A multi-media artist, fascinated with language, rhythm, and combining jokes with drawing, Markus Birdman also isn't above a dick joke. Aiming for “high octane and no gaps”, with routines composed like a drum solo, we uncover his volatile relationship with his father and his father's God, the stroke that he almost mistook for a hangover, and wanting to be angry as a means of self-definition.

30 mins of extras from this episode are available at www.comedianscomedian.com/insiders, including Markus on survivor's guilt, the shot at the top that he might have missed, whether you can fake greatness in comedy, and a short sharp strategy for overcoming writer's block...

www.markusbirdman.co.uk | @birdmanwatching
Tickets for Markus' Ed Fringe show Last White Christmas

Tickets for my show Primer at this year's Edinburgh Fringe

@ComComPod | www.comedianscomedian.com

LISTEN HERE

Filed Under: Age, Alcohol, Alternative Comedy, Alun Cochrane, Art, Audience Participation, Audiences, Awards, Comedy, Compere/MC/Hosting, Dark Humour, Drinking, Edinburgh, Festival, Festival Comedian, First Open Spot, Fringe, Inspiration, Interview, James Acaster, Lee Evans, Markus Birdman, Mental Health, Money, Music, Onstage Persona, Paul Sinha, Persona, Simon Munnery, So You Think You’re Funny, Stage Persona, Stand Up, Stereotypes, Stewart Lee, Storytelling, Structure, Success, Tom Gleeson, Twitter, Worth, Writing, Writing Jokes

I said it and I'm sticking with it: Russell Hicks is a risk-taking ball of fire. Making a conscious choice to bet the house on every gig, he eschews material in favour of 100% riffing, with explosive results. We explore the economic consequences of approaching a set like a game of pinball in an industry based on reliability, dig into his use of comic muscle memory, and find out why he paints on a cave wall and not a canvas...

Extra material available exclusively to members of the Insiders Club includes Russell on why he chose the UK over America, how it felt to be told he wouldn't succeed whilst succeeding, and the suggestion other comics always make to him... and why he ignores it. Join up at www.comedianscomedian.com/insiders

Find Russell's comedy album, consisting of three different hours recorded in Edinburgh 2016 at www.russellhicks.co.uk

See my show Primer at this year's Edinburgh Fringe

@ComComPod | www.comedianscomedian.com

LISTEN HERE

Filed Under: Alex Edelman, Alternative Comedy, Audience Participation, Audiences, Awards, Bill Hicks, Bob Slayer, Comedy, Comedy Store, Daniel Kitson, Dave Chappelle, Edinburgh, Festival, Fringe, Interview, Jobs, John Gordillo, Johnny Vegas, Lenny Bruce, London, Marc Maron, Maria Bamford, Mental Health, Money, Netflix, Onstage Persona, Persona, Phil Kay, Reviews, Ross Noble, Russell Hicks, Stage Persona, Stand Up, Structure, Success, USA, Viral, Worth, Writing, Writing Jokes, Writing On Stage, YouTube

In the hands of a lesser comic, Ahir Shah's ambitions towards political discourse might seem lofty, but this agile act has the punchlines to back them up. 

We explore how he sees one-liners as ".zip" files, using punchy gags into which he's compressed huge ideas, and learn how he attempts to safeguard his precarious mental health, particularly with regard to the loneliness of the job.

20 mins of extra content available exclusively to members of the Insiders Club includes Ahir on his survival tips for small scale touring, the strategy behind his switch from the free to the paid fringe this year, and the thought he'll keep in mind when appearing shortly on "Have I Got News For You".
Go to www.comedianscomedian.com/insiders to access the private podcast with all extra content plus "Comedy Critique", in which the Insiders collaborate on feedback to newer comics!

Tickets and details of Ahir's Fringe show
ahirshah.com | @AhirShah

See my show Primer at this year's Edinburgh Fringe
@ComComPod | www.comedianscomedian.com

www.theirworld.org | www.educationcannotwait.org

LISTEN HERE

Filed Under: Ahir Shah, Audiences, BBC, College, Comedy, Competitions, Edinburgh, Emo Phillips, Festival, First Open Spot, Free Fringe, Fringe, Have I Got News For You, Interview, London, Mental Health, Nish Kumar, Observational Comedy, Onstage Persona, Panel Shows, political, Radio, Reviews, Risk, Stage Persona, Stand Up, Stereotypes, Structure, Success, TV, Worth, Writing, Writing Jokes

Six years after his first appearance, Josh returns for a textbook ComCom conversation about his creative development since then! We get even further into the minutiae of his writing and structuring process and what makes a perfect observation, plus some spicy celebrity gossip about Taskmaster and the secret of his rebooking success on the Graham Norton Show!

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

Find tickets to Josh's new tour here.

www.joshwiddicombe.com | @joshwiddicombe

See my show Primer at this year's Edinburgh Fringe

@ComComPod | www.comedianscomedian.com

LISTEN HERE

Filed Under: #Hypothetical, Acting, Adam Hills, Alex Horne, Audiences, BBC, Channel 4, Comedy, Corporate Gigs, Corporate Work, Dave (TV channel), Ed Gamble, Edinburgh, Fame, Festival, First Open Spot, Frank Skinner, Fringe, Graham Norton, Greg Davies, Hypothetical, Interview, James Acaster, Jimmy Carr, Jobs, Josh Widdicombe, Live, Live At The Apollo, Mainstream, Money, Netflix, Nish Kumar, Observational Comedy, Onstage Persona, Persona, Podcasting, Quickly Kevin will he score?, Radio, Rob Beckett, Seann Walsh, Stage Persona, Stand Up, Steve Martin, Stewart Lee, Structure, Success, Taskmaster, TV, TV Comedy, Twitter, Widdicombe, Worth, Writing, Writing Jokes, Writing On Stage

Beloved of her fans, and radiating a genuine adoration for people, Bec Hill fizzes with comic creativity. We talk about how she lost and refound her sense of play, and explore the relationship between her faith, her self-critical voice and her work. We also cover the difference between a nerd, a geek and a dork; and talk fringe shows, flipcharts and whether she peaked at Piaf...

Extra material exclusively available to members of the Insiders Club includes:

• Her biggest challenge with social media and the surprising reason she no longer posts jokes
• How Bec dealt with a new act reproducing a very specific aspect of her style and what she fears from big business
• Bec and Stu share some more private stuff about what success means to us both.

And come and see me at the Ed Fringe
@ComComPod | www.comedianscomedian.com

This episode was recorded at The Cheese Comedy Club, Bristol

www.facebook.com/thecheesecomedyclub/ | cheesecomedy.club | @cheese_comedy

LISTEN HERE

Filed Under: Acting, Actor, Adelaide, Audiences, Australia, Awards, Bec Hill, Comedy, Eddie Izzard, Edinburgh, Ego, Equality, Fear, Festival, Festival Comedian, Fringe, Gaming, Gender, Glee Club, Hannah Gadsby, Improv, Interview, Jobs, Josie Long, Mental Health, Onstage Persona, Persona, Plagiarism, Reviews, School, Stage Persona, Stand Up, Storytelling, Structure, Success, Twitter, Viral, Whimsy, Writing, Writing Jokes, YouTube

A ray of hairy sunshine, Matt Braunger is one of those acts who pummels an audience with a constantly switching array of styles and techniques. Likened by Marc Maron to "a puppy who won't let go", he writes entirely on stage and chases universal emotion. We talk about happiness, faith, the importance of a point of view, shooting a sitcom in branches of IKEA, and tattooing a face on a scrotum. 

www.mattbraunger.com | @Braunger

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

See Stu at Machfest
And at Soho Theatre between 9th-11th May

@ComComPod | www.comedianscomedian.com

LISTEN HERE

Filed Under: Acting, Audiences, Comedy, Fame, First Open Spot, Improv, Interview, James Adomian, Kyle Kinane, Live, Marc Maron, Maria Bamford, Matt Braunger, Onstage Persona, Patton Oswalt, Persona, Stage Persona, Stand Up, Storytelling, Structure, Success, SXSW, Todd Barry, TV, TV Comedy, USA, Worth, Writing, Writing Jokes, Writing On Stage

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, Comedy, 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, Stand Up, Structure, Success, Suzi Ruffell, The Guardian, The Guilty Feminist, TV, Twitter, Victoria Wood, Worth, Writing, Writing Jokes, Writing On Stage, YouTube

Daily Show correspondent Roy Wood Jr is a socio-political powerhouse of a comedian, taking huge topics about race and community and making them hilarious and relatable. We go into detail on the development of some of his favourite routines, discover how he finds the funny in murderously serious topics, and examine the sense of responsibility that drives him.

Extras available only to members of the Insiders Club include details on Roy's extraordinary methodology regarding waveforms, facial expression and inflection, as well as a scathing critique of his dietary habits by fellow Daily Show correspondent Ronny Chieng. Join now at www.comedianscomedian.com/insiders

Watch Roy's latest special for free HERE

www.roywoodjr.com | @roywoodjr

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

13/03/2019 Salisbury Art Centre

20/03/2019 Cheltenham Playhouse

29/03/2019 Crawley -The Hawth

05/04/2019 Reading – South Street Arts

12/04/2019 Leamington Spa - Royal Spa Centre

17/04/2019 Oxford Old Fire Station

19/04/2019 Bromsgrove – The Artix

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

LISTEN HERE

Filed Under: Argument, Audiences, Bill Burr, Chris Rock, Comedy, Comedy Central, Conan, Depression, Diversity, Eddie Murphy, Fame, Festival, First Open Spot, Fringe, Hatemail, Improv, Inspiration, Interview, Isolation, Jobs, Live, Louis CK, Onstage Persona, Persona, Political Humour, Racism, Risk, Stage Persona, Stand Up, Storytelling, Structure, Success, SXSW, The Daily Show, Worth, Writing, Writing Jokes, Writing On Stage