RHLSTP Book Club #154 - Entitled - Richard talks to Andrew Lownie about his meticulous and explosive book about Prince Andrew, Sarah Ferguson and more, Entitled. They chat about the process of getting this book to print and the surprises and revelations that are sometimes quite casually dropped in, how it’s easy to feel sorry for Andrew for his bizarre childhood where he had no boundaries, but harder to feel sorry for him when you read all the stupid, selfish and criminal things he has done as an adult. Also the scandalous grifting and Romanov style spending and waste, the Epstein files and the many reasons why more of the victims have not come forward, how easy it is to discover the lies that Andrew has told and the truth about the famous photo, whether Andrew lives in fear after writing a book like this, whether the monarchy can survive this scandal and how much more there is to come out. Also what it says about the way business is run in the world and the utter stupidity and depravity of so many (usually men) in important positions who didn’t seem to realise that they were being trapped and could be blackmailed. Also the truth behind the Newsnight interview and who really did the work for it and how Andrew was stupid enough to think it had gone well. Plus the many instances where he found himself able to sweat.

This is an extraordinary book which you really should read.

Buy it here - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/entitled-the-rise-and-fall-of-the-house-of-york-andrew-lownie/b66b23561541b2d1

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RHLSTP #582 - Talent and a Half - Rich has had some troubles in his cheap Edinburgh accommodation, but at least it’s his dad’s birthday. Why is Richard such an idiot? His guest is star (5th tier) of series 20 of Taskmaster, Ania Magliano. They talk about how she skipped school to be in a short film and her troubles with a more recent film appearance. Plus podcasting with your partner or your family, the punk early days of podcasting, Rich keeps saying things that need to be cut, personality tests and how you can be both introvert and extrovert, how to make a viral hit on social media and what constitutes a work in progress at the Fringe. And is Friends any good and what nightmares is Richard’s son having?

Watch Ania on Taskmaster

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#407 Teleporno - Rich has some big questions to ask about a hymn that seemingly most people in his audience don’t remember, so maybe he won’t do an hour long comedy show about it then. His guest is internet sensation and fab stand up Eleanor Morton. They talk about Leonardo da Vinci’s hate mail, the surprise appearance of Pan in Wind in the Willows, the difficulties of getting a pirate sitcom off the ground (or on to the waves), the stinking bins of the Edinburgh Fringe, why crippling social anxiety doesn’t stop comedians getting on stage and why the pandemic was the best thing that could happen (for some people, not everyone apparently) and how there are no mentally ill comedians in Richard’s generation.

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RHLSTP Book Club #153 - Young Once - Richard chats with a Young One who has decided to embrace his Young Oneness, even though we may not be the young ones very long, Nigel Planer about his fantastic autobiography Young Once - A Life Less Heavy. They chat about how Neil and Nicholas Craig emerged from Nigel’s real life experiences, why the American Young Ones helped to give birth to a major part of the Simpsons, seeing Laurence Olivier’s dancing feet beneath the curtain and sitting next to Spike Milligan, how doing Evita ended up in counting the number of times Nigel put on his trousers and why We Will Rock You’s multiple performances were more happily accepted, how his book is a love story to both his wife and the people he has worked with over the years, how a surprising number of the Young Ones went to public school, the Comic Strip reunion where Nigel sweated over the bill and the incredible experience of working on Yellowbeard. Plus having a scientist dad who wants to see what all the fuss about cannabis is about!

Buy Nigel’s book here https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/young-once-a-life-less-heavy-nigel-planer/01d5586cc630e3df

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RHLSTP #581 - Dopamine Sex Dungeon - It’s another studio podcast with character comedian turned stand up comedian Simon Brodkin. They talk about making the transition to being yourself on stage after hiding behind stunts and characters, joking about the royals and then appearing at the Royal Variety, when it’s the right time to do a confessional show and when you should just be doing jokes, the cocks of deities, how once you’ve pulled enough stunts people have their eye on you, what judgemental people must really be getting up to and of course more stuff about ADHD.

Watch Simon’s special “Screwed Up” here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw6BW7TA3R8

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#406 Rolf Harris’ Creepy Toes - Richard is back for a 25th series, but unfortunately pretty much nothing has happened in the news so there’s nothing for him to talk about. His guest last appeared on the show almost exactly a decade ago, it’s the comedy genius Reece Shearsmith.

They chat about his excellent new film “See How They Run” https://www.searchlightpictures.com/see-how-they-run/ and working with the starry cast, why he’s not really open to public suggestions for Inside Number Nine locations, the League of Gentleman’s journey from the Canal Cafe to the stage at the O2, owning a piece of the Wicker Man and meeting the man from inside the Wicker Man and how Bernie Clifton responded to “Bernie Clifton’s Dressing Room”. Plus some magic tricks that probably won’t work in the audio podcast, though you can watch the video if you join Acast Plus https://plus.acast.com/s/rhlstp or pay for the video http://gfsboxoffice.com

An absolutely electric show in a packed Leicester Square Theatre - the audience makes this show, so do check out the upcoming bills and come along if you can http://richardherring.com/rhlstp

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RHLSTP Book Club #152 - A Poo On A Pogo Stick - Richard is joined by a new co-host who threatens to replace him as he talks to comedian, cartoonist and jokesmith Olaf Falafel about his very enjoyable joke book, A Poo On A Pogo Stick. They discuss how the book came together, where the jokes came from, the decision to make some of them very slow burners for younger readers, how telling and making up jokes can bond a family and the cohost chooses some of his favourites as well as trying out a rude one of his own. It’s anarchic and unpredictable, just like the book, which is tremendous fun.

Buy the book here https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/a-poo-on-a-pogo-stick-the-funniest-joke-book-ever-olaf-falafel/7851240

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RHLSTP #580 - Pea on the Cob - As if there weren’t enough people here for the Festival, Edinburgh numbers are swollen by Oasis fans, though Rich adlibs a decent joke for once, so it’s worth listening to the intro. His guest is RHLSTP favourite, Tim Key. They chat about being locked out of flats, broken cat-flaps, the year of the Herring and how much O2 paid to sponsor RHLSTP (in the golden era), Tim’s appearance in the new Greg Daniels sitcom The Paper and Robert Popper’s part in getting him there, 5k times and the pathetic money-making crimes that Richard never got caught for in 1989 (if you were one of the students he took to HMS Victory please get in touch for your rebate). Plus selling Dawn French a yoyo and nearly killing Michael Palin. It’s another classic Key:Herring collaboration, awkward, weird, boring and funny enough to almost make Richard pass out.

Buy Tim’s fantastic LA Baby here https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/l-a-baby-tim-key/7870201

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#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-dates

And buy his book here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/No-Encore-for-the-Donkey/dp/B08FMT4K4W

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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. Maybe

Buy Rhys’ book here - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/you-ll-like-it-when-you-get-there-a-life-lived-reluctantly-rhys-james/7844250

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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.

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See Esther on tour https://www.esthermanito.co.uk/2025/03/27/slagbomb/

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#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/

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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/7643693

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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/rhlstp

Do yourself a favour and buy Bernie’s Book here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Crackerjack-Vegas-Bernie-Clifton/dp/1909813974

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#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-dates

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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/7873833

Play Minute Cryptic here https://www.minutecryptic.com/

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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/rhlstp

Do yourself a favour and buy Bernie’s Book here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Crackerjack-Vegas-Bernie-Clifton/dp/1909813974

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#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.uk

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RHLSTP #576 - Dog Sharpener - A big storm is supposed to hit Edinburgh today, but so far it’s just been a bit blowy, though maybe the storm will manage to make an appearance in the show. Richard is talking to comedian and rock star Andrew O’ Neill. Will Rich remember to use the correct non-binary terms or will he fuck up immediately? Who knows? There’s some great chat about changing attitudes to individuality, plus the comedic process, how surreal comedy is a rare skill and staying true to yourself, plus Andrew having to do a 90s style Edinburgh show because they broke their leg and have been on morphine, playing Jongleurs without compromising your act, the joy of connecting with one (and only one) audience member and how it’s disappointing that TV just doesn’t take a punt on interesting comedians any more.

See Andrew’s stand up show Escape here https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/andrew-o-neill-escape

See Andrew’s History of Punk (but only if you like punk) here https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/andrew-o-neill-s-history-of-punk

See RHLSTP live in Bewdley (and maybe elsewhere) http://richardherring.com/rhlstp

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RHLSTP #575 - Creepy Gandhi - It’s Richard’s second live Edinburgh podcast and he’s got some berry facts that will astound you. His guest is US comedian, actor and writer Zainab Johnson. They chat about whether her name is unique, growing up with 12 siblings, the terrible accident that changed her life, whether having one ball counts as a disability, pretending to be stupid to attract (maybe stupid) men, getting to work with Greg Daniels and annoying him at lunch, the terrific sitcom Upload and whether eternal life is all it’s cracked up to be, first impressions of Scotland and why a comedian should aim for silence and embrace failure.

See Zainab’s show https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/zainab-johnson-toxically-optimistic

Check out her special on Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Zainab-Johnson-Hijabs-Off/dp/B0CGZYS18Q

Come and see RHLSTP live (in Bewdley) http://richardherring.com/rhlstp

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