There are some strings attached to this week's episode - our first recorded during full-blown lockdown - but we're keeping our spirits up with some helpful hands up our bums. That's what happens when we go looking for the World's Worst Puppet alongside puppeteer on both stage and screen, Mikey Brett. Who just so happens to be Barry's husband. There are excursions to the Muppet Theatre, Sesame Street and prehistoric Chile, as well as ventriloquism on the radio and creepy dolls in Scotland. Enjoy, and we hope you're all staying safe in these mad times.
155C - CORONAVIRUS RETROSPECTIVE
Well now...this has been quite the week, hasn't it. Ben stubbed his toe on a bed frame late on Friday night and it all seems to have got even worse from there.
Like the world and his wife we've been busying reorganising, panicking, bellowing at the heavens and making the odd inappropriate joke about all this coronavirus shenanigans. We aim to be back with a new episode for you next week, but in the meantime, here's some clips from the vault inspired by viruses and self-isolation.
You can hear us talking about an unsung World War 2 hero with Mike Stuchberry, tinfoil hats with Jim Campbell, weird allergies with Katie Pritchard, a British mission to steal tea from China with Laura Lexx and the science of dog farts with Sarah Jones.
155B - BEST OF THE WORST OF THE BEST 9
We're back with more sunshine, history and daftness in a hostful episode where we look back at previous episodes about terrible magic tricks, monarchs, legal defences, burlesque performers and playwrights and pick our favourite examples of each.
It's a real pic'n'mix this week including the many faces of William Shakespeare, blowjobs, the coolest spy of all time, Dom Pedro the Magnanimous and some very unhinged knifeplay.
155 - LUCY-JANE ATKINSON - WORLD'S WORST FASHION SHOW
Strike a pose, this week we are strutting our stuff on the catwalk of catastrophe that is the World's Worst Fashion Show. Theatre director extraordinaire Lucy Jane Atkinson is with us to tell us of the time she found a fashion show up a mountain and to peek at the crotch of Rick Owens' more revealing creations. Ben takes us to the bizarre world of digital fashion and Barry delves into the past to meet Lucille, a trailblazer and trendsetter who was aboard the Titanic.
154 - LIVE SHOW - WORLD'S WORST DINNER PARTY
Here we go! Our first ever live show, recorded on 29th February at the Network Theatre in Waterloo as part of London's VAULT Festival. We were joined by three brilliant guests - Roann McCloskey, Anna Ploszajski and Joel Morris - who returned to the pod for the World's Worst Dinner Party in front of a lovely, lively audience! We sample food from the Futurists Cookbook and, while we chow down, Roann talks to us about the World's Worst Party Trick, Anna proposes a surprising candidate for the World's Worst Ingredient, and Joel brings the Women's Institute and pirates together for the World's Worst After-Dinner Speech. With thanks to VAULT Festival and our producer Andy Goddard.