This episode is a splash of pure sunshine, with the veteran of 1000 full-length improvised musicals in Olivier Award-winning “Showstopper!”, Ruth Bratt. She’s a supernaturally brilliant improviser and a sparkling human being, who is a) ambitiously lazy and b) feeds off the carrion of her own heart.

We talk about her work with some of the biggest names in her craft; entering a waking dream state during 50-hour long improv marathon shows; getting down to the last two for Dobby in “Peep Show”; and the big choice that won her a role in “People Just Do Nothing”.

30mins of extras exclusively available to members of the Insiders Club include a fascinating dissection of insider impro/v terms, including “shelving”, “deepening”, “edits, taps and swipes” as well as the “circle of ideas”, not to mention Ruth’s experiences of the “horror” of early standup…

Catch up with Ruth:

www.curtisbrown.co.uk/client/ruth-bratt

TW: @ruthbratt

IG: @brattbomb

Everything Stu's up to:

Discover Stu’s comedy about the climate crisis, for everyone from activists to CEOs, at www.stuartgoldsmith.com/climate

“The funny side of climate change (no, really!)” - The Times

• Find everything else you need at linktr.ee/stuartgoldsmith

Or join the mailing list at:

www.comedianscomedian.com

Stu also offers remote and in-person talks to business, distilling insights from over 400 comics on cultivating resilience and the ability to bounce back, to all levels from C-suite to team members.

“There’s perfect and there’s perfect; and that was perfect.” David Cooper, Chief People Officer Circle Health Group

LISTEN HERE

Filed Under: Acting, Actor, Audiences, Bridget Christie, Cariad Lloyd, Edinburgh, Festival, Fringe, Impro, Improv, Interview, Josie Lawrence, Mongrels, People Just Do Nothing, Persona, Ruth Bratt, Sarah Millican, Showstopper!, Structure, Success, Trodd en Bratt Say 'Well Done You', TV

Ingenious stand-up, actor and impressionist James Adomian’s impact is truly global, with his voice appearing on a hundred cartoons and a thousand podcasts - making him "a famous person no-one knows”.

Delving deep into his character performance and how he chooses who to impersonate, James lets us in on his love for Aristophanes and his processes of tackling intelligent and academic subjects, in voices ranging from US Presidents to Slovenian philosophers, all whilst maintaining mainstream appeal. We also discuss audience reactions to James being gay and how not fitting into the gay ‘template’ has helped shape his stand-up sets, and get POD-JACKED BY EDDIE PEPITONE NO LESS.

Catch up with James:

Listen to his re-relased hit album ‘Low Hangin’ Fruit’ here: https://800pgr.lnk.to/LowHanginFruit

IG: @jadomian

https://jamesadomian.com/

Everything Stu's up to:

Stu’s new Edfringe show “Spoilers” (WINNER Best Show 2023, Leicester Comedy Festival, woo!) is on sale now - find preview dates as well as podcast community links, social media handles and comedy clips, and Stu’s official YouTube channel, all at linktr.ee/stuartgoldsmith

Or join the mailing list for unspecified freebies at:

www.comedianscomedian.com

www.stuartgoldsmith.com

Stu offers remote and in-person talks to business, distilling insights from over 400 comics on cultivating resilience and the ability to bounce back, to all levels from C-suite to team members.

“There’s perfect and there’s perfect; and that was perfect.” David Cooper, Chief People Officer Circle Health Group

LISTEN HERE

Filed Under: Actor, Audiences, Comedy Bang! Bang!, Impressions, Interview, James Adomian, MADtv, Stage Persona, Success, The Late Late Show, TV, TV Comedy, USA, Writing Jokes

“A drill-sergeant not a perfectionist”, Jessie Cave enjoys simultaneous careers as an actress, comic, artist, and performance artist, all of which marry an extraordinary pragmatism with an attitude of artistic abundance.

We talk about her relentless documentation of her life as a means of seeking permanence, the tragic death of her brother in 2019 - how she processed it, and the effect it had on her creativity - as well as her recent Soho On Demand special “Sunrise”, filmed in Corona to an audience of her sister BeBe, and her new novel “Sunset”.

* Content warning: Sexual assault *

15 mins of extra content available exclusively to the Insiders Club include Jessie on how her membership of the Harry Potter franchise has a legacy of fandom that isn’t always useful to her as an independent artist, and how the Cave Sisters Patreon has changed her relationship with elements of her following.

Go to www.comedianscomedian.com/insiders for this and much more, including the exclusive Insiders Q&As with Nish Kumar, James Acaster and Fern Brady and the incredible “self-help for comedians” special with Amanda Donnet.

Instagram @JessieCave Twitter @JessieCave Website: www.jessiedoodles.com Find Jessie’s debut novel “Sunset” here: https://linktr.ee/Jessie_Cave Find Jessie and Bebe’s podcast: “We Can’t Talk About This Right Now” on YouTube and podcast providers Patreon: www.patreon.com/cavesisters

LISTEN HERE

Filed Under: Acting, Actor, Age, Alfie Brown, Alternative Comedy, Art, Audiences, Awards, Cave Sisters, Channel 4, Coping, Corona, Edinburgh, Festival, Fringe, Interview, Stage Persona, Success, Sunset, TV, Whimsy, YouTube

Bethany Black makes a powerfully funny connection with her fanbase, and has been wielding it to great effect over the course of her heavily-shielded pandemic experience.

We explore the effect on her work of her concurrent diagnoses with autism, ADHD and agoraphobia, and discuss how her fanbase consists of people just like her, rather than the cool kids she was trying to impress.

We also cover painting her herself into a corner with stand-up; how some promoters book to their own taste without realising; not being famous enough for The Chase; and what she’s already anticipating tolerating in her sixties…

No extras for this episode but you can still hit www.comedianscomedian.com/insiders for all the extras from every episode that has them, including the exclusive Insiders Q&A with James Acaster!

Follow Bethany Black:

Follow @beffernieblack
Follow her and subscribe to: http://twitch.tv/beffernieblack
Buy her stand-up special: http://gofasterstripe.com/unwinnable
Tip her through http://ko-fi.com/bethanyblack

Everything Stu's up to:

Stu’s “Virtual Office Party” is now available as the perfect solution to remote-working office parties, sales conferences, motivational and wellbeing events.

“It was an absolutely hysterical and wonderful evening, for both those partaking and everyone watching online!”
- Maria Kuzak (Fundraising Manager at CALM)

The games and interactive element were hilarious and extremely well executed! 10/10 from us, you created a real buzz in our business, thank you." 
- Ben Gott, (SVP at Merkle)

For more info on how this unique concept can bring your staff together while working apart, go to www.virtualofficeparty.co.uk

Stu also offers remote talks to business on what the distilled wisdom of over 350 comics can teach you about resilience, especially in times of pandemic.

“The most inspiring talk I’ve had in years!” (LEGO staff member)

Find out more at www.comedyinsights.com

This podcast is @ComComPod on twitter and instagram
www.comedianscomedian.com  

LISTEN HERE

Filed Under: Acting, Actor, Age, Alcohol, Audiences, Awards, Bill Hicks, Brendon Burns, Caroline Aherne, comcompod, Coping, Corona, COVID-19, Dr Who, Edinburgh, Festival, Fringe, Gary Delaney, Gender, Inspiration, Interview, Janey Godley, Jobs, Johnny Vegas, Jongleurs, Mark Watson, Mental Health, Peter Kay, Stage Persona, Success, TV, Twitch, Twitter

At last! Brett Goldstein (movie star, comedian, writer, super-fan of ComCom and perpetual invite-swerver) drops by for a “NonComPod” that won’t expose at all how crackers he is. Sadly Stu can’t help himself and it all goes a bit “Are You Happy?” A brilliant conversation with a kind, funny, deeply handsome man, who lets us into his mind to discuss humility, boredom and workaholism - and why the comedy community is like an AIDS quilt...

25 mins of extra content available exclusively to members of the Insiders Club include the backstage view of Brett’s “Films To be Buried With” podcast, how a run of terrible gigs way back during the Comedy Reserve fringe line-up show became a brutal bootcamp, and a decent chunk of Stu giving Brett unsolicited advice on how to navigate his mental health…

Join the Insiders Club now at www.comedianscomedian.com/insiders for all this and much much more.

*New episodes are now streamed live at www.twitch.tv/stugoldsmith on 1pm BST every Wednesday, for release the following week*

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 Nish Kumar, Suzi Ruffell, Anna Mann and Randy Feltface, who with 10 members of the public join Stu for an hour 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 riding 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 Josie Long, Sarah Millican, Jarred Christmas, Rob Kemp, Russell Hicks and Lost Voice Guy.
www.chopscomedy.com

LISTEN HERE

Filed Under: Acting, Actor, Audiences, Benny Boot, comcompod, Competitions, Coping, Corona, Depression, Derek, Directing, Edinburgh, Fame, Fear, Films To Be Buried With, First Open Spot, Fringe, Inspiration, Interview, Isolation, Jack Whitehall, Jobs, Josie Long, London, Lone Island, Mental Health, Nick Helm, NonComPod, Onstage Persona, Persona, Pleasance, Podcasting, School, Storytelling, Structure, Success, SuperBob, TV, TV Comedy, Twitch, Twitter, Uncle, Writing Jokes, YouTube

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

Multiple international award-winning physical comedy duo The Kagools are an explosion of pure silliness, that don't conform even to the "rules" of contemporary clowning, let alone straight standup. Double-act Nicky Wilkinson and Claire Ford describe their amazingly supportive relationship, and outline the highs and lows of a life under lightweight waterproof material...

Sign up for the Insiders Club at www.comedianscomedian.com/insiders to get access to all the extra content from any episode that has it, plus loads of extra stuff on a special private podcast!

www.thekagools.com | @TheKagools

Get tickets for Stu's tour:

25/10/19

Teignmouth Pavillions

26/10/19

Swindon Arts Centre

04/11/19

Nottingham 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

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: Acting, Actor, Alternative Comedy, Audience Participation, Audiences, Awards, Blue Man Group, Dr Brown, Edinburgh, Festival, Fringe, Interview, Melbourne Comedy Festival, Money, Phil Burgers, Rob Deering, Robin Williams, Sam Simmons, Sketch, Stage Persona, Structure, Success, Tape Face, The Boy With Tape On His Face, Writing On Stage, YouTube

Zach Zucker and Viggo Venn and their permanent director and co-creator Jonny Woolley are like a mainline injection of a comedy drug that hasn't been invented yet. This trio has been around the world four times at some disgustingly young age, winning awards and crazed fans, and revelling in mistakes, misadventures and madness.

We talk about their first Edinburgh and how they snatched victory from the jaws of a 10 month old baby, explore their solo work, including Zach's "Jack Tucker" character and his unique relationship with live direction and sound cues, and discuss breaking the rules, winding the Late N Live audience up on purpose, and getting good at being bad. 

You get the whole 90 min interview in this episode, but you can sign up for the Insiders Club at www.comedianscomedian.com/insiders to get access to all the extra content from any episode that has it, plus loads of extra stuff on a special private podcast!

Discover more on Zach and Viggo at 
www.zachandviggo.com
www.stamptowncomedy.com
@zach_viggo

Find Stu's tour dates at www.comedianscomedian.com/tour

11/10/19

Northampton Royal and Derngate

25/10/19

Teignmouth Pavillions

26/10/19

Swindon Arts Centre

04/11/19

Nottingham 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

11/02/20

York – The Basement

12/02/20

Leeds – Hyde Park Book Club

28/02/20

Cambridge Junction

Hi Davy, I respect you.

comedianscomedian.com | @comcompod

LISTEN HERE

Filed Under: Acting, Actor, Age, Alternative Comedy, Art, Audiences, Aunty Donna, Awards, Character, Character Comedy, Chortle, Clown, College, comcompod, Controversy, Criticism, Directing, Edinburgh, Festival, Fringe, Heckles, Inspiration, Interview, Jobs, John Kearns, Just For Laughs, Melbourne Comedy Festival, Mental Health, Money, Pappy’s, Persona, Phil Burgers, Red Bastard, Reviews, Risk, Sacha Baron-Cohen, Sam Simmons, Soho Theatre, Spencer Jones, Stage Persona, Stewart Lee, Street Performance, Structure, Success, The Guardian, Underbelly, USA, We Are Klang, Zach and Viggo