Comedy writer Armando Iannucci decodes the utterly baffling world of political language.
5th June 2025
This week, Helen Lewis is away, so comedian and writer Stewart Lee joins Armando to look at Robert Jenrick’s flashy video in which he takes aim at ‘weird Turkish barber shops’, among other things. They discuss how the way politicians, entertainers and journalists are changing and overlapping, and Armando recalls the time he read politician’s jokes in a comedy club (spoiler alert, it was a disaster).
25th September 2025
Stewart Lee returns to the show, to join Armando in discussing ‘hurty words’.
With Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension, and in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s murder, free speech is in the spotlight again. Those who railed against ‘cancel culture’ are now getting into ‘consequence culture’. We also discuss how Marvel’s superheroes might respond to the actions of their new owners, and whether you can pray in your own homes in this country anymore (spoiler alert, you can).
16th October 2025
One one hand, the world is going to hell, on the other, the age of terror and death has ended, so which is it? Stewart Lee joins Armando to take a look at this maximal approach to political language.
How do you do moderate politics with caps lock on? What’s the smart way to diffuse complex arguments about politics? And given the details still to be worked out in the Isreal Gaza peace process, is this week’s Peace Summit Trump’s ‘Mission Accomplished’ moment?
30th October 2025
This week, Armando is joined again by Stewart Lee to look at how political actors use language.
Wes Streeting says there is a ‘deep disillusionment in this country’, and says there is a “growing sense of despair about whether anyone is capable of turning this country round”. Why is that? And does politicians speaking in that way confound our misery? We look at Sarah Pochin’s comments about black and asian people in adverts, and the responses across parliament to that. We also look at how much news is just speculation, and how politicians use speculation to further their arguments.
We also look at how we get our news – is it exhausting to have to keep fact checking things ourselves? Is it preferable to the alternative?
Armando shares his confusion at Immersive experiences, and Stewart invents a new word, and we hear about Starmer’s charm offensive.
27th November 2025
It’s budget week, Armando is joined by two members of the Strong Message Here commune, Natalie Haynes and Stewart Lee. How do markets get ‘spooked’? Who has the broadest shoulders? And what does ‘a Labour Budget with Labour values’ actually mean? We discuss how taxes get their nicknames, why we know so much about the budget ahead of time these days, and whether Rachel Reeves could’ve taken inspiration from Taylor Swift to make the budget more exciting. In the longer edition, we also look at ‘the banter defence’, and decide a new name for ‘the markets’ that feels more apt for the way they behave.
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
XPIJONpsY, Twitter
XPIJONpsY, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Herald Scotland.
Herald Scotland.
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Dan McCaid, Twitter
Dan McCaid, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Spursguy, Youtube
Spursguy, Youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk