DIVA sat down with the comedian and singer to find out more about her new show at the Edinburgh Fringe
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGE BY DYLAN WOODLEY
Jordan Gray returns to the Edinburgh Fringe with Is That A C*ck In Your Pocket, Or Are You Just Here To Kill Me? — a wild, fearless hour of musical comedy. Fresh from TV success and viral fame, Jordan blends razor-sharp wit, original songs and bold storytelling in a riotous, unapologetic celebration of identity, rebellion and joy.
DIVA sat down with the star to find out more about this incredible show.
Hands down one of the best names for any show this year at the Fringe. What inspired this exciting new show?
Thank you! Is It A Bird? was a tough act to follow. I like the ideas of titles as questions – the implication being that you’ll get the answer at the show. Is That a C*ck In Your Pocket, Or Are You Just Here To Kill Me? is a play on the classic movie quote “Is that a gun in your pocket or are you just pleased to see me?”. I got so many death threats after appearing naked on TV in 2022 (with the audacity to own a pair of tits and penis at the same time). I felt like giving those threats a comedy spin, and here we are.
You’ve done a TV special, a new series, and now this show. Do you ever feel pressure to keep going bigger each time?
I do. It’s the driving force behind everything I do – and I know in my heart that it’s not sustainable, but honestly, what else is there? Happiness? Work-life balance? Good gut health? That’s bush league stuff. I just want to be undeniably good at my job.
Music is a big part of your comedy. Why do you like mixing songs with stand-up?
Music is so good at communicating a “vibe” – and it’s often universal. Comedy is about being reaaally specific, creating high-fidelity communication between your brain and an audience. I’m convinced something really cool happens when you deliver extremely specific information on the wings of a universal vibe. It’s like putting pills in your dog’s food. It cures people without them knowing.
Your shows are really personal but also talk about bigger topics. What do you hope people take away from this one?
I think it’s an illusion that I talk about big topics. I talk about bread, and Batman, and daylight savings time – but I do so while being transgender. There’s something very weird about slowly turning into a political hot potato. I’m not an activist, that’s not my skillset. I’m a storyteller – so all I want the audience to leave with is the nourishment of a good story that they haven’t heard before. Some new ideas and sore cheeks.
You’ve had a lot of strong reactions to your work — both good and bad. What keeps you going and staying bold on stage?
I am basically fueled by other people’s excitement. If people tell me something is going well, that’s all I need to throw myself into it with everything I’ve got. I want to be exciting for people. If there were a way for me to spontaneously explode and have all my guts and viscera splattered onto a canvas I’d do that instead. But that sort of thing is frowned upon. So instead, my career so far is just me slowly exploding. Ex-slow-ding? Is that a word? This answer might have got away from me a little bit.
What message do you have for the LGBTQIA+ community coming to the Fringe this year?
You are not in competition with anyone but yourself. But yourself, to be fair, is pretty awesome – so that is a high bar. Be undeniable and unique. And eat a bag of spinach every day for the iron.
Is That A C*ck In Your Pocket, Or Are You Just Here To Kill Me? Will be showing at Assembly George Square Garden, Piccolo Tent from 30 July – 24 August (excluding 6, 12, 19 August). You can find tickets here.
DIVA magazine celebrates 31 years in print in 2025. If you like what we do, then get behind LGBTQIA+ media and keep us going for another generation. Your support is invaluable.
