I've been trying to land some big names for the next run of RHLSTP (rhlstp), though due to their busy schedules it's been proving hard to pin them down. So I was delighted this morning with the news that Stephen Fry is going to be my guest on June 3rd. This is a tremendous boost for the podcast and of course the tickets sold out in double quick time. But if you missed out you'll still be able to see the show as it (and the rest of the series) will be available as a paid video download (the audio will still be free). I have been pretty certain up to now that me and Chris Evans (not that one) will lose money on this particular enterprise, but with guests like this (and Chris Addison, the only other confirmed interviewee so far) then maybe we can tempt enough people to pay a small fee. We're still working on the logistics, but I think we're looking at charging about £3.50 per episode or £15 (maybe a bit more) for all six (with the footage from the Pappys podcast thrown in as a free bonus). If everyone who listened to the audio podcast downloaded even just one episode of the video one then we'd have a workable business model and be able to plough the money back into making more comedy. It's an exciting idea and it may not come to anything. But I always think it's important to make the thing you're doing an end in itself. We will at least have a cool series of six filmed podcasts. If we lose money on it then we probably won't do any more in this way, but we will at least have those. I am delighted to be working with gofasterstripe, a business that cares more about the product than their profit. It's an attitude which means their products are awesome and thus more likely to make a profit, but not all of them do. Chris Evans (not that one) is happy to take a punt on anything that sounds like it might be fun, but has a great sense of what is good. It's such an attitude that is missing from much TV comedy at the moment and this ultimately might be the reason why internet comedy flourishes. Who knows? Let's enjoy the ride.
But I do think there's an important lesson in there for aspiring (and established) comics. There seems to be an attitude of "What will I get out of this?" in many acts. Why do Edinburgh? What will I get out of it? Why do a free podcast? What's in it for me? Whilst we can't just ignore the financial part of life I think the key to success is to do the things you do for their own sake. If anything else comes out of it (which it might well do if you do the things well) then that's a bonus. But don't go to Edinburgh with any other intention than to do the best you can do with your show. That's the point and that's the reward. Even if the thing is bad then the reward is that learning experience. It's all easier said than done and I certainly didn't used to think that way and on some level it's probably impossible not to be considering the future. But whilst some people are doing Edinburgh and podcasts to get on TV, I have discovered that doing Edinburgh and podcasts are ends in themselves and it's possible that by bypassing the idea of TV altogether (or having the good fortune that I've experienced where TV largely bypasses you) that you might get somewhere else with more autonomy and freedom.
But even if you don't. The thing you've done is the reward.
Please let me on the telly, I just want to be on the telly.
But I am very excited about meeting and interviewing Stephen Fry, who is one of my childhood heroes and the news buoyed me up a great deal. Of course life conspired to give me some bad news in the afternoon just to balance things up, but I had a lovely gig in Bristol (and I am there for the next two nights and we're adding extra seats to cope with demand) so all in all I came out up.
We're staying in Cheddar and mum had prepared a supper of bread and cheese and ham and wine. "There's also some lager," she told us, opening the fridge to reveal four cans of Special Brew. Giles and I laughed at being offered this beer. The only person I've ever seen drinking this who lives indoors is Paul Putner. I think it might have been a bit of a jolt to the system to wind down with a couple of cans of this. But my mum didn't know of its reputation and I think had bought us this particular brand because it had the word "Special" on it. It was quite sweet. Like we were special so she'd got us the special lager. You'd think whoever sold it to her might have quietly questioned whether she actually wanted this rocket fuel for tramps and pushed her in the direction of some weaker lager. But the Special Brew is sitting in the fridge and my mum will be very offended if Giles and me don't drink it over this weekend.
If you ever see me living on the streets then you'll know where it all began.
And if you're coming to the Fringe tickets for both my shows are now on sale. Weekends and the 2 for 1 nights are likely to sell in advance so
book now.
