Peter Kay is one of them.
On Friday night, I was one of the lucky ones inside the Villa Marina as Kay brought the first of two sold out shows to the island.
After well-documented tour delays over recent years due to ill health, it’s felt like a long time coming for fans.
Kay largely stepped away from live performance for several years, cancelling a major arena tour in 2017 citing 'unforeseen family circumstances', and only returned to the stage in 2022.
So to have a name of his size not only back touring, but doing two nights in Douglas, felt exceptional.
And I genuinely mean that.
For a small island, securing a comedian who can sell out arenas across the UK is no small feat.
Along with my family, I made my way upstairs where we had managed to secure some very decent seats.
There’s always a buzz before a big show at the Villa, but this felt different.
A sense that we were about to witness something special, and not just because of who was on stage.
What makes the weekend even more remarkable is that Friday night’s show supported Cruse Bereavement Care Isle of Man, while Saturday night was in aid of Hospice Isle of Man.
Kay donated his profits from the two shows to the Manx charities. For a performer of his stature to do that quietly, without fanfare, speaks volumes.
Two brilliant causes, thousands raised, and a packed Villa. Special, that.
As for the show itself, I’ll be the first to admit: I wasn’t belting out every advertising jingle he referenced.
My mum, on the other hand, absolutely was. And as Peter rightly pointed out, that’s an age thing.
At 24, some of the throwbacks to 70s and 80s TV adverts flew straight over my head. The crowd reaction around me told a very different story.
But that’s not me saying it wasn’t good for all ages, far from it.
Even when I didn’t recognise the source material, Kay’s delivery, timing and sheer commitment to the bit carried it.
He told us it was his first time performing on the island, and you could tell he was enjoying himself.
From start to finish the crowd laughed loudly and often.
There’s something uniquely comforting about Kay’s style, observational, nostalgic, rooted in everyday life. His stories about his late nanna drew huge warmth from the room, as they always do, balancing hilarity with that familiar northern sentimentality.
There were also plenty of gags about what is and isn’t acceptable to joke about these days, the tightrope modern comedians walk and what might ‘get him cancelled’.
It’s classic Kay territory: pushing just enough, but never losing the audience.
When a couple of hecklers tried their luck, he dismissed them effortlessly (one was later asked to leave), controlling the room with the ease of someone who’s been doing this for decades.
I won’t give much of the material away, Kay himself warned us that much of it will feature in future shows.
But I will say this: when he said goodnight, there was a genuine sense of disappointment that it was over.
Thankfully, he returned for the now-famous ‘misheard lyrics’ segment. As funny as ever. And just as rude as ever.
Two nights. Two incredible charities. A comedy heavyweight on Manx soil. And a Villa crowd that left smiling.
When asked if he’d return to the island, he didn’t rule it out.
Here’s hoping it’s not another long wait.