RHLSTP with Richard Herring

RHLSTP Book Club #168 - Do You Believe in Ghosts? - Rich is back at the podcast to talk to fellow TWTTIN alumnus, Danny Robins about his fun and spooky kids' book “Do You Believe in Ghosts?” They chat about the amazing media empire that he's built up around his interest in spectres, how his play was partly responsible for Lily Allen's new album, whether getting kids interested in the supernatural risks sending them down conspiracy theory rabbit holes, risking his own kids' safety to put his theories to the test, the importance of an open mind with a healthy dose of scepticism, playing the Albert Hall and the power of darkness.Buy the book here - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/do-you-believe-in-ghosts-danny-robins/55ad139b21c34ac4SUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RHLSTP #597 - University of Bee-Keeping - Richard is back at the Podcast Room where he is chatting with one-liner king, Mark Simmons. They discuss the difficulties of producing a good succinct joke, how rarely Richard manages it, how the language used can serve as a hidden copyright sign in the DNA of the thing and what can be done if someone nicks a good one to make into a greetings card. Plus the perils of being the support act for a sore-throated Seann Walsh, whether the man at Pret fancied or pitied Richard, living with a poltergeist and the importance of giving your audience something to laugh at. Plus why it's fun to punctuate one-liners with patience testing nonsense. See Mark on tour - https://marksimmons.co.uk/live-dates/See RHLSTP live - http://richardherring.com/rhlstpSUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#420 Watch Out! Watch Out! - Richard has come up with a way to save the UK hundreds of millions of pounds - is it his turn to be Chancellor of the Exchequer? His guest is actor and football executive Humphrey Ker. They discuss his part in the fantastic TV show and community project “Welcome to Wrexham”, what it's like to have an entire football team laugh at you, being observed when doing a self-tape for a huge TV project, why being a giant isn't great for getting roles in the UK, what prompted the decision to make a go of it in America, being possibly the poshest person to ever appear on the podcast, why not everyone who goes to Eton is a monster, why the upper classes are obsessed with putting animals' heads on the wall and what it's like being a Humphrey.Come and see us live http://richardherring.com/rhlstpBuy Richard's new book here http://gofasterstripe.com/ballSUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RAACN - In an attempt to bring the people the REAL news, not the lies of the Mainstream Media, faded 90s almost-celebrity Richard Herring teams up with an 134 year old ventriloquist dummy, Ally Sloper to report daily (yeah right) on the stories that really matter. With reportage and interjection from other characters from Twitch of Fun, a show sadly cancelled before it could reach its 100th episode.Week 1 (week ending 30th January 2026)- Pre-Workout Workout - In the first week of this groundbreaking podcast Rich and Ally discuss Suella pivoting to Reform, Sydney Sweeney's bra-based stunt and how long Donald Trump can hope to live.Watch the videos here https://www.youtube.com/user/Herring1967 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RHLSTP Book Club #167 - Life is Rosi - Rich chats to impressionist and actor Jess Robinson about her terrific debut book, (which she describes as Anne Frank meets Bridget Jones), Life is Rosi, an ambitious true story combining the diaries of 20 something Jess with the diaries of her grandmother, Rosi. They discuss the slightly forgotten first stages of the Holocaust where Polish Jews were expelled from Germany in 1938 and how Rosi's positivity helped her to survive this turbulent period, also the echoes of history that resonate for Jewish people now (even those who are not deemed Jewish enough by Jewish dating services). Plus the similarities and differences between these two young women, the unpleasant things that a hopeful though naive Jess had to endure on her own journey (but how all of us were susceptible to creeps in our younger years), how writing about experiences that we're uncomfortable about can help others (and ourselves), why Jess wanted to apply for citizenship of a country that had treated her grandmother so badly, the universality of family and how we often fail to learn the lessons of history. Plus the huge technical achievement of combining all these stories and managing to find the humour in it all.Buy the book here - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/rosi-jess-robinson/7840560SUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RHLSTP #596 - My Presumably Scrotum - It's the final live record of RHLSTP in 2025 and Richard is worrying he might piss himself. His guest is the actor and writer Mathew Baynton. They chat about Mat's musical ambitions and the bands that his band supported, plus playing Bottom in Midsummer Night's Dream and having to cope with matinee performances full of children, the preponderance of Nepo-Second-Cousins, why eating a yoghurt with the least dignity led to one of the most memorable pieces of TV ever, why Rich has turned against the US version of Ghosts and whether the UK team might get back together soon and how they manage to stay friends through the sometimes volatile process of writing. Plus radioactive trains and potential Baynton food or fragrance possibilities and why do so many Taskmaster Champions of Champions have just one ball?See RHLSTP live http://richardherring.com/rhlstpSUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#419 Eights as Infinities - Rich has an apology to make to the prescient geniuses who voted for Brexit. His guest is therapist and advice columnist Philippa Perry. They talk about the jobs she drifted in an out of in her 20s, how she got to be a mature student thanks to having Mill Aunties, whether therapy makes or breaks a comedian, how to stay sane and how the Perry family have become a 21st Century Vision On. Richard attempts to get some free therapy and desperately looks for reasons to blame his parents for the way he's turned out and tries to find out if stone clearing is a healthy activity for him. Plus he is mocked for his small feet and hands, which I don't think is something therapists should be doing and they chat about the horrors of growing old.Come and see us live http://richardherring.com/rhlstpBuy Richard's new book here http://gofasterstripe.com/ballSUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RHLSTP Book Club #166 - Sin Bin Island - Rich meets Red Dwarf co-creator and writer for A Kick Up The Eighties, Doug Naylor to talk about his thrilling and funny new book for kids, Sinbin Island. They chat about how Doug got started in comedy, why he gave us the Chicken Song, how Galton and Simpson inspired the writing of Red Dwarf, the difficulty of getting a sci-fi sitcom off the ground and how losing a leg at the age of 7 led to a correspondence with Douglas Bader. They then talk about what inspired Sinbin Island and how it started off about being about aliens, why so many kids books revolve around orphans, the decision to make the story reassuringly old-fashioned and yet still funny and relevant, whether the story is deliberately written to be unfilmable (at least without a huge budget) and if it was inspired by Doug's own experiences at boarding school. Plus the intriguing Russian nesting dolls and what they say about free will or time travel, but let's not give too much away.Buy the book here - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/sin-bin-island-a-financial-times-children-s-book-of-the-year-from-red-dwarf-co-creator-doug-naylor-doug-naylor/3ad56d65845f8273SUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RHLSTP #595 - THE SAME DAY???? - Richard is back at the Leicester Square Theatre after completing a TV commitment. But what was the secret show he was doing? He will never tell. He's also slightly taken aback by his son's Christmas list. His guest is sarcastic TV host and best selling author and now effing podcaster, Richard Osman. Herring pitches some gameshow ideas to an unimpressed Osman and attempts to solve the Richard Osman urinal conundrum. They also chat about the strange questions that you get asked at European book events, playing the Royal Albert Hall, whether Osman will still be writing the Thursday Murder Club when he's in an old folks home, how Herring missed out on the ultimate prize on House of Games. Plus a new Spiderman based emergency question is given short shrift and would you like to live to 150 or more.See RHLSTP live http://richardherring.com/rhlstpSUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#423 Do Sniglets! - Rich is delighted about the new comedic discovery that his daughter has discovered and her enthusiasm for expressing it. His guest is comedy legend and unique brained Rich Hall. They talk about why Rich's appearance (or non-appearance) in a movie is an indicator of its failure, how he started his comedy career on the streets baptising dogs, trying to take that level of performance into clubs, working alongside Seinfeld and Larry David and making up 90 minutes of comedy every morning for David Letterman. How a successful TV appearance become an albatross round his neck, the freedom of coming to the Edinburgh Fringe and recreating national monuments out of cornflake packages, going to a funeral in character and having another success that came with negative effects, what it's like to be immortalised on the Simpsons and whether being a rebellious, self-sabotaging comedian is possible any more. Or desirable. This is an absolutely cracking chat with a master of the form and you should not miss it!Come and see us live http://richardherring.com/rhlstpBuy Richard's new book here http://gofasterstripe.com/ballSUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RHLSTP Book Club #165 - The Meaning of Liff is 42 - Richard is back at the all new Podcast Room to chat again with comedy genius John Lloyd. They discuss yet another version of the fantastic Meaning of Liff book, this time for the 42nd anniversary of the first publication. They chat about where the idea came from, how John and Douglas Adams happily collaborated on this idea, even after falling out over Hitchhiker's Guide, whether being bumped out of that project was actually the best thing for John, how money and fame never fill the hole that people who covet them hope it will fill, whether any of the definitions have achieved general acceptance, how John got Hitchhikers Guide on to the TV (even if they quickly shot him off into space), the legendary Not 1982 book that spawned the Meaning of Liff as a book (and Rich proudly brings in the copy of Not 1983 that he won at school) and how laughing til you cry at stupid ideas is one of the joys of comedy collaboration, even if the double act eventually ends in acrimony. Plus the genesis of the News Quiz, how perfectionism can lead to accusations of being difficult, why buying a yacht is a dick move and how John almost died the perfect comedy death.Buy the book here - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-meaning-of-liff-the-original-dictionary-of-things-there-should-be-words-for-douglas-adams/11921SUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RHLSTP #594 - Taekwondo in Droitwich - Richard has returned to the Bewdley Festival where he has found possibly the longest and most insignificant local news story ever. His guest is veteran comedian Carl Donnelly. They chat about how they spent the morning after the Brexit vote together, their plans for a comedian ambassador calendar, the tingling effects of Original Source shower gel, the surprising consequences of taking ayahuasca, a probable mental breakdown in Edinburgh which means Carl remembers nothing about the show that got him a Comedy Prize nomination, the complex personality of excess and sensitivity that makes Carl such a unique and brilliant stand up, why so little of his material has been filmed, taking his dead dad on stage with him every night and the difficulty of transporting ashes on planes and why it's tough for comedians to appear on bills with musicians and why actors are better at acting auditions that comedians (it's because they're actors).SUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#421 Gascoigne V Herring - Richard's daughter has firm evidence for the existence of ghosts, which is apt because Richard's guests are ghosts too!!! It's Mat and Jim from off of Ghosts and much more. There are some harsh words about the reboot of Bob the Builder and a story of actorly distress from the set of Hellboy, but then we're into a nice long chat about the genesis of Horrible Histories and Ghosts and what the team at the core of these projects saw in each other. Rich is prepared to go to great lengths for a part in Ghosts and there are some definitive answers to the ghost emergency questions, plus find out why the lovely film Bill has been overlooked, why it's nice to get an acting job near your house and what it's like to have played important roles in Peep Show. Plus a disection of the philosophy behind Ghosts and why it's a horrible show that should be taken off air immediately.Come and see us live http://richardherring.com/rhlstpBuy Richard's new book here http://gofasterstripe.com/ballSUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Best of RHLSTP 2025 - Part 3 - "The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there." But 2025 was only a week and a half ago, so you should be able to pick up most of what's going on in this final RHLSTP compilation from that era. Featuring such names as Nish Kumar, Ania Magliano, and Paul F Tompkins - and also the people those names refer to!SUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RHLSTP #593 - Polyamorous Regrets - Richard has come to the Bewdley Festival, but isn't sure the town (that he'd never heard of til he got here) should be so proud of their Prime Ministerial connections. His guest is the Edinburgh Comedy Prize winner Sam Nicoresti. They discuss Sam being heckled by Herring Junior during the 2025 Fringe (and who is to blame for that), how winning the award will pay for Sam's wedding, the possible reasons that so many older comedians seem to have jumped on the anti-trans bandwagon and whether the most embarrassing thing about this is how hack their jokes are, why Rich ran out of Sam's gig, the utterly unthreatening nature of Sam's audience, how Sam is able to tell stories that highlight the horrible stuff that trans people have to deal with, whilst being self-aware enough to mock her own foolishness and also some fun ghost stories (and sorry that you get to hear the Ernie ghost story again, but you can always fast forward). Plus it's the first gig Rich has ever done where the action is being relayed on screen for the audience. Is it strictly necessary?See Sam on tour https://www.samnicoresti.com/SUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Best of RHLSTP 2025 - Part 2 - That's right, it's time for another compilation of top RHLSTP moments from 2025 - this time featuring the likes of Tim Key (twice), Bernie Clifton (twice), and Rosie Jones (one time - but it's a good one time. In fact, all of the clips are good. That's the point.)SUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Best of RHLSTP 2025 - Part 1 - Happy old year! This is what you ought to say whenever you think about the year 2025 from now on, solely because of what an incredible year it was for RHLSTP episodes. Don't believe me? Take a listen to this beautiful compilation of episodes including Ivo Graham, Amy Gledhill, Paul Whitehouse and yes, even John Kearns. I await your rebuttal!SUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Twitch of Fun New Year's Eve 2025 Special - 6,7 - Twitch of Fun is BACK in this non-canonical episode to celebrate the end of another horrible year and to attempt to tempt some temporary temps to this zenith of Richard's work. There's an attempt to extract an apology from our most perverse character (that could be any of us), plus Henry Hippo's New Year's Resolution and Ally and Rich look back at the Coldplay couple and who we are to judge them, a Thai woman who rose from the dead, the evil plan of Labubus and Katy Perry in space. And if you time this right you get a countdown to the new year at the end. What more do you want?Pre order Right Bollock's autobiography here https://www.gofasterstripe.com/cgi-bin/w.cgi?showfull=67271Become a monthly badger here http://gofasterstripe.com/badgesLet Rich know if you want more Twitch of Fun herring1967@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stone Clearing Chapter 184. - Wake Up, Fleepyheadf - It's 11.55am on 17th December and as a Christmas treat/punishment Rich is returning to the Stocean after a 10 month absence for another Stone Clear. Will the field still be there? Will there be any stones? What medieval songs shall Richard sing? How many plastic bags will be mistake for stones? Has the Stone Stasi been lulled into a false sense of security? Will you be able to listen to him doing a wee? These questions will all be asked. Plus another victory for the Brexit ditch and a surprisingly modern attitude is revealed for a traditional stone clearer. If you're listening on the RHLSTP feed and enjoyed this then you can hear loads more that are almost exactly the same here https://www.comedy.co.uk/podcasts/stone_clearing_with_richard_herring/ or wherever you get your podcastsEmail Rich at herring1967@gmail.com (no nudes) if you want more or less of this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RHLSTP Book Club - Boxing Day Special - Right Bollock - I Right Bollock - Herring gets the interview everyone wants as he chats to debut author Right Bollock about his autobiography. Find out what it was like to be born a testicle, how RB felt when he discovered he had a brother, his perspective on some of the incidents that have made it into Herring's stand-up, how he escaped during the operation and what his aspirations for the future are. If you want to spend Boxing Day listening to a man talking to his own testicle, then this is the podcast for you.Buy the book/pamphlet available soon at https://gofasterstripe.com/cgi-bin/w.cgi?showfull=67271, or from Richard at gigsSUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christmas Treat - Happy Now? - Full Standup showAfter years of drifting aimlessly and alone, Richard Herring is now settled down with a wife and a tiny baby. Is he finally happy now? Or does responsibility for the lives of others come with its own terrors?In his twelfth solo stand up show, Richard examines whether we can ever hope to be or are meant to be truly content. If we were never unhappy would happiness have any meaning? Why do our brains force us to envision the worst possible outcomes even on a day when everything seems fine. How likely is it that Richard's baby will be skewered by a stalactite of frozen urine falling from a plane and is it really worth him wasting his time thinking about it? Does being happy mean a comedian loses his edge and true belly laughs only come from depression? How much pressure was there on Happy the dwarf to live up to his name? Is there any system that will guarantee us eternal bliss or should we just embrace the fact that life is a vale of tears and our only option is to laugh in its face?This DVD was recorded in St David's Hall, Cardiff. It captures a superb performance in front of the biggest audience of Richard's career.for more shows like this, go to gofasterstripe.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bonus Pod - Christmas Ask Me Anything - It's Christmas so as a special treat for you all, Santa has arranged that this month's pay-walled Ask Me Anything is free to all, even the poorest of children (as long as they have a device to listen to podcasts on) because it is the season. Richard answers every question he has been set, no matter how inappropriate and unChristmassy! Find out his favourite terrorist atrocity, whether he was born out of wedlock, if he would ever vote Tory, if he would eat a dinosaur egg and what gift he would have brought the baby Jesus (at last a Christmassy one!). And much more.Remember you can hear all the AMA podcasts and get loads more benefits by becoming a badger at http://gofasterstripe.com/badges (you need to pay at least £8 a month for the bonus podcasts, but there's loads of benefits at £5 a month). And you can get your question on a future ep and get a beautiful badge (and access to the podcast your question is on even if you're NOT a badger) by emailing Rich at arichardherringa@gmail.com). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#11 If You Could Go Into A Chrysalis And Emerge As Anything You Wanted, What Would It Be And Why And Also Do You Think That Says Anything About You? - Oh yes! It's another one of these Emergency Questions compilations. Can you guess which question has been selected this time? Here's a hint - the question has been asked of celebrity stars including James Acaster, Reece Shearsmith and Fern Brady... Merry Chrysalis everyone :)SUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#477 Magic Bullet - Here's a bonus remote podcast (because we're not doing enough at the moment) with superstar actor and director and now podcast documentary (if you will pocumentary) maker, Rob Reiner. With limited time, they discuss which of his films is the greatest of all time, what you need to make a perfect improvised movie, the first toilet flush on US Prime Time TV and appearing in the Batman TV series. But mostly they talk about Rob's fascinating new podcast series “Who Killed JFK?” and the flimsiness of the official account of the assassination, why it means so much to Rob and why it's important to get to the truth. Plus what it was like sharing a duplex with Albert Brooks and the moving story of remaking the Princess Bride with his dad, Carl.Listen to Who Killed JFK? here, or wherever you get your podcasts. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/who-killed-jfk/id1714611578.See RHLSTP on tour. It's such fun. http://richardherring.com/rhlstpSUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bonus Pod - Christmas EQ special - It's Christmas so in the first in a series of special treat, please welcome Rich's puppet pal Ali asking Rich a series of his own Christmas Emergency Questions. Usually this sort of thing is not for public consumption - we keep it for the most generous of Rich's supporters, but as it is the season of goodwill, everyone may listen.You can buy your own copy of the Christmas EQ book here - https://www.gofasterstripe.com/cgi-bin/w.cgi?page=search&searchterms=emergency+questionsRemember you can hear all the EQ podcasts and get loads more benefits by becoming a badger at http://gofasterstripe.com/badges (you need to pay at least £8 a month for the bonus podcasts, but there's loads of benefits at £5 a month). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RHLSTP Book Club #164 - Dianarama - Richard chats to journalist and documentary maker Andy Webb about his exhaustively researched (and lived) book Dianarama which is about the Martin Bashir interview with Princess Diana and the lies and subterfuge that were required to get it and the alleged cover up at the BBC that followed. How much did the BBC bosses know and how soon? Why hasn't it been properly investigated at the Beeb? Was Bashir's exploitation of Diana's understandable fears at least partly responsible for her death? Why did the BBC give Bashir a cushy job as late as 2016 when he had already been discredited? What has driven Andy to commit so much time to trying to get to the bottom of it all and why has he met such a wall of resistance? Does Richard's attendance at St Catherine's College Oxford mean that he might be involved somehow? Where does mad conspiracy theory end and cover up begin? Maybe only the historians of 500 years time will be able to put all the pieces together, but maybe Prince William will be able to make some headway into the weird goings on in the 1990s and the dodgy behaviour at the BBC.Buy the book here - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/dianarama-the-betrayal-of-princess-diana-andy-webb/02f9cfa4523783c7SUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RHLSTP #592 - Smell My Suit - It's another Leicester Square Theatre podcast and Rich is wondering if he's already got to the point where his kids are funnier than him (low bar). His guest is the multi-talented and almost ubiquitous Paul F Tompkins. They chat about the practical drawbacks of acting with a claw, why Mr Peanut Butter in Bojack Horseman has the same voice as Paul, the unique confidence of starting stand-up at 17 and assuming you're the best, why Paul wears a suit on stage and whether Rich should check it for freshness, the amazing Beatles-like fandom behind the long running show The Thrilling Adventure Hour and how Paul has successfully bridged old and new comedy in what he does, whether it's better to be in one episode of everything or all episodes of one thing, an exemplary display of how to answer emergency questions and one of the possible reasons why Richard isn't a more successful actor.See RHLSTP Live - https://richardherring.com/gigsSUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#418 Starfish Perineum - Rich is back to his usual chair this week and tries to influence an impossible to win bet before being joined by Victoria Coren Mitchell. They chat about the disconnect between Victoria's teenage angst and then partying with Frankie Howerd, the worst celebrity poker players, why the coughing Major should have gone for anal beads, how Victoria charmingly manages to lose money doing her Radio 4 show, how it's possible that she didn't learn to ride a bike as a child, the possible arrogance of the producers of Mary Poppins, the statue that made Victoria cry. Plus are the cracks starting to show in the Coren-Mitchell marriage? (or can the tabloids manage to spin this conversation to make it appear that they are?). Rich is over tired and starts to lose it by the end, so worth hanging around for that!Come and see us live http://richardherring.com/rhlstpBuy Richard's new book here http://gofasterstripe.com/ballSUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RHLSTP Book Club #163 - Lost On Infinity - Richard talks to Steve Punt about the book and incredible multi-media experience that he has created (along with Elaine and Matthew Sweetapple), Lost On Infinity. They have a long chat about Steve's Benjamin Button career from starting on BBC1 on the Jasper Carrott show to 26 years on the Now Show, the lessons that the rollercoaster of Weekending taught them both and whether Eric Idle might be Steve's dad. Then they discuss the long gestation period of the book and the rock opera and why it was important that for all the magic of the writing that the project was scientific, how it manages to make points about the environment and extinction without detracting from the story, whether it would be preferable to live in a world without dogs or without humans, why the ultimate goal is to create a work that can be enjoyed by all members of a family and why it's good to use language and music that pushes the reader of listener and doesn't patronise them.Buy the book here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lost-Infinity-creatures-incredible-dramatised/dp/1739263065Find out more about Rockford's Rock Opera at RockfordsRockOpera.comSUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RHLSTP #591 - Grolsch - Richard is back at the Leicester Sq Theatre and has a new moral dilemma to rival the Trolley Problem. How guest is actor, presenter, film director, author and philosopher Richard Ayoade. They discuss Ayoade's impressively varied career, why he wrongly doesn't see himself as an actor, the sleeper cult show Garth Merenghi Darkplace, being the only one of the British/Irish cast who went to America to do the IT Crowd pilot, trying not to laugh at Bob Mortimer, why there should be more 40 minute films, his fabulous book of comedy wisdom “Afterthoughts” and whether anyone watched “The Watch”.Buy Afterthoughts here - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/afterthoughts-some-pistachios-won-t-open-wisdom-for-an-unreflective-age-richard-ayoade/7893644See RHLSTP Live - https://richardherring.com/gigsSUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#417 Captain Dick - Rich and some other Londoners are only alive today thanks to his skilful driving which means he is here to interview the absolutely remarkable Anneka Rice. They discuss her new stand up career and the way she tackles serious subjects like death and Alzheimers in her radio show Anneka Has Issues, why she was recently arrested at an airport, the return of Challenge Anneka and whether there's the same community spirit that there was 30 years ago, the physical imperfection that nearly derailed her entire on screen career (despite it not existing), CB TV Channel 14 (that maybe only Richard remembers), how Anneka nearly killed a man and then considered killing her dad and what she would have to do to change her obituary photo.Come and see us live http://richardherring.com/rhlstpBuy Richard's new book here http://gofasterstripe.com/ballSUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RHLSTP Book Club #162 - The Traitors Circle - Richard talks to journalist and author Jonathan Freedland about his non-fiction thriller, The Traitors Circle, which isn't about the TV series, but the horrific consequences of failing to discover a traitor in your midst in real life. They chat about the parallels between Nazi Germany and other more recent political developments, the surprising group of people who resisted Hitler in varying degrees and the complicity of the vast majority. How one of the characters in the story was at the heart of development of mass extermination and how others were willing to go along with mass murder, the incredible luck that Hitler enjoyed in the various assassination plots that he survived, the fervour with which his supporters continued his work, even as their enemy was at the gates and how there is no justice for the traitor at the heart of the circle. Plus how in spite of the horror of the subject, the bravery and rebellion of the people who opposed the regime is an incredible positive and what effect does a subject like this have on the author.Buy the book here https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-traitors-circle-the-rebels-against-the-nazis-and-the-spy-who-betrayed-them-jonathan-freedland/7872819SUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RHLSTP #590 - Richard Osman Urinal Conundrum - Richard is at the Podcast Room in Central London, with a spare hour of studio time and Rhys James already in the hot seat, so let's do a good old-fashioned rude RHLSTP with little to no research. The pair end up discussing how poker can buy you a sofa (or just buy one), haggling too hard for picture frames with clocks in them, Rolex spoons, selling only one DVD of your comedy special (deliberately), how Rhys intends to prank the lactose intolerant, what it's like to be tall but identify as small, how to wee next to a man in a theatre toilet and what happens to Taskmaster when Greg Davies dies.Buy Rhys' book here - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/you-ll-like-it-when-you-get-there-a-life-lived-reluctantly-rhys-james/7844250SUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#416 John the Mouse - Rich has some helpful suggestions to help the footballers support LGBTQ+ rights and is amazed by the press reaction to last week's podcast. His guest is superlative stand up comedian and podcaster James Acaster. They discuss Nasty Nick's funeral, the Richard E Grant mystery, why James never retired from stand up and why he's now inviting hecklers, the weird experience of being a last minute replacement mouse in Cinderella, confusing and angering people with his fantastically funny new book “James Acaster's Guide to Quitting Social Media”, his new audio sitcom and how his brilliant routine about edgy comics has done no good at all. Plus will James agree with Richard's conjecture that all music is terrible?Buy James' book here https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/james-acaster-s-guide-to-quitting-social-media-james-acaster/6882707Listen to Springleaf here - https://www.jamesacaster.com/springleaf/Buy Richard's book here http://gofasterstripe.com/ballSUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RHLSTP Book Club #161 - Seriously Silly - The Life of Terry Jones - Richard chats to renowned comedy historian Robert Ross about his fabulous new biography of actor, writer, director and Python, Terry Jones. The topics includes what it's like to befriend a Python and how that friendship affects the writing of a biography, how comedy history can be a map for future comedians, how Jones' influence in the sketch group is perhaps underestimated, how the Python members could never have imagined that the sketch show they were embarking on would bind them for the rest of their lives, what a fine movie director he was, how he helped Rich get an A in his A level English, how his dementia affected his later years and how the new naked statue of Terry will be viewed by the people of the future.Buy the book here https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/seriously-silly-the-life-of-terry-jones-the-authorised-biography-robert-ross/4553b8f600a0191aSUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RHLSTP #589 - Dopplegängr - It's Richard's last show of the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe, but what is the Edinburgh Fringe? Luckily Liam Gallagher knows. Richard's guest is not in Oasis and is unlikely to support them after this, it's the loquacious (thank goodness for Rich) Nish Kumar. They chat about at what point you have to stop claiming to be working class, how Nish survived his tour of America unscathed and the positives he took from the experience, why both sides-ism is an unhelpful concept, how even Nish's grandma thinks he might be Jason Mantzoukas, why Taskmaster is didn't too badly when it comes to diversity, but how being in a comedy gang can be a big help in maintaining the necessary quality for a career and has Nish been in a canoe? This is the only podcast where you will find out. Thanks so much to the magnificent staff at the Stand in Edinburgh and the brilliant audiences that made this Fringe an absolute pleasure. Same time again next year?SUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#415 Mosquito in the Kitchen - Richard recalls a couple of childhood memories that can't possibly hare happened. His guest is the king of mischief and righteous anger (who is also very funny) Joe Lycett. They talk about how Joe brought down a Prime Minister, how he was almost arrested for a joke, how his spoof Sue Gray report fooled some members of parliament, how people decided what snacks Santa would be getting, the personal heartbreak behind Joe's anger about the government's reaction to Covid, why he literally talked sh*t and the extreme steps Joe is taking to try and persuade David Beckham to withdraw from his role in Qatar. This is an exceptional show which is why we are putting it out as soon as possible.Buy Joe's extraordinarily funny and beautiful special “More More More” here https://watch.joelycett.com/Buy Richard's new book here. http://gofasterstripe.com/ballSUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RHLSTP Book Club #160 - Love Triangle - It's another face to face Book Club at the Podcast Room with mathematician and gigantic nerd Matt Parker talking about his exciting book about triangles. Find out how a triangle solved a pig murder, what it's like to very briefly be the most recently published maths author and to see the work of the earliest known maths author first hand, how triangles can tell us the size of the planet or how far away a space probe is, whether bees know they are making hexagons, how Rich's dad used one of the world's first computers (though wasn't aware of sex workers), how to cut a sandwich into three equal bits and what comedy and mathematics have in common. Plus how Rich might have been a mathematician himself, but now doesn't even know calculus is for.Buy the book here https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/love-triangle-the-life-changing-magic-of-trigonometry-matt-parker/1798f7df08f9ff54See Matt on tour https://standupmaths.com/shows/See RHLSTP live http://richardherring.com/rhlstpSUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RHLSTP #588 - Edmund Hilary's Yeti Rucksack - Rich is upset about the things his wife is saying about him in her show, but never mind, he's being visited by the crew from the Cryptid Factor, Rhys Darby, Dan Schreiber and the mysterious Buttons. They chat about ghosts (a lot, given they've said they don't really talk about that), Rich trying to kill the Loch Ness Monster and what the Loch Ness Monster might actually be, whether an alien spacecraft is on the way to conquer Earth (you'll probably know one way or the other by the time this goes out and I for one welcome our alien overlords), the incredible rise of New Zealand comedians, which podcast is Dan's proper one, Button's hob-nobbing with Prime Ministers and rugby players, the improvised scenes in Flight of the Conchords and making out with Scully and why did Rich need to apologise to Rhys? - will there be time to find out?Listen to the Cryptid Factor here (or wherever you get your podcasts) - https://open.spotify.com/show/6N8YaO6bqGr7RtCMovP4HLSee RHLSTP live - https://richardherring.com/gigsSUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#413 Brian Conley's C*ck - Richard is discombobulated after returning (briefly) to Shepherd's Bush after five years away. His guest is the fantastic stand up Chris McCausland. They talk about what pushed him towards stand up and why he was reluctant initially to do too much about his blindness, nearly becoming a spy, that amazing BAFTA bit with Lee Mack, performing for Prince William, being on the Jubilee bus and and why Chris hates the name of his own tour. Plus how working hard on a panel show appearance can help your career. Who knew?See Chris on tour https://chrismccausland.com/tour/Buy Richard's new book here. http://gofasterstripe.com/ballSUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RHLSTP Book Club #159 - A Particularly Nasty Case - Richard talks to ex-doctor and best-selling author Adam Kay about his first novel, a brilliant comedy thriller, A Particularly Nasty Case. They chat about getting the fabulous Andy Serkis to do the audiobook (and why Adam was reluctant to do it himself), how Adam has lots of fans in the 8-12 year age group (including Rich's daughter) but how this is definitely not a book for them, the delicate balance of writing a whodunnit where it's possible, but not easy, to guess the who whodunnit, how Adam weaves in some serious issues into this very funny book, how welcome is having a gay protagonist where their sexuality is more or less by the by, the classism and other issues that still pervade the NHS, dealing with mental health and the importance of actually being funny in a funny book. The book is a lot of fun and also involves corpses bottoms and dominatrices and proper jokes.Buy the book here - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/a-particularly-nasty-case-the-fastest-selling-debut-thriller-of-2025-from-the-author-of-global-phenomenon-this-is-going-to-hurt-adam-kay/c7ec730812058e04SUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RHLSTP #587 - That's F***ing Bonkers - Richard is considering changing political allegiance if it can rescue his fading career, but he doesn't have to worry today - it's a sell-out crowd to see tiny keyboard wunderkind David O'Doherty. They discuss getting drunk on live TV with Dua Lipa, whether David needs therapy to unpack the different in sizes between his and his dad's instruments, how David might be at the exact right level of fame and what that means about interactions with his fans, confounding Richard Wilson, David's possible hidden superpower, why awards mean nothing if you're won them, how David saved the careers of the Flight of the Conchords and how Nish Kumar's diarrhoea proved that David's podcast idea would be a hit . Plus a human mic stand and a brilliant song from this friendly genius of a comedian. Don't miss this one.Listen to David's podcast What Did You Do Yesterday here https://open.spotify.com/show/62lFI5XAYb68cSOcOWnDI9 (or wherever you get your podcasts)See RHLSTP live http://richardherring.com/rhlstpSUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.