Slapstick Special with Robin Ince - Pioneer of comedy Podcasting, legendary stand up and writer Richard Herring joins Infinite Monkey Cage co-host Robin Ince at Slapstick’s inaugural Desert Island Comedy Flicks event. If Richard was stranded on a desert island and could only have 10 comedy films with him, which films would he choose? Come and delight in the conversation as Robin probes Richard to reveal the the titles that can stand repeat viewing and hear the stories behind the choices. Live RH...
Mar 04, 2022•1 hr
#369 Les Dawson Gladiator - Richard is in Bristol at the Slapstick Festival and starts by paying tribute to a fallen comedy hero (and the third guest to fall to the curse of RHLSTP). His guest is actor, impressionist and astronomer Jon Culshaw. They discuss Queen Victoria’s everlasting fire, how a receptionist set Jon on course to his comedy career, getting through to Tony Blair on a prank call, chasing solar eclipses, portraying David Bowie in a serious drama, whether it’s ever possible to get ...
Mar 02, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Season 22Ep. 26
#43 You Don't Bring Me Flowers Anymore Rich is back for an unprecedented 5th series of this stupid podcast, worried that he might have the same effect on this week's guest as he did with Stephen Merchant. But it's unlikely as it's a welcome return for the man with the pink bicycle, Adam Buxton. What is the ethical age for a dog to be before you have sex with it? How much does the cartoon The Snowman inform us about the career of David Bowie? Are we ready to consider the mortality of our fathers?...
Feb 25, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 43
#368 Cottage Pie Hair - Richard is back at the Phoenix and wondering how future robots will judge him for the way he thinks about the robots of today. His guest is my dear Mark Watson. They discuss forgetting about working with Peter Andre, how judging yourself by the achievements of your contemporaries is maybe not the healthiest way to behave, what it’s like to be let go by your management, whether death is necessary to make life worthwhile, whether it would be cool to be cryogenically frozen,...
Feb 23, 2022•1 hr 15 min•Season 22Ep. 25
#42 Bog Buddies Unbeknownst to Richard and his guest, a drunken audience member collapsed during last week's podcast, and Rich wastes no time in calling the man who helped save him a sex pest. It's just what he does. But even if an audience member dies then the show must go on (especially if it was a slightly annoying audience member). This week's guest is the former Westlife obsessive, Sofie Hagen. Luckily we're in a post-Brexit world now, allowing Rich freedom to let everyone know his true tho...
Feb 18, 2022•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 42
#367 Piss Drip Trays - Richard is back live at the Phoenix and has become a bit obsessed with the comedy writers who created the Tory party’s worst comedy character - his guest is a man who doesn’t eat enough vitamin C, Ahir Shah. They discuss topical issues that may be out of date when this podcast airs, where the Corona virus might have originated, making comedy out of the lockdown experience, the poshest hotel in Swansea, the wonder of sperm. See Ahir’s tour dates here http://ahirshah.com/ Li...
Feb 16, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Season 22Ep. 24
#41 The Shape of Things To Come In the final episode of these retro podcasts, Rich talks to tech expert and geek Aleks about how we can expect things to pan out in the future. SUPPORT THE SHOW! Watch our TWITCH CHANNEL Become a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE See details of the RHLSTP TOUR DATES Buy DVDs and Books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Feb 11, 2022•38 min•Ep. 41
#366 I Have a Dream - Richard has some bad news about Scooby Doo, but some good news about Emergency Questions getting mixed up with Scottish seamen. It’s another TransAtlantic remote podcast, with a return from thoughtful comedy genius David Cross. They chat about poor political predictions, the pain of 18 months away from stand up, David’s new special “I’m From The Future”, the rapid return to health of Bob Odenkirk, getting owl talon marks on your head, whether it’s funny when anti-vaxxers di...
Feb 09, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Season 22Ep. 23
#40 Good and Evil In another blast from the past, here’s the full length interview with evolutionary psychologist Lance Workman about good and evil. Again, what’s coming is going to be as much a surprise to me as it is to you. Except I am not going to listen to it. SUPPORT THE SHOW! Watch our TWITCH CHANNEL Become a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE See details of the RHLSTP TOUR DATES Buy DVDs and Books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Feb 04, 2022•26 min•Ep. 40
#365 Apology to Kris Marshall - In another Covid hit remote show, Richard is wondering if Boris Johnson will still be PM by the time this podcast is released (of course he will) and worried about new developments in his daughter’s new relationship. His guest is the actually not political comedian and writer Grainne Maguire. They talk about Grainne’s very entertaining new podcast, The Way They Were https://podcasts.apple.com/mt/podcast/the-way-they-were/id1598595577?uo=4 , the power of discussing...
Feb 02, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Season 22Ep. 22
#39 Death - This one is about death and features Nick Lane and if I am honest with you I remember nothing at all about it. Not Nick’s fault. I was very busy and very tired.I bet it’s interesting though. We’ll see. SUPPORT THE SHOW! Watch our TWITCH CHANNEL Become a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE See details of the RHLSTP TOUR DATES Buy DVDs and Books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jan 28, 2022•30 min•Ep. 39
#364 Naked in Brixton - Richard is still isolating, and has had to reluctantly welcome a new son-in-law into his life. His guest is actor, director and musician Laura Jean Marsh. They chat about leaving home at 16 to be in a band, how Laura Jean’s experiences in the music scene inspired her to write, direct and star in the feature film, Giddy Stratospheres, how she persuaded Richard to take a part in the movie, how the Hell you get something like this off the ground during lockdown and how takin...
Jan 26, 2022•53 min•Season 22Ep. 21
#38 Love - Richard discusses love with the Agony Aunt who turns out to be his nearby neighbour. They shared a cab home afterwards. Discretion means I can not discuss what happened after that. SUPPORT THE SHOW! Watch our TWITCH CHANNEL Become a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE See details of the RHLSTP TOUR DATES Buy DVDs and Books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jan 21, 2022•32 min•Ep. 38
#363 What Women Want! - Richard has got Covid 19 - always late to the party - but nothing can stop him podcasting and so this remote recording carries on regardless (with social distancing of 100 miles, which the NHS has determined is fairly safe). His guest is comedian and author Laura Lexx. They discuss the genesis of her hilarious new book, Klopp Actually (Buy here- https://www.lauralexx.co.uk/klopp-actually ), how lockdown prompted creative ways of working, whether Somerset should change its...
Jan 19, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Season 22Ep. 20
#37 The Paranormal - In another old interview from the Meaning Of Life series, Richard chats to Richard Wiseman about ghosts, talking ferrets and things that go bump in the night. SUPPORT THE SHOW! Watch our TWITCH CHANNEL Become a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE See details of the RHLSTP TOUR DATES Buy DVDs and Books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jan 14, 2022•40 min•Ep. 37
#362 You Start Monday! - Wow, what’s this, a remote RHLSTP whilst we’re still allowed (at the time of recording) to go outside. We’re filling a little gap in our schedule with some remote pods, this one from the 6th January at 11am LA time with too gorgeous comedy behemoth Peter Baynham. The old flatmates discuss bad chat up lines, the freedom of podcasting, the brilliant Brain Cigar https://audioboom.com/channels/5053035 , why it’s probably a good thing that Richard didn’t work on Ron’s Gone Wr...
Jan 12, 2022•1 hr 25 min•Season 22Ep. 19
#36 Creation - In an interview from Richard Herring's Meaning of Life, Rich talks to Marcus Chown about the creation of the universe and whether science knows any more than anyone else. Are there infinite alternate universes and does absolutely everything happen (for no reason)? SUPPORT THE SHOW! Watch our TWITCH CHANNEL Become a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE See details of the RHLSTP TOUR DATES Buy DVDs and Books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for mor...
Jan 07, 2022•34 min•Ep. 36
#361 Hair Length Apartheid - It’s a New Year (for you, though Richard is just pretending) and Rich looks back on his weird and unsettling 2021, but definitely sees the positives in it all. Will this year be better than the last one or will the years just continue top get worse and worse until we all die? His guest is the king of the clowns and circuit legend, Chris Lynam, who you might know from his firework up the bum routine, but who has a whole lot more to him than that. They chat about what ...
Jan 05, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Season 22Ep. 18
#35 The Centurion - Richard makes more predictions of atrocities that will have occurred in the news on the week of release for this podcast and is impressed by the skills of another astrologer he has encountered. His guest is a man who knows how to clean a horse’s anus, it’s Lee Mack. Find out the truth behind his claims about cutting mustard, how to pick apricots, whose lawnmowers are in the Southport lawnmower museum and hear more musing over what is more morally acceptable, necrophilia or be...
Dec 31, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 35
#360 Monkey Paw - Richard has been having car trouble and is worried that his son might have been damaged on his watch. His guest is the actor and podcaster Margaret Cabourn-Smith. They discuss the time they appeared in a long short film together, the glamour of working for Disney, the terrible foot secret of Dan Tetsell, whether you should risk putting your children into show business, the dynamics of the double acts and the lottery of TV commissions, the power of the crush (check out Margaret’...
Dec 29, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Season 22Ep. 17
#34 Why Won't You Tell Us Your Exact Address? - Rich has some surprising and life-changing news to share, but that doesn't mean that gloves (and pants if it's cold enough) aren't off for the annual sparring match with TV's Sarah Millican. Who will win the flirtatious/offensive battle of wits this time. You'll find out why she appeared on TV without her underwear, why she kept her first husband's name and be asked to consider whether she was unreasonable when she refused to tell a journalist her ...
Dec 24, 2021•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 34
#359 A Face For All Occasions - Richard is in giddy mood as he meets a member of the audience. His guest is living legend and national treasure Miriam Margolyes. They discuss Arnold Schwarzenegger’s farting revenge, King Edward VII’s weighing chair, the sexism of the boys in the Cambridge Footlights, how Miriam’s father’s life was spared by a diamond, an unusual approach to dealing with a sex pest, some strong opinions about the current government, making a soft porn tape, appearing in a Beckett...
Dec 22, 2021•1 hr 16 min•Season 22Ep. 16
#33 A Bad Dream - Richard discusses some zombie based movie ideas he has had, before introducing the dry-witted and incredulous Diane Morgan who isn't quite sure what she's let herself in for. And it's a surreal, dream-like and occasionally mildly awkward chat about working with Ken Campbell; Richard's failure to see one of Diane's first performances; Bruce Willis on The One Show; Richard's ever-spiralling shoplifting problem; the slight let down of earliest memories (and what is the latest earl...
Dec 17, 2021•57 min•Ep. 33
#358 Irish Unicorn - Richard has an idea that will revolutionise football and is having to explain to his daughter why history killed all the famous women. His guest is academic and broadcaster Emma Dabiri. They talk about growing up as almost the only black person in Ireland, why white people don’t like being told what to do next, Richard’s “All Lives Matter” conundrum, what’s happened to the ugly TV academics, how whiteness and blackness are a relatively modern invention, why we need to destro...
Dec 15, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Season 22Ep. 15
#32 Gaybomb - An almost imperceptibly slimmer than the beginning of the series Richard Herring takes the stage to find a slightly sinister pair of men in the front row. What do they do? Do we really want to know? No, because the guest this week is journalist, screen-writer and broadcaster Jon Ronson who is a man with some good stories. Find out what happened when he met the politically correct arm of the KKK, was outed as a Jewish man whilst with jihadists in Crawley, how he went UFO Spotting wi...
Dec 10, 2021•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 32
#357 Shamgel - Richard wonders if the man who wrote the Grange Hill theme might have been hoodwinking us all along. His guest is the formidable Dragon, Deborah Meaden. Rich is hoping he can get an investment of at least £50 million and pitches some ideas, whilst they also discuss being thrown into Murder in Successville, being parodied by Harry and Paul, ethical business, whether the Dragons are friends, where Meaden can save Cheddar caves and how Richard has become an (arguably more successful)...
Dec 08, 2021•1 hr•Season 22Ep. 14
#31 Fattening Dormice - After last week's headline-grabbing show, Richard feels under pressure to coax revelations from his guest, classicist Mary Beard, but is a bit distracted by transport and atrocity based magazines. Instead he mainly talks about penises in Pompeii, realising that if only he could travel in time that he would be the most popular comedian in that knob-obsessed empire. But all the big historical questions are asked - why is Pan having sex with a goat? What did the people of He...
Dec 03, 2021•57 min•Ep. 31
#356 Gravity - Rich has had what he thought might be the most middle class accident, but he is wrong. His guest is a listener who has won a competition to be on the show, the Dorian Grey of morning TV, Ben Shephard. They discuss how science proves Ben a better singer than a West End star, whether there’s a man with a broom behind the Tipping Point machine, revenge as a dish served very cold, why Rich was fired from morning television, how Ben’s charity work found him at Buckingham Palace and wha...
Dec 01, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Season 22Ep. 13
#30 Peter Serafinowic(h)z - Jeddy. Rich and his wife have made the ultimate commitment: they've been through their DVD collections and are getting rid of any duplicates. Some lucky audience member is going to win them all! But before that it's time to talk to the star of the Calcium Kid, Peter Serafinowicz. Fans of Star Wars will be creaming out of their arm pits when they hear his tales of working with George Lucas and having to pay to go the premiere. Astonishing stuff. Rich provides an altern...
Nov 26, 2021•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 30
#355 Mind Your Language - Richard is excited by the upcoming film Wonka and has some other ideas for origin story films. His guest is the Sidesplitting Phil Wang. They discuss how straddling two cultures can give you a humorous perspective on both, but leave you feeling rejected by both, 1970s television and how harshly we should judge it, racist nursery rhymes, Richard’s Asian hair, John Lewis’s 150 year old gametes, what box Phil needs to tick on the ethnicity questionnaire, how to get away wi...
Nov 24, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Season 22Ep. 12