Martin Sheen: What is the worst job you have done?

Originally asked

The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A

The Guardian's long-running Q&A repeatedly asks this standing question, with minor tense variation.

You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.

Recorded Martin Sheen said elsewhere, not written here

That would have to be a film called Pickup On 101. It was a very interesting story, about a wandering musician and an old guy on his way back to his home town to spend his last days, but they made it into a pile of dishonest trash.

The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 18 March 2017 source ↗

Others on this question

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Judith Kerr British writer and illustrator

Secretary to a lawyer. I was sacked after a week.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 18 May 2019 source ↗

Chris McCausland

A lot of awful gigs. You can’t become a successful comedian without dying on your arse more times than you can remember.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 15 November 2025 source ↗

Bill Bailey Comedian and musician

Telesales. I refused to wear a tie, but my argument that “They can’t see what we’re wearing” didn’t wash with the manager and I lasted a week.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 29 October 2016 source ↗

Jessica Raine British actress

A temp job at BT. I still have nightmares about ADSL lines. I still don’t know what one is. I would find myself on national conference calls being questioned about ADSL lines and told that the problem was in London. I would try not to breathe so they would forget I was there.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 9 March 2019 source ↗