The Randal Report

From across the great pond, we took a look at the recent Presidential debate, Biden versus Trump and the media comment that followed. Whilst Biden stumbled over some of his replies, Trump continued with his usual routine "I'm the greatest", "My golf swing's better than yours" and "All the migrants crossing the southern border are murderers, nutters and rapists"! Dear oh dear, what is going on?

With barely a week to go before Britain decides on their next government, the Conservatives are caught in a betting scandal. A number of aides, candidates and also some Police officers had allegedly placed bets on what day the election was to be held having gained inside information. Nigel Farage, leader of 'Reform' re-iterates his support for Trump and is accused of being Putins poodle. Could it get any worse?

Matt reveals why he wouldn't consider doing drag shows in the future and Simon reminisces touring working men's clubs as a singer, it wasn't glamorous for sure!

I quite like a Sunday afternoon lounging on the sofa, chilling and talking rubbish, especially if the weather's lousy! This week we're talking about our various performing exploits, whether as a stripper or a drag act, or appearing on one of the myriad of TV property programmes! Stories of times past and our 15 minutes of something, but definitely not fame though!

Two weeks into the UK battle for number 10 Downing Street! Finally, it's time for the great British public to cast their vote! So, what of the campaign so far, who are the runners and riders and who will fall at the final hurdle? Will it be a goodbye for the Prime Minister Sunak and a hello for Labour and will the Green Party win a second seat? We unravel the first two weeks of the campaign and are we getting excited? Probably not!

It's the beginning of a long election year in the USA, but will either of the main contenders even make it to polling day? Will Satsuma man Trump be languishing in a federal prison? will Biden remember where he lives and who is wife is? An election looms in England also and believe me the choice isn't great here either. A governing party who's only idea is to send illegal immigrants to another country, but hasn't sent any yet, or the opposition, whose leader can't quite make up his mind what a woman is!

Suffering with a bad back, Simon is joined by Matt, as The Randal Report' moves to the bedroom to discuss the prospects of National Service and a Citizens Army in the face of the growing threat of war! Yeah right! Discuss?

Now that 2023 is done, we follow on from our Christmas episode with a look back at the year and consider what might be in store for us all in 2024. Just two slightly grumpy and cynical seniors, pontificating? Possibly! Or is it just an opportunity to vent some frustration?

Its the Return of 'The Randal Report' co-hosted by my fabulous husband Matt! A seasonal edition, as an opener, with our bug-bears on Christmas shoppers and a re-write of the nativity, just for fun!

That’s news to me, where Mel and I will take three stories that have been currently or recently featuring in the news and in ten minutes or less, add our take on the finer points, yep, just ten minutes or less! 

Today we do what we do best, talk absolute nonsense about whatever comes into our heads! Follow us along our journey to nowhere....

SINCE THE RECENT STABBING OF THE AUTHOR SALMAN RUSHDIE, THE SUBJECT OF FREE SPEECH HAS REARED ITS HEAD ONCE MORE.  IT HAS BECOME COMMONPLACE TO BE VILIFIED, HAVE YOUR INCOME/LIVELIHOOD ADVERSLEY AFFECTED, FOR SIMPLY BEING A LITTLE OUT OF TOUCH. HAVE WE BECOME A SOCIETY THAT’S TOO EASILY OFFENDED AND WHERE DO WE DRAW A LINE ON WHAT IS, OR ISN’T ACCEPTABLE? The threat of death for having an opinion Is religion oversensitive to criticism or humour The woke generation Gaslighting and cancellations, quote Germaine Greer Stopping of books and tv programmes from being aired, Warnings on content “the following programme may contain outdated views”

That’s news to me, where Mel and I will take three stories that have been currently or recently featuring in the news and in ten minutes or less, add our take on the finer points, yep, just ten minutes or less!  On today's episode we discuss, Chinese vs Taiwanese tensions, Archie Battersbea and the right to life & the Energy Crisis.

As the leadership race to become Britain’s next Prime Minister enters the final furlong and the contenders have been whittled down from near a dozen to just two, we cogitate the likely outcome and thus what it means for the rest of us!

Does anyone want to hazard a guess as to who got COVID the other week and delayed us getting a new episode out to you?    Today we discuss where we are with the latest variant and the end of restrictions and mandates in the UK. Are things improving or are our government turning a blind eye to a worsening situation to save our ever more precarious economy?

Until recently, the idea of talking about mental health in personal terms was quite rare, for the stigma attached to the health of the mind was so great, that the mere mention of it often resulted in friends giving you a wide berth and in the context of one’s professional life, often resulted in one being surreptitiously manoeuvred out of one’s job. Whilst attitudes have improved, with seemingly a greater understanding and sensitivity surrounding mental health issues, in my opinion, it still remains the reality in the commercial world, that most companies will still view those who are brave enough to talk about their own mental health struggles, as a liability and there is plenty of evidence to support this assertion. Whilst there has been a welcome change in the attitude of employers, I am less certain that it is but lip service being paid to matters of mental health and that real progress and substantive change is still to take place.

SUPERMARKET WOES I’m someone that generally goes to the supermarket every day, usually when it’s just opened, but I really get annoyed by other shoppers and their weird habits!

Once the preserve of fading Hollywood stars and retirees to Miami, it seems now that going under the knife, injecting paralysis inducing toxins and lip fillers all, in the pursuit of vanity, is nearly as common as brushing your teeth. I’m not adverse to a few enhancements, such as tattoos and piercings, you understand, which I consider to be an expression of one’s self, I’m not talking about those pop stars either, from the 70’s and 80’s that try desperately to cling onto the youthful look they once possessed, when topping the charts and mysteriously end up in a time warp of their best self from forty years past, dying what’s left of a pony tail and their beards, desperately trying to maintain their relevance rather than accepting that they will never be twenty again. I can’t work out whether or not they think they look good, if its some sort of delusion, caused by the quantity of drugs they consumed back in the day, but equally perplexed as to why their friends don’t take them to one side and say something!

With the controversy surrounding the actions of Prince Andrew and his association to a  convicted and now deceased sex trafficker, one Geoffrey Epstein, Prince Harry having more or less left the Royal family and the latest incarnation, the cash for honours charity probe, which could lead to the questioning of Prince Charles by the police, is the British Monarchy on its last legs and past it’s best before date.

As Russia begins its invasion of the Ukraine, it is on this subject we will concentrate today and what that might mean for all of us in the days and weeks to come. Is the world on the brink of a protracted world war, is there shifting power that is creating an axis between Russia, China and other sympathetic countries.