Unusual Histories

For this episode, you get 2 stars for the price of 1. Danny is joined by comedians Paul Ricketts and Steve Gribbin, the co-hosts of “You Should´ve Been Here Last Week”, an irreverent show that pulls back the curtain on the world of professional comedy. This episode is packed with often funny, sometimes hair-raising, stories about gigs that took an unexpected turn, including coked up audiences, the police being called, flashers and a very saucy ping pong (wiff-waff) related story.

Danny, Paul and Steve´s conversation provides a great insight into what it is really like to work on the modern comedy circuit.

If you can´t get enough of these podcasts, head to https://www.patreon.com/DannyHurst to access my exclusive, member-only, fun-filled and fact-packed history-related videos.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Inspiration for the best comedy comes from some odd places e.g. Paul and Steve´s play about the origins of Monopoly.

The comedy game has changed radically in the past couple of decades.

The fact that comedians have a huge vocabulary for gigs not going well is a strong indicator of how hard stand-up can be.

Going out and taking a look at your audience before a performance is an easy way to make yourself more nervous.

The weirdness has gone out of the comedy circuit. These days, there are very few weird acts.

Covid forced comics to learn new skills and do things differently.

BEST MOMENTS

“There were a lot of comic´s podcast that were just talking to each other, trying to wedge material into what sounded like a conversation, but wasn't.”

“You don't leave comedy. Comedy leaves you, as in the older you get. There is a kind of prejudice against older comics.”

“I go the other way; I lie about my age.”

“They were coked out of their heads.”

“The longer you stay in comedy, the less friends you are going to have.”

“I was a Gorilla Gram.”

“That's a good way to end with a lovely image of someone playing ping pong with their c**k.”

EPISODE RESOURCES

Comedians Theatre Company presents - Name Of The Game (Rehearsed Reading via Zoom, March 2021)

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/you-shouldve-been-here-last-week/id1679451158

Danny´s Monopoly History Series episode 1 - https://podcasts.apple.com/es/podcast/the-monopoly-series-the-board-games-surprising/id1723833083?i=1000642032881

HOST BIO

Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can.

CONTACT AND SOCIALS

https://instagram.com/dannyjhurst

facebook.com/danny.hurst.9638

https://twitter.com/dannyhurst

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

For this episode, Danny is joined by the legendary cult singer-songwriter John Otway. John gained recognition in the 70s with his collaborations with Wild Willie Barrett, with whom he made his legendary appearance on The Old Grey Whistle Test, famously hurting himself rather dramatically in the process.

He is known for his unpredictability on and off stage, his incredible relationship with his fan base and his famous double guitar. Over the course of 5,000+ gigs and TV appearances, he has worked with performers as diverse as Wild Willie Barrett, Attila the Stockbroker and Richard Holgarth. His autobiography - Cor Baby That's Really Me - Rock and Roll's Greatest Failure is available on Amazon and Otway - The Movie is also available to watch online.

If you can´t get enough of these podcasts, head to https://www.patreon.com/DannyHurst to access my exclusive, member-only, fun-filled and fact-packed history-related videos.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

John has played most of London´s rock venues, including The Roundhouse and The Rock Garden. As well as the London Palladium and The Albert Hall.

Throughout his career he has continued to play pub gigs.

Elton John introduced John on Top Of The Pops.

Unlike many London performers, John “crossed the river”.

Being left-handed is part of the reason John is able to play his unique double-necked guitar.

John´s excruciatingly painful accident on The Old Grey Whistle Test led to overnight stardom.

John appeared in Heartbeat.

John had to wait 25 years for his 2nd hit single.

John uses crowdfunding to do things no record label would pay for and to gig in some weird places.

During Coid, his Facebook Live gig got 10,000 attendees. That gig´s T-shirt sales kept food on the table.

BEST MOMENTS

“My life or career has been gigging. In about 2022, I did my 5,000th gig.”

“I celebrated my second hit at the London Palladium and headlined the Albert Hall.”

“Being shocking and sounding awful became in vogue.”

“By leaping on the amp and crushing my testicles on it, I also unplugged it, which basically ruined his (Willie´s) guitar.”

“It's micro-stardom, but it is stardom.”

EPISODE RESOURCES

Movie - https://vimeopro.com/otwaythemovie/movie/video/403710383

Book - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cor-Baby-Thats-Really-Me/dp/0956434304

HOST BIO

Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can.

CONTACT AND SOCIALS

https://instagram.com/dannyjhurst

facebook.com/danny.hurst.9638

https://twitter.com/dannyhurst

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

For this episode, Danny is joined by Mark Baxter, a South London storyteller who's part author, producer, screenwriter, and full-on creative maverick. From writing 12 books, including 'Walworth Through Time', to producing documentaries about music legends like Paul Weller, Bax has turned his working-class curiosity into a remarkable career.

He explains how a redundant print worker transformed himself into a chronicler of underground culture. His stories will make you laugh, think, and see London through new eyes.

If you can´t get enough of these podcasts, head to https://www.patreon.com/DannyHurst to access my exclusive, member-only, fun-filled, and fact-packed history-related videos.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Sometimes your side hustle can become your main career.

When traditional career paths collapse, your adaptability and willingness to learn new skills will open up unexpected opportunities.

Don't be intimidated by the writing process. Start rough and keep rewriting.

Write about the minutia of life. Every life has something unique and therefore interesting in it.

Persistence pays off.

Self-publishing and believing in your work can lead to unexpected success.

Even during challenging times e.g. illness, maintaining a creative spirit and adapting your work pace helps to maintain purpose and momentum.

Hometown changes aren't something to mourn – appreciate the evolution and find new meaning in familiar spaces.

The most compelling narratives are often about overlooked people and hidden stories.

BEST MOMENTS

"I was always known as a bit of a mumper."

"My first draft was like something out of Blue Peter, I was just literally cutting and pasting ideas on a bit of paper, then writing a bit. I had no idea what I was doing."

"They were talking to me, the characters. I was going slightly mad."

"I´ve got long COVID… I’m not ill but I haven´t got the energy…so, I’m picking my battles."

“I always steep myself in culture.”

“It's real tribal Southeast London.”

"London isn't quite what it was to me. It used to be a playground for me."

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Mark-Baxter/author/B0034Q2SRK

https://monomediafilms.london

https://www.instagram.com/mumperbax

"The House by the Thames" by Julia Tyndall - https://www.amazon.co.uk/House-by-Thames-Julia-Tyndall/dp/0141015950

HOST BIO

Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can.

CONTACT AND SOCIALS

https://instagram.com/dannyjhurst

facebook.com/danny.hurst.9638

https://twitter.com/dannyhurst

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

In this episode, Danny is joined by comedian, actor, author and comedy writer Dave Thompson. Dave has appeared in a number of TV shows, often with Harry Hill in various guises. He's also written for several shows, including Kelsey Grammer Presents The Sketch Show, and for a number of other comics, including Stuart Lee and Omid Djalili. He's appeared in Ben Elton's film Maybe Baby, and is a regular on the stand-up circuit, making headlines after being sacked from his role as the original Tinky Winky in the Teletubbies for being told that his interpretation of the role was "not acceptable."

After spending several years working as a Drama Movement Therapist, Dave became a stand-up comic. He shares his interesting journey, including how raising his autistic daughter changed his outlook on life, as well as some funny stories about his celebrity life.

If you can´t get enough of these podcasts, head to https://www.patreon.com/DannyHurst to access my exclusive, member-only, fun-filled and fact-packed history-related videos.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Stand-up comedy used to be a good way of opening the door to acting.

Now, it's far harder to make money as a stand-up. Some people have spent 5 years only doing unpaid gigs. Some even more.

Increasingly, performing abroad is more lucrative.

Wearing a furry costume on a children's TV set makes no difference to how funny Dave is as a stand-up comedian, yet it has opened lots of doors.

Teletubbies fans everywhere want to be photographed with Dave, especially in Asia and India

Heckling comics is a very Anglo-Saxon thing.

Most comics are quite different in their day-to-day life.

BEST MOMENTS

“We´ll get to Tinky Winky in a minute.”

“I'm an aristocrat stuck in a peasant's body.”

"I was sh**t, for at least the first 10 years of my stand-up comedy career, but I only did 4 unpaid guest spots before I got my first paid set."

“Lots of truth in it (Dave’s book), but nothing that would get me sued.”

“I entertain drunk people who don't care about me as a substitute for love.”

EPISODE RESOURCES

http://www.davethompson.org.uk

The Sex Life of a Comedian - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sex-Life-Comedian-Dave-Thompson/dp/1447695151/

Harry Hill´s Fruit Fancies - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD5MJt6hf8OcseMKXER2Jg6uhxOytRKdA

HOST BIO

Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can.

CONTACT AND SOCIALS

https://instagram.com/dannyjhurst

facebook.com/danny.hurst.9638

https://twitter.com/dannyhurst

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

For this episode Danny Hurst is joined by John Ryan who describes himself as a men´s health comedian, healthcare professional and podcaster who has won multiple awards, including the Scottish Mental Health and Arts Film Festival Best Short Documentary Award and the NHS Regional Health and Social Care Award for Mental Health and Well-being. He has performed extensively across the UK and abroad, hosts a radio show, and has had a research paper published in a psychiatric journal. He runs the website "Happy to Health" with his partner Natasha Donovan, and does extensive work in healthcare, including TED talks and presentations.

If you can´t get enough of these podcasts, head to https://www.patreon.com/DannyHurst to access my exclusive, member-only, fun-filled and fact-packed history-related videos.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

A lot of people on the comedy circuit are quite vulnerable.

Being a comic is challenging. Often, the pay is poor, so it is hard for comedians to make a steady living and be financially secure in older age.

John grew up in a very ethnically mixed part of Hackney, which gave him a lifelong love of different cultures.

As a kid, John noticed that a lot of the men in his Irish family died a lot younger than other men, which fuelled his interest in men´s mental health.

Most men´s sexual health issues are connected to poor mental health.

Society still encourages men to take risks and push themselves beyond healthy limits. Making it hard to live a balanced life.

Creating a safe physical space helps men to open up and talk more.

Banter can do more damage than you realise.

Humour breaks down barriers and helps people to open up and talk.

Talking protects your mental health.

Aim for contentment in life.

BEST MOMENTS

“I always wanted to find a way to bridge the gap between comedy, communications and men's health.”

“Rowdy. But, you know, rowdy, you can out shout them, out shock them, or just go quiet.”

“I managed to talk my way out of it by putting on a silly accent and pretending I was an Orient fan.”

“Health is the real leveller, whether you are black, white, Asian, Chinese.”

“Life is about learning to let go of unnecessary items.”

“We are trying to take haha to aha.”

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.instagram.com/comedyjohnryan

https://happytohealthyou.com

HOST BIO

Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can.

CONTACT AND SOCIALS

https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638

https://twitter.com/dannyhurst 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

For this episode, Danny is privileged to be joined by actor, puppeteer, co-founder of the London School of Puppetry and president of the British Puppet Guild - Ronnie Le Drew. Ronnie has worked in theatre, television and film for many decades. His movie credits include The Naked Runner with Frank Sinatra, Little Shop of Horrors, The Muppets Treasure Island, Labyrinth and the live-action Beauty and the Beast. To people in the know however, he is most famous for Zippy from Rainbow, which is indisputably the greatest TV show in history and Danny'll fight anyone who disagrees with that. 

If you want to gain an insight into why puppets engage adults as well as kids on a level that no other form of entertainment does and how this ancient performance art continues to evolve to appeal to new audiences, listen in. Some of the places Ronnie performs are sure to surprise you.

If you can´t get enough of these podcasts, head to https://www.patreon.com/DannyHurst to access my exclusive, member-only, fun-filled and fact-packed history-related videos.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Ronnie learned basic puppet skills playing with toy puppets.
• Ronnie was small and couldn´t sing or dance but wanted to work in theatre, so he decided to fulfill his dream through puppetry.
• When Ronnie performs with Muffin The Mule, he borrows his granddaughter´s puppet.
• In some countries you can study puppetry at degree level.
• Punch and Judy performances continue and are evolving.
• TV fed Ronnie´s career rather than ruined it.
• Ronnie was Tom Hanks's body double...not in the way you think.
• Ronnie is now very popular at Comic Con.
• Throughout the decades Rainbow has remained popular and as a result Ronnie has appeared with Zippy in some very unexpected ways e.g. Late-night university parties, which attracted large crowds of students.
• The rude episode of Rainbow was filmed in about 3 minutes.

BEST MOMENTS

"All 5 of the audience had crept out. They were bored out of their minds, but I was having a ball."

"I got a phone call from Henson saying we would like to use me on Labyrinth."

"I was Tom Hanks's body double."

“We used to lark around – Bungle, Zippy, and George  - in bed...very naughty."

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.facebook.com/ronnie.ledrew

Book - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Zippy-Me-Inside-Britains-Infamous/dp/178352698X

HOST BIO

Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can.

CONTACT AND SOCIALS

https://instagram.com/dannyjhurst
facebook.com/danny.hurst.9638

https://twitter.com/dannyhurst 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Today, Danny is joined by the singer-songwriter, producer, screenwriter and journalist Geoff Deane. He was the front man of the new wave band The Leyton Buzzards and the original front man of Modern Romance. Geoff wrote for other artists, including Divine, who he toured with and wrote "You Think You're a Man" for. As a writer, Geoff contributed to The Face and Arena magazines and co-wrote several TV shows including Birds of a Feather, Tonight with Jonathan Ross and the film Kinky Boots. His memoir, “From Mohair Suits to Kinky Boots” is a best seller.

Danny and Geoff discuss his upbringing in multi-cultural Hackney, his musical influences, the role art, fashion and film played and how it all influenced the way society evolved. 

If you can´t get enough of these podcasts, head to https://www.patreon.com/DannyHurst to access my exclusive, member-only, fun-filled and fact-packed history-related videos.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Hackney was working-class, and rents were low, which drew in each wave of new immigrants and made it culturally rich.
• At the age of 9 Geoff´s mum entered him into a talent contest at the Hackney Empire.
• Musicians have always broken-down social barriers e.g. David Bowie and homosexuality.
• Surprisingly, blending rap with salsa resulted in Modern Romance making it big in America.
• Ay Ay Ay Moosey was written as a thank you to his cousin Moose.
• Geoff will try anything, including working as a nightclub singer in Spain.
• You are never too old to explore new creative avenues.
• Today, it´s easier for musicians to get exposure, but the level of competition makes it harder to have a long career.
• Unlike music, comedy demands a response.

BEST MOMENTS

“Stay away from bad women and stay out of the desert.”

“Building vertically instead of horizontally eradicated everything that was good … no community.”

“There´s a jar full of Amy Winehouse’s fag ends.”

“It must have been quite subversive at the time, not liking the Beatles.”

“The relationship between skinheads, suedeheads and black people was kind of like an uneasy alliance.”

“That buzz has been going on all my life.”

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.instagram.com/geoffdeane

Geoff´s Book - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mohair-Suits-Kinky-Boots-Clothes-ebook/dp/B0D9W6RP7P

Geoff´s son´s music - https://www.tiktok.com/@gotaloudmouth

HOST BIO

Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can.

CONTACT AND SOCIALS

https://instagram.com/dannyjhurst
facebook.com/danny.hurst.9638

https://twitter.com/dannyhurst 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

In this episode Danny is joined by the legendary Rowland Rivron, comedy actor, writer, TV/radio presenter and drummer who is best known for his work with French and Saunders, The Comic Strip Presents and for being a showbiz maverick.

Rowland shares stories from his varied career. He covers his unique upbringing, the quirks of his name, and the making of his autobiography. Listeners get a candid, funny, and insightful look at British comedy, music and the unpredictable moments that shaped Rowland’s life.

If you can´t get enough of these podcasts, head to https://www.patreon.com/DannyHurst to access my exclusive, member-only, fun-filled and fact-packed history-related videos.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Rowland had a penalty shoot-out with Diana Ross in a bedroom at The Ritz.
• Living with Rik Mayall was a bit crazy.
• Rowland once interviewed Patrick Swayze while he was taking a shower.
• Interviewing Spike Milligan was hard work.
• Show business looks glamorous, but in reality it is a mix of excitement, routine, and unpredictability.
• Even successful performers experience both the thrill of live performance and the tedium of repetitive gigs.
• Showbiz is full of last-minute changes and the need to adapt quickly—e.g. learning an entire musical’s drum parts with no rehearsal.
• Success in showbiz is shaped as much by chance encounters, personal quirks, and resilience as by talent or planning.

BEST MOMENTS

“How does a penalty shoot-out in Diana Ross’ bedroom occur?”

“I did a massive faux pas with Mel Brooks.”

“I walked into a gig and had walked into an armed siege.”

“All of the tables were shaped like coffins.”

“ I'd actually fallen out of the gig and I had to queue up to get back in and back on stage to carry on playing.”

“I'm left-handed, dyslexic, and word blind, so I can't learn lines to save my life.”

“The first night I did it … the show finished half an hour early because I was speeding up and panicking.”

“By about the fourth or fifth day, I was completely bored… and stopped drumming.”

“We did a bastardised version of Desert Island Discs.”

“I didn’t go on holiday for about 20 years. I was just completely enjoying myself. I didn’t want to do anything else.”

EPISODE RESOURCES

Book - https://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Did-Last-Night-accidental-ebook/dp/B004LROP04

https://x.com/rowlandrivron

HOST BIO

Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can.

CONTACT AND SOCIALS

https://instagram.com/dannyjhurst
facebook.com/danny.hurst.9638

https://twitter.com/dannyhurst 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

In this episode Danny is joined by writer, musician, author, playwright and comedian John Dowie. One of only a handful of comedians who are genuinely original, John has been described as "the most influential comic you've never heard of." During a remarkable career, he's opened for Black Sabbath, toured with Victoria Wood, and has been recorded on vinyl alongside Joy Division. He was doing alternative comedy before alternative comedy existed.

John has worked with dozens of comics and actors including Bill Nighy, Tony Allen, Rory Bremner, Jim Sweeney, Steve Steen and many more. He shares some great stories and his most recent book, "Before I Go", is available here.

 https://poniesandhorsesbooks.com/product/before-i-go/ 

If you can´t get enough of these podcasts, head to https://www.patreon.com/DannyHurst to access my exclusive, member-only, fun-filled and fact-packed history-related videos.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• One of John´s earliest comedy influencers was Ken Dodd, who was bought into his school to do a talk on not smoking and ended up doing an hour of stand up.
• John entered the comedy circuit at a time when the industry was dying because of TV.
• John gave up stand-up so he could see more of his children.
• The show John is most proud of is Dogman, which he wrote for children.
• Alexi Sayle was like the comedy equivalent of the Sex Pistols.
• John shares why so many comedians’ relationships break down.

BEST MOMENTS

“Only a very small percentage of comedy is genuinely original, and John is part of that very small percentage.”

“Is there anything you can’t do – “making money” .”

“I learned to play the piano the way you would learn to play a typewriter.”

“I decided to forget about the marriage experience and concentrate on becoming an alcoholic.”

“It was the only show where my ego did not come on stage with me.”

“Jim Sweeney and Steve Steen are the best improvised comedy performers you'll ever see in England.”

“I am not buying green bananas anymore.”

“My lung condition makes it difficult to speak at length.”

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://x.com/dowiejohn

Dogman book - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dogman-Comedy-Musical-Story-Children/dp/B002SQ48AW

John´s other books - https://poniesandhorsesbooks.com/shop

HOST BIO

Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can.

CONTACT AND SOCIALS

https://instagram.com/dannyjhurst
facebook.com/danny.hurst.9638

https://twitter.com/dannyhurst 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

In this episode, Danny is joined by comedian Pat Monahan. Pat is half Iranian, half Irish and claims he used to spend his holidays in customs. A regular at the Edinburgh Fringe, Pat has won TV competitions, Take The Mic and Show Me The Funny. He was also the warmup man for the late Paul O´Grady and alongside fellow comic Bob Slayer, holds the world record for the longest hug.

He and Danny reminisce about some of the stars they worked with over the years, including Johnny Vegas, Robin Williams, Paul O´Grady and Barry Cryer. Pat shares how he got into comedy and was able to use his experience of racism and life in general as inspiration.

If you can´t get enough of these podcasts, head to https://www.patreon.com/DannyHurst to access my exclusive, member-only, fun-filled and fact-packed history-related videos.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The way comedians create their material has drastically changed. Pat explains how.
• Everything you do in life, especially comedy, is about your upbringing.
• People used to think Pat made up the fact he is Iranian/Irish.
• Iran used to be very secular.
• Paul O´Grady was very supportive of others.
• Pat never swears on stage or talks about sex on stage. The reasons for this are quite surprising.
• Australian comedy shows are decades behind the UK.
• Woke-ness is nothing new, it just changes its name.
• Nowadays people get offended on behalf of other people.
• Pat has experienced racism and regularly uses it as material for his act.
• Bob Slayer did a live gig while breaking the hug world record with Pat.
• Pat regularly gets mixed up with the singer from Train.

BEST MOMENTS

“We didn´t Google stuff we had to make it up .”

“Why would you put a to-do list on social media?”

“When I first came to London and told people I was a Man City fan, I used to get the sort of looks reserved for the terminally ill.”

“I was just motor mouthing, because I was scared of a heckler getting in there.”

“You lose about 70% of the audience.”

“If you try and please everyone … you're gonna fail completely.”

“Young people today wouldn´t last 3 minutes in the 80s. They´re just so gentle.”

“You might have hecklers, but they will be positive hecklers.”

“I have to pull my punches.”

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.instagram.com/patmonahan

https://www.facebook.com/patmonahan

HOST BIO

Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can.

CONTACT AND SOCIALS

https://instagram.com/dannyjhurst
facebook.com/danny.hurst.9638

https://twitter.com/dannyhurst 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/