Richard Herring's Leicester Square Theatre Podcast Season 19
Richard Herring brings his Edinburgh Fringe Podcast south for a more leisurely weekly show in which he chats with some of the biggest names in comedy. It's ad-libbed and unedited and largely unplanned - the conversations can go off on all kinds of comedic tangents, or be serious. Recorded in front of a paying audience.
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Richard Herring's Leicester Square Theatre Podcast
2012
Richard Herring brings his Edinburgh Fringe Podcast south for a more leisurely weekly show in which he chats with some of the biggest names in comedy. It's ad-libbed and unedited and largely unplanned - the conversations can go off on all kinds of comedic tangents, or be serious. Recorded in front of a paying audience.
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Richard Herring's Leicester Square Theatre Podcast Season 19 Full Episode Guide
It’s a momentous occasion, not only the 300th numbered RHLSTP, but the first one since March in front of an audience. We’re at the prestigious Bill Murray pub in North London. Richard sits stage right for the first time (except when he interviewed himself for a kickstarter extra) and is being interrogated by John Robins behind a perspex screen. But is it to save the audience from corona or the people on stage from the unguents that will doubtless be flung by the Die Hard fans in attendance (why have they come to this? Surely they should be watching a DVD of Bruce Willis). They chat about The Problem With Men, whether there are regrets about old material, the philosophy behind stone clearing, the Stewart Lee issue, skirting the line betwixt political correctness and comedy and playing with madness as we plummet towards old age and death. It’s the real Richard Herring, not the crazy character (mainly) and includes new Emergency Questions sent in by listeners.
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We're just one show from the magic number 300 (if you ignore all the Edinburgh shows and other specials) and Rich is angry that he hasn't got an MBE and that his cupboard is still giving him problems. His guest is a work of art depicting the young Father Christmas, John Kearns. They discuss the problem of student stand up existing forever online, the mind games of Eamonn Holmes, some mind bogglingly expensive pants, what to do with slightly cracked bowls, the difficulty of getting stuff on TV and shitting yourself at parents' evening. Plus exciting news about the next series of Top Coppers.
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Richard has been causing a Twitter sensation with the ballad of his blocked cupboard, but the real question is how many graters does one man need? His guest only has one and her name is Stevie Martin. They chat about the joy of a well timed silly face, the less joy of having to watch your TV pilots vanish into the ether, witchcraft and finding out your allergies via electricity, the difference between moving to London in the 80s and the 2010s, relationships as a competition, terrible social media experiences and the joys of improvising for an hour on Twitch.
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Richard has found himself disappointed by the action of Han Solo, but never mind, he's back on telly (Taskmaster starts on October 15th, 9pm on Channel 4) and so he won't have to do stupid podcasts where he talks to dead wasps anymore. But for now, here he is talking to the charming and patient and wise Michael Ian Black. They discuss why you'd give up being a Mutant Ninja Turtle, the battle to create the most boring podcast, who has the best Irish accent, Rich's problem with Michael's film "Run Fatboy Run", whether the Universe will be destroyed if they ever meet, the problems with masculinity that has prompted them both to write a book about it and Rich's plans to write a film with the greatest cast list ever.
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Richard has been to Legoland and seen a sight that sums up the compromise of parenthood. His guest is the legendary Michael Fenton Stevens. They discuss the rock star life that even parody pop stars enjoy, how taking a punt on a chicken paid off, Nicholas Lyndhurst's property portfolio, which sitcom star MFS took a dislike to, filming by an airport, appearing on Tiswas and seeing the birth of a comedy classic. Plus the dynamics of a sketch group, the horrors of childhood and Kate Bush getting excited. How can you resist?
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Richard has this week performed live on stage for the first time since March, but a certain papier-m�ché drunkard stole the show. But never mind, Richard is delighted to chat to journalist and pro poker player Maria Konnikova. They discuss her rise from someone who didn't know how many cards were in a pack to a poker champion in the space of months, whether luck or skill rules our world, how our hands don't bluff, how poker can help us in the real world and what it's like to meet a world champion self-playing snookerist. Quite a lot of poker content, but it's more about knowing ourselves and coping with the random shit that life and cards throw up.
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Richard is coming to you from an exciting new location in time and space and is worried about the lack of jumping 18 year olds. His guest is ex model, investment banker and stutterer Sindhu Vee. They discuss coming to stand up later in life, doing stand up about your kids, tough parenting, soft-boiled eggs, whether it's possible to be a good rat, conveyor belts by the Crown Jewels, 16 letter surnames and dispelling ghosts. A fantastic look at the life of someone who was perhaps always destined to be a stand up even if she didn't know it herself.
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Rich is back from his holiday and now able to control gulls and make them his lifelong allies and he's also had an amazing gift from a fan of the show. His guest has a lot to say about moisturiser - it's Sophie Duker. They discuss dry knees and crusty feet, being sent nudes on social media, a novel use for cucumbers, how a gardener made Sophie cry, writing for puppets, the genius of Frankie Boyle and the differences between dating now and pre 2008.
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Rich is being driven mad by a children's song, but at least he's about to finally get back on the telly, so he can leave you losers behind. But he's mistimed it all as TV is about to be usurped by the internet as this week's guest Bilal Zafar is on the cusp of proving. They talk about being an arsehole in someone else's dreams, working as an extra, Percy the Shepherd, the famous people of Wanstead and Bolton, Richard's incredible generosity and vanity, befriending Limmy, the pigeon holing of TV commissioners and what can happen when you're left to your own devices (as long as you have devices).
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Rich has discovered a dark secret about his wife, but there's no way out now. His guest is best served dripping with honey, it's historian Bettany Hughes. They talk about appearing in a play at University with one of them in their underwear, the transformation of Aphrodite from penis-headed goddess to sexy statue, finding fragments of ancient text, how we can learn about societies from their gods, Pompeiian handbags, following in the footsteps of Odysseus, the island of the old women and receiving an OBE from the best member of the royal family (and a missed opportunity for Olivia Coleman)
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Rich is about to hit 53, but at least he's back in the big time with a major TV opportunity as a snookerist. His guest is ex-rockabilly drummer Jo Caulfield. They chat about messing up your one line on a TV show, a drama student taking method acting too far, living in squats, how Dolly Parton gets it right, when to throw out your cereal bowls, the hell of playing zoom quizzes with your family, an unlikely alliance with Neville Southall and how and why Jo got banned and reinstated on Twitter.
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Richard has just finished writing the first draft of his book and is in a giddy mood. He's been practicing his ventriloquism which will be particularly impressive in the audio version. His guest is the hairless arsed Daniel Sloss (I refuse to ask him about his arse, but I am thinking about it all through the podcast). They talk about lockdown madness, the Robot Wars murder spree, working with a translator for a Russian show, whether God got the taste of sperm right, gradually working your way towards wokeness, the crisis in masculinity, the kindness of Frankie Boyle and joking about death and disability. Plus how Daniel is hoping to still appear at the cancelled Edinburgh Fringe and how he's using drive-ins to still perform comedy
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Rich has received his first hand-written Father's Day card, which might also have been a break-up note. His guest is the Chortle Student Comedian of the year 2005, Nathan Caton. They chat about having to spend time with your partner in lockdown, plucking defeat from the jaws of victory in Mastermind, producing a topical podcast looking at only good news (listen here https://audioboom.com/channels/5024060), being a Christian comedian, giving up architecture for a life on stage, whether white lives matter and TV producers are racist.
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Rich has been turned into a woman on the internet and so comes a predictable emergency question. It's another lockdown remote record with the West Riding of Yorkshire's Maisie Adam. They discuss whether you should correct people who get your name wrong, putting a Shrek in a February Pantomime, recreating the Bill Grundy/Sex Pistols face-off, epilepsy, phantom drones, a not very close call with Raoul Moat and tweeting on your 18th birthday.
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We're still in lockdown but Rich is hoping he's managed to secure the future of Emergency Questions in the event or World War, so fingers crossed. His guest is ex-pretend mugger Lauren Pattison. They talk about the devastating effect that lockdown has had on Lauren's personal and professional life, but the positives that she takes from that, the joy of laminating, the mystery of vegetables, how snogging has become illegal and the absence of Soleros. Plus how everyone in Newcastle knows each other and some visual kerfuffle with askew reading glasses.
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Richard is deep in book deadline Hell, but still has time to tweet Lord Sugar about his maths expertise and consider how much human DNA needs to be in a mouse to make it a viable partner. His guest is podcaster, sometimes actor and historian Greg Jenner. They discuss repeatedly falling downstairs, whether historians are duty bound to have sex with Neanderthals, what new history has happened and have a detailed examination of the history of celebrity, thanks to Greg's ace new book, Dead Famous. Find out why Abraham Lincoln grew that beard, why Julius Caesar isn't a celebrity and whether Richard is and how faking a death almost led to a Hollywood actress being killed. Plus bumping into Scarlett Johannson, whether an iPad counts as homeschooling and a great use for the Bayeaux Tapestry.
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Lockdown continues in all its exhausting torpor, but Rich has come up with a new game show as well as becoming needlessly annoyed by a very old song. His guest is long time friend of the show and lone self-isolator, Richard Osman. They chat about whether it's better to be married or single during lockdown, dealing with the virus, how Henry Kelly might find himself a new job, how much money Michael Palin has, whether interviewing someone means you are now in their TV show, patricide, Strangers on a Train and Osman's acting role in the greatest sitcom of all time. Plus which tube station has a Z in it? We forgot to tell you, sorry.
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It's an extra special sell-out episode which has been bought and paid for by Ian Oxygen of O2 and that originally went out to Priority at O2 customers. But now everyone can see/hear it! Hooray. The guest is factory visitor James Acaster. They discuss binding agents, annoying Anne Diamond, the Wombles, whether Rich was the best or worst Off Menu guest of all time, Tim Vine, Biblical recordings and having to pretend you liked How I Met Your Mother. Plus the charity work that Richard hates to talk about, Plus Rich has a big surprise for James. Many thanks to Gail Venckner.
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We're 10000 days into lockdown and Richard is going mad, but his dreams are becoming violent or sexy. But is is cheating? His guest is the besequinned and hilarious Kiri Pritchard-McLean. They chat about attempted period censorship, brilliant tour plans foiled by the virus, lockdown comedy at the Covid Arms http://www.comedyatthecovid.co.uk/, the dark things you see growing up on a farm, the best tourist attractions that Anglesey has to offer, Tutankhamen's pencil case, whether we can still push comedy boundaries and what it's like to not remember your dreams (not as bad as not being able to visualise an apple).
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Richard's daughter has wished him a choice of terrible deaths, but come up with a great emergency question, proving herself superior to him in every way and he's also increasingly obsessed with Sliding Doors. His guest is (hopefully) working on a lockdown episode of Robert's Web, it's Robert Webb. They talk about escaping lava inside a crocodile, time travel and alternate universes, finding out about the death of a family member by means of a note, open heart surgery, confronting death, the forgotten wonder of pornographic magazines and whether it's best to plan your writing or just shagging wing it. Plus an impression of recordings from the past. And a look at Robert's dressing gown.
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Rich is peeved that Banksy has been ripping off his ideas, but his guest doesn't realise he's not supposed to talk over him, it's only bloody birthday boy Bill Burr. They discuss their startlingly similar careers (if you ignore Bill's movie and success and money), what the West End is like, head mops, Warsaw Indiana, how fights in films are never realistic, Bill's biggest acting role yet in the King of Staten Island https://www.thekingofstatenisland.com/, how a cartoon gives the most realistic interpretation of the 70s (check out the new series of F is for Family https://www.netflix.com/title/80028732), offence in stand up, feminism, masculinity in crisis, Croydon and tiny babies. It's good stuff.
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Richard has been enjoying the lunchtime hour of lockdown the most so far and discusses chalk shadow drawings reminding him of nuclear war. His guest is author, comedian and lift engineer Mark Watson. They discuss trying to not die in a pandemic and how difficult it is to be motivated, turning 40 before civilisation collapses, how becoming successful is not always the best route for creativity (or making yourself feel better by arguing that), the redundancy of swimming badges, a new 24 hour show for Mark and haircuts with no hairdressers. Plus find out if Improvisation, My Dear Watson is coming back WARNING AUDIOPHILES - Sound quality not as good as usual as Mark closed his computer before the good version could be uploaded to the cloud - the idiot. So sometimes Mark turns all Tweaky from Buck Rogers.
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It's another lockdown RHLSTP and Rich is talking to the star of internet phenomenon The Room Next Door, Michael Spicer. They chat about starring together in a film where Rich played a man who uses prostitutes (as usual), the difficulties of making the Mash Report in lockdown, becoming an overnight sensation after almost two decades, appearing on the James Corden show and copying Chris Morris. Rich drinks four shots of whisky which encourages him to be rude about Michael's dad. Which is fun for everyone except maybe Michael.
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The Coronavirus has taken out many planned live RHLSTPs (hopefully most will be rescheduled) and destroyed a promising and lucrative 2020 for Richard, but it CAN'T stop us broadcasting. Rich is joined by the guest with the most appearances on RHLSTP, from Norwich, Adam Buxton. Recorded on the 8th April whilst the fate of the PM hung in the balance they make some bold predictions of how that is going to turn out (apologies if we got it wrong) and how the lockdown is affecting or failing to affect their largely dull lives. Plus Richard reveals some tragic news about his mind's eye and a Lee and Herring story that he hasn't even told Stewart about. Adam reveals secrets of competitiveness from his own double act and talks about his high-profile podcast guests. It's a charming hour and a fitting tribute to either or both men if they don't survive the epidemic.
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Richard is still buzzing from last week's podcast. Thank God we only do one a week, or imagine having to follow that! But he has news of his disappointing parenting to move us onwards. His guest is the incredible writer, actor and comedian, Aisling Bea, who didn't realise that she was being filmed last time she was on. They chat about working with Paul Rudd, fearing being spied on from above, the incredible outdated sexual politics of How I Met Your Mother, how last minute you can be writing a script and how sweet it must be being on Taskmaster. There's also some confusion about the lift question and some fierce debate over whether the Coughing Major cheated or not. Plus an insight into Aisling's incredible showbiz life.
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We've been recommissioned again for an amazing 19th series and Richard is exhausted from his final attempt to let the world know when International Men's Day is and what are you talking about? He always wears a suit. There's nothing unusual going on. His guest is just some guy from some old sketch show and the first Knight (that says Ni) on the podcast, Sir Michael Palin. Obviously Rich is in awe and on his best behaviour, but that won't stop him bringing up one of Michael's rare career disappointments and nearly derailing everything. But Michael is everything you'd hope for and you can find out what he got paid for his script being used in Sliding Doors, how the Fish Dance went down in North Korea, how Life of Brian might have been Python at its height, the perils of being a mud eater, how Mrs Palin ended up on Saturday Night Live, why Terry Jones was the heart of Python and how this remarkable friendship between writing partners was maintained right to the end.
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