08 August 2023 , 14:39
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In a heartwarming revelation, comedian Joe Pasquale, 61, shared that his "real joy in life" as a child was bringing laughter to his mother, who battled depression.
The funnyman opened up about his childhood experiences during an intimate conversation with Kate Thornton on her podcast White Wine Question Time. He fondly remembered how his humour helped lighten his mother's spirits, despite her struggles with mental health.
Pasquale reminisced, "I used to make my mum laugh as a kid growing up and that was my real joy in life because she suffered from depression." He added, "As she got older she had a weak bladder... I'd go round to see her and she would say, 'Don't you say a word, don't say nothing yet... I've got to put a newspaper under me'."
He humorously recalled how his mother would prepare herself for his visits, knowing well that his jokes would have her in stitches, often literally. "And she would literally wet herself... there was no Tena ladies in those days and before I could say anything, because I'd literally go round there just trying to make her laugh and it was a great thing that I did, for me personally and for her." However, he also acknowledged the challenges his mother faced, saying, "But she couldn't cope with it."
The comedian says making his mother laugh brought him 'real joy' (PA Archive)
Comedian Joe has since made a career out of making people laugh (Instagram)Pasquale further delved into his past, recounting his religious upbringing by his devout Catholic father and his early experiences with confession. "My dad was a staunch Catholic. My mum was Church of England so she wasn't a churchgoer as such," he said. He amusingly questioned the necessity of confession at such a young age, asking, "I went to a Catholic school and I remember having to go to confession at five years old... what had I done at five years old that I had to confess?"
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Joe then revealed: "So I'd go in there and I'd say, 'I threw a stone at Vincent Garvey today'. And I hadn't really... So then a week later, I could go back and say I'd lied last week because I'd lied in the confession." The episode took an unexpected turn when Pasquale disclosed a recent near-death experience. He had almost impaled himself on a prop moose head after a show.
The comedian recounted his stubborn refusal to seek immediate medical attention, stating: "I had seven stitches and I've got a great big hole in the back of my leg, but if I'd gone straight down on my belly, I'd be dead."
*If you are struggling with mental health, you can speak to a trained advisor from Mind mental health charity on 0300 123 3393 or email [email protected]
* This article was crafted with the help of an AI tool, which speeds up The Mirror's editorial research. An editor reviewed this content before it was published. You can report any errors to [email protected]