“I’m fucking terrified”

Gay comedian Jonathan Duffy has a new comedy show coming up, ‘Jono Duffy, Nothing to Lose’, that premiers June 22.

“It’s called ‘Jono Duffy, Nothing to Lose’ cause I’m unemployed, have no friends and I got nothing to lose, ” Jonathan says with a grin on his face, when asked about the title of the upcoming show.

According to Jonathan this is the first full show he’s done since he left Iceland and moved to France last year and he admits that the thought of “going on stage” after all this time is a bit frightening. “I’m fucking terrified,” he says.

However he promises new and exciting materiel, which is in part based on his experience of living in France. “I’ve been going through a lot since people last saw me and lots of that is gonna make it into the show. But of course I will also try to add some of the good old Icelandic favorites. Think of it as a hilarious update on what it’s been like to try to make things work when they don’t really want to – mixed with the wonderful familiarity that I feel when I think of a whole shelf (“heil hilla” in Icelandic).”
In short this is going to be a regular stand-up hour that anyone who knows Jonathan’s name is familiar with.

Asked what living in France is like compared to Iceland, Jonathan gives the question a thought. “One thing that’s been very different from when I moved to Iceland is that I have been forced to get better at French,” he replies. “When I moved to Iceland, I had every intention of becoming fluent in Icelandic. After a while I realized that I didn’t actually need to though because everyone in my life spoke fluent English and everything I did was in English. Eventually I just stopped learning it. I mean I can still follow a conversation but don’t ask me to tell you the four different spellings of the word horse.

In France, nobody speaks English. Even if you ask in French if they can speak it, they won’t just say ‘No’ they will say ‘Pas de tout’ which roughly translates to ‘Not at all, how dare you assume that I would ever speak such a vulgar language you uncultured piece of shit’.

So I’ve had to learn French, and in about 9 months I can operate and have conversations.”

“One day we sat down and looked at what was coming, the unemployment benefits, the apartment we lived in all that kind of stuff and realised unless we found work we were going to be eating cat food pretty soon.”

He says that another difference between Icelanders and the French is their sense of humor. “Ok so don’t tell the French I said this,” he says grinning, “but they don’t really have a great sense of humor about themselves. Icelanders and Australians, we know we can be idiots and we make fun of ourselves. The French don’t.”

But since moving to France, you’ve been making numerous jokes about France and the French on social media, how have the French reacted to that?
“Well I’ve gained quite a bit of success on TikTok from making fun of how hard it has been to learn French and they seem to respond to it well. I think millennials and Gen Z French people are more willing to be made fun of. None of them have bought tickets to this show yet so who knows.”

Asked why he decided to move to France in the first place he says the he and his fiancé didn’t really decide to move there. They kind of had no choice. “After months and months of Covid last year, we both had no work. I lost all of my stand-up gigs, and all the other side hustles I had and he lost his job too. We are both not Icelandic so we didn’t really have that family support network you have when you still live in your own country.

One day we sat down and looked at what was coming, the unemployment benefits, the apartment we lived in all that kind of stuff and realised unless we found work we were going to be eating cat food pretty soon.”

“The biggest similarity between Icelanders and the French is that you’re both super proud of your country for even the slightest little thing, which is nice. Oh and neither of you know anything about Australia other than Neighbours is a show from there, and Sydney is the only city in Australia that exists,” says Jonathan and laughs.

Jonathan says that his fiancé had mentioned that for a while he had been thinking about doing a master’s degree and he wanted to do it in France (his home country) so they figured that now would perfect because they had nothing else going on.

“So we moved into his childhood bedroom in a tiny town in Normandy with our cat for a couple of months until we got a place in Paris. The master’s degree he wanted to do didn’t pan out, I’m still unemployed and we found out our cat as bad kidneys. Oh, and because of Covid I’ve only seen the walls of my apartment and the grocery store. This has basically been our life since leaving Iceland. If it could possibly go wrong, it probably will,” he says laughing and it’s clear that he misses Iceland.

“Every single day. Yes Iceland has its problems like any other country, but it was the longest home I had in my adult life. I landed at Keflavík on August 14, 2015. I lived there for five years. Iceland has literally made me who I am and I’m so grateful for that every day. That’s probably why I miss it so much. I think I understand now why so many Icelanders live abroad for a while but they normally always come back home in the end. Iceland is small enough that you don’t feel like you’re on your own in the big bad world. Icelanders take care of each other. I used to make fun of this with all my jokes about nepotism, but now that I’m in a place where you might get stabbed taking out the trash, I do appreciate it.”

“I think I understand now why so many Icelanders live abroad for a while but they normally always come back home in the end.”

Do you ever see yourself moving back to Iceland?
“I think about it all the time. For now we have to stay here for at least two years since my fiancé eventually did get into a master’s program so we have to stay till he finishes it). But who knows after that. I do know that because I have a British passport if I wanted to move back I would have to go through the whole post Brexit situation.” Laughs. “But seriously when covid is over and the borders open up again, I would like to come back to Iceland for a visit and a show,” he says with a smile.

Until then Jonathan hopes to get a chance to touch base with his Icelandic fans and friends during the new show.

“They will be able to comment as the show goes, since I will doing a live stand up from my apartment,” he explains with excitement, “and after I will sit down for a Q&A if people want to chat.”

More info on the show and tickets here.

Á. Óskarsson
Á. Óskarsson

Á. Óskarsson offers a variety of products and services to sports centers, swimming pools, schools, kindergartens, and the general public. The company specializes in sport-related products, activity-focused games, and a wide range of solutions for sports facilities.

Á. Óskarsson has been involved in numerous big projects related to building sports facilities and has made it their benchmark to offer good quality products and equipment since the company was founded.

See links to social media in the upper left-hand corner

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Á. Óskarsson selur fjölbreytt vöruúrval fyrir íþróttahús, sundlaugar, skóla og leikskóla og einnig ýmsar vörur til einkaafnota. Fyrirtækið selur vörur til íþróttaiðkunnar og leikja ásamt því að bjóða upp á ýmsar lausnir fyrir íþróttamannvirki.

Á. Óskarsson hefur komið að fjölda stórra verkefna við byggingu íþróttamannvirkja og hefur frá stofnun kappkostað að bjóða vandaðar og endingargóðar vörur.

Tenglar á samfélagsmiðla eru í efra horninu vinstra megin.

Webpage/vefsetur

Blush

    Blush was founded in 2011 when it started selling high quality sex products. The goal from the beginning was to change the market and take the discussion about sex products to a higher level. Today Blush provides professional services in a pleasant environment that fulfills different needs, both for individuals and couples. Blush respects diversity and wants to set a good example in all of its messaging to target audiences. Sexual health and equality in sex is important and Blush wants to focus on those issues through education and open discussion. Blush works in a socially responsible manner for society, their customers and the environment.

    Check out Blush’s website: https://blush.is/

    Omnom Chocolate
    - award-winning chocolate maker

      Omnom Chocolate is an Icelandic craft chocolate company based in Reykjavík. We produce handcrafted chocolate from organic cacao beans sourced ethically and sustainably. We’ve developed direct relationships to create premium chocolate with fine flavor cacao beans.

      Our creative flavors are carefully crafted by meticulous chocolate makers. The cacao beans are roasted, winnowed, ground, and refined into melty-smooth chocolate.

      Omnom’s process is one of constant exploration, invention, and experimentation. If it doesn’t please us, if something isn’t absolutely delicious, there’s no reason to be doing it. So, we always start with our taste buds and follow our instincts. Our team searches for the finest ingredients in the world and new ways to improve chocolate. This obsession with knowing where our ingredients come from has led us around the corner to dairy farms in the Icelandic countryside and all the way to rainforest cacao farms of Nicaragua.

      In only a few short years, we’ve grown from our 50 sq. m. petrol station space and become an award-winning chocolate maker. Now, with our headquarters in 101 Reykjavík, our chocolate is sent out around Iceland and all over the world.

      At the end of the day, our goal is to make chocolate.

       

      Nasdaq

         

        Nasdaq (Nasdaq: NDAQ) is a global technology company serving the capital markets and other industries. Our diverse offering of data, analytics, software and services enables clients to optimize and execute their business vision with confidence.

        With over 4,300 employees in 39 offices around the world, at Nasdaq we all contribute to the success of the company and its culture, and each one of us has the ability to make a difference. When it comes to our core mission and values, we embrace the role of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (DIB) as a fundamental driver of our corporate growth, workplace culture and market development. We strive to create a culture that embraces the power of different perspectives—a culture where people’s unique backgrounds and different experiences helps us fuel innovation and support our clients around the world.

        Our unique position at the center of the capital markets allows us to see firsthand how these values have redefined corporate culture and success, deepening and accelerating our own commitment to champion inclusive growth and prosperity, as we strive to create more equitable opportunities to help people of all backgrounds reach their full potential. Most notably, we published our diversity statistics for the first time in 2020. These metrics serve as a quantitative assessment of where we are today and help determine what strategies we need to adopt to enhance diversity in the workplace. We recognize that we have much work to do, but we are steadfast in our commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive culture—one that reflects the communities in which we live, allows all employees to be their true, authentic selves and fosters individual growth and achievement.

        As we move forward together, we will continue advancing diverse ideas and perspectives that help fulfill the promise of a more inclusive and prosperous world. We aim to set the pace for rethinking capital markets and economies anywhere and everywhere. To learn more about the company, technology solutions and career opportunities, visit us on LinkedIn, on Twitter @Nasdaq, or at www.nasdaq.com.

        Blue Lagoon
        - One of the 25 Wonders of the World

        Named by National Geographic as one of the 25 Wonders of the World, the Blue Lagoon is a shimmering expanse of warmth, relaxation, and rejuvenation. Its unique geothermal seawater
        comes from 2.000 meters within the earth where seawater and freshwater converge in a tectonic realm of porous lava and searing heat. Propelled by extreme pressure, the water ascends to the earth’s surface, emerging enriched with silica, algae, and minerals—the elements that endow Blue Lagoon geothermal seawater with its radiant, healing properties.

        From its humble beginnings in the shadows of a geothermal power plant, Blue Lagoon has evolved into a world of wonder, now encompassing two hotels, three restaurants, three
        geothermal lagoons, a subterranean spa, a renowned line of skin care, a thriving research center, and a wealth of spa and refreshment facilities.

        Achieving harmony with the volcanic landscape, the lagoon and its surrounding architecture embody the unification of the man-made and the natural, and adhere to the highest principles of sustainability.

        The Blue Lagoon. A wonder of the world. A world of wonder.

        Landsbankinn
        - leading financial institution
        Landsbankinn

        Landsbankinn is a leading Icelandic financial institution. It offers a full range of financial services and is the market leader in the Icelandic financial service sector with the largest branch network.

        The present bank was established on 7 October 2008 but the history of its predecessor dates back to 1886. The bank is owned by the National Treasury of Iceland, which holds 98.2% of its share capital, and other shareholders who own 1.8%.

        Landsbankinn’s strategy is to provide comprehensive financial services that meet customer’s needs. It emphasizes providing exemplary service to customers, developing e-banking for their convenience, increasing the efficiency of support functions, modernizing its technology and ensuring effective utilization of its balance sheet.

        The bank’s vision is to be exemplary and its role is to be a trusted financial partner.

        Special emphasis is placed on promoting a performance-oriented culture in the bank. To follow up on the implementation of this strategy, the bank has defined key goals which are measured regularly to determine progress. These goals include, for example, customer satisfaction and loyalty, profitability, cost efficiency and the correlation between risk appetite and employee satisfaction.

        Landsbankinn wishes to lead the development of a sustainable society in Iceland by integrating economic, social and environmental concerns in its operations. The Bank aims to ensure that both its owners and society at large benefit from its activities.

        It intends to achieve this aim by building solid infrastructure and a strong team of 1.100 employees, by listening to its customers and by respecting and encouraging its employees to actively participate in their community. Landsbankinn was a founding member of Festa, a Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility, and is a member of the UN Global Compact.

        Landsbankinn has been a proud sponsor of the Reykjavik Pride since it was first celebrated in Iceland.

        Dohop
        - get inspired
        Dohop

        Dohop allows people to find the cheapest flights available with just one click. Founded in Reykjavik in 2004, it is the only Icelandic company of its kind and quickly became the go-to tool for finding cheap flights among the locals. Dohop finds the best deals among hundreds of different airlines and online travel agencies, to make sure that the user is getting the cheapest price. Dohop also offers hotel and car rental search engines, so users can make all of their travel bookings from a single website.

        Dohop‘s specialty is finding so-called “self-connect” flight options, which can save travelers money by booking a ticket through two or more different airlines. The ability to look for these self-connect option is what sets Dohop apart from its competition, as it can save people hundreds of dollars on certain routes.

        More recently, Dohop has developed a unique product called Dohop Go!, which allows users to check for the cheapest available flights from their home airport. This tool is perfect for those who are looking for travel inspiration but are not willing to overpay for their flight ticket. Dohop Go! is now available in the Dohop Flights App, both for Android and iOS, along with its traditional flight, hotel, and car search engines. “

        VSÓ Ráðgjöf

           

          VSÓ Ráðgjöf er alhliða ráðgjafar- og verkfræðifyrirtæki sem leggur áherslu á trausta og faglega þjónustu sem tryggir viðskiptavinum hagkvæmustu lausnir hverju sinni, skilar raunverulegum árangri og stuðlar að samkeppnisforskoti.  Á skrifstofum VSÓ í Reykjavík og í Noregi starfar yfir 80 manna samhentur hópur verkfræðinga og annarra tæknimenntaðra starfsmanna.

          Macland
          - for all your Apple needs
          Macland

          From starting out as a proper startup with only a good idea and the need to change things, to becoming an established company with 6 employees. Starting from scratch and expanding organically has allowed us to love our expansion and take our customers on the ride with us.

          Macland is located at Laugavegur 23 (101, Downtown Reykjavik)
          For all your Apple needs. We are here.

          Ísey skyr
          - once tasted never forgotten

          Our Story
          Once upon a time, 1,100 years ago in fact, Nordic settlers began arriving in Iceland. They brought with them the skills and knowledge for producing skyr. As time passed, the know-how and recipe for this nutritious food slowly faded out elsewhere in the Nordic region. Luckily, the Icelandic skyr-making tradition continued.

          For centuries, Icelandic skyr formed a cornerstone of the national diet, helping to keep people strong in living conditions that were often harsh. On family farms countrywide, it was the women who nurtured this dairy and passing on both the recipe and the original Icelandic skyr cultures from mother to daughter.

          Ísey skyr builds on this remarkable legacy. It was some of those very same women, the recipients of their mothers’ expertise, who, around 90 years ago, taught Icelandic dairy scientists the art of skyr-making. The production process is more high-tech these days, and the quality standards more rigorous. However, the basic recipe and the use of original cultures to ferment the skimmed milk remain the same. Protein rich, fat-free, creamy and delicious – Ísey skyr is as relevant to consumers now as it was all those centuries ago.
          This is our secret and you are in on it

          You can read more about Ísey skyr on our website.

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