FIVE MOMENTS FROM THAT TIME I SPOKE TO JIMEOIN

Happiness Is Taking Out the Garbage

“I can be happy with the simplest of things. Like, if I have to put the bins out and I've got extra rubbish that I can’t fit into my own recycle bin, then I find it very enjoyable to put it in someone else’s recycle bin across the way. But you know, there’s a block of flats across the way and they've got loads of recycled bins, so it’s no big deal.

“Those things are the things that really put a smile on my face.”

The Accent Helps

“The accent seems to work in my favour, believe it or not, because people have to lean-in order to get it. And then, as a by-product of trying to understand what I’m saying, all of a sudden they're listening.”

A Long Life is Better than a Full One

“I want to live to about 95. I think that would be a good thing. I reckon that's a full life no matter what it is you do. Just making it the full distance and not having it cut short would be good. People talk about a bucket list. But I'm more for having a fuck it list. I don't really care about any of those things. I just want longevity.”

He’s Out of the Shadows

“I used to joke, ‘I read this article about a comedian who DIDN’T have depression.’

“It becomes the norm. But I'm getting better understanding my state of mind. And what's good for me and what's not. When I travel, I travel a lot on my own, and I spend a hell of a lot of time deep within my own head. And, uh, it can be a scary neighborhood sometimes.

“Don't go into that neighborhood on your own. But I'm good at the minute. You know, I've been doing a wee bit of exercise. But, uh, sometimes I beat myself up for drinking too much.”

Taking on Panic

“I had a period of anxiety attacks.

“And I didn't even know what they were the first time they happened. I literally had no idea what it was I was dealing with. I thought I'd gone into shock or something. I flew from Australia to Ireland to do a gig. And I hadn’t slept. Fear can set-in when you're tired.

“And, oh my God, I walked off stage immediately after walking on stage. I was unable to do the gig and I was thinking, ‘Oh my God, I'm in big trouble.’  I wasn't even drinking. I hadn't been drinking for like five or six years at that time. And, I thought, ‘What the hell is this?’ And then I really started to panic.

“I read a book called Panic Away where it described what a panic attack was, and I was like, “Oh my God. Oh, oh my God. Yeah. This is exactly it. Yeah.” And it talked about how to confront it. And one approach was to ask for more of it. … Invite it on. Take it on stage with you. And that's what I ended up doing. And over the next two or three years it slowly subsided. I was going, ‘I know you're gonna be here. I know this is gonna happen. But you know, come with me. Coz we're gonna do this together. We'll go through it together.’ And, it took a bit of time.  But the feeling was worse than any Big Dipper, skydive, bungee jump. It was an unbelievable feeling of adrenaline and my body would go into shock.”

Jimeoin grew up in Northern Ireland, moved to Australia in his early twenties, started doing standup comedy before starring in film and television. He appeared in Episode 34 of the Out of the Question podcast.