Andrew was round this afternoon for another podcast and I was a bit worried that between the two of us we might have broken the double act with our silly behaviour last week. But fortunately we were back to being as normal as we get and I allowed Andrew to choose a "safe" word, as used by perverts who like to hurt each other, but need to know if they have gone too far. This decision says more about our relationship than any other single fact. But it worked and Andrew used the safe word "Geoff Lloyd" (I don't know what that says about the Absolute Radio DJ or Andrew's attitude towards him - maybe Geoff Lloyd just makes him feel safe, or maybe Geoff Lloyd and Andrew take part in sado-masochistic parties together at the weekend. Either way therapists can have a field day on that one).
We also discussed the Walker's crisps promotion in which four famous comedians have had new flavours (approximately) named after them. I pretended to be annoyed that I was not asked to take part, because they could have had Richard Herring Fishy Dick crisps, which I am sure would have been a massive success. But those are the breaks. If Walker's want to reconsider I am happy to join the campaign, because as you will see if you listen to the podcast I love comedians who do adverts.
Anyway, you can hear our latest, safer and less fractious podcast
here or on iTunes.
You can also see a brief documentary about Christ on a Bike (made by Rich Smyth)
here. Hopefully a longer version of the interview will appear on the Christ on a Bike DVD (although don't know where or when that will be filmed!)
The show itself continues to develop and change and I am enjoying discussing the suprisingly disappointing filmography of Steve Carrell in the first half, as well as expanding on my (well to be fair, my email correspondent's) new routine about God's petulant attitude to the most innocuous of jokes. But there are some jokes in there now which I am pretty sure are for me and me alone. Mild spoiler following, but in the bit where I am approached by a leprous tramp who turns out to be Jesus playing a Dom Joly style stunt on me, I have started performing the "tramp" as an approximate impression of the way that Noel Edmonds used to "act" just before the reveal in his Gotchas. That is, in a mildly over the top comedy caricature, which he must have thought made him hilarious, but which in fact just ruined any truth that was left in the scenario. It makes me laugh to think that Jesus might be similarly ham-fisted with his own little japes and tricks, but it is a detail that I am sure absolutely no one in the audience has picked up on. I love it when only a tiny proportion of people in an audience get a joke and laugh at it - it's one of my favourite things. But I also love it, it turns out, when absolutely no one but me finds something funny. There is no reason why people should get this Noel Edmonds reference, which is part of the pleasure. Of course now I have revealed it it might get a few knowing over laughs from you if you come. But try not to laugh, just enjoy the fact that you are in on the secret. It's little moments and subtleties like this that help one get through a long, long tour!
Another one tonight that I was aware would be there for just me and one other audience member is the part where I talk about having my ears taped back and "I am gay" written on my forehead. This never happened to me, but something similar, tragically at the time, happened to a young Ben Moor. The older Ben Moor was in the audience tonight and I knew he would be enjoying me turning his tragedy into comedy and it made me smile. Sure enough I heard his laugh above the burble of others who were not in on the secret gag beneath the gag.
Only two more chances for you to see me portraying Jesus as Noel Edmonds, London. Might finally get a couple of sell-outs so
BOOK NOW.
And many of the tour dates are selling well (Aldershot is sold out) so don't leave it til the last minute to book
details here.
Also thanks to a girl called Becca who was a little worse for wear and asked to buy a book after the show, which I signed to her. She then turned out to have no money on her. I gave her book to someone else for free as it was now useless to me (unless someone else called Becca turned up, but couldn't really wait for that). But if you're reading Becca and have now sobered up, then please donate the cost of the book to
so at least some good can come from your foolishness.
