Richard Herring's Leicester Square Theatre Podcast (RHLSTP)

RHLSTP Book Club 64 - Not Funny Not Funny Richard is joined by US stand up and writer Jena Friedman to chat about her essay collection about comedy, abortion, Me Too and more, Not Funny. Charmingly Jena’s nervous dog is in the room and then her baby son turns up and somehow Richard plays some music over the podcast, but there’s still time for some great chat about dead baby jokes, the kind of ques...

#467 The Great Vowel Shift - Richard is nursing a terrible injury and wondering why bad things happen to good people. His guest is actor, writer and character comedian Nigel Planer. They chat about the possibly flawed attempt to bring back a popular film franchise, the surprising (to the cast) endurance of a forty year old TV show, writing for Not The Nine O Clock News, the projects that have been...

RHLSTP Book Club 63 - What About Men? Richard talks to journalist and best-selling author Caitlin Moran about her attempt to answer the question asked by so many men - What About Men? What made her turn her attention to male problems after so much success in dealing with how to be a woman? Why aren’t men writing about this subject (cough cough, apart from me)? Are men screwed as hard by the p...

#466 Invisible Cereal - Richard has returned to Balham and made the mistake of looking up what his shitty little old flat is currently worth. His guest is another ex-resident of the South London borough, Peter “too gorgeous” Baynham. They discuss getting older, being 60, Richard’s eerily accurate prediction about the kindle, what you do with dead bodies at sea, how many mates you need on a ya...

RHLSTP Book Club 62 - Is This OK? Richard talks to former music journalist Harriet Gibsone about her fascinating and funny memoir of obsession, growing up on the internet, early menopause and fantasies about Chris Martin. They discuss parasocial relationships from both sides of the equation, spying on your neighbours, politely cyber stalking a stranger on the bus, the insecurities that plague Harr...

#465 Pluto - Richard has had a surprise whilst doing some perfectly innocent browsing on the internet and is very excited about the RHLSTP tour  http://richardherring.com/rhlstp . His guest is internet sensation and Pompeii hater, Alistair Green. They discuss his largely hidden back story, how he came to comedy relatively late and his only interplanetary theatrical experience before...

RHLSTP Book Club 61 - Agatha Christie: A Very Elusive Woman. Richard starts another Book Club series with a cracker of a guest, TV presenter and Chief Curator of Royal Historic Palaces, Lucy Worsley. They chat about her latest book, just out in paperback, about Agatha Christie. What made Lucy choose this subject? How like Agatha is she? How close did we come to never hearing of...

#464 Missing Mr Tod - Richard has been at his kids’ sports day, reminding himself of his greatest sporting triumph. His guests are Ghosts, not literally, Ben Willbond and Larry Rickard. They discuss how the pair met and their initial thoughts about each other, how they plan to prove that ghosts have bumholes, why the next series of Ghosts will be the last, why Ro...

#463 Mr Moustache - In the last of the Edinburgh Fringe podcasts, the generous sponsor of the NextUp comedy award is proud to be joined by US stand up and actor, Mike Birbiglia. They talk about turning ailments into stand up, why Mike sleeps in a cocoon, how his shows have a very UK sensibility, how the stories you least want to tell are often the best, how Mike messed up his big scene with T...

#462 Going Dutch - The Edinburgh Fringe podcasts are nearly at an end and Richard is back a the Bill Murray to talk to Dutch comedian Micky Overman. They talk about why she chose to start her stand up career in the UK, the curse of coming from an unbroken home, how frankness about sex is good for the repressed British audience, how the internet has changed comedy, how Brexit has changed...

#461 Judy Murray Nose Recorder - Richard is trying to teach his five year old to swear like someone from the 1980s. His guest is the man behind internet sensation Jazz Emu, Archie Henderson. They talk about where this extraordinary character came from, producing high quality internet content on a tiny budget, touring the USA in an RV, putting himself into the background of every photo of...

#460 Perfectly Plated Avocado Toast - Richard records his sixth podcast in four days (how is that even possible?) and has a new question about what constitutes cheating. His guest is gazebo building stand-up, Ed Byrne. They discuss why he hasn’t been on the show as often as Sara Pascoe, how many lives he has saved, how Angela Griffin possibly got the edge over Ed and his w...

Rich and his old FUBAR colleague Lou Sanders team up to promote some of the great comedy content available on Audible. They pick out their favourite shows from the roster, Educating Daisy with Daisy May Cooper and French and Saunders: Titting About, as well as wild-card From The Oasthouse: The Alan Partridge Podcast. Find out what Richard really thinks about Daisy after the Tas...

#459 Huge Fork, Tiny Knife - Richard is at the Hanger Farms Arts Centre in Totton, as safe distance from the Fringe and is wondering what drives people to bother to leave one star reviews of fairly low key tourist spots. His guest is eccentric Englishman and brilliant stand up Paul Foot. They discuss the confusing advert Paul shot in Australia with Richard Branson, why all movies are exactly the s...

#458 Good and Evil Tape Worms - Richard has had an unpleasant experience in a fancy restaurant, but it won’t stop him talking to comedian and podcaster Alison Spittle. They chat about an unexpected pregnancy, turning trauma into comedy and when it’s too soon to do that, why comedians shouldn’t take cocaine, the surprise chemistry between Alison and Kerry Katona and a polite, if creepy attempt...

#457 Platinum Heart - Rich is back in New Milton to continue his Edinburgh Fringe without going to Edinburgh run and is a bit perplexed by a T shirt that Twitter has been trying to make him buy. His guest is veteran stand-up and cheater of death Markus Birdman. They chat about his journeyman status on the circuit, whether being at a school where your dad worked propelled both Rich and Markus...

#456 Bum Solero - Richard continues his genius plan to do the Fringe without going to the Fringe and talks to quizzer, comedian and songster Paul Sinha. They discuss Paul’s 12th Edinburgh stint and why he’s doing exactly what he wants to do, the places that he always goes to at the Fringe, representing the nerds on Gogglebox, why Rich shouldn’t dwell on his quiz successes and failures, why Pa...

#455 Gunged - It’s an Ed Fringe podcast from the wonderful Bill Murray pub in Angel and Richard’s guest is stand up, clown and actor Elf Lyons. They talk about the horror and comedy being two sides of the same coin, how she started doing stand up about London Underground rolling stock, how a show must go on, even if you have concussion, why an Edinburgh greengrocer was happy to have her custom, ho...

#454 Thigh-Eyed - Richard’s non-Edinburgh Edinburgh Fringe continues as he reveals the latest put downs from his much-funnier-than-him children. His guest is podcast king and fine stand up Adam Rowe. They discuss how doing an advert led to threats of violence, putting your stand up specials on Youtube for free, turning romantic heartbreak into comedy, how the Have A Word podcast has take...

#453 Unchained Melody - Richard has got very angry with a cold caller - was he in there right? His guest is brilliant stand up and creator of new TV comedy “The Change”, Bridget Christie. In an explosive opening they discuss why Richard isn’t presenting the Masked Singer (amongst much else) and why he is evil for eating chocolate buttons, but then things calm down a bit as they disc...

#452 Human Voiced Cat - Richard has had a novel idea for appearing at the Edinburgh Fringe - interview people anywhere but the Edinburgh Fringe and then pay himself £10,000 accommodation fee. For the first Edinburgh Fringe podcast he is in Wells, Somerset. He discusses the big news in the town that thinks it’s a city and annoying motorway signs, before introducing a man making his 9th appearance o...

#6 Crotch Rot with Scott and Jemma Bennett - Richard experiences the worst part of his monoball experience (though it may be the worst part for his wife, rather than him) and addresses his concerns about what effect the op will have on his (previously highly impressive) sexual function. HIs guests are Scott and Jemma Bennett from the brilliant Brew With The Bennetts podcast (available wherever you...

#451 Ragmags - Richard has had some disturbing text messages from one of his kids, but he’s not going to help them. His guests are super nerd magic geniuses, Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman. They discuss why Jeremy chose not to appear on stage with the League of Gentlemen, why Andy is non-plussed to be in Star Wars, how the pair met at a summer camp, the Vagina Monologues productio...

RETRO RHLSTP #61 - Don’t Look Down  - Richard has yet another stomach upset, adding some much needed jeopardy to the podcast. And it’s a meeting of Turner Prize winners past and future as his guest is a name that will echo through the ages (hello future humans) Grayson Perry. They discuss God-like soft toys, the similarities between comedy and art, motorcycle clothing, women’s clothing, mascu...

#5 Billy Goat Nuts with Pope Brock - It’s bad news for Richard’s right testicle as it’s extraction day! But will Richard want to be awake for the procedure and will the surgeons get the right one (the right one)? Obviously not. And what happened to him whilst he was under (apart from the obvious)? Richard talks to Pope Brock about the incredible and horrifying testicle money making scheme of John...