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Listening to Limmy’s new audio today. I knew he was a great writer with a unique voice from his short stories, but so far this book is even better and filled with unexpected poetry and sadness. He somehow makes the story of his first wank both hilariously funny and strangely moving (emotionally - I wasn’t wanking along and anyone who says I was and they saw me is lying). I was laughing out loud and almost crying at the same time as he celebrated his unexpected ability to spunk. I was walking the dog through the woods, worried that someone would wonder who this odd guffawing yet sad man was. Only Peter Baynham has made me simultaneously laugh and cry before. There can be no higher accolade.
Limmy is an amazing (if normal) man and it’s his honesty that really hits you. So many autobiographies are filled with self-aggrandising bunk (cough Peter Kay), yet Limmy is trying to get to the heart of why he is as he is, whilst still finding laughs.
The upset caused to him by the adults not waving back to him when he was at the funfair when they’d waved at the last two kids haunted him through his life. Only years later did he realise that they were the parents of the other kids and assumed Limmy must be waving at his own parents. And yet the incident affected his self-image. And it’s rather lovely that he waves back at kids himself now, just in case they will be scarred by the rejection too.
And fanny fright - oh man, the unspoken ghost haunting so many young men….
I recommend the audio book though. It’s good to hear him reading it himself, though he is using the most ridiculous Scotch accent, so some of it is hard to decipher. I thought he was saying “horn” when he was saying “hand”.
I will teach him how to do the accent properly next time I see him.
RHLSTP moved over to Acast today, with a few little bumps (like this week’s ep being loaded up 14 times). It is still available in all the usual places as well (and we still get the revenue whatever audio platform you use), but it will now include a few adverts and sponsorships and hopefully move the podcast towards being self-funding (though we’ll probably still need to do another kick-starter if we’re going to keep up with the filming - it’s going to be a lot more expensive now we’re on the road so much).
If you don’t like ads then become a monthly badger or Dripster and when the new website is finished you’ll have access to the podcast with no ads.
On the plus side it means that if you listen to the advert version you are now contributing a tiny fraction of a penny every time - I always hoped we could do this without ads with everyone chipping in a tiny amount, but whilst I am very grateful for the loyal badgers and dripsters, that hasn’t been happening in enough numbers. But as you can see there is a way for you to get the ad free versions, by accepting that this podcast has some worth to you.
Oh I see you want me to work for free? You sicken me. But I don’t mind. I’ve been doing that for 11 years. And Stone Clearing remains ad and payment free.
Minimum monthly badge donation will go up soon, but you can still get full access for £1 a month if you become a badger before the switch.
Having said that, there are no adverts yet in the new one, so your listening pleasure won’t be interrupted and we will make nothing (but once ads go in listening to even old episodes will make a contribution)
The Bristol Slapstick Festival special with Joe Thomas and Damon Beesley of the Inbetweeners went up today
If you are already subscribed to the podcast on Acast you might have to subscribe again as we have changed the url.
