Rum Doings

Rum Doings Episode 21

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:46:08 +0000

Recording in Nick's brother's "studio", in episode 21 we immediately find ourselves discussing the splendid subject of slugs. Before we've even introduced the subject we aren't discussing. Which is: Is bad language the sign of a poor vocabulary, and a poorer imagination? Have you ever rifled through someone's bathroom cabinet? Surely no one really would. But what about interviewing technique? Should you allow the interviewee to answer a question? And how about the works of Mr and Mrs Christ's Enterprise? These are things we talk about! There's chat about conspiracists, the absolute fact that the Taleban is the Queen's personal army, and then we celebrate mighty man of history, King Cnut. Gravelly-voiced singers, the perils of copyright, and Nick's fascinating discussion of the colour of the sky, all bring us to the ultimate email we've received. I use "ultimate" quite deliberately. I feel quite sure it can't be beaten. If you want to prove us wrong, contact us here. Find out quite how uncommitted you are compared to these two. We leap like verbal gazelles from jerk chicken to President Clinton, Amnesty failings to Sonny and Cher's involvement in the situation in the Middle East. And yes, of course, Ramsey's Messianic Kitchen Nightmares. Learn John's criminal history, and then... a big musical finish! What an episode.

Rum Doings Episode 20

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:40:38 +0000

In a very special edition of Rum Doings, we are joined by comedy writer John Finnemore. We have discussed Finnemore's work on Rum Doings in the past, especially the fantastic Radio 4 sitcom Cabin Pressure. He's worked on very many radio and television comedies, perhaps most notably as a lead writer for Mitchell & Webb on both Radio 4 and the BBC, and despite this still agreed to join us for our twentieth episode. The topic not under discussion this week is: how are we going to inoculate ourselves against Britain's road rage epidemic. You'll not be surprised to learn much of the topics this week are radio comedy - a subject we've spoken about a great deal before. We begin with Cabin Pressure, and quickly move on to the sitcoms that inspired Finnemore, especially Yes Minister. Find out which surprising 70s sitcom David Mitchell is a fan of, as well as a brief dissection of The Fall And Rise Of Reginald Perrin. Nick attempts to get John in trouble, telling tales about his disliking of Fawlty Towers, and then everything goes horribly wrong... Finnemore defends Victoria Wood's 'dinnerladies'. Oh dear. It all falls apart. It almost comes to blows. Fortunately we quickly move on to John Shuttleworth, good comedy we can all agree on. This takes us to Dad's Army, which in turn brings us back to Cabin Pressure, especially the desert episode and the fantastic appearance of John Sessions. Nick then launches into a brilliant attempt to tell Finnemore that he's wrong about the nature of one of his own characters - one he even voices himself. This leads to a lovely discussion of the nature of happiness, as viewed through the Goons. After more discussion of Cabin Pressure, then talk of the relationship between The Mitchell & Webb Sound and Look, we arrive at the topic of comedians doing advertising. Then changing from commercials to the other side, there's talk of why the BBC is such a great thing but so desperately lacking self-confidence.

Rum Doings Episode 19

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:53:39 +0000

This week's topic isn't: Why are we English too ASHAMED to celebrate St. George's Day with due dignity and respect, properly? Which is embarrassing to even type. Things more realistically begin with an explanation of the spiteful nature of tea, pet names for pets, and that which we've changed from hating to liking. Find out what temperature we've decided will keep your babies alive, and how John disagrees with all baby-based wisdom, leading to Nick denying his daughter her wings. Of course we talk about Mr Blobby, and Noel's House Party, and the Late Late Breakfast Show. But you'd been expecting that. And find out who electrocuted an elephant to death. Hear Nick play the mouth-banjo. Don't hear Nick tell his Oxford interview story. But do hear stories of examinations. This takes us back to school days, remembering teachers good and bad, and times we went out of our way to get in trouble. And then, more positively, favourite teachers.

Rum Doings Episode 18

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 13:11:55 +0000

In an unprecedented eighteenth episode of Rum Doings we don't discuss what we will do on Earth about potholes. However, we do quite brilliantly demonstrate how to drink. And then immediately return to our favourite topic of recent times: ketchup. Via some quite astonishing observation comedy, of course. But we promise the ketchup talk is confined to only the beginning. Then there's happy stories of service experiences, which leads us to what will be remembered by history as the greatest series of "time" themed puns mankind has ever heard. And welcome to the new job title: the shorekeeper. Then there's Nick's racist t-shirt and his mule child. Then it's time for part two of The Rules, which those who didn't want us to do any more will be pleased to learn completes the collection. Where we learn that all our listeners should all embrace death, because they can't be bothered to promote us or write to us.

Rum Doings Episode 17

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:45:09 +0000

In our seventeenth episode of Rum Doings we don't ask the question: Who will diffuse Britain's ticking immigration time-bomb? Instead we focus on more pressing matters: plum jam and ketchup. We briefly recognise how awful the Simpsons is, before tucking into a glass of plum sake, and moving on to the dominant subject of the episode: Britain's miserly distribution of tomato ketchup. This episode, recorded on Monday, refers to the harrowing events of the preceding Valentine's Day. Along the way we explore the options for entertainment available at Cheddar Gorge for a remarkable bargain price! When we finally get to the restaurant story you can enjoy Nick's precise use of the word "niggardly", and then join us in our celebration of British service culture.

Rum Doings Episode 16

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 09:20:07 +0000

We're not afraid to not discuss the subjects that aren't topical, and such it is that we're not discussing the true meaning of Christmas. Instead we begin with a celebration of oat milk, whatever on Earth it might be. First the carton is dissected, and then the insides are consumed. Will we like it? Will we paw at our tongues?

Rum Doings Episode 15

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:15:29 +0000

It's the fifteenth episode. They said it would never last this long. This "they" being the people who knew we were going to try to drink Tesco Value White Rum. This week not under discussion is the matter: has the iPad lived up to the media hype? So instead we talk about John's loss of nomenclature, and then almost kill ourselves with a frighteningly awful liquid. This week's episode is mostly dictated by the commands of one "Royston", who left a comment on episode 13 in which he listed subjects he would like to hear discussed. Somehow missing his opening entry, "Wales", we otherwise followed his instructions. Which were: St Wilgefortis Battlestar Galactica Action Figures Sufjan Stevens Favoured Condiments

Rum Doings Episode 14

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:44:29 +0000

Persisting in this new weekly habit, Rum Doings episode 14 certainly doesn't discuss its chosen topic, What Should We Do About The Wheeliebin? It's with troubling enthusiasm that we begin this latest episode, despite the blatant lack of rum in our hands. Your rules, we don't play by them. This week our drink is, instead, honeybush tea. Things we do talk about include the paradoxical anomaly that is BBC 1's Outnumbered, why Russell Davies doesn't deserve his "T", the plot holes in Press Gang, obviousness in writing, and ask why can't people enjoy their superpowers? There's revelations of Michael Moore, and then of course the discussion we've all be expecting: who should be the next Archbishop of Canterbury. Then, at long last, Nick's brief lecture on Derrida. Which is genuinely our most requested topic.

Rum Doings Episode 13

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:21:59 +0000

Distracted by a new rum, we take a long time to get around to introducing the topic we're not discussing: Whatever happened to sitting down for dinner as a whole family? Instead we find ourselves discussing Scientology, random word snap, and then dive head-first into a chasm of self-indulgence, and discuss the Rum Doings origin story. How John and Nick met, the creation of (the now deceased) Glebe's Thrift Funnel, and then our dalliance with the stars. As regular listeners will remember, Nick and John have a "no false modesty" rule, and included in this is what so many call "name-dropping", but we call "talking about people we met." We relate the stories of our adventures in the nineties in which we met many of our heroes.

Rum Doings Episode 12

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 13:47:57 +0000

In our first Rum Doings of 2010, we don't discuss whatever happened to Britain's supplies of salt. Enjoying a cocktail known as A Snowball For The Year 2000, we begin with an excellent description of Nick from a listener, that sets us off onto a discussion of alternative ways of pronouncing words, and the definition of "enormity", and why using Windows is like being a tourist in Egypt. Then, as was perhaps somewhat inevitable, there's discussion of the weather. And weather forecasting. We're enormously right.

rumdoings_e11.mp3

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 12:53:02 +0000

Rum Doings Episode 10

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 18:23:02 +0000

Rum Doings returns a week early for a very special tenth episode special. Very, very special. You may have noticed one subject comes up again and again, and this episode we line a hundred sharks up in a row and jump them in spectacular fashion. For nine minutes. And then things return to normal.

Rum Doings Episode 9

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 13:16:16 +0000

In Episode 9 of Rum Doings the topic not under discussion is whether it's time we stopped funding the NHS. The topic under discussion is Neighbours. And that's almost it. No, come back! A Neighbours edition of Rum Doings was inevitable from the moment Nick first said, "Let's record a podcast because I want to see how difficult it is to be good." Neighbours - the Australian soap opera - has been something that has fascinated both of us since we've known each other - around fourteen years. Although neither of us have watched it for about six or seven.

Rum Doings Episode 8

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:35:40 +0000

In the triumphant return of Rum Doings, delayed by a while by the birth of Nick's daughter, Judith, we celebrate with the consumption of an Asda Smart Price meal. And indeed the possible consumption to follow. This feast begins with a bowl of Asda Smart Price chicken curry, washed down with Asda Smart Price Dark Rum, with Asda Smart Price Chocolate Mousse to follow. Not discussed in the episode is John and Edward, whatever that might be, with instead the meandering topics covering Judith's arrival, talking with our mouths full, and then alittlebitofpoliticsladiesandgentlemen.

Rum Doings Episode 7

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:37:46 +0100

In episode 7 of Rum Doings the topic not under discussion is how we can fix Broken Britain. More readily discussed are John's inability to sing and Nick's desperate need to hear it, the scandalous gossip regarding John's sexual impropriety with Nick's wife, and the terrifying contents of some Super-8 film. And that's in the first five minutes.

Rum Doings Episode 6

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:18:28 +0100

In episode 6 of Rum Doings the topic not under discussion is what we can do about the dumbing down of British culture. Instead we primarily discuss sitcoms - so much so it becomes dangerously close to being a theme. There's thoughts on what the UK and US sitcoms have in common, and indeed what they do not. Along the way we consider the anti-Semitism of Shakespeare, why Stephanie Cole grew into the wrong old lady (and is brilliant), and why you should never shh a pregnant lady. This, as you'd expect, brings us to our plans for scientific experiments on all 3.5 billion of Earth's women.

Rum Doings Episode 5

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:01:36 +0100

In Episode 5 of Rum Doings not under discussion is whether we should bring back conscription for unruly teens. More discussed are matters of repetition, the changing face of the cinemas, and we respond to a complaint regarding our being rude to Phil Collins. There's discussion of how a splendid friend of ours changed his mind about the ownership of music, and thoughts on the potential for democratising paying for music. We bring up another rule to join Episode Four's, the No False Modesty Rule. Which leads naturally to the moral implications of teleporting clones. And the likelihood of coincidence. And of course cream teas. It's probably safe to say that this is the first of the Rum Doings where the doings of rum played an effect toward the end.

Rum Doings Episode 4

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 12:34:34 +0100

A new Rum Doings, and it comes with a warning: Nick Mailer is a very, very bad man. What should have been a perfectly nice discussion of interesting matters descends into an explosion of libel and offense. I can only apologise, hold my head in my hands, and beg for your forgiveness.

Rum Doings Episode 3

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:28:21 +0100

John and Nick gather once more, presenting their newly learned commercial radio voices, as the nation prefers. The topic not under discussion in this episode is: Are Exams Getting Easier.

Rum Doings Episode 2

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:31:28 +0100

This week the topic not under discussion for Nick and John is "Whatever happened to good old fashioned manners?" What is instead discussed includes puns in other languages, the horrible quality of commercial radio, extensive discussions of the tricks behind homeopathy, and can you be proud of collectives?

Rum Doings - Episode 1

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 17:45:01 +0100

Nick and John talk nonsense for the first time, interrupted only by a fruitless search for rum. The topic to avoid this week was Claire Fox on the Moral Maze. Nick wanted to do this podcast in order not to talk about video games. Suffice to say, Star Glider gets more than a mention.