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March 28, 2024, 01:43:08 PM

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The Alexei Sayle Podcast

Started by Endicott, December 01, 2020, 09:38:16 PM

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Tokyo van Ramming

Quote from: olliebean on May 12, 2021, 08:49:22 PM
What does everyone think about the other guy (his producer, I think) on the podcast? I understand that the thing wouldn't exist at all without him, but honestly, I'd sooner just listen to Alexei talk, without him chipping in and trying to make it more what his idea of a podcast is. I mention it now because it seemed to come across fairly clearly that the Patreon is his initiative, and that a major reason for it is that he wants to get paid.

You should probably just hire Alexei then, or marry him.

Imagine being paid for work you do, eeee!


SpiderChrist

Quote from: olliebean on May 12, 2021, 08:49:22 PM
What does everyone think about the other guy (his producer, I think) on the podcast? I understand that the thing wouldn't exist at all without him, but honestly, I'd sooner just listen to Alexei talk, without him chipping in and trying to make it more what his idea of a podcast is. I mention it now because it seemed to come across fairly clearly that the Patreon is his initiative, and that a major reason for it is that he wants to get paid.

What a cunt.

The way I heard it (because it was explicitly said) is that all the costs like editing and mastering (and probably even paying for the producer's time) come out of Sayle's pocket and the only alternative is taking ads.

olliebean

Alexei did say something like, this'll probably keep happening even if we don't get the money, so I guess he doesn't mind too much paying out of pocket for it. I mean, obviously I don't begrudge people getting paid for their work; it just feels to me like there's a bit of a tension in the podcast (not necessarily in the relationship between the two of them, but in the format of the podcast itself) between on the one hand, a laid-back guy who's just happy to talk about whatever and usually has something fascinating to say about it, and on the other hand the producer who's got ideas about what a podcast should be and thinks someone just talking with no particular format isn't enough. In and of itself, Patreon seems like a good way to pay for the work of the people involved (including him), but in the context of that tension it definitely felt like it came from him feeling that podcasts should be monetised, as opposed to Alexei who's not that bothered.

evilcommiedictator

How much out of pocket can it be for something like this (asking genuinely, not for criticism) - hosting fees and paying your audio engineer, plus your mic and gear?
I imagine a lot of people download it, so the hosting fees are probably eye watering?

Mr_Simnock

Quote from: evilcommiedictator on May 14, 2021, 02:51:21 AM
How much out of pocket can it be for something like this (asking genuinely, not for criticism) - hosting fees and paying your audio engineer, plus your mic and gear?
I imagine a lot of people download it, so the hosting fees are probably eye watering?

The podcast is hosted by Audioboom, didn't he get some money for going with them in first place? They could use that cash to pay for some of the above no?

Ballad of Ballard Berkley

#125
The latest episode is a 90 minute special with Omid Djalili. I'm only thirty minutes in, but already there's been loads of interesting chat about the early days of The Comedy Store and The Comic Strip, a period when Robin Williams - a big Alexei fan, according to Omid - would sometimes drop in to perform impromptu sets.

There's a nice bit where Alexei says
Spoiler alert
he was absolutely blown away and threatened by Williams' ability to manically improvise, until he eventually realised that Williams had about three gag-packed hours of material that he'd work around. Which is obvious in hindsight, of course he wasn't making all that stuff up off the top of his head, but Alexei admits that, in those days, he had no idea of how stand-up really worked.

There's also a lovely moment where they recall Williams genuinely improvising a successful bit and saying to them afterwards: "I need to write that down!"
[close]

Sonny_Jim

Has Alexei ever talked about the time he starred in the Mel Brooks Sci-Fi bomb 'Solarbabies'?

Ballad of Ballard Berkley

No, but he probably will at some point. He's more than happy to talk about some of the shite he's appeared in.

Mobbd

Quote from: Ballad of Ballard Berkley on June 03, 2021, 01:18:14 AM
There's a nice bit where Alexei says
Spoiler alert
he was absolutely blown away and threatened by Williams' ability to manically improvise, until he eventually realised that Williams had about three gag-packed hours of material that he'd work around. Which is obvious in hindsight, of course he wasn't making all that stuff up off the top of his head, but Alexei admits that, in those days, he had no idea of how stand-up really worked.

There's also a lovely moment where they recall Williams genuinely improvising a successful bit and saying to them afterwards: "I need to write that down!"
[close]

"
Spoiler alert
Flubber.
[close]
"

non capisco

Quote from: Ballad of Ballard Berkley on June 03, 2021, 01:57:10 AM
No, but he probably will at some point. He's more than happy to talk about some of the shite he's appeared in.

I need to see that episode of Lovejoy he talks about now. OH MOI GAWWWWD LOVEJOY, YOU'VE PAID 'OW MUCH FERRA TOILET?!!!!

Sonny_Jim

It's best when he pops up without warning, rather than seeking out the appearances.  Here's the bit when he pops up in Solarbabies:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZ1bfkCtdW0

Leej88

What about the awful Carry on Columbus?

Ballad of Ballard Berkley



Ballad of Ballard Berkley

Of course, why wouldn't he? It was even mentioned briefly in the latest episode. He thinks it's shit.

paruses

Quote from: non capisco on June 03, 2021, 10:33:21 AM
I need to see that episode of Lovejoy he talks about now. OH MOI GAWWWWD LOVEJOY, YOU'VE PAID 'OW MUCH FERRA TOILET?!!!!

All of Lovejoy is on UKTV Drama if you want to seek it out. I watch and enjoy a lot more of it than I should.

MoreauVasz

I thought this last one was really interesting...

My perception of Alexei is that he was someone who was a big wheel down at the alternative comedy mines in the 1980s who parlayed that into a few TV series and a few small acting gigs before he moved on to become an author. I found it quite easy to square this with the politics as alternative comedy and fiction don't tend to demand that their practitioners be a particular way. You could be a foul-mouthed communist and still write the odd novel and play a middle Eastern baddie in something because nobody gives a shit.

This strikes me as really very different to a lot of TV and acting where you live by your connections and so tend to drift into being a particular type of person in order to fit in. Big pressure to talk about 'Darling Johnny Sessions' and to keep your mouth shut about politics.

The podcast has caused me to revise my vision of Alexei. I think it's pretty clear that while he hasn't always been visible, he has spent his entire life bollocks deep in showbiz and he has the celebrity friends and anecdotes that reflect that. This last episode was interesting as he effortlessly fell into the role of the somewhat embittered old celeb who is very mindful of his status and his dignity. Someone who plays the game and watches the angles.

I think the podcast started off with Sayles assuming the role of the bemused outsider but you can see the wry showbiz courtier struggling to get out and I suspect that is a lot closer to how he lives his life.

notjosh

Funny you should say that. I haven't listened to the latest ep, but just came to share something I found in Matthew Wright's showbiz column while going through some old editions of the Daily Mirror. He found Sayle somewhat unwelcoming at Angus Deayton's birthday party:




MoreauVasz

The energy of that column is awful. Like a PCP-fueled fever dream.

On the one hand it seems to be sneering at successful comedians for having lavish birthday parties. Then it seems to imply that the party was shit. Then it's crowing about Wright sneaking into the party. Then it's mocking the people who didn't want to talk to him as well as the people who did.

beanheadmcginty

I already liked Alexei Sayle, but now I know he's told Matthew Wright to fuck off he's gone up another level in my estimation.

petril

that Party Lines bit reads spookily like it could've been an actual Alexei Sayle bit

poodlefaker

Quote from: MoreauVasz on June 05, 2021, 07:12:34 AM
I think the podcast started off with Sayles assuming the role of the bemused outsider but you can see the wry showbiz courtier struggling to get out and I suspect that is a lot closer to how he lives his life.

This occured to me in that interview he did with Stewart Lee, in which he seemed genuinely shocked that Lee had never been to a dinner party.

zomgmouse

Quote from: notjosh on June 05, 2021, 01:39:16 PM
Funny you should say that. I haven't listened to the latest ep, but just came to share something I found in Matthew Wright's showbiz column while going through some old editions of the Daily Mirror. He found Sayle somewhat unwelcoming at Angus Deayton's birthday party:





I too would be "unwelcoming" if a snivelling rag-pen gobshite gatecrashed a friend's party. He sounds like mould.

Mobbd

Aha. This just dropped.

"A is for Anarchy."

One hour.

Now we're cooking.

Mobbd

Quote from: Mobbd on June 22, 2021, 12:39:26 PM
Now we're cooking.

Actually, it's not very good. I was expecting a palatable, witty introduction to Anarchism. Alas, it's an into-the-weeds political history of Spain with a disappointingly-conservative LSE politics professor. He keeps ignoring Alexei's pleas to get back to basics and tell the kids at home what Anarchism is.

Feels like the kind of thing Adam Buxton wouldn't bother to put out or else keep in the bank until he found a solution in the edit.

olliebean

Looking forward to when he reaches "L".

Pink Gregory


Drygate

Quote from: poodlefaker on June 06, 2021, 12:54:39 PM
This occured to me in that interview he did with Stewart Lee, in which he seemed genuinely shocked that Lee had never been to a dinner party.
And he said he had been to thousands of them, or was it hosted thousands of them? Can't remember.

mr. logic

The producer on this just doesn't seem to get what he's doing there. They don't mesh at all.

Mobbd

Quote from: mr. logic on June 23, 2021, 12:30:36 PM
The producer on this just doesn't seem to get what he's doing there. They don't mesh at all.

It's a shame. He seems like a nice chap and I really want to like him. But he's not entertaining at all; Alexei doesn't know what to say to his kindly but nothingy remarks. Why does he give that Lego guy even a moment of air time at the end of this episode? Who cares? His vision for the show is so tiny.

"I've got no comedy for my gig tonight! I've written nothing all lockdown!"
Alexei: Um. Okay.

Felt a bit bad for him in the chat with Omid Djalili. Producer had a somewhat interesting anecdote about how he and his family provided vocal noises ("Arg!" etc) for The Mummy but Omid just shut him down. Maybe Omid was right that Producer Guy's voice just isn't welcome in a conversation between comedy giants with actual stories; but it was a bit harsh and ironically this was the one time he had something to say!

I want to like him.