Rich & Stew interviewed for Sian's Comedy Wardrobe

RICHARD HERRING INTERVIEW

SIAN: Did you always want to be a comedian?  When did you realise that it was what you wanted to do?
RICH:Yes, pretty much, but it's the kind of job your career's officer tells you that you have no chance with.  It was only when we did well with shows at University that I thought I could really give it a go.

S: How did you start in comedy?
R:Professionally, doing 'open spots' (unpaid gigs) in London and writing for Radio 4's 'Weekending'- but I did revues at school and lots of comedy and acting at University.

S: What are the best/worst things about fame?
R: We're not really famous!  I get recognised about once a week.  The best things for us are the people who like our stuff and the letters they write and the fact that they get something out of our shows.  The worst are the people who think that as they've seen us on telly that we're their property and that they have a right to be rude and hang around us all the time.

S: What do you think of your fans? What do they do for your attention at gigs?
R: The real fans I really like.  They send funny letters and in effect, pay our wages.  It's nice to know that our humour connects with people.  For attention, some fans wear homemade T-shirts with our faces on.  Once, one bloke came up on stage uninvited!  They heckle in a supportive way.  Nothing very bizarre!

S: What are the best and worst things a fan has done?
R:  The worst wasn't really a fan, but a drunk bloke in Edinburgh hung around being annoying for an hour.  When I asked him to go home and sober up he tipped a glass of water over my head!  The best - there are so many really.  We get some very touching letters from people who've been helped through stuff by laughing at our stupid rubbish!  My play ('Punk's Not Dead') got a few letters from 30-something blokes who identified with it.  And they say, "Moon on a stick!" to us, and nothing else!

S: Tell us about one amusing incident from your Autumn tour!
R: The tour was actually quite dull in terms of amusing stories.  But one night, Stew said that I'd eat anything that was thrown on stage, and someone threw some shampoo - and I ate it!  That stuck in my throat and tastebuds for days!

S: Finally, what do your family think of what you do?
R:  They're very supportive and proud and always have been.  They keep giving me ideas for sketches, but they're all rubbish!

S: Thanks Rich!

STEWART LEE INTERVIEW

SIAN: Did you always want to be a comedian, and why did you think about becoming one?
STEW: I always thought I could be one, but thought it would be a short term stop-gap to earn cash until I became a writer.  But I was wrong, wasn't I?

SIAN: Have there been times when you wanted to pack it all in and get another job?
STEW: Yes, all the time!  Because of the difference between how you hope your stuff will look and and sound and what it eventually
comes out like.

SIAN: How does your family feel about what you do?

STEW:  They didn't like it and never encouraged me at all until their friends' kids started liking me when I got on telly!

SIAN:  Do you get recognised a lot, and what do you think of your fans?
STEW: I get recognised mainly by homeless people-honest!  But most of our fans seem nice, and not thugs like Lee Hurst's fans.

SIAN: What's the nicest and worst things a fan has ever said to you?
STEW: Nicest-Can't remember.  Worst- too many to say!

SIAN: What was your first thought when you found out you were going to be on TV with your own show?
STEW: I thought I'd be really successful and have a chance to change the course of British comedy.  Neither of these have happened,
though I think we have been copied a lot.

SIAN: Finally, do you have a message for anyone reading this?!
STEW: No.

SIAN: Er, thanks Stew!

Source - Sian's Comedy Wardrobe