RHLSTP with Richard Herring

Book Club #108 - The Time Machine Next Door - It’s series 7 of Book Club book-loving biatches and Rich's first guest of the new series is comedian, broadcaster and author, Iszi Lawrence. They discuss the paradoxes and possibilities of time travel, how to meld education and entertainment, the fantastic facts that Iszi weaves into her books, the incredible length and lack of change in the Ancient Egyptian empire, Henry VIII’s surprisingly high voice, what happens to the Marty that Marty replaces in Back to the Future and much more.Buy the book here - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-time-machine-next-door-explorers-and-milkshakes-iszi-lawrence/7198858?ean=9781801991049See all her other work here https://iszi.com/See RHLSTP recorded live - https://richardherring.com/rhlstp Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#528 Chemistry - Richard is back in Cardiff, informing his audience of their history of weak punishment. His guest is award winning podcaster Benjamin Partridge. They discuss dangerous Welsh language television of the 1980s, how Ben got Nick Offerman on his podcast and their eventual awkward meeting, Rich’s brand new podcast idea to rid the world of a certain type of criminal, an incredible use for passata, an audience with Jeff Goldblum without Jeff Goldblum, why Tesco will be stocking up on rich beef sausages and why podcasting hasn’t yet fulfilled the creative potential that both these podcasters thought it would and the Russian prisoner who had a lateral thinking approach to the auto-fellatio questionSee a live recording of RHLSTP - https://richardherring.com/rhlstpSUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELSee extra content at our WEBSITE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#527 Happy Grammy Birthday - Richard has travelled to the home of gofasterstripe, Cardiff in Welsh Wales and his guest is singer and activist Charlotte Church. They chat about her extraordinary rise to fame and the whirlwind of travel and celebrities that came with it. How Frasier was disappointingly weird when she met him at the inauguration of George W Bush, how she sang a requiem at the wedding of Rupert Murdoch and how he didn’t uphold his end of the deal, the unbelievable (and yet totally believable) creepy reaction of the tabloids as Charlotte turned sixteen, how she became political active and put her money where her mouth is and her optimistic hopes for the future. Plus Richard attempts to launch his own career as a child singing prodigy and the pair join in a haunting duet. About as haunting as what was going on in the next hotel room to him in London.See a live recording of RHLSTP - https://richardherring.com/rhlstpSUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELSee extra content at our WEBSITE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#526 Joyfully Reckless - Richard is back in Dublin and is intrigued by the Book of Kells. His guest is the superb and philosophical comedian and interviewer Tommy Tiernan. It’s a lovely sprawling waffle encompassing the trouble that being mischievous can get you into, the stress of doing a show with no plan, how studying acting made Tommy a worse actor (only in his opinion), Jerry Sadowitz, hitchhiking in the eighties and swearing on the Late Late Show. A written description will not capture the magic for this one. Have a listen.See a live recording of RHLSTP - https://richardherring.com/rhlstpSUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELSee extra content at our WEBSITE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#525 The Biggest Award in Comedy - Richard has been sent to Coventry and remembers a previous visit to the Warwick Arts Centre where he had to turn the other cheek. His guest is the winner of the biggest (and slowest) award in comedy, Lindsey Santoro. Find out what Lindsey spent her money from this RHLSTP backed award and listen as the award itself is inflated. Plus they chat about why it’s so hard for working class acts to attend the Fringe, begrudging Guardian reviews, why still doing her day job keeps Lindsey grounded and gets her 50% off pizza, how her trademark pink hair came about, forgetting to get fully dressed for a TV appearance, the biggest animal she has had to get out of her house and she tells a story that possibly explains all ghosts. And is Lindsey bound for superstardom and how will that affect her trips to Aldi?See a live recording of RHLSTP - https://richardherring.com/rhlstpSUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELSee extra content at our WEBSITE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#524 Burning Vas Deferens - More fun from a performer at the Edinburgh Fringe - this time the wonderful Stuart Laws. They discuss the genesis of the gilet that has become his trademark (though not according to imdv),magic realism versus actual realism in comedy, the nitty gritty of a vasectomy and why some procedures use the testicular seam and others do not, the fun twist of the free to view Stuart Laws is All In (watch the special before listening to this podcast), making comedy out of Michael Caine saying Never, Richard’s increasingly terrible memory (Warsaw Indiana was the place that he was unable to recall), being number two on imdb and pretending to be a cricketer. Buy tickets for Stuart’s show here https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/stuart-laws-has-to-be-jokingTo view his special and for tour news head here https://www.stuartlaws.com/See a live recording of RHLSTP - https://richardherring.com/rhlstpSUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELSee extra content at our WEBSITE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#523 Dyspraxic Dinner Lady - It’s another Edinburgh Fringe podcast, recorded hundreds of miles away from the the Festival to keep Richard sane. His guest today is the multi-award winning new comedian Dan Tiernan. They chat about how to get them to do a retake on the now defunct BBC show Doctors, why being a stand-up comedian is the perfect job for a someone with dyspraxia, how cancer helps a comedian to give less of a fuck (in a good way) about their job, whether Baby Reindeer’s depiction of the Edinburgh Fringe is accurate, being a clumsy childhood magician and how far the UK has moved on (admittedly from a pretty terrible start) for gay people and why encountering a (sort of charmingly) homophobic Jehovah’s Witness helped Dan’s act.Tickets for Dan’s Edinburgh show here https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/dan-tiernan-stompTour details here https://linktr.ee/dantiernanSee a live recording of RHLSTP - https://richardherring.com/rhlstpSUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELSee extra content at our WEBSITE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#522 Arse Twins - Richard talks to the brilliant Stevie Martin about her show Clout, the weirdness of secretly watching your family on a Ring Doorbell, what it was like to act alongside ventriloquist dummy Ally Sloper, the joys and dangers of mooning, writing fabric-based puns for the Sewing Bee, the pain of rejection and only creating work when you feel the correct inspiration, the brilliant work with Lola-Rose Maxwell, like Screen Time (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQYdc-FxeYg) and whether she will be as big a star as Jack Whitehall.Buy tickets for Clout here https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/stevie-martin-cloutSee a live recording of RHLSTP - https://richardherring.com/rhlstpSUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELSee extra content at our WEBSITE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#521 Pork Markets -  Richard chats to Liz Truss impersonator extraordinaire (and so much more) Nerine Skinner about the creation of the character, her first solo Edinburgh show, The Exorcism of Liz Truss, how she has become obsessed with the politician (thankfully not in the same way as Richard has) and the dangers of the success of one of your characters when you do many others. Plus some great behind the scenes stories from Nerine’s legendary appearance on Britain’s Got Talent (watch here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ve75M6b0DU), the part played by panto in the various collaborations Nerine has done and whether it’s better to try and get your break online or at the Fringe (or some crazy combination of both).Buy tickets for Nerine’s show here https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/nerine-skinner-the-exorcism-of-liz-trussSee a live recording of RHLSTP - https://richardherring.com/rhlstpSUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELSee extra content at our WEBSITE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#520 Double Berocca -  Richard is in Glasgow at the Oran More, remembering the time he was picketed at this venue and almost wrecked someone’s wedding. His guest is Glaswegian phenomenon Susie McCabe. They talk about her getting into comedy due to a drunken bet, working on building sites, estimating the cost of lighting in a velodrome, the ultimate argument as to why seeing gay people on TV will not turn you gay, how much it meant to her to appear on Have I Got News For You?, keeping Fringe tickets affordable and why Glasgow turns out so many amazing comedians.See Susie at the Edinburgh Fringe. Tickets here https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/susie-mccabe-merchant-of-menaceSee a live recording of RHLSTP - https://richardherring.com/rhlstpSUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELSee extra content at our WEBSITE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#519 Everything’s a Piñata -  Richard is at the Bedford Corn Exchange where he’s fascinated by the animal sanctuary that bears his name and the Bedford cult that was expecting the second coming of Jesus. His guest is the mysterious Swede Olaf Falafel, if that is his real name or nationality. He talks about how he got into comedy, the double edged sword of winning joke of the Fringe, how to come up with one liners, mixing his artistic skills with his comedy, doing comedy for kids and how Twitter helped him find a publisher for his kids book and how he’s managed to write a chapter book about art that is both funny and slyly educational. Plus abseiling off Table Mountain and whether you can make the Edinburgh Fringe work for you if you do the Free Fringe.See Olaf’s shows at the Fringe Olaf Falafel Asks: Has Anyone Ever Actually Woven a Sigourney? - https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/olaf-falafel-asks-has-anyone-ever-actually-woven-a-sigourneyOlaf Falafel’s Stupidest Super Stupid Show So Far - https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/olaf-falafel-s-stupidest-super-stupid-show-so-farSee a live recording of RHLSTP - https://richardherring.com/rhlstpSUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELSee extra content at our WEBSITE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#518 Elbowing Banksy -  Rich is back in Leicester, trying to work out the sexiest ever UK Prime Minister. His guest is comedy legend and fellow monoball, Simon Munnery. They talk about the crimes of the one-balled community, appearing at the Tunnel Club alongside the much-missed Malcolm Hardee, visiting CERN with the actor Kevin Eldon, travelling the country in a cortina with Simon’s support act, Simon Pegg, some of the problems with the Mission Impossible franchise, how Simon has to pack up his show whoever wants to talk to him, the ultimate response to hecklers and building a Gazebo out of abandoned doors.See Simon's Fringe show - https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/simon-munnerySee a live recording of RHLSTP - https://richardherring.com/rhlstpSUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELSee extra content at our WEBSITE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#517 Phil Spins -  Rich is back with the kingstealers of Leicester (but he’s not going to mention that) and is pleased to be in the home of DNA fingerprints. His guest is the unpredictable award winning comedian Phil Ellis. They talk about working in an airbag factory, delivering pizzas to tight millionaire footballers, the extreme lengths Phil will go to to provide twists for his Edinburgh shows (no matter the cost), the sitcom ideas that TV found too dark, pretending to be an orphan and swapping clothes on stage with a scary man.See Phil at the FringeCome On and Take The Rest of Me - https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/phil-ellis-come-on-and-take-the-rest-of-meFunz and Gamez - Returnz - https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/funz-and-gamez-returnzSee a live recording of RHLSTP - https://richardherring.com/rhlstpSUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELSee extra content at our WEBSITE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#516 Tooth in a Bag - Richard is back in Bristol and details some of the things that have made this city so famous. His guest is TikTok sensation and stand up Abi Clarke. They chat about almost going to circus school, how lockdown shifted her focus from stand up to online content and how that helped her find an audience, working with your parents, Rich’s strong feelings for Abi’s mum, death threats from One Direction fans, performing an hour after having a wisdom tooth removed and how to turn round a lethargic audience with a Mexican wave!See Abi’s show at the Edinburgh Fringe - https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/abi-clarke-role-modelSee a live recording of RHLSTP - https://richardherring.com/rhlstpSUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELSee extra content at our WEBSITE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#515 Sex, Sleep or Scrabble? - Richard has travelled to Bristol, a place where they take a dim view of statues (after a while) but name everything after Colston anyway. His guest is broadcaster, doctor and the other half of Struck Off and Die, Phil Hammond. They chat about being slapped in the face by Tony Slattery, infuriating John Redwood, being chastised by Jacob Rees Mogg’s dad, why men are so bad about going to their GP and discussing their feelings, a coping strategy for severe depression, an inevitable discussion about Richard’s balls and why so many doctors become comedians and how to save the NHS.Catch Phil’s shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Fifty Minutes to Save the NHS - https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/phil-hammond-and-dame-clare-gerada-fifty-minutes-to-save-the-nhsThe Ins and Outs of Pleasure - https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/phil-hammond-the-ins-and-outs-of-pleasureSee a live recording of RHLSTP - https://richardherring.com/rhlstpSUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELSee extra content at our WEBSITE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#514 Bag For Life Full of Bones - Richard returns to his kingdom of Edinburgh and it’s Chriiiiissstttmas (in a few weeks or a few months ago, whichever way you look at it). His guest is Shetland storyteller, actor and comedian and cultural icon Marjolein Robertson. They talk about how a terrible few months in Amsterdam led to her becoming a stand up, a teleporting ghost, a terrifying tale of a haunting entity being passed on to a room mate, playing all the characters in a play about Mary Queen of Scots with a limited range of offensive accents (not Richard amazingly), the unique vocab of Shetland, what it means if you find a fish hanging on your doorknob, what spaegie means in Shetland, Herring’s Viking heritage and why you can’t trust King Charles III. Plus her undoubtedly brilliant new show for the Edinburgh Fringe 2024!Tickets to Marjolin's show here - https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/marjolein-robertson-oSee a live recording of RHLSTP - https://richardherring.com/rhlstpSUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELSee extra content at our WEBSITE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Book Club #107 - Eamon, Older Brother of Jesus - Richard chats to stand up legend and surprisingly underused Father Ted star Michael Redmond about his book Eamon, Older Brother of Jesus and the surprisingly controversial history of the story, from stand-up show, to radio show that was cancelled at the last minute, to self-published book. They also talk about the early-ish days of alternative comedy, playing the Tunnel Club, National Bring a Jockey To Work Day, the Pasquale family’s love of his material, the lovely joke in Michael’s will and what he looks like without the moustache.Buy the book here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Eamon-older-brother-Michael-Redmond/dp/B09W4JDR2H/Listen to Michael's podcast here - http://whatareyoudoinginmygarden.podbean.comSee RHLSTP recorded live - https://richardherring.com/rhlstp Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#513 Bashful Secrets - Richard has come to Dublin and with 900 people in the 3 Olympia it’s an incredible atmosphere! He discusses his Irish heritage and why Ireland should leave Europe! His guest is the man behind and in front of the Divine Comedy, Neil Hanlon. They chat about their authority figure dads, whether “My Lovely Horse” will be his enduring legacy, the Duckworth Lewis Method, Band Aid 20 and Midge Ure’s lack of imagination, what was in the wood shed, plus a toilet mishap when performing as a backing singer for Robbie WilliamsSee a live recording of RHLSTP - https://richardherring.com/rhlstpSUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELSee extra content at our WEBSITE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Book Club #106 - Fair or Foul - The Lady Macbeth Guide to Ambition - Richard chats to journalist and friend Stefan Stern about his terrific book about the positives and negatives of ambition, Fair or Foul. What prompted him to tackle this subject? Why is the play Macbeth the perfect scaffolding for this discussion and what do people need for their ambitions to be considered a success. They chat about Boris Johnson, Elizabeth Holmes, the effect of lockdown and mortality on ambitions, why you need to set goals and why you need to be able to change those goals as you move along. Why do we lose ambition somewhat in middle age and is it just to do with our failure to achieve what we hoped to achieve and is ambition tied to mental illness or is that only the case if we are only out for ourselves.Buy the book here - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/fair-or-foul-the-lady-macbeth-guide-to-ambition-stefan-stern/7650720?ean=9781800183186See Rich's stand-up tour Can I Have My Ball Back - https://richardherring.com/ballback/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#512 Veteran - Rich is back in Canterbury and has some great stuff about medieval archbishops that should play well on Live at the Apollo. His guest is veteran comedian and army veteran, Nick Wilty. He is a man with the most extraordinary life who has talked himself and others out of deadly situation. Amazing stories include convincing someone not to jump off a bridge before returning to the same spot in a different position the next year, having a gun in his face whilst hitchhiking, how he became an unlikely soldier, the incredible bad luck that led him to become a comedian, being arrested for flying a drone and how a chance encounter with the helicopter that he’d nearly died in led him to finally confront his past and do a stand up show about his experience in the FalklandsSee a live recording of RHLSTP - https://richardherring.com/rhlstpSee Rich's stand-up tour Can I Have My Ball Back - https://richardherring.com/ballback/SUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELSee extra content at our WEBSITE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Book Club #105 - Alan Partridge Big Beacon - The time has come for the creator of Alan Partridge to meet the current writers of Alan Partridge, the Gibbons Brothers, who sadly don’t share a bunk bed, but have done amazing work over the last decade or so with the character. They discuss how they ended up with this lucrative gig, how not being obsessive Partridge fans helped them to reinvent the character somewhat, how writing as Alan involves turning off your imagination and going with the first idea, whether writing as siblings is easier than writing with a friend, choosing the right reference points for the audience and whether the creators of Partridge (especially Richard) have all turned into Alan PartridgeBuy the book here - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/alan-partridge-big-beacon-alan-partridge/7546625?ean=9781398719224Or the audiobook here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Audible-Alan-Partridge-Big-Beacon/dp/B0C4YNWRSF/See Rich's stand-up tour Can I Have My Ball Back - https://richardherring.com/ballback/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#511 What You On? - Richard is back in Colchester with possibly the greatest example of a local news story that there has ever been. His guest is doctor turned actor Tony Gardner. They chat about being bitten by an over enthusiastic zombie, the decision to go to Edinburgh that would change his life, how it became impossible to keep both his GP job and acting work going, his reluctance to do children’s TV, but how My Parents Are Aliens changed his life and led to a very impressive CV, as well as slight weirdness when out enjoying Glastonbury or filming sex scenes. And no, sorry, he isn’t the bloke who designed the Chucky doll.See Rich's stand-up tour Can I Have My Ball Back - https://richardherring.com/ballback/SUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELSee extra content at our WEBSITE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Book Club #104 - A Crack In Everything - Richard talks to physicist and journalist Marcus Chown about this fascinating book about Black Holes and the people who discovered them, A Crack in Everything. Are Black Holes black and holes? Can we time travel if we go inside one? Why is the one at the centre of the Milky Way smaller than most and what repercussions does that have for us? The pair talk about how Einstein didn’t think black holes would exist, the tragic and difficult lives of many of the people who proved him wrong, how the female scientists roles in all this have been often overlooked, how Marcus was the first person to talk to some of the key players in detail and how he is able to write for a board audience without compromising the science. Also are we holograms?Buy Marcus' book here - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/a-crack-in-everything-how-black-holes-came-in-from-the-cold-and-revealed-themselves-masters-of-the-universe-marcus-chown/7589317?ean=9781804544327Or the audiobook here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Crack-Everything-Black-Cosmic-Centre/dp/B0D5DNWNSR/See Rich's stand-up tour Can I Have My Ball Back - https://richardherring.com/ballback/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#510 McCartney Set List - Richard is still being played on by Scant Regard, but as this long tour progresses his stand up sections get mercifully shorter! His guest is the multi-talented Rob Brydon. They chat about how a birthday message to Margot Robbie led to a part in a potentially Oscar winning film (You’ll know if it won by now, but we poor fools in the past did not), how Brydon pretended to be ill to get out of a guest slot on Would I Lie To You? and how the show has become bulletproof, how America managed to get two series our of the book Green Eggs and Ham, the impressive and old school range of work that Rob undertakes, touring with an 8 piece band and whether it’s ever good when a comedian does serious songs and the disaster and triumph of Rob’s first meeting with Sir Paul McCartney. Plus why family comes first and whether legacy is as important as your kids having you around!See Rich's stand-up tour Can I Have My Ball Back - https://richardherring.com/ballback/SUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELSee extra content at our WEBSITE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Book Club #103 - Will I Ever Have Sex Again? - Richard chats with comedian and author Sofie Hagen about her thought-provoking and often heart-breaking, but also hopeful book Will I Ever Have Sex Again? They talk about the minefield that sexual politics still is, why we should talk about (and during) sex, why no means no and yes sometimes means no too, whether elderly cis people like Richard need to be afraid of pronouns and people being trans or non-binary and how thinking more about why we have sex or want to or aren’t doing is helpful for us all regardless of how we self-define.Buy Sofie’s book here - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/will-i-ever-have-sex-again-sofie-hagen/7610621?ean=9781785120398See Rich's stand-up tour Can I Have My Ball Back - https://richardherring.com/ballback/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#509 Pot Noodle is Bad For You - Richard is doing some stand up that was super topical on 5th February when this was recorded, but for you will be a nice window to see what the people of the past thought was mildly amusing, plus there’s an exciting new addition to the show. His guest is comedy genius Armando Iannucci. They talk about how a Christmas advert was Armando’s proudest achievement, how it’s possible that 30 years have passed since the Day Today (apparently it’s something to do with the linear nature of time), when his novel is going to be published, the effect that ADHD had on his work, how America messed up The Thick of It, why Avenue 5 got cancelled, how he tortured Daredevil and whether Armando is ready to turn into a proper old man in his sixties. Plus Rich finally opens up about his cancer and worries where he stands in touring illness Top Trumps.See Rich's stand-up tour Can I Have My Ball Back - https://richardherring.com/ballback/SUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELSee extra content at our WEBSITE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

EQ: Cheese It's time - at long last - for the Cheese episode. See Rich on tour http://richardherring.com/ballback/tourSUPPORT THE SHOW!Come and see us live GIGSWatch our TWITCH CHANNELSee extra content at our WEBSITE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Book Club #102 - Richard talks to archaeologist and trained stonemason James Wright about his terrific book busting some of the myths about ancient buildings. They chat about why people wrongly believe that spiral staircases are often clockwise, how castles were bling rather than defensive, why you can’t trust anything written on a pub, why stonemasons carved grotesque and pornographic sculptures on churches (and pre-empted one of Richard’s best known emergency questions), what the marks left on buildings might have meant and why the truth in most of these cases is far more interesting than the lies.Visit James' website - https://triskeleheritage.triskelepublishing.com/mythbustingtour/Buy the book here - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/historic-building-mythbusting-uncovering-folklore-history-and-archaeology-james-wright/7633234?ean=9781803994475See Rich's stand-up tour Can I Have My Ball Back - https://richardherring.com/ballback/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#508 Matterface - Richard is back in Brighton and is aghast at the local news of rude waiters and big cats. His guest is football mad stand up Maisie Adam. They discuss how a choice in a writers’ room they were both in led one of their careers to sky rocket (but which one), the disappointment of the wrong Royal at the Variety Performance and how maracas were the sign of a job well done, playing in Soccer Aid the day after your wedding, a Tipping Point humiliation and taking a job where you might get crushed by a boulder.See Rich's stand-up tour Can I Have My Ball Back - https://richardherring.com/ballback/SUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELSee extra content at our WEBSITE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Book Club #101 - JANEY: The Woman That Won't Shut Up - Richard talks to brilliant comedian, author, actor and agitator Janey Godley about her fab autobiography Janey. They discuss living with a cancer that you know will kill you, why she wanted to be honest about the horrors and laughter that cancer brings and why survival is nothing to do with the person with cancer. Plus dealing with trolls, a brush with the stalker from Baby Reindeer, knitting a scarf for a film star, being friends with Billy Connolly, the sexism she experienced in the early days of stand up, her even more brilliant book Handstands in the Dark and how we all have to be aware of our mortality.Buy the book here - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/not-dead-yet-janey-godley/7621467?ean=9781399728034And the audiobook here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Janey-Woman-That-Wont-Shut/dp/B0CY2Z4NQWSee Rich's stand-up tour Can I Have My Ball Back - https://richardherring.com/ballback/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#507 Jackie Chan and the 700 Mops - Richard has come to the Brighton Komedia with plans to Mount Everest and a surprising testicular fact. His guest is writer and actor Rufus Jones. They discuss the mystery of the year of Rufus’ birth, getting pissed with Terry Jones, playing an American president with a squeaky voice, the magnificent achievement of the sitcom Home and being observed whilst acting nude, the ever changing technology of supermarket shopping, why Rich will never download Royal Match and the best place to write (if you are not a professional Uno player).See Rich's stand-up tour Can I Have My Ball Back - https://richardherring.com/ballback/SUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELSee extra content at our WEBSITE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Book Club #100 - Be Funny or Die - In our 100th Book Club podcast Richard talks to comedy writer Joel Morris about his frog dissecting book, Be Funny Or Die, which promises to reveal the secret of comedy and does a pretty decent job of doing so. They discuss what makes a good and a terrible catchphrase, how no comedian can make everyone laugh and why they shouldn’t want to, the tribal nature of comedy, whether comedy is by definition offensive to someone, the power of shared laughter in an inappropriate situation, how to let everyone in on in jokes and much more,.Buy the book here - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/be-funny-or-die-how-comedy-works-and-why-it-matters-joel-morris/7606143?ean=9781800183100And the audiobook here - https://www.amazon.com/Be-Funny-Die-Comedy-Matters/dp/B0CQ3PT4BYSee Rich's stand-up tour Can I Have My Ball Back - https://richardherring.com/ballback/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#506 Review Rainbow - Richard has some dispiriting revelations about what people google when they are looking for him, but is quickly revived by the ready wit of Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer 2023, Urooj Ashfak. They chat about the difficulties (or not) of taking comedy across international boundaries, the burgeoning Indian stand up scene, being a question on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, meeting fleabag, turning teenage diaries into comedy and the only stand up award that Richard has ever won (thanks Daily Telegraph). Plus lots of ghosts, what happens to us when we die and how you can’t repeat the same joke in different performances in comedy (hold my coat).Follow Urooj on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/uroojashfaq/?hl=enSee Rich's stand-up tour Can I Have My Ball Back - https://richardherring.com/ballback/SUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELSee extra content at our WEBSITE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RETRO RHLSTP #86 - Creative Differences - Richard has some news of an amazing time travelling finger and is clearly super excited to be meeting one of his all-time comedy heroes, Harry Shearer from off of This is Spinal Tap and The Simpsons. Rich was too scared to talk to him when he saw him improbably travelling on London's tube, but hopefully he won't just sit quietly, staring at him and saying nothing this time. The pair discuss Harry's career which seems to break the space-time continuum as he's worked with such legends as Abbott and Costello, Jack Benny and Mel Blanc. Why does Derek Smalls wrap his courgette in tin foil and what's his affiliation with Shrewsbury Town? How much creative control do the actors on the Simpsons have over the characters they have helped create? Is stubbornness a pro or a con when trying to make it in show business? What is the Jerry Lewis film, "The Day The Clown Cried" really like? Will we hear from Simpson's character Hugh Jass? It's an amazing interview with a driven and hilarious genius man. And Harry Shearer is in it too.Come and see the new show on tour - https://richardherring.com/ballback/tourSUPPORT THE SHOW!Check out our website http://rhlstp.co.ukSee details of the RHLSTP tour dates http://richardherring.com/gigsBuy DVDs and Books at http://gofasterstripe.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Book Club #99 - Heresy - Richard talks to journalist and author and daughter of a nun and a monk, Catherine Nixey about her witty and informative book about the early days of Christianity, Heresy. They chat about what the word Heresy really means, the extraordinary gospels that didn’t make it into the New Testament which show Jesus’ murderous side and the magical powers of the Virgin Mary’s anatomy, the varying beliefs of early Christian sects, including one that said he hated kids and their parents, the many magical holy men who performed very similar miracles to Jesus and even provided dressing when they magicked up food, the Romans who couldn’t understand how you’d choose between them and how in spite of this the religion was adopted by the empire. Did Jesus have a twin? Did he persuade someone else to get on the cross for him and how close did Life of Brian get to the truth?Buy the book here - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/heretic-the-many-lives-of-jesus-christ-and-the-other-saviours-of-the-ancient-world-catherine-nixey/6452719?ean=9781529040357And the audiobook here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Heretic-Lives-Christ-Saviours-Ancient/dp/B09LJXMH46See Rich's stand-up tour Can I Have My Ball Back - https://richardherring.com/ballback/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#505 Cheeky Underground Presence - Richard is back to work after the Christmas break (we’re coming to you from the past) and is worried about the door of depravity that he has opened up, but there is no need to fear because his guest is processed meat advocate, Bob Mortimer. It’s a free-wheeling chat as you might be prepared for that takes in farmers, meeting Paul McCartney, whether double acts are still talking to each other or not, a cursed earring, favourite openings and oh, just listen to it. It’s ace. And of course there’s some more jokes from Bob’s little black book.See Rich's stand-up tour Can I Have My Ball Back - https://richardherring.com/ballback/SUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELSee extra content at our WEBSITE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RETRO RHLSTP #85 - The Shreks of Westminster Bridge - Slightly worse for wear after having lunch with Alice Cooper at the Q awards, Richard is delighted to welcome a man he thinks might be him from another time stream, David 'Mitch' Mitchell. He's certainly met his match in pedantry and both men accidentally reveal some shocking details about their respective psyches. Never have two men discussed at such length the vagaries of choosing between a ham hand and a sun lotion arm pit. And that is GUARANTEED. The Peep Show stationery cupboard, romantic subterfuge and the Daily Mail readers' internet comments are all up for discussion and we'll find out how an early discussion about Eric Morecambe almost brought the pair to blows. Did Rich really meet some Shreks and a Justin Lee Collins in the street? And what was Tim from The Office like before he became Tim from The Office? Is Richard as bitter and mean as he seems and will he ever get a Googlewhack audience? What's it like to play Aerosmith at table tennis? Will Rich ever forgive his mum for her Brideshead Revisited Alfresco trump? Why don't the audience understand any of Richard's obscure 1980s references? What would you do if God granted you the power of having exactly the same hands as Hermione from Harry Potter? And just how many David Mitchells are there anyway? It's a marathon of a podcast, but there's no cheating and we both stay in it for the whole thing. It'd be nice if there was a happy ending. But there's a slightly unhappy ending. See if you can make it to the ending.Come and see the new show on tour - https://richardherring.com/ballback/tourSUPPORT THE SHOW!Check out our website http://rhlstp.co.ukSee details of the RHLSTP tour dates http://richardherring.com/gigsBuy DVDs and Books at http://gofasterstripe.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Book Club #98 - 42 The Wildly Improbably Ideas of Douglas Adams - Richard talks to Kevin Jon Davies, the editor of this fascinating collection of items from the archives of Douglas Adams. They chat about the insight the notes, letters, scripts and thoughts give to the mind of this extraordinary thinker, the notebooks that started with optimism, moved into self-hatred and then largely remained blank (that most writers will be familiar with), the alternate reality where Adams gave up writing, what Arthur Dent was almost called, how unusually for a writer Adams became a celebrity himself and the unusual focus of the paparazzi at the film premiere. A terrific insight into the man and his work from someone who worked alongside him.Buy the book here - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/42-the-wildly-improbable-ideas-of-douglas-adams-douglas-adams/7442032?ean=9781800182684See Rich's stand-up tour Can I Have My Ball Back - https://richardherring.com/ballback/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#504 Respect Hook - Richard is back at the Lowry Theatre Salford and is annoyed about an Amazon review for his book. His guest is comedian, actor and former Edinburgh flatmate, Justin Moorhouse. They discuss doing a corporate for an arms manufacturer, improvising with Eric Cantona, how everyone in the Manchester area has to appear on Coronation Street (as up to three characters), being a cheeky f***er to Danny Boyle, why Justin doesn’t go everywhere with his face painted, why it’s a bad idea for comedians to go on politics TV shows, podcasting with his daughter, how Justin pretended to be a ghost and how Fred Elliot overcame his reluctance to do his catchphrase. It’s a real cracker of a show. Don’t miss it.See Rich's stand-up tour Can I Have My Ball Back - https://richardherring.com/ballback/SUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELSee extra content at our WEBSITE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RETRO RHLSTP #84 - Gulping Robot Toilets - Richard is hoping he will find his way into the Guinness Book of Records, but Norris Macwhirter is not answering his calls. His guest is making a return visit to RHLSTP after 7 and a half years (but will his hair reveal his success?) - it’s the amazing Charlie Brooker. The conversation is predictably dark and disgusting incorporating Charlie’s fury at a seven year old who makes an amazing living opening boxes, trying to introduce his kids to the Young Ones, what the best pinball machine is, whether having sex with your best friend via computer game is cheating, the complexity of writing a choose your own adventure TV show, being born with an umbilical cord around your neck and how you can kill sperm with urine. Plus the inevitability of nuclear war and whether all people over 45 need to die to save the world. It’s good.Come and see the new show on tour - https://richardherring.com/ballback/tourSUPPORT THE SHOW!Check out our website http://rhlstp.co.ukSee details of the RHLSTP tour dates http://richardherring.com/gigsBuy DVDs and Books at http://gofasterstripe.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Book Club #97 - How To Win An Information War - Richard talks to academic and journalist Peter Pomerantsev about his book about World War II propaganda (but also about propaganda today) How To Win An Information War. They chat about the remarkable life of the beautifully names Sefton Delmer and his part in creating a radio station that would counterbalance and undermine the propaganda of Goebbels and the German war effort, how hard core pornography played a part, the weird and wonderful ways that German soldiers were advised to fake illness, the amorality and immorality required to wage an information war, what all this has to teach us about today and how the world is being slow to catch up with the realities of the internet age and dark times that are yet to come. Is it possible to get out the cluster fuck of internet conspiracy theories and what can we learn from Delmer’s work? Plus what it’s like to marry a statue (sort of).Buy the book here - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/how-to-win-an-information-war-the-propagandist-who-outwitted-hitler-peter-pomerantsev/7608309?ean=9780571366347Or the audiobook here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Win-Information-War-Propagandist/dp/B0CK2FDVG4See Rich's stand-up tour Can I Have My Ball Back - https://richardherring.com/ballback/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#503 Heckling Ken Dodd - Richard returns to the Lowry Theatre in Salford for the first time in four years. Last time he was here he talked to Jimmy Cricket and this time he is talking to Jimmy’s daughter, the comedian, actor and playwright Katie Mulgrew. They talk about the horrors of birth and whether an Oscar winning actor could do it, being mistaken for the captain of Star Trek Voyager by a German, partying with Little and Large and the Roly-Polys, being followed around by everyone you’ve ever kissed, the mystery of adenoids, the arrogance of the playwright, whether Philippa McMoss might ever return to Corrie and what it’s like when your brother marries youSee Rich's stand-up tour Can I Have My Ball Back - https://richardherring.com/ballback/SUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELSee extra content at our WEBSITE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RETRO RHLSTP #83 - Burned Bunting - Richard hits comedy gold and finds the person with the perfect job to riff about for as long as an hour if he wishes, but he doesn’t wish to, as he has the multi-talented comedian, writer and actor Katy Wix to chat with. They discuss clammy handshakes, horror car crashes, dragon-based misunderstandings, working with Dick and Dom, Princess Fergiana, Hattie Jacques, meeting Dire Straits, an 11-year-old girl’s pebble, the professionalism of the young and cruelty to tadpoles. And the audience decides on who should be invited on to the next series.Come and see the new show on tour - https://richardherring.com/ballback/tourSUPPORT THE SHOW!Check out our website http://rhlstp.co.ukSee details of the RHLSTP tour dates http://richardherring.com/gigsBuy DVDs and Books at http://gofasterstripe.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Book Club #96 - Not That I'm Bitter - Richard talks to comedy legend Helen Lederer about her honest, hilarious and sad memoir, Not That I’m Bitter and the joy of hitting the middle, overcoming youthful ambition and envy, why she wanted to be candid about all aspects of her life and loves (which she definitely is), the difficulty of making it as a comedian, but with the extra difficulty of being a woman in a male dominated arena, but how too much success would have made this book impossible to write. Insecure, confident, fragile and strong - all the things that make a great comic.Buy the book here - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/not-that-i-m-bitter-a-truly-madly-funny-memoir-helen-lederer/7638559?ean=9781915306654Or the audiobook here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Audible-Not-That-Im-Bitter/dp/B0CZ4MJ57TSee Rich's stand-up tour Can I Have My Ball Back - https://richardherring.com/ballback/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#502 Divorce House Dirty Protest - Richard returns to Nottingham with some mind blowing research to prove which is the oldest pub in the city. His guests are husband and wife podcasters and performers Scott and Jemma Bennett. They discuss Scott’s monoball status and whether it should allow him into the club of real wombles, how Jemma felt when she discovered Scott’s deficiency, how Jemma literally edged her way into Scott’s lockdown performances from his shed and how that led to their hit podcast Brew With The Bennetts. Plus Richard’s tip for keeping marriages together based on a horror house viewing, the ukulele orchestra wars and what drew the couple to the city of Nottingham! Listen to Brew With the Bennett’s here https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/brew-with-the-bennetts/id1604383442See Rich's stand-up tour Can I Have My Ball Back - https://richardherring.com/ballback/SUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELSee extra content at our WEBSITE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RETRO RHLSTP #82 - Drifter Charger - Rich's daughter has made quite a radical life choice, but hopefully is a reincarnation of someone who will make the family a lot of money (if only we can prove it). This week it's a welcome return for one of the worst guests we've ever had on RHLSTP (and I am saying that because that's what he says about me on Pointless), it's the charmingly offensive giant, Richard Osman. Will Osman realise where he's gone wrong with his TV shows and finally commission Richard to write and sing the theme tune? Will Pointless ever take the money and head to Channel 4? What will Osman say about Rich's mum this time? Why can't chocolate manufacturer's put aside their differences? How big is a glass? Is it OK to propose to someone over Twitter? How many times can you lose on Pointless and still hold your head high? What do the Chinese think of Osman? Is it better to be single in your twenties or your forties? As you'd expect it's a wide-ranging chat and a delight from start to finish.Buy Osman's brilliant Christmas Book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B071ZPSPHH/comedyguide-21/Buy Herring's arguably more brilliant Christmas book here http://www.gofasterstripe.comSUPPORT THE SHOW!Check out our website http://rhlstp.co.ukSee details of the RHLSTP tour dates http://richardherring.com/gigsBuy DVDs and Books at http://gofasterstripe.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Book Club #95 - The Wager - Richard takes a Transatlantic call luckily in a time when it’s much easier to traverse the oceans, with David Grann the best-selling author and journalist, about his fantastic book The Wager - A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder. It’s an unbelievable and remarkable true story which has much to tell us about our history and the present day. David talks about what it’s like to work on a book that goes on to be an Oscar Nominated move, Killers of the Flower Moon and how he discovered the largely forgotten story of The Wager, the meticulous research required to create a book like this and how to deal with conflicting accounts of the same story. Also the surprisingly horrendous effect of scurvy, the difficulty of persuading men to become sailors at a time when death seemed almost inevitable, the class divisions and racism that made the crew of The Wager’s nightmare voyage even more nightmarish, how a cut off ear was the impetus for all of this madness and David’s slightly insane trip to visit Wager Island and why it was worthwhile. A really excellent chat about a highly recommended book.Buy the book here - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-real-hero-pa-david-grann/3440772?ean=9781471183706Or the audiobook here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Audible-The-Wager/dp/B0BPTL14T5/See Rich's stand-up tour Can I Have My Ball Back - https://richardherring.com/ballback/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#501 Thomas Tallis Fan Club - Richard is back in Nottingham, refusing to let his love of the Tales of Robin Hood die (and with one actual joke). His guest sings like a woman, it’s the hilarious Lloyd Griffith. They discuss the Anglian Cathedrals of the UK, being the subject of a cruel football chant, how the heartbreaking loss of a plum Hollywood job led to Lloyd’s appearance on Ted Lasso, playing Benny from Crossroads and the genesis of his fab documentary about whether you can beat the bookies. Plus Nottingham based gerontophilia and we find out if Lloyd is still in his forties.See Rich's stand-up tour Can I Have My Ball Back - https://richardherring.com/ballback/SUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELSee extra content at our WEBSITE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RETRO RHLSTP #81 - Nervous Lord's Prayer - You have us at an advantage this week, as you know who the next US President will be and we don't. What terrible future are you in? Either way. But let's forget about that and welcome the smiling man-mountain that is Tom Davis. Suddenly he is appearing in everything, most notably the brilliantly fun Murder In Successville, but we'll find out about how he made it and what he was doing before. Are Scaffolders really the craziest of all the tradesmen? Are footballers good at anything other than football? What if Paddington was 6ft 7 and from Croydon? How healthy is Romesh Ranaganathan's poo? And how badly can you mess up a chance to play a Biblical figure in a movie? There's also another addition to the forthcoming volume, 'Stories about meeting Brian Blessed'.SUPPORT THE SHOW!Check out our website http://rhlstp.co.ukSee details of the RHLSTP tour dates http://richardherring.com/gigsBuy DVDs and Books at http://gofasterstripe.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Book Club #94 - Why We Remember - Richard talks to memory expert and possible pop star Charan Ranganath about his fascinating book about memory, Why We Remember. They chat about aphantasia (of course) why memory is a painting and not a photograph, how our understanding of memory has changed in the last few decades, how much fun it must be to come up with tricksy experiments to test new theories, the wonder of being wrong in science, how memories attach to objects and sounds and places, why Richard remembers his romantic mishaps differently than his ex partners, whether we can combat Alzheimers and how changes in memory throughout our lives fulfils an evolutionary function,Buy the book here - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/why-we-remember-the-science-of-memory-and-how-it-shapes-us-dr-charan-ranganath/7608357?ean=9780571374144Or the audiobook here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Why-We-Remember-Science-Memory/dp/B0CS6XYP58/See Rich's stand-up tour Can I Have My Ball Back - https://richardherring.com/ballback/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.