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)

S9, Ep 4 How to Fail: Ruby Wax

S9, Ep 4 How to Fail: Ruby Wax

I've wanted to get this guest on for ages and now - hooray! - here she is: the inimitable Ruby Wax. Ruby started out as an actress at the RSC, took a side-step into comedy and had a hugely successful ...

16 Sep 20201h 1min

S9, Ep3 How to Fail: Annie Nightingale

S9, Ep3 How to Fail: Annie Nightingale

At the age of 80, Annie Nightingale still manages to be one of the most forward-looking and future-facing people I've ever interviewed. She is the legendary Radio 1 DJ - the first woman ever to get a ...

15 Sep 202049min

S9, Ep2 How to Fail: Mohsin Zaidi

S9, Ep2 How to Fail: Mohsin Zaidi

Mohsin Zaidi's memoir, A Dutiful Boy, is one of the most powerful and emotive books I've read this year. It tells the story of his upbringing in a poor pocket of east London, in a devout Shia Muslim c...

2 Sep 202058min

S9, Ep1 How to Fail: Adam Buxton

S9, Ep1 How to Fail: Adam Buxton

IT'S SEASON NINE AND I FEEL FINE, BABY! And we open with a humdinger - the podcasting king, comedy legend and all-round thoroughly decent bloke that is...[drum roll + X Factor announcer voice]...ADAM ...

26 Aug 20201h 6min

S8, BONUS EPISODE! How to Fail: Gloria Steinem

S8, BONUS EPISODE! How to Fail: Gloria Steinem

GLORIA STEINEM. Gloria ACTUAL Steinem. For this very special bonus episode, I had the absolute honour of interviewing one of my all-time heroes, the feminist activist, writer and icon, Gloria Steinem....

5 Aug 202058min

S8, Ep8 How to Fail: Bernardine Evaristo

S8, Ep8 How to Fail: Bernardine Evaristo

It is the SEASON FINALE, BABY! I know, I know - it goes so quickly doesn't it? But here we are, two months after we started season eight, with a truly phenomenal guest. Bernardine Evaristo was the fir...

22 Jul 20201h 3min

S8, Ep7 How to Fail: Siena Castellon

S8, Ep7 How to Fail: Siena Castellon

Siena Castellon is my youngest ever guest. She's a 17-year-old activist and mentor. She is autistic, has dyslexia and dyspraxia and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. And she's just published h...

15 Jul 202059min

S8, Ep6 How to Fail: Glennon Doyle

S8, Ep6 How to Fail: Glennon Doyle

This week, I bring you the utterly sensational Glennon Doyle. She is the author of three books, the latest of which, Untamed, is a memoir that defies easy categorisation - somewhat like the woman hers...

8 Jul 20201h 6min

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