Episode 107
Is It A Prize? Bill Walker & Spoken Discourse
Show broadcast on 5 March 2016
Two new initiatives this week - Best Of British, and You Tube - plus news from the tour of A Robins Amongst The Pigeons last weekend. On top of this Elis & John welcomed back Bill to Textual Healing, alongside the usual Gig Diaries, Email Of The Species, Winner Plays On and Humble Brag Of The Week.
Podcast intro
Elis and John have at least one Norwegian listener. Do you think there's a Norwegian version of E & J?
You Tube: Animators are invited to creat short video animations of their favourite clips from the show to help create more 'snackable content' on social media.
John's introduction of Elis
"To my left is a man who Ieuen Wyn Jones has accused of 'selling Wales brick by brick, pound by pound, llath by llath'."
Conversations and riffs
John was witnessed looking for a Millets store in Reading in his quest for bush craft paraphernalia.
Debrief, clips and tweeted photos from the live A Robins Amongst The Pigeons shows in Salford and Cardiff last week. There was confusion in Cardiff as some audience members thought they were there to see Elis do Welsh standup but instead got Robins entering the stage to Queen's 'One Vision' dressed as Freddie Mercury then reading from his own autobiography. Of course, Elis was maximum shunting and couldn't spell his own name correctly in the post-show signing.
Elis and John promote the Radio X 'Best of British' listener vote on the best British music tracks, not necessarily to Producer Dave's satisfaction. Elis explains what the prize - an iPad - is ("it's like a big iPhone"). John tries to convince listeners to vote exclusively for Queen tracks.
Textual Healing
A listener calls the show with a problem.
After some time since his last call, Bill returns to ask for help with his cat flap.
Elis' Gig Diaries
Elis reads aloud from diaries he kept during his early stand-up days.
Ideas for standup bits: single people eating ready meals, radiation (everyone has heard of it) and gang warfare.
"Ironic impressions just sound like I can't do the impression."
Avoid cliches (head teachers drinking from a cafetière) and bits where people won't get the reference (Kofi Annan doing a speech at the U.N. Christmas party).
Don't interrupt your set to sort out the food for an audience member.
Humblebrag
More examples of that scourge of social media, the humblebrag.
A model uses the very broad hashtag #uk in her Humblebrag social media post. When you're asked for something with your name on for identification and you consider giving them your book.
Winner Plays On
Elis and John face off in the weekly quiz on topics of their choice.
Winston Churchill (John) v Echo and the Bunnymen (Elis). Tied 4-4. Tiebreaker: what chart position did Oasis' album Definitely Maybe reach in France? John wins.
Email of the Species
Listeners' emails into the show.
A listener has emailed in a linguistic analysis of an extract of verbal interplay between Elis and John from the show.
The 'Keep It Session' Sessions
A special section at the end of the podcast for music recommendations.
Bert Jansch (Elis)