This week we’re delving into the archives and going back to episode 259 in 2018 with that year's Edinburgh Comedy Award winner, Rose Matafeo! We discuss:

• how she ensured her hilarious material about female sexuality in Horndog brought the whole room along with it
• how she's actively mining for hot takes
• and why she has a quintuple-threat approach to performance

Join the Insiders Club at patreon.com/comcompod where you can instantly get access to the full back catalogue of extras, including 20 minutes with Rose!

👉 Sign up to the NEW ComComPod Mailing List and follow the show on Instagram, YouTube & TikTok.

Support our independently produced Podcast from only £3/month at Patreon.com/ComComPod:

✅ Instant access to full video and ad-free audio episodes

✅ Exclusive extra content you can't find anywhere else

✅ Early access to new episodes where possible

✅ Exclusive membership offerings including weekly-ish Stu&As

Catch Up with Rose: You can see Rose Matafeo working up some new material in Edinburgh this summer, find out more through the link in the show notes.

Everything I'm up to: Come and see me LIVE - find out all the info and more at stuartgoldsmith.com/comedy. Discover my comedy about the climate crisis, for everyone from activists to CEOs, at stuartgoldsmith.com/climate.

Get in touch: If you’re listening and thinking ‘I’d love to work with ComComPod on getting something out there’ or ‘there’s someone you should absolutely have on’ - drop us an email at [email protected]!

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This week I’m joined by two-time Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee, Ian Smith! You may also know him best as the co-host of the Northern News podcast with Amy Gledhill, as well as appearances on Live at the Apollo, Have I Got News For You and on his own Radio 4 series, Ian Smith is Stressed!

He’s now back with Ian Smith: Foot Spa Half Empty - a sharp, surreal and painfully relatable look at stress, love, and the kind of life choices that include buying a magic spell off Amazon. In this episode we discuss:

• the brutal on-the-job experience that actually makes a stand-up
• the uncertainty of what actually leads to TV work
• learning the value of other comedians as “outside eyes” on your material
• why comedy as therapy is limited (but why it still helps anyway)
• the stuff that gets cut from The Northern News
• and we find out of Ian Smith is happy...

Join the Insiders Club at Patreon.com/ComComPod where you can instantly WATCH the full episode and get access to 20 minutes of exclusive extras including:

• how writing for The News Quiz taught him to write on demand
• why previews are meant to be messy
• and how deadlines remove self-doubt and force clarity in creative decisions

👉 Sign up to the ComComPod Mailing List and follow the show on Instagram, YouTube & TikTok.

Catch Up with Ian: Foot Spa Half Empty is on its final leg of the UK tour. You can find all the dates and more at iansmithcomedian.co.uk. You can also keep-up-date with Ian on Instagram, @iansmithcomedy.

Support our independently produced Podcast from only £3/month at Patreon.com/ComComPod:

✅ Instant access to full video and ad-free audio episodes

✅ 20 minutes of exclusive extra content with Ian

✅ Early access to new episodes where possible

✅ Exclusive membership offerings including weekly(ish) Stu&As

PLUS you’ll get access to the full back catalogue of extras you can find nowhere else!

Everything I'm up to: Come and see me LIVE, find out all the info and more at stuartgoldsmith.com/comedy. Discover my comedy about the climate crisis, for everyone from activists to CEOs, at stuartgoldsmith.com/climate.

Get in touch: If you’re listening and thinking ‘I’d love to work with ComComPod on getting something out there’ or ‘there’s someone you should absolutely have on’ - drop us an email at [email protected]!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

313 episodes later… the critically acclaimed comedian, award-winning broadcaster and Taskmaster champion, John Robins returns to the pod!

John first spoke on stage with an incredible level of honesty and introspection about his alcoholism with Howl (which you can listen to on his here). This week he’s continuing to share that story with the release of his memoir, Thirst: the story of his life through the lens of alcohol, the drinks that made him, and those that broke him.

In this episode we discuss:

• how Taskmaster was the closest he’s got to being himself on TV
• why 12-step recovery feels like a form of stand-up
• the process of opening yourself up in the form a book
• how comedy careers can distort what you see as success
• the problem with “ego” in comedy and how sobriety shifts it
• learning to sit with yourself instead of escaping
• and if John plans to return to stand-up...

Join the Insiders Club at Patreon.com/ComComPod where you can instantly WATCH the full episode and get access to 20 minutes of exclusive extras including:

• how much of stress is actually chosen
• why alcohol never actually solves what it claims to
• and the impact of recording the audiobook

👉 Sign up to the NEW ComComPod Mailing List and follow the show on Instagram, YouTube & TikTok.

Catch Up with John: John Robins' Thirst is out now on in all good book stores and is also available as an Audiobook. Find all the info at johnrobins.com. You can keep-up-date with John on Instagram, @nomadic_revery.

Support our independently produced Podcast from only £3/month at Patreon.com/ComComPod:

✅ Instant access to full video and ad-free audio episodes

✅ 20 minutes of exclusive extra content with John

✅ Early access to new episodes where possible

✅ Exclusive membership offerings including weekly(ish) Stu&As

PLUS you’ll get access to the full back catalogue of extras you can find nowhere else!

Everything I'm up to: Come and see me LIVE, find out all the info and more at stuartgoldsmith.com/comedy. Discover my comedy about the climate crisis, for everyone from activists to CEOs, at stuartgoldsmith.com/climate.

Get in touch: If you’re listening and thinking ‘I’d love to work with ComComPod on getting something out there’ or ‘there’s someone you should absolutely have on’ - drop us an email at [email protected]!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Tothill is one of the most exciting stand-ups to come out of the UK in recent years. Debuting in 2023, he’s now on his third show with This Must Be Heaven - the story of his near death experience and an underwhelming cruise. In this episode we discuss:

• the brutal truth about moving from open mics to pro gigs
• why early WIPs are often funnier than complete shows
• the loneliness of being trapped on a cruise ship after bombing every night
• why crowd work makes him uncomfortable
• scaling material up for bigger rooms while supporting Alan Davies
• and we find out if John Tothill is happy…

Join the Insiders Club at Patreon.com/ComComPod where you can instantly WATCH the full episode and get access to 15 minutes of exclusive extras including:

• the realisation that not everyone will get your material, but the right people really will
• what trait is most likely to obstruct success
• why “doing the work” often looks like not doing the work at all
• and the fear about where the world goes next…

👉 Sign up to the NEW ComComPod Mailing List and follow the show on Instagram, YouTube & TikTok.

Catch Up with John: You can see John Tothill: This Must Be Heaven tomorrow at Mach (if you’re reading this as it’s released), London on 22nd May and in Edinburgh this summer. Find all the dates at campsite.bio/johntothill. Also, you can keep-up-date with John on Instagram, @johntothill.

Support our independently produced Podcast from only £3/month at Patreon.com/ComComPod:

✅ Instant access to full video and ad-free audio episodes

✅ 15 minutes of exclusive extra content with John

✅ Early access to new episodes where possible

✅ Exclusive membership offerings including weekly(ish) Stu&As

PLUS you’ll get access to the full back catalogue of extras you can find nowhere else!

Everything I'm up to: Come and see me LIVE including dates in Mach this weekend, LA next week and lots of other places after then! Find out all the info and more at stuartgoldsmith.com/comedy. Discover my comedy about the climate crisis, for everyone from activists to CEOs, at stuartgoldsmith.com/climate.

Get in touch: If you’re listening and thinking ‘I’d love to work with ComComPod on getting something out there’ or ‘there’s someone you should absolutely have on’ - drop us an email at [email protected]!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most people in the comedy world will know Jonno Johnson as a third of the sketch trio Sheeps, but most recently he’s taken up the role of Head Writer at SNL UK! In this episode recorded in January 2026, we discuss:

• the hidden world of sketch writing and script editing
• why he wanted to be the Chuckle Brothers
• how he manages on-stage anxiety in real time
• Jonno’s musical talents from writing pantomimes to freestyle raps
• the Sheeps approach of building a sketch with structure, misdirection and building towards something bigger than it seems
• the hidden fear of a show's attendance over the performance
• the turning point of getting out of your own way
• and Jonno's advice for aspiring comedy writers

Join the Insiders Club at Patreon.com/ComComPod where you can instantly WATCH the full episode and get access to 15 minutes of exclusive extras including:

• the audition that made him swear off auditions entirely
• why there’s no real “community” in sketch comedy anymore
• and how admiration within your own circle can shape what you make

👉 Sign up to the NEW ComComPod Mailing List and follow the show on Instagram, YouTube & TikTok.

Catch Up with Jonno: Jonno: Here Comes Mr Funny is at the Edinburgh Fringe this summer at the Monkey Barrel 2. You can also follow Jonno on Instagram, @thisisjonno.

Support our independently produced Podcast from only £3/month at Patreon.com/ComComPod:

✅ Instant access to full video and ad-free audio episodes

✅ 15 minutes of exclusive extra content with Jonno

✅ Early access to new episodes where possible

✅ Exclusive membership offerings including weekly(ish) Stu&As

PLUS you’ll get access to the full back catalogue of extras you can find nowhere else!

Everything I'm up to: Come and see me LIVE including dates in Bristol, Marlborough, LA and Mach! Find out all the info and more at stuartgoldsmith.com/comedy. Discover my comedy about the climate crisis, for everyone from activists to CEOs, at stuartgoldsmith.com/climate.

Get in touch: If you’re listening and thinking ‘I’d love to work with ComComPod on getting something out there’ or ‘there’s someone you should absolutely have on’ - drop us an email at [email protected]!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back for another delve into the ComComPod archives, this time with episode 308 with Ellie Taylor where we discuss:

• the absurd concept of Show Me the Funny
• how her happy life outside of comedy protects her
• the weird science of writing
• and why she "can't do clever topics"

Join the Insiders Club at patreon.com/comcompod where you can instantly get access to the full back catalogue of extras.

👉 Sign up to the NEW ComComPod Mailing List and follow the show on Instagram, YouTube & TikTok.

Support our independently produced Podcast from only £3/month at Patreon.com/ComComPod:

✅ Instant access to full video and ad-free audio episodes

✅ Exclusive extra content you can't find anywhere else

✅ Early access to new episodes where possible

✅ Exclusive membership offerings including weekly-ish Stu&As

Catch Up with Ellie: You can keep up to date with Ellie by joining her mailing list at ellietaylorcomedy.com and follow on Instagram, @elliejanetaylor.

Everything I'm up to: Come and see me LIVE - find out all the info and more at stuartgoldsmith.com/comedy. Discover my comedy about the climate crisis, for everyone from activists to CEOs, at stuartgoldsmith.com/climate.

Get in touch: If you’re listening and thinking ‘I’d love to work with ComComPod on getting something out there’ or ‘there’s someone you should absolutely have on’ - drop us an email at [email protected]!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we’re delving back into the archives and going to episode 320 with the musical comedy genius of Flo & Joan where we discuss:

• going from open mics to a special on Amazon Prime in just four years
• the inside story on their Royal Variety Performance
• why going viral makes you turn your phone off
• what they learnt from the Canadian improv scene
• and how shaking an egg is harder than it looks... 

Join the Insiders Club at patreon.com/comcompod where you can instantly get access to over 30 minutes of exclusive extras.

👉 Sign up to the NEW ComComPod Mailing List and follow the show on Instagram, YouTube & TikTok.

Support our independently produced Podcast from only £3/month at Patreon.com/ComComPod:

✅ Instant access to full video and ad-free audio episodes

✅ 30mins of exclusive extra content with Flo & Joan

✅ Early access to new episodes where possible

✅ Exclusive membership offerings including weekly-ish Stu&As

PLUS you’ll get access to the full back catalogue of extras you can find nowhere else!

Catch Up with Flo & Joan: Flo & Joan are on tour through the UK and Ireland from September! Find all the dates and more at floandjoan.com.

Everything I'm up to: Come and see me LIVE - find out all the info and more at stuartgoldsmith.com/comedy. Discover my comedy about the climate crisis, for everyone from activists to CEOs, at stuartgoldsmith.com/climate.

Get in touch: If you’re listening and thinking ‘I’d love to work with ComComPod on getting something out there’ or ‘there’s someone you should absolutely have on’ - drop us an email at [email protected]!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Charlene Kaye is a musician and comedian based in New York who has toured the world, opening for bands like the Arctic Monkeys and Metallica. You may have seen her "Every Taylor Swift Song" skit which now sits at out 100 million views - or in her two cover bands, Guns N’ Hoses (all-girl GNR) and Labiahead (all girl Radiohead).

She's now back with her new show Diversity Shredder, including dates at London's Underbelly. In this episode we discuss:

• why Tenacious D and Flight of the Conchords works so well
• is the feeling of being a rockstar and a comedian the same thing?
• does being successful in one creative field help starting in stand-up
• building her first stand-up show from a notebook about her mum
• performing to incompatible fan bases
• hacking algorithms through retention loops and hook writing
• how a Taylor Swift parody changed everything
• and we find out if Charlene is happy...

Join the Insiders Club at Patreon.com/ComComPod where you can instantly WATCH the full episode and get access to 15 minutes of exclusive extras including:

• how ego shows up differently in music vs comedy
• when your safety net becomes part of the act
• and turning real-life tension into art

👉 Sign up to the NEW ComComPod Mailing List and follow the show on Instagram, YouTube & TikTok.

Catch Up with Charlene: Charlene Kaye: Diversity Shredder is at at London's Underbelly next week on Wednesday 8th and Thursday 9th April. You find out more live dates at kayeofficial.com. You can also follow her on Instagram, @charlenekaye.

Support our independently produced Podcast from only £3/month at Patreon.com/ComComPod:

✅ Instant access to full video and ad-free audio episodes

✅ 15 minutes of exclusive extra content with Charlene

✅ Early access to new episodes where possible

✅ Exclusive membership offerings including weekly(ish) Stu&As

PLUS you’ll get access to the full back catalogue of extras you can find nowhere else!

Everything I'm up to: Come and see me LIVE including dates in Bristol, London, Manchester, Stoke, Marlborough, LA and Mach! Find out all the info and more at stuartgoldsmith.com/comedy. Discover my comedy about the climate crisis, for everyone from activists to CEOs, at stuartgoldsmith.com/climate.

Get in touch: If you’re listening and thinking ‘I’d love to work with ComComPod on getting something out there’ or ‘there’s someone you should absolutely have on’ - drop us an email at [email protected]!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’m joined by Johnny Marriott from PET NEEDS for a very special NonComPod. The Colchester punk-fuelled melodic rock four-piece who’ve supported The Hives, Frank Turner and Flogging Molly are back with their fourth studio album, ELBOWS OUT! THIS IS CAPITALISM, which is out today. We discuss:

• how the band survived through playing in strangers' living rooms
• the real economics on being in a band in 2026
• how becoming a parent shapes a creative career
• why punk isn’t dead… it’s just complicated now
• the complex nature of parasocial relationships
• managing anxiety in creative work
• and we find out if Johnny is happy...

Join the Insiders Club at Patreon.com/ComComPod where you can instantly WATCH the full episode and get access to 15 minutes of exclusive extras including:

• the parallels between song writing and stand-up
• the strange pressure of releasing new music
• and how lifestyle changes have shaped the band

👉 Sign up to the NEW ComComPod Mailing List and follow the show on Instagram, YouTube & TikTok.

Catch Up with PET NEEDS: PET NEEDS’ fourth studio ‘ELBOWS OUT! THIS IS CAPITALISM’ is out now wherever you buy records from! Find out more about the band at petneedsband.com.

Support our independently produced Podcast from only £3/month at Patreon.com/ComComPod:

✅ Instant access to full video and ad-free audio episodes

✅ 15 minutes of exclusive extra content with Johnny from PET NEEDS

✅ Early access to new episodes where possible

✅ Exclusive membership offerings including weekly(ish) Stu&As

PLUS you’ll get access to the full back catalogue of extras you can find nowhere else!

Everything I'm up to: Come and see me LIVE including dates in London, Manchester, Stoke, Milton Keynes, Bristol, Marlborough, Mach, Monmouth and LA! Find out all the info and more at stuartgoldsmith.com/comedy.

Discover my comedy about the climate crisis, for everyone from activists to CEOs, at stuartgoldsmith.com/climate.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

YouTube-famous glam-rock showpig Chris Fleming has amassed a legion of fans through brilliantly funny music videos, such as "I'm Afraid To Talk To Men", "Grad-Student Shuffle" and "Polyamorous". Chris Fleming: Live at The Palace, is now streaming on HBO Max so what better reason to resurface this episode originally released on Halloween in 2019, where we talk about:

• drowning in stand-up and clawing a way back to shore through developing live work for the internet
• proving one isn't "a YouTuber"
• the "restrictive freedom" of comedy
• and whether Chris is a real pariah or just a wannabe…

Join the Insiders Club at patreon.com/comcompod where you can instantly get access to an exclusive LIVE Insider's Q&A with James from 2021.

👉 Sign up to the NEW ComComPod Mailing List and follow the show on Instagram, YouTube & TikTok.

Support our independently produced Podcast from only £3/month at Patreon.com/ComComPod:

✅ Instant access to full video and ad-free audio episodes

✅ 30mins of exclusive extra content with Chris

✅ Early access to new episodes where possible

✅ Exclusive membership offerings including weekly-ish Stu&As

PLUS you’ll get access to the full back catalogue of extras you can find nowhere else!

Catch Up with Chris: Chris Fleming: Live at The Palace, is now streaming on HBO Max!

Everything I'm up to: Come and see me LIVE including dates in Bristol, London, Manchester, Stoke, Marlborough, Mach and LA! Find out all the info and more at stuartgoldsmith.com/comedy. Discover my comedy about the climate crisis, for everyone from activists to CEOs, at stuartgoldsmith.com/climate.

Get in touch: If you’re listening and thinking ‘I’d love to work with ComComPod on getting something out there’ or ‘there’s someone you should absolutely have on’ - drop us an email at [email protected]!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joyelle Nicole Johnson is a US comedian known for bringing joy to the stage! Joyelle has performed on Late Night with Seth Meyers, is the permanent guest host on Sirius XM's Godfrey Complex and is currently the warm up comic for Hasan Minhaj's Patriot Act on Netflix.

In this episode we discuss:

• why American comedians are seriously considering leaving the US
• learning to tell brutal truths while still keeping the audience onside
• why nerves can be a sign of respect for the audience
• the night a heckler rushed the stage during her set in Harlem
• how artists can’t thrive creatively when they don’t feel safe
• why becoming a comedian requires “a little bit of delusion”
• and we find out if Joyelle is happy...

Join the Insiders Club at Patreon.com/ComComPod where you can instantly WATCH the full episode and get access to 15 minutes of exclusive extras including:

• learning to use your voice
• how people cosplay comfort
• and why influencers often fail on stage

👉 Sign up to the NEW ComComPod Mailing List and follow the show on Instagram, YouTube & TikTok.

Catch Up with Joyelle: Joyelle’s special Lovejoy is out now on Peacock if you’re in the US and you can listen to her album Yell Joy at Blonde Medicine. You can also follow on Instagram, @JoyelleNicole.

Support our independently produced Podcast from only £3/month at Patreon.com/ComComPod:

✅ Instant access to full video and ad-free audio episodes

✅ 15 minutes of exclusive extra content with Joyelle

✅ Early access to new episodes where possible

✅ Exclusive membership offerings including weekly(ish) Stu&As

PLUS you’ll get access to the full back catalogue of extras you can find nowhere else!

Everything I'm up to: Come and see me LIVE including dates in Bristol, London, Manchester, Stoke, Marlborough and Mach! Find out all the info and more at stuartgoldsmith.com/comedy.

Discover my comedy about the climate crisis, for everyone from activists to CEOs, at stuartgoldsmith.com/climate.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.