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

Dr Natalie Cawley is back for another Bonus episode with Seann Walsh breaking down our amazing episode with Boy George, where she discusses family dynamics, the power of denial, the concept of "twinship" as it relates to our teenage years, the potent effects of social media on mental health and how Bonnie Blue is an example of the extremity of where this has gotten to. For More, check us out on Patreon 00:00 - Bullying, Long Term Effects 09:23 - Effects of Being Expelled 14:56 - Bonnie Blue, Trauma Creation 20:11 - Bonnie Blue Documentary 21:49 - Denial in Families 26:41 - Listener Story - Crowdsurfing Goes Bad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Part 2 of this incredible interview, Russell gets deep, discussing his love for raving, and how he met an upper class girl who opened his mind to the possibilities ofa life much greater than what was promised to him and how this completely changed his approach to life. He talks about living with his hilarious Nan, the secret sauce to what makes his comedy specials so powerful, how Russell Howard gave him advice that altered his comedic subject matter, his thoughts on Russell Brand's use of language and how it differs to his own and the advice he would give to anyone wanting to achieve a high level of success in comedy, that can be applied to any profession. We also chat his early life as salesman selling Rolex watches! Support the Show and get exclusive content on Patreon Ditch Smoking & Vaping By Heading to FUM 20% Off Your Next Pair Of Underwear At Sheath - Discount Code: CLASSCLOWN 00:00 - Teaser 00:45 - Russell's Comedy Style 06:01 - Finishing School, Bad Results 11:20 - Selling Rolex's/First Love 13:10 - Eccentric Nan 16:06 - How Raving Changed his Life 19:40 - Angry Awakening 27:18 - Competing With Private School Kids 31:16 - Russell Brand, use of language 34:09 - Russell's favourite comedians 35:33 - Advice 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

Seann Walsh and Dr. Natalie Cawley break down our incredibly revealing interview with the brilliant Mike Rice. They dive into the psychological reasons why teenager years are so difficult, some potential ADHD markers that Mike exhibited as a youngster, the effect of late puberty and the anxiety that that lead to. Elsewhere, they get into on stage persona and the concept of Shadow Self, and Seann reveals the underpinning philosophy of his own comedy persona. Check out Dr Natalie Cawley's book here "Just About Coping: A Real-Life Drama from the Psychotherapist's Chair" And head to the Class Clown Patreon for exclusive content and the chance to ask Seann about his own Childhood. 00:00 - Teen Nightmare 03:37 - Late Puberty, Body Image 09:05 - Fighting, Possible ADHD 14:29 - Mike's Persona, Shadow Self 16:13 - Seann's Comedy Philosophy 19:56 - Anxiety, DBT as coping mechanism 23:17 - Listener Stories Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Natalie Cawley and Seann Walsh breakdown our incredible interview with Vittorio Angelone (Mike & Vittorio's Guide To Parenting), while Seann shares personal stories about why this interview resonated with him so much. Discussion includes Autism, the links between Neurodivergence and creativity, how ADHD differs, why social media self diagnosis is not helpful plus much more!Join our Patreon for exclusive content and early access to series 2 of Class Clown.Purchase Dr Natalie Cawley's hit book Just About Coping, here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this exclusive snippet of our brand new Class Clown Patreon spin off, Seann Walsh and Dr Natalie Cawley (author of Just About Coping) analyse Adam Rowe's incredible appearance on Class Clown, delving into the relationship with his Mum who suffered with alcohol dependence issues, the boundaries he set early on about what he would and would not joke about and where his early business mind-set came from. We'll be doing this for EVERY CLASS CLOWN EPISODE so to hear the full episode, plus access to all future Class Clown Patreon's hit the link below and become part of our squad of delinquents! https://patreon.com/ClassClown And purchase Dr Natalie Cawley's book here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The incredibly inspiring ex-footballer turned endurance athlete Ashley Cain talks to Seann about how a childhood spent fighting with racists and competing in sport helped him build a tough mentality that has allowed him to overcome career setbacks and compete in the world's toughest endurance competitions, while building a successful career as a presenter, producer and business-owner. We also get into the inspiration he draws from the spirit of his daughter, who he lost tragically to cancer in 2021. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices