Eddie Izzard Eyes Politics, Cites Ukrainian President

British Transgender comedian Eddie Izzard cited Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky while discussing her ambition to run for office.

Pink News reported that Izzard, who uses she/her pronouns, was speaking on the podcast "My Seven Wonders with Clive Anderson" when "she outlined how for some time she had wanted to run as a Labor candidate for parliament and is now just waiting until a suitable seat is up for grabs."

Anderson expressed skepticism about comedians seeking public office, but Izzard shut that down: "Volodymyr Zelensky, there you go," she retorted, naming the Ukrainian president, whose leadership of the besieged democracy in the face of Russia's months-long invasion has been hailed as remarkably courageous.

"Have I answered you?" Izzard said. "He's been very strong. Very consistent."

The comic has also said in the past that she would like to run for Mayor of London, but more recently she had reiterated an interest in winning a seat in England's national government.

"I am very serious about it," Izzard underscored. "I have said it since 2010, quite categorically."

She seems to have a plan to realize that ambition. "Izzard is looking to gain a seat in the Sheffield Central constituency after Paul Blomfield steps down next year, according to a Labour source," Pink News noted.

Izzard promoted herself as a moderate who would counteract "egotistical extremists who are happy to lie," she said.

"I'm a radical and a moderate," Izzard declared. "I do radical things, but my politics are moderate."

"I perform in French, German and Spanish as well as English when I'm a stand-up, so that's slightly radical," the comic added. "And I'm radical because I came out as transgender. I've run about 130 marathons for charity. That's slightly radical."