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Private Notes
It’s the first show of series 20 (how does this keep getting commissioned?) and Rich is giving a moving tribute to a wrongly disgraced broadcaster and glad to see what’s making the BBC news headlines. His guest is the reigning Taskmaster champion Ed Gamble. They discuss who is doing the most podcasts, the problem with banofee pie, naughty puppets, why heavy metal is childish, whether Ed’s fiancé is a paid actor, the Proustian memories brought up by gladiators and performing whilst looking at yourself in a sheet of perspex. Plus would being caught in an act of self-love on camera be good or bad for Richard’s career.
It’s November 4th and the world hangs in the balance as they wait to discover if a winner will be declared right away in Taskmaster series 10. Rich is very keen for it to go to court after the upside down fiasco. His guest is comedy genius Nell Scovell.
You may not know her name but you will have laughed at her stuff. They chat about playing ping pong with Garry Shandling, Miss Piggy’s Wardrobe Malfunction, giving Homer Simpson 22 hours to live, writing jokes for the President (not that one) and the scripts that got away and how Rich helped a writers’ room to become majority women.
Richard is on TV so much now that it’s actually not funny any more, but his son has come up with an improvement to Star Wars, so that’s something. His guest is comedy scriptwriter and erstwhile drummer Arthur Mathews. They talk about trying to shake off the guilt of a religious upbringing, Dominic Cummings diary, staying in Griff Rhys Jones house, failing to impress Jonathan Miller, Father Ted stamps, the fecundity of 90s comedy and how it took so long to get the Amish meet Bill Grundy on to TV.
Richard is recording on International Men’s Day Eve and he’s excited about what the next day will bring. But don’t worry he’s got lots of porridge so he’s ready for Brexit. His guest is actor and writer Kiell Smith-Bynoe. They chat about eating oysters on a boat with Noel Edmonds, the remarkable chemistry of the couple he’s a part of in Ghosts, being a teenage YouTube sensation, how One Direction do Twitter and surviving the rigours of lockdown.
Richard has seen a ghost (but it’s of someone who isn’t dead) and is worried about one of the victims of the Pompeii earthquake. His guest is internet sensation Alistair Green.
They discuss confusing Serena Williams by running around, the confidence of going on Question Time with a half-thought out idea, the genesis of the character videos that have led to Alistair’s success, sexy Ghostbusters and the logistics of getting to a protest with right wing paraphernalia.
Rich is stinging from the snub from Sports Personality of the Year, but at least his acting career is going from weakness to slightly less weakness and his moustache is looking great. His guest is the rabbit-murderer Marek Larwood, inventor of Volfsball and Pooman and semi-professional Guess Who? Player. The pair chat about life on the Isle of Wight, defective pill cutters, the terrible tragedy behind Marek’s Polish name, copying great art in a quarter of an hour, the inventions and ideas spilling out of this potato-headed man and why TV’s loss might be comedy’s gain. Plus how We Are Klang definitely began.
Richard is planning to rewrite a Christmas classic and reflecting on the worst memorial to a human being that he’s ever seen. His guest is the formerly sexy Welshman, Rhod Gilbert.
They discuss if their separate virginity losses actuality count, being sick 8 times in 3 sickbags, socially crippling shyness, sharing a cab in 2000, whether you can give the kiss of life to a fish, the earwax taste challenge and Rich condemns Rhod to Hell. Also some Christmas Emergency Questions.
Plus the extraordinary tale of what happened after Rhod drank 7 espresso martinis, which might be the funniest story ever told on RHLSTP.
Richard has been admonished by his daughter, but is also fascinated by an old penis-based crime. His guest is comedian Lou Conran.
They discuss an amazing case of mistaken identity, their various Press Gang crushes, what it’s like to warm up the audience on Countdown, a disappointing appearance on First Dates, discovering Santa emptying his sack and more ghost stories. Also a spooky break down in communication, but Chris Evans (not that one) manages to save the day, even if he deliberately caused it in order to be the hero.
Check out Lou’s new podcast Spit or Swallow in January 2021.
Recording just before Christmas on Plague Island, Richard wonders what kind of UK listeners will be living in when this is broadcast (in a fortnight), but his guest is legendary actor, author, comedian and expired food eating hobbyist Alexei Sayle.
They discuss finding a goose with Keith Allen, having one of the top ten comedy shows of 2020 (but how many were there in total?), Alexei’s new online shows involving politics and cycling and an analysis of the film Siesta. Plus whether the left will ever stop fighting itself and think about fighting the right, mortality, the death of ambition and remaining inventive and fresh as a comedian.
Richard has had his mind blown by a Christmas surprise and his theatrical 3-year-old has been unexpectedly philosophical. His guest has had a bad 2021 and a bad day, it's brilliant Catherine Bohart.
They discuss the loves that survived and didn't survive 2020, why priests can't marry and if that's a good idea, being the Frankincense King, boiler maintenance, bad therapy, the greatest ever Roast Battle, why drama school didn't work out and what makes a comedian. Plus setting up her own online gig - Check out Gigless here https://www.catherinebohart.com/gigless.
Rich is wondering if the Proclaimers have ever had their bluff called as he wearily starts Lockdown 3. His guest has a first in philosophy and has performed in a monkey suit, it's delightful genius Nina Conti.
They discuss which of them is the best ventriloquist, how puppet characters can emerge by magic, turning audience members into dummies, whether all ventriloquists are mad or bad, the influence of the amazing Ken Campbell and why security guards are obsessed with ventriloquism. Plus are humans alone in the universe?
Richard is upset by a bottle of bathroom spray - and angry at Ian Vim for not having faith in his name, but he's also a film star now, so you're lucky he's doing this at all. His guest is archaeologist Dr Sophie Hay.
They discuss the ethics of showing a 2000 year old man's penis on the news, what to do if you're caught in a volcano, Latin graffiti, why the childish Romans were obsessed with cocks, whether pomegranates hold the key to the date of the eruption and whether Richard's four weeks of archaeology make him more qualified than Sophie. Plus ghosts, time travel and what we'd take home with us if we were allowed.
Richard is furious that homeschooling is carrying on til March 8th (at least) but has made a snowman with a feature that Raymond Briggs never foresaw (no, not that). His guest is the unique and brilliant Ashley Storrie. They talk about aliens, visiting yourself through time, diagnosing autism and its place in comedy, whether TV executives are afraid of women, Scottishness or swearing and how Ashley conquered the internet. But mostly we find out whether people or green fictional characters can change.
Richard is excited that he’s about to get out into an actual theatre to record some shows and that he’s getting his hoover fixed by a shady, underground pensioner. His guest is the brains behind the fabulous Battersea Poltergeist and Haunted podcasts, Danny Robins.
They discuss how Robins was Trotskyed from AIOTM, why we’re obsessed with fear and ghosts, the possible historical and psychological reasons for their existence and Richard’s haunted house. Also when spoof reality shows become reality, travelling round the country in a van encouraging men to wank, how Danny had an accidental hit record (but didn’t get on Top of the Pops) and the differences between the Swedes and the British.
Richard is out of the house and at the Clapham Grand in South London. A virtual audience are on the TV screen beside him, all ready to be insulted for being nerds. The socially distanced guest is a man who foments racism to further his career (according to the Spectator) Nish Kumar.
They discuss working for the man who ruined the Muppet Christmas Carol, shaving mishaps, lockdown content, how dying at a charity gig led to actual death threats and the best positioning for a home urinal. Plus the best kebabs in Shepherd’s Bush.
Richard is back at the Clapham Grand in front of a virtual audience of humans and potentially racist puppets. His guest is his ex-Fubar radio sidekick Lou Sanders.
They chat about Lou's new TV show Unforgiveable, why it's good to discuss your most shameful moments, whether Jesus was on magic mushrooms, parental interruptions to adolescent shenanigans, why drunk and unpredictable Lou found it hard to get TV work, the power of cuddles and having your own branded condoms.
Richard has been in a Total Recall machine (or something like that) but is worried about the manufacturer. His guest has cut her own hair and has thought a lot of Star Trek TNG, it's the brilliant Iszi Lawrence.
They discuss Doctor Who self-fellatio, teenage Jesus and his crazy pranks, the little known but most prolific serial killer possibly in the world, but definitely in Reading and Elizabeth I's crazy ass signature. Plus what happens when your balls might kill you and the martial arts skills of the Suffragettes.
Richard has been flying a kite with his daughter and is hoping she will remember it when he is gone, if he ever dies, which he thinks is unlikely. His guest is the leonine and erudite Alice Fraser.
They discuss what it’s like to live in the future, why all their conversations must be podcast, how limitations can lead to comedic invention, using daily in comedy, how the Australian lockdown is going, sexual superpowers and why mind-reading might not be a good one.
Richard is on the eve of surgery and hoped a podcast might take his mind off it all, but his guest, actor and comedian Mary Lynn Rajskub is keen to chat it all through.
The pair discuss the ethical issues around Oompa-Loompas, working on the greatest TV show of all time, non-audience comedy and lockdown breakdowns, haunted audiences, forgetful dogs and whether Mary Lynn has ever been in a bad film. Check your bits.
Richard is one week into convalescence after surgery, but was his interviewing skill housed in his lost part? He’s worried about some bonus gifts he got in a box of jockstraps and about Ian Amazon trying to steal his schtick. His guest does not suffer fools gladly, which might make the next 75 minutes a bit uncomfortable - it’s Packahontas himself, Jeremy Paxman.
They discuss holding John Gielgud’s penis, shooting squirrels on the toilet, having lunch with Lady Di, whether we need the BBC, the bizarre procedure that newsreaders were expected to go through in the event of the death of a member of the Royal Family, being responsible for bringing Boris Johnson to TV and why anyone would want to be a comedian.
Richard has just been vaccinated and his balls have been in the Daily Mail, so it's been quite a week. His guest is veteran US stand up and comedians' comedian Brian Regan.
They chat about how a desire to stay in bed helped push Brian down the road to comedy, how he earned his stripes in the post headliner spot in a 1980s comedy club, how observational comedy can be like mining in a pit where the seams are empty, where comedy comes or seems to come from, playing the audience like an instrument, how Jerry Seinfeld helped Brian's career, how annoying it must be to be Michael Collins, what to do if you're being executed at 7am and what it's like living in Las Vegas. Plus whether comedy keeps you young and how you stop getting bitter and faded in middle age. Brian's stand up and sketch show are on Netflix and the brilliant sitcom Loudermilk is on Amazon Prime and is well worth your time.
Richard is either banging on about his ball(s) or a missed joke in a film from over half a century ago. Bet you wish he was still doing the Aphantasia stuff right? His guest might have been Harry Potter, but he's done OK anyway, it's John Oliver.
They discuss whether the Love Guru is worth the £3.49 rental fee, facing off to the SAS in a terrible gig in Aldershot, graffiting fruit on a terrible topical news show on More 4, the research required to play a Smurf, working with Dan Harmon, getting emails about medieval poetry from Terry Jones and whether the UK will ever manage to do a great topical comedy show and the one necessity that is required for that to work.
Has success changed Oliver? How did he end up with a sewage plant named after him? And is a bad stand up gig equivalent to being in a war zone? Plus experiencing a 100% walk out, what it meant to be able to carry on doing Last Week Tonight (and RHLSTP) during lockdown and the return of an old favourite emergency question. It's a really good one. Get it down your lugholes.
Like the bravest person who has ever lived Richard is still churning out podcasts, even though he’s just 5 days out of chemotherapy. But what super powers has it given him? He starts a little weary, but the power of podcasts soon rallies him, thanks to his open and hilarious guest, 1990s Gamesmaster legend Dominik Diamond.
They discuss the talented group of comedians that emerged from Bristol University in the 1990s, being conned into buying a llama farm in Canada with no llamas in it, how auditioning for the Word led to the Gamesmaster gig, Lee and Herring’s legendary appearance on the show and what really happened to Richard’s Golden Joystick and how much it might have been worth if he’d kept it, fighting with Mark Lamaar across two continents, marrying Whigfield, how too much cocaine damaged Diamond’s career and how too little cocaine damaged Herring’s, living next door to a Play Away presenter, plus some jolly limericks about cancer.
Rich is still going on about his ball. This is going to be the case for the best part of the next year or two, so buckle in (and while you're buckled, check your bits). His guest is the actor, podcaster, author, blogger, erstwhile stand up and opera singer, Andi Osho.
Not only has she had immense quiz show success for Rich to be jealous of, she's also been in his favourite show, Death in Paradise. Apparently she's in Line of Duty too, but come on, Death in Paradise. Also find out why she became a stand up and why she stopped, what motivated her to go to America and why she came back and how she's managed to base all three central characters in her new novel �Asking for a Friend� on herself. Rich and Andi also compare notes on what they learned when dating for comedy shows and talk about the creative process (as discussed in her podcast Creative Sauce). Plus ghosts and museums and a gallant use of a time travelling finger.
Richard is paying tribute to a recently departed Duke, though how long will people remember his name? His guest is ex Buckingham Palace shop girl, Pippa Evans.
They chat about accidental headlining, how terrible gigs teach you more than great ones, whether jokes are the last refuge of the humourless, how you can improv your life, Richard's plan for a groundbreaking autobiography, profound life lessons that happen in lifts, children wishing everyone dead and Anneka Rice's jumpsuit.
