One of the cast were in the audience last night, Kay pointed him out, but I didn't catch his name and couldn't tell you it now despite having just looked through the cast list.
I think it was something to do with the other writers (Spikey and Neil Fitzmaurice) being irritated that Channel Four branded it 'Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights', apparently because they felt Kay was better known at the time.
Their feeling was that Kay was content to take credit for the writing, which was very much jointly done.
This was addressed in the commentary on the DVD. In Kitson's scene where Spencer the barman is having his interview with a bloody-nosed Jerry St Clair, Kay said something like: "Here he is, Daniel the bastard'.
He explained that shortly after Phoenix Nights had come out, Kitson was doing the Edinburgh Fringe and said something on stage along the lines of it being one of the worst things he'd ever done and a big regret.
I know we've talked about this before in the past, but I find Peter Kay to be one of the most painfully unfunny comedians I've ever seen. He is absolutely devoid of nuance or insight or wit.
This week I’ve seen Stewart Lee to whom I could listen and laugh with all day. And Rachel Fairburn, who I had never really heard of but was very witty.
Highbrow. Craft. On the whole I'd rather listen to Peter Kay's observations* on his mam's rola cola buying habits. Again.
* Although there is an accessible simplicity to Kay's starting points, I find a craft in how he invites everyone in, and quickly layers on detail, and share's the perspective from which he views it, without overly complicating the point. I have always preferred tempo and rhythm** in comedy and the quick layering of additional ideas, over a belaboured smug pathos.