TCB Infomercial: Russell Howard

Summary

Summary of "TCB Infomercial: Russell Howard" Episode on The Commercial Break

Podcast Information:

• Title: TCB Infomercial: Russell Howard
• Host/Author: Commercial Break LLC
• Release Date: January 21, 2025

---

Introduction of Russell Howard

At [03:10], hosts Bryan Green and Kristen Joy Hoadley warmly welcome Russell Howard, a prominent UK comedian, describing him as "the Robbie Williams of comedy over there in the UK." They express their excitement about his appearance, highlighting his status in the British comedy scene.

Notable Quote:

• Bryan Green: "He's the Robbie Williams of comedy over there in the UK. And we're so excited to have him feeling very grateful that he's decided to stop by the Commercial Break..." [03:10]

---

Russell Howard’s Career and Comedy Style

Bryan delves into Russell’s extensive career, noting his numerous television appearances on the BBC and his flagship show, The Russell Howard Hour. They discuss Russell's unique comedic approach, which combines pop culture satire with sharp political commentary.

Notable Quotes:

• Bryan Green: "He has had so many television shows on the BBC. He did a ... [The Russell Howard Hour]... like our daily show. It's like satire about pop culture and news and politics..." [09:52]
• Russell Howard: "I’ve always loved making people laugh. ... I just don't have it any other way." [39:18]

---

Meghan Markle and Hollywood Commentary

The conversation shifts to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry postponing the premiere of her upcoming show, Cooking with Megan. Bryan and Russell discuss the implications of postponing such high-profile projects amidst ongoing California wildfires.

Notable Quote:

• Bryan Green: "I personally, I think some of the content that they're producing for Netflix is a little tone deaf in general, but okay, whatever." [05:29]

---

Wildfires in Los Angeles: A Personal Impact

Bryan shares his personal concerns about the wildfires in Los Angeles, mentioning that his agent lives near one of the affected areas. Russell empathizes, recalling how disruptive and traumatic such natural disasters can be, especially for children.

Notable Quotes:

• Bryan Green: "...people who live out there and who are ... in a major metropolitan city has burned like this. Our own agent has been, you know, him and I have been in conversations..." [07:00]
• Russell Howard: "It is incredible. I feel so bad too, for just like the children because I guess schools have been closed, obviously..." [08:26]

---

Differences Between UK and US Comedy Scenes

Russell Howard shares his experiences touring the United States, highlighting the differences in audience tastes between the UK and the US. He praises American audiences for their enthusiasm and openness, contrasting it with the sometimes tougher UK crowds.

Notable Quotes:

• Kristen Joy Hoadley: "I've always noticed the audiences more than meeting me halfway and kind of. They've seen loads of my stuff on YouTube or Netflix. So I'm amazed at how much they kind of know and they kind of get me." [25:03]
• Russell Howard: "It's such a big country and there's so many different Americas..." [26:29]

---

American Tribalism and Comedy

The hosts and Russell engage in a deep conversation about the prevalent tribalism in American society, exploring how comedy can bridge gaps between polarized groups. Russell emphasizes the importance of finding middle ground and using humor to connect rather than divide.

Notable Quotes:

• Kristen Joy Hoadley: "I think if you voted for Trump, that doesn't define all of your personality. Like, and I think that's the big thing that it's kind of." [29:00]
• Russell Howard: "You have to leave that to the experts... I think laughter is always connecting..." [30:21]

---

Personal Anecdotes and COVID-19 Impact

Kristen shares personal stories about navigating comedy during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting how the show became a source of connection for many during isolation. She recounts performing remotely and the challenges of maintaining audience engagement without the traditional live setup.

Notable Quotes:

• Kristen Joy Hoadley: "We did that for two months. And it was great in terms that it gave me a focus and it gave people something to kind of watch..." [33:07]
• Bryan Green: "We were supposed to be going on my brother's stag... and just kind of downed it." [52:32]

---

Discussion on "Naked Attraction"

A humorous segment ensues where Bryan, Krissy, and Russell discuss the reality dating show Naked Attraction. They joke about the awkwardness and social implications of dating after appearing on such a revealing program, blending humor with social commentary.

Notable Quotes:

• Bryan Green: "It's available on one of our streaming platforms here, HBO Max... ask, if people have seen your cock and now you're naked." [55:59]
• Russell Howard: "It's so weirdly, it's like a cross between a porn film and, like, Wallace and Gromit episode." [55:33]

---

Russell Howard’s Special and Tour Promotion

Towards the end, Bryan and Krissy encourage listeners to check out Russell’s new comedy special available on his website, emphasizing his dynamic and kinetic comedy style. They also promote his upcoming West Coast tour, providing links in the show notes.

Notable Quotes:

• Bryan Green: "Russell's special is hilarious. It's brilliantly funny... We're going to put links in the show notes." [36:57]
• Kristen Joy Hoadley: "I love it... it's so brilliant to get that kind of street-level knowledge of America." [26:25]

---

Final Remarks and Encouragement

In closing, the hosts express their admiration for Russell, highlighting his ability to make incisive social commentary through humor. They invite listeners to engage with Russell’s content and anticipate his continued influence in the comedy scene.

Notable Quotes:

• Bryan Green: "We want to make it a thing here in the United States because we know that people over there are gonna watch it because they love Russell Howard." [62:23]
• Russell Howard: "And very naked." [61:07]

---

Conclusion

The episode of The Commercial Break featuring Russell Howard offers a multifaceted exploration of comedy, cultural differences, and societal issues, all delivered with the hosts' signature humor and warmth. Through engaging dialogue and personal anecdotes, listeners gain insight into Russell Howard's comedic philosophy and the broader landscape of stand-up comedy across the Atlantic.

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Bryan Green: "He's the Robbie Williams of comedy over there in the UK..." [03:10]
• Kristen Joy Hoadley: "I saw a bumper sticker that said Jesus is my airbag..." [02:05]
• Russell Howard: "I’ve always loved making people laugh..." [39:18]
• Bryan Green: "Russell's special is hilarious..." [36:57]
• Kristen Joy Hoadley: "...if you voted for Trump, that doesn't define all of your personality..." [29:00]

---

For More Information:

• Russell Howard’s Special and Tour: Available on www.russellhoward.co.uk
• Show Notes and Links: Visit tcbpodcast.com for links to Russell’s YouTube, social media, and tour tickets.

Transcript

[Brian Green]

This episode is sponsored in part by Groons. It's a new year. And with a new year comes a renewed focus on my health and wellness. Sometimes I feel a little overwhelmed with all the supplements I'm taking. That's why we're happy to be teaming up with Groons. Groons has taken the time to understand proper dosing and ensure nutrition is safe and optimized. This isn't a multivitamin, it's not a greens gummy, and it's not a prebiotic. It's actually all of those things and then some at a fraction of the price. Here's the bonus. It really does taste great. Grooms helps to ensure you're still meeting all of your nutritional needs. Needs. It's an eight gummy daily snack pack because you just can't fit the amount of nutrients needed into one gummy. Plus it makes for a fun treat in between meals for families like ours, they offer Gru's kids. Groons is more comprehensive and accurately dosed than my former nutritional supplements. And Groons is methylated, which is just fancy talk for vitamins like B12 and folate that can be absorbed by your body. Over 30% of us cannot absorb vitamins because we have a gene which inhibits us from doing so. Other companies don't methylate because it's expensive and and customers have no idea. Groons actually cares. The ingredients in Groons are backed by over 35,000 research publications. You wanted a supplement you can enjoy. This isn't a chore. It's something you look forward to get up to 45% off when you use the code TCB. So check out Groons. Use the code TCB. They'll give you 45% off. And thanks to Groons for being a sponsor of the commercial break. This episode is sponsored in part by Jumba Casino. Why wait for fun when Jumba Casino is just a click away? Play anytime, anywhere. With hundreds of thrilling online social casino games like bingo, slots and solitaire. It's free to play with no purchase necessary. And new games drop every week to keep the excitement fresh. Plus claim free daily login bonuses and a free welcome bonus just for joining. Start your next [e-mail] no purchase necessary. VGW Group Void War Prohibition exhibited by law. 18/terms and conditions do apply in America.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

I saw a bumper sticker that said Jesus is my airbag. What a way of finding out he's not real.

[Brian Green]

On this episode of the Commercial Break.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

It says a lot about kind of like male ego that I was kind of delighted, but like, like as, like, I just can't imagine a world in which like, like people going off, is there a girl you fancy? But you feel fucking awful for admitting it. You know what I mean? That's the thing that would be. But that would be. That would make the press like if people were saying that they. So, yeah, I was kind of. I was essentially the nation's pity fuck. That's kind of what I was.

[Brian Green]

The next episode of the commercial break starts now. Oh, yeah. Cats and kittens, welcome back to the commerc break. I'm Brian Green. This is the winehouse to my lepa, Kristen Joy Hoadley. Best to you, Chris.

[Russell Howard]

Best to you, Brian.

[Brian Green]

Best to you out there in the podcast universe. Thanks for joining us today on a TCB infomercial Tuesday with Mr. Russell Howard, UK sensation. He is.

[Russell Howard]

He's just Robbie Williams.

[Brian Green]

He's the Robbie Williams of comedy over there in the uk. And we're so excited to have him feeling very grateful that he's decided to stop by the commercial break because he's British and he doesn't know. He doesn't know that the commercial break is not a place you go.

[Russell Howard]

You're trying to get the word out.

[Brian Green]

That's right. If you're trying to get the word out. But I'm honestly. We've been grateful to have so many wonderful guests as of late. Roy Wood Jr. Felipe Esparza. So many that we can talk about. But go check out those episodes because they are. They are doing very well. Chrissy. On the. I heard.

[Russell Howard]

On the interwebs.

[Brian Green]

On the interwebs. There you go. And who knows, maybe we'll make a little news today with our good friend Russell Howard currently on tour, he's gonna be coming to the west coast of the United States here very shortly. We'll put all the links in the show notes as we always do. And his special is now.

[Russell Howard]

It's really funny, too.

[Brian Green]

It is really funny.

[Russell Howard]

Jeff was laughing, too.

[Brian Green]

Oh. If we got Jeff laughing, then we know that we've hit on something special because Jeff doesn't laugh. He's a humorless son of a bitch. Jeff is a humorless son of a bitch. You hear me, Jeff? Loosen up, dude. Actually, Jeff's kind of like one of the loosest people I know. He's very loose. When he gets his bell run, there's no. Don't tighten up, Mr. Green Dong. They go in there, they ring the door, they stick their hand in and they wave. They drop a package off and then they Amazon comes in Jeff store. That's all I gotta say. That's how loosey goosey he is. Anyway, Russell's gonna be here and, yeah, I'm very excited. Speaking of UK news, it seems that that Meghan and Harry have done the right thing and they have postponed the much ballyhooed premiere of her, I don't know, Cooking with Kate thing that's going on.

[Russell Howard]

Megan.

[Brian Green]

Megan. I'm sorry, Cooking With Megan. Cooking With Kate.

[Russell Howard]

That's the other sister.

[Brian Green]

That's the other sister, yeah. Cooking with Megan. She had.

[Russell Howard]

Was it a cooking show or I guess like a lifestyle show?

[Brian Green]

It was a lifestyle show, but I think you did it supposedly lifestyle. Lifestyle style.

[Russell Howard]

Yeah, lifestyle.

[Brian Green]

If you want to get right with your lifestyle, check out Frankie Vee's new video.

[Russell Howard]

I wonder if she watched some of his episodes to get ready for it.

[Brian Green]

Oh, listen, I'm sure that Meghan Markle is too right into Frank Bernardo. Bernardo. Bernardo. Even he says his name wrong. Bernardo. Bernardo. In the greater Chicagoland area, people, by the way, love Frankie B. I mean, every time we do an episode, we just get so much feedback about our Frankie B. Episodes. And I wish that there was more to do, but I think we've done run out.

[Russell Howard]

He's got a girlfriend.

[Brian Green]

He's got a girlfriend and she's not letting him anywhere near the YouTubes. But don't fear not, if you've heard any of Frankie's relationship advice, he'll soon be back to YouTube. At 72 years old. We did find his social media media, so there's. That's good. But actually, I applaud Megan on this one because apparently she called it a love letter to Southern California and all things wonderful. Listen, I personally, I think some of the content that they're producing for Netflix is a little tone deaf in general, but okay, whatever. I mean, there's lots of cooking shows out there and, you know, a lot of them focus on the higher end. What's that one? The Ina garden in the garden or Ina garden. There's Ina garden. There's Martha Stewart. There's. There's a whole channel now. A whole cooking channel.

[Russell Howard]

Yes, there is.

[Brian Green]

Have you seen this? Of course.

[Russell Howard]

It's been around forever.

[Brian Green]

No, not the cooking channel. There is a cooking channel. I know about the cooking channel. I'm saying a cooking channel, like a chef channel. A food related channel that is dedicated to just like food porn. It's a lot.

[Russell Howard]

Oh, I've heard of that.

[Brian Green]

Have you heard of this one? I can't remember the name of It. But I saw it in a doctor's office once, and it was literally. I was. Waited for like a half an hour, and it was literally just shots of food with not a lot of talking in beautiful settings in France and, you know, I'm sure in the wine country and all this other stuff. So, you know, I understand that there's like a. There is a demand for that kind of content that people like to see their food being cooked in beautiful settings and eaten by beautiful people and all that shit. But it's kind of a do or die for Meghan and Harry as far as that Netflix deal is concerned. So I'm super interested to see how that all plays out. Does this, in fact, become the hit that Meghan and Harry need? As if they need any more Money. They got $150 million from Netflix. But I do think the right thing is to hold off on that, given all the circumstances that are going on out in California.

[Russell Howard]

God, so sad.

[Brian Green]

It is just terrible. We've talked a lot about it on the show, and I think partly because it's hard to believe that it's happened in the. In a major metropolitan city has burned like this. I think partly it's because we know people that live out there and who are. Our own agent has been, you know, him and I have been in conversations, and he lives close to one of the fires, and they have been getting all kinds of notifications. You're in, you're out, you're in, you're out, you're in, you're out. That must be a terrible way to live. And then they went out with. Without power for four or five days, which, if you've ever done, is a very uncomfortable situation.

[Russell Howard]

Yeah, it's incredible. I feel so bad too, for just like the children because I guess schools have been closed, obviously, and things. And I can't imagine being a young child and knowing that you're home burned. No, that's so traumatic.

[Brian Green]

That is like. I mean, I have never been through a fire, but that has got to be one of the things that no pun intended, gets seared into your psyche and that you just can't forget as a child. That's one of the basic fears of humanity. Getting eaten by some wild animal, shark or getting bitten by a snake. Those things. I think those things we're just born with because it's a fight or flight response. Fire is one of those things. Super helpful, but very scary. Right. And if you don't. And it can go either way, it's like it can get out of control very quickly. So our hearts go out. And Russell was supposed to be with us last week talking about his new special that was. That came out on the 15th, but he's here today because he was in LA and had to get out very quickly to make sure that he and his family were safe. So Russell Howard is an extraordinarily popular comic out in the uk. Some might say the most popular comic that's working from the UK right now. And he has had so many television shows on the BBC. He has had.

[Russell Howard]

He's been on for like 20 years.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yeah.

[Brian Green]

So many different iterations of Russell Howard. He did a. I guess the best. The thing that we can liken it to the best. The thing that I think he's most known for, at least from my research, because I don't live in the uk.

[Russell Howard]

You are a British expert.

[Brian Green]

I am a British expert on television, that's for sure. I love that British television. And anytime someone British from the British television comes in, I do get a little fanboy. I'm like, I know, yeah, it's. I don't know why. I just. I'm so giddy about British comedy in general. But the thing that he's probably best known for is the Russell Howard Hour, which is a television show that ran for some 200 hours over there. And it's kind of like our daily show. It's like satire about pop culture and news and politics, stuff like that. There is a ton of that on his YouTube channel. I will put Christina. Not I Christina. We'll put those links.

[Russell Howard]

Thank you, Christina.

[Brian Green]

Thank you, Christina.

[Jeff]

You're welcome.

[Brian Green]

We'll put those links in the show. Note also to his tours, to tour tickets that are mainly on the west coast, but if you're near, you should go check him out. He's going to be doing smaller venues here than he does.

[Russell Howard]

Or if you're in Helsinki. Oh, yeah, he's going to be starting off Buddhist.

[Brian Green]

Best for our.

[Jeff]

Sorry, that was an automatic play.

[Brian Green]

Oh, okay. I see what's going on over there. She's on Russell. She's even. She's bored with us.

[Jeff]

I pulled up the YouTube to put the link in the show notes. Sue me.

[Brian Green]

So anyway, so Russell's doing that tour here in the United States. Tickets are available. We'll put a link and then you can go to this Drift website and get access to his brand new special. Highly suggest you do. Because even Jeff's laughing. Even Jeff gets the Jeff approval. That's right. Okay, so let's do this. Why don't we take a short break, we'll bring Russell on through telepodcasting magic. And then when we get back, our conversation with Mr. Howard.

[Jeff]

Did you know that we have a phone number? Well, we do, and you should call us. Nobody's gonna answer, but you can leave a voicemail for us that we may or may not play on the show. And if that's not the vibe, then just send us a text. Okay? Our number is 212-4333, TCB. So get texting and give us something to talk about, please. We need it. While you're doing that, you can also follow us on Instagram hecommercial break and on TikTok CBpodcast. And as always, check out our website, tcbpodcast.com for all of our audio and video content. Speaking of video, we are also posting full video [e-mail] thecommercial break. So go watch them, please. Anyway, now let's hear from our sponsors and get back to the good stuff.

[Brian Green]

This episode is brought to you by our friends at Squarespace. We've been talking about Squarespace for a while on the commercial break. Squarespace is the all in one website platform for entrepreneurs to stand out and succeed online. Whether you're just starting out or you're managing a growing brand, Squarespace makes it easy to create a beautiful website, engage with your audience and sell anything from products to content to time, all in one place, all on your terms. And when we talk about Squarespace at the commercial break, we talk from experience. Three of the four versions of the commercial break's website have been built by Squarespace, not a website designer. No problem. Introducing design intelligence from Squarespace, they combine two decades of industry leading design expertise with cutting AI technology to unlock the strongest creative potential for your site. Creating content like the commercial break and you need to sell that content. Unlike the commercial break, Squarespace makes it easy to sell access to content on your websites like online courses, blogs, videos and membership. And what about taking those payments from selling that content? Squarespace Payments is the easiest way to manage your payments in one place. Get started in just a few clicks and start receiving payments right now. So head to squarespace.com for a free trial and when you're ready to Launch, go to squarespace.com commercial to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or a domain, that's squarespace.com commercial to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or a domain using that code. Commercial hey, I'm Ben Stiller. I'm Adam Scott and we make a TV show called Severance. On January 17th, Severance is back for season two on Apple TV and we can't wait for you guys to see it. And before the premiere, Ben and I are going to be binging season one and and putting out daily recap podcasts. Yep, each weekday beginning January 7th, we'll be dropping an episode featuring exclusive behind the scenes tidbits and brilliant insights from our cast and crew and us. Patricia Arquette, Britt Lauer, Zack Cherry, John Turturro. The list goes on. All your favorite Lumen employees, their friends, families, enemies in your feed every single weekday. And here's the best part. After that, we're gonna keep going. Tune in weekly as we recap every episode of season two. The podcast drops on the same day the episode comes out. It's the Severance Podcast with Ben and Adam on Apple Podcasts, the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode is sponsored in part by shipstation. Well, if you've been listening to the commercial break over the holidays, then you know that Chrissy, Christina and I have been hard at work knocking out 25 episodes in one single month. So we understand just how chaotic a business can be. So when you're running an e commerce business, you understand there's a special kind of chaos that goes on with fulfillment and shipping. But ShipStation is one service that you can count on to help you remain calm day to day when it comes to any and all of your fulfillment needs. You've got to focus on the parts of your business that grow the business and then let Shipstation handle the rest. Shipstation makes it easy to automate shipping tasks and manage orders from one simple dashboard. And as the old adage goes, analytics are everything. You can scale your business faster because of ShipStation's robust automation and reporting system. Listen, here's the best part. You can save thousands on shipping with industry leading discounts from their cutting Edge Rate Shopper UPS, DHL, Federal Express and USPS. Rates can be up to 88% off when you use ShipStation and most importantly, you'll deliver a better customer experience. Over 130,000 companies have grown their e commerce business with Shipstation and 98% of those companies have have stuck around with Shipstation. Now it's your turn. Calm the chaos of order fulfillment with the shipping software that delivers. Switch to ShipStation today. Go to ShipStation.com and use the code commercial to sign up for your free trial. That shipstation.com code Commercial thanks to ShipStation for being a sponsor of the commercial break. Hey, Russell, thanks so much for joining us. We appreciate it.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Thank you so much for having me. I'm. I'm worried about your. Your sign in the background. That looks precarious. It feels like it's gonna. It looks like it's gonna fall.

[Brian Green]

We are not sure who actually put that up. So there's a running gag on this show and it's actually not really all that funny to us here in the studio, but technically we are inept. It is tape. We're five years into this. We're a thousand hours worth of programming into this. You don't know how much goes wrong technically on this show. Tape here, wires there.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

But that's the. Why isn't it the best things. The best things in life are rickety. Do you know what I mean? That's what gives them spirit. If you see a nice clean suitcase at an airport, there's no mystery, there's no excitement. You know, I want to see bumps and scrapes.

[Brian Green]

Well, next time you're in Atlanta, Georgia, you come to our house and we'll have to lift you into the studio to avoid knocking over any wires. Most importantly, since you're the only British person we're going to have on the show this week, we have to ask, who is Robbie Williams and why is he a chimpanzee? And how's this playing out in the uk?

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

It's so interesting because Robbie Williams is a massive pop star.

[Brian Green]

Yeah.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

In. In the UK and Europe and Australia, but never kind of made it to the United States. And I thought that as well. I was in LA last week and saw these huge hundred foot posters of Robbie as a monkey. And I thought that's an odd selling point because presumably if America does fall in love with version, they're gonna be so disappointed when they actually go to see Robbie Williams and go, I was just a man. Yeah. Because it would be bewildering to see a monkey with the ability that Robbie's.

[Brian Green]

Got, but that I would pay for.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Well, this is it. Well, this is the problem. I think he's inadvertently stumbled into the. If the film goes massive, there's gonna be lots of really giddy Americans rocking up, presumably with bananas and tires just to fling them at him to see what tricks he can do. But the British fans, I think we find it really interesting because it's a bit like, I mean, he's huge. It's, you know, he's as big as Ed Sheeran in this country. So it would be, I guess, you know, Ed Sheeran instead of Doing like a straight documentary is like, I'm gonna be a flamingo. Just want one leg. Do you know what I mean? Exactly. To kind of make it. To make it different. But I guess if people don't know who you are, it is utterly bewildering. But there's something kind of cool about it as well.

[Brian Green]

I agree with you here. Is that, like, as a story device, I can understand why I'm the monkey and, you know, I play like a monkey and I sing for a monkey. You know, I can understand, like, there. It could be a deeper meaning behind it, and it could all play out well. And apparently it's been received well by critics and the Golden Globes and maybe Oscar talk, I don't know. It made about $500,000 in its opening weekend here in the United States, which is, by all stretches of the imagination, a hot flop. Right. So I don't think that the. I don't think we've bought into this yet. But, you know, we know Robbie. We know of Robbie Williams. And when we. When I see his face, I'm like, oh, that's. That's a singer from the UK who has done very well for himself. But the challenge is, is that, you know, there's an old saying in Hollywood. Never work with children or monkeys. And he went straight for monkey. And I just think. I just think maybe it was not. Yeah. As a plot device. Maybe not. Not such a hot thing. But is it. Is it playing well over there? Do people. Are people going to see it and they, like.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

I don't know. I honestly don't know. But the. Because I only saw the poster of it when I was in la and I was like, is that our Robin? He's a monkey now. Okay. You know, so it was. But because of the, you know, the backdrop of horror that was going on in la, it just. I didn't sort of linger on that, but it was kind of in amongst the sort of black smoke I saw that. I was like, that's awful odd. But, yeah, I. I haven't. I haven't kind of sat and thought about it, but it would be like, you know, when John Oliver got his break to do the Daily show, if he. He came as an animal. You know, you've got us. The thing is, if you're trying to break America, you have to then stay as the animal.

[Brian Green]

Yes, but Americans are dumb. If you. If you swell. No, no, no. That's.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

No, no, no, no.

[Brian Green]

We're gonna be. We're gonna be confused.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

I don't know. I Think. I think if anyone introduced themselves as a monkey and then went only around, I'm a singer. I'm a singer from Manchester, then I think the audience is allowed to go, okay, why? Yeah, I don't know. But I was surprised how big the posters were, because they're huge. But it's a bit like, you know, Seinfeld isn't particularly big in the uk. It just never quite translated, which is mind blowing to, you know, Americans. But we. That culture of kind of sitting in cafes, talking about cereal, that didn't exist in the 90s, you know, and obviously people. Loads of people are into it, but it isn't the. It just doesn't have the same resonance, you know, in the way that someone like Friends. Friends was massive, you know, Or.

[Brian Green]

Yeah.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

There was a show in the UK called Only Fools and Horses, which is without doubt the biggest British sitcom of all time.

[Brian Green]

Very funny.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

And yet nobody. Well, that's it. But you've got to.

[Brian Green]

You know what I mean?

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

You've got to find it as an. As an American. You have to find it. You have to understand what. What does pekka mean? Like, how does it fit here? You know, so it's. I don't know that it's. It's. It's an interesting thing for Robbie Williams. But then he does like stadiums in the uk. He's so big that he probably just was like, I'll be a bit fun, a bit of a laugh.

[Brian Green]

Yeah.

[Russell Howard]

Oh, yeah.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Do you know what I mean?

[Brian Green]

Explained it then, when he was on, I think it was Graham Norton, he explained that the director came in, said, hey, if this play. If we. If, you know, we have to. I want a story device, because the regular musical biography is played out. Right. It's just the same. We're doing the same thing over and over again. Let's do something different. I want you to think of an animal. What do you want to be? He said, lion. He said, well, I don't know about a single lion. Right.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

A lion would be funny because the look of fear in the audience.

[Brian Green]

Yes.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Do you know what I mean?

[Brian Green]

Yeah.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

But then when the lion starts doing ballads, that must be really bewildering.

[Brian Green]

What. How was your experience out in la? You know, we were. We were scheduled to do an interview last week and Russell was stuck in the. In the heat, really. In the heat of the moment. Right. As the fires started. It was a lot of.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yeah.

[Brian Green]

Panic in the air.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

It's horrific. It was just. And, you know. And it's still going on, so it was just it was like just this. I was. I was only there for two days, but it, you know, it suddenly became this, you know, it just disaster. And then I was flying from LA to New York to do the rest of the kind of PR and, you know, there was black smoke and there were people crying on the plane. It was. It was really heavy and awful, and it's still going on. It's just, you know, these things that happen every so often that are just unfair and cruel and.

[Brian Green]

Yeah, they seem to be happening more often, or at least we get that news so quickly now that it's like, you know, cycle after cycle of kind of these things. And we have friends and family in L. A And it's brutally. It's apocalyptic. It really is. It's weird and apocalyptic and, you know, you never. That's just not something that's on your bingo card. Right. Earthquakes happen all the time. Hurricanes, you see coming, tornadoes, you can kind of predict something that happens here in the United States. But flash fire that takes out thousands of structures is really awful, terrible. Russell, I have a question for you. I want to just step back for one minute on something you said. When you come to America, you're going to be on tour here. Looks like you're hitting a lot of the west coast cities out there. When you come to the United States, what are the differences in the audience tastes? Do you have to tailor some of your comedy for. And I'm really interested to hear this answer from. From a British comic. Do you feel like you have to tailor a little bit the jokes? I know you might have to take out some of the slang that you typically. You might use that's familiar to the audience over the pond. But tell me about that experience when you come here to the stage.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

It's, It's. I love it because it's kind of like the gigs aren't as big as the ones you know. Not. Not dissimilar to Robbie. I don't put on the. The Simeon suit, but I kind of, you know, I come with my own skin and there's a better way of putting in that. But I kind of. I. I'm used to doing certain rooms in kind of, you know, in the UK and Australia and Europe, but big rooms.

[Brian Green]

You're trying to say big. You do big room.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yeah, but. But still, you know, it's still kind of, you know, a 500 seater, a 1,000 seater is still wild and. And so exciting. So. So. And the. The electricity. We did a gig in Detroit last time I was there. It was like a 400 seater.

[Brian Green]

Great.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

And. Oh, my God. But the audience, it was just. It was so electric in a way that British audiences can be kind of quite tough to kind of, you know, sort of fold the arms and you sort of know you've got them. If they're kind of the tits hang for it. I mean, that's kind of it. And. But I. I've always had. Whether. Because some Americans have found me out and they're excited that I'm there, but I've always noticed the audiences more than meeting me halfway and kind of. They've seen loads of my stuff on YouTube or Netflix. So I'm amazed at how much they. They kind of know and they kind of get me. I guess it would be a bit like, I don't know, you know, Michael Shea or Michelle Wolf doing gigs in London. You know.

[Brian Green]

Sure.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

If they're doing less of the square, audience are gonna go, are gonna know Michelle Wolf. You know, they're not. They're not gonna sort of stumble in.

[Brian Green]

Yeah.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

So I love it and I kind of find it. I find it so fascinating gigging around the country. Like, it's so brilliant to get that kind of street level knowledge of America.

[Brian Green]

Yeah.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

And there's so many different Americas and.

[Brian Green]

It'S such a big country and, and.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

And it's the.

[Brian Green]

It.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

But it is the country that the world looks to and it's in such a. Interesting state of flux. Yeah.

[Brian Green]

And kind of.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yeah. But, but, but within that is so much kind of like social commentary and sort of like interesting comedic analysis. And there's things you see. Like, there's things you see in America you don't see. I saw a homeless man outside a hotel for dogs, and it was this, like. So the man had no home and the dog was on holiday.

[Brian Green]

Right.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

This kind of amazing sort of image.

[Brian Green]

Yes.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Of decadence. That this man would have a better life if he was Kim Kardashian's Labrador. And that is true. Sad and funny and interesting. But. But as an English person, I've never seen a hotel for dogs. So. And, and then. And that is ludicrous enough. But when you see a homeless man being moved along because that's where the dogs like to sunbathe, that struck me as funny and unfair and wild and it's sort of. It's a brilliant dark comedic analysis of the kind of weird disparity of wealth. Do you know what I mean? So, yes, that's the point I make. It's kind of you.

[Brian Green]

And I think if you had three words to describe the United States of America. It would be funny, create unfair and wild. That's just like. That is the story.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Well done. Well, you're, you're absolutely right. Right. But you're. Yeah, but then it's that thing. Who wouldn't want to, you know, take part of the kind of, you know, get on the ride? So that's. And, and then interesting talking because essentially that's what Stand up is. I've got a show, but, you know, I might see things during the day and then being able to talk them out with the audience, you kind of get this. I don't know. It feels like every show is kind of unique because American cities are unique. Like, Atlanta is such a different place to New York, which is a very different place to Detroit, which is a different place to Pittsburgh, you know, and you kind of. Yeah, I kind of. And it just, it gives you a layer. It gives you an extra layer as an English comic because you're, you're on holiday and you feel like, weirdly, you're representing your country and you're analyzing theirs on top of all the kind of natural stand up that I have. Anyway, so I love.

[Brian Green]

Poke at the politics of the United States. Do you poke at the.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yeah, I mean, yeah, I have to bone up on it. I have to really. Because, and, and by. Also I'm really interested in trying to find the middle ground because it feels like so much, you know, so much has been weaponized and, and, and people are. It's so tribal and people are pitted against each other. And fundamentally, most people, it. People. People aren't one thing or another, but they've been forced into it. Whether it's politically or comedically, you've got to be this and you've got to be into that. Whereas it's a bit like a buffer. You kind of pick and choose. There's, there's things that I am really right wing about. There's things I'm super liberal about, and that's everybody, I think. And the, the brilliant thing about laughter is that it's always. It's so kind of connecting, like when you're kind of lost in laughter, you realize, like that for me, looking at the, the fact that, you know, you have homeless people in a hotel for dogs, like, that's interesting, irrespective of your kind of political approach. And also, here's the big thing. If you voted for Trump, that doesn't define all of your personality. Like, and I think that's the big thing that it's kind of. And if you vote for Biden, that doesn't define, you know what I mean? And it's, I'm interested in moving those things away and trying to find the kind of meat of it.

[Brian Green]

You know, I think this is happening throughout the world, this kind of tribalism. And I mean, I only live here in the United States, but to travel a lot and I see, you know, my father in law who lives in Venezuela is fond of saying extremes on both sides end up in the same place and that's why you need that healthy push in Poland. I am very much what you just said. I am not all against everything that Trump says. I am not all for everything Biden says. I have my preferences. But at the end of the day, this tribalism makes people feel like they belong. And I think that's really where the story is. The story is there's something going on in this world and I think it might be the disconnection and loneliness.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yes.

[Brian Green]

That makes us feel like if we are on a team, if we are a Packers fan, if we are a Trump supporter, if we, you know, know, if we're British comedy fans, we can get on and knock the American comedy fans on Reddit because that makes us feel like we're part of something. Where did we go wrong? That this type of identification makes us feel like we're someone.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

It's funny.

[Brian Green]

Yeah, but it's, that's the story.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

To me, I think it's because it would appear that religion has been replaced with podcasts. I think that's what's happened. I think people have put, put, put down the Bible. They've, you know, but again, it's a really good example of like, fair enough of, of, of kind of people. I think with podcasts particularly, you have such a connection with them because people will be going to work with you guys. You're in there, you're in their ears.

[Brian Green]

So you're part of it all the time.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

You're totally. And, and it's a, it's really, it's a really tight, authentic, lovely connection. And I think like, if you don't have, you know, if society has changed and my God, it changed during COVID It's kind of, it's. So these become the constants. You become the constants. You're the chat. People are kind of listening to you and it's, I don't know.

[Brian Green]

Did you. I read this and I looked forward, but I don't know where it is. Did you do a series during 2020 and 2021 where you were in your Childhood bedroom. Talking to everybody on a daily basis or a weekly basis. Texas.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yeah.

[Brian Green]

During COVID Yes.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yeah. So I basically. My wife's a doctor and she was supposed to come on tour with me and she was having, like a career break in 2020 and she had. She was off work. And then Covid really kind of escalated and she kind of knew she had to go back. And two of her friends lived with elderly relatives. And this was the beginning of COVID when we didn't kind of know what it was.

[Brian Green]

It was big and scary.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Big scary masks. Didn't, you know. Know what?

[Brian Green]

Anybody know anybody? Yeah, exactly.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

So her two friends came to live at our house and then I was kind of like, like shipped off, like an evacuee to go and live with. With my parents for kind of two months, which was a real, you know, it was so. And. And I got offered the chance to do my show, you know, just on. On a com, on a computer, on the laptop, and then kind of send it in. So we did that for two months. And yeah, it was great. It was like. It was great in terms that it gave me a focus and it gave people something to kind of watch, I guess, because nothing was getting made. So there was a while where, yeah, we were kind of like the only kind of comedy show that was still being made. But it was. I'll tell you what it was. The green room was less cool. You know, if you do a TV show normally, you kind of, you know, you go into the bar afterwards, your mom's kitchen. It was exactly that. It was like my mum and my dad, who was really into spinning, you know, bike riding at the time. So. Yeah, exactly. So I'd see my dad's sweaty mantits and my mum going, do you fancy.

[Brian Green]

A glass of wine?

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

So it just wasn't as. Wasn't as rock and roll, but. But, you know, listen, it kind of, you know what it's like. That's what we realized.

[Brian Green]

That's when we started the show.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

And I said, well, there you go.

[Brian Green]

This may have saved our lives. And we do hear from a lot of people, people who, I don't know. I wouldn't classify them as lonely. They're just human beings that are looking for connection. And this is part of the way that they feel that connection. Some girls in a factory doing whatever, making widgets or whatever she does. And there's a thousand hours of the commercial break she can listen to while she's doing that. It makes her feel better. And. And we started this during. During COVID this was more of a saving grace for us at the time because no one was listening, but. Yeah, but I imagine you were a saving grace for a lot of people also, because you were some kind of real connection on the TV that was actually going through it. Have you ever seen the morning show on Apple tv? Have you seen this?

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

No.

[Brian Green]

So Jennifer Aniston plays a morning show.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yeah, I've heard of it.

[Brian Green]

So there's a whole plot line where she starts doing the show from her bedroom. Cause she has Covid. And when I read this about you, I was like, he's the real life morning show. Jennifer Aniston, you're. The Russell Howard Hour is. You're like, what, 200. You were 200 hours into this or something?

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yeah, we kind of. I think we. Yeah, that show doesn't run anymore. But we. God, we did. We're just doing the specials. We did like. Oh, how many. Flipping heck. Like, I think we did 10 series of it. And before that we did like eight series of a show called Russell Howard's Good News. So, yeah, it was kind of. It was a long old, long old time. But I loved it. It's kind of. There's a weird. I think because satire has kind of migrated over to the Internet, that it just isn't. The resell isn't there. So that's kind of why they don't really get made in the UK anymore. So we don't. We had an election and we had no kind of topical comedy. It's a bit of a shame.

[Brian Green]

But I think the show is brilliant.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Thanks.

[Brian Green]

Out on YouTube.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yeah, there's loads of it.

[Brian Green]

Like clips.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yeah, yeah, there's a lot of it. And what's funny is the news is so cyclical, so you can, you know, it's amazing.

[Brian Green]

Yes, you're right about that.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Watching clips of it and going, oh, my God, how is this still.

[Brian Green]

Yeah, yeah. How did this come back around? How does this come back?

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yeah, it's so. It's so fascinating. But that's kind of. Yeah, that's kind of where I. I guess I kind of cut my teeth properly.

[Brian Green]

So, Russell, you in your new special, which is brilliant, by the way. Thank you for providing a screener. I know it's out now as this show will be released. It's out now. It's on a platform called Drift. Is that right? You've got a website? That's right.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

You can go to my website. Yeah. You can stream it through my website. So my website is www.russellhoward.co.uk link's in.

[Brian Green]

The show notes, everybody. So just go there and we'll link to the special and we'll link to the website also. The special is hilarious. It's brilliantly funny. It's kinet. Your type of comedy is kinetic. It can be physical. You're really funny. You're really good at pointing out. Pointing out hypocrisy on all sides of the spectrum and then making it funny. And I really enjoyed it. One of the things that you said that really resonated with me, you were talking about how I think this. I think the way that my brain works. This is the only job that I could ever have. And that really struck a chord with me because you walk around life just like I do, and I'm sure Chrissy does, too. We walk around life seeing, observing and seeing things in such a weird way that if we said those things out loud in the moment, we'd be arrested or certainly kicked out of the party. But then you get to. I get to get on a microphone. You get to get up on stage and do this. Did you. Were you always like this? Did you always really. Was comedy always a pursuit of yours?

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yeah, I've always loved making people laugh. And my mum's very funny and my dad is very distant, so it's kind of like the perfect combo.

[Brian Green]

Sounds like my parents.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yeah, well, exactly.

[Brian Green]

Our parents. Yeah.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

You're trying to kind of, you know, stop her. You're trying to make him closer. Yeah, you make. Make him laugh and her not cry. So it was sort of that, really. But, yeah, I don't know. I was always. I used to. I loved school. School. So I was kind of, you know, I was okay academically, but I really loved, you know, mucking around and. Yeah, just like everyone was funny at school, it just felt like it was kind of like a. Everyone's chipping in. And I kind of loved that and kind of just grew up through that. And then through. I found Stand up. And you're so right. It's like when you find it. I imagine it's how, you know, you guys said it's exactly the same for you and you now have an output for it. It's probably like being a sculptor or a musician or a filmmaker or a screenwriter, whatever it is, but you sort of. When you find that valve that you can hiss your madness out of.

[Brian Green]

Yes.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

And that's the great thing about standup, that when people laugh, to me, it makes me feel like they're going, you're not mad. It's fine. Because. Yes, that's right, you have. But that's all I do. I just. I kind of, kind of wander around and occasionally my brain will whisper to me and I kind of write it down in my phone and then I kind of go on stage and see whether it's. It's interesting. But I. I wouldn't have it any other way. It's not a particularly, you know, useful way to live your life. But I. I am. I think Bill Hicks called it the third eye.

[Brian Green]

Yeah.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

And it's like squeegeeing the third eye. I'm pretty good at the third eye. You know what I mean? If, like, even in the midst of something, I can kind of sort of observe myself or kind of. I remember getting mugged when I was younger and even as it was happening, I was like, it's gonna be pretty funny. Do you know what I mean?

[Russell Howard]

Yeah.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

And it's not, it's not kind of, you know, it's not the best way to be. But you. It's kind of like the eyes go slightly kind of like cloudy and you're kind of, you know that you're like kind of writing it in your head. But, you know, I bet you it's the same with loads of people where we all kind of drift off. And then I'm fortunate that I get into this, you know, place where I can just like even the other day we're on holiday in Australia, which is a brilliant country and obviously we've got my son with me and I. There was lots of pregnant women and their partners there doing the kind of baby moon thing. I don't know if you have that. Yeah. You know when you go the sort of last holiday. Yeah. Really good fun. And I was thinking like, sort of in my head going like if. Because it was. If you were at an adult only resort and you were pregnant but you gave birth, like, would you still be allowed to stay? Like, do you know what I mean?

[Brian Green]

Depends on what kind of adults only.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Well, yeah, it wasn't, it wasn't a swinging thing, but I'm sort of like. But you know when, like kids aren't welcome. I was just, in my head, I just started like laughing at the image of that.

[Brian Green]

That holiday's over.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yeah, but that's what I mean of like, it's a boy. Get out.

[Brian Green]

Mr. Green, we'll be giving you your bill, sir. You're no longer welcome at Chateau adults. Exactly.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

And that was. But the point is, I was just like alone in my own head and then just wrote down in my phone and it's like, I, I'm sure I'll go to a gig at some stage and see if I can knock that into something.

[Brian Green]

Yeah.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

But do you know what I mean?

[Brian Green]

Do a lot of improving on stage age.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yeah, I kind of like, I, I used to do loads when I was younger, but it's kind of. I don't really like, I don't like picking on people. I've never really been into that of like, kind of, you know, rinsing the front row. Like.

[Russell Howard]

Yeah.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Roasting doesn't really like English people. We're mean behind each other's backs.

[Brian Green]

Like, we would never say very polite about. Yeah.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Just want you to know that's what I mean. But the, the roast, that culture just, I mean, it's beginning to. It's sort of slightly changing. But, but I kind of think sometimes there, there is a, there's a fine line between an excellent dis. And just being rude to somebody.

[Brian Green]

Yes.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

You know what I mean? And it just, it always makes me feel a bit icky if you're just, if you're kind of like the high status comic who's the expert and you, you know, you're basically calling someone's mama. You know what I mean? And it just feels very kind of.

[Brian Green]

Like it's a whole brand of comedy.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yeah. But it's the, that it's.

[Brian Green]

Some people do find it funny, but. Yeah, absolutely.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

But it's.

[Brian Green]

I think there are people who do it, like you said, masterfully and it's. They're not. It feels like at the end of the day it's done with some level of love and not at the expense of someone else's feelings. And then sometimes it's just mean for the sake of being mean.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yeah.

[Brian Green]

And you know, there's whole podcasts filled with people who do that. Right.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

But it's, but, but I think that thing of when something happens, like organically, I've always been pretty good at. Like, I was doing a show in. Where was I? I was, I was in Denmark in a place called Alborg. And I, I said, well, you know, what's been happening in, in Alborg? What's. What's the latest? And this lady went, we shot two elephants. I said, what? Like, and I said like, what the. You lot, all that? And she was like, no, no, the government, they said, why a zoo? And you're like, what. Why was that? It's like. And she went, well, one of the animals, one of the elephants was sick. Okay. And so the other one like. And she like, well, we didn't want him to be lonely. Oh, so it's so bleak. So then that became this whole thing of, like, you know, you should never work for social services. Do you know what I mean? Never, never, never work a suicide hotline. But the. The point is, is it kind of. I love it when you can make something that's happened organically. Then, I mean, it has to become part of the show. So the whole kind of evening was interlinked with this kind of, sort of knowledge of, you know, how. Of how they dealt with problems. But I don't. I love. I love improvising within my own head and kind of trying to kind of create a bit of magic, but I just don't. I'm not into that whole kind kind of, you know, slamming people. I don't have. If somebody. If somebody heckles me, fine, that's one thing. But I don't kind of go looking for the front row and.

[Russell Howard]

Right.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

You know what I mean? Weirdly, I went to see a comedian and my. My. My pa, Andy booked me the tickets, and she's lovely, but she kind of got me them. It was like the third row, right in the middle, and I was like, they're gonna. And if I.

[Brian Green]

They're gonna point it. Yeah, yeah.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

And it was really. But what was interesting. It was really interesting to feel that fear.

[Brian Green]

Yes.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Like, and I didn't want that. I was, like, going, God. And I'm a comedian. I know. You know, and yet in my head I'm going, oh, God, oh, God, oh, God, oh, God. Yeah. And I just thought it must be so awful for people. Like, some people must love it and. Of course. But. But some people must be sat there just praying.

[Brian Green]

Yes.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

That they're not going to be eviscerated. So it just made me think small.

[Brian Green]

Comedy clubs, and it feels like if you're chilling, you're in trouble. Yeah, exactly. And listen, I'm a big boy. I do this for a living. You know, we've been up on stage, you know, I've seen it. But also my wife, who is petrified of any public attention from strangers, I just. She already feels the fear, and then I feel the fear for her. And we went to a comedy club one time, and this guy, his whole shtick was pointing out people's physical appearances and then knocking them without them having said a word. Now, was it funny? There were parts that were funny, but he was randomly going through the audience, and I was like, please don't pick my wife, because I'm gonna have to Hear about it the entire car.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Brian Green]

Please don't pick my wife. And, you know, I think some of the. Okay, that's a valid form of comedy.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

But it would kill me. But the thing that interests me is how do you sleep? Because you just. At night, like, my brain does that anyway. My brain does that, you know, hurt.

[Brian Green]

What did I do wrong?

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yeah. But I'll be trying to go to sleep and my brain will remind me of some thing I did when I was 16.

[Brian Green]

Yes.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Do you know what I mean? Like, do you remember that? Do you remember that outside the pub? Yeah.

[Brian Green]

What an.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yeah, yeah. Like. And just. It reminds you of these cringe moments.

[Brian Green]

Yeah.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

You know, so. So I can't imagine, like, if you had a career where you were just like. Remember that time? I'm pretty sure she was crying. Do you know what I mean? And it's. And it's just not. I don't know, it's. It's. It's easy, but it's just not as interesting as trying to kind of zone in on stuff.

[Brian Green]

Agreed. You know, speaking of picking on people, I have to tell you, I have to tell you this. This is the most interesting thing I've seen in two weeks on any website ever.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Right.

[Brian Green]

You, on your website, you clearly are a very popular comedian who's got accolades from all over the place. And you've done it. I mean, you're. Would you consider yourself One of the UK's most popular comics?

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yeah, yeah, probably. I'm certainly. Yeah.

[Brian Green]

Your own government set up a website that tracks the popularity of comics. Do you know about this?

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

I did not know this.

[Brian Green]

YouGov UK. Is that your, like, official government website?

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

They do.

[Brian Green]

I found a website, a webpage dedicated to tracking the popularity of the comics that come from the uk.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Wow, sis.

[Brian Green]

It's crazy. Now, I'm sure there's only six people who voted on this. There's got to be. You know, I mean, it's like this random website and the government. And the government is keeping track of it. Where are your tax dollars?

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

I mean. Yeah, that. I mean that you. You know, people might have faults with Joe Biden, but I can't imagine he's got a questionnaire asking people what they felt of Chappelle's last special.

[Brian Green]

You are a very popular comic, by the way, by some. You're like, number that. You can break it down by Men, women, Gen X. I'll send this link to you. You can check it out if you feel so inclined. But Johnny Vegas, you know, Johnny Vegas, have you Heard of this, the guy from Benny Dorm. Right, and like the Glamping show. Yeah, he ranks so highly up there. And I was like, I didn't even know Johnny Vegas was a, like a stand up comic.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yeah, he was, he's a great. He hasn't done stand up for many years, but again, so clearly they've asked a lot of people in the north of England, but he was, he was a phenomenal comedian. He was really like in his pomp. My God. Yeah, he was. He basically played the role of, of a light entertainer who every his life had unraveled and he used to do like live pottery on stage. This is kind of like. Yeah, this is like the mid-90s. And he, he would have a story about how his dad made him eat his pet rabbit. It was all like really dark and he was like making pottery as he did it.

[Russell Howard]

Oh my God.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yeah, so I out. But, but maybe, you know, maybe people had seen him live. I don't know. But he's a really great comic. But.

[Brian Green]

And well, listen, the only thing that I knew him from was Benny Dorm, right. But then I, I somehow got on down the rabbit hole and then I watched his show on Glamping. I won't go too far off on this, but I watched the show on Glamping where he's just like, he's trying to start this camping park, right. RV park or whatever by making these things. I found him to be a very love, lovely human being. A complete opposite of what you see on Benny.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yeah, he's a really, really. He's a really gentle soul. He's wonderful. He's really, really funny. But yeah, there's. Trying to think. There's a great clip of him. He did, just for laughs, the Montreal Comedy Festival.

[Brian Green]

Oh, yeah, Yeah.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

I think, you know, you've got to do seven minutes. They have lawyers who check your jokes. All very kind of regimented. And I think he went on and did 15 minutes. And obviously this was before the, you know, the stories about. No, no, the stories that came out about Bill Cosby because he kept saying, I could have been the next Bill Cosby, but you lot had to play God. And it's just this utterly bewildered Canadian audience, but it's pretty legendary. It's worth a spin. If you, if you want to see a great comedian going down in flames, then I would recommend it.

[Brian Green]

Chrissy. See, he might be a. We might be, you know, beloved podcasters and he might be a beloved comic, but you have never been named the UK's weirdest crush of 2013. Did you know you were named UK's weirdest crush in 2013? What is that all about?

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Well, basically there's a big magazine called Heat over here, which is like a sort of a showbiz mike and I was voted the. Yeah, the weird crush. So the person that I guess women and some men fancied but felt terrible about. So it's kind of. It says a lot about kind of like male ego that I was kind of delighted. But like, like, as in, like. I just can't imagine a world in which like, like people going off, is there a girl you fancy? But you'd feel awful for admitting it, do you know what I mean? That's the thing that would be. But that would be. That would make the press like, if people were saying that they. So, yeah, I was kind of. I was essentially the nation's pity. That's kind of what I was.

[Brian Green]

Do you get followed by the press over there?

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yeah, yeah. So it's kind of like. It's kind of weird really, because I would describe myself as a famous comedian rather than a celebrity, you know, and it's kind of. So I've never really been to kind of red carpets or anything like that. I've been to, you know, I went to my sister's. My sister did a premiere for a film once and I went to the In Betweeners film. But aside from that, it's just not my thing. I don't really sort of. So I've never lurked in that kind of world of show.

[Brian Green]

Yes.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

But I've been on TV for like 20 odd years and, you know, done a reason. Yeah, yeah, exactly. So it's kind of. So when I do. Yeah, when I kind of do press, then sometimes it kind of like my. During COVID we were supposed to be going on my brother's stag, do you call it a bachelor party?

[Brian Green]

Yeah.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

But obviously we couldn't. And I was doing an interview with Lorraine, who's really lovely kind of early morning kind of TV host, and I got out a kind of pint of cider because it was supposed to be my brother stag dude, and just kind of downed it. Just was in the middle of this, you know, like, you know, essentially news more just like drinking, drinking, like really rough cider. And that went pretty wild. Like it was kind of all over. Just like Howard drinks for breakfast and it was just a joke to my brother and all his cousins. So, yeah, I have to be pretty things sometimes. Yeah, it's just that odd thing, isn't it? Of like, you know, like. Like even in the special. That. That is true. That line of, you know, it was in the paper that somebody said that I was obsessed with the idea of running a gym, but only for grannies. So it's just kind of. Yeah. Things I say on POD sometimes end up in the press. So it's pretty wild.

[Brian Green]

Well, we can only hope.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yeah, I'm sure.

[Brian Green]

People can. Find the special now available on your website. We're going to put links in the show notes. He's doing a tour mainly of the west coast of America, but we'll put the. The links there.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Oh, that'd be amazing. Yeah.

[Brian Green]

Russell, go ahead.

[Russell Howard]

Sure. Yeah. I have been dying to know because we have discovered the show Naked Attractions.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yes.

[Russell Howard]

Oh, do you watch that?

[Brian Green]

Yeah.

[Russell Howard]

Dying to know. Have you ever known anybody that's been on there?

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

No.

[Russell Howard]

Or known someone that knew someone? Because, I mean, the show is so wild.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yes. And it must. It must go against everything that you think of. Of British people. Yes, absolutely.

[Russell Howard]

Exactly. Yeah. No, no. Prudishness.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yeah. It's funny, isn't it? Like America, it's. It's so lovely to come to America because you sort of regard us as, like these. These regal, noble beasts, and yet it's because we're far away from you. We're close to. We're close to Europe. And they know the truth about us. The truth is that we have a dating show for people who don't know what naked attraction is. Where the people meet naked and you have, like five women or five men behind five kind of capsules, and you sort of gradually, you know, you. You lift it up. You start from the pelvis so you're just, you know, you will. You'll just see the. The or vagina of the. Of your potential, you know, a fiance. Yeah. And. And they, they literally kind of talk about their bits, like, like, very clinically, clinically, but like. But like, in the same way you might talk about, like, buying veg at a supermarket.

[Russell Howard]

It's so kind of like, Like. Yeah.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

And I think one of the famous lines is, are you a Mothman? You know, and. And this guy go, well, you know, I don't mind.

[Brian Green]

I don't mind.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

However she wants to do it is fine. So it's, it's, it's kind of weirdly, it's. It's like a cross between a porn film and, like, Wallace and Gromit episode.

[Russell Howard]

Yes.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Do you know what I mean? There's kind of a lot going on, but, yeah, it's. It's. I Don't know anyone who's been on it. But it's a really good question because presumably they know people.

[Brian Green]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

So their life must forever be different. Well, do you know what I mean?

[Russell Howard]

Like a financial advisor.

[Brian Green]

Yeah. There was one guy, plumber. So we have broke down a couple of these videos, so watched them here in the studio and then commented on them as we're watching them.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yeah.

[Brian Green]

And our listeners are floored. Last time we did it, it was a woman with men and we just talked about penises for an hour. And I think that probably half our audience tuned out. But. But we have always wondered about this show. It's available on one of our streaming platforms here, HBO Max. Now, I'm not sure how many people watch it, but we've always wondered who's going to the grocery store the next day. I mean, everybody in the entire world just saw your cock and now you're naked.

[Russell Howard]

Everything.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yeah, exactly. And it's just.

[Brian Green]

It's so weird.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

But it boggles them.

[Brian Green]

Yeah, it boggles the world.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

It really does. And it's. It's. That is the show, isn't it? You almost want to follow them around afterwards.

[Brian Green]

Yes.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Do you know what I mean? Just kind of.

[Brian Green]

You're so right about this. We need a. Where are they now? Yeah, after the dates. And I mean, I know they show the first date that they go on, but Naked Attraction, one of my. One of my favorite oddities currently.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yes.

[Brian Green]

Anywhere in the world.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Absolutely.

[Brian Green]

Russell's special is brilliant. It is available on his website again, links in the show notes and his tour. And there is so, so much of Russell out there on YouTube. We'll also link to his YouTube channel and of course, his social media. Russell, you are welcome back here anytime. We are fans of yours.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Yeah, I would love to. Whereabouts are you guys based?

[Brian Green]

We're in Atlanta.

[Russell Howard]

Yeah.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Well, I'll tell you what, if I get the chance, when I. When we're over there, I'd love to pop in, say hello.

[Brian Green]

If you have the chance, then you've got our information. We would love that. And if you should come close to Atlanta and do your act, we will be sitting not in the first row, but somewhere.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Excellent. Brilliant. Well, lovely to meet you both.

[Brian Green]

Russell, you're the best man. Get back to that kid of yours. Thanks for coming on. We appreciate it.

[Jeff]

One of my New Year's resolutions is to hear more of other people's drama. So help a girl out and tell us your drama at 212-433-3822. You can text it or if it's extra juice juicy. Leave us a voicemail with the full story and don't forget to follow us on Instagram at the commercial break and on TikTok CBpodcast and watch our video [e-mail] thecommercialbreak. But also you can find everything I just mentioned and more on our website tcbpodcast.com okay, let's listen to our sponsors and send us your drama.

[Brian Green]

This episode is sponsored by our new favorite Barton partner, Dollar Shave Club. I could not be more thrilled that one of my favorite brands has joined the commercial break as a sponsor. Dollar Shave Club been a customer for a very long time. One very happy customer indeed. It's no surprise that facial hair is personal. It grows on our face, we all grow it, we all shave it, and all of us style it differently. That's what makes us all unique and interesting. And honestly, I think that's pretty great. Dollar Shave Club is for everybody, body and every budget. Whether you like to go smooth like a baby's bottom or you're maintaining a fantastic manscaped beard like I do, Dollar Shave Club offers grooming products that are always high quality and always the right price. So let me introduce you to some of their top sellers. I think they're going to make your grooming routine feel like a spa day. And anybody who listens to the commercial break knows how much I like a spa day. The Club Series 6 Blade Razor this isn't just any razor. It's a mini vacation for your face base. It's got six stainless steel blades and a vitamin E infused lubricant strip. This razor delivers the closest, most comfortable shave. Honestly, I feel just a little too pampered after I use this. And the Precision trimmer is perfect for getting those little detailed areas like right under the nose or around your jawline. Because when you're going to keep it high and tight, you need to get it precise. But don't take my word for it. Try it for yourself. Dollar Shave Club products are now available anywhere, so you can order them from the website Amazon or get them at your favorite retailer near you. That's what I do. Alternatively, you can visit the site right now for 20 off $20 or more and get your products delivered right to your door. Visit dollarshaveclub.com tcb and use the code tcb for 20% off $20 or more. And remember, whatever you shave, welcome to the club. Thanks to Dollar Shave Club for being a sponsor of the commercial break. Where'd you get those shoes Easy. They're from dsw because DSW has the exact right shoes. Shoes for whatever you're into right now. You know, like the sneakers that make.

[Astrid]

Office hours feel like happy hour, the.

[Brian Green]

Boots that turn grocery aisles into runways.

[Astrid]

And all the styles that show off.

[Brian Green]

The many sides of you, from daydreamer to multitasker and everything in between. Because you do it all in really great shoes. Find a shoe for every you at.

[Astrid]

Your DSW store or dsw.com so fun.

[Brian Green]

To talk to Mr. Russell Howard. And I like how he described. He says, you Americans think that all British people are reserved and, you know, quietly funny. And then he comes on and he's reserved and quietly funny and very nice. He's so nice.

[Russell Howard]

He was great.

[Brian Green]

Mo Gilligan, who is our other British comic friend that we made here on the commercial break, and Russell Howard. Both of them are proving that British people are, in fact, a little bit reserved and very funny and very nice. So there you go.

[Russell Howard]

And very naked.

[Brian Green]

What's that?

[Russell Howard]

And very naked.

[Brian Green]

Well, there you go. I wonder. Like, I think he. I think what he was trying to say is that it is as much of a sensation over there as it is over here. It's like, wow, that's crazy. But I am still looking for that person that knows that person that was on the show and what was their life like afterwards. How do you ever date someone again and not know that they know what your penis looks like? Do you know what I'm saying?

[Russell Howard]

Or use them as a plumber or your financial advice.

[Brian Green]

When I went to the bar, at least I knew that I had my sense of humor and that I. They weren't going to see my penis, likely for a long time. If I go on that show, then I know. Yeah, it's all over. All right. Thanks to Mr. Russell Howard for coming in today. We certainly appreciate it. All of his stuff will be in the show notes. Links to his YouTube, links to tickets to his show, links to his special, links to his website, links to his social media. We'll put it all in the show notes. Please do us a favor and go check out that special. He didn't come here for his health, Chrissy. He needs people to watch that special.

[Russell Howard]

Yes, he does. I think he will. He's gonna have a lot of people watching it.

[Brian Green]

Oh, I think so, too. Yes. But we want it. We want to make it a thing here in the United States because we know that people over there are gonna watch it because they love Russell Howard. People here, do they know Russell Howard? Do they Know Robbie Williams?

[Russell Howard]

No.

[Brian Green]

Is Russell Howard in fact a dolphin or an octopus in a sexy wig? We're not sure. More info to follow. Stay tuned to the commercial break. All right, here's our info. Go to tcbpodcast.com all the everything you need is right there. We got all the audio, all the video right there from one location. If you're a browser kind of person, you can watch it on your browser. You listen to it in your browser. If you're old school like that, feel free. And I have a feeling some of you are that old that you're browsing. Get your free sticker. Also hit the contact us button. Drop down menu. I want my free shit. Give us your address and we'll send you something. Promise. No must, no fuss. We won't ask for anything in return except for a like or a follow. You could do that. Also, Astrid is imploring me to implore you to go and check us out on YouTube.com thecommercial break. Check out the new studio, check out the new digs. Watch all of our episodes, every single one of them now available on YouTube.com thecommercialbreak that includes all of our interviews. So if you want to see just how handsome Russell is compared to me, go check that out. You can imagine both of us on dating Naked. A naked attraction. What is it called?

[Russell Howard]

Naked Attraction.

[Brian Green]

Naked Attraction. Dating Naked's a different show. Or they don't. They don't actually show anything. They just tell you they're going to show something, but they don't really. I just noticed the camera keeps swaying over one side. Are you noticing that our camera doing its own camera tricks. That's kind of cool.

[Russell Howard]

Likes to do that.

[Brian Green]

There you go. All right. Add the commercial break on Instagram TCB podcast on Tick Tock. If Tick Tock's still around. Yeah, I think it will be. I think. I think he just trouble just invited the CEO to the inauguration. So I think we're all good. Yeah. 212-433-TCB 212-433-3822 questions, comments, concerns, content, ideas, all there. Please talk to us. We want to hear from you. All right, Chrissy. I think that's all I can do for right now.

[Russell Howard]

I think so.

[Brian Green]

I'll tell you that I love you. Best to you. Best you out there in the podcast universe. Until next time we talk, Chrissy and I will say do say and we must say good goodbye.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

What is Dax?

[Brian Green]

Are you tracking all our cars on Carvana Value tracker on all our devices yes Kristen, yes I am.

[Astrid]

Well, I've been looking for my phone.

[Brian Green]

For In Dax's domain we see all so we always know what our cars are worth.

[Jeff]

All of them?

[Brian Green]

All of them. Value surge trucks up 3.9% that's a great offer. I know. Set Sell Track your car's value with Carvana Value Tracker today.

[Astrid]

As a parent, you always want to set your child up for success. So when they're struggling in school or they need help with homework, you try your best to step up. But sometimes you might not be equipped to answer, and it's better to leave that to the experts. From IXL Learning IXL Learning is an online learning program for kids. It covers math, language arts, science and social studies. IXL can help your child really understand and master topics in a fun way with positive feedback. Powered by advanced algorithms, IXL gives the right help to each kid, no matter the age of personality. And when you sign up, one subscription gets you everything you need for all the kids in your home, from Pre K to 12th grade. IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts in the US with 1 in 4 students across the country using the program. So don't wait any longer. Make an impact on your child's learning. Get IXL now and listeners can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when they sign up today. @ixcelearning.com audio Visit ixllearning.com audio to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price.

[Kristen Joy Hoadley]

Kiss Me.

[Brian Green]

Over the past 75 years, more than 10,000 chemicals have entered our.

[Astrid]

Food supply, but the EU allows just 300 additives.

[Brian Green]

At Thrive Market, we prioritize quality, banning.

[Astrid]

Over 1,000 ingredients found in conventional grocery stores. Our Healthy Swap Scanner helps you find better versions of your pantry essentials without.

[Brian Green]

The junk dyes or fillers. And everything is delivered right to your doorstep. So shop at a grocery store that actually cares about your health. @thrivemarket.com get started for 30% off your first order and a free sixty dollar gift.