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 year comedy dynamo Lauren Pau ttison received a Best Show nomination to add to her Best Newcomer, with her show “It Is What It Is”, which detailed how she was among the first comedians to move home and proudly take up a day job during the pandemic.

We talk about her relentless work ethic; class structures in comedy; and why she there’s no shame in supplementing your comedy income. We also discuss her anxious core beliefs, running for the CALM charity, and find out how a podcast took the place of therapy in her life.

20 mins of extras available exclusively to the Insiders Club include Lauren on how she copes with her anxiety over making eye contact, and what she wants the audience to think of her as they leave, as well as her approach to social media clips and people patronising her, plus the income stream that’s done wonders for her self-confidence!

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.

Catch up with Lauren:

www.lauren-pattison.com

TW: @LaurenPattison

IG: @Lauren_Pattison

And don’t miss Lauren Pattison touring in October and November, then live at Soho Theatre from Weds 7-Sat 10 December!

www.sohotheatre.com/shows/lauren-pattison-it-is-what-it-is/

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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

LISTEN HERE

Filed Under: Audiences, Dane Baptiste, Edinburgh, Festival, Fringe, Interview, Jason Manford, Jobs, Katherine Ryan, Kerry Godliman, Lauren Pattison, Stage Persona, Success

Barnstorming breakthrough-in-waiting, Sean McLoughlin is extremely adept at big chunky stand-up with an interesting moral core. We outline his journey from an angry young man who either needed “a hug or a slap”, through the transformative effects of both being onstage and getting proper therapy, to a towering performer with gigs at the Palladium, Sydney Opera House and the Royal Albert Hall under his belt.  We also discover his conscious effort to maintain eye contact; how he became more reliable to bookers; and whether tall people come across as angry when they’re just animated…

25 mins of extra content available exclusively to the Insiders Club includes Sean’s reaction to sharing a name with one of the most famous people on the internet; and advice for comics starting tour support, which Sean has done at the highest level, from Sydney Opera House to the Royal Albert Hall, in service of comics like Bill Burr, Katherine Ryan and Ricky Gervais.

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.

Catch up with Sean McLoughlin:

Edinburgh Fringe: Pleasance Beneath, 19:55
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/sean-mcloughlin-so-be-it
Podcast “Failing Better” with Jonny Pelham: @failingpod
www.seanmcloughlincomedy.com
TW: @seanmcloughlin
IG: @seanmcloughlincomedy

Everything Stu's up to:

Edinburgh Fringe: Monkey Barrel, 13:25 (4-11th only)
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/stuart-goldsmith-a-shared-illusion-wip
This podcast is @ComComPod on Twitter
www.comedianscomedian.com
IG and Tik: @stuartgoldsmithcomedy
Find out everything Stu’s up to at 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: 30 Rock, Adam Hess, Age, Audience Participation, Audiences, Bill Burr, Carl Donnelly, Chris Martin, Chris Rock, College, comcompod, Corona, Dara O'Briain, Edinburgh, Fear, Festival, Fringe, Interview, Jobs, Jonny Pelham, Katherine Ryan, Laughing Horse, London, Mat Ewins, Mental Health, Onstage Persona, Open Mic, Persona, Podcasting, Reviews, Ricky Gervais, Risk, Sean McLoughlin, Stage Persona, student comedy, Success, The Beatles

With his dishevelled appearance and wild energy, you might not be surprised to learn that the wonderfully funny Bobby Mair has had “more therapists than girlfriends”. We talk about his Canadian comedy work ethic, the trick of making the audience your friend, and find out why bad gigs in the UK are still good.

We delve into his origins, starting comedy coincidentally during a traumatic and grief-stricken phase in his life; find out what a relief it was after 16 years to write an observational joke that didn’t derive from trauma; and discover why comedy didn’t save Bobby’s life.

20 mins of extra content available exclusively to members of the Insiders Club includes Bobby on the “Killer Camp” reality show he hosted; some exploration of his mental robustness; and how he went viral as the worst comic in the world…

  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 with Nish Kumar, Alfie Brown, James Acaster and Fern Brady, plus the incredible “self-help for comedians” special with Amanda Donnet.

Catch up with Bobby:

Bobby and Red Richardson’s podcast is “The Year Is”, discover it at linktre.ee/theyearispod

Bobby’s“Cockroach” tour continues in Southend, Cardiff, Norwich and concludes in London - get tickets at www.bobbymair.net

IG: @bobbymaircomedian
TW: @bobbymair

Everything Stu's up to:

This podcast is @ComComPod on Twitter

Stu recently went viral on Instagram so changed the official podcast account into @StuartGoldsmithComedy

And he goes by that name on noted spyware site Tiktok, should you dare…

www.comedianscomedian.com

Find out everything Stu’s up to at 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: Audiences, Bobby Mair, Chris Rock, Edinburgh, Fern Brady, Festival, Fringe, Harriet Kemsley, Interview, Jerry Seinfeld, Katherine Ryan, Romesh Ranganathan, Sara Pascoe, Stage Persona, Success

A consummate compere, wielding her natural warmth and blunt honesty to devastating effect, Thanyia Moore has pulled off something extraordinary - a slot on Mock the Week before she debuts her first hour. We discuss her lack of love for writing, and the inverse pressure of a post-TV debut, as well as her secret game-plan for comedy and beyond. We also talk about whether the change in UK comedy industry booking policy as a response to Black Lives Matter is meaningful or temporary; spotting accidentally radicalised language in reviews; and how to tell when you’ve just done some good acting…

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.

LISTEN HERE

Filed Under: Acaster, Acting, Age, Athena Kugblenu, Audiences, comcompod, COVID-19, Dane Baptiste, Edinburgh, Interview, Katherine Ryan, Live At The Apollo, Mock The Week, Stage Persona, Success, Whoopi Goldberg, Writing Jokes, Writing On Stage

Superbly funny and effortlessly real on stage, Harriet Kemsley grew up scared of saying the wrong thing and making mistakes, but after trying stand-up at the suggestion of her parents, found in it the ability to embrace both her failures and her self. We talk about coping with having your debut show critically mauled; the self-control beneath the dizziness that people often assume of her; and crying at failing at clowning.

20 mins of extra content from this interview is available exclusively to the Insiders Club! We discover Harriet’s process for the roast of her husband, fellow comedian Bobby Mair, and her appearance on Live at the Apollo; discover why men often assume she needs help; and how she’s ageing into her persona. Plus, we finally get to the bottom of what she really thought of New York…

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.

LISTEN HERE

Filed Under: Acting, Audiences, Bobby Mair, Edinburgh, Festival, Fringe, Interview, Katherine Ryan, Live At The Apollo, London, Romesh Ranganathan, Stage Persona, Success

Energetic, elastic and totally committed to being “the toughest kid on the estate” when it comes to his ability to get laughs, Russell Kane has firm ideas about his precise place in the comedy firmament.

We talk about the creative power of his exceptional on-stage energy; his surprising reaction to Stewart Lee’s material about him; his unerring ability to mind-map a topic and see the central idea immediately; and learn about the hour-long preview which he scripted in just eight words, moments before walking onstage…

25 minutes of extra content available exclusively to members of the Insiders Club includes Russell’s incredible advice for comics considering performing live standup on YouTube, and thoughts on his possible over-commitment to showing one particular critic who was boss…

The single confidant who suggested that his experiments with image were driving away his long-term audience…

Go to www.comedianscomedian.com/insiders for this and much more, including the exclusive Insiders Q&A with James Acaster.

Follow Russell on:

@russell_kane
www.russellkane.co.uk
And subscribe to his channel on YouTube, home of the “Kane-ing”

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: Age, Arena Comedy, Audience Participation, Audiences, Awards, BBC, BBC3, Bill Burr, Channel 4, Chortle, Chris Rock, College, comcompod, Corona, Corporate Gigs, Corporate Work, COVID-19, Criticism, Daniel Kitson, Edgy, Edinburgh, Ego, Fame, Fear, Festival, Fosters Comedy Award, Frankie Boyle, Fringe, Improv, Inspiration, Instagram, Interview, Jeremy Hardy, Jobs, Jongleurs, Josie Long, Katherine Ryan, Lee Mack, Live At The Apollo, London, Mainstream, Money, Noel Fielding, Observational Comedy, Onstage Persona, Parenting, Perrier, Perrier Comedy Award, Persona, Peter Kay, Problems, Reginald D. Hunter, Reviews, Risk, Romesh Ranganathan, Russell Brand, Russell Howard, Russell Kane, Seann Walsh, Stage Persona, Stereotypes, Steve Bennett, Stewart Lee, Structure, Success, TV, Writing Jokes, Writing On Stage, YouTube

Creator and host of the Guilty Feminist podcast, Deborah Frances-White is a phenomenally energetic woman on a mission. A former Jehovah's Witness, she now leads her own army of followers, employing the machinery of business to liberate and entertain, and to inspire genuine activism. We explore how improv conquers repression, go into detail on the genesis of her extraordinary podcast and its roadmap for the future, and she exhorts the listener to make your own model.

Extras available only to members of the Insiders Club include two incredible pieces of advice: one on how to pass pretty much any interview for anything, and the other on how as a comedian she nipped bitterness in the bud. Plus some truly brilliant coaching on why and how to create your own model for success.... Join now at www.comedianscomedian.com/insiders 

Her movie Say My Name is out on 23rd April, go to guiltyfeminist for tickets and details.

deborahfrances-white.com | @DeborahFW | guiltyfeminist.com

Get tickets to my new tour dates at www.comedianscomedian.com/tour or on any of the following venues below:

27/04/2019 Plymouth Barbican

9-11/05/2019 Soho Theatre, London

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

@comcompod | www.comedianscomedian.com

Charity Gig Shout-out!

On Monday 13th May, help support women, children, mothers and babies in the world’s poorest communities. Tickets for this gala line-up featuring loads of past ComCom guests and more besides can be got at the Leicester Square Theatre website or www.womenandchildrenfirst.org.uk/comedy

Comics new and old!

Check out www.comedy.co.uk/pro to see everything British Comedy Guide has to offer you and your career: curate your online profile on the most-visited website about UK comedy; get involved at the opportunities hub; and access exclusive articles about performing, writing and producing!

Don't forget to use the code COMCOM to get £5 off your membership.

LISTEN HERE

Filed Under: Acting, Audience Participation, Audiences, Australia, BBC4, Bridget Christie, Diversity, Dr Who, Drama School, Drinking, Feminism, Feminist, Fern Brady, Festival, First Open Spot, Fringe, Gender, Hannah Gadsby, Interview, Jobs, Josie Long, Katherine Ryan, Leicester Square Theatre, London, Marcus Brigstocke, Mental Health, Miranda Hart, Persona, Podcasting, Risk, Sara Pascoe, Sarah Millican, Sofie Hagen, Stage Persona, Structure, Success, Suzi Ruffell, The Guardian, The Guilty Feminist, TV, Twitter, Victoria Wood, Writing Jokes, Writing On Stage, YouTube