A GLASGOW comedian has embarked on a tour of the USA after securing a three-year visa to work in the country.
Gary Meikle, who first blew up on social media after rant about his daughter Ainsley’s eyebrows went viral, says getting the visa is his "biggest achievement in life so far."
Gary said: "I’ve never been this excited since my mum took the stabilisers off my bike.
"I’m really excited. This is my dream; I’m getting to live my dream."
Gary first started doing comedy in 2014 before gathering a global audience in 2018 after the eyebrow rant "changed my life overnight".
He says he wanted to be able to work in the United States because it is "the home of comedy" and around half of his followers online are from there.
He explained: "In the UK, people going on a night out go to a theatre to a play or out for dinner, there’s loads of different things to do.
"In America when people go out, they go to comedy shows.
"People are driving nine hours to come and see me which is just bizarre, they’re so passionate about comedy over there.
"And apart from Billy Connolly, my favourite comedians are from there."
Gary says the whole process of applying for the visa took around a year in total and he was finally approved around a month ago on "one of the best days of my life".
He says he is the "first-ever Scottish comedian that’s never been on TV" to be given a three-year O-1 visa for ‘people with extraordinary abilities’.
The achievement means even more to Gary and his family after he was recently diagnosed with ADHD, which he says "explains my full childhood" after he was expelled from five different schools and put into care.
Gary flew to Los Angeles on Friday, March 8 to kick off his first three-week stint.
He will be travelling all across the country, making stops in dozens of cities including Seattle, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Boston, Dallas and Chicago.
Despite being able to work in the USA for three years, Gary says he will be flying back and forth across the pond often to see his granddaughter Gracie who he is "extremely close to".
Gary previously spent time touring the States in February last year, doing around 14 shows in 18 days.
He says the hectic experience was "pandemonium" but "great".
He said: "The first couple of gigs I kind of struggled and I realised pretty quickly I had to slow down and pronounce every single word and pause in between sentences to let them get used to the accent.
"But after the first two shows I was flying."
Later this year, Gary will also embark on his No Refunds tour across the UK and Ireland, which includes a show at the SEC Armadillo in August.
He says it feels "really weird" to be performing at the venue.
"I’m getting imposter syndrome," he says.
"I need to pinch myself and remind myself a lot.
"I’m still driving the same eight-year-old Jeep Renegade that I was years ago.
"It’s very surreal."
“Every single penny” made from ticket sales from the Armadillo show will go towards Gary’s favourite charity When You Wish Upon a Star which helps children with life-threatening illnesses fulfil their dreams.
Gary Meikle will bring his No Refunds tour to the SEC Armadillo on Saturday, August 24.
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