Had my train home been hit by a meteorite then the entertainment world would have lost Tony Law, Mike Wilmot, Rich Hall (making Russell Howard definitely supreme amongst the RH comics), the cast of "Into the Hoods" and doubtless many more performers, producers, critics and techies. Luckily we only got hit by a heavy rainstorm and the train stayed on the tracks and all of us got back to crappy London unharmed.
It's always a depressing transition and the streets of Shepherd's Bush seemed grey and unfriendly and ominously free of students dressed in coloured waistcoats and the sound of bagpipes. But enough is enough.
I carried with me the biggest joke of this year's Fringe, my tennis racquet. I had taken it up with me in the hope of playing a few sets with Danny Robbins, but this was surely a triumph of hope over experience. I never even got to take it out of its case. In fact I think it even stayed on the floor of my bedroom in the same spot I had dropped it on that first Sunday all that lifetime ago.
I finally started to think about TWTTIN show 3 on the journey back - so far fairly devoid of ideas (and we have less than a fortnight to get two shows written) though September 11th is one of the dates we're looking at, so there might be something memorable from then (tellingly the guy who compiled our research notes failed to mention anything for 2001 - I don't know if he didn't remember, didn't think it was interesting enough or was just hoping we might not notice and so would avoid the subject - but come on, it's five years ago now. Time to have a laugh) Funnily enough as I sat there scratching my head I got an email from my producer Liz which included the Radio Times preview of the show - "Something tells me that comedian Richard Herring, or his producer Liz
Anstee, could be making an appearance on R4's Feedback after their sketch show, based on events of this week throughout history, has been aired.
It's not so much the gags about Hurricane Katrina - at the expense of the US government, not the victims - but it's Herring's explanation as to what he was up to on the day that Princess Diana died that will either amuse or appal. Few listeners will fail to find the representation of the Duke of Edinburgh as an under-achieving evil mastermind funny though." Makes it all sound very controversial. Personally I think it's the Mother Theresa bit that might get the complaints. Let's see who is right! The series begins at 1pm on Saturday.
I have big plans for hard work and getting fit (am considering doing a show next year about trying to lose my beer belly by the time I am 40). In the Times on the train I read about
the Fitday website so when I got back I signed up for it. Like the journalist who mentioned it, I think it'll be one of those things that I obsess over for a fortnight and then lose interest in, but it will at least be a healthy internet obsession for once. It's not like I have ever started a diet before only to find myself bingeing and losing interest after a month. But I am going to give up alcohol for a while at least. And chips. I will doubtless let you know how I fare.
My newsletter software is not working, so I would like to draw your attention to the various projects to the right of this screen. I am not sure if there are any tickets left for TWTTIN or Banter, but you can give it a go. I only have one gig in the diary this month and it's in Norwich on Friday. Will be doing stuff from menage a un, but not sure that the Maxine Carr stuff will make it in as that might prove to be a bit local. Ah fuck it, it probably will! Always had a fine time in Norwich in the past, so hope some of you can make it along!
Back to reality. I am not sure I like it as much.
