Book Club #117 - All That Matters - Richard talks to the winner of 6 Olympic gold medals (and one silver) Chris Hoy about his fabulous, moving and positive autobiography All That Matters. Although Chris says it’s not Top Trumps his cancer makes Richard’s look like a paper cut and the book is bold and matter of fact about the impact of a non-sugar coated stage 4 cancer diagnosis, but whilst acknowledging the spiral of grief that this inevitably caused, Chris discusses the catharsis of writing about it, applying sports psychology to the situation and seeing the positives of life rather than constantly worrying about death, which could come to any of us at any time. He talks about his own particular deeply unpleasant chemotherapy and the reasons he endured it and how he got through it, how comedy can help us through and how he hopes he might be around for a while yet. Plus how he coped with life after the Olympic victory and trying to avoid Alan Partridgisms. And how making the most of life isn’t just about bucket lists, but realising what matters in your life and how lucky we are to be here. A remarkable Olympian and incredible man and yet a regular guy too. Don’t miss this one Buy the book here https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/all-the-matters-chris-hoy/1219695?ean=9781399741842 See RHLSTP recorded live - https://richardherring.com/rhlstp Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/rhlstp. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#538 Pocklington - Richard has just moved house and is mourning the items that didn’t make the grade. His guest is another comedy hero, Adrian Edmondson. They talk about bad Brummie accents, the shadow that is cast on his life from the 14 weeks he spent on the Young Ones, cutting Rik Mayall’s head open with a metal jug, the boarding school experience that he’s still recovering from to this day, how the tweenager Ade may have passed the toddler Rich on the streets of Pocklington, how lockdown and birds and vegetables finally gave Ade calm, performing in Star Wars without being allowed to see the script, the secrets of a successful showbiz marriage, getting to perform in the band you were a superfan of, getting kissed by Joni Mitchell and keeping David Bowie off the top of the charts. Buy Beserker here - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/berserker-the-riotous-one-of-a-kind-memoir-from-one-of-britain-s-most-beloved-comedians-adrian-edmondson/7595333?ean=9781035014316 Subscribe to Richard’s substack here https://richardherring.substack.com/subscribe See a live recording of RHLSTP - https://richardherring.com/rhlstp SUPPORT THE SHOW! Watch our TWITCH CHANNEL See extra content at our WEBSITE Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/rhlstp. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Book Club #117 - Jokes Jokes Jokes - Richard talks to old Edinburgh flatmate Jenny Eclair about her cut-above-the-rest autobiography, Jokes, Jokes, Jokes. They discuss how you maintain a career in their weird business over several decades, the envy and bitterness that can eat you up, how getting older changes your priorities, how little either of them remember about Jenny Eclair Squats, how winning the Perrier award left Jenny feeling like a fraud, appearing (though not) in the Karma Chameleon video, being mistaken for Su Pollard, who really came up with the girl that smelled of spam and coping with death and becoming an orphan in your sixties and the lives of the aunts and uncles from the 1950s. Buy the book here https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/jokes-jokes-jokes-my-very-funny-memoir-jenny-eclair/7648041?ean=9781408732052 See RHLSTP recorded live - https://richardherring.com/rhlstp Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/rhlstp. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#537 New York Ticks and Cockroaches - He loved it so much last week that he came back a week later to do it again. A second interview with the very relaxed Peter Serafinowicz. This time they talk about his film and TV work in America, how getting the dream job of playing The Tick turned into a filming nightmare, general indifference to appearing in the greatest ever episode of Rick and Morty, screwing up your lines in front of of Keanu Reeves’ beautiful face and working with Michael Caine and wondering if you can talk about the impression you do of him. Plus why the Beatles song A Day in the Life needed to be much longer (listen here https://soundcloud.com/bren-murphy/a-full-day-in-the-life-by-peter-serafinowicz), why some accents are difficult even for Peter (not for Richard though) and both men’s not fully positive experiences of Camp America. Buy Peter’s Brian Butterfield book here - https://brianbutterfield.limitedrun.com/products/807187-theres-no-business-like-business See a live recording of RHLSTP - https://richardherring.com/rhlstp SUPPORT THE SHOW! Watch our TWITCH CHANNEL See extra content at our WEBSITE Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/rhlstp. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Book Club #116 - Somebody Told Me - Richard talks to journalist and humourist Danny Wallace about his latest book about the dangers of conspiracy theories, Somebody Told Me. They discuss how the death of Danny’s father and an odd email message prompted this dive into why people get sucked into sometimes outlandish plots and ideologies, why Covid made the whole situation worse, the friends that have gone down the rabbit hole, either for belief or for monetary gain, how it’s possible, though difficult to escape from it all, the divisions within conspiracy theorists themselves, the bot farms that add to the problem and the fears for the future that propaganda and AI may lead to. Plus find out about Richard and Danny’s first meeting! Buy the book here https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/somebody-told-me-encounters-with-liars-conspiracists-trolls-and-those-fighting-back-danny-wallace/7599038?ean=9781529931181 See RHLSTP recorded live - https://richardherring.com/rhlstp Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/rhlstp. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#536 Elephant Man Love Token - RHLSTP is back for its 30th series! Can this thing go on forever? Or does it just feel like it. Rich has had a sitcom experience with his bins and his son is disappointed with God. His returning guest is the great Peter Serafinowicz. The pair discuss Peter’s embracing of live work and technology, the return of Brian Butterfield and why Peter stayed in character for two hours after each show, using Deep Fakes on stage to bring the dead back to life, whether Abba turned up every night to do the curtain call for their hologram show, filming Sassy Trump with the guys from South Park and performing with Brian Eno in Venice. Plus which celebrity did Peter live round the corner until recently and is he able to get them on the podcast? Buy Peter’s Brian Butterfield book here - https://brianbutterfield.limitedrun.com/products/807187-theres-no-business-like-business See a live recording of RHLSTP - https://richardherring.com/rhlstp SUPPORT THE SHOW! Watch our TWITCH CHANNEL See extra content at our WEBSITE Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/rhlstp. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RETRO RHLSTP #87 - I’ve Never Stabbed Anyone…Oh No, I Have. - A tired and possibly ill Richard Herring tries to get through another podcast without vomiting on his guest, the disaster-magnet that is Janey Godley. She talks candidly about marrying the son of a Glasgow gangster, her many family tragedies and how she survived them plus how Jerry Sadowitz was almost killed at one of his first gigs, what she’d like to do with Roland Gift, witnessing horrific accidents and heart-warming scenes from daily life. Plus the Bay City Rollers, Vesta curries, working with your daughter, performing in a prison and that wonderful moment when you forget that you’ve stabbed someone. Some truly incredible stories from this brilliantly funny, mildly terrifying, but ultimately rather lovely woman. Check out her book “Handstands in the Dark”, her blog (www.janeygodley.blogspot.co.uk/) and her podcasts (www.janeygodley.podomatic.com/) SUPPORT THE SHOW! Check out our website http://rhlstp.co.uk See details of the RHLSTP tour dates http://richardherring.com/gigs Buy DVDs and Books at http://gofasterstripe.com Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/rhlstp. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Book Club #115 - The Elsie Drake Letters - Richard talks to the creator of Friday Night Dinner and Look Around You, Robert Popper, about his collection of letters from Elsie Drake (aged 104) to various unsuspecting companies and people of note. They chat about the genesis of his previous letter writing campaign, The Timewaster Letters, what made him decide to take on the persona of Britain’s sixth oldest woman, how the replies usually show the good in people, the many calls from the police and other institutions that came about as a result of the letters, whether Robert was wasting people’s time, Richard’s own attempts at spoof letters, including a campaign to legalise a sex act that is illegal for heterosexuals and a fantastic new idea for a Look Around You Movie (that will crop up again in the upcoming Peter Serafinowicz podcast) Buy the book here https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-elsie-drake-letters-aged-104-robert-popper/7697478?ean=9781399817875 See RHLSTP recorded live - https://richardherring.com/rhlstp Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/rhlstp. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#535 Rock On! - Richard is at Hull City Hall with the biggest RHLSTP audience we’ve had and he’s angry about the city claiming to have the smallest window in the country. His guest is legendary comedian and actor Tommy Cannon. They talk about how Cannon and Ball met at a welding factory, how Bobby cajoled him into forming an act and what he might have seen in Tommy, playing working men’s clubs, coming last on Opportunity Knocks and how the pair were propelled to fame in the seventies. Plus falling out and falling in, a double act being like a marriage, learning the wrong script for Emmerdale, the power of their theme song, working with Rik Mayall and Little Richard and the impact of losing your partner after sixty years. A fine end to the tour with a guest whose sprightliness belies their 85 years, See a live recording of RHLSTP - https://richardherring.com/rhlstp SUPPORT THE SHOW! Watch our TWITCH CHANNEL See extra content at our WEBSITE Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/rhlstp. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Richard was a guest on a whole other podcast - ‘Rich Beyond My Wildest Dreams’, the podcast where guests talk through all the absurd ways they’d spend a £200 million EuroMillions jackpot.  Join Sarel & Richard as they break down all of Richard’s wild plans - we’re talking... a teleportation device, a live-in dental hygienist, and paying every restaurant in London to ban James Acaster and Ed Gamble from Off Menu! Follow Rich Beyond My Wildest Dreams… On YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/ycyfv2fc  On TikTok: https://tinyurl.com/mrxtansd  On Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/ykumd329  On Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/29z8xrme  On Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/4ths7ned  Get that EuroMillions feeling every Friday with brand new episodes.  Brought to you by EuroMillions from The National Lottery and Acast Creative Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/rhlstp. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Book Club #114 - Herald of a Restless World - Richard is not the only Herring to be a published author and his niece Emily comes on the podcast to talk about her impressive book about Henri Bergson, his life and philosophy. If like Richard you only know Bergson as a punchline to a Monty Python sketch then you will get to know a lot more about this unassuming and shy man who achieved rock star status as a philosopher. Rich and Emily chat about the Bergson’s respect for laughter and comedy, his fascination and sympathy with spiritualism, how he revolutionised philosophy and why he just as quickly faded from view, his death-bed lecture and the fellow lecturer who had his own talks disrupted by Bergson’s legions of fans. Buy the book here https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/herald-of-a-restless-world-how-henri-bergson-brought-philosophy-to-the-people-emily-herring/7697499?ean=9781529371918 See RHLSTP recorded live - https://richardherring.com/rhlstp Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/rhlstp. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#534 Keenan Wayans - Richard is in Glasgow and by the time you hear this he should have an exciting announcement about a new acting role, as long as he doesn’t blow it by getting angry and slagging the show off. His guest is legendary broadcaster and comedian Fred MacAulay. They chat about why he left the world of accountancy behind to become a stand-up, resisting the temptations of post gig debauchery to go home and change nappies, skiing with Tara Palmer-Tompkinson, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, how he felt when he was unceremoniously dumped from his long-running radio show, why he’s still gigging in his sixties, the only two words that Billy Connolly ever said to Fred and running naked through a field with Al Murray. See a live recording of RHLSTP - https://richardherring.com/rhlstp SUPPORT THE SHOW! Watch our TWITCH CHANNEL See extra content at our WEBSITE Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/rhlstp. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Book Club #113 - Life Lessons From Historical Women - Richard talks to comedian and writer Eleanor Morton about her book about some notable women from history (some famous, others not so much) Life Lessons From Historical Women. Should Richard with his 2:1 in history have know about more of them than he does? Perhaps. They chat about why women (and non-royalty generally) are so badly represented in history, how history is more fun if you’re allowed to be judgemental about the clearly horrible stuff, how even stories from as recently at the 60s show how pervasive certain ideas of women can be, how Eleanor chose her 18 people/groups to write about and how the book is more serious than one might have expected (but still has plenty of funny stuff in it too). Buy the book here https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/life-lessons-from-historical-women-eleanor-morton/7670509?ean=9781804192276 See RHLSTP recorded live - https://richardherring.com/rhlstp Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/rhlstp. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#533 Eternal Wee - Richard is back in Bedford, reminiscing about his second appearance on Top of the Pops. His guest is ex-Bedford public schoolboy Al Murray. They chat about how many pints you can drink during Ravel’s Bolero, the weirdness of being sent away to boarding school at the age of 9, but the disappointing lack of psychological damage that resulted from this, how Al got into drama and comedy to meet girls, playing Charles II in a Restoration romp, pretending to machine gun trains in a World War Two plane, thirty years of the Pub Landlord and whether he caused Brexit and which PM would Al have sex with if he had to? See a live recording of RHLSTP - https://richardherring.com/rhlstp SUPPORT THE SHOW! Watch our TWITCH CHANNEL See extra content at our WEBSITE Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/rhlstp. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Book Club #112 - One Sinha Lifetime - Richard chats to doctor turned comedian and quizzer, Paul Sinha about his fantastic and heart-felt book about family, love, failure, success and getting through difficult times with positivity. They discuss how he never actually came out to his parents but their very human reaction to the news, the stereotypes of the quiz world and how they maybe miss something important, the desire to compete and win even if you’re no good at sport, the vagaries of the stand-up scene and how the same material can storm or die in the same night, turning a gay man straight, why Michael Palin has a better attitude than John Cleese and the Mastermind records of these two complete losers. Or buy the books here (quickly) - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/one-sinha-lifetime-a-bengali-boy-s-search-for-the-meaning-of-life-paul-sinha/7546634?ean=9781529908534 See RHLSTP recorded live - https://richardherring.com/rhlstp Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/rhlstp. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#532 Seat for a Sex Doll - Richard is back in Coventry where he was once scared by a picture in the Cathedral like some kind of Maurice Mitchener. His guests are Mark and Anthony from the internet sensations The Exploding Heads and also a disgruntled Colin from Portsmouth. We find out about how this age-mismatched double act got together, how the TV station they worked on seemed to have no idea what they were up to, the genius behind ex-footballer Ian Fiveankles, whether their fans can miss the irony of their material, working with Ron from Goodnight Sweetheart, crashing into the Tottenham Hotspur stadium and a potentially tactless emergency question works out OK. See the Exploding Heads on tour - http://socomedy.co.uk/artist/colin-from-portsmouth/ See a live recording of RHLSTP - https://richardherring.com/rhlstp SUPPORT THE SHOW! Watch our TWITCH CHANNEL See extra content at our WEBSITE Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/rhlstp. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

EQ: Which Celebrity Would You Like To Stroke Your Hair While You’re Dying? - It’s another EQC as the cool kids call it and this time we’re finding out about which celeb our guest celebs would like to stroke their hair, while they’re dying. Richard gets confused about his own choice, but you’ll be able to hear answers from such luminaries as Susan Calman, Milton Jones, Cariad Lloyd, Katherine Ryan and many more. It’s a surprisingly good question. Apart from when Richard answers it. See a live recording of RHLSTP - https://richardherring.com/rhlstp SUPPORT THE SHOW! Come and see us live GIGS Watch our TWITCH CHANNEL See extra content at our WEBSITE Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/rhlstp. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Book Club #111 - The Unfinished Harauld Hughes - Richard talks to the extraordinary Richard Ayoade about his incredible multi-book releases about writer Harauld Hughes (including books of his plays, films and prose) and his equally brilliant “The Fairy Tale Fan Club” kids book. They chat about the questions children ask about the stories they are told and why it’s fun to attempt to answer them, how to get Wes Anderson to narrate your audiobook (be Richard Ayoade and ask him) and why bad characters appeal to children. Plus what it’s like to be in the brain of Richard Ayoade, why he wanted to create the character of Harold Hughes, why he put himself in the book, the joy of a book that it takes a little while to tune into, another incredible audiobook and how to create parody that occasionally transcends humour, but where you come to care for the people you are mocking. How has he been allowed to do this? He definitely should have been allowed to do it, but it’s still amazing that he’s done it and that it’s available for you to read! There is also a chance to win all four of the limited edition Harauld Hughes books - rare unsigned copies too! Or buy the books here (quickly) - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-book-that-no-one-wanted-to-read-richard-ayoade/7098935?ean=9781529500752 https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-unfinished-harauld-hughes-richard-ayoade/7688891?ean=9780571377893 https://www.faber.co.uk/product/9780571393107-the-models-trilogy/ https://www.faber.co.uk/product/9780571393084-plays-prose-pieces-poetry/ https://www.faber.co.uk/product/9780571393060-four-films/ See RHLSTP recorded live - https://richardherring.com/rhlstp Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/rhlstp. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#531 Hello Pervert -  It’s the final London RHLSTP for a while and a time for goodbyes to the film crew and a very special member of the Leicester Square Theatre staff, whilst Rich discusses the rare occasions when your kids make your hard work on their behalf seem worthwhile. His guest is 8 times interviewee/interviewer in the RH universe, Adam Buxton. They discuss Milky Way adverts, Richard’s attention seeking testicle, Adam’s possibly career ending onanistic habits, Adam’s frankly inappropriate dreams about Richard’s wife, interviewing Werner Herzog, playing the Hammersmith Apollo, and who will be the last person to ever listen to one of the Herring or Buxton pods. Will it be soon or will their voices echo down the ages? Let us know if you’re the last person to ever listen. See a live recording of RHLSTP - https://richardherring.com/rhlstp SUPPORT THE SHOW! Watch our TWITCH CHANNEL See extra content at our WEBSITE Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/rhlstp. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Book Club #110 - Why Can’t I Just Enjoy Things? - Richard talks to comedian Pierre Novellie about his fabulous book (and guide book) about autism, Why Can’t I Just Enjoy Things? They chat about Richard’s disappointment of his pretty regular test scores, why people react badly or suspiciously towards people with autism and ADHD, why Richard is better than Isaac Newton, why Pierre wanted the book to be different than the excellent stand up show of the same name, how this whole project started with a heckle, why it’s OK to be obsessed with pop music or sport but not Byzantine history, how the book will be helpful for autistic and non-autistic people alike and how the cover art was chosen! Buy the book here https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/why-can-t-i-just-enjoy-things-a-neurodivergent-guy-in-a-neurotypical-world-pierre-novellie/7610702?ean=9781785121012 See Pierre on tour https://www.pierrenovellie.com/ See RHLSTP recorded live - https://richardherring.com/rhlstp Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/rhlstp. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.