Stephen Merchant: ‘Most famous people are f**cked up’

Stephen Merchant: ‘Most famous people are f**cked up’

Actor, writer and director Stephen Merchant joins How To Fail this week and is reflective, fascinating and - yes - even funny. We talk about what he learned from Ricky Gervais when co-writing The Office, on feeling rattled turning 50 and how it’s hard to fail as a stand-up comedian (but he got over it). ✨ IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Intro 17:16 Height and Humor 17:50 Reflections on Failure and Success 22:12 Stephen Career Journey 30:50 The Office and Ordinary Lives 32:46 The Comfort of Rewatchable Comedies 33:53 Exploring Dark Roles in Acting 35:42 Embracing Height as an Advantage 37:37 School Experiences and Early Ambitions 45:18 The Journey to Comedy and Stand-Up 52:41 Lessons from Stand-Up Comedy 58:48 Realizing No One Has Life Figured Out 01:03:39 Reflections on Success and Happiness Have something to share of your own? I'd love to hear from you! Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com Production & Post Production Coordinator: Eric Ryan Studio and Mix Engineer: Gulliver Lawrence-Tickell Senior Producer: Selina Ream Executive Producer: Carly Maile Head of Marketing: Kieran Lancini How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episoder(377)

James Blunt - ‘The Iraq war lost me my GRAMMYS’

James Blunt - ‘The Iraq war lost me my GRAMMYS’

TW: miscarriage and pregnancy loss You’ll probably have heard of James Blunt. And if you haven’t, you’ve almost definitely heard his most famous song, You’re Beautiful. There was a time in the earl...

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Miranda Hart  - 'I always knew I’d get married at 51'

Miranda Hart - 'I always knew I’d get married at 51'

It’s been ten years of ‘bear with.. bear with’ but *finally* we’ve got our beloved Miranda Hart back. Due to a long-term undiagnosed chronic illness (which we talk about, of course) Miranda has been l...

16 Okt 202456min

Neneh Cherry - ‘My mother’s death undid me.’

Neneh Cherry - ‘My mother’s death undid me.’

If you’d told the 12-year-old me, listening to Manchild and Buffalo Stance on repeat at school in Belfast, that I would one day be interviewing Neneh Cherry, I wouldn’t have believed you. This woman i...

9 Okt 202443min

Rupert Everett - 'Everyone is my Professional Nemesis'

Rupert Everett - 'Everyone is my Professional Nemesis'

Rupert Everett is the best type of A-list guest. He’s been through the highs and the lows of fame and come out of the other side wiser, stronger, and with no qualms about speaking his mind. Plus hi...

2 Okt 202449min

Yuval Noah Harari  - ‘AI doesn't have to end badly for humankind’

Yuval Noah Harari - ‘AI doesn't have to end badly for humankind’

Well, look, of COURSE I was intimidated. Yuval Noah Harari is one of our most revered thinkers - a philosopher for our age and a bestselling writer of books that have redefined our thinking about huma...

25 Sep 202454min

Diane Abbott - ‘I’ve never had a nice chat with Keir Starmer’

Diane Abbott - ‘I’ve never had a nice chat with Keir Starmer’

Diane Abbott is a force of nature - and she needs to be, with so much vitriol directed towards her. She has weathered decades of racist and sexist abuse but has still blazed a trail through British po...

18 Sep 202450min

Kate Winslet - ‘I remember thinking: I do not want to be famous’

Kate Winslet - ‘I remember thinking: I do not want to be famous’

Look, I don’t like to brag but in case you hadn’t noticed, we’ve got Kate Winslet on How To Fail this week. ACTUAL KATE WINSLET! The one and only!  And oh my goodness, what an incredible guest she is:...

11 Sep 202455min

Agony Uncle Salman Rushdie – ‘I walked into a glass door and fell in love’

Agony Uncle Salman Rushdie – ‘I walked into a glass door and fell in love’

This is a very special one-off edition of How to Fail, where I bring you a peek behind the paywall to hear one of my favourite subscriber editions of ‘Failing with Friends’. If you’re not already a su...

4 Sep 202423min

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