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Eddie Izzard on Atheism, Transgender, and "The Invisible Bloke Upstairs"
Exactly who is giving Eddie Izzard an award says a lot about the actor-comedian's view of the world, and he expounds on them in this interview.
BY BECKY GARRISON OF RELIGION DISPATCHES
MARCH 08 2013 11:49 AM ET
http://www.advocate.com/comedy/2013/03/08/eddie-izzard-atheism-transgender-and-invisible-bloke-upstairs (http://www.advocate.com/comedy/2013/03/08/eddie-izzard-atheism-transgender-and-invisible-bloke-upstairs)
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The Humanist Community at Harvard, the American Humanist Association, and the Harvard Community of Humanists, Atheists, and Agnostics presented their 6th Annual Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award for Cultural Humanism on February 20 to comedian, actor, marathon runner, and aspiring mayor of London (2020) Eddie Izzard.
Following a short performance, Izzard took time for audience questions; here are some highlights:
You often use comedy to take on some pretty serious issues in the world. How do you find a balance?
Some people would say I haven't found that balance.
I think ->-bleeped-<-s are designed to find these things out. I didn't get to a psychiatrist so in the end when I was coming out, I did a lot of self-analysis. I used that self-analysis on the rest of my life. So on one hand you have analysis, on the other hand you have instinct, and you try to go forward with a positive heart.
....
How I'm looking is me trying to work out the best way of getting everything I'm trying to get in this life because there could be another one, but at the moment I'm only banking on this life. I don't believe in the invisible bloke upstairs.
I heard you came out as an atheist during your Stripped tour.
I was an agnostic for a long time just in case He came down—the End of Days, here it is, Rapture time! And I would have said, "Well I was never not on your team." I would have just argued my way into heaven.
But I thought, let's put the chips on the table. Let's just jump to light-speed and get over that. And then if there is an End of Days, I'm stuffed and it doesn't matter. I've just decided I'm going to live it. And that's what it was. I suddenly realized I was hiding behind myself and it was best to just come out in front. It's kind of like being a ->-bleeped-<-. I think gradually people just move on over that.