Ismo Leikola, the funniest man in the world, divorced his wife a year ago. Now comes the busy summer of gigs as a single man.
Ismo Leikola is already looking forward to his summer tour. INKA SOVERI
Stand-up comedian Ismo Leikola, 43, has been pursuing a career in California for six years. A lot has happened in his private life too.
Last year, the 13-year marriage ended in divorce by the couple’s joint decision. Now Leikola has moved to a three-story apartment building in Hollywood. The single man returns to his relatives in Finland for Midsummer.
In front is a five-week tight gig tube that can only hold one day off a week.
– Of course, I look forward to Finland’s summer, lake scenery and midsummer. And the cornerstone of Finnish cuisine, sour cream and rye bread, but I have been on a low-carbohydrate diet for a year and a half and I am still, but maybe I can be flexible on holiday, Leikola tells Iltalehti.
Along the way, the weight has dropped more than 15 pounds.
The general public
The biggest gig of his career was at Leikola last month, when he warmed up to a stage stand-up comedian in front of 45,000 people. Gabriel Iglesiasta At Dodger Stadium.
– It was the second biggest gig of its kind in America.
– I have been in contact with Gabriel a lot and we are cooperating. It already feels like here on the streets that people feel and my humor bites. I’m very happy about that. I’ll probably do this work until I am a hundred years old, but I’m also interested in film, TV, and of course books.
Last year, Leikola published the book Suo, hoe and Hollywood, which he co-wrote with his ex-wife Angelikan with. The couple is currently working on a sequel.
Ismo says he is still the same man as before. SILVIA SPROSS
After the separation, the friendship remained
– We have a good relationship with my ex-wife, even though the divorce came, the friendship remained. There is no third party involved in our resignation, in the upcoming book we will reveal all the details and there are, Ismo promises.
The previous book was last year’s best-selling Finnish audiobook.
Ex-wife Angelika is already in Finland, Ismo will be coming in less than a couple of weeks.
– It’s weird to live alone now. My apartment is still messed up with change, “bedromes” are counted here, but my apartment in the apartment building is definitely triangular in size. There is a lot of furniture that you didn’t have to buy, Leikola says.
– The Finnish gig summer is then lived as a free single, he laughs.
Angelika and Ismo at the Independence Day celebrations in 2015. PASI LIESIMAA / IL
After dozens of gigs in Finland, the man is expected to perform at the Edinburgh festivals and in November at gigs in Stockholm, Oslo and Copenhagen.
– The topics in the stand-up performances are from side to side, about my own life and my difference to the wonder of America, and I have also talked a bit about the hustle and bustle of our eastern neighbor.
Leikola says that he expects to perform at the Pyynikki Summer Theater.
– I have been there many times and the landscape and atmosphere is unique, the comedian praises.
After a long gig in the summer, he will return to Hollywood in August, but will make a short visit to Finland again later in October.
The same man
Leikola says that he is essentially the same man who once left the Atlantic. She has been healthy, except for the corona omicron variant that struck at the turn of the year, took the man on ten days on sick leave and canceled two gigs.
– I’m pretty much the same Ismo who left Finland. Of course, age and time change people and I may have absorbed the American style, where people have different plans, dreams and all kinds of work in progress. Americans are also optimistic in the midst of their problems, Leikola reflects.
Ismo Leikola draws humor from his own life. SILVIA SPROSS
He drives a German car and perhaps one manifestation of American efficiency is the treadmill in front of the TV in his home.
– Here is Ikea, where Finnish products are also sold, but not that sour cream. You can also get lingonberry jam, but it’s too sweet.
Then Leikola talks about new potatoes and herring, and judging by everything in the heat of Hollywood, Finland comes to mind.
Ismo Leikola won the World’s Funniest Person competition in 2014 and one of the breakthroughs was appearing on Conan O´Bria’s TV show 2018.