Warming Up

I recorded a free flowing Stone Clear this morning  which was slightly marred by the realisation that Wolfie had badly hurt her paw. As the blood was only on the kitchen floor and not on the pavement or outside I think the injury must have happened during a brief disagreement with the cat that happens right at the end of the chapter. Catie needed to take the dog to the vet and Wolfie was feeling pretty sorry for herself when I rolled in to the house at 11.30pm. 

She will be OK.

And how lucky am I that my job involves spending a couple of hours in the incredibly affable company of Bob Mortimer and end up being paid for that privilege? Very lucky is the answer.

Reading his new book, which I know you will buy without my recommendation, but which I nonetheless heartily endorse made me like the man even more than I did before, but in person he is just as modest and funny and kind. He expressed concern for my recent medical issues and even dared to claim that losing a ball was worse than open heart surgery. He is wrong about that.

And then after our private audience I got to riff with the man on stage in front of a sold out Leicester Square Theatre. The reception was intense both for the podcast returning to Monday nights and a full theatre and (a greater and longer roar) for the arrival of the great man himself. We were immediately riffing about being coiled up like a snake and retractable genitals and tiny sinks and I got the twin delights of laughing like a drain at this fabulous guest and (maybe greater) getting him to crease up with laughter too. I can’t believe that Bob isn’t recognised everywhere he goes (though he claims he isn’t) but we both agreed that remaining relatively anonymous whilst still getting to do this fabulous job is the ultimate result. It wasn’t what I was aiming for at the start of my career. But I couldn’t be happier that I missed the target.

Bob had a tiny book of jokes with him, a brilliant mixture of inventive and slightly corny, but as always with him his choice of language is so precise and seemingly effortlessly so that they made me breathless with laughter. I was surprised to hear that Bob had seen me gig years ago at the 100 Club and seen my “Do You Remember Mars Bar?” Routine that I think I did less than five times. He enjoyed how angry it had made some of the audience who were shouting “They still sell them,” as if I didn’t know that. What an honour to have Bob Mortimer fondly remember your work.

But for every reward there must be a punishment and my other guests were the Parapod nits (who, to be fair to them - which I hate to be- were actually the star attraction here, our at least they had pretty much sold out the gig before Bob’s name was announced). I’d rewatched their film this afternoon and disappointingly it’s still not shit. In fact it’s very good. Nothing would give me more pleasure than Ian Boldsworth wasting half a decade on something rubbish. But sadly he (and Barry) have done something amazing and shown what is possible if you get on with it yourself and believe in what you’re doing (even if you don’t both believe in ghosts). You can support them by go to see the film in a cinema or preordering/buying it on download from Apple/Sky etc (including that one that Barry can't pronounce or delete from his TV).

And Barry made some astonishing revelations at the end of podcast that put my one testicle to shame. You can watch it straight away by buying the live stream (which is already looking like insanely good value, especially if you become a badger).  Or wait three weeks for the podcast (two weeks for Bob’s one).

Thanks to everyone who came to this show - it was a real tonic and the live shows are just getting more enjoyable every week. There’s still tickets for all the October shows (but you’ll have to be quick for the Harry Hill/Phil Wang one) and if you’re too far away or still being cautious then get that live stream dudes. All the videos are staying up there so you can catch up on the ones you missed. All proceeds to charity.

And great news Miriam Margolyes is confirmed as a guest for the 25th October RHLSTP. I think this one could rival Brian Blessed. So BOOK NOW 

And remember if you're one of the people who were complaining I'd booked no female guests (early on when it just happened that only male guests had confirmed) then you have to play your part by actually booking tickets to see the female guests! If you want things to change you can help by putting your money where your mouth is!