New towns, Connections, How to Hide A Stain, I’m on CAMEO and an Ideal Autumn
A newsletter from Joanna about new towns, connections, how to hide a stain, a revenue stream that may or may not babble and other joyful scatterings.
Good day, as some of you know, I’ve just got back from the lovely Ideal UK tour with the greatest gang, too many to mention here but which included writer and performer Graham Duff who I’ve realised I’ve proudly known now for 35 years, Johnny Vegas who made us cry with laughter, Ben Crompton and his black banana that had exploded and forced an unplanned clean up stop for the tour bus, Emma Fryer who managed to be both the gentlest AND fiercest dear friend and colleague (also made us all roar laughing), Lucy Farrett who is a delight and Ryan Pope, genius and brilliant man of too many talents. Andy Hollingworth took photos of us all, the one above is by him. He is the best. Often I’m so tense in photos, it doesn’t look like me. That pink t shirt had a stain on the front so I put it on back to front. Cunning eh?
Thank you to everyone who came along and said nice things, we are thrilled that the show connected with so many people. I loved seeing towns I’d never seen before, and their bookshops. Shewsbury, Frome and Buxton were stand out.Sunderland wins for charity shops. I spent so much money in one, that the volunteer hugged me and asked me to visit her on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I did a comic strip about it, I’ll post it some time. We signed autographs for the audience at the theatre next door one night, because their cast refused to. It’s unusual to meet viewers for a TV show, it was a privilege, to be honest. Turns out Ideal is a show for artists and outsiders, music nerds and comedy gods. At one point I met my art school hero and valiantly pretended not to recognise them, so we could have a halfway decent conversation on a faux-equal footing without me shouting or fainting.
To surmise, it was a life changing couple of months and I don’t think I’ll ever recover. So what’s next?
Well, apart from housework, admin, self tapes, podcast plans, painting and illustrations for my friend Robin, I’ve just this morning joined Cameo, a website/app for actors and comedians where people can request a greetings video for any occasion. And now I’m an option on it. I chose Judith from Ideal as my main point of call because it’s the biggest role I’ve had on tele, even though it’s an embarrassing over-a-decade ago. Other Worry Of Mine: What if no one requests one, ever? Well, I’ll look like a dork. I’ve had worse. Also, I’ve made voice recordings for people before, sometimes for the price of a Mars Bar so I thought I may as well try and do them properly. Recordings are my very favourite thing, especially vocal ones. But now I will be brave and try and do my hair and make you a greetings video as me, or Judith (sorry) or Bjerk, Housewife Celia Jesson, Kate Gorse-Bush, whatever is most fun for you and your giftee.
You can find out about getting a fun recording HERE!
And Finally: Never Seen Before Content: A Diary Entry from New Year’s Day 2025 that I just found.
Drawing a cat while having a row. Apparently I need to have a look at a Jordan Peterson video (‘I’ll send you a link Jo’) to get a more balanced and fair view because there’s no such thing as a patriarchy and I don’t understand the ‘parlance of the Woke Movement’. I’m not entirely sure what I was saying or doing to provoke an unsolicited recommendation to watch this man. I was probably laughing at an impression of Bob Dylan.
Yes, I started the new year with a blazing row but a combination of being on tour and completing a course of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy has made me think I might be strong enough to face this relative again and laugh in the face of being called a bully for daring to disagree. Anyone else had a fun incel-ly based row with someone you love in the past year? I’d both hate and love to think I’m the only one.
Ps: Live Shows
The comedy night in Eastbourne is going to be an extended set from me this month, the best of my last touring show with Centre Partin Martin on rock guitar and then a lovely long set from the masterly genius Alastair Beckett-King, back by popular demand. Then I am off filming, then Nine Lessons with Cosmic Shambles Network on December 20th in London. Here are the links below, have a peep if you fancy and I hope you have enjoyed this scattered and rambling newsletter. I’ve been too busy steaming carpets and organising my CD’s into alphabetical order to look at cultural listings but I’d like to heartily recommend the ace Ben Moor’s show in London this month. Info below. Love from Jo
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