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Getting Emotional
Brabant- with Nish Kumar
Welcome back! It's a new season of Getting Emotional and it's a bumper episode! This week we're talking about the word 'Brabant', invented in the 80s by writer Douglas Adams (author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) and TV producer John Lloyd. Yes, it's the name of a principality of the Netherlands, but it's also the word for the joy you feel in pushing someone's buttons. It's a fun game- how far can you push them, will you get them annoyed, and will they appreciate this teasing?
So I tried to find someone who was good at pushing boundaries. Basically, I needed an expert, a prefessional button-pusher. Then I remembered: comedians! They do that all the time! Sure, they're funny, but they also exist to make us think, annoy us, be a bit provocative. So I found a really good one to talk to- Nish Kumar.
In our chat we talk about all types of comedy- from Tim Vine to Stewart Lee, The Simpsons to The Office. They all use button-pushing, in various ways and for different reasons. Nish tells me about how he pushes the audience when he's on stage; teasing them, but also making sure he doesn't tip over into just being mean. Because there's a fine line between 'teasing' and 'cruelty', as he tells us here in a story from his early stand-up days. Plus, there's just no sport in it. So Nish and I take a deep-dive into how to how he manages, and holds, an audience effectively.
But teasing isn't just for comedians- it's for the school joker, the undeniable flirt, the squabbling siblings. And because of that, I think there's something quite sweet about it. Maybe the joy of teasing doesn't come from annoying the other person, but from knowing that you both have the shared in-jokes, history and sense of humour with the other person to make it possible. It's a bond, a connection, a warmth.
Isn't it..?
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22:24||Season 3, Ep. 2Shackleton! Columbus! Attenborough! They're all people who have ruined it for the rest of us. Well, according to this emotion, La Cuna. It's a twinge of sadness that we maybe know too much about the world around us. In exploring everything we possibly can, we've ruined the mystery, the possibility, and excitement of it, for future generations. But are explorers even a thing anymore? It turns out, yes! I found The Turner Twins (@TheTurnerTwins), who have some fascinating adventures under their belt, and were kind enough to share not only their stories, but thoughts on modern-day exploring, and how maybe we need to focus more on looking after the bits of Earth we've already found. With that in mind, I chatted to conservationist and National Geographic explorer, Jonathan Kolby (@MyFrogCroaked). He reckons that maybe we have already found every place we can, but that doesn't mean we've found every creature, animal, or explanation for why things are the way they are. So have we explored every possible piece of our planet? I'll let you decide. But the one conclusion we can all come to seem like this: however much of it we've discovered, we need to make sure we look after it. Remember, if you want to get in touch, please do! Find me on twitter @getemotionalpod, or on instagram at @gettingemotionalpodcast.1. The Ick- with Aaliyah Harry
14:35||Season 3, Ep. 1You might know it from Love Island. You might know it from Ally McBeal. You might know it from feeling this way about a Tinder date last night. It's the ultimate in turn-offs, The Ick. This feeling is a gut reaction. A sudden and sharp revulsion, a feeling that the person you're romantically attached with has suddenly become...well, icky. This normally occurs relatively early on in a relationship, and the causes can be anything- from the way that person crosses a road, to the way you imagine them filling their car with petrol. (Yes, both of these are real-life examples of why The Ick struck.) The Ick seems silly and fun, but actually there's a little more to it than I- and maybe you- realise. Perhaps you're feeling it because of a fear of commitment, or fear of intimacy, or because your previous relationships have been so dysfunctional that this one, by virtue of being healthy, seems wrong. Perhaps this behaviour from your date is one that society has forced you to think of as embarrassing, and you don't truly believe that yourself. Or perhaps, y'know, they just breathe really loudly and it's INCREDIBLY ANNOYING.Either way, I discuss it with Grazia writer Aaliyah Harry, as she is someone who has both felt the emotion, and written about it for the magazine. So she has lots of fun examples to tell, and some 'on the ground' thoughts about why, and how, it's occurred to her previously. Oh, and if you want to get in touch, find me on twitter @getemotionalpod, or on my new instagram account, @gettingemotionalpodcast.Series 3 is coming...
03:00||Season 3Oh hi, friend. How are you? It's been a long time, I know. But thanks for sticking around. Series 3 is back after a longer hiatus than expected (I'll explain more if you listen) and I'm ready and raring to go with more emotions and guests than you can shake a stick at.This series has comedian Rufus Hound, broadcaster and writer Stig Abell, explorer brothers The Turner Twins, and loads more besides! It's going to be a rollercoaster of brand new emotions, and I can't wait for you to hear what I have up my sleeve. In the meantime, a lil trailer for ya, to whet your whistle...8. Getting Emotional: End of Season 2
14:22||Season 2, Ep. 8IT IS THE END. Sorry to be dramatic, I had to get your attention. It's the end of season 2 and I'm just...y'know, emotional about it. It's been a ride, eh? Through this series we've met some incredible people, learnt about some amazing emotions, and we've all had a little cry. Oh, just me on that last one? Right.Anyway, to celebrate the end, here's a few snippets of some great interviews that I didn't get to include- we have Nish Kumar and I geeking out about comedy, Dr Soph Mort telling us it's ok to be sad, and Femi Oluwole explaining why a lot more people voted Brexit than some of us expected. I've also thrown in a few new emotions too- feelings that don't necessarily fill up a whole podcast, but I think you'd like to hear about anyway!Thanks so much for listening and getting in touch this series; it's so lovely to know there are people out there! If you want to say hi, come find me on twitter @getemotionalpod. And, as mentioned in the show, I got nominated for an award this week- hurray! It's for Moment of Raw Emotion at the International Women's Podcast Awards, and mostly I'm just thrilled to be called an International Woman. And don't worry- there's a new series on the way very soon. The guests are bookin' in and the emotions are bubblin' up- so far we have words like Treppenwitz, The Ick, and Kaukokaipuu to look forward to. See you soon..!7. Basorexia
11:16||Season 2, Ep. 7Ever fancied a cheeky snog on a night out? Or a romantic embrace with the love of your life? Or even a peck on the cheek of an elderly relative? Then it sounds like you've felt basorexia: the sudden urge to kiss someone. This emotion is urgent, quick, and acted upon almost immediately. And it's also not one that is easy to get a guest for, so instead, I got loads! Listeners sent in their memories of feeling this emotion, and were kind enough to let me include them in the show. (Thank you so much to everyone who got in touch!) So we have a sneaky peek into what basorexia means for a selection of people- whether it represents fun and dancing, or just a craving for affection.Also, come find me on twitter, @GetEmotionalPod!6. Ruinenlust- with Angela Barnes
19:46||Season 2, Ep. 6Picture this: you're wandering around a crumbling castle, fascinated by the ruins, totally lost in the history of it all. Not only are you amazed by its beauty, you're also heavily reminded of the past, present and future. These ruins of a once-grand building inspire a feeling of obsession, pleasure, and wonder. It's ruinenlust.This is a German word, and describes the feeling of pleasure you take when exploring old ruins. But 'ruins' don't have to be a castle- it could be a column, a church, a...cold war bunker. Because that's what I'm talking about with comedian, podcaster, and history lover Angela Barnes. Angela's love of cold war bunkers- now pretty much all abandoned- has inspired a full Radio 4 series, as well as providing a location for her hen-do! So I decided to ask her why these building in particular are so interesting- is it the building, or the history surrounding them? She gives some fascinating answers, as well as ruminating on her own ruinenlust.Angela is on the wonderful We Are History podcast, if you want to hear her discover more historical gems, and you can find her on twitter @AngelaBarnes. I'm there too, @GetEmotionalPod. Come say hi!