Stand-up comic and award-nominated playwright Archie Maddocks loves stitching together routines about kebab shops and his "rough-arse" schooling, with pathos and evocative prose. We talk about writing for the comedy club and the stage, why he's the straight-man to his highly-strung family of actors, and how his play "A Place For We" has been put on hiatus by Covid-19. We also talk about how his show "Matchstick" concluded with a heartfelt examination of the Grenfell Tower fire, and why he feels that "we're not people that ever cry".

You can donate to support survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire here www.grenfellfoundation.org.uk

20 minutes of extra content available exclusively to members of the Insiders Club include Archie's thoughts on why white audiences don't accept surrealism from Black comics, and how his opening line takes back control of people's preconceptions. Go to www.comedianscomedian.com/insiders for this and much much more.

TW: @ArchieMaddocks | IG: @ArchieMaddocks

TW: @ComComPod | IG: @ComComPod

STU GOLDSMITH’S INFINITE SOFA

Every Monday and Thursday night at the new later time of 9pm, Stu Goldsmith’s Infinite Sofa brings you the warmest and most atmospheric cure for the social-isolation blues!

Forthcoming guests include Flo and Joan, Alex Horne, Ed Aczel and Thom Tuck, who with 12 members of the public join Stu for a tight 90 mins of brilliant comedy, music and variety with interactive games and big laughs. 

Find out more at www.infinitesofa.com

CHOPS COMEDY

Every Tuesday at 8pm come and watch your favourite comics finding their sea-legs in the new world of online stand-up, with a warm and a generous studio audience, at Chops Comedy!  Forthcoming headliners include Kelly Convey, Alice Fraser, Marcus Brigstocke and Charlie George.

www.chopscomedy.com

LISTEN HERE

Filed Under: 30 Rock, Archie Maddocks, Atlanta, Audiences, Donald Glover, Edinburgh, Fringe, Interview, London, Mental Health, Persona, Radio 4, Sexuality, Stage Persona, Stereotypes, Storytelling, Structure, Success, TalkSport, Trevor Noah, TV, Twitter, Writing Jokes, Writing On Stage

Superb comedian, thrilling storyteller and born survivor Janey Godley not only answers back to her online death-threats, but publishes her whereabouts with an open invitation to "come and have a go". We talk about how she thrived despite abuse, poverty and alcoholism in her upbringing; detail her absolute conviction in the power of honesty; and learn how an early experience at the Edinburgh Fringe led her to reject the comedy industry and focus instead on her audience.

CW: We talk about abuse Janey suffered as a child, at the very start of this show, and throughout.

25 mins of extras available exclusively to members of the Insiders Club include Janey on how her refusal to play along led to her being banned from a chain of comedy clubs; how she approaches publicising criminal connections whilst keeping her own nose clean; the ramifications of her husband’s autism, and the glee she feels at her daughter Ashley Storrie’s success in the comedy world. Join now and support the show at www.comedianscomedian.com/insiders

Thanks to the Stand Newcastle

www.janeygodley.com | @janeygodley

Janey Godley’s Soup Pot Tour is on right now - tickets available through her website 

Stuart Goldsmith's Edinburgh Fringe show "The Void" is on sale now at tinyurl.com/stu2020

LISTEN HERE

Filed Under: Acting, Actor, Age, Alan Davies, Alcohol, Audiences, Awards, BBC, Billy Connolly, Blogging, Bridget Christie, comcompod, Comedy Store, Competitions, Criticism, Edinburgh, Festival, Fringe, Interview, Jerry Sadowitz, Jimmy Carr, Jo Brand, Jobs, Josie Long, Leicester Square Theatre, Malcolm Hardee, Mental Health, Money, Morecambe & Wise, Onstage Persona, Panel Shows, Perrier, Perrier Comedy Award, Persona, Phil Kay, Plagiarism, Rhona Cameron, Risk, Stage Persona, Stereotypes, Storytelling, Structure, Stuart Goldsmith, Success, Tarantino, The Pleasance, The Stand, TV, TV Comedy, Twitter, Underbelly, Writing Jokes, Writing On Stage, YouTube

Twins Randy and Jason Sklar blow audiences away with their extraordinarily layered stand-up, weaving their delivery alongside, through and around each other’s voices; sparring, arguing and then dropping into perfect sync on a punchline.

We get stuck into their writing process, the difficulties of working as a team when their family lives don’t sync as easily as their creative lives, the challenge of identifying a target audience when you straddle mainstream and alternative, and why the “ball don’t lie”…

25 mins of extras available exclusively to the Insiders Club include how Randy and Jason approach Roast Battles, why they love tagging jokes and the TV pitch it inspired, and we find out which twin is the happiest. We also get an insight into their episode of NPR podcast “This American Life”, when they were made aware of a genuinely mind-blowing possibility about their identities as twins. Join now at www.comedianscomedian.com/insiders

TW: @SklarBrothers | IG: @SklarBrothers

Get tickets for Stu's tour:

07/02/20

Farnham Maltings

11/02/20

York – The Basement

12/02/20

Leeds – Hyde Park Book Club

28/02/20

Cambridge Junction

www.comedianscomedian.com | @comcompod

LISTEN HERE

Filed Under: Alex Edelman, Andy Kindler, Andy Samberg, Audiences, Bill Burr, Interview, Janeane Garofalo, Joe Rogan, Marc Maron, Monty Python, Noel Fielding, Onstage Persona, Podcasting, Risk, Sarah Silverman, Sklar Brothers, SNL, Stage Persona, Stereotypes, Structure, Success, SXSW, The Mighty Boosh, The Office, TV, USA, Writing Jokes

Returning to stand-up this month with a run at Soho Theatre, after many years working on other projects including his sitcom Plebs, Tom Basden is inventive and prolific, also handsome. We talk about the parallels between the superb musical comedy that won him Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh fringe and his new stand-up, discover Tom's English middle-class-ness and why he's very suited to telling some "guys" to "calm down", and explore whether his work ethic is pathological...

Extras exclusively available to the Insiders Club include some really specific insight into the structuring and writing of Tom's sitcom "Plebs", and the dangers of mining real life events for comedy, and Stu railing at the injustice of how the TV sketch show "Cowards" didn't become better known. Join the Insiders Club at www.comedianscomedian.com/insiders

Find details and tickets for Tom's imminent Soho Theatre run:

13/01/20

14/01/20

15/01/20

16/01/20

17/01/20

18/01/20

Get tickets for Stu's tour:

04/12/19

Aldershot – The West End Centre

25/01/20

Corsham – The Pound Arts Centre

01/02/20

Newcastle Stand (early show – 5pm)

02/02/20

Glasgow – The Stand

07/02/20

Farnham Maltings

11/02/20

York – The Basement

12/02/20

Leeds – Hyde Park Book Club

28/02/20

Cambridge Junction

www.comedianscomedian.com | @Comcompod

LISTEN HERE

Filed Under: Andy Samberg, Arrested Development, BBC, BBC3, Big Train, Cowards, Edinburgh, Emo Phillips, Interview, Jack Black, Pappy’s, Persona, Pleasance, Plebs, Radio, Red Dwarf, Risk, Simon Pegg, Sketch, Soho Theatre, Stage Persona, Stereotypes, student comedy, Success, The Day Today, The Office, The Pleasance, Tim Key, TV, TV Comedy, Whimsy, Will Ferrell, Writing Jokes, Writing On Stage, YouTube

"America's Funnyman" Neil Hamburger is the disturbing comic creation of Gregg Turkington; deeply funny, vile and poignant in equal measure. Ordinarily reluctant to talk about his alter-ego, Gregg gradually uncovers his love for outsider art, and the qualities he considers genius. We learn about the origins of Neil in prank phone calls and fake live shows, the comedy he can't stand and why, and the utterly original concept behind his live albums.

Over 30mins of extra content available exclusively to members of the Insiders Club include Gregg on being booed onto the stage supporting Tenacious D at Reading Festival, and how it meant no more to him than a crowd at Madison Square Garden chanting his name! We also learn the surprising basis to whom he won't attack and why, and find out why he considers interviews pointless... Support the show today with a recurring donation and receive your access to the Insiders Club private podcast at www.comedianscomedians.com/insiders

www.americasfunnyman.com | @NeilHamburger

Get tickets for Stu's tour:

04/12/19

Aldershot – The West End Centre

25/01/20

Corsham – The Pound Arts Centre

01/02/20

Newcastle Stand (early show – 5pm)

02/02/20

Glasgow – The Stand

07/02/20

Farnham Maltings

11/02/20

York – The Basement

12/02/20

Leeds – Hyde Park Book Club

28/02/20

Cambridge Junction

www.comedianscomedian.com | @Comcompod

Weirdos Save Christmas

Content Web Series from Turtle Canyon

#ContentWebSeries

LISTEN HERE

Filed Under: Acting, Age, Alternative Comedy, Art, Audience Participation, Audiences, Australia, Character, Character Comedy, comcompod, Controversial, Controversy, Dark Humour, Directing, Festival, Festival Comedian, First Open Spot, Gregg Turkington, Heckles, Inspiration, Interview, Jobs, Kanye, Music, Music Videos, Musical, Onstage Persona, Persona, Risk, Stage Persona, Stereotypes, Steve Martin, Structure, Success, Tenacious D, TV, Twitter, Upright Citizens Brigade, USA, Writing Jokes, YouTube

Sara Barron is a relentlessly honest and desperately funny comic, relating brutal and sometimes filthy truths in a warm and welcoming way. We talk about how her background in the storytelling organisation "The Moth" showcases her innate skill with story structure, and cover starting comedy late, starting comedy twice, and why the audacity to admit your book might suck is a powerful weapon...

Get ad-free new episodes, bonus content from interviews and much more by joining the Insiders Club at www.comedianscomedian.com/insiders

sarabarron.com | @sarabarron

Catch the second leg of Stu's "End Of" tour show:

05/10/19

Edinburgh Stand (early show – 5pm)

06/10/19

Aberdeen Comedy Festival

11/10/19

Northampton Royal and Derngate

25/10/19

Teignmouth Pavillions

26/10/19

Swindon Arts Centre

04/11/19

Nottingham Glee Club

05/11/19

Birmingham Glee Club

08/11/19

Bristol – The Comedy Box at the Hen and Chicken

04/12/19

Aldershot – The West End Centre

25/01/20

Corsham – The Pound Arts Centre

01/02/20

Newcastle Stand (early show – 5pm)

02/02/20

Glasgow – The Stand

07/02/20

Farnham Maltings

28/02/20

Cambridge Junction

comedianscomedian.com | @ComComPod

LISTEN HERE

Filed Under: Age, Audiences, Conan, Dave Gorman, David Letterman, Directing, Edinburgh, Festival, First Open Spot, Fringe, Interview, Jess Fostekew, Jobs, Queer Eye, Reviews, Sara Barron, Sexuality, Stage Persona, Stereotypes, Storytelling, Structure, Success, TV, Twitter, USA, Writing Jokes

Host of Live at the Apollo, and with her own Netflix special under her belt, not to mention The Mash Report and appearances on QI and Mock The Week, Ellie Taylor is a born comedian who revels in the dynamic between glamour and grotesque. We discuss her unique introduction to comedy via reality show, how her happy life outside of comedy protects her, the weird science of writing and why she "can't do clever topics"...

Get ad-free new episodes, bonus content from interviews and much more by joining the Insiders Club at www.comedianscomedian.com/insiders

Ellie is on tour with her new show "Don't Got This" from 26th September, get tickets and info here: https://www.livenation.co.uk/artist/ellie-taylor-tickets

www.ellietaylorcomedy.com | @elliejanetaylor

Catch the second leg of Stu's "End Of" tour show:

05/10/19
Edinburgh Stand (early show – 5pm)

11/10/19
Northampton Royal and Derngate

25/10/19
Teignmouth Pavillions

26/10/19
Swindon Arts Centre

04/11/19
Nottingham Glee Club

05/11/19
Birmingham Glee Club

08/11/19
Bristol – The Comedy Box at the Hen and Chicken

04/12/19
Aldershot – The West End Centre

25/01/20
Corsham – The Pound Arts Centre

01/02/20
Newcastle Stand (early show – 5pm)

02/02/20
Glasgow – The Stand

07/02/20
Farnham Maltings

28/02/20
Cambridge Junction

comedianscomedian.com | @ComComPod

LISTEN HERE

Filed Under: Audiences, Edinburgh, Interview, Nish Kumar, Onstage Persona, Open Spot, Patrick Monahan, Persona, Radio 4, Sara Pascoe, Show Me The Funny, Stage Persona, Stereotypes, Storytelling, Success, Tiffany Stevenson, Tom Allen, TV, TV Comedy, Writing Jokes, Writing On Stage, YouTube

Winner of the 2019 "Comedian's Choice" award for Best Show, as voted for by fellow comics, Joz Norris is an imaginative and very funny mainstay of the UK's alternative comedy scene. He talks live at the Monkey Barrel comedy club about his character "Mr Fruit Salad", and how an attempt to fall back in love with comedy and the fringe after a period of exhaustion, resulted in the creation of a fictional chimera as a form of self-care...

Join the Insiders Club at www.comedianscomedian.com/insiders to access extra material from any podcast that has it, plus loads of extra strands that Stu can get back into creating, now that Edinburgh is paid to rest for a few months...

joznorris.co.uk | @JozNorris

Dates and tickets for my forthcoming tour can be found here.

@ComComPod | www.comedianscomedian.com

LISTEN HERE

Filed Under: ACMS, Alternative Comedy, Art, Audiences, Awards, Ben Target, Character, Character Comedy, College, Edinburgh, Fear, Festival, First Open Spot, Flight Of The Conchords, Fringe, Interview, Isolation, John Kearns, Joz Norris, Mental Health, Mr Fruit Salad, Onstage Persona, Persona, Risk, Sketch, Stage Persona, Stereotypes, Stewart Lee, Structure, student comedy, Success, Writing Jokes, Writing On Stage