RHLSTP Book Club 151 - Rhys James

#405 The Black Hands of Doom - It’s a bonus episode to end series 24 with the world class stand up Doug Stanhope, recorded over zoom from Dublin just an hour or so after Doug arrived on a TransAtlantic flight for his UK tour where people are about to lose their minds due to the death of our beloved monarch. They chat about authenticity in comedy, the self-destructive nature of Doug’s lifestyle and how things are changing with age, performing drunk, whether cancellation is a smart career move, making your audience apply to come to gigs and Nicholas Witchell. Plus fans of urine will be glad to find out that you can hear Doug do a wee in this one.Catch Doug’s tour - https://www.dougstanhope.com/tour-datesAnd buy his book here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/No-Encore-for-the-Donkey/dp/B08FMT4K4WSUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE See details of the RHLSTP TOUR DATES Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RHLSTP Book Club #151 - You’ll Like It When You Get There - Rich is talking to comedian Rhys James about his surprisingly deep and thought-provoking book “You’ll Like It When You Get There.” They discuss how being pantsed at school has haunted Rhys’ life, why pdfs might not be the best format for books, how comedians often become comedians to control their embarrassment, how mortification can stop you riding a bike or going to an Italian restaurant, whether marriage serves any function other than to control the general population, whether Rhys’ neighbours are going to find out he’s written about them, why this is an interesting book to read in tandem with Ivo Graham’s, how Rich almost lost his virginity wearing pants his mum had bought for him, how reticence to get involved in stuff will only lead to regrets, the girl on the train who rich might have married, why people care less about you than you might think and comedy’s power to finally force you into joining in a bit. MaybeBuy Rhys’ book here - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/you-ll-like-it-when-you-get-there-a-life-lived-reluctantly-rhys-james/7844250SUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE See details of the RHLSTP TOUR DATES Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RHLSTP #579 - Record Breaking Glockenspiel - Richard has come to Chesham in Buckinghamshire for a special live RHLSTP and is bedazzled by news about the local fire brigade. His guest is the fabulous stand-up Esther Manito. They talk about lockdown parenting, the craziness of taking up stand-up so shortly after the birth of her second baby, how Esther owes her existence to a blasphemous joke, why masturbating on a tube train in rush hour is (in one way) impressive, the risks of having Basil Brush on as a guest, a lovely rendition of the largely forgotten theme tune to Get It Together, some old ghost stories from Rich that you’ve doubtless heard already and why Esther’s new tour show is called Slagbomb! And why she didn’t take it to the Edinburgh Fringe.Become a monthly badger and help us make more podcasts http://gofasterstripe.com/badgesSee Esther on tour https://www.esthermanito.co.uk/2025/03/27/slagbomb/SUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE See details of the RHLSTP TOUR DATES Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#386 Thirty-Eighth Choice - As the latest run at the Leicester Square Theatre comes to an end Richard is impressed with Adrian Chiles’ bathroom choices. His guest is comedian and actor Alan Davies. They chat about avocado bidets, being called a S****bubble by Liam Gallagher, setting off Neil Kinnock’s burglar alarm, spending a huge amount of money on a chair you might see in an estate agents, how he managed to get the Jonathan Creek gig in spite of intense competition and why he nearly left QI. They also discuss Alan’s heart-breaking but brilliantly written memoir about the loss of his mother and the abuse he suffered at the hands of his father as a child.Buy Alan’s book here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Just-Ignore-Him-Alan-Davies/dp/1408713314/SUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE See details of the RHLSTP TOUR DATES Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RHLSTP Book Club #150 - Where Did She Go? - Richard talks to returning author Cariad Lloyd about her moving and beautiful book about helping children cope with death and grief - Where Did She Go? They chat about why using euphemisms about death is not helpful to kids, why we veer away from discussing this subject with youngsters, the books we love and dread reading to out kids, whether Cariad knows how much the illustrator Tom Percival is paid for his amazing work, the fantastic Weirdos Book Club and the enduring appeal of Austentatious.Buy Cariad’s book here and see if it makes you cry too - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/where-did-she-go-cariad-lloyd/7643693SUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RHLSTP #578 - Ken Dodd’s Tollbooth Baguette - We’re back at the Crossed Wire Festival in Sheffield and you’ve had some time to relax and go to the toilet, but the audience haven’t. Richard is still talking (though mainly listening) to comedy legend Bernie Clifton. Finally we’re getting to Bernie’s TV career and cultural references that might be understood by anyone under 85. Remember that Bernie is 89 years old and this podcast (along with last week’s) was recorded all in one go. And I reckon he had another two hours in him if we didn’t have to go home. He talks about his appearances on Crown Court, singing XTC songs on Crackerjack, how he survived the wave of alternative comedy that scuppered some of his contemporaries, how he ended up on The Voice and returned to his first love of singing and who his biggest comedy hero was. There’s more mayhem and poetry and not enough time to talk about any of the things Richard wanted to. But man, what a beautiful, joyful, amazing man and what a phenomenal memory (and bladder).Come and see RHLSTP live http://richardherring.com/rhlstpDo yourself a favour and buy Bernie’s Book here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Crackerjack-Vegas-Bernie-Clifton/dp/1909813974SUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#385 Do Not Listen On 2x Speed - Richard is disappointed about his daughter’s Easter egg, because it’s still Easter where we are, in the past and has an ultimatum for Ian Cadbury. His guest returns after just 9 years away. It’s the extremely fast-talking whirlwind of a man, Dara Ó Briain. Chat includes the Irish James Bond, how Stephen Hawking ruined Terminator, the likelihood of Richard speaking fluent Spanish for the rest of his life and the impact of that on the theories of Infinite Universes, sending robots into space (and what happens the night before they go), depriving a comedian of an audience for two years, why Richard will never present Going for Gold and what he’d insist upon if he was at the helm of Blockbusters and to be honest such a depth and pace of comedy that you are going to need to listen on half speed to catch it all.Catch Dara doing what he does best on his latest stand up tour - https://daraobriain.com/#tour-datesSUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RHLSTP Book Club #149 - Minute Cryptic - It’s a podcast that spans the world, with a beautiful connection to Australia and the handsome king of the nerds Angus Tiernan talking about his fabulous puzzle book (and daily internet quiz) Minute Cryptic. Richard is star struck to have the man who talks to him every morning actually answer back, but still manages to discuss the genesis of the idea, the organic way it gained popularity, why cryptic crosswords and jokes share similarities, the clamour to turn the idea into a book, why it works so well in book form too and why it’s a bad idea to do cryptic crosswords in a stand up comedy set. Plus favourite anagrams and custardy battles.Buy the book here https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/minute-cryptic-over-160-wordplay-puzzles-to-decipher-unlock-and-untangle-angas-tiernan/7873833Play Minute Cryptic here https://www.minutecryptic.com/SUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RHLSTP #577 - From Clogs to Biscuit Tins - Richard is at the Crossed Wires Festival in Sheffield where his guest is the legendary Bernie Clifton, a man with so many stories that we couldn’t get them into one podcast (and to be fair we didn’t have time to get them all into two). And it’s a couple of great weeks coming up for anyone who thinks Richard talks too much. Bernie takes us through his early days growing up in poverty, nearly getting killed by the Nazis and leaving school to deliver bread. He also talks about being the world’s worst plumber, how National Service changed his life and starting out as a singer. Plus the huge star who diverted him towards the prop-comedy that would make him famous, a decade or more of working the clubs and can Rich persuade Bernie to talk about the ostrich. I am not so sure. One hour in with 53 more years to cover. Buckle up. A podcast that really proves it’s worth coming to see these shows live!Come and see RHLSTP live http://richardherring.com/rhlstpDo yourself a favour and buy Bernie’s Book here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Crackerjack-Vegas-Bernie-Clifton/dp/1909813974SUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#384 Rolf Harris Tattoo - Alleluia Alleluia, He is Risen! It’s Easter Monday and Rich has been schooled in Christian traditions by his kids. His guest is the best Edinburgh Comedy Prize by at least one metric, Amy Gledhill.It’s an old-school, crazy fun loose chat with a comedian and it’s giddy fun all the way, encompassing what is the best crisp to send you into a coma, podcast listening speeds, why Richard will never advertise Pringles, some strong and maybe shocking opinions about Soleros, ice cream spoons, what happens when your double act partner persuades you to be the one to dress as a sausage, artistic toilets, and an extraordinary answer to the tallest building in your home town emergency question. Plus how Richard’s work is studied at Universities.For details of Amy’s Edinburgh Fringe shows and more check out her website - amygledhill.co.ukSUPPORT THE SHOW!Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.