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The new fitness regime seems to be paying dividends because even though I have been up early for three days running I still had the energy to complete two long RHLSTP interviews, in a very hot hot room, without feeling my eyes droop. To be fair I had two cracking guests and an audience that stayed engaged and focused despite being inside a sauna.
I largely missed out on seemingly the first hot day of the year, staying inside and doing my prep, but I did manage my mid-afternoon meal (I am supposed to have four meals a day, but am struggling to work out when to have them) out in the back garden with my wife.
I was keeping up with the ridiculous news which continues at a pace, spreading death and destruction and terrible political decisions. I am with Jeremy Corbyn on Trident (though less sure that he should stay on as leader, but I have to admire his persistence which threatens to outdo my own). One of the good things about Brexit is that the UK is so badly damaged that I can’t see any foreign power wanting to invade it, or waste expensive nuclear missiles blowing it up. Do we need Trident? I don’t think we do. From what I hear the weapons and submarines we already have are adequate anyway and do they protect us anyway? I feel the same about nuclear weapons as I do about guns: there seems more chance of them accidentally killing the people who own them in some kind of accident or theft than them helping us out. And they cost a hell of a lot of money. We’re told we have to tighten our belts, but there’s money for this? Seems crazy.
Surely all we need is Schrodinger's Trident. A sub that may or may not have nuclear warheads. Not even the crew know. Maybe only the Prime Minister knows for sure if they are real or dud. Still too much of a risk to attack us surely. The only way you’d know that they weren’t real is if the NHS still existed and was thriving.
Mondays are always such fun whilst RHLSTP is on and the high standard of this series continued with two fabulous guests who showed who funny and thoughtful comedians can be. Russell Kane has a lot of unjust prejudice directed at him, but if you are a doubter I think this podcast (released surely after the world has destroyed itself) will turn you around. I particularly like the way he talks about turning criticism into creativity and with how he is actually flattered to be the subject of a seemingly unflattering Stewart Lee routine.
Both these guests are terrifyingly prolific and Tim Minchin has come a long way since his first RHLSTP appearance (I am not saying he owes all of that to me, only maybe 85%). We bring out the absolute best worst in each other and I like him very much. I’d listened back to the first podcast and been surprised by how much things had changed, but also how sharp I was back in 2012. But actually I think part of it might just be a good chemistry with Tim. We both understand where the other is going and when something mean is just a joke, but we also delight in being naughty little forty-something boys. He is filled with excitement and dread about his latest musical “Groundhog Day” which I am massively looking forwards to. I am sure it will be a hit, but the months of flying back and forth between the US, UK and Australia, plus the uncertainty about how four years of unpaid work would be received were clearly playing on his mind. It made me glad that my own productivity is largely fed into stupid projects that no one has anything really riding on, but he is an amazing brain and a lovely man and I would liked to have talked to him until the morning.
What an inspiring couple of conversations and a reminder to all those who complain about why they aren’t doing better (I am looking at you 2012 Richard Herring) about how hard you have to work, even if you do have the necessary skill.
You’ll have to wait a bit for these to come out, but they will be worth the wait. Unless the world is destroyed. In which case you should have come along to see it live.
One more chance to see RHLSTP before October with the final show in the series with Elis James and TBC next Monday. Support us by coming to see the show live if you can. If not there will be a big kickstarter in a month or so in which we try to raise enough money to pay for this year's 34 video episodes.
