William "Billy" Connolly, Jr., CBE is a multi-talented individual from Scotland, known for his work as a comedian, musician, presenter, and actor. He gained the nickname "The Big Yin" in his native Scotland, which translates to "The Big One." Connolly's initial career path was as a welder in the shipyards of Glasgow in the 1960s, but he later decided to pursue a career in music as a folk singer with the Humblebums and then as a soloist.
In the 1970s, Connolly transitioned from a folk-singer with a comedic persona to a full-fledged comedian. He is best known for his observational comedy, which is often idiosyncratic and off-the-cuff. Connolly has been controversial for his use of explicit language, particularly the word "fuck," and has made jokes about topics such as masturbation, blasphemy, defecation, flatulence, haemorrhoids, sex, his father's illness, his aunts' cruelty, and aging. Despite the controversy, Connolly has been voted the greatest stand-up comic on Channel 4's 100 Greatest Stand-Ups in both 2007 and 2010.
In addition to his comedy career, Connolly has also acted in numerous films, including Mrs. Brown, The Boondock Saints, The Last Samurai, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, and The X-Files: I Want to Believe. He has been married to comedian and psychologist Pamela Stephenson since 1989. In his book "Billy" and in a December 2008 online interview, Connolly disclosed that he was sexually abused by his father between the ages of 10 and 15. This experience has led to a deep distrust and dislike of the Catholic Church and any other organization that brainwashes people. Connolly has been critical of the Scottish National Party and the Scottish parliament in the past. In 1999, he was the subject of a two-hour retrospective entitled "Billy Connolly: Erect for 30 Years," which included tributes from notable figures such as Judi Dench, Sean Connery, Whoopi Goldberg, Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman, and Eddie Izzard.