Dealing With A Difficult Electrician | Jack Dee: So What? Live

There should be protocol attached to using electricity!
Jack Dee is back with his first live recording since 2005. In 'So What? Live', Jack is at his deadpan best, bringing his unique brand of casual misery to a packed house at his comedy home away from home, the legendary Hammersmith Apollo.
Welcome to Jack Dee’s Official KZbin Channel - One of Britain’s biggest and best-loved comedy stars is now here on KZbin! Subscribe to see clips, compilations, and full shows featuring more of Jack Dee’s dry humour and deadpan comedy than you ever thought you’d actually needed.
Find out more information and tour dates here - www.jackdeecomedy.com
#JackDee #StandUp #Comedy

[@mikebikekite1]

I used to work with quite a funny German guy (a nation not known for it's humour). He was having problems with a plumber who would turn up without tools or just turn up but not do anything. He got off the phone to the plumber, obviously a little stressed by having to deal with the guy again and said in his deepest accent "Mike, zis wud never off happened if we'd won zee war". I laughed so much a spat my coffee out.

[@stringologymchugh4245]

But they didn't😂

[@dragonsdynamite6403]

@@stringologymchugh4245I think all parties involved are fully aware to that. The west would’ve been better off

[@petermcgill1315]

@@stringologymchugh4245oh, really??

[@lukecaldwell7721]

Haha that reminds me of a similar guy who told me that if your late for work in Germany and you try to blame it on the trains, you will be met with raucous laughter before being asked for the real reason.

[@philjameson292]

​@@lukecaldwell7721that was before DB went down the tubes

[@puppy1584]

My husband is an electrician…sounds just like him…Me, “the light’s not come on in the kitchen “. Him, “did you flick the switch?”. 48 years - I’m feeling a bit tense.

[@stephenholmes1036]

Im a sparks my wife has just echoed you

[@jimosullivan1389]

What you dont realise it that experienced electricians have a mantra. 1. don't believe the customer. 2. don't believe the customer. 3. don't believe the customer.

[@wardygrub]

Jack Dee hasn’t aged at all! He looked like a grumpy old git when I saw him in the 90’s!

[@patagualianmostly7437]

I love him.... He is me!

[@forfinsake]

I need help I’m watching comedy and I’m thinking cmon fuse box first 😂

[@stevemcha7129]

Video engineer here, - Flew from Manchester to Edinburgh years ago to ‘fix’ a video recorder/player (u-matic 3/4 inch tape cassettes) for a financial services company. Fault found to be mains lead not plugged in !

[@stephenholmes1036]

Sparks here, I had a lady call on an early Sunday morning to tell me about her new washing machine it had been fitted for her by her son. It wouldn't work? She said it must be a fuse or a short. I arrive check around it wasnt plugged in ! That is a true story she was mid fourties and was an office manager. Her face was a picture and i always check the switches

[@dougsaunders8109]

Sadly in London I can imagine people ‘outsourcing’ pencil sharping

[@TrevorBarre]

And where exactly are you from, pray tell? The Orkneys?

[@dougsaunders8109]

Nope London

[@patagualianmostly7437]

Sadly, in London these days: You'll be lucky to find anyone that wants to help. It is no longer "London". Get used to it. The reality is hitting hard.

[@insertnamehere5146]

Decent & honest Plumbers, Electricians and car Mechanics always offer the replaced part as proof the part was replaced, and work was completed. it's not required for the customer to take old part, but tradesman who offers you the old part are to be congratulated for their professionalism.

[@kevinmoffatt]

As an ex mechanic I can tell you it's better if the customer has the part thats been replaced; it avoids the scenario, three weeks later, of the customer accusing me of fitting an unnecessary part and the old part being long discarded and the proof gone.

[@dermick]

Recovering from some thoracic surgery - I think I busted my stitches!

[@stephenholmes1036]

I love the sound of a switch Jack makes. I add i sm a sparks

[@bobdigi500]

The only unbelievable part of this story, is an electrician charging £25! In London!!!!!

[@markr9640]

The phone charger punch line I nearly suffocated from laughing... and I'm not even sure why

[@joanr3189]

Good understated British humour.

[@julesarthur4362]

I really laughed when he said tumble dryer for some reason. It was such good delivery. Doesn’t even really make sense plugging in a tumble dryer. He’s brilliant Jack.

[@tonyh1460]

The tumble dryer uses enormous amounts of power, unlike a mobile phone charger

[@MrNatbatten]

Is your tumble dryer clockwork/nuclear/magic or something???

[@davidhall5844]

I’m a sparky with over 50 years experience and yes, I have had a customer who couldn’t operate a light switch. True story, much longer explanation needed though.

[@MeppyMan]

That or the switch is the fault and switching it you can sometimes feel if that’s the case. Confirming the basics is always a good idea.

[@davidhall5844]

Actually the poor lady had a mental problem.

[@oldrrocr]

I used to walk the customer through a few "user" steps before coming over... e.g. "Did you trip/reset the circuit breaker?" If you can save them 65 bucks, they will always call you back.😅

[@davidhall5844]

Plus just the act of switching it on can give you a clue as to what the problem is. Fluorescent lights for example. @@oldrrocr

[@zapkvr]

Good luck getting an electrician round here. And 25 quid per hour, try tripling that.

[@meagain3876]

My friend Sarah rang me asking for my help as her power had gone off. I asked her about her fuse box, but she was clueless about it (she'd just moved into a rented house), so I said that I'd come over. After crawling around in her under-the-stairs cupboard, I found that her fuse box had been switched off. It turned out that she'd dumped her mop and bucket into the cupboard and the mop had fallen and knocked the on/off switch on the fuse box! No fault. I made her promise to make sure that when she moved, she knew where the fuse box and stoptap were located. Luckily at her last house, the box was high on the hallway wall, so couldn't be accidentally knocked. She wasn't practical, but Sarah was a good friend and a real laugh. I miss you.

[@SlinkShady]

What a stunning anecdote. Do you tell that at dinner parties?

[@neiltitmus9744]

Yes girl friends mum put wet mop to dryover it round hers and tripped it out when it shorted out

[@meagain3876]

@@SlinkShady never told a soul before - only people who knew about it was Sarah, me and my kids (I needed to bring them with me). Her kids were very young at the time and I doubt Sarah enlightened them as to what she'd done. Sarah died of cancer 7yrs ago - I miss her and all of her crazy antics.

[@meagain3876]

@@neiltitmus9744 lucky not to have needed a replacement box! My old next-door neighbours had a wire running from their house to their garage. It hadn't been buried underground (can't think why it wasn't from the start) - instead it came from their under-stairs cupboard outside then it was tucked into the edge of the hedge before entering the garage down the edge of a window. It mostly was 6-7ft from the ground. The lady next door routinely pegged washing on the wire between her house and the hedge! I wouldn't touch a wire with wet hands, would you?

[@SlinkShady]

@@meagain3876 I'll read this later if I can't get to sleep.

[@LeighWinspear]

Im an electician and Jacks joking at our expense is really affecting our careers and trade...........................;)

[@stranglx]

Well Jack, I’m an electrician and not a single week goes by where I go to a call out and resolve an apparent “problem” by simply changing a light bulb with one that actually works or simply switch it back on… these people always tell me they’ve already changed the bulb and it’s definitely switched on. I always have a switch in the van, I’ll charge a minimum of an hour on a call out to fit it though, but I’ll be out the door in five minutes so don’t worry about the tea!

[@odiums_taint]

facts. or the 'new' bulb they tried was actually an old faulty one they had laying about. and if the bit about the tea was even true, the electrician most likely wanted to get you out of his way for a few minutes jack.

[@wavydavy9816]

Don't tell me. And you _don't_ charge £25 and hour + VAT 🤔

[@stranglx]

Double it

[@merlin5476]

As a sparks, when this happens i have to drag out the situation nowadays because if I'm in & out in less than 5 minutes after merely flicking a switch on or just changing a lamp the customer generally thinks " oh, is that all it was, that was easy " (after trying to explain previously on the phone that the switch should be UP) they then seem reluctant to pay a call out fee, which varies from 35 to £80 . For a local job during the day to an emergency call out immediately. So i drag it out for around the length of a cuppa.

[@christopherhume8896]

I might not have time for a cuppa but I charge extra if they don't at least offer. 😁

[@Jack_Warner]

I often wondered what became of Jack. I used to watch his shows from the Apollo, about 30 years ago. I laughed through every show. I remember the sketch about British Rail, where the train breaks down and a bloke runs past the coach window to make people think the train is moving.

[@grahamhill9499]

Same shit then found out methinks

[@Jack_Warner]

@@grahamhill9499 I couldn't make out what you were trying to explain. Try punctuation and spelling. You can go to night school.

[@Kate_Short-For-Bob]

I can't tell what you're on about, even with punctuation. Did you go to school at night when you were a kid ?

[@Jack_Warner]

@@Kate_Short-For-Bob Try reading it again, when you've sobered up.

[@poisonmans]

As it comes, "I have mustard in mine ".

[@andreashaynes3346]

Happy go lucky!!! Jack, you are a legend 🤣🤣🤣

[@blankfrankie3747]

I'll be honest, I didn't think this was some of Jack's strongest material - until that 'phone charger' bit at the end. Had me cracking up for 10 minutes straight. 😆

[@kenhewitt7357]

Any electrician would go straight to the consumer unit.

[@tobyjones9215]

No. We go straight to where the problem is…which is usually the consumer unit x

[@kenhewitt7357]

@@tobyjones9215 that's what I said.

[@tobyjones9215]

@@kenhewitt7357 also kudos for knowing the term consumer unit. Most still call it a fusebox…amusingly so as there is now a brand of consumer unit called fusebox

[@SnowHarp]

Genuine question: why is the breaker panel / fuse box now called a consumer unit ? The name does not even suggest anything electrical.

[@stephenholmes1036]

​@tobyjones9215 Correct

[@paulrowe9604]

Jack Dee is VERY FUNNY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@David-ey9jg]

I’m just amazed you can get an electrician for £25 an hour!

[@David-le7jy]

My job is an electricity pricing analyst, mostly specialising in non-commodity costs. So even though I haven't got a clue how electricity works, I know exactly the anxiety Jack feels when someone charges their phone up in my house.

[@oliverflanagan7623]

I went out to a customer who said their cooker didn't work. Guess what? The switch on the wall wasn't turned on.

[@kevinmoffatt]

Had to road test a new car with a customer who had just fitted a roof rack to go on holiday and the car was making a funny noise; yes, I said, it's the roof rack.

[@dallasreid7755]

The world's funniest grouch😂

[@shaunmichaels6801]

Trip switch then the bulb and I ain't no electrician👍

[@bonkywollocks3078]

Good to have you back Jack.

[@gwae48]

SO FUNNY BECAUSE SO ACCURATE 🤣🤣🤣 SOUNDS LIKE SAME GUY I HAD TO TOLERATE RECENTLY !!!

[@shadeburst]

The first thing the electrician does is to put the switch on and off. In my computer days, when every computer was a desktop, I never ceased to be amazed how many user problems I solved simply by asking, "Is the computer plugged in and is the wall plug switched on?" (To be exact, as this was South Africa I asked, "Is it connected to Eskom?") Never overestimate the intelligence of the user, or L-user as they are called in computer support parlance.

[@markbryant4641]

Ha! Yeah this was cringe. A guy with obviously zero understanding of fault finding.

[@pigknickers2975]

Same work, I once did a 25 mile callout to plug a PC back in, the connector had just slightly slipped out after the cleaner had been round.

[@victordevonshire807]

Brilliant. Loved it ❤

[@davidmichael3189]

Jack Dee's persona is just so bloody Hilarious - Astonishingly Good Material. Truly a National Treasure

[@walkingstick6655]

Ha! Only Brits say "a National Treasure."

[@odiums_taint]

or refer to this as Hilarious 😣@@walkingstick6655

[@iainmacvicar5858]

My Grandmother honestly believed that electrickery was controlled by the switch nipping the supply off at the switch because it squeezed it much like it would a supply of water. Obvious really. lol.

[@polygonalmasonary]

Don’t ever trust an electrician that doesn’t check your main switch box and trips before making any other diagnoses 😮🇬🇧🌈♥️👍

[@paulkirton8945]

£25 per hour.This was a long time ago.

[@markcolebrook6096]

Brilliant Jack

[@AWayOfLiving84]

Why is laughter good for the soul? Why is a sense of humour good to have?

[@user-br3bw7wr2l]

Garage joke he’s been using for years and I still laugh. No one like Jack.

[@peterfenton2750]

Love it😂😂

[@jeztickles4361]

If your electrician shops at Homebase and charges you half hour to swap a switch, he’s not a electrician

[@kraanz]

I was more baffled by "you're gonna need a new switch." HOW ABOUT YOU CHECK THE FUSE BOX, MATE? If you're gonna replace the switch, you'll need to do that anyway.

[@josephinebennington7247]

Come on Jack, a little bit more doing your own process of elimination before calling anyone at all. Not impressed with your abject surrender to one switch failure.

[@MyTubeSVp]

Agree. An electrician charges AT LEAST a full hour.

[@MrMarky2000]

It's only a joke fellas

[@josephinebennington7247]

@@MrMarky2000 Oh! I didn’t realise that. You mean he’s a comedian too?

[@caroleorion1273]

Brilliant

[@andrewmanzi7512]

Brilliant.

[@michaelrobson3460]

Since when do light switches break? What fresh hell is this , that I have to look forward to? I've only just found out that my family can put holes in towels!

[@Geokinkladze]

Bog standard light switches don't usually break, and in this instance (assuming there's truth to the story) it probably wasn't faulty. Most likely the MCB tripped as a result of the bulb blowing.

[@Geokinkladze]

@@yosserc If the plastic broke you'd know about it, you wouldn't need an electrician.

[@Meisha-san]

This got me thinking - would it be considered bad etiquette if you plugged in your electric car when visiting for dinner?

[@capn_chris]

I know a bloke who actually does that to his father. Lucky for him he's not my son!

[@AnthonyMcInerney-vl5bf]

Just like watching an episode of Lead Balloon.

[@thedave7760]

Jack Dee = Legend...

[@adriennemurray7695]

Lucky you. Dont know how often it has happened to me that the damn thing works the minute the handyman touches it

[@mikesmith1485]

"Demoralised Asian". I'd clip that bit if I were you.

[@Celtic-blood]

R.I.P. comedy. Was nice knowing you.

[@DaveThompsonfairlife4all]

Brilliant. I laughed hard at that. Has he done any more recent shows?

[@stebul7996]

Absolute legend 😂😂❤

[@mr.a8315]

Very good. 😂 I saw Jack live at Glasgow King's Theatre around 2010/11, great show. Any fans of Jack who have not seen his tv comedy series 'Lead Balloon' should check it out, it is absolutely brilliant. It has 4 series (wish there could have been more) and has a fantastic two-part finale. ♥

[@xgreenjacket]

Where can I watch it ?

[@mr.a8315]

@@xgreenjacket They're all here on KZbin free. Channel is called ABSOLUTE JOKES Hope you enjoy. 👍👍

[@ez-tn8ic]

9:24 female dara o'brien in the crowd ijbol

[@TC8787-yq7og]

Such a brilliant clip this

[@soggybottom3463]

I did enjoy that. And I'll change your toilet roll Jack. Only 40 quid call out charge plus vat 😂

[@kirlu50]

£25 + VAT for electricity work. That's about half the cost of skilled workers here across the North Sea.

[@EarthlyEden1]

This was filmed nearly 20 years ago.

[@davesmith9325]

Another issue is the level of "skill" some "tradesmen" seem to have

[@tyrantwitness2482]

What the problem is most likely to have been is the MCB had tripped! So half an hour plus switch, plus drink! Oh and if you let him keep the switch! Don't fall for it!

[@stephenclay7499]

One thing I don't mess with at home is electrics. And gas. And plumbing. Quite a few things actually...

[@cogboy302]

- I have an auntie who puts SALT in her coffee.

[@timsplanet2]

Ahh, a tiny amount of salt removes some of the bitterness in coffee, and hot chocolate. Try it

[@MrDannyDetail]

BBC news yesterday reported that some scientist has proven that a cup of tea tastes better with a pinch of salt in it. Not sure if the scientist tested coffee though?

[@chockydog6960]

I bet you checked the new switch to make sure it works

[@stellataunggyi5425]

Reminds me of the old days when I had to phone up Dell helplines if my printer wasn't working. They'd almost always ask me if it was connected to the computer or if it was plugged in to an electricity source! Now why the fuck would I have called them if I hadn't actually tried the reliably two things that meant my printer had always worked in the past?

[@allananderson949]

How do they know you're not one of the ones who ring them first without checking the power source?

[@odiums_taint]

wonder why there was a seemingly random tangent about a handyman in the middle of this "joke"... it was about a handyman the whole time!

[@CaffeineKing]

Classic!

[@anthonyrybicki1000]

Funny how electricians in Britain never carry basic spares despite previously being told what the symptoms are.Same with plumbers.

[@markstarmer3677]

Not all of us. Most would carry the basics, which would include a variety of switches.

[@michaellucey6998]

That’s so they can charge time collecting materials 😂

[@lesleyvivien2876]

My heating died. There were only a few things that could have caused it. The plumber rolled up and immediately buggered off again to buy a new motorised valve. Lovely - add twenty minutes to the time, and push it into the next full hour. £££££

[@lesleyvivien2876]

I bet we all know stories like that. The manager of the computer dept in central London was working from home, fifty miles away. His deputy called him in because the system had crashed. He drove fifty miles, stood in the middle of the room, and jumped up and down once: the system sprang to life. And he drove fifty miles home. The shiny new medical graduate, tasked with doing my echo, called the tech manager when he couldn't get it to work. I'd wondered why it was so quiet, and asked if he'd got it on mute. The tech manager walked over to the wall plug, flicked it on and walked out again.

[@TrevorBarre]

Stewart Lee developed Jack's schtick.

[@lesleyvivien2876]

But without the wit. Or charm. Or laughs.

[@JelMain]

Well, it's good to be grounded, but neutral's good too. You're likely to blow a fuse, live.

[@k956upg]

The electrician trying the switch is part of diagnosing faster as he will open it up & test it if it feels or sounds wrong ie clean click or crackling sounds (bad connection) flickering or starting but not staying on & changing the bulb may sound obvious but did you prove your new bulb works with a meter or substitution before you fitted it.

[@JB9000x]

Not as funny though

[@raymondburke1261]

£25 an hour in London, 🤣😂😅and your next joke is…..

[@The-Real-Ando]

Whatever is easiest? Bloody nothing, definitely the easiest.

[@robertfsullivan1756]

Haha

[@baldbadger7287]

£25 an hour l! When was this show filmed?

[@bongfuhrer]

As an somewhat handyman I would have changed that switch myself. Just so that the professional fire fighters could come and do what they are handy at..

[@Geokinkladze]

Would you have checked the fuse box hadn't tripped as a result of the bulb blowing first?

[@dragonsdynamite6403]

Regarding the bit at the end, we just need to bring back manners. Me me me

[@orientaljones000]

Since when has an electrician on a call out been £25 an hour ? 😉

[@odiums_taint]

since the story was a lie :O

[@anthonyrybicki1000]

£40 minimum in the sticks of North West England.

[@EarthlyEden1]

This was filmed nearly 20 years ago.

[@TheAggroculture]

Electricians comments.😂😂😂hilarious.it’s a story!for christs sake!!

[@LUC66631]

2:58 Maybe that electric dude thought you were a American? 😁😁👍👍

[@Pes60]

It does not take half an hour to change a light switch.5 to 10 mins max.

[@petermcgill1315]

Pencil sharpening? Sure, $100.

[@ZeuzBluez]

Hehehe typical electrician 😅

[@novackh2864]

Bugman

[@georgesos]

Brilliant 😂

[@wisteela]

Absolutely brilliant.

[@DarkDeath-yg7nv]

feck me, i think we use the same electrician

[@timtaylor8406]

Hilarious but I missed the funny ending

[@odiums_taint]

i think we all missed it

[@tooyoungtobeold8756]

£25 a hour?

[@hntrains2]

People laugh because they paid to be there. The bit about the Gestapo grandfather, from one and a half decades ago: 40 seconds to make people genuinely laugh. Ten full extra minutes here, filled to the brim with repetitions and long pauses, and... oh, whoa! What happened? When did you turn verbose and prosaic?

[@robertwilson123]

Too long.....

[@ishannamansinha881]

"Electrititity" ??

[@AWayOfLiving84]

🌏🕵🏻‍♂️☯️📖🌌😆✌️For the forgiven. If you have been fooled you can definitely get forgiven. Why?

[@GBPaddling]

Never forget this man pushed the Jabs..........NEVER forget.

[@Outdoorshuntingshooting]

😂

[@vinnylee878]

I remember when you were funny,but I was younger and less aware

[@alexgrenlie862]

He's not funny but atleast he's dressed up

[@Eldor-117]

The whiniest little butterfly I've ever seen.

[@matreynolds1]

As a Jack Dee fan, can I just say this isn't his best material. Straying into Clarkson, Sunday Times article territory here.

[@alannock1358]

Is it just me, but neither Jack or the electrician checked the breaker, this often trips when a lamp pops. Perhaps the "beverage " was a diversionary tactic so that he gets the job again, when the next lamp fails! Have the old switch tested, Jack, it's probably fine. Perhaps im over-thinking, and not just enjoying the comedy!

[@Gordon_L]

If the breaker had tripped none of the lights would work . Everyone would check another light first , unless they're clueless .

[@MrDannyDetail]

@@Gordon_L Maybe the garage is on its own circuit with its own breaker?

[@alannock1358]

@MrDannyDetail Exactly... my detached garage has its own consumer unit, with two breakers, one for its single ring main and one for its light. Anyway, it's comedy!

[@typhoon2827]

You'd be amazed how many people run out of oil and when the call my business to moan that the boiler we fitted/maintain has stopped working, swear blind they've not run out of oil... I assume every customer to be an incompetent until they demonstrate otherwise because too many times I've ended up chasing shadows. And at that moment of realisation, they're suddenly nowhere to be seen. The comedy writes itself and then I usually have a good laugh with the customer's wife about how useless he is. Incompetent husbands have been great for business.