long-term goal is to lower the voting age to 16, in order to give the younger generation a greater voice in current affairs. 

Jonbenet Blonde, DJ and drag queen

 

What does drag mean to you?

Joining Sink the Pink 11 years ago was when I really sunk my teeth into performing – they gave me the space to shine as bright as I could. I consider myself an introverted person, but doing drag has allowed me to become somebody who bursts onto the dance floor. It’s true when they say that performing to a crowd is exhilarating. Music is also incredibly important to me – it’s one of the most powerful mood-changers we have in this world.


What things do we need to do to recreate an iconic Jonbenet Blonde look? 

1. Always have a Vodka Martini in hand.

2. Overdrawn red lips (Kylie Jenner nabbed that from the queens!).

3. Be able to break into a Britney routine at any time.

4. A shockingly high split (you need people to gasp when you walk by).

5. Remember there is comedy in fashion: choose your outfit wisely!

Roisin & Chiara, comedy duo

 

What inspires you?

Our material often stems from abstract inspirations. In the past, we’ve started our creative process by thinking of ‘the colour white’ or an image of ‘a centaur at a bonfire’ and gone from there. We’re also influenced by the conversations we happen to be having at that time ­– we’re talking on the phone a lot right now and miss each other very much.

 

Comedy really is the greatest medicine for the soul

 

- Roisin & Chiara

 

You’ve previously touched upon mental health issues in your 2016 ‘Therapy’ sketch. What power does comedy have in bringing important issues to people’s attention? 

We never set out with the intent to tackle a particular issue, but inevitably the matters that are most important or interesting to us end up emerging in our sketches. We hope by letting the monsters out, we might elicit cathartic giggles that can let off some proverbial steam. We’re missing live performance so much right now – sharing a collective experience is a wonderful thing, and comedy really is the greatest medicine for the soul.

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