Stand-up comedian and television presenter Jimmy Carr has argued that comedy should be taught in schools as part of a broader push to make drama a standard educational offering.
Speaking on The High Performance podcast hosted by Jake Humphrey and Damian Hughes, the 54-year-old entertainer rejected the notion that comedic talent is purely innate. He maintained that humor functions as a teachable skill capable of cultivating future generations of performers.
“I think comedy should be taught in schools,” Carr said on the program. “I think, well, drama more generally, but, you know, comedy specifically as part of that, because I think a lot of people would be drawn to it. I think it is a teachable skill.”
Beyond comedy, Carr emphasized that drama classes should be available in every educational institution to foster greater creativity among students. He noted his tangential involvement with Drama Matters, an organization representing approximately 6,000 drama teachers across the United Kingdom who advocate for universal drama education.
During the wide-ranging interview, Carr also shared views on social policy, suggesting that 16-year-olds should be legally permitted to consume alcohol in pubs under specific conditions. Rather than prohibiting underage drinking, he argued that allowing teenagers aged 16 to 18 into pubs in groups of four or more would encourage responsible behavior and better integration into the community.
“I think 16-year-olds should be allowed to drink because this may come as a shock, 16-year-olds drink anyway,” Carr said. “So I’m just living in the real world. I just don’t want them to drink in a park.”
The full interview was released on Spotify and YouTube.
