RHLSTP with Richard Herring

Book Club #119 - Loki - A Bad God’s Guide To Making Enemies - Richard talks to author Louie Stowell about her fabulous Loki series and other children’s books. They chat about writing a kids’ book for kids who don’t like reading, fusing Norse myth with everyday school life, how kids are in some ways little mischivous gods who need to learn empathy, why the UK doesn’t embrace its Viking heritage more, how a sentient diary is the perfect antidote for an unreliable writer, the biggest fossilised human poo in the world (perhaps) and whether celebrity children’s authors are a good or bad thing - or do we just let the kids decide if their books are any good or not?Buy the Loki books herehttps://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/loki-a-bad-god-s-guide-to-being-good-louie-stowell/6431933?ean=9781406399752See RHLSTP recorded live - https://richardherring.com/rhlstp Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#539 Did You See Me in Ghostbusters? - Richard has been haunted by his smoke alarm. His guest is movie star James Acaster. They talk about his new Sky 1 special “Hecklers Welcome”, revitalising the love of stand up and spinning wheel based trauma, the surprise of being in the latest Ghostbusters film and how Rich plans to trump this, some of the secrets behind Celebrity Hunted (one of which was too juicy to share - come and see the show live), why James is not scared of bats, Springleaf, Party Gator and telling Bill Murray about the Bill Murray pub.Watch James’ special on Sky Comedy from December 10th and look out for the couple that leave.Subscribe to Richard’s substack here https://richardherring.substack.com/subscribeSee 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 #118 - All That Matters - Richard talks to the winner of 6 Olympic gold medals (and one silver) Chris Hoy about his fabulous, moving and positive autobiography All That Matters. Although Chris says it’s not Top Trumps his cancer makes Richard’s look like a paper cut and the book is bold and matter of fact about the impact of a non-sugar coated stage 4 cancer diagnosis, but whilst acknowledging the spiral of grief that this inevitably caused, Chris discusses the catharsis of writing about it, applying sports psychology to the situation and seeing the positives of life rather than constantly worrying about death, which could come to any of us at any time. He talks about his own particular deeply unpleasant chemotherapy and the reasons he endured it and how he got through it, how comedy can help us through and how he hopes he might be around for a while yet. Plus how he coped with life after the Olympic victory and trying to avoid Alan Partridgisms. And how making the most of life isn’t just about bucket lists, but realising what matters in your life and how lucky we are to be here. A remarkable Olympian and incredible man and yet a regular guy too. Don’t miss this oneBuy the book herehttps://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/all-the-matters-chris-hoy/1219695?ean=9781399741842See RHLSTP recorded live - https://richardherring.com/rhlstp Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#538 Pocklington - Richard has just moved house and is mourning the items that didn’t make the grade. His guest is another comedy hero, Adrian Edmondson. They talk about bad Brummie accents, the shadow that is cast on his life from the 14 weeks he spent on the Young Ones, cutting Rik Mayall’s head open with a metal jug, the boarding school experience that he’s still recovering from to this day, how the tweenager Ade may have passed the toddler Rich on the streets of Pocklington, how lockdown and birds and vegetables finally gave Ade calm, performing in Star Wars without being allowed to see the script, the secrets of a successful showbiz marriage, getting to perform in the band you were a superfan of, getting kissed by Joni Mitchell and keeping David Bowie off the top of the charts.Buy Beserker here - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/berserker-the-riotous-one-of-a-kind-memoir-from-one-of-britain-s-most-beloved-comedians-adrian-edmondson/7595333?ean=9781035014316Subscribe to Richard’s substack here https://richardherring.substack.com/subscribeSee 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 #117 - Jokes Jokes Jokes - Richard talks to old Edinburgh flatmate Jenny Eclair about her cut-above-the-rest autobiography, Jokes, Jokes, Jokes. They discuss how you maintain a career in their weird business over several decades, the envy and bitterness that can eat you up, how getting older changes your priorities, how little either of them remember about Jenny Eclair Squats, how winning the Perrier award left Jenny feeling like a fraud, appearing (though not) in the Karma Chameleon video, being mistaken for Su Pollard, who really came up with the girl that smelled of spam and coping with death and becoming an orphan in your sixties and the lives of the aunts and uncles from the 1950s.Buy the book herehttps://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/jokes-jokes-jokes-my-very-funny-memoir-jenny-eclair/7648041?ean=9781408732052See RHLSTP recorded live - https://richardherring.com/rhlstp Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#537 New York Ticks and Cockroaches - He loved it so much last week that he came back a week later to do it again. A second interview with the very relaxed Peter Serafinowicz. This time they talk about his film and TV work in America, how getting the dream job of playing The Tick turned into a filming nightmare, general indifference to appearing in the greatest ever episode of Rick and Morty, screwing up your lines in front of of Keanu Reeves’ beautiful face and working with Michael Caine and wondering if you can talk about the impression you do of him. Plus why the Beatles song A Day in the Life needed to be much longer (listen here https://soundcloud.com/bren-murphy/a-full-day-in-the-life-by-peter-serafinowicz), why some accents are difficult even for Peter (not for Richard though) and both men’s not fully positive experiences of Camp America.Buy Peter’s Brian Butterfield book here - https://brianbutterfield.limitedrun.com/products/807187-theres-no-business-like-businessSee 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 #116 - Somebody Told Me - Richard talks to journalist and humourist Danny Wallace about his latest book about the dangers of conspiracy theories, Somebody Told Me. They discuss how the death of Danny’s father and an odd email message prompted this dive into why people get sucked into sometimes outlandish plots and ideologies, why Covid made the whole situation worse, the friends that have gone down the rabbit hole, either for belief or for monetary gain, how it’s possible, though difficult to escape from it all, the divisions within conspiracy theorists themselves, the bot farms that add to the problem and the fears for the future that propaganda and AI may lead to. Plus find out about Richard and Danny’s first meeting!Buy the book herehttps://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/somebody-told-me-encounters-with-liars-conspiracists-trolls-and-those-fighting-back-danny-wallace/7599038?ean=9781529931181See RHLSTP recorded live - https://richardherring.com/rhlstp Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#536 Elephant Man Love Token - RHLSTP is back for its 30th series! Can this thing go on forever? Or does it just feel like it. Rich has had a sitcom experience with his bins and his son is disappointed with God. His returning guest is the great Peter Serafinowicz. The pair discuss Peter’s embracing of live work and technology, the return of Brian Butterfield and why Peter stayed in character for two hours after each show, using Deep Fakes on stage to bring the dead back to life, whether Abba turned up every night to do the curtain call for their hologram show, filming Sassy Trump with the guys from South Park and performing with Brian Eno in Venice. Plus which celebrity did Peter live round the corner until recently and is he able to get them on the podcast?Buy Peter’s Brian Butterfield book here - https://brianbutterfield.limitedrun.com/products/807187-theres-no-business-like-businessSee 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.

RETRO RHLSTP #87 - I’ve Never Stabbed Anyone…Oh No, I Have. - A tired and possibly ill Richard Herring tries to get through another podcast without vomiting on his guest, the disaster-magnet that is Janey Godley. She talks candidly about marrying the son of a Glasgow gangster, her many family tragedies and how she survived them plus how Jerry Sadowitz was almost killed at one of his first gigs, what she’d like to do with Roland Gift, witnessing horrific accidents and heart-warming scenes from daily life. Plus the Bay City Rollers, Vesta curries, working with your daughter, performing in a prison and that wonderful moment when you forget that you’ve stabbed someone. Some truly incredible stories from this brilliantly funny, mildly terrifying, but ultimately rather lovely woman. Check out her book “Handstands in the Dark”, her blog (www.janeygodley.blogspot.co.uk/) and her podcasts (www.janeygodley.podomatic.com/)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 #115 - The Elsie Drake Letters - Richard talks to the creator of Friday Night Dinner and Look Around You, Robert Popper, about his collection of letters from Elsie Drake (aged 104) to various unsuspecting companies and people of note. They chat about the genesis of his previous letter writing campaign, The Timewaster Letters, what made him decide to take on the persona of Britain’s sixth oldest woman, how the replies usually show the good in people, the many calls from the police and other institutions that came about as a result of the letters, whether Robert was wasting people’s time, Richard’s own attempts at spoof letters, including a campaign to legalise a sex act that is illegal for heterosexuals and a fantastic new idea for a Look Around You Movie (that will crop up again in the upcoming Peter Serafinowicz podcast)Buy the book herehttps://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-elsie-drake-letters-aged-104-robert-popper/7697478?ean=9781399817875See RHLSTP recorded live - https://richardherring.com/rhlstp Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#535 Rock On! - Richard is at Hull City Hall with the biggest RHLSTP audience we’ve had and he’s angry about the city claiming to have the smallest window in the country. His guest is legendary comedian and actor Tommy Cannon. They talk about how Cannon and Ball met at a welding factory, how Bobby cajoled him into forming an act and what he might have seen in Tommy, playing working men’s clubs, coming last on Opportunity Knocks and how the pair were propelled to fame in the seventies. Plus falling out and falling in, a double act being like a marriage, learning the wrong script for Emmerdale, the power of their theme song, working with Rik Mayall and Little Richard and the impact of losing your partner after sixty years. A fine end to the tour with a guest whose sprightliness belies their 85 years,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.

This week, Richard was a guest on a whole other podcast - ‘Rich Beyond My Wildest Dreams’, the podcast where guests talk through all the absurd ways they’d spend a £200 million EuroMillions jackpot. Join Sarel & Richard as they break down all of Richard’s wild plans - we’re talking... a teleportation device, a live-in dental hygienist, and paying every restaurant in London to ban James Acaster and Ed Gamble from Off Menu!Follow Rich Beyond My Wildest Dreams…On YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/ycyfv2fc On TikTok: https://tinyurl.com/mrxtansd On Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/ykumd329 On Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/29z8xrme On Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/4ths7ned Get that EuroMillions feeling every Friday with brand new episodes. Brought to you by EuroMillions from The National Lottery and Acast Creative Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Book Club #114 - Herald of a Restless World - Richard is not the only Herring to be a published author and his niece Emily comes on the podcast to talk about her impressive book about Henri Bergson, his life and philosophy. If like Richard you only know Bergson as a punchline to a Monty Python sketch then you will get to know a lot more about this unassuming and shy man who achieved rock star status as a philosopher. Rich and Emily chat about the Bergson’s respect for laughter and comedy, his fascination and sympathy with spiritualism, how he revolutionised philosophy and why he just as quickly faded from view, his death-bed lecture and the fellow lecturer who had his own talks disrupted by Bergson’s legions of fans.Buy the book herehttps://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/herald-of-a-restless-world-how-henri-bergson-brought-philosophy-to-the-people-emily-herring/7697499?ean=9781529371918See RHLSTP recorded live - https://richardherring.com/rhlstp Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#534 Keenan Wayans - Richard is in Glasgow and by the time you hear this he should have an exciting announcement about a new acting role, as long as he doesn’t blow it by getting angry and slagging the show off. His guest is legendary broadcaster and comedian Fred MacAulay. They chat about why he left the world of accountancy behind to become a stand-up, resisting the temptations of post gig debauchery to go home and change nappies, skiing with Tara Palmer-Tompkinson, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, how he felt when he was unceremoniously dumped from his long-running radio show, why he’s still gigging in his sixties, the only two words that Billy Connolly ever said to Fred and running naked through a field with Al Murray.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.

Book Club #113 - Life Lessons From Historical Women - Richard talks to comedian and writer Eleanor Morton about her book about some notable women from history (some famous, others not so much) Life Lessons From Historical Women. Should Richard with his 2:1 in history have know about more of them than he does? Perhaps. They chat about why women (and non-royalty generally) are so badly represented in history, how history is more fun if you’re allowed to be judgemental about the clearly horrible stuff, how even stories from as recently at the 60s show how pervasive certain ideas of women can be, how Eleanor chose her 18 people/groups to write about and how the book is more serious than one might have expected (but still has plenty of funny stuff in it too).Buy the book herehttps://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/life-lessons-from-historical-women-eleanor-morton/7670509?ean=9781804192276See RHLSTP recorded live - https://richardherring.com/rhlstp Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#533 Eternal Wee - Richard is back in Bedford, reminiscing about his second appearance on Top of the Pops. His guest is ex-Bedford public schoolboy Al Murray. They chat about how many pints you can drink during Ravel’s Bolero, the weirdness of being sent away to boarding school at the age of 9, but the disappointing lack of psychological damage that resulted from this, how Al got into drama and comedy to meet girls, playing Charles II in a Restoration romp, pretending to machine gun trains in a World War Two plane, thirty years of the Pub Landlord and whether he caused Brexit and which PM would Al have sex with if he had to?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.

Book Club #112 - One Sinha Lifetime - Richard chats to doctor turned comedian and quizzer, Paul Sinha about his fantastic and heart-felt book about family, love, failure, success and getting through difficult times with positivity. They discuss how he never actually came out to his parents but their very human reaction to the news, the stereotypes of the quiz world and how they maybe miss something important, the desire to compete and win even if you’re no good at sport, the vagaries of the stand-up scene and how the same material can storm or die in the same night, turning a gay man straight, why Michael Palin has a better attitude than John Cleese and the Mastermind records of these two complete losers.Or buy the books here (quickly) -https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/one-sinha-lifetime-a-bengali-boy-s-search-for-the-meaning-of-life-paul-sinha/7546634?ean=9781529908534See RHLSTP recorded live - https://richardherring.com/rhlstp Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#532 Seat for a Sex Doll - Richard is back in Coventry where he was once scared by a picture in the Cathedral like some kind of Maurice Mitchener. His guests are Mark and Anthony from the internet sensations The Exploding Heads and also a disgruntled Colin from Portsmouth. We find out about how this age-mismatched double act got together, how the TV station they worked on seemed to have no idea what they were up to, the genius behind ex-footballer Ian Fiveankles, whether their fans can miss the irony of their material, working with Ron from Goodnight Sweetheart, crashing into the Tottenham Hotspur stadium and a potentially tactless emergency question works out OK.See the Exploding Heads on tour - http://socomedy.co.uk/artist/colin-from-portsmouth/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.

EQ: Which Celebrity Would You Like To Stroke Your Hair While You’re Dying? - It’s another EQC as the cool kids call it and this time we’re finding out about which celeb our guest celebs would like to stroke their hair, while they’re dying. Richard gets confused about his own choice, but you’ll be able to hear answers from such luminaries as Susan Calman, Milton Jones, Cariad Lloyd, Katherine Ryan and many more. It’s a surprisingly good question. Apart from when Richard answers it.See a live recording of RHLSTP - https://richardherring.com/rhlstpSUPPORT 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 #111 - The Unfinished Harauld Hughes - Richard talks to the extraordinary Richard Ayoade about his incredible multi-book releases about writer Harauld Hughes (including books of his plays, films and prose) and his equally brilliant “The Fairy Tale Fan Club” kids book. They chat about the questions children ask about the stories they are told and why it’s fun to attempt to answer them, how to get Wes Anderson to narrate your audiobook (be Richard Ayoade and ask him) and why bad characters appeal to children. Plus what it’s like to be in the brain of Richard Ayoade, why he wanted to create the character of Harold Hughes, why he put himself in the book, the joy of a book that it takes a little while to tune into, another incredible audiobook and how to create parody that occasionally transcends humour, but where you come to care for the people you are mocking. How has he been allowed to do this? He definitely should have been allowed to do it, but it’s still amazing that he’s done it and that it’s available for you to read!There is also a chance to win all four of the limited edition Harauld Hughes books - rare unsigned copies too!Or buy the books here (quickly) - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-book-that-no-one-wanted-to-read-richard-ayoade/7098935?ean=9781529500752https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-unfinished-harauld-hughes-richard-ayoade/7688891?ean=9780571377893https://www.faber.co.uk/product/9780571393107-the-models-trilogy/https://www.faber.co.uk/product/9780571393084-plays-prose-pieces-poetry/https://www.faber.co.uk/product/9780571393060-four-films/See RHLSTP recorded live - https://richardherring.com/rhlstp Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#531 Hello Pervert -  It’s the final London RHLSTP for a while and a time for goodbyes to the film crew and a very special member of the Leicester Square Theatre staff, whilst Rich discusses the rare occasions when your kids make your hard work on their behalf seem worthwhile. His guest is 8 times interviewee/interviewer in the RH universe, Adam Buxton. They discuss Milky Way adverts, Richard’s attention seeking testicle, Adam’s possibly career ending onanistic habits, Adam’s frankly inappropriate dreams about Richard’s wife, interviewing Werner Herzog, playing the Hammersmith Apollo, and who will be the last person to ever listen to one of the Herring or Buxton pods. Will it be soon or will their voices echo down the ages? Let us know if you’re the last person to ever 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.

Book Club #110 - Why Can’t I Just Enjoy Things? - Richard talks to comedian Pierre Novellie about his fabulous book (and guide book) about autism, Why Can’t I Just Enjoy Things? They chat about Richard’s disappointment of his pretty regular test scores, why people react badly or suspiciously towards people with autism and ADHD, why Richard is better than Isaac Newton, why Pierre wanted the book to be different than the excellent stand up show of the same name, how this whole project started with a heckle, why it’s OK to be obsessed with pop music or sport but not Byzantine history, how the book will be helpful for autistic and non-autistic people alike and how the cover art was chosen!Buy the book here https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/why-can-t-i-just-enjoy-things-a-neurodivergent-guy-in-a-neurotypical-world-pierre-novellie/7610702?ean=9781785121012See Pierre on tour https://www.pierrenovellie.com/See RHLSTP recorded live - https://richardherring.com/rhlstp Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#530 Tudor Spring Onion -  Richard is back in Sheffield, questioning the Curse of the Crucible. His guest is pop star and song-writing genius Paul Heaton. They talk about Paul’s propensity to collect and audit, why Happy Hour gives Richard unhappy flashbacks, how censorship made one song both worse and also slightly better, the acts of financial generosity which one suspects might just be the tip of the iceberg, how Paul didn’t really win awards until he got a big one at 60, but still carries on regardless, writing realistic love songs for older people and the positives and negatives that booze has had on his life.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.

Book Club #109 - Earth To Moon - Richard chats to the fantastic Moon Zappa about her honest, funny and heart-breaking book Earth To Moon, about growing up in a somewhat dysfunctional family, having a world famous dad and trying to make her own way in the world. They chat about their previous meeting in 1997 and how Richard failed to pick up on some mild flirtation, meeting Snow White and being disappointed that she wasn’t a cartoon, the difficulty of finding balance in an autobiography, what Frank Zappa would have been like as a president and having your first kiss stolen by one of the Chips. Plus the negative side of being a Nepo Baby.The book is fabulous and hugely recommended.  Buy the book here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Earth-Moon-Unit-Zappa/dp/1474623832See RHLSTP recorded live - https://richardherring.com/rhlstp Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#529 Fulcrum - Richard is in Sheffield where people still remember the rainbow of 1994 whilst he confuses Electric Dreams with Electric Blue. His guest is brilliant story-telling comedian Tom Wrigglesworth. They chat about sharing an Edinburgh flat in 2010, how organising a whip round for a fellow train passenger led to Tom’s arrest and a fantastic Edinburgh show, how a resemblance to an American sports star impacted on his own life, how as a younger comedian you can go with whatever life throws at you and being the highest comedian at the highest comedy gig ever.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.

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.