“Very fulfilled as an unfulfilled comedian”, the hilarious Alistair Barrie isn’t lacking in comedy chops. 

We talk about his forthcoming tour “Woke In Progress”, as well as the clash between the need for approval and a persona that denies needing approval.

We discover his public school upbringing and the abandonment issues that forged his resilience, the experience of being of a generation that resists putting content out if it isn’t excellent, and his relationship with humility…

30 mins of extras available exclusively to members of the Insiders Club include Alistair on sage advice for thriving at corporate gigs, worst deaths and strategies to survive them, and what happened when he played both Labour and Conservative party conferences…

Catch up with Alistair

See Alistair on tour in “Woke In Progress”, with dates and ticket links at

www.alistairbarrie.com

And find his food blog at www.foodponce.com

TW/IG/TIK: @AlistairBarrie

FB/YouTube/Blue Sky: AlistairBarrie

www.alistairbarrie.com

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: Age, Alastair Barrie, Audiences, Comedy Store, Corporate Work, Covid, Edinburgh, Fame, Festival, Fringe, Gary Delaney, Hal Cruttenden, Ian Stone, Interview, Stage Persona, Structure, Success, Taskmaster, Writing Jokes

Launching her new show “Legacy” at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival right now, Michelle Brasier completes a trilogy of heartfelt, philosophical and very funny one-woman shows about loss and forgiveness, which includes the multi-award winning “Average Bear”.

We talk about her work with purveyors of sketch carnage Aunty Donna, and discover why drama school rejects have all the fun. We also discuss her secret fears that she’s doing some kind of TEDTalk and can’t write proper jokes; about main character syndrome and the “fraud cycle”; and why people will be commenting “one of the boys!” under everything she ever puts out, for the rest of her life…

15mins of extra content available exclusively to the Insiders Club include Michelle on her interaction with strangers after the powerful energy that suffuses “Average Bear”, and how she safeguards herself in such intimate connections, and her unique perspective on clowning, chaos, and exactly what makes the Aunty Donna boys such special little guys…

Go to www.comedianscomedian.com/insiders for all this, plus ad-free episodes, extra content from every show that has it, and more!

Catch Up With Michelle:

TW/IG @michellebraiser

www.michellebraiser.com

See Michelle at Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane comedy festivals over the next few months:

www.michellebrasier.com/tour

Everything Stu's up to

Stu’s new Edfringe show “Spoilers” (nominated for Best Show, Leicester Comedy Festival 2023) is on sale soon - 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: Acting, Are You Dave Gorman?, Audiences, Aunty Donna, Australia, College, comcompod, Dave Gorman, Edinburgh, Fame, Fear, Festival, Fringe, Interview, Michelle Brasier, Musical, Musical Comedy, Netflix, Sketch, Soho Theatre, Stage Persona, Structure, Success, TV, Writing Jokes, YouTube

“Is there any more depth to you, or are you just jokes?"

…So went The Honourable Tom Houghton’s experience with Netflix influencer/reality show “The Circle”, and we get right into that here! We also discuss his ballistic comedy style, the social media strategy that has seen him accrue over 10M likes across Tiktok and Instagram, and his truly harrowing relationship with his boarding school.

We also discover his relationship with improv group The Noise Next Door and how it persists despite him leaving, and encounter a lifelong journey to master sincerity in his work…

25 mins of extras available exclusively to the Insiders Club include Tom exploring the relationship between his initial Posh Guy positioning and his most authentic comedy self; how he was called out by friends on his more obnoxious behaviour; and some excellent tips on social media mindset and work ethic.

Go to www.comedianscomedian.com/insiders for ad-free episodes, extra content from every show that has it, and much more - including the exclusive Insiders Q&As with Nish Kumar, Alfie Brown, James Acaster and Fern Brady, plus the incredible “self-help for comedians” special with Amanda Donnet.

And submit your unmissable moments of ComComPod at www.comedianscomedian.com/unmissable

Catch up with Tom Houghton:

Catch Tom on his sell-out tour with extra dates added as speak!

www.honourabletom.com/pages/tour

www.honourabletom.com

Twitter/Instagram/Tiktok: @honourabletom

Everything Stu's up to:

Stu’s new stand-up special “I Need You Alive” is available online video and audio on demand via www.stuartgoldsmith.com

Podcast community, links to comedy clips on Instagram and Tiktok, and Stu’s official YouTube channel are all at linktr.ee/stuartgoldsmith

Or join the mailing list to stay friends forever at:

www.comedianscomedian.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: Alcohol, Audiences, Channel 4, comcompod, Corporate Gigs, Do you ski?, Edinburgh, Fame, Festival, Fringe, Humility, Improv, Instagram, Interview, Jack Whitehall, James Acaster, London, Milo McCabe, Privilege, Roast Battle, Stage Persona, Success, Tom Houghton, Tower of London, TV, Twitter, Writing Jokes

Fresh from the ComCompendium annals we rediscover the indomitable Gina Yashere. An engineer in a previous life, and a comic tour de force in this one, Gina's boldness and clarity of mind saw her draft up a plan: simply selling up her life in the UK and moseying over to the ol' USA.

We examine Gina's annoyance at being the 'diversity' on panel shows, point the finger firmly in the direction of The Patriarchy, and discuss the myriad of pitfalls involved with plunging oneself headlong into starting afresh elsewhere.

Everything Stu's up to:

Podcast community links, social media handles and comedy clips, and Stu’s official YouTube channel are all at linktr.ee/stuartgoldsmith

Or visit:

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: Acting, Andi Osho, Audiences, Chortle, Chris Rock, comcompod, Comedy Store, Diversity, Edinburgh, Fame, Festival, Gina Yashere, Ian Stone, Inspiration, Interview, Jimmy Carr, Jobs, Jongleurs, Last Comic Standing, Live At The Apollo, London, Louis CK, MOBOs, Mock The Week, Open Spot, Persona, Plagiarism, Reviews, Risk, Ros Jeep, Stage Persona, Success, TV, Urban Circuit, USA, Writing Jokes

In today’s trip down memory lane, the ever effervescent Shaparak Khorsandi leads the way – with a quick stop off at Comedy’s figurative playground – via her own yellow brick road. We dissect second chances, shifting statuses, and how the pursuit of money stunts artistic quality...

Candid, nuanced, and not lacking in poise, Shaparak opens up on the difficult situations to which her early standup inexperience subjected her, and the realisation of how bullying is ultimately rooted in jealousy.

Stu's new comedy special "I Need You Alive" has a worldwide digital premiere on Feb 23rd, see the trailer and find the ticket link at www.stuartgoldsmith.com

LISTEN HERE

Filed Under: Age, Audiences, BBC, Bullying, comcompod, Coping, Diversity, Dr Brown, Dylan Moran, Edinburgh, Fame, Fear, Feminism, Festival, Fringe, Interview, Katherine Ryan, Persona, Sara Pascoe, Shaparak, Shappi Khorsandi, Stage Persona, Structure, Success, TV, Writing Jokes

This week we swing wide the comcom vault door and crack open a vintage 2012 with the indefatigable Sarah Millican.

LISTEN HERE

Filed Under: Age, Audiences, BBC, comcompod, Coping, Edinburgh, Fame, Festival, Fringe, Gary Delaney, Gavin Webster, George Egg, Heckles, Interview, Rhod Gilbert, Sarah Millican, Stage Persona, Structure, Stuart Goldsmith, Success, Tom Stade, TV, TV Comedy, Writing Jokes

On the tenth anniversary of the first release, our first ever ComCom guest Rob Deering returns to discuss marathons not sprints. One of Stu’s all-time favourite acts, we’ll celebrate Rob’s huge “Running Commentary” podcast with Paul Tonkinson, and its associated fandom; whether Rob is secretly serious; walking away from the desire to be liked; and the secret of Roger Rabbit’s handcuffs…

25 mins of extras available exclusively to the Insiders Club includes Rob on meritocracy and the strange evolution of comedy from the 70s to now, as well as some informed speculation on its future!

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.

Catch up with Rob Deering:

Read Rob's brilliant book "Running Tracks" (that could even turn you into a runner): www.waterstones.com/book/running-tracks/rob-deering/9781800180444

TW: @deeringrob
IG: @robdeeringcomedian
www.robdeering.com

Everything Stu's up to:

This podcast is @ComComPod on Twitter and Instagram

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.

“Stuart was brilliant; he nailed the brief, and the balance of meaningful content and humour was perfect for our audience.” Jo Matkin, CEO Celsus Group

LISTEN HERE

Filed Under: Audiences, Carson, Chris Addison, Clown, comcompod, Competitions, Coping, Corona, Corporate Gigs, COVID-19, Ed Gamble, Edinburgh, Fame, Festival, Fringe, George Carlin, Interview, Jongleurs, Josh Widdicombe, Lee Evans, Lenny Bruce, Live At The Apollo, London, Mental Health, Milton Jones, Onstage Persona, Paul Tonkinson, Rik Mayall, Rob Deering, Running, Running Commentary, Stage Persona, Stewart Lee, Structure, Stuart Goldsmith, Success, Writing Jokes, YouTube

He’s back, he’s bad, and he’s pulled off one of the most surprising pivots of the pandemic: writing an incredibly useful and heartfelt self-help book, masquerading as an autobiography!

In this edited special edition, as Stu interviewed Jimmy live on stage during his “Terribly Funny” tour shows in Manchester, Birmingham and Cardiff, Stu navigates deftly between celebrity anecdotes to push Jimmy into territory which he’s a little less familiar with sharing.

In part one Jimmy talks about his friend and colleague the late Sean Lock; goes into real detail on his favourite heckles and his strategy for combative comedy roasts; and reveals his deep relationship with his late mother, and how her passing affected the rest of his family.

With offensive language from the start. Please bear in mind this is a live performance in front of an audience of Jimmy Carr fans who’ve just enjoyed an hour of his best stuff, so - far more so than usual - this takes place within the sacred circle known as “context”. Please continue at your own risk…

Catch up with Jimmy:
Buy Before & Laughter in hardback, eBook and audiobook:http://smarturl.it/BeforeAndLaughter
Buy tour tickets:https://www.jimmycarr.com/uk-tour-dates/
Watch Jimmy's brand-new Netflix special 'His Dark Material' from 25th Dec 2021:https://www.netflix.com/title/81478151

Everything Stu's up to:
This podcast is @ComComPod on Twitter and Instagram
www.comedianscomedian.com
Find out everything Stu’s up to at www.stuartgoldsmith.com

Stu 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)

LISTEN HERE

Filed Under: Adam Kay, Age, Audiences, Channel 4, comcompod, Controversy, Coping, Corona, COVID-19, Criticism, Edinburgh, Fame, Festival, Fringe, Heckles, Interview, Jimmy Carr, Jobs, Jon Richardson, Live, Mainstream, Mental Health, One Liners, Onstage Persona, Panel Shows, Persona, Risk, Sean Lock, Stage Persona, Success