MUSLIM comedian Shazia Mirza gained notoriety on the stand-up circuit when the world was coming to terms with September 11. See her live in Blackburn on May 6.

She would open her act in recognisable hijab dress and begin with the deadpan remark: "My name is Shazia Mirza.

"At least, that's what it says on my pilot's licence."

But Shazia says her act doesn't revolve around her faith anymore.

"I used to when I first started but I don't do it anymore. I talk about lots of things.

"I talk about Trisha, going to Primark, going to visit the Queen."

Shazia cut her teeth with one of the hardest audiences around teenagers.

"Getting into comedy was an accident really," she explained.

"I used to be a teacher in a really rough school in Tower Hamlets.

"The kids were so rough it was a nightmare. I used to try and make them laugh because they weren't interested in science.

"They weren't interested in anything. They hated science and they hated me.

"They just wanted to leave school and go to work on the market.

"I never thought I'd be a stand-up. I just started writing some material and trying stuff out and ended up going to a club one night and trying some material out."

Being a young Muslim woman doesn't give audiences much faith in your being funny when they first see you, according to Shazia.

"The men in the audience are like Here we go, she's going to talk about her breasts or her boyfriend'.

"I don't have either so I don't talk about either," she laughed.

"As a woman it's harder at first I think. You have to prove yourself straight away then when they've got a bit of faith that you're funny they relax.

"I think a man can get away with not being funny. A woman can't."

Growing up in a devout Muslim family meant Shazia's parents weren't exactly thrilled at her career choice.

"There was pressure from my parents to be a doctor because there aren't enough Asian doctors in Britain," she deadpanned.

"Now they just want me to get married. They say Ok, you've done it, now knock it on the head and get married.' "They said the reason I'm not getting married is because none of the Asian men wants a wife who's a comedian. I think that's true. They don't want a wife who makes them laugh. They want someone who makes good chappatis."

But, happily, she's not too bothered.

"The community thinks I'm a lesbian at the moment anyway. I don't care what religion or colour my husband is, as long as he can pay off my credit card bill."

See Shazia at Blackburn's King George's Hall monthly Lock'n'Load comedy night, on Saturday, May 6. Box office: 01254 582582.