Summary
Comedians Alexei Sayle, Jen Brister and Sanjeev Kohli join Matthew Sweet to offer a masterclass in making the many laugh. Recorded with an audience at Sage Gateshead.
Jen Brister is a stand-up comedian, writer and actor. She is a regular performer on the UK and international comedy circuits. She has written for BBC Scotland, presented for BBC 6 Music and Juice FM, and has been a regular contributor to magazines and online sites including Diva and The Huffington Post.
Sanjeev Kohli is a comedian, writer, actor and broadcaster. Sanjeev co-writes the Radio 4 sitcom Fags, Mags and Bags and has appeared in Cold Feet, River City and as shopkeeper Navid Harrid in the long running Scottish sitcom, Still Game.
Alexei Sayle was a central figure in the alternative comedy movement in the 1980s and original MC of London’s first modern comedy club, the Comedy Store. As well as writing and performing stand-up and on TV sitcoms, Alexei has also had a hit single, written short stories, novels and non-fiction including Thatcher Stole My Trousers and his series for BBC Radio 4, Alexei Sayle’s Imaginary Sandwich Bar.
Producer: Torquil MacLeod
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome back to the home of the oxymoron. Evil genius. He asked the newspaper to print his obituary early so he'd enjoy it. That's like hiding at your own funeral. Yeah, a big, great gig. I'm Russell Kane. Join me to weigh in on whether the biggest players in history are more evil or genius. Becoming that rich, I'd say that is some level of genius. It also helps that it's a long time ago, right? |
| 0:23.3 | It's like the podcast version of telling your kids the ice cream van plays music when it's out of ice cream. |
| 0:28.8 | Listen to evil genius on BBC Sounds. |
| 0:32.1 | Hello, I'm Matthew Sweet. |
| 0:33.5 | Welcome to BBC Radio 3's Arts and Ideas discussion program, which brings together leading artists, writers and thinkers in conversation and debate. |
| 0:42.8 | If you enjoy what you hear, do subscribe. Search for the Arts and Ideas podcast. |
| 0:48.3 | And while you're there, please rate and review us. It'll help other people find us. |
| 0:53.0 | This is the BBC. |
| 0:56.3 | The audience. |
| 0:58.6 | Just look at them. |
| 1:00.3 | If you're listening to this on the radio, well, just listen to them. |
| 1:04.1 | Who are they, do you think? |
| 1:06.0 | They might be kind. |
| 1:07.5 | They might be scary. |
| 1:09.0 | Are you scary? |
| 1:10.2 | Yes. |
| 1:11.9 | Yeah. |
| 1:12.8 | But will you laugh, though? |
| 1:14.5 | That's important. |
| 1:15.4 | I want you to laugh because comedy is the subject of this programme. |
| 1:20.0 | Possibly, okay. |
| 1:21.6 | Are you the kind of audience that bursts into sycophantic laughter at anything? |
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