A History Of Comedy In Several Objects

Merry Podmas everyone! ‘Tis the Season to be jolly, and we’re celebrating with an incredibly spectacular episode, looking at a 1983 Edinburgh Fringe show featuring Rik Mayall, Andy de la Tour and Ben Elton. Your hosts Oliver Double and Elspeth Millar discuss the financial logistics of the Fringe and how much they’ve changed since then, and we have EXCLUSIVE AUDIO from interviews with JENNY LECOAT, ANDY DE LA TOUR and – wait for it – BEN ELTON! Yes, we have a bit of comedy legend BEN ELTON on the show, we absolutely bloody do! BEN ELTON!! I bet you’re wishing it could be Podmas EVERY DAY! Please Deck the iTunes Halls with boughs of 5 star reviews. And why not join our Facebook group?

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury, we are here for the case of A History Of Comedy in Several Objects versus the concept of boredom. The Prosecution (Dr Oliver Double and Elspeth Millar) will present the case of "Peter Grahame's Diary 1986". They will discuss their main evidence – the bookings diary for Downstairs at the King’s Head, one of the UK’s oldest comedy clubs. In the course of doing so, they’ll the wider context of the comedians and comedy scene of the 1980s. ORDER IN THE COURT! Olly and Elspeth interview Peter and hear about his fascinating and unique outlook on the industry and how it is changing. Do not be GUILTY of not giving us 5 Stars on iTunes (or it's a life sentence for you!).

Just about in time to catch the end of Black History Month, this episode’s object from the British Stand-Up Comedy Archive is an interview from 1990 with the late, great pioneer of black British stand-up, Felix Dexter. We place this in context by talking to two very different comedians – Ray Campbell performed as Buddy Hell on the 1980s alternative cabaret circuit, and John Simmit set up the mighty Upfront Comedy Club, helping to build the black British comedy scene for well over two decades. Both talk about their own experiences as black British stand-ups, and working with Felix, giving their impressions of him both as a comedian and as a person. Plus we might just have squeezed in a question for John about being in Teletubbies. If you like this podcast, please tell your friends, share on social media, and leave us a 5* review on iTunes.

The recent film Funny Cow uses one of the late, great Linda Smith’s signature jokes without permission or attribution. In this episode, Elspeth and Olly look through Linda’s old set-lists and unpublished recordings going back to the 1980s to trace the origins of the joke, and look into how it fits into her development as a comedian. You’ll hear different versions of the gag at different points in her career, to show how it changed and developed. It’s still quoted as one of Linda’s best jokes today. So what is the gag? All I’ll say is if you’re a fan of Linda’s – and not so much of her home town Erith – you probably already know it. In any case, listen to the episode and find out. Why not follow us on Facebook or Twitter @HistComPod? And maybe leave us a 5 star review on iTunes?

It’s episode 31 we’re cookin’! All you cats are gonna flip your lids and razz your berries as Elspeth and Olly discuss the craziest beatnik the 1980s had to offer in, er, Newcastle. Yes, it’s the one and only Cabaret a Go Go! Dig? Check out our interview with its founder, Ray Campbell (AKA Buddy Hell), who looks through a whole stack of Cabaret a Go Go posters and talks about how it fitted into the scene in the North East. If you’re interested in provincial alternative comedy, this episode’s for you. It’s hip, it’s a gas, it’s neat-o,! Why not follow us on Facebook or Twitter @HistComPod? And maybe leave us a 5 star review on iTunes? Later, daddy-O!

HistComPod has hit the BIG THREE-OH! Yes, it’s episode 30, and we’re celebrating by picking out our most iconic comedy object yet! What is it? It’s only TOMMY COOPER’S FEZ, that’s what it is! This piece of comedic headgear was given to the cartoonist Giles, and now resides in the British Cartoon Archive. So we use this episode to discuss connections between comedians and cartoonists, going right back to Dan Leno’s Comic Journal in the late 19th Century. We also look at some relevant objects from the British Stand-Up Comedy Archive, including a copy of The Dandy featuring a Harry Hill comic strip, and a storyboard for Harry’s TV work. Why not follow us on Facebook or Twitter @HistComPod? And maybe leave us a 5 star review on iTunes?

Here’s A History of Comedy in Several Objects,

Let’s look in the archive to see what we’ve got next.

Your hosts are Olly Double and Elspeth Millar,

It’s full of content, we’ve got no filler.

This special episode is about punk poets,

We have exclusive interviews and can’t wait to show it.

We talk to Mark Hurst and see Attila’s notebook,

Discuss the ranting scene and the careers they took.

Take the time to follow us @HistComPod online,

You’ll find extra content and tweets so fine,

Why not give us a 5 Star iTunes review?

Next month we’ll have another funny object for you.

Choo Choo! Welcome aboard the Podcast Express to A History Of Comedy In Several Objects. Your conductors for the trip will be Dr Oliver Double and Elspeth Millar. In this episode, everybody will feel like they are in First Class when they listen to our exclusive interview with Ivor Dembina about the 1980s alternative comedy scene, and how his Pranksters organisation helped it to spread and grow. You’ll hear him go through the first edition of the Pranksters catalogue and discuss all the acts it contains. Some are names you’ll recognise (e.g. the Oblivion Boys, Lee Cornes, Jenny Éclair, Clive Anderson, Ronnie Golden, John Hegley) and some even Ivor can’t remember (e.g. Christians from Outer Space). This is 12:28 train to Funsville, making stops at Interesting Town, History City and Analysis Central. Instead of buying over-priced snacks, why don't you pay us a visit on iTunes and give us a 5 Star Review. Mind The Gap when you get off (The Gap is about a month apart).

Hello (HELLO, Hello, hello…) and welcome to Episode 27 of A History of Comedy in Several Objects (OBJECTS, Objects, objects…). In this very special episode we visit a unique comedy club called the Cave Of Harmony (is there an echo in here?), in which only female audiences and performers were allowed. Your hosts Oliver Double(Double, double…) and Elspeth Millar (Millar, millar…)discuss how this club operated and what it may be like to be part of the audience when watching terrific females acts in the alternative comedy scene at that time. Remember you can follow us on Social Media on @HistComPod and why don’t you give us 5 stars on iTunes? (Why don’t you give us 5 Stars on iTunes!)

Hello [REDACTED]! Welcome to Episode 26 of A History of Comedy in Several Objects, the best mother[REDACTED] historically focused comedy analysis podcast around! In this episode Elspeth and Olly talk about the Lord Chamberlain’s blue pencil, which would edit the material that variety comedians used, thus making it legal to perform. They couldn’t say words like [REDACTED] or [REDACTED]. Especially not [REDACTED] [REDACTED] into his [REDACTED]. It’s a great episode about the culture, society and the comedy of mid-20th Century Britain, as well as looking at legendary acts like Max Miller and Tommy Trinder and their approaches to censorship.

You [REDACTED]ers can follow us on @HistComPod and send us an email to [email protected]. Remember to give us 5 [REDACTED] stars on iTunes as well. Don’t be a [REDACTED], do it today. Share the podcast around too! Apologies for our [REDACTED] potty-mouth.