4603/17262
This seventh series of RHLSTP continues to be quietly extraordinary, thanks pretty much exclusively to the quality of guests that I am getting. Tonight was a triumvirate of comedy writing and performing genius, with Rob Delaney and Sharon Horgan followed by Jessica Hynes. I was left in awe of their dedication and skill. Catastrophe might well be the best “UK” sitcom of the decade (Sharon was born here, though is of Irish and New Zealand descent and Rob is resolutely American, made, I believe, in a factory that creates the most American looking people possible) and Jessica is an unstoppable force of creativity in all kinds of comedic genre. The more I do these shows the less I feel aggrieved that my comedy career has not reached the heights that I once hoped for it. As hard as I work (mainly on stupid rubbish that will get me nowhere), these people have a focus and drive that leaves me spinning. And they all have families too. How the Hell do they manage it (unless they are all made in factories and have clones to help ease the workload)?
Jessica was supposed to be on first, but she was recording a TV show out in Pinewood and then being biked over to us and as the others had arrived early we flipped the order, which probably worked well. Rob and Sharon were lively and rude and I had some fun talking about their sexual chemistry and encouraging them to leave their families for each other. As usual in my attempts to get them to open up by being brutally honest about my own idiocy I mainly embarrassed myself and not them, but this is my job and I am happy to take it on.
The interview with Jessica was less raucous and more considered and insightful about the creative process. There were still lots of funny bits, but as is often the case, having had lots of laughs in the first one the audience is ready to listen to stuff in the second. I was pretty tired as it’s mentally exhausting talking to clever people for this long, but Jessica had lots to say luckily. I forgot to ask any of them to write a character of a postman in their next sitcoms for me to play and also forgot to get Rob and Sharon to sign my Lanister notebook. But hopefully I will see them again, if they’re not too busy with their world smash-hit sitcom without a postman in it.
These ones won’t be out until August, but there are still tickets left for the next two recordings. Next week’s guests are Bridget Christie and Brett Goldstein and it will be Al Murray + TBC on the 20th. Limmy and Joe Lycett on the 27th is sold out. Get your tickets here.
Also you can now see the leaflet for “The Twelve Shows of Herring” in the downloads section (fantastic work from Steves Brown and Newman) And you can buy your tickets here. My fear is that I am going to spend the next two months working up all these shows and only tiny audiences are going to come and see me. But maybe that would be apt.
