Welcome back to the second part of this 450th episode special with Dara Ó Briain who returns after 10 years away from the pod. He’s best known in the UK for hosting Mock the Week and Stargazing Live as well as a legendary run on Taskmaster! His latest show “So… Where Were We?”, deals with missing body parts, a TV show he'll never do and an astonishing family revelation. The show was winner of Best Tour at the 2023 Chortle Awards and has been performed across the world. We delve into Dara's...

After 10 years, Dara Ó Briain returns to the show in this 450th episode two part special. If you need an intro, he’s best known in the UK for hosting Mock the Week and Stargazing Live as well as a legendary run on Taskmaster! His latest show “So… Where Were We?”, deals with missing body parts, a TV show he'll never do and an astonishing family revelation. The show was winner of Best Tour at the 2023 Chortle Awards and has been performed across the world. We discuss Dara’s extensive notes that...

Janine Harouni, a UK-based Lebanese-American comedian, has been hailed as 'ready for her Netflix special' by The Times. Her debut Edinburgh hour, 'Stand Up with Janine Harouni (Please Remain Seated)', earned her critical acclaim with a nomination for Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Fringe and led onto an Amazon Prime special. Her follow-up, 'Man'oushe', premiered at the 2023 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and is now embarking on a world tour. Not just confined to the stage, Janine has appeared in...

Leo Reich is a comedian and writer, with his smash debut, "Literally Who Cares?!", nominated for Best Newcomer at the Dave Comedy Awards and culminated in a sold out show at EartH Hackney, which was filmed as an HBO Special by A24!! In this episode we discuss launching a debut hour on the cusp of the pandemic, his experience working with the late Adam Brace and what's the next cultural moment to be tackled in stand-up. Join the Insiders Club at www.patreon.com/comcompod where you can WATCH...

Tomi Walamies has done over 2,000 gigs in eight different countries, appearing on television in England, Belgium, and Finland. As well as writing for the top news satires in Finland, his latest show tackles the big topics of religion, politics, racism, and homophobia. In this episode, we delve into the cultural differences between Finland and the UK, Tomi's analytical approach to stand up (and life!), and we also explore the origins of his podcast, Queer and Dumb, the mission of a straight...

Mawaan Rizwan; comedian, actor and music extraordinaire. You may know him from his stand-up which led to his hit BBC show, Juice, his viral hits that have been all over the internet and his unforgettable appearance on Taskmaster. In this episode we discuss Mawaan's childhood where failure was not an option, growing up in a world of content creation and can you be mentally healthy and still do comedy Support The Podcast at Patreon.com/ComComPod ✅ Full video and ad-free audio episodes ✅ Over...

Susie McCabe continues to be one of the fastest selling acts at the Glasgow international comedy festival, with multiple Scottish comedy awards under her belt. In this episode, we discuss Susie's meteoric rise in comedy, what it means to be "emphatically Glaswegian" and embracing the fear of failure. Support the Podcast: Join the Insiders Club at www.comedianscomedian.com/insiders where you can: Watch the full video version of this episodeGet access to ad-free audio episodesOver 16 minutes...

In the second part of this special episode, we explore the development journey of James' latest show, Hecklers Welcome, the false idea of a perfect audience and dealing with the inner-crisis of being a comedian. I also put your questions to James, where we talk all things Ghostbusters, Bo Burnham and *that* Oscars moment. Visit www.comedianscomedian.com/insiders for ad-free episodes, extra content from every show that has it, and much more including the full video version of this episode -...

He probably needs no introduction if you’re listening to this pod, James Acaster returns again!  In the first half of this two part special, we discuss embarking around the country with the Off Menu live tour, developing the phenomenally successful format for television, and why that might not be the best thing. We also delve into James’ self-produced podcast series, Springleaf, what success looks like and the forbidden topic of money… Want to watch the whole special episode in full now? Join...

443 - Harriet Dyer A whirlwind of wonderfully authentic absurdity, Harriet Dyer is a comic treasure. In this candid conversation, we discuss how she unexpectedly found her true calling, paving the way for “Trigger Warning”, a deeply powerful show rooted in the horrors committed against her and the lack of available help, which she nonetheless navigates with sensitivity, warmth and humour. We also talk about the addictive nature of comedy, its impact on personal happiness, and whether one can...

I catch up with Iliza Shlesinger, an award-winning comedian, actor, writer, producer, and author with *six* Netflix specials under her belt! We discuss merging silliness with opinionated social commentary within her new show, Hot Forever, which comes to London next month, the "gauntlet" of working within the showbiz world and performing across the world to people of different political beliefs. 20 mins of extras available exclusively to members of the Insiders Club, this includes us talking...

There’s drive, and then there’s Sikisa! Interrupting her holiday for this interview, we meet an amazing comic with a superhuman work ethic; working as an immigration lawyer, then filling her life with shows and part time work leaving her 4 hours a night to sleep. We talk about self-care, how to manage multiple shows a day at the Edinburgh Fringe, why hosting a show is like throwing a party, and why she can still feel like a failure in the middle of an ascendant career… Extras available...

“Very fulfilled as an unfulfilled comedian”, the hilarious Alistair Barrie isn’t lacking in comedy chops.  We talk about his forthcoming tour “Woke In Progress”, as well as the clash between the need for approval and a persona that denies needing approval. We discover his public school upbringing and the abandonment issues that forged his resilience, the experience of being of a generation that resists putting content out if it isn’t excellent, and his relationship with humility… 30 mins of...

In 1987, Jeff Shaw decided he was going to do comedy for a living. He meant it. With shades of “The Story Of Anvil”, this interview follows a man who has picked himself up and started again over four decades, each time achieving a version of his dream, and surviving the paradigm shifts that have accompanied his every decade in the US comedy industry. With tens of thousands of shows under his belt, and still chasing his dream, Jeff lays out his career as a standup, a comedy writer, and a...

This episode is a splash of pure sunshine, with the veteran of 1000 full-length improvised musicals in Olivier Award-winning “Showstopper!”, Ruth Bratt. She’s a supernaturally brilliant improviser and a sparkling human being, who is a) ambitiously lazy and b) feeds off the carrion of her own heart. We talk about her work with some of the biggest names in her craft; entering a waking dream state during 50-hour long improv marathon shows; getting down to the last two for Dobby in “Peep Show”;...

Nearly 12 years since his first appearance way back in episode 6, Adam Bloom joins us to celebrate the publication of his book “Finding Your Comic Genius” - an absolute treasure trove of his original and deeply technical comedy writing techniques. We talk about how his writing for and with huge comedians and celebrities over the years has honed his ability not just to write perfect punchlines, but also to share his knowledge with warmth and clarity. It’s destined to be on every comedian’s...

Co-host of The Dollop podcast and a superb comic and improviser, Gareth Reynolds is touring the UK right now! In this gold-standard episode we talk about his improv characterisation, the history of his collaboration with Dave Anthony, and how taking “The Dollop Pill” has gradually changed everything he thought he knew about America. We also get into the “robust mental health triumvirate” of improv, sports analogies and regular income, and explore his YouTube series “Ga’riffs”, in which he...

Nish Kumar is one of the most powerful and provocative voices in British stand-up comedy, and his debut special “Your Power, Your Control” is streaming now on Sky On Demand & Now TV, for those in the UK & Ireland.  He returns to the podcast to talk in depth about the creative process behind the writing of that show, the inciting incident in which a bread roll was thrown at him at a charity gig, and how that led to a media frenzy, terrifying death threats, and ultimately a total...

Most recognised for her role on Meet the Richardson’s, writer and creator of To Hull and Back (BBR4) and co-writer on C4’s Hullraisers, Lucy Beaumont is about to embark on her 2023 stand up tour. Despite her massive success, she feels like she’s only just getting started. We discuss her honest and frank writing style and processes – both in writing for herself whether it be stage or TV and for other characters – who come through to her via dead peoples’ spirits. We also delve into her...

Trigger warning: Discussion of child sexual abuse. Jonny Pelham has become one of the most disarmingly hilarious comics in the UK by building his punchlines on a bedrock of unflinching honesty. There’s a big difference between the comedy cliche of “saying the unsayable”, and being able to find the humanity and authenticity in a subject that people don’t want to talk about.  We talk about his new Edinburgh Fringe show “Optimism Over Despair”, and he leads us through the experience at that...

We finally got him! Mike Birbiglia arrives in Edinburgh for the first time this August with his smash hit new stand-up/story show “The Old Man And The Pool” and shows us why he's 'Broadway’s greatest comic storyteller' (Deadline). We talk about the minutiae of his creative process, from the rhythms of his jokes and his deft use of implication, to the glue between bits, and a walkthrough of his “process guy” process, and find out why he’s only beholden to the owner of the circus… 30 unmissable...

“I’m just a creative for an ad agency, and the only product is me…” Gianmarco Soresi is a phenomenally driven, hard-working comic whose ambition and social media savvy might rankle, if he wasn’t so utterly funny.  We talk about growing up a theatre kid and what he had to let go of to become a comic, his need to be witnessed, and his adoration of “mathematically beautiful” jokes, including his love for the one-liners of Anthony Jeselnik and Rodney Dangerfield. 20 mins of extra content...

One of the North East’s best-kept comedy secrets, Lee Kyle is a dimpled diamond with a twinkly warmth and bucket-loads of swearing. We talk about focusing on multiple projects and thriving in chaos - plus the downsides of ADHD, and how he wrestles with self-doubt and demotivation. We also discover the origins of NE comedy co-operative incubator “Felt Nowt”, and why the first minute of Lee’s set is purposefully a write-off. 20 mins of extras available exclusively to the Insiders Club, Stu asks...

Master of miscellany, Neil Delamere has a huge presence in his home country of Ireland and across the UK, boasting a style of comedy where every single second is packed full of laughs. We talk about the difference between a good comic and a great comic; the type of comedy that piques Neil’s interests; and why he thinks storytelling is the purest, and most powerful, form of entertainment. We also learn how he combats the writing process of a tour show vs an Edinburgh Fringe hour; including the...

Ingenious stand-up, actor and impressionist James Adomian’s impact is truly global, with his voice appearing on a hundred cartoons and a thousand podcasts - making him "a famous person no-one knows”. Delving deep into his character performance and how he chooses who to impersonate, James lets us in on his love for Aristophanes and his processes of tackling intelligent and academic subjects, in voices ranging from US Presidents to Slovenian philosophers, all whilst maintaining mainstream...