S7E3 - Rich Wilson
This week’s guest is Rich Wilson, stand up comedian and host of the podcast Insane in the Men Brain.
Rich did everything before he became a stand up comic having wanted to be a chef and then a mechanic. Eventually, he was a barman at Up the Creek and after some encouragement, took the stage. After about 20 years, he hasn’t stopped yet. The story is more entertaining with told by Rich so listen for more!
In fact, the entire episode is funnier and more poignant than I can make it in this write up. We chat about:
Rich’s career in comedy
Comedic influences
Louis CK
Insane in the Men Brain and mental health
Learning from doing the podcast
Saying yes
Music, television and TK Maxx
Aging
And more…
Note from Rabiah (Host):
I laughed while editing this episode…a lot. It was so cool to sit down with Rich, virtually, and have this chat. I have a bad track record when it comes to the people I put up on a pedestal sometimes but since a lot of times, Rich is already on a stage, the pedestal isn’t too far a reach and he is really great. I’m excited that listeners will get to know him and also, a few interactions with his wife, fellow comedian Kate McGann added to the levity. I think sometimes things got more serious than expected but if you’ve listened before, you know that’s part of it. And do let us know what you said “yes” to after listening!
Rabiah (London, UK) chats with Rich Wilson (Brighton, UK) about his comedy career and pretty much everything else.
Find Rich
Mentioned in this Episode
Transcript
Rabiah Coon (Host): [00:00:35] This is More Than Work, the podcast reminding you that your self-worth is made up of more than your job title. Each week I'll talk to a guest about how they discovered that for themselves. You'll hear about what they did, what they're doing, and who they are. I'm your host, Rabiah. I work in IT, perform standup comedy, write, volunteer, and of course, podcast.
Thank you for listening. Here we go.
Hey everyone. So I haven't done this in a while, but I am going to just chat a little bit with you before we get into the episode. Still trying to figure out the balance of what I'm doing with the podcast as far as having it every other week now rather than every week, and making sure I can keep it going and bringing you great guests, but also having some kind of balance on my own so I'm not a total hypocrite with More Than Work.
Uh, this [00:01:35] episode, I, oh my gosh, it's so fun. I've been trying to get this guy on my show for a while just because he is a comic. Yes, it's a comic. There's gonna be a few of 'em this season, but I think what's awesome about comics is that a lot of them are doing other stuff, or they have been doing other stuff, and then they went into it.
And I guess eventually I want that to be my story, you know, that, that I'm, I'm pursuing it more and more. But anyway, this guest, Rich Wilson is so funny. He's a master, I think every time I've seen him, I've been both kind of observing, like, almost like it's a masterclass, but also just having a great time and laughing a lot and I'm just, I'm so glad I got to talk to him.
He has a great podcast that I listen to called Insane in the Men Brain, and then he does the Fem Brain and um, I think the Them Braine, but it, he's just cool. And it's like comedy's funny because I've gotten to meet so many different people. Some of them have been awesome, some of them have been amazing, amazing people and some of them.
Not the best people really. And I think that's the same in business or [00:02:35] just at a bar at a pub. So I, he's one of the good ones. And we got into quite a few subjects. We talked about Louis CK, which I haven't talked to many people about, but he was someone I really, really admired for his comedy. And it's, it's been hard.
And so it was interesting to hear a man's point of view and, and a man not sitting there defending him. Cause I've heard a lot of those. Um, he didn't say anything terrible about him either, but it was just an honest viewpoint about, about someone who another person respects kind of respected or respects kind of in the same way as me.
And then we just talked about a lot of other subjects and about his work and his path and, and everything he's done. He was super generous. And so, um, I'm just really excited. I'm really excited to bring you this episode and then otherwise just, it's been a busy 2023 so far. How's, how are you guys? , I'm asking that question like Maron asks on his podcast, you know, how you doing guys?
And then I'm gonna tell you how I'm doing, but I'm doing pretty good. It's just been busy. I'm going to [00:03:35] Leicester and I'm saying that correctly. But if you look at the transcript, it's spelled differently then it's sounds guys. Um, if you're from anywhere but the UK they seem to think it's okay to say things differently than they're spelled here.
But I'm gonna Leicester on Friday to do my solo show and, uh, with my friend Shuang and really excited to get together with her to do that and just kind of give, give that 30 minute thing another, another shot. And then I need to keep writing on it. And, um, just some stuff I experienced in the past year, some stuff you'll hear about on this episode have really renewed my, I guess, I don't know if it's desire or renewed my conviction that certain subjects need to be talked about.
And for me, the, the stage is gonna be where I'm gonna talk about. I had an interview today, just recently. One reason I'm doing this is because I was dressed and ready and hair and makeup done and everything. And this will be on, on video, on YouTube as well. But [00:04:35] I had an interview today for a trustee position that I would do.
It's non-paid and just, um, another way of serving in non-profits. And I had to talk a lot about my story and it was. great to be able to do that in a different way and in a different medium. So we'll see what happens with that, but I just took a chance and decided to apply for it, and I'm, I'm excited to see what happens.
Um, I'm, I'm glad you're here. I'm glad you're listening. If this is your first episode, thanks for making it this far. Not just skipping straight to Rich, but if it's, and if you've been around for a while, I've have got over a hundred episodes. Um, other comics I've had on that you might wanna check out our Stefania Licari. She was on recently. Philip Simon, and then there were some in the first season.
Vix Leyton. And um, my friend Rebecca, she's on the last season I think, or maybe this season before that. But anyway, there's quite a few comics I've had on, so [00:05:35] you can check those episodes out if you wanna hear from more comics. Otherwise, I think I'll let you get listening to Rich and what he talks about and what we talk about and laugh about.
And, uh, there's more cursing on this one than , than any of my other episodes, and I'm kind of proud of that, to be honest. So enjoy, enjoy this one.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Hey everyone. Welcome back to More Than Work this week. I am really excited about this guest. It's Rich Wilson and he's a comedian who I've met on the circuit and gone to see a couple times.
And um, thanks for being on Rich.
Rich Wilson: My pleasure. It's nice to see you again. You well?
Rabiah Coon (Host): Yeah, yeah, doing well. Thank you. How about you?
Rich Wilson: Yeah. Yeah. Good. Thank you. Very well. Thank you. Getting back into the swing of it after Christmas and New Year.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Yeah. Everyone kind of takes a little bit of a break if they can, right? And then
Rich Wilson: Oh
Rabiah Coon (Host): up. Yeah. And where am I talking to you from today?
Rich Wilson: I'm in Brighton. I my flat in Brighton and uh, my wife is just over there on the sofa being quiet on her phone.[00:06:35]
Rabiah Coon (Host): Nice. And she's another comedian, right?
Rich Wilson: She is. Yeah. Kate McGann.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Yeah. So it must be a fun, a fun house to be in then. At least some laughing. Yeah.
Rich Wilson: it is actually like, we've just, I got Kate an early Valentine's present, uh, roller skates.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Oh wow.
Rich Wilson: So, she's been rollerskating around the flat That's good fun.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Just like you could do that childproofing thing where you like lock up, make sure all the edges aren't sharp and everything. Make it safe, you know?
Rich Wilson: Yeah. I'm gonna have to go to mother care to get like the blocks for the yeah side of the tables and things so she doesn't hurt herself.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Yeah. That's what I would need to do.
Rich Wilson: yeah, yeah.
Rabiah Coon (Host): um, yeah, so. Alright, cool. Well, um, good. Well, I'm glad to have you on. So, I mean, you're, you're a professional comedian. You've been a comedian for how long full-time?
Rich Wilson: This is my 19th year, so 16 professionally, 19 since I've been doing it. So
Rabiah Coon (Host): oh, great. So three years in, you were, you were able to just go to full-time?
Rich Wilson: Yeah. I was really lucky [00:07:35] there was, , I was already mc in another club that my ex-partner was running, and it was a well renowned club. It was Up the Creek, which is an, which is a, you know, a big club. But this, they had, they had another one in Croydon. Because I was, I was MCing that other clubs just went, oh, well if you're doing that, you can come and do this.
So I kind of jumped the queue with, I didn't do any, I didn't do very many open mic nights. I kind of went straight in, MCing so,
yeah, yeah, yeah. Cuz open mic nights. Jesus.
Rabiah Coon (Host): yeah, That's what I'm doing.
Rich Wilson: Brutal. It's brutal. And especially if we've got bringers is where you gotta bring 20 friends. You're like, I'm not a promoter.
I'm, I'm the comedian. You know? It's, it's, it's not easy,
Rabiah Coon (Host): Yeah. And you're kind of like, I'm a comedian. I don't have friends, you know?
Rich Wilson: Yeah, exactly. I'm too busy doing this. I could probably bring another five comedians, but they're all gonna want to get on as well. So it, it's
kind
Rabiah Coon (Host): trick you kind of do where you go, oh, maybe I'll have a dropout last minute and I'm the bringer, but maybe I can get up. You know? And you,
you hope that [00:08:35] happens
Rich Wilson: Oh, we all, we all dream of that, um, someone's dropped out. Can you go on? And then you're the hero of the night. You absolutely smash it. Everyone's like, where the hell did you come from? You know? That's the dream.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Yeah, exactly. So what were you doing before you, before you stepped on stage in a comedy for the first time?
Rich Wilson: uh, everything. I've done everything because I've just kind of bing-bonged around my life. I wanted to be a chef when I was growing up. And then they said, well, it's unsociable hours. And I was like, ah, I don't wanna do that. And now look at me. But I really, I, yes, I wanted to be a chef. And I wanted to be a mechanic, and then I just ended up, I just ended up whatever job came along. Like, I left school early. I didn't even get any qualifications. I just left. I just stopped going and they were, my school was, it was one of those schools where they went, they didn't even care.
It was like they didn't phone up to see where I, where I'd gone. They were like, ah, thank God he's gone So [00:09:35] yeah, just gone.
Rabiah Coon (Host): So then what, what brought you to the stage for the first time and when you, when you did it, did you think that's what I'm gonna do? Or were you going on stage just to check it out? How, how was that for you?
Rich Wilson: Everything I've ever done job-wise is just I'll be at some job and then they'll say, oh, if you go and do this other job, you'll learn more money. So I've gone, yeah, all right. And I'll go and do that then. So I've kind of, like I say, just ricocheted through my life.
And then I was a barman at Up the Creek in South London and then I got friendly with some comedians and they were going, they were telling me how much they were earning and then a few of them were going, you could probably do this, Rich. You're, you are really funny. You should do it. And then someone else gave me my first gig.
So really I got into it because it was earning more money than being a barman. That was it.
Rabiah Coon (Host): That's... god, Rich...
That's great though. I mean,
Rich Wilson: yeah, I want it to be this kind of, you know, oh, it was always my dream. I just [00:10:35] always knew I was gonna be, you know, following the footsteps of Richard Pryor and all that. But it was literally just, someone said, you can earn, you can earn probably 6- 700 quid a week. And I said, okay, I'll go and do that then. That was it.
Rabiah Coon (Host): there's a comedian right now listening, they, they hate hearing that. They're like, what are you talking about? You know?
But that's great.
Rich Wilson: But I, I, it's not, it's not like I didn't like comedy. I loved comedy. That's why I got the job at the club. I got a friend of mine, Tom, who he and I are very similar age. He was almost like a, like an older brother to me. So when we were growing up, he was always giving me videos and he is always telling me about this, that, and the other, that he'd heard. My next door neighbours as well.
Uh, Alan, he was a bit older than me as well, and he was always giving me music and, and tapes and stuff. So, I was aware of comedy and listening to, um, Eddie Murphy "Delirious" when I was a kid.
Just my god. I mean, you couldn't, you can't listen to that now. [00:11:35] It's, it, the opening line I think would get you canceled, let alone the rest of it. So, you know, but it, it was of, it's of its time, you know. It was mid eighties, early into the mid eighties. Different time back then, you know, and, and it... and from that, I learned about Richard Pryor. I learned about, who else is Lenny Bruce? And then I learned about George Carlin. So I was, I was quite well versed in comedy.
I think obviously on a subconscious level, I just thought I must have been going in that direction. I just didn't know it.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Mm-hmm.
Rich Wilson: You know,
I think maybe.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Yeah. And the guys you name. I mean, it's interesting cuz um, I, so with Richard Pryor for example, I've, I've watched him and studied him a bit. Now my comedy has nothing to do with him, but we share, I say it on this podcast, sometimes you probably don't know, but I have Multiple Sclerosis and so he's like a celebrity that had that.
And so for some reason I feel this connection around that. And then I watch his comedy and he's brilliant, but you could not even, he, I mean, maybe, I don't [00:12:35] know, Chappelle's probably the person who's towing that line right now, or, or, you know, standing on that line. And I agree with some things and don't agree with other things, but it's not about that.
But, um, it is interesting, like the guys you heard about and maybe were early on influenced by are definitely not maybe the same as now. I don't know. Like, who do you, who over time has your career kind of maybe been influenced by, if you think about it?
Rich Wilson: A massive influence on me, a real turning point for me was Louis CK. When I first saw him, and I was like, whoa. I wanted to have just, his worldview was, I used to listen to his stuff all the time just to have it on trying to see what he saw in the world. And I was genuinely devastated when all that stuff came out about him. When I heard about, I, I remember I even remember where, where I was when I heard, and I was just stood in the street just going, fuck, man. He, you know, he epitomized everything. He was everything that I wanted to be, you know? He, [00:13:35] he's, he was brave in what he was saying. And now it's funny when you listen back, a lot of it, you go, there's a lot of dick jokes in this, there's a lot of masturbating.
And he'd go, oh yeah. Oh yeah. It was kind of there, wasn't it?
Rabiah Coon (Host): yeah, it's, well with him, it's, it's a, that No, I loved him. I, I saw him, I lived in New York City for a while and he was doing a lot of shows at the Beacon Theater or places like that, smaller theaters, and he would famously charge only like 20 bucks for a ticket or something, right? And go around all the ticket vendors and everything.
And so I would see 'em a lot just in those kind of things. And right before he'd film specials. Saw him in Chicago, LA. Loved him. And yeah, it was devastating to hear and but then it was like upon reflection, oh, wow. Yeah, he was talking about that a lot. And it was funny, if it wasn't happening right in front of you, probably.
Rich Wilson: Yeah, exactly. I mean, I can't imagine what it must have been like in that, being, in that position, being in that room with him and that's happening. But then, I dunno, it's, it's [00:14:35] just one of those things you go, it's, it's, it's upsetting and it's sad, and you go, you just, you know, all of that stuff did make you question your own behavior.
You can't, like, as a man, you're kind of going, shit, am I doing, am I doing stuff that's, I don't even know I'm doing it? Like, you know, because you, you brought up to, to, you know, the way that, like if, if a, if a woman gets sexually assaulted, it's all, it was always, well she shouldn't have been out that time or not. She shouldn't have been wearing that.
She shouldn't have been in that room with him on his own. And it was always on the, it was always on the woman. And it, and it's only the, the good thing that's come out of all of this is that we are now, like men are, we are double checking ourselves and going, hang on a minute. And you go, was there anything, was there this, that, you know, and that, you know, so that's a good thing that's come out of it.
But, he was a big influence and it's, it was a shame. But then I think a lot of my comedy, someone said to me, a lot of the, my, the way I do it, it seems very, it's like an American style to it.
[00:15:35] So I think I'm very influenced by, you know, Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, Bill Burr, um, you know, uh, what was the other guy's name that died?
What's his name? Patrice O'Neill, uh, Gilbert Godfried went as well. Jesus.
Well, my, a big hero of mine. And again, genuinely upset when he, when he passed away as it was so, such a shock that cause no one knew was ill. Norm Macdonald.
I've read his book. I've listened to the book as well, him doing it and, and I've watched that special, the first special that he had out. I've watched it so many times cuz I just think Norm Macdonald was the one.
Looking back, I think Norm kind of, he was a, just a bigger influence than Louis CK, I reckon.
He was just funny all the time. He wasn't just, he didn't just switch it on. He was just out on every talk show, on everything he ever did.
He'd be telling a story and it would go on for like 20 minutes and the [00:16:35] punchline would be shit, He didn't care. He just did it. And you go, wow. He was just, I just loved him. I think Norm McDonald's was, has been a big influence on me
Rabiah Coon (Host): Yeah.
Rich Wilson: Because my punchlines are shit, my wife just said.
No
dare...
Rabiah Coon (Host): Hey, she's not on the podcast right now. Come on.
Rich Wilson: Ah, see this is what I'm living with.
It's not fair to live with someone who's funny.
Rabiah Coon (Host): I saw her at Edinburgh on a, on a mixed bill, and she was really funny. It was down in that, in the new part of Edinburgh. But anyway, she's funny. If she wants to talk to me later, that's fine.
Rich Wilson: Yeah, she is funny. You have to get her on, get her on on her own or get her on her own episode. She's go, she's giggling in the fridge.
yeah,
You're all pleased with yourself now, aren't you?
Rabiah Coon (Host): Oh man. She, she's gonna get tagged in the post too now. That's what
she's done.
Rich Wilson: Good, good, good. Funny.
Rabiah Coon (Host): When you look at your influences though and and stuff then, and just how you've written material. I mean I think it must [00:17:35] have evolved over time cuz when you first did your first set, like do you remember the first joke you, you wrote or told?
Rich Wilson: Oh God, yeah. cuz I've, I've said this on many podcasts. I've said it on my own one. Fundamentally, I'm quite shy. So for me to be doing standup comedy blows my mind. And so the first time I did it, I was so scared. The two months leading up to that, when I was told I'm doing the gig to the time it started, I was in bits.
I was, I just didn't know what to do. And I was, I've been out with some friends and they said, and my friend told me about this sexual position called "the Frog Punch". And I, and he told me about, and I, I remember him telling me, and I went, yeah, that's gonna be my opening joke. it's just, it's so shit.
It's not even... it's so horrible. It's just that he was saying like, you know, the, and I, cause I said, what's the, what's the frog punch? And he said, well, when you are with your partner and you're having sex from behind and then as she's about to come, or you are, someone's about to come, you punch 'em [00:18:35] in the kidneys... at the opportune moment. And I'm listening to this and then I went, all right, what, when's an opportune moment to punch anyone in the kidneys?
What are you talking about? And that was the, that was the joke. And then I forgot the rest of it. Yeah. it got good laugh. It got a laugh. So I did two and a half minutes of a five minute set and then I had to, I got off and then SIlk whose gig it is, he went, you know, he goes, you're gonna come back next month. You've gotta be the resident open spot. So we did that.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Wow. That's cool. That's funny. I, I'm gonna say, I guess Urban Dictionary is the place to go for that one, but I was, I know the donkey punch. I don't know it like, I'm not gonna say I know it as though it's like a thing, but I've heard of it. But never the frog that's...
Rich Wilson: yeah. I don't even know what it, why it was called the frog punch. It, all of those things are horrible, aren't they? Any, all of those, like you say, the donkey, all of it is, is awful. You know. I'm no prude, I'm not saying that. But at the same time, I mean, punching your, punching each other around [00:19:35] it's, it's not really what I'm, it's not really what I'm into
Rabiah Coon (Host): me neither. So at least that's one thing people can learn about us here, uh, is
that
Rich Wilson: You see,
Rabiah Coon (Host): a, not in a punching.
Rich Wilson: Not into punching. Sorry if you're into that. I'm not here to shame. Not here to kink shame
Rabiah Coon (Host): no.
So when you look at your, you kind of having bounced around though, and not sticking with any career other than maybe just, oh, this is an opportunity to make more whatever. What kept you in comedy? At some point you must have decided that you like it or love it or wanna keep doing it.
Rich Wilson: Well, I think you know, after your first gig, you know, whether you wanna do it again. There's a, a switch that gets flipped and you're like, yes, I want to do that again. I dunno what it is. I just kind of went, yeah, yeah, I'm, I'm having this, I wanna do this again. And then, I mean, there's been moments, to be honest, just lately, I think, cuz I'm getting older, I'm kind of questioning that.
Cause I'll be 51 in, in, in a couple of weeks time. So you start to go, can I really do [00:20:35] this for another 10 years? You know, traveling round. And then you go, well I haven't got my choice. I've got, I have no choice. I don't have a pension, I've got nothing. I don't have any savings. I have to do this until I die.
this is just it. So. So there is that. There is a... it was interesting actually talking in the, in one, in the first lockdown, I was talking to, um, another comic and he was saying, he went, oh yeah, but we need the attention. We need that love from the crowd. And, and I made me realize, I'm like, no, I don't, I don't need it.
I don't need the attention like that. What I do, like, I like being in front of people and making a room full of people laugh their nuts off. Just
Rabiah Coon (Host): Mm-hmm.
Rich Wilson: spitting their drinks out and slapping each other on the thigh and just, oh my God, this is the best night ever. That is what I like, you know?
That's, that's what keeps me doing it. I think. I love that. I have a real need. I like making people laugh. I make people laugh anyway during the day so...
Rabiah Coon (Host): Mm-hmm.
Rich Wilson: I just love [00:21:35] doing it. I love making people laugh
Rabiah Coon (Host): Yeah.
Rich Wilson: and I think that's it.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Yeah. And just in your interactions and stuff, right. Like I, I was home recently and I was with my mom and I hadn't been around for about a year and we were in department stores and stuff at the mall, and I would keep, I just, I didn't mean to, and I kept talking to people and like laughing and stuff and she'd go look at something and come back and be like, of course you're talking to people.
And she was getting kind of annoyed and, or maybe embarrassed, I'm not sure. But it was just kind of, I couldn't help it. It's just kind of what I do, you know?
Rich Wilson: Yeah. Kate and I end up in conversations all the time with total strangers, and it's just, if you are, if you are, if, because of what we do, it's very social, you know, very sociable. So it's just an extension of that, isn't it? When you are out in a store or wherever and you're chat and it is like a gig.
You are, you just, it's like you're mc in this, it's like your MCing the shop. Just like, oh, that's a nice jacket. That looks really nice. Yeah, really cool. Where, so where are you from? You know, you just, you're MCing the [00:22:35] store? , I mean, TK Maxx, smashing the place. Yeah, just.
Rabiah Coon (Host): That's what, yeah. I work at, um, or I do volunteer work at Crisis, uh, charity shop here in Camden. They just opened one and I'll talk to the, the people and I'm like, I wish I could do as well on stage as an MC as I do at the shop. I swear it'd be like
Rich Wilson: You need to start videoing it.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Yeah. Just put that on, like
Rich Wilson: Yeah. Yeah.
That'll be your content. That's your content right there.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Yeah, exactly.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Thanks for listening so far, and I'm just going to interrupt the podcast for about a minute and a half or so to tell you about a podcast that I really love. It's called Art Heals All Wounds, and it's by Pam Uzzell. She works in documentary films and basically she's super easy to listen to and has great guests, kind of like me, right?
I know that's what you're thinking. One of my favorite episodes was when she had the directors and creators of Crip [00:23:35] Camp, this Oscar nominated film, documentary film on her podcast. I learned so much from them and was really entertained. But basically all her guests have a story to tell. They're healed through art, and art is how they express themselves.
The art could be what you think of as art, meaning something like painting, or it could be writing or filmmaking or anything else. So Pam's gonna tell you a little bit more about our podcast and then we'll resume with this episode. Thank you.
Pam Uzzell: Do you want to change the world? So do I. On this podcast, we meet artists whose work is doing just that. Welcome to Art Heals All Wounds. I'm your host, Pam Uzzell. Each week I interview an artist and talk about their work as creative thinkers. Artists present us with some of the most compelling visions of ways that our world could work better for everyone.
Art around environmental, social, and racial justice, gender equity, ways to build [00:24:35] community and bridge divisions and solace for grieving. If we can see solutions to the things that prevent us from thriving as individuals and societies, we can imagine implementing those solutions. Once we imagine that we can become the people we want to be belonging to communities that nurture everyone and living in societies based on equity and justice. How do we change the world? One artist at a time.
Rabiah Coon (Host): So I, well, I saw you at Edinburgh and you did a solo, you were doing, um, a solo, like our, and it was just about, yeah. And, and you're kind of, you talk quite a bit about your own life, but then other subjects. And so when you think about the guy who was writing the joke that you wrote, like at the start, and the guy who's writing jokes now and stuff, [00:25:35] what's changed about the process for you and, and comedy for you?
Rich Wilson: People now ask my advice on how to, how to write comedy. That blows my mind. It's like suddenly I'm now, I've been doing it long enough that people starting out will message me and say, look, I'm struggling with this bit. What have you got any advice for this, that, and the other?
And that the, the guy from nearly 20 years ago with the Frog Punch would've just, he had no idea. He didn't know how to write a joke. He just, he just retold a story that his friend told him. And, you know, I think, I think you just do, if you've been doing something long enough, you do study it. You, even if you, you don't have to sit down with massive books and things like that. But you are watching, you are watching specials, you are watching documentaries, you know, you are, you know, reading books. It's The Artist's Way that I remember that changed things a bit for me. You know, you are, you're studying it and I think because you are studying it, you're studying it on your own terms as well.
You actually want to do it. It's not like school when they say, oh, you have to learn about [00:26:35] this and you have to learn about that. This is something that you want to do. So it, so it goes in really easy. If you're passionate about something, it's really easy to pick it up.
Like, musicians will learn how to write music and it will just come to them.
And cuz they're loving it, you know, they're into it. And I think, I didn't know that this would happen, that I'd actually be good at this. I didn't know I'd actually become someone that could actually sit and talk about it in, in a way that, that's not intellectual.
But you know, like I can actually talk about the mechanics of comedy, just because I've been doing it for so long, I've studied it so that, that, I find that amazing. I'm like, like the, you know these top chefs? I'm like that. It's like, fuck, I'm just actually know what I'm doing.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Yeah. Yeah.
Rich Wilson: is crazy to me. It's crazy.
I don't, I don't, I probably say that now. I dunno. Maybe I'm wrong.
Rabiah Coon (Host): It is interesting to, I guess find the thing and maybe unintentionally. You could have said no to the gig. You could have easily said, no, I'm just gonna [00:27:35] be the barman right, and and you're just the favorite guy and,
Rich Wilson: Absolutely. Thought about it. But for some reason I was, cuz my friend had said, you have to do it. I felt like there was this, I just didn't wanna let him down, weirdly.
And I kind of, and I think I was starting to get to an age where, cause I was 32, so I was starting to get to an age where I was more like the power of yes.
Do you know what I mean? You kind of go, I need to say yes to more things. I'm gonna just say "yeah". And I'm gonna see where, where it takes me. That was the kind of the beginning of that. It's like one of the first things I went, yeah, I'm gonna go and do it.
And that's, and that's stay with me now. I am very much a, I do say yes to a lot of things. It hasn't always worked out. I've ended up in some right dodgy situations. But, uh, here I am.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Yeah. And one thing too is, um, in addition to the comedy then you have a podcast Insane in the Men Brain. Then you have other offshoots of that. So how did the podcast come about?
Rich Wilson: I was a guest on [00:28:35] another podcast called Hardcore Listings with Stu **** and Chris, and we had such a good time. And then when I came away, I got a message the next day from one of their, I think he was their producer, and he said, I think you should do your own podcast.
You've got a really good voice for it. Um, let me come around and have a chat. And so that was four, four years ago, five maybe. He came round, he had all this stuff and then he said, look, there's gonna be a big wave soon. Everybody's gonna be doing podcasts. I think you should do it. I think you should do a podcast.
And I went, yeah, but I dunno what about. What should we do? He said, well, let's just have a chat. So we set all this stuff up and we started. And then he started telling me something that he's never told anyone before. And it was a really, it was really personal and really, and we ended up, it was almost like a therapy session. And at the end of it I was like, mate, this is what the podcast is. It's gonna be about men talking to each other about stuff. It's gonna be that. And he is like, yeah, that's a great idea. And then he had his own stuff to deal with. So I didn't hear from him again. He [00:29:35] went off. I've spoken to him since. He just had some personal stuff he was dealing with.
So I now had that head, I had that idea in my head. I was like, oh yeah, I'll do a podcast. And then I spoke to my now ex and she was working at Comedy Central during the, um, the continuity. And her producer was Paul, a guy called Paul. And she said she just happened to be talking to him one day and he said, yeah, I wanna start getting into podcasts.
And she said, oh yeah, my partner Rich, he wants to do one. And so we ended up having a chat. I told him the idea and he said, this is brilliant. Right, we need to get a title, we need to come up with this, come up with that. And I remember just sitting on the bed that day and I honestly, it just popped into my head "Insane In the Men Brain".
And it came from me mishearing the lyrics of the Cypress Hill song. And I went, oh yes, come on. And I just laid on the bed and that was me done for the day. I was like, that's it. I'm a genius. So, so it just came from that really talking to [00:30:35] people about mental health and about things that they've gone through, things that, and how they, how they cope with it.
Cuz it's a lot I'm learning as well. That's the point of the podcast. It's not, it's all about the guest. And there as, and the listeners as well as me, we are all learning about things. Like you mentioned earlier, you had, uh, multiple sclerosis and I didn't know that. And I don't know much about it. I know people that, that have had it. But I've never met someone that's kind of dealing with it. From the podcast I've learned so many different things.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Mm-hmm.
Rich Wilson: I don't know how I would deal because that is, cuz that's something that gets worse, isn't it, as you go along.
And then do you have to make, do you have to make choices?
You have to make decisions about what you're going to, when things start to really
Rabiah Coon (Host): Yeah.
Rich Wilson: get, you know, really, I dunno what happens. It's like they just shut down or they seize up. I dunno what happens.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Yeah, it's all d I will, it's all different things and, um, something, I probably didn't even talk about it here, but I, I will now just cause we're talking is, you know, it can, it's just degenerative over [00:31:35] time and so it'll affect everyone differently. So last year when I got COVID, I lost vision in my eye cause it caused an exacerbation of the MS and that caused like me to lose vision in my right eye completely.
And then it came back, uh, 70%. Now it's not gonna come back anymore. So that was telling me, Hey, you're not recovering as much anymore and you've gotta figure this out. And so I do think about it a lot and one reason I do a lot of things is because I don't know when I won't be able to. And I think I, I, I cope with it in that way and other people cope with it in different ways.
And like charity work is a big part of my life because I wanna improve things as much for other people. I'm really lucky. But I think everyone who has MS deals with it differently. But same with depression and mental health, like, someone can say, I, I'm depressed. But it could mean so many different things, which you probably found out on your podcast.
And Yeah, so it's, it's, yeah.
Rich Wilson: So, do you know what, when you see the doctor, do they, do they know where your, what's happening? They kind of go, right, well, this is starting to happen. So that [00:32:35] means you are gonna have to start doing something else. You're gonna have to start walking with a stick or wherever, I dunno, is it,
Rabiah Coon (Host): Yeah. I think over time they'll just figure out, they'll just figure out what they'll do, like MRIs, so then they can see you get these lesions in your brain and spine, and then they'll kind of be able to see what's happening, like if they're active, quote unquote, um, or not, like if things have changed. And so they check every year and then, yeah, if you just stop being able to walk or something like that.
But things can kind of happen very quickly, and then you have to see if you recover or not. go from there. And so, yeah, like the walking's a big one or falling, like, I'm very good at falling, but it could be a talent or it could just be something I've had to learn, you
Rich Wilson: yeah.
Buzz Lightyear. not flying. It's falling with style. Yeah.
Rabiah Coon (Host): But yeah. Yeah, Rich. I mean, it's just all different. I mean, yeah, it's just, it can affect everybody so differently, and that's the, the weird part [00:33:35] of it. And then for me, I just kind of go, well, you know, I've, I've been allowed all this so far, you know, and, and I'm not always positive about it, that's for sure.
Rich Wilson: No, it must be hard. It must be hard. That's what I mean. Once you get, when you get the diagnosis, it must be, you must go through, it's like this, the five stages of grief, isn't it? You kind of, there's the anger and then there's acceptance and there's the, you know, it must be cuz it's not fair, it isn't fair is it that I know it's all part of being a human being, all these illnesses and diseases, you know, at any point, one of us, we could all get struck down with whatever, but when it's, when it's something like that and it's, it's not fair is it?
When there's total wankers running around the, I'm not saying that they should be ill, but at the same time you're like, oh mate, you are just being a shitbag to everybody and yet I'm trying to do my best and I'm trying to improve and trying to be a better person and be decent to everyone. And now I've got this.
Maybe that's [00:34:35] what it is. Maybe horrible people are immune to that shit cuz they're so horrible. Like it evil just repels. They just repel evil things. I don't know.
Rabiah Coon (Host): I mean, I, you know, and the same thing with like, losing loved ones and, and things like that, that, that a lot of things result in grief. And I think then, yeah, there, there are those things. I mean, I'm not gonna ever pretend, I don't ask well why did so and so die, but not that person. But then it's so awful, like as a person to have that thought.
Then it's like, all right, maybe I don't need to think that way, but more what can I do to honor the person who died other than wish other people ill, you know? Like, is there something more productive to do? But yeah, it's tricky. And grief is, grief is funny too cause I'm sure you've heard that on your podcast, where it doesn't, you don't just go through the five stages linear and then you're done with it, but it's just kind of, you bounce between them all the time and, and figure out where you're at and, and yeah.
You know,
it's, I don't know.
Rich Wilson: that has come up on the podcast a bit, actually, grief. And it's, and [00:35:35] I learnt so much. It was a guy called Mark Lemon, whose, uh, father was murdered when he was, I think he was 12, 12 or
13. He came in from school and they said, and they sat and down and they said, this has happened. And, you know, and, and I think that's, that must be hard when someone passes away that you weren't expecting it.
Illness, you know, they're, they're getting ill. And it's kind of like my gran died recently and, but she was ill for a long time and she didn't have any , she didn't have a night, her life. There's no decent quality of life. She was in bed, you know, she was going a bit, she was gonna bit senile, and she couldn't look after herself.
And so really, when she passed away, you kind of go, I'm, I'm sad that she's gone, but at the same time, I'm glad she's not suffering anymore. So that's, that's nice. But when someone just one minute, like in the morning, you're like, I'll see you later on. And then you never see that person again. That, that must send you [00:36:35] spinning that your brain, your, your brain will be forever like, oh, where are they? You won't, you can't comprehend it. They're not around anymore. Do you know what I mean? That...
this is, this is the thing we're doing in this podcast as well. I, all these thoughts that these are the things that keep me up at night. Like, I'll just go into bed and then I'll have this mad thought about, you know, whatever.
And, yeah. Yeah. I dunno. It's, it's good and bad. It's good and bad.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Yeah, yeah. And well, I think it's, yeah, and it's part of our human experience, like, of, uh, uh, we're one of the species that can think like we know we have, can have these complex thoughts, right? And we, we know like others probably maybe don't. Did you have, and you don't have to talk about it, but like, did you have any experience with dealing with mental health before the podcast?
Or did you just kind of, with that conversation that you had with the original person who talked to you, just find that it was important to have that conversation and just go from there [00:37:35] and now it's become something, you know.
Rich Wilson: yeah, I'd had counseling. I'd had counseling a couple of times. I just realized I I kept messing up relationships. I kept.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Hmm
Rich Wilson: I wasn't, I wasn't really, I wasn't trustworthy. I wasn't happy. I knew that I wasn't with the right person, and it wasn't fair on them.
It wasn't their fault. It was my fault. I, I tended to try of, to kind of like get into relationships and go headfirst into it, and then suddenly I'm like, oh shit, no, this isn't, this isn't right. I've done it again. And then I'd end up, I didn't wanna upset that person, so I'd end up doing shitty things. Like I'd meet someone else, but then I hadn't broken up with that person, and then I'd end up seeing two people not wanting to upset anybody.
It wasn't like, oh yeah, I'll look at this. I've got two people. It was like, ah, this is, I don't, I don't want to upset anyone. And of course, you up end up upsetting everybody. And it was, it was really, it was really getting me down. So I, I, I met someone and then they said, right, you need to go and have [00:38:35] counseling.
You need to go and talk to someone. And I met this guy. It was really good. It really helped me out and really made me understand why I was doing what I was doing and recognizing the signs and going, right. Mm-hmm. , don't do that again. Just have fun with people and you don't have to, you don't have to just, you know, run away with them.
You can just have a nice time. But in saying that, I met my wife and then we got married a year later.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Yeah.
Rich Wilson: yeah, she, like, she's listening. She's gonna ask me now. She goes, oh, is it? No, this is
different. I've had counseling, I've had counseling. It's all good. I'm a nice person now.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Good. I think you are. I mean, I've, I've met you enough times in person to to know you're a nice person, so, you know. Yeah.
Rich Wilson: You what's nice, you can leave like, you know, things like you can leave your phone on the side. You can leave your phone around and it doesn't matter if someone goes in it, you know, things like that cuz you're not, because you're not, you're not up to anything. Or not up to any, but you're not, you're not, you're not in a situation.
[00:39:35] It's a nice feeling knowing that you're not upsetting anybody and everyone, you know, you've got nice people around you that love you and you love them, and everything's, everything's on the level and it's all nice. It's a wonderful feeling.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Yeah, that's a good point. Or they don't have to contact you like only at this time or whatever, like things like that.
It's just kind of, Yeah.
Rich Wilson: It's just nice. And then that's the thing, when this is the, people misunderstand sometimes when they, when they go, ah, he cheated, or she cheated, and you go, yeah, there are people that they do, they do it and they, they can't help themselves or whatever. But there's other situations where people just aren't happy and they don't know what to do.
You know, I know a couple of people right now that they're, they're having affairs, but it isn't because it's not notches on the bed post, it's like, they genuinely don't know how to what to do. And it's, and it's a, it's a tricky one. I think, you know, it's, it's one of those ones you like, you know, be more honest and talk to each other.
But that's not always, you can't always do that. It's really tricky, [00:40:35] isn't it? You know, to, to, to sit down and have a chat with someone and, but I think there has to be more understanding when it comes to that sort of thing, rather than people just going, oh, this scumbag cheated. No.
There obviously was an, an unhappiness there somewhere, so, wow, this is getting serious.
This
Rabiah Coon (Host): Yeah. Yeah. Come on, Rich
Rich Wilson: Yeah. This is supposed to Come on man. We've talked about cheating. We've talked
Rabiah Coon (Host): Yeah. This is good. This is gonna be
Rich Wilson: No.
Rabiah Coon (Host): but it's, it's just like I told you, it's not all comedy on this podcast, so I've, I've proved it now, so we're good. We've both made the point.
Rich Wilson: Let's get back to the funnies.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Yeah. Looking at your career, I mean, I know , I'm not traveling a lot, but I'll be out, you know, a few nights a week and stuff, and then you end up on the road quite a bit
and so I think people can perceive that job differently than it is, you know what I mean? Cause I, my desk job is, nine to five quote unquote at a desk and people understand that. But then your job, people might think, oh, is just [00:41:35] having fun all day, but really you're, you're working and there's like a different element of being away and things like that.
And that can, I think, be stressful as well. What do you do outside of work that kind of sets you up to be able to go on stage and make people laugh, but also like, just helps keep you going when, when you're in those kind of things?
Rich Wilson: I think, music, music keeps me going. Music just it always levels me out. If I'm feeling a bit anxious, it'll always, I, I, I love music as much as I love comedy, maybe more so actually. I do a radio show on Islington Radio, and I get to pick the playlist. I can play whatever I want. And I love putting those playlists together.
And I'm always, there's a app Shazam on your phone that, that can tells you what the song is. So you'll always find me still in a corner somewhere in a restaurant or in a shop. And I've got my arm in air. I'm Shazaming the music and just like, like Kate will go, where's he gone now? She'll, she see me in the corner.
Like, I'm trying to like, I'm like, I'm conducting lightning, you know, [00:42:35] just, but the, uh, music, I love music. And that keeps me, that keeps going.
I love movies as well. I watch films. I love watching. I like films more than television. I won't really, I'll watch, you know, like a TV series, but after a couple I'm like, all right, I get it.
I got it now, you know? I don't really, but with a film, you're kind of done, you're done in an hour and a half, two hours, whatever. So, I'll tell you what, I did watch, uh, recently Spirited. Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds. I'm not normally one for musicals, but what a soundtrack.
Oh my days. I was coming back New Year's Eve, I was in the car on my own. I was coming back from Nottingham and Le and Leicester, and so I was gonna be on the road when the bells tolled. So I was like, right. So I got a mate of mine and he's, he's got a gig in Leicester. So I stopped off there at their pub at a pint and a burger with him.
Happy New Year. And then I'm in the car driving down the motorway and he's empty and he motorway's empty. [00:43:35] And I'm just at the top of my lungs. I'm singing the soundtrack to Spirited, you know, Good afternoon. Good afternoon. It's brilliant. I had such a good time is I think it might be the best new year I've ever had.
Rabiah Coon (Host): That's great though.
Rich Wilson: Well it's funnily enough when I got back, cause I, so I picked Kate up from a party. So I got back to Brighton at sort of two, half two and she was at a party and when I got there everyone was, they were all mangled, everyone was flying. And you know, by the time I got there it was coming to an end.
So we came home and then on New Year's Eve, early year's day, a friend of Kate's went, oh look, I'm a fancy going to the pub. Do you wanna go? So we went to the pub and we got that and then we got trollied and we were up till 4:00 AM the next day. So poor, Kate had two nights to deal with.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Oh man, that's a lot.
Rich Wilson: Yeah.
Rabiah Coon (Host): a lot. Who, this is a, this is like, not even a fair question to ask, but like, maybe I'll, I'm trying to narrow it down for you already, but just as far as musical influences, is there anyone you [00:44:35] kind of, you'll always go to, maybe who, who are your go-tos? I won't say who's your favorite, but cuz that could be different.
But who are your go-tos for music?
Rich Wilson: So there's a, there's certain albums that I, that I remember having when I was a teenager. When things is really bad, I put them on and they, and they, they calm me down. I get a sense of comfort from those. It takes me back to that time when, you know, I didn't owe money to the tax man.
, I wasn't an adult trying to figure out the world. I was just a young kid, just, you know, I was worried about training shoes rather than, you know, well, sorry, sneakers. I was worried about sneakers rather than, you know, bills and stuff. And so there's an album by The The called Invected that came out in 1986.
So I've always got that on if I'm stressed. Frankenchrist by the Dead Kennedys. That's, that's a good one. And I've still got my, I've got the vinyl and it's got the poster, which is, um, it came of a poster called Penis Landscape, and it [00:45:35] was done by HR Giger, you know, the guy that did Aliens. And, uh, it's a, so it's a penis, so it's like, it's like alien, but it's a penis going into a vagina.
And there's loads of, it's like a collage of this same thing. And he got banned when it came out. It got banned and, you know, yeah, you can't have that on the wall. People come in, your mom's like, oh, that's an interesting collage. What that? That's Penis Landscape, Mum. There's a band, there's an eighties English band called Level 42 that I was massive on when I was a kid in the eighties. And so again, when, when I'm stressed, I put on, uh, there's an album of theirs, it's called Standing in the Light and I put that on. So it's all stuff from my childhood, really.
The Damned. Yeah, all that kind of thing. That's what I go to. But it just depends. Like, I'll have a night, there was a night the other day I was in the car and I just, I was going through all the old disco tracks and then there's, you know, blues stuff just depends on, that's the other thing as well.
Cause we're in a car on our own quite a bit. I end up [00:46:35] spending hours just like, right, I'm gonna put that playlist on. I'm gonna, or I'm gonna listen to that album. I've never listened to that before. Jeff Buckley Grace. I'd never listened to it before. Didn't, I didn't fancy it. I just dunno. Some, it's one of those albums where I didn't care, but, and I'm like, well, I've never listened to it.
So I put it on. I have been punishing myself for all these years, not listening to it. It's sublime, isn't it?
Rabiah Coon (Host): Yeah.
It's beautiful.
Rich Wilson: Yeah.
So I'm open to anything really. But yeah, you'll always find me, you know, if I'm not listening to music, I'm finding new music. I'm always in a record shops. If I'm in your city, I'm either in TK Maxx or I'm in a vintage shop or a record shop.
Those are the three places you'll find me.
Rabiah Coon (Host): That you'll be, yeah.
Rich Wilson: Yeah.
Rabiah Coon (Host): That's awesome. Yeah, and I love music too, Rich. It's great. So, do you have any advice or mantra that you kind of like to share with people just generally or something you follow that you wanna share?
Rich Wilson: I think like we said earlier, is that say yes. Say yes to [00:47:35] things. Even if it scares you, just go, yeah, yeah all right, I'll give that a go try stuff, you know? Because that's how I ended up, I by saying yes, I ended up traveling the world, making people laugh because I said yes to things. So you never know where you're gonna end up, you know?
So, so be more, be open to stuff. There's so many people I see they're so closed off and they're missing out on so much. Like I did, for example, with Jeff Buckley's album, Grace. I didn't bother listening to that for years. I just wasn't interested. Now, it's one of the best things I've ever heard. So, all those years wasted, you know, cuz I didn't, I, I was negative about it. Shut off. That's a small example, but say yes. Say yes. When someone says to you, do you wanna go for a walk? Say yes. Do you wanna meet for coffee? Actually say yes and actually go. You'll be surprised how good you'll feel after you've done it, you know, cuz it's easy. It is that thing of making plans and then not seeing 'em through. But if you actually see 'em through, you will, you will [00:48:35] honestly feel like you've achieved something. And that's, that's half the battle with depression is that we need to feel like we've achieved something during the day.
That's why, like my, my wife Kate's brilliant at this. She'll write a list of things and it'll say things like drying up, do the washing, you know, make your bed. That's something like, oh, that's a bit Jordan Peterson, but you know what I mean? But, you know, and then tick those things off and then your brain goes, look at that.
You look what you completed today.
And that's it. Just, just, you know, do things and say yes. I think that'll be the only advice really. And listen to good music. Put some music on. Get off your phone because I do that as well. Waste hours, scrolling.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Yeah.
Rich Wilson: ah, it's, it's, it's, it is, it's poison. It's all shit
None of it's good. If anything's any good, someone will send you a link.
Rabiah Coon (Host): yeah.
Let
them curate it. for you.
Rich Wilson: Yeah. Someone else will find it.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Nice. All right, cool. Let's, that's great advice. And, um, something [00:49:35] I think people, if anyone follows it, uh, let us know cuz we wanna know what you said yes to.
Rich Wilson: Do that. Yeah. Get in touch and say what you said yes to. We want to, we want to hear. Just be careful. Don't, don't, you know, obviously don't, not juggling alligators or whatever, like, you know, don't do that. But
Rabiah Coon (Host): so if you're in Florida, watch the advice, but everyone else
Rich Wilson: Yeah. Yeah.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Basically,
Rich Wilson: Yeah. Go for a paddle in the creek. Don't do that in Florida.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Cool. All right. So, uh, the last set of questions is called the Fun five. I just ask every guest these questions, so I want to hear what what you have. The first one, what is the oldest T-shirt that you have and still wear?
Rich Wilson: Ah, right. So. I've got, I've got one from, 2003, four. See the 2000, 2003, 2004. I went to CBGBs in New York before it, [00:50:35] before it, became a shitty new age, clothes shop or whatever it is now. And I bought, I, I was, I was drunk and I bought a load of t-shirts from there and I gave them as gave them out as gifts.
And so I've still got one that's, so, that'd be nearly 20 years old now. That's, you know. Yeah. So I went to CBGB's and sat on the, on the shitty toilet that didn't have any walls. And just, yeah, it was, it was exactly how I, how I imagined it would be. It smelled weird in one of those old music venues that when, you know, when I was a teenager, everything smelled of, uh, cigarettes, patchouli oil, and sweat.
You know, and it, ah, what I smell that's should bottle that. I'd wear that
Rabiah Coon (Host): It's the new LYNX.
Rich Wilson: Yeah, mate. Yeah, just no one will go near me. I smell like an old gig, but, yeah, my, my, uh, my old t-shirt from CBGBs, uh, yeah, I mean there's an, there's an Oasis one as well. I've got from, I went to see them at Finsbury Park in [00:51:35] 2002.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Wow.
Rich Wilson: Yeah. So that's still kicking around. I just can't, I don't wear 'em, but because I can't fit in them, I could wear them as a hat, maybe. Maybe I'll wear 'em as gloves. There's two t-shirts.
Rabiah Coon (Host): That's a, that's a sight. All right. Um, if every day was really Groundhogs day, like it, people were saying, you know, when we were in lockdown especially, what would you have your alarm clock set to play every morning?
Rich Wilson: I think there's a song, I mentioned it earlier The The, I think I'd have as my alarm every day it would be Infected. The title track from that, from that album. Cuz it's really, it's really powerful and it's full on straightaway and that would get you up in the morning. So, yeah. Infected by The The.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Okay, great. Um, coffee or tea or neither?
Rich Wilson: I like a good cup of tea in the morning when I'm up. I like the first drink in the day, [00:52:35] like is a nice cup of tea. I like getting up when, cuz Kate's been, uh, working at, uh, the pl uh, plunge where they make the, the costumes for the Masked Singer. So she's getting up to go and do that. And so I like getting up in the morning.
I'll get up with her and we'll have a nice cup of tea together and have a nice chat. And so that's nice. You know, cup of tea. And then when I'm out, it's coffee. I have, I have coffee all the time. Just, uh, yeah, I just don't like feeling tired because I'm getting old now and I'm worried that I'll just be sleeping all day.
So I try and keep up as and, and busy and as much as possible, you know, because, you know, it won't be long until I'm just setting in an arm chair thinking of urine. Oh God.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Well, you'll need to get your spray then.
Rich Wilson: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm gonna have to get those trees. You know, you get in the cars, the air freshener, I love, loads of them sat around like one of the, one of the, which one was it?
It was one of the victims in Saw. [00:53:35] The guy that was on the bed strapped to the bed that wasn't dead but was nearly dead. Isn't it funny how we just, we just rot away, don't we?
Rabiah Coon (Host): Okay.
Rich Wilson: I'll, so I'll be 51 in a couple of weeks. So I reckon I've got 20, 30, say 30 good years until, you know, I'm having to get someone to wipe me and hose me down in the garden. ah. And end up wearing those really big sneakers. You know, like, um, Seinfeld used to wear those big New Balance ones because they're just comfortable. Aren't they? Just
Rabiah Coon (Host): yeah,
Rich Wilson: Oh God.
Rabiah Coon (Host): yeah. You don't care how they look.
Rich Wilson: Nah, you don't care. No one wants to fuck you anymore. You are not bothered about what you look like.
You don't care. You're covered in piss. You've got big, big old white trainers. They're collecting piss. Ah, something to look forward to. uh, you got all your dinner down your front. No one cares.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Oh my God. [00:54:35] Okay. Um, I can think, I can actually answer this one myself right now with, with basically what we're doing, but, um, can you think of a time when you like laughed so hard you cried or something that always cracks you up when you think about it.
Rich Wilson: The last time I was hysterical, like, and I couldn't breathe. And it's something when I tell people, they, they just look at me like, I'm, they go, right. It was in the remake of the, of the TV show. Get Smart. Alan Arkin.
The man is just hilarious in everything. He's brilliant in everything. I love him so much. And he's, he's the boss in, in the remake of Get Smart. And there's a bit where he's just walking along and he's talking to James Cahn, James Cahn's the President of United States of America, and they're walking along and James Cahn says, he goes, well, you know, the thing is they're, they're talking about Nu you know, they can't, they can't be having, um, nucular bombs.
And Alan Argu goes nuclear. And he goes, what? He goes, nothing. And it, I just [00:55:35] lost my mind. I'm going, he corrected him and no one's mentioned it. Cuz everyone gets the word everyone's, there's loads of people that they say the word nuclear wrong. They say nucular. And he, and so he said it and, and I, I couldn't breathe.
We had to stop the DVD cuz I just, I'm just going, he said nuclear. He said nuclear. And they're just, everyone's looking at me going, what is wrong with you? I mean, because everyone says it wrong and no one corrects him. And he corrected him and the way he did it, and he would. And honestly, I, it was, it was one of the best things I've ever seen.
And I say it to people and they go, right it's a funny film, actually Get Smart. Never really, it never really got the praise that it deserves. It's a really funny bits in it. And they're all Alan. I mean, Steve Carrell hilarious. And you know, Steve Carrell is excellent, but Alan Arkin is for me. He's he Little Miss Sunshine, as granddad, and [00:56:35] just in he demands brilliant.
I'll be really sad when he goes.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Oh, for sure. Did you see Kominsky Method? Did you guys watch that with Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin?
Rich Wilson: No.
Rabiah Coon (Host): It's on Netflix. It's the Kominsky Method. You guys gotta watch that. Cause it'll go pretty quickly. I think it's just two, maybe three seasons. And it's brilliant. So they're like, they play best friends, Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin, and you'll,
Rich Wilson: yeah, I know of it. Yeah.
Excellent. Oh, that's good. Oh, that's something to, I'll have a, I'll have a go with that. Excellent.
Alan A
Rabiah Coon (Host): Yeah, totally. All right, cool. And the last one, who inspires you right now?
Rich Wilson: Oh, this is gonna be really cheesy. This is gonna be so cheesy, but I think my sons. They're just top lads and I, they're adults now. They're 25 and 30. I want them to be proud of. you know, because what happens when you, I said this on, um, Rob Beckett's podcast.
I was talking about being a parent, and, um, I said, what happens [00:57:35] now? What did I tell you about when you, when your kids grow up, you're get an appraisal. They, they, they tell you what you were like as a parent. LIke, because I felt bad. I was always like, ah, I could have done this. I have been better at this.
And they're like, nah, dad, you're fine. Don't worry. So I want them to be proud of me. I want them to be, when, when I'm not here anymore, I want them to be able to say, my dad was a good man. He did his best. You know, I think that's, they inspire me. , My wife inspires me. I want to be, I want to be a good husband.
I want to be a, you know, I want her to go out into the world and go, yeah, he's a, he's, he's fucking great. I want other people to, to be sickened by how great I am as a husband. I want to be that guy. He's making the rest of us look bad. I'm like, yes, I am. Yes, I am. You know, I think I'm inspired, I'm inspired by anyone that's doing stuff. You know, anyone that's cuz there's so, it's so easy to sit back and just let, let everything kind of engulf you and go, oh, [00:58:35] everything's turned to shit. Everything's really hard. What's the point? I really get inspired by people that like just doing this podcast now. I'm not just saying this cuz I'm set with you. Having done this with you, this will now fire me up and tomorrow I'll have a, I'll have a brilliantly productive day cuz I've done something today that was productive like this. And I think anyone that's doing stuff in the face of the, what we're having to put up with at the minute, with, you know, all of our, our governments are terrible.
They're, they're running this planet. They're just destroying this planet. And it's, and we're all, we all feel powerless.
It'd be easy just to let it all like get the better of us. But we don't, we're doing things like podcasts and we are writing books and we're go into gigs to entertain people. So I think I'm inspired by that.
I think that inspires me. People inspire me and they make me want to do better. Cuz if it was up to me, if I really let it get the better of me, I wouldn't have even got dressed today. You know what I mean? It's that sort of thing, you know, I would imagine you, I'm only, I'm naked from always down, so, [00:59:35] you know.
Imagine . That's how I'll do all my podcasts. Just
Rabiah Coon (Host): Yeah. Right. Why not?
You know, be comfortable.
Rich Wilson: yeah, I'm sitting on a commode as well, so I dunno if to go to the toilet. I'm just
Rabiah Coon (Host): I mean, you have to practice for 30 years from now. You know, it's
Rich Wilson: Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Cuz I can't imagine you can, it must be hard that first time you have to do it in a commode. That can't be easy. I've never done it in a commode. It can't be you, you get stagefright. It, it's, or you know, your, your body, your, because your brain will going, you are sat in the lounge. Why are you trying to, why are you going to the toilet?
You are sat in the lounge. You have to explain to your brain. No, no, no. The toilet's here, it's, it's portable. We are set on it, you know, cuz your brain's used to you being in the
Rabiah Coon (Host): Yeah,
Rich Wilson: Oh my god, I hadn't thought about that before. This just so much to deal with.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Hey, you're welcome. Um, okay, so , so uh, just then, um, where do you want people to find you? If [01:00:35] they are listening to this and they wanna, they wanna find Rich Wilson, where do they find you online?
Rich Wilson: So I'm on, I'm on Twitter. I don't use it very often. Every now and again, inspiration will hit me and I'll tweet some shite. Uh, but I'm mostly, I'm mostly promoting, uh, Insane in the Men Brain, uh, which is available on all podcast platforms. On Instagram. I do like Instagram, actually, I'm on there quite a bit.
So I am Rich Wilson (@iamrichwilson) on Instagram. I am Rich Wilson (@iamrichwilson) on Twitter. I'm on TikTok, but I haven't really done anything with it yet. We've, Kate and I have got some ideas we're gonna start doing. So I'm on there. So you'll find me. I've got a website as well, Rich Wilson Comedian.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Cool. All right, Rich, I, this has been great. Thank you so much for,
Rich Wilson: Thank you for having me. Thank you very much. It's really nice. Thank you.
Rabiah Coon (Host): Thanks for listening. You can learn more about the guest and what was talked about in the show notes. Joe Maffia created the music you're listening to. You can find him on Spotify at Joe M A F F I A. Rob Metke does all the design for which I'm [01:01:35] so grateful you can find him online by searching Rob M E T K E.
Please leave a review if you like the show and get in touch if you have feedback or guest ideas. The pod is on all the social channels at at More Than Work pod (@morethanworkpod) or at Rabiah Comedy (@RabiahComedy) on TikTok, and the website is more than work pod dot com (morethanworkpod.com). While being kind to others, don't forget to be kind to yourself.
