Interviews | The Snigger

Rob Kane

Each month (or issue) I ask a comedian questions about their comedy or life journey! It can be as little or as much information as you wish to share.

Scottish Comedian of the Year finalist and BBC Scot Squad star – Rob Kane is a veteran MC and razor sharp improvisor with 19 years of comedy experience.

In this issue of The Snigger we have a haunting from an old Taggart episode that a young Rob appeared in. Spooky.

If you have had the pleasure of working a gig with Rob as compere, you will know his audience interaction is second to none. Rob’s gift-of-the-gab skills have earned him appearances on BBC Radio Scotland’s Off The Ball with Tam Cowan & Stewart Cosgrove.

Before Covid Rob was regularly headlining and MCing the big clubs but he has noticed a difference on the scene since then, but he has a full life outside of comedy. Rob has worn many hats in terms of jobs -barber anyone – over the years (and I don’t believe after speaking with him that he will just stop trying new stuff out).

His love of football has provided him with both professional and comedy opportunities from working with mental health support in sport to corporate circuit work.

Rob is a left leaning, liberal and lifelong Rangers fan – but don’t hold that against him He is much more than a football fanatic, he is funny, open and giggles a lot during our chat showing that his mischievous take on life is also part of his personality. Rob is outspoken on some issues that he feels are important to him, his football, his opinions, where he is at in comedy. We meet in a Starbucks for a chat. Over to Rob.

Hi Rob, tell me when you got you first paid start, and a bit more about your comedy career.

Rob started out from a background in acting. Cast as the Scarecrow in Wizard of Oz in a school adaptation, his English teacher’s wife – who spotted him in the Wizard impressed her so much that she told Rob that he “…has what a young John Gordon Sinclair has but much more.” He had stage presence and was a natural performer.

Rob is from Drumchapel and still lives there. Drumchapel is known as a working-class suburb of Glasgow city, and the butt of those jokes comparing it to a place you would not want to live in or be from.

After school with some drama teaching behind him, Rob was successfully cast in a Hallowe’en episode of Taggart, called Hellfire, where he worked alongside the great Mark McManus. This was Marks second last recording before he passed away. Hellfire can still be seen on STV Player today.

Rob then joined Theatre Works and that is where he met Viv Gee and they became great pals. Viv was an experienced actor at the time, but she also spotted Rob’s stage presence and comedic timing. Viv said that she could not make Rob funny - but she could make him funnier.

This became his introduction into stand-up. Rob’s first five was given to him by Alan Anderson and he said after that it just started to “snowball from there”.

Since 2006 Rob has travelled all over the UK venues going from strength to strength as a worthy headliner, a bookable act and spiky MC. His first paid gig was with Billy Kirkwood who paid him £20 for 15 minutes and assured Rob “That won’t be the last time I pay you”.

Rob became a full-time comedian about 7 years and makes a living from it. Covid put a halt on progressing further but not one to let that hold him back he went to college, did some barbering, later tour guiding (which he loved) and still maintains his love of football through coaching a men’s semi-pro team, called Roselle.

I asked him, who or what makes you laugh the most? (this is one question, right!)

“I love relatable comedy but especially if it has a different slant on it, so for example sharp observations but unique to the person delivering it.

Is there anything you hate about comedy? Rob thinks in Scotland there is a –“glass ceiling” in that some acts can break it, some can’t. His experience has led him to see that games are played when who you hang about with is more important than your comedy.

Rob and I muse over him “hitting the big time”

“I look at some line ups at some venues and think; I am deserving of that spot and have the ability to be at that level. It makes me question some of the things I have said in the past.

Is it myself, is it my views? Is it my comedy? I don’t think so.

I have the ability to be getting the gigs, so what is holding me back?”

I like the fact that Rob has self-awareness here and is not bitter but understands his position.

But funny is funny and my advice to anyone is “just be funny”.

What is funny to you?

I like comedy that is relatable but with slant, different angle. New comedians impress me if they offer than as they look at the world differently (to me?).

Rob likes physical comedians too. I was surprised to hear that he appreciates new and upcoming acts and was not sneery about people giving it a go.

He mentions Lee Evans and from his childhood watching old black and white comedies from Harold Lloyd and the duo Abbot and Costello.

Further afield he has loved Bo Burnham and Adam Ray, who does a spoof of Dr Phil. Of course, our own Billy Connolly gets a mention as an early influence on what is funny.

Please tell us if you have any unfulfilled ambition, or anything you are trying to achieve in comedy

I ask Rob, are you happy?

His answer goes back to his cheeky nature. He answers, “What is happy? “

I say in general, are you happy.

“Happiness is a fallacy”

Ok then, what is success to you?

“Success to me is gigging regularly. My ambition is to be touring and selling out shows. A live audience – I want to build that up. TV I am not so bothered about -but if it comes calling…...!

I am a full-time comedian and MC. I run monthly gigs in the Clyde Bar in Helensburgh, where I also do the podcast for Bring It On events.

“I don’t care what other people think of me, it is what the audience thinks that matters, and that is what I will be focussing on in the next five years.”

This is how his upcoming Glasgow Comedy Festival show will work. Rob will be doing a crowd work show at the Griffing Bar. He will be doing both a Friday and Saturday night– if you go both nights, he guarantees it won’t be the same show.

Last question, tell me what image are you most drawn to and why?

“Travel. I love travelling. I have travelled a lot as it makes me happy but there is also that bit of missing home”. What he means by this is that he likes the escape but then can appreciate what he has at home and wants to come back to.

Rob recounts a worldwide trip he took with his then wife, starting off in Buenos Aires, Argentina and a wine tour gone wrong in the Napa Valley where the tour guide got so drunk they skipped the tour and went straight to the dinner at the end – presumably to sober the poor thing up!

His recent trips have taken him to Thailand and this year Dublin, where he snuck a couple of gigs in.

Thanks to Rob for his time, what a pleasure.

Catch Rob at the GICF 2026 Comedy Festival at the Griffin Bar in Glasgow. - dates and ticket link to be confirmed.
You can listen to the Clyde Bar Podcast on YouTube. Brought to you by the guys at Bring it On.