A tremendous collection of answers from the stand-up version of The Idler and Dara O'Briain's former warm-up man, Simon Evans

1. What is your show about?
It is about an hour. (Actually, it is about stories, why we like the ones we do, how we have to be wary of the ones other people are peddling, how they can be subtly powerful influences on how we see the world, or tiresome and transparent fibs. And how I intend to closely monitor the ones to which my children are exposed.)

2. Describe it in 3 words.
Pretentious, misjudged, deluded.

3. What is your favourite part of the show?
That can only be determined by audience reaction and I haven't had one yet.

4. Complete this sentence: if you like ... Michael Bywater, The Idler or early attempts on the Pole in little more than heavy tweed and stout brogues ...then, hell, you might just like my show.

5. If your show were a dog, what type of dog would it be?
A Cockapoo.

6. If you could change one thing about the Fringe, what would it be?
I would reduce it to a long weekend, with a matinee on the Sunday.

7. Name 3 other shows you'd recommend seeing.
I have never seen [improvised stand-up] Set List show but I like the sound of it. Apart from that, I've had a look through the brochure and there doesn't seem to be much on.

8. What would you be doing this summer if you weren't in Edinburgh?
Finding some other equally implausible excuse to spend less time with my family.

9. Do you read reviews?
Yes, stupidly, I do. Last time I was in Edinburgh they were by and large good – all four stars – and reading them really picked me up. But I do remember getting a one star in the Scotsman in 2001 that i was shown (not meanly, just bad judgement) by someone at the venue just before I went on. Needless to say, that was not a good night.

10. When do you do your best writing?
Under pressure of immediate deadlines. The trick of writing is to convince yourself you have deadlines that are actually quite arbitrary, otherwise nothing gets done. Half of my best stuff has been written to order, eg guest spot on a radio show and then cannibalised for my own purposes!

And here's Simon with his "non-PC English / Welsh / Pakistani joke ..."

• Simon Evans – Friendly Fire is on at 9.30pm at the Pleasance Courtyard*