| Collection | British Stand-Up Comedy Archive Events |
| Description | Robin Ince gives the Linda Smith Lecture on 2nd November 2021 at the Gulbenkian Theatre.
This lecture was originally scheduled to take place in 2020, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic it was rescheduled to 2021.
Audio: The original master recording is in two parts. The access file is just one part.
Video: Original recording: BSUCA/Events/2/5/2/1, edited recording: BSUCA/Events/2/5/2/2. Access copy is the edited version.
Summary: Track 1 [1:53:27]
[00:00] Interview starts. Host Oliver Double [OD] introduces guest speaker Robin Ince [RI] and discusses event namesake Linda Smith [LS]. [03:00] RI onstage. Talks about topics of discussion for the lecture. [06:00] RI talks about “Art” and the idealised view of perfect art. [08:12] RI tells a joke about Wittgenstein [Austrian Philosopher]. [11:25] RI returns to the idealised versus reality in art. [12:00] Anecdote about “voices” when performing stand-up. [15:00] RI describes a conversation about ADHD and the possibility of having it. [19:00] RI story about “Beautiful Days Festival” [family-oriented music festival in Devon]. [20:30] Anecdote from RI about touring Australia and becoming disillusioned with stand-up. [23:00] the anecdote leads into discussion of poetry. [26:50] RI reads one of his poems. [30:15] RI discusses love of comedy. His “first love.” Talks about love of “The Goodies” [1970’s Comedy television show starring Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie] [32:20] RI anecdote about performing with Tim Brooke-Taylor. [35:00] RI goes onto list other comics that were inspirations. [37:33] RI story about Alexei Sayle [English Comedian and actor] and helping get him back into comedy. [42:00] RI describes the intermingling of politics and culture in stand-up. [44:38] RI anecdote regarding generational approaches to gender and sexuality. [45:36] Story about a gig at an LGBT comedy camp. [47:50] RI mentions first stand-up gig. [49:00] RI discusses other influences outside the comedy world including Ian Curtis [Sing of English Band Joy Division] and Harold Pinter [British playwright]. [53:15] RI discusses the “culture wars.” [56:36] RI story about friend Barry Crimmins [BC. American comedian and Political satirist]. [59:30] RI reads a quote from BC. [1:03:57] RI tells one of his favourite jokes. [1:05:16] Interval is called, interval time excised from recording. RI returns discussing melons [melons had previously been mentioned. They appear as a gag in RI’s stand-up.] [1:08:40] RI discusses John Hegley [English poet and comedian] and his influence and style. [1:12:06] RI recounts other favourite jokes, including ones told by Joanna Neary and Stewart Lee [British comedians]. [1:15:00] RI anecdote about David Bowie’s [English musicians] song ‘Rock and Roll Suicide’. [1:16:20] RI discusses losing sight of the human side of comedy in favour of “the joke.” Talks about feeling shame at certain old jokes. [1:16:47] RI story about an ‘anti-comedy’ show performed with the intention of driving the audience away. [1:21:12] RI story about a friend who worked on the Samaritan's phoneline [Samaritans is a UK non-profit focused on suicide prevention]. [1:22:23] follow-up story about Frank Drake [American astrophysicist] which RI calls his “favourite science story.” [1:23:45] RI anecdote about his book “I’m a joke and so are you” followed by family anecdotes. [1:29:35] RI recounts the first comedy show he did after his mother’s death. [1:32:15] RI describes the idea of the “imp of the perverse.” [1:36:20] RI discusses suicide as a topic of comedy or to raise awareness. [1:40:49] [RI punches a watermelon until it explodes, the recording indicates that RI is covered in the melon]. [1:42:47] RI talks about Neil Innes [English comedian, musician, and writer], recounting a quote from him. Followed by an anecdote about Jeremy Hardy [Another British comedian and inspiration to RI]. [1:43:00] RI tells additional smaller anecdotes about meeting influences including BC and his cancer diagnosis. [1:47:40] RI discusses the impacts of words and by extensions jokes on people. [1:51:15] RI reads another poem. [1:52:50] OD thanks RI and closes the event.
[1:53:35] Interview Ends. |