Class Clown

Stewart Lee gives his characteristically honest takes on the performers who chose to play the Riyadh Comedy festival in Saudi Arabia, why he's not into the Oasis reunion despite liking their work, why the current state of Marvel is in direct opposition to what the brand once stood for, why Star Trek is superior to Star Wars (and why Star Trek is better for people with autism). He also shares a story about getting beaten up by teenagers a few years ago, his love of Top Trumps, why you'll soon be able to buy an action figure of him and why you shouldn't use Chat GPT to write interview questions. Safe to say, this episode is an all timer! Access Part 2 right now on the Class Clown patreon 00:00 Intro, Chat GPT 04:05 Panini Stickers V Top Trumps 09:02 Riyadh Comedy Festival 10:46 Star Wars, Star Trek, Marvel 20:26 Modern Comedy Industry 22:30 Oasis Reunion 26:19 Only Fools & Horses V Blackadder 27:48 Bad Behaviour 31:20 Being Beaten Up Recently 39:30 Early Drinking Stories Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The phenomenal Russell Kane talks to Seann Walsh about growing up in council housing, the pluses and minuses of having a scary "Ray Winstone"- style Dad, playing Dungeons & Dragons, the dangers of being a self proclaimed "Jester Bellend" and what makes someone statistically more likely to find success in comedy, and what makes you more likely to find success in Football and sports. We do our usual nostalgia-drenched either/or quiz where Russell makes the case that The Prodigy are the dance music equivalent of Oasis. To hear Part 2 immediately (and Ad FREE!) go to the CLASS CLOWN Patreon To help you ditch Vaping and Smoking, check out our sponsor, FUM. 00:00 - Episode Preview and Intro 01:17 - Nostalgic Either/Or Quiz 03:59 - Russell's love for Dungeons & Dragons 07:26 - Childhood Foolishness and Having A Scary dad 16:29 - Life in Council Housing in Enfield 22:45 - Family Heritage 27:07 - Aristotle, Early Performing and School Popularity 32:58 - What makes someone likely to be a Comedian vs a Footballer 37:20 - Intelligence, Power of a Strong Father Figure 49:39 - Russell Kane Part 2 Preview SHOW DESCRIPTION Part nostalgia trip, part confessional, part masterclass in unconventional success—this is no ordinary interview podcast. In Class Clown, Seann Walsh chats to the boldest rule-breakers in entertainment, uncovering the wild tales of childhood chaos, brushes with disaster, and the personal battles that shaped them. But beneath the mischief lies a powerful thread—how the very traits that caused trouble early on became the unexpected fuel for their biggest achievements. Expect laugh-out-loud memories, raw moments of vulnerability, and the kind of hard-won wisdom you won't hear anywhere else. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joel flips the the format on it's head and puts Seann under the spotlight for a moment as the pair discuss their early days gigging together. They then dig into Joel's teen years in a band, how his step Dad became a hugely influential force in shaping his psychology around work and effort, the meritocracy of the comedy circuit, how he adds his own comedy perspective into his presenting scripts (including some fun banter with Jonathan Ross when he appeared on The Masked Singer). To use our 10% Discount code foe Better Help head to ⁠BetterHelp.com/ClassClown Next week's episode will feature the hilarious Russell Kane - access 48 Hours early head to patreon.com/classclown⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you want to hear/watch Part 2 straight away head to patreon.com/classclown In Part 1 Joel Dommett chats about being dumped for being frigid, how he learned comedy from the Class Clown's around him and how a misjudged comment landed him a confrontation with the hardest lad in school. We get into why he was never into Blur or Oasis and he feels that he has never really fit neatly into any group. To use the 10% Discount code foe Better Help head to BetterHelp.com/ClassClown Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adoption, anorexia, bulimia, drinking on parks, kiss chase gone wrong and school plays. Seann and Joanne cover a lot of ground in this funny, insightful and touching episode of Class Clown. Host: Seann WalshProducer: Adam HortonProducer: Marc PageCover Design: Ben TomsPhotography: Jack MargerisonMusic: Mike J Benwell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The amazing Josh James tells Seann Walsh about the effect being from Essex has had on his outlook growing up, why he got banned from the FA, his first gig impersonating Bill Clinton, how drugs and alcohol almost derailed his career and why he got suspended 4 times from school.This episode is sponsored by FIXR. Class Clown Listeners get £50 when hosting their first event. Head to fixr.co/p/class-clown for more info! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

amali Maddix joins Seann Walsh to chat growing up in the 90's and the 00's, almost being kicked out of school multiple times, having Dyslexia and Dyspraxia, a heartbreaking story about how a teacher's insensitive comment altered him as a person and how he overcame low expectations to achieve massive success as a comedian and documentary maker. Also covered: how his love for Biggie and Tupac evolved since he was a kid, why he is neither into Oasis or Blur and a very funny story about breaking a car window by accident. Our sponsor this week is Sheath underwear. Use discount code CLASSCLOWN for 20% off! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The brilliant Laura Smyth talks to Seann Walsh all about grwoing up in 80's and 90's East London, losing her father at a young age, her bad teenage years which lead to her underperforming at School. We get into her experiences as a young mum, a chance meeting with an old teacher which lead to her going back to uni and eventually pursuing a career as teacher, which she dropped in her late 30's to take on a career in comedy. Check out Laura's new pod Shouldn't Laugh But... launching August 4th! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Viral comedy sensation and regular Ricky Gervais tour support Red Richardson talks to Seann Walsh about being suspended 8 times, a misguided attempt to become a life coach, his teenage love for rapping, his thoughts on comedy and being inspired by South Park, The Office, Alan partridge, Will Ferrell and Ben Stiller.Stay toxic! Host: Seann WalshProducer: Adam HortonDigital Activation Producer: Alfie DundasCover Design: Ben TomsPhotography: Jack MargerisonMusic: Mike J Benwell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The incredible Vittorio Angelone reveals how he deals with a crippling anxiety that can cause him to hallucinate, tells us about the current status of his autism evaluation and how being part of sports teams and music groups made sense to him, in a way that the rest of his school life did not. We get into house party mischief, his failed bid to be "head boy', his admiration for his schoolmates who were the Class Clowns and how being from Belfast has influenced his comedy and career. Catch Vittorio on tour by purchasing tickets here:https://vittorioangelone.com/tourAnd come see CLASS CLOWN LIVE! at Top Secret Comedy Club on July 27th with the wonderful Josh James. Tickets below:https://fixr.co/event/seann-walsh-x-josh-james-class-clown-live-podcast-tickets-938680080?lang=en-US Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

YouTube pioneer Max Fosh discusses the impact of his parents' divorce, playing female roles in school plays, the creative methods of bullying at private school, the keys to his content creation success, why he considers himself a comedian but not a "stand up."Host: Seann WalshProducer: Adam HortonDigital Activation Producer: Alfie DundasCover Design: Ben TomsPhotography: Jack MargerisonMusic: Mike J Benwell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pop Legend Boy George chats with Seann Walsh about his distrust of authority, determination to get suspended from school, a tough upbringing, the homophobia he experienced growing up, forming Culture Club on a whim, developing his iconic look, twitter spats and how his views have matured with age. Check out Boy George's new album SE18 out now on Vinyl and CD! Host: Seann Walsh Producer: Adam Horton Digital Activation Producer: Alfie Dundas Cover Design: Ben Toms Photography: Jack Margerison Music: Mike J Benwell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The hilarious Mike Rice talks us through his troubled teen years, growing up on a farm in Ireland, being suspended 5 times(!), his smart mouth getting him into all sorts of trouble, school riots, fighting, hitting puberty late, writing his own lines in the school play, panic attacks, depression and the realisation he came to that made his career possible! Host: Seann Walsh Producer: Adam Horton Digital Activation Producer: Alfie Dundas Cover Design: Ben Toms Photography: Jack Margerison Music: Mike J Benwell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jill Scott tells Seann Walsh the surprising ways she stayed focused during big football matches, how bullies taught her resilience that lead to her later success and how her love for people is what lead to her being crowned Queen of The Jungle in I'm A Celeb. Plus she delivers the untold story behind losing her temper in the Euros 2022 finals that makes Seann cry! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The hilarious Jamie Hutchinson is back for part 2 where we learn about how his mum adopting another family threw his household into chaos, falling into a gambling addiction and heavy cocaine use and how he fell into comedy - we also hear about a very misguided theatrical production he put on in his teens and how he got kicked out of a drama club for miming an unspeakable act! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jamie Hutchinson joins Seann Walsh to talk about how his unique childhood shaped the man who is fast becoming one of the most powerful comedy voices in the North. He talks how his wild imagination got him in trouble with the police, how his early writing prowess writing scenes from The Simpsons earned him the respect of his teachers and class mates and how his parents divorce and moving schools lead to him "Re Branding" as a Bad Boy. Part 2 coming next week! 00:00 Intro 01:12 Odd Conception 03:40 Gorton Childhood, Anxiety 08:50 Stage Persona, Imagination 20:58 Simpsons, Building Confidence 32:45 Moving Schools, Becoming Naughty 36:06 Police Trouble 40:11 First Heartbreak 47:22 Tramp Of The Year Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Romesh Ranganthan, Stewart Lee, Ross Noble, Adam Rowe, Boy George, Russell Kane, Vittorio Angelone, Red Richardson and Joanne McNally reveal the key moments from their childhood that shaped their character and influenced the success they each have enjoyed in their career. Don't forget to catch the brand new YouTube specials from Red Richardson and Vittorio Angelone Catch Seann live on tour in 2026! We'll be back next week with an all new Class Clown interview! 00:00 Intro 01:16 Romesh Ranganthan 10:01 Stewart Lee 14:01 Adam Rowe 21:46 Ross Noble 26:51 Boy George 35:33 Vittorio Angelone 42:34 Red Richardson 46:02 Russell Kane 55:11 Joanne McNally 01:07:44 Adam Rowe - Advice Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Charlie Higson co-created the Fast Show, wrote on Harry Enfield & Chums and Vic Reeves' Big Night Out. He is a celebrated author having written the best-selling Young Bond novels and Enemy series. His latest book Willie, Willie, Harry, Stee is a an irresistible, family-friendly deep dive into the murky lives of the British monarchy, illustrated by Jim Moir, AKA Vic Reeves. Check out the book here. Go to ⁠https://surfshark.com/classclown⁠ or use code CLASSCLOWN at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! See Seann On Tour in 2026! 00:00 Intro 01:28 Early Years, Signs Of Creativity 10:05 Starting A Band, Dealing With Shyness 15:44 Finding Peace On Stage 22:58 The Fast Show character inspiration 29:10 Monty Python, Dad's Army, Benny Hill 38:26 Meeting Paul Whitehouse at University 40:20 The Philosophy Of The Fast Show's Writing 43:30 Love Of Creativity 48:44 Aristotle 50:00 Meeting Vic Reeves, Harry Enflield 54:55 New History Book Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Head to ⁠SurfShark.com/ClassClown⁠ for our exclusive VPN deal - save money, enhance your streaming options & secure your sensitive data! Britain's Got Talent winner and viral comedy juggernaut Axel Blake talks struggling with his early private school education, how undiagnosed Dyslexia and ADHD affected his behaviour, how he ended up getting into a physical fight with a teacher, being suspended multiple times and how it all culminated in him doing a prison sentence. He talks about how he was determined to never end up back in prison and how that stint helped him really ask fundamental questions that lead to his later success, wowing Simon Cowell, winning Britain's Got Talent and achieving major social media success. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Head to ⁠SurfShark.com/ClassClown⁠ for our exclusive VPN deal - save money, enhance your streaming options & secure your sensitive data! In the second part of Seann Walsh's interview with Russell Howard, Russell explains how he dodged the temptations of hedonism, despite achieving incredible success in his 20's, developing his work ethic alongside his peers Michael McIntyre, Daniel Kitson and Ross Noble. He reveals how he's battled with, and been motivated by, negative internal thoughts, why he relates to Rugby hero Johnny Wilkinson and how he sees himself as "more Ronaldo, than Messi" when it comes to comedy. He gets into the details of how he made Russell Howard'd Good News & The Russell Howard Hour and how working with Frankie Boyle during his Mock The Week years trained his approach to generating material. He also recalls a very funny early comedy story about Johnny Vegas! Need a Christmas present? Get Tickets For Seann's new tour This Is Torture here. https://www.seannwalsh.com/ 00:00 Trail 01:02 Early Success 05:00 Hedonism, Daniel Kitson 09:02 Parental Motivation 12:02 Frankie Boyle, Mock The Week 17:02 Good News, Topical Comedy 22:45 Work Ethic 29:12 Johnny Vegas, Fear of Failure 33:42 Stardom, Live Mishaps Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices