No Pressure To Be Funny

In this edition we cover the elections in Greece and the UK, comedians who get involved in politics, the limits of causing offence, social injustice in the Middle East, Davos, the Greens, the far-Right, sex and media-presentation, including a long and profound symposium on the aesthetics of the testicles. James O'Brien hosts, with Tiffany Stevenson, Rich Peppiatt, Helen Lewis, Bob Mills and music from Ben Norris.

No Pressure to be Festive: Alistair Barrie and Nick Revell host the final show of the year, with a lively panel of Jo Jo Smith, Michael Deacon, Hal Cruttenden and first-timer James O'Brien. Music from Paul Thorne. By the way - in keeping with the slightly unconventional nature of this month's show we have included Alistair's regular and largely visual feature, Subterranean Homesick News, in which he supplies the punchlines on large pieces of card. All you need to know is that all the punchlines in this version are blank white pages. Yes, we've given away the payoffs. But it still works!

James O'Brien hosts, with Bea Campbell, Aisling Bea, Trevor Crook and Tobias Persson discussing - amongst other things - Popes, Revolution, Black Friday and Humanitarian Awards. With songs on Vans and Class Insults from James Sherwood, and the usual contributions from Alistair Barrie and Nick Revell.

Given that two of the biggest topics this week are the global threat of a fatal disease with no cure and a string of stories of sexual violence, it's surprising this is not the most gag-dense edition we've ever done. A compelling and informative discussion of Ebola, courtesy of Medecin sans Frontieres Ivan Gayton; Sameena Zehra offers some interesting activist strategies for a pacifist...; Barry Castagnola offers a profound philosophical rumination on situations where contracting Ebola virus might be attractive; and Chris Coltrane displays a surprising awareness of IKEA. Jonny Awsum supplies a calypso, and everything is held together expertly and elegantly by guest host Kevin Day. With fantastic monologues from Alistair Barrie and Nick Revell, who coincidentally also write these billing notes.

This month's show is in association with the peace-building charity International Alert. Their Secretary General and No Pressure regular, Dan Smith, gives us a profound and fascinating analysis of the current situation in the Middle East. To ensure the whole show is not built on easy laughs from such a trivial subject we also cover the Ebola virus, politicians posting penis pics and press ethics, and courtesy of Owen Jones' new book, we look at how Disraeli's observation about lies damned lies and statistics is still 109 percent true. Suzi Ruffell suggests a left-field technique to make Ed Miliband more dynamic, Paul Sinha is as consistently wise and funny as ever and Mitch Benn rocks the room with some great songs. Nick Revell loses his temper as usual, and the whole thing is held together expertly by James O'Brien.

As we're taking two months off through the summer, here's a slightly longer podcast than usual; a satirical and seditious seaside special edition, if you will, (not to mention sibilant) and the perfect way to while away a rainy holiday afternoon when you're trapped in the Tuscan villa, pinned down under fire from Maoist guerrillas whilst trekking in Nepal, or just too hungover to make it to the beach. Please note: at about 17 minutes, the lights in the room go out... which left us lit just by the red neon sign on the emergency circuit, and enabled Aisling Bea to create a brilliant tragi-comic poetic image of Ed Miliband. We have two great songs from James Sherwood; Liam Mullone speaks eloquently on behalf of everyone who hates football (and later finds an interesting moral angle on dating porn stars); Bob Mills explains how Luis Suarez is a Renaissance Man; and former MP Tom Levitt baffles the audience by using the complicated political socio-economic insider's phrase 'putting the shits up them'. As well as football and politics, you get global economics (including the13th Century Florentine banking system), a very sparky discussion of junk food; money-lending and juicing ferrets. Hope you enjoy. We'll be back in September.

Kevin Day hosts and David Elms provides the laid-back sound track to this chilled out Bank Holiday edition of No Pressure. Plenty of swearing and vile insults, as the panel discuss the World Cup, racism, sexism and alcohol, while Bennett Arron suggests a scientific invention which rivals anything from Douglas Adams. Rich Peppiatt explains definitively why UKIP get so much TV coverage, Elis James dissects Ed Miliband mercilessly and yet with great mercy, and feminist comedian Kate Smurthwaite cracks the best dick joke. Alistair Barrie and Nick Revell also lurking as usual.

In this month's show, Steve Gribbin provides the music while James O'Brien and guests Daphna Baram, Don Biswas, Matt Forde and Chris Neill discuss amongst other things, the Middle East, Tony Blair, UKIP, Manchester United, and the Royal Family. See if you can guess which subject tops the unpopularity table, and which one provokes Mr O'Brien into temporarily abandoning impartiality.

No Pressure to Be Funny, March 30th 2014 - in which we deliver something unique in the history of British media - an interesting, informative and very funny discussion of the EU... Joe Wells brings the long-overlooked dolphin angle of the Ukraine crisis to public attention, causing Robin Ince to lose his nice-guy-in-an-edgy-cardigan image, Alex Andreou compares Vladimir Putin enlighteningly to his cat, and Suzanne Moore lyrically eulogises Ed Miliband's 'MDMA eyes'. Pippa Evans introduces the new king of wimp-rock alongside her more famous character Loretta Maine. With the regular contributions from Alistair Barrie and Nick Revell, and hosted as usual by James O'Brien.

In this edition, Dave Fulton inadvertently reveals the polyerotic undertones of being caught in an avalanche when a discussion of the Winter Olympics goes off-piste; Jonny and the Baptists share some of their fanmail from UKIP, while Alistair Barrie channels the party's soul with uncanny and chilling accuracy. Phill Jupitus and Ben Norris offer insight on why the British are not inclined to rebel, and Viv Groskop and Nick Revell try different ways of making sense of the situation in Ukraine.

Michael Deacon, Sara Pascoe, Miles Jupp and Nathan Caton join James O'Brien to discuss UKIP's meteorological theories, whether or not Lord Anelka and Nicolas Rennard should apologise, and similar things comedians regret saying and doing; the panel compares Iain Duncan Smith and William Wilberforce, and share some entertaining home truths. Paul Thorne swears artistically to music, and Alistair Barrie and Nick Revell are as acerbic and witty as ever, which of course has nothing to do with the fact they write this little summary of the show.

James O'Brien and the panel - Andy Zalzman, Tiffany Stevenson, Padraig Reidy and Nick Doody - deal with bankers, politicians and hard drugs (in the sense of 'discuss', not 'do business with')... the positives of environmental holocaust and why the rich should be treated as an endangered species. Songs from James Sherwood.

This month on No Pressure To Be Funny, guest host Kevin Day wrangles a formidable array of talent whilst trying to be nice about The Great British Bake Off. The Guardian's Polly Toynbee definitely says pleb, Alex Andreou dares to suggest re-nationalising energy companies, and Chris Neill extolls the virtues of Lidl to Marcus Brigstocke, who's never been to one, obviously. Nick Revell gives Facebook a (be)heads up, Alistair Barrie wears a lot of jumpers and Jonny and the Baptists manage to both join UKIP and serenade Angela Merkel, all recorded in the storm-proof basement of Soho Theatre.

James O'Brien reveals the shameless and frankly disgusting behaviour of some members of the British aristocracy when it comes to trying to return unwanted clothing; Dan Smith of International Alert dispenses wisdom on the Middle East and hits a new personal best in laconic laugh generation of a one-syllable trigger. Angela Barnes reveals her crush on a senior British politician, Richard Herring effortlessly hits a trademark balance between gags and comments that other comics can only dream of emulating, Rich Peppiatt tells of the days he used to roam the streets of London in a burka with hilarious and nearly fatal consequences, and Steve Gribbin simply delivers two great songs. Alistair Barrie mounts a convincing argument in favour of veils for all, and Nick Revell brings tragic news from the catwalks of Milan.

Amongst other things covered in this month's show, host James O'Brien tries to defend pay-rises for MPs; James Sherwood melodically shows how tough the rich have it compared to the poor; Angela Barnes reminisces on the awkwardness of helping one's father with the stocktaking when he owns a sex-shop; Elis James on getting sacked for slouching; Jo Glanville explains how Prince Charles is acting above the law; and why the Russians put a dead man on trial last week; while Brendon Burns is filthy, acute and hilarious as usual.