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.
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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World Without End, Twitter
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Stuart, Chortle
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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A D Ward, Twitter
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Idrie, Youtube
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Brighton Argus
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Bosco239, youtube
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk