The Comedian's Comedian Podcast

Although he's frequently referred to as a "philosophical" or "stoner" comic, Tom Stade is actually a Level Twenty Comedian. He waxes lyrical about striving for wisdom in his writing, rather than cleverness, and why he focuses on the internal not the external. We also talk about videotaping yourself to dissolve the delusion that an audio-recording of your act affords, acting like a star, and why To...

Eleanor Tiernan makes tremendously articulate comedy, often out of morally murky ideas and subjects. She talks here about the comedy scene in her native Ireland, how to find the bits of your act that are genuinely “alive”, and how she escaped material she felt trapped by. We also go into depth on her experiences with therapy, how her artistic purpose helps her emotionally, and how we share the und...

Irrepressibly positive, and relentless in her pursuit of betterment, deliriously funny Josie Long is much more than a figurehead for “whimsy”. We talk here about how her humour has developed from Japanese frog gods to politics and back, and how to make sure you get taken on the expedition. She also covers getting trolled before it was cool, unsubscribing from abuse and being fucking zen....

Impro aficionado Steen Raskopoulos has mastered a style of audience interaction that lets his volunteers contribute to the show, rather than simply supplying a punchline. Nominated for Edinburgh Best Newcomer moments after this interview, he talks here about his training, the origins of his characters, and how he's ended up so aggravatingly well-adjusted...Audience Participation, Improv, Sketch, E...

The leading voice of feminism in UK comedy, devastatingly funny Bridget Christie is adept at unearthing humour in difficult or important topics. She talks here about her comic origins in surrealism, and reveals beneath her insecurities the wilfulness that kept her going in the face of critical bewilderment. We Love Comedy, Stewart Lee, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Fosters Comedy Award, A Bic For Her...

From "Porky the Poet" to "Never Mind The Buzzcocks" to his own stand-up tours, Phill Jupitus is responsible for a prodigious comic output. We discuss his origins as a performer, his use of his family in his material, and the usefulness of unresolved anger...Josie Long, Bridget Christie, Sara Pascoe, Deborah Francis-White, Nadia Kamil, ACMS, Alternative Comedy Memorial Society, Malcolm Hardee, Marc...

Sam Simmons is not a “surreal” comic, despite his propensity to turn into a horse whilst windsurfing.  He's responsible for some of the funniest, most imaginative comedy in the world, and has an unshakeable faith in his material.  He talks here about the anger he feels when mainstream audiences refuse to come along for the ride, how he translates rage into comedy, and the advantages of making mist...

A quick hello and a couple of recommendations for the Edinburgh Fringe 2014 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

>John Hastings has the soul of an alt comic, hiding between the power-chords of a bullet-headed club-jockey.  He describes in detail how the Canadian circuit differs to the UK, and we talk about the two different types of bombing, his unusual writing technique, and how it feels to do well in a tough room but regret the choices you made...Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Canada, The Pleasance Cellar, 8 O...

A master of off-the-wall wordplay, Noel James is disarmingly honest about his struggles with comedy and real life. We analyse his use of metaphor and analogy as well as delving into his psychology, what it's like to commit one's life to comedy, and the public craving for “one voice of truth”.Bangor University, Taunton, One Liners, Gavin Webster, New Zealand, Laurel And Hardy, Monty Python, James J...

A self-confessed “sad, bearded white dude”, Kyle Kinane has more empathy than the next road warrior, and more bite than the next peddler of whimsy.  He talks here about eschewing personality in favour of better jokes; cultivating talent rather than hustle; and how his failure at a big festival led him to discover a more worthwhile goal than wordplay. Extra content from this interview available fre...

Nick Doody is a textbook "unsung hero" of comedy: fiercely analytical, and with an approach to jokes that is both cerebral and instinctive.  He talks here in fascinating detail about elements of his writing process: divergent thinking, freeing oneself from the logic of a situation, and manufacturing outrage...Jim Jefferies, The Now Show, Radio 4, Ben Moore, Wayne Shepherd, The Comedy Cellar, Arnol...

Aamer Rahman was on the verge of giving up his career in overtly-political comedy when his youtube standup clip on “reverse racism” went life-changingly viral.  We talk about anger, activism, whether issues-based comedy can lead to political change, and the problem with “Game of Thrones”...Fear Of A Brown Planet, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Reverse Racism, Roar, Nazeem Hussain, Nabil Abdul Rashid,...

The grand high sultan of Bullshit-istan, Andy Zaltzman is one half of the incredible Bugle Podcast, and combines densely-written satirical nonsense with improvised flights of fancy. He goes into detail on how The Bugle is made, how he copes with his partner's stratospheric success, and answers the ultimate question: "what is bullshit?"The Bugle, John Oliver, Karen Taylor, Danny Bhoy, Spencer Brown...

New York-based former cabaret comic Adrienne Truscott is an articulate, passionate and hilarious new voice in stand-up. Her "Asking For It" show won the panel prize at the Edinburgh Fringe for its abruptness, honesty and scathing wit. We discuss the vulnerability of performing naked, the responsibilities of freedom of speech, and how to cultivate silliness from fury... Get ad-free new ep...

An improvisational powerhouse, Jarred Christmas finds the time to pepper his irrepressible joie de vivre with damn fine jokes. He spills the beans here about his current state of flux between the attraction of live work and the fresh challenges of TV writing. We also cover the downfalls of trying to play to the Edinburgh critics, Jarred's own “three Cs” of comedy, and how to cheat your w...

Although still new, Luke Heggie is a breath of dry, dusty air to a circuit stuffed with comic book-readers and “star-fuckers”. A blue-collar Aussie bloke who won RAW on his fourth gig and then gave AGT a shot, he hilariously annihilates the idiots that cross his path, then goes back to his kids and his building site... Get ad-free new episodes, bonus content from interviews and much more by joinin...

Autobiographical and observational comedian, blogger and feminist, Michele A'Court speaks passionately about authenticity, insecurity and the right to challenge. We discuss her refusal to apologise, the disappearance from TV of older female performers, and two very different sides of her theory that you have to follow what's making the noise in your head, or the rest of the writing won't come...

A softly-spoken, foppish figure who luxuriates in language, Tom Wrigglesworth is equally at home spinning a yarn or smashing up a weekend club. He talks here about authenticity in his work, and the right of the teller to alter the empirical truth of a story, as well as outlining in detail his favourite trick for dealing with interruptions... Get ad-free new episodes, bonus content from interv...

Laidback observationalist Ben Hurley made a foray to the UK some years ago, and returned to his native New Zealand to become a TV hero. We get stuck into the relationship between British and NZ comedy, and the pros and cons of each scene. We also cover natural talent, making laziness work for you, and whether observations hit harder when performed totally clean, or when injected with personality.....

Carey Marx is a silver-tongued charmer who delights in navigating boundaries of logic, language and taste. With a unique take on verbal dexterity and misdirection, informed in part by his previous career as a magician, he talks at the NZICF about what makes comedy offensive, which words he won't stop using, and even reveals some of his self-generated writing exercises... *Contains language th...

Claudia O'Doherty is a genuine comedy pioneer, who uses high concepts and holograms in order to have fun behaving like a dickhead. We talk about the inspiration behind topics like ocean research or soil erosion, and how she manages to make such esoteria properly funny, as well as why both clowns and standups are jerks. Get ad-free new episodes, bonus content from interviews and much more by joinin...

To call Max and Ivan a comedy double-act with a narrative doesn't really do justice to this pair of rubber-faced, multi-voiced storytellers, who have a penchant for sneaking actual theatre into their work. They've only recently quit their day-jobs, but with a run of international festival appearances and award nominations under their belt, it seems to be working out – you could literally just slap...

Does "whimsy" have to mean fairy lights and bunting, or is it just owning a bag? David O'Doherty is a multi-award winning comic and musical noodler, with a real emotional depth at the core of his seemingly fanciful material. We discuss why he had a breakdown and how he recovered, the significance of sitting on the far left on a panel show, and what you should never ever do on a bicycle... Get...

A recipe for a happy life as a comic? Kerry Godliman is a superb observationalist, and a tremendous comic actor. She shares her philosophy on writing, gigging and how to achieve a positive work-life balance, as well as delving into why she's never been afraid to scratch a living. We also discuss positive discrimination, covens of rage, and why wahwah is way better than flimflam... G...