Michael Spicer: Politicians think it’s a joke, but I’m serious about them

Comedian Michael Spicer has said he finds it “very irritating” that the politicians he has “lampooned” follow him on social media, saying “I think they think that it’s just a game”.

Spicer shot to fame during the 2019 general election for his Room Next Door sketches, where he would pretend to act as a political adviser speaking in the ear of a public figure during an interview.

The 47-year-old, from Ashford, Kent, however told the PA news agency that some politicians do not seem to have understood the joke.

“I just provide entertainment because the evidence of that is the fact that a lot of the people that I’ve lampooned are following me, and I find that very irritating,” he said.

“I think they think that it’s just a game, it’s all just a joke. That if we bumped into each other in a bar we’d have a drink about it and say how funny it all was. But that sort of thing makes me quite nauseous.

“I’d like to think that I was making some sort of statement about about the Government’s ineptitude, about politicians’ ineptitude.”

Spicer has more than half a million followers on Twitter, with his videos regularly receiving hundreds of thousands of views.

One of his most recent Room Next Door sketches, earning more than two million views on X, poked fun at the moment the Prime Minister made headlines after one member of the public, who was standing in a group circle surrounding Rishi Sunak, rolled her eyes as he spoke about national security and immigration.

In his video, Mr Spicer acts as the Prime Minister’s political adviser, attempting to get someone to block the woman from the camera’s view.

“(Politicians) seem to want to take on this presidential approach, which is to be in a circle of people,” he said.

“Wherever they go, they’re in this circle of people and it feels like it’s off the cuff but, as has been proved, you can’t get a circle of people who are willing to just sit or stand there and nod along with it.

“You’ve had several examples of people in the background just visibly disagreeing with what’s going on in front of them.

“I think the more that we cover elections the more we’ll find these excruciating moments or these moments for comedy, for parody.”

Earlier in the election campaign Tom Walker, the creator behind the fictitious news reporter Jonathan Pie, said he and other comedians will “miss” the Conservative Party if it loses the General Election.

However, despite Sir Keir “not saying anything at all in interviews”, Spicer said he believes a Labour government would still be able to deliver in the comedy department if they win in the election.

“I think (Labour) are going to fall into very similar holes. I don’t think there will be another partygate for instance,” he said.

“I don’t think the incompetence stretches that far, but I think they are ripe for parody for different reasons.

“Perhaps you will not get a Boris Johnson ever again, and for that reason, I won’t be able to do what I do, but there will always be things.

“I think there’s a lot of hypocrisy, and I think that once they assume power you may see very similar narratives.”

The comedian added while the Tories have given him “great material”, he “can’t bear them anymore”.

“I didn’t anyway, but I can’t bear the lies and the constant papering over the cracks,” he said.

“(The Conservatives) need to find another narrative, because they are sinking very fast.”

Spicer also described political comedians as having the ability to “shine a light” on injustices within politics.

“I think what people were looking at when they saw (The Room Next Door) sketch was just a person on their sofa frustrated with politics and that’s what they are too,” he said.

“I think it helps people get through (the General Election) for a start.

“I don’t think (my comedy) makes any major changes, but I think laughing about it is really important, because of the cliche, otherwise you’ll cry.

“There’s so much injustice and that’s all comedians do really. Satirical comedians shine a light on that and make fun of it and laugh at it.”