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Tag Archives: Entertainment

PK‘s Christmas Special 2021: The Top 10 Carols vs Festive Pop Songs

15 Wednesday Dec 2021

Posted by paulkerensa in Uncategorized

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Books, Christmas, Entertainment, History, Podcast

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-6wqcc-115740a

This festive fan/Xmas Xpert/Santologist couldn’t POSSIBLY let Christmas go unpodcasted (just invented that word – I apologise).

So in this guestless episode, Paul runs down the Top 5 Christmas carols AND the Top 5 festive pop songs.

He’s amalgamated several polls, surveys and charts (inc. Songs of Praise Favourite Carol, Classical Magazine’s poll of experts, Classic FM’s carol survey, global charts etc), weighted them accordingly, and presto! Some Christmas podding for you.

From The Pogues to Postman Pat, Mendelssohn to Michael Buerk, Bing Crosby to two versions of In the Bleak Midwinter, we’ll unpick the back-story of our best-loved Christmas crooners, carols and chart-toppers. All in under ten minutes.

It’s all based on Paul’s festive history book: Hark! The Biography of Christmas, available now in paperback, ebook and audiobook (get it free on an Audible free trial, then instantly cancel!).

Or read Paul’s Yule blog.

We mention Paul’s festive parody song, A Fairytale of Bethlehem – it’s viewable on Youtube. 

You’ll find a different Christmas podcast special on The British Broadcasting Century, looking at the stories behind a classic British Christmas TV schedule: podfollow.com/bbcentury

Like this podcast on Facebook: Facebook.com/PaulKerensaPodcast

And please do subscribe, rate, review, share – it all helps others find this.

If you’d like to send us a tip, ko-fi.com/paulkerensa chips in the price of a cuppa coffee, or patreon.com/paulkerensa has extra audio, video & writings, in exchange for your monthly support. Thanks if you do so! It REALLY helps keep the wheels turning and the pods casting.

The podcast returns in 2022 with more guests and who knows what else…

Merry Listening!

My new Audible Original Podcast: Christmas What The Fa-La-La-La-La… How it happened, what’s in it, etc

09 Monday Dec 2019

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Audible, Christmas, Comedy, Entertainment, Podcast

If you haven’t been paying attention… I love Christmas. Although weirdly, I’ve only just realised that this year. Ask me last year, and I’d’ve said, TBH, I’m more just interested in it… but this year, I’ve spilled over into fully loving the weird festivity.

The book Hark! The Biography of Christmas came out in 2017. New for 2019 is the Audible podcast, Christmas: What The Fa-La-La-La-La. If you’re with Audible already, click that link and have a listen! If you’re not with Audible, there’s a free trial here, and as soon as you’re in, you get access to all their podcasts, from me, Stephen Fry, Dermot O’Leary, everyone. You can cancel immediately if you like, though make sure you grab a free audiobook first. In a week or two’s time, you might even find the audiobook of Hark! The Biography of Christmas – it should be there shortly.

As for the podcast, here’s what led to it…

I do the Pause For Thought slot on Radio 2 Breakfast Show via a company called TBI Media. They’re fab. They sought ideas for entertaining documentary shows to pitch to Audible, who were looking for non-fiction podcasts. We pitched. They liked it. We did it.

It was a mighty quick turnaround. Kudos to producer Geoff Jein and big boss man Dave Young and bigger boss man Phil Critchlow, and Geoff’s Christmas elf Ollie Seymour, for pulling it all together (like a cracker).

What format then? I was keen on mixing entertaining light chat (that’s Christmassy) with deeper historical sections (that’s also Christmassy), so we settled on the final product – something that got the balance right between fluffy and info-dump. We didn’t want a show that was just two people talking. We wanted guests. We also wanted a bit of depth, so we needed…

A host.

Some guests.

Six Christmas themes, one each episode.

Music.

Games.

For host, we lucked out and got Grace Dent. A brilliant journalist and broadcaster but above all FUN! She’d introduce, I’d be co-host and we’d waffle away about Christmas present (you should have heard the first recording – our opening 2mins became 30mins very quickly), what we do, why we do it, etc.

For the themes, we wanted to build up to Christmas. So Episode 1 features the earliest Christmassy moments – the shops selling Christmas cards, preparations that are out and about, not in the home yet. It gave us a chance to mull on Christmas’ back-story – Yule, Roman Saturnalia, etc, as well as look at the big story of Christmas past.

Episode 2 would then dive into the Nativity, but also other Christmassy stage things – panto, carols and Christmas pop songs. In Episode 3, we’re starting our Christmas shopping and pondering Santa, Father Christmas and St Nick. In Episode 4, it’s time to put the tree up, and bring Christmas into the home – plus a chance to get Dickensian. Episode 5 is all about the food – perfect listening for the week before Christmas, when you’re basting your turkey and eating too many mince pies. Episode 6 then is Christmas Day itself – so that’s Christmas telly, games, the Queen’s Speech… and a bit on Boxing Day and the Twelve Days into New Year.

Sounding a bit info-heavy? Right then. Guests! The finest comedians: Milton Jones, Lucy Porter, Andy Zaltzman on the lapsed Jewish/cricketing Christmas, Aatif Nawaz on his Muslim Christmas (of basically, working, and never putting a tree up). A food expert on the food ep: The One Show’s Angelica Bell, who also won Celebrity Masterchef (judged by our host, Grace Dent). And BBC 6 Music’s Shaun Keaveny brought festive fun to episode 1.

It’s like Noel’s House Party meets BBC4. And look, for a brief moment today, it was beating Gladwell and Mitchell to top Audible’s charts…

image0

To get it, in brief – and, to be honest, gain me a few quid referral fee even if you cancel and never pay anything:

1. Click the link. Arrive at Amazon’s Audible page.

2. Sign up to Audible’s free tiral. Yes, card details needed, but you can unsubscribe after your free trial easily enough, and keep your audiobooks/podcasts. It would auto-renew at £7.99/mth (for that you get a credit for any audiobook – even the epic ones), but you can cancel before that happens and spend ZILCH pounds if preferred.

3. Once you’ve signed up, find the CHRISTMAS: WHAT THE FA-LA-LA-LA-LA? page.

4. Download the app onto your phone for the best experience…

We had fun making it. Hope you have fun listening to it.

Merry listening!

Comedians With Books #2: James Cary, Pierre Hollins, Dan Evans

18 Wednesday Sep 2019

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Books, Comedy, Entertainment, Podcast

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-smyti-bff6e1

Comedians With Books returns! With live show #3 around the corner, here’s live show #2 for your ears – or at least the book panel second half, recorded live at The Guildhall at Guildford Fringe Festival.

CWB is an occasional hybrid comedy-night-meets-book-festival, on this episode welcoming funny authors James Cary, Pierre Hollins and Dan Evans, hosted by Paul Kerensa (this is A Paul Kerensa Podcast after all). We get stuck into self-publishing v trad v Unbound, writing for radio, the future of the book industry, and much much more.

Also PK’s requests for beta readers for new short stories… details of Hark! The Biography of Christmas book group notes… new children’s book Joe’s Bros and the Bus that Goes… your feedback for future podcasts/audio versions of PK’s Writing Blog… and much much less.

 

Join Paul’s “A Team” of beta readers for his new book/short stories (and/or feedback about the future of the podcast): https://paulkerensa.com/contact.php

Join Paul’s mailing list: http://eepurl.com/M6Wbr

Book group/small group notes for Hark! The Biography of Christmas: https://www.paulkerensa.com/harknotes.pdf

PK’s Writing Blog: https://kneeldownstandup.wordpress.com

Comedians With Books #3 is live at Guildford’s Star Inn on Tue 8th October 2019, with Dominic Holland, Stevyn Colgan & James Dowdeswell. Tickets: https://www.guildfordfringe.com/events-archive/comedians-with-books-2/

 

+ this podcast’s books:

Joe’s Bros and the Bus That Goes by Paul Kerensa: https://spckpublishing.co.uk/joe-s-bros-and-the-bus-that-goes-pb

The Sacred Art of Joking by James Cary: http://www.jamescary.co.uk/sacred-art-of-joking/

The Karma Farmers by Pierre Hollins: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Karma-Farmers-Pierre-Hollins/dp/191158605X

The Casebook of D.I. Snaith by Dan Evans: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Casebook-D-I-Snaith-Dan-Evans-ebook/dp/B009562YVI

Share this pod / Like / Review / Donate / Thanks!

Comedians With Books #1: Rosie Wilby, Matt Parker, Aidan Goatley

08 Saturday Jun 2019

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Books, Comedy, Entertainment, Podcast

 

The all-new PK’s Writing Blog continues below (and above) – right now, here’s a one-off podcast…

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-yzj2b-b3d6c0

A one-off (or at least very occasional) pop-up podcast with an excerpt from a recent Comedians With Books show, recorded live at The Star Inn with Guildford Fringe. It’s a new thrice-yearly hybrid comedy night meets book festival. This panel discussion features anecdotalist Aidan Goatley, relationship ponderer Rosie Wilby & stand-up mathematician Matt Parker, hosted by El Capitan Paul Kerensa.

Come see the next Comedians With Books live! Mon 8th July 2019 at Guildford’s Guildhall, with James Cary, Pierre Hollins & Dan Evans, hosted again by PK. https://guildfordfringefestival.com/sessions/comedians-with-books/

The next night, Tue 9th July 2019, new theatre compilation show Three Times Tables hits Guildford’s Star Inn: https://guildfordfringefestival.com/sessions/three-times-tables-an-evening-of-new-theatre/

Our 3rd Comedians With Books will be on Tue 8th October 2019, at Guildford’s Star Inn, acts TBC: https://www.guildfordfringe.com/events-archive/comedians-with-books-2/

More of Paul’s gigs: https://www.paulkerensa.com/gigguide.php

And this podcast’s books:

Never Eat the Buffet at a Sex Club by Aidan Goatley: http://www.lulu.com/shop/aidan-goatley/never-eat-the-buffett-at-a-sex-club/paperback/product-23532137.html

Is Monogamy Dead? by Rosie Wilby: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Monogamy-Dead-Rethinking-Relationships-Century/dp/1786154536

Humble Pi by Matt Parker: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Humble-Pi-Comedy-Maths-Errors/dp/0241360234

Hark! The Biography of Christmas by Paul Kerensa: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hark-Biography-Christmas-Paul-Kerensa/dp/0745980171

Share this pod / Like / Review / Donate / Thanks!

26 Steve Chalke & co – Beyond the Redgrave

16 Wednesday Jan 2019

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Comedy, Entertainment, Podcast

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-7xxz3-a4ae6d

Can it be? Our final episode? Yes. Yes it is. Stay subscribed for the future podcast that’s currently percolating, due to replace this within the year. But for now enjoy 7 final conversational titbits from everyone’s favourite 7-sided chat bunker…

– Charity mastermind STEVE CHALKE on his world-record-breaking feud with Sir Steve Redgrave
– BGT semi-finalist NOEL JAMES on televising ‘the frog joke’
– Beatboxing champ GAV TYTE on teaches Paul to beatbox using a bag of cabbage
– Nomadic funnyman TONY VINO on Fijian language problems

– Vicar, author & prop-maker CRIS ROGERS on Butlins’ secret swimming pool

– Presenting guru LEE JACKSON on why short is tough

– Comedic collator SIMON JENKINS on apocalyptic jumble sales
 
Thanks for listening! Look forward to bringing you something new soon…
 
Our Amazon Guests’ List of books remains here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/registry/wishlist/LIDR28M9I9BY/
Donate to the podcast if you’ve liked it here: www.heptagonclub.co.uk
We’re still very ‘like’-able on FB: www.facebook.com/heptagonclub
More of Paul’s latest at www.twitter.com/paulkerensa
Paul’s mailing list is at http://eepurl.com/M6Wbr
Music by Rob Halligan: www.robhalligan.co.uk 

Rate us on iTunes + share and share alike. Mind the closing doors…

25 Christmas Special 2018 – The Nonagon Club!

11 Tuesday Dec 2018

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Christmas, Entertainment, History, Podcast

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-p7xa7-a19517

Ho ho whoa! 9 guests?! In a tribute to the 9 Lessons & Carols, Paul our Host of Christmas Past flies his sleigh back through festive history. There are no live guests a-guesting – instead for our penultimate show, we drop in on influential Christmassy words from:

– Astronaut TOM STAFFORD on pranking NASA 

– Private HENRY WILLIAMSON on sharing tobacco

– Writer CHARLES DICKENS on humbuggery

– Writer WASHINGTON IRVING on Christmas the English way

– Devonian clergyman RICHARD SMART on Christmas the man

– Puritan minister HEZEKIAH WOODWARD on Christmas the heresy

– King HENRY III on Christmas the dinner

– Saint HILARY of POITIERS on the first carol

– Charles M Schulz creation LINUS on the true meaning of Christmas

Phew! One more episode to go, for now. Join us in January. Merry Christmas!

Like us on FB: www.facebook.com/heptagonclub
Amazon Guests List – our authors’ books: www.amazon.co.uk/gp/registry/wishlist/LIDR28M9I9BY/
Paul’s new book: https://www.eden.co.uk/shop/what-are-they-doing-down-there-4557544.html
Donate or Patreon here, reduce our debt, keep us podding: www.heptagonclub.co.uk
Rate & review us on iTunes – even if we are ending soon, it’s still nice, cos the episodes will still be here and need your recommending words!

24 Paul Kerensa & co – We’re Not Here Right Now…

21 Wednesday Nov 2018

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Entertainment, Podcast

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-pgynq-9fd27e

A stopgap podcast, to report on our temporary absence (due to a busy month), then our permanent absence (to follow early next year after a two-episode send-off). A couple more episodes will follow, then, well, the future’s bright – but it may, alas, not be heptagon-shaped.

An update is contained herein, plus snippets of guests from our fnar-fnale to come in January.

Like us on FB: www.facebook.com/heptagonclub
Amazon Guests List – our authors’ books: www.amazon.co.uk/gp/registry/wishlist/LIDR28M9I9BY/
Paul’s new book: https://www.eden.co.uk/shop/what-are-they-doing-down-there-4557544.html
Donate or Patreon here, reduce our debt, keep us podding: www.heptagonclub.co.uk
Rate & review us on iTunes – even if we are ending soon, it’s still nice, cos the episodes will stick around…

23 Noel James & co – Rhodes? Where we’re going…

15 Monday Oct 2018

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Entertainment, Podcast

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-u7um6-9c6e61

Britain’s Got Talent, Storm Troopers, beatboxing, comedy, Rhodes… Welcome to October’s pod-party. Mingle with the likes of this lot…
 
– Comedian NOEL JAMES
– Other comedian TONY VINO
– Other other comedian NATHAN RAMSDEN-LOCK
– Storm Trooper/Vicar CRIS ROGERS
– Ship of Fools founder SIMON JENKINS

– Beatboxing tutor GAV TYTE

– Songster & biscuit fiend PAUL BELL  
 
…Your ‘Bring A Bottle’ contribution is to visit their websites, so seek ’em out online, and while you’re there…
 
Like us on FB: www.facebook.com/heptagonclub
Amazon Guests List – our authors’ books: www.amazon.co.uk/gp/registry/wishlist/LIDR28M9I9BY/
Paul’s new book: https://www.eden.co.uk/shop/what-are-they-doing-down-there-4557544.html
Donate or Patreon here, reduce our debt, keep us podding: www.heptagonclub.co.uk
Rate & review us on iTunes + it helps us find people (or you could just tell strangers in the street, but rating and reviewing is less weird…)

22 Rob Parsons & co – Happy Creative New Year!

14 Friday Sep 2018

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Entertainment, Podcast

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-2e6b4-99bad6

It’s Creative New Year! Time for new projects and new products, including books, CDs, beatboxing tutorials and just good advice from these 7 wonders of the world…
 
– Care For The Family head honcho and author ROB PARSONS, OBE
– As oh-so-recently seen on This Morning, beatboxing vicar GAV TYTE

– Author and parenting guru KATHARINE HILL

– Songster & biscuit fiend PAUL BELL

– Comedian NATHAN RAMSDEN-LOCK

– Presenting expert LEE JACKSON

– Car Share writer, creator and creative genius TIM REID
 
 
Like us on FB: www.facebook.com/heptagonclub
Amazon Guests List – our authors’ books: www.amazon.co.uk/gp/registry/wishlist/LIDR28M9I9BY/
Paul’s new book: https://www.eden.co.uk/shop/what-are-they-doing-down-there-4557544.html
Donate or Patreon here, reduce our debt, keep us podding: www.heptagonclub.co.uk
Rate us on iTunes + it’s good to share…

21 Bennett Arron & co – Play the Theme Tune, Sing the Theme Tune…

01 Wednesday Aug 2018

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Entertainment, Podcast

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-4yq4x-965fdd

Edinburgh Festival Special time… 6 of our 7 guests are heading Fringewards with these googlable shows::
 
– BENNETT ARRON’s I’ve Never Told Anyone This & Heard the One About Identity Theft?

– JAMES COOK’s Boardgame Smackdown

– ANNA NICHOLSON: Woman of the Year
– MARK RITCHIE: Bob’s Not My Uncle & Other Devastating Truths
– PIPPA EVANS in Brexit 2 & Showstoppers

– DOMINIC FRISBY’s Financial Game Show

+
– non-Edinburghing but he’s given us our theme song so he can do what he likes, ROB HALLIGAN 
 
Hear tales of upper-class rapping duels, irritating drinks machines, and what’s behind the shows being performed by this month’s magnificent 7.
 
Like us on FB: www.facebook.com/heptagonclub

Amazon Guests List – our authors’ books: www.amazon.co.uk/gp/registry/wishlist/LIDR28M9I9BY/

Music by Rob Halligan: www.robhalligan.co.uk 
Donate to the podcast here, reduce our debt, keep us podding: www.heptagonclub.co.uk
Rate us on iTunes + share us around – happy summer all!

20 Pippa Evans & co – Temper Temperance

02 Monday Jul 2018

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Entertainment, Podcast

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-7ckdw-946aa5

4 comedians + 3 authors = a heatwave of guests. This magnificent 7 are:
 
– Radio 4 songstress and improvxpert PIPPA EVANS
– Jewelsh comedian BENNETT ARRON
– Nomadic funnyman TONY VINO
– Comedy magician and mag editor STEVE LEGG
– Mega-author ROB PARSONS
– Parenting guru KATHARINE HILL
– Pro speaker trainer chap LEE JACKSON
 
 
My very-soon Christmas-in-July play: https://guildfordfringefestival.com/sessions/three-wise-men-a-christmas-play-by-paul-kerensa/
Donate to the podcast here and fund our future: www.heptagonclub.co.uk
Music by Rob Halligan: www.robhalligan.co.uk 
Like us on FB: www.facebook.com/heptagonclub
Rate us on iTunes + share us around – cheers you!

19 Greatest Story Ever Toured special minisode

05 Tuesday Jun 2018

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Entertainment, Podcast

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-s9vys-92a086

A sort of advertourial one-off minisode opens season 3 – because I’m plugging my own tour: The Greatest Story Ever Toured. This time all 7 guests are from the show that we’re taking around the land, skilfully unlocking, awkwardly rapping and generally tinkering with bits of Bible. Our 7 guests are:
 
– Theologian and daddy of The Bible Course, Dr ANDREW
– CATH, the Welshest person ever & glorious leader of a cappella troupe Sound of Wales
– Sound of Wales man, MATT
– Sound of Wales intern AMY
– Sound of Wales non-intern non-man MEG 
– Tour producer and all-round good egg ROB
– + Bible Society Head of Comms and person-in-charge of the tour, RACHEL
 
Tour comes (so far) to Reigate, Guildford, Chester, Hull, Tunbridge Wells, Bristol, Exeter + Wimborne. Details: https://www.biblesociety.org.uk/explore-the-bible/the-bible-course/the-bible-course-on-tour/
 
Next time, more varied guests!
 
My Guildford Fringe Christmas-in-July play: https://guildfordfringefestival.com/sessions/three-wise-men-a-christmas-play-by-paul-kerensa/
Donate to the podcast here and fund our future: www.heptagonclub.co.uk
Music by Rob Halligan: www.robhalligan.co.uk 
Like us on FB: www.facebook.com/heptagonclub
Rate us on iTunes + share us around – cheers you!
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Recent additions to the Xmas stocking

  • CATCHING UP… with Patrick Regan July 1, 2022
  • CATCHING UP… with James Cary May 24, 2022
  • CATCHING UP… with Rabbi Alex Goldberg April 6, 2022
  • CATCHING UP… with Rachel Creeger February 25, 2022
  • PK‘s Christmas Special 2021: The Top 10 Carols vs Festive Pop Songs December 15, 2021

My books on Goodreads

Recent additions to the Xmas stocking

  • CATCHING UP… with Patrick Regan July 1, 2022
  • CATCHING UP… with James Cary May 24, 2022
  • CATCHING UP… with Rabbi Alex Goldberg April 6, 2022
  • CATCHING UP… with Rachel Creeger February 25, 2022
  • PK‘s Christmas Special 2021: The Top 10 Carols vs Festive Pop Songs December 15, 2021

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