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Triumphant Triathlon!

Chris chats to extreme endurance explorer Sean Conway about his triumph in a triathlon along the length of the UK three times.

It's a terrific Tuesday as Chris chats to extreme endurance explorer, Sean Conway about his triumph in the triathlon across Britain...

We speak to the Don of de-cluttering James Wallman about his new book all about minimalising material matter...

And we have a perfect Pause For Thought delivered by the witty writer and comedian, Paul Kerensa.

Today's show is dedicated to anyone who had a clear out at the weekend...
And today's show is entitled: to do or to have, that is the question. Sometimes you can achieve both, but that's a rarity.

2 hours, 59 minutes

Last on

Tue 5 May 2015 06:30
麻豆约拍 Radio 2

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Music Played

  • Thin Lizzy

    The Boys Are Back In Town

    • (Single).
    • Vertigo.
    • 10.

  • Sheppard

    Geronimo

    • (CD Single).
    • Decca.

  • Dolly Parton

    9 to 5

    • Dolly Parton: The Ultimate Collection.
    • BMG/RCA.

  • The O鈥橨ays

    Back Stabbers

    • The Ultimate Sound Of Philadelphia.
    • Columbia.

  • Coldplay

    Yellow

    • Glorious (Various Artists).
    • Columbia.

  • Madness

    Embarrassment

    • Madness - Divine Madness.
    • Virgin.

  • The Banana Splits

    The Tra La La Song (One Banana, Two Banana)

    • Television's Greatest Hits Vol. 5: In Living Color (Various Artists).
    • TVT Records.

  • Duran Duran

    Rio

    • Duran Duran - Greatest.
    • EMI.

  • Brooke Fraser

    Kings & Queens

    • (CD Single).
    • Vagrant Records.
    • 001.

  • Manfred Mann

    Pretty Flamingo

    • Ages Of Mann.
    • Polygram Tv.

  • B.J. Thomas

    Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head

    • The Love Songs Of Burt Bacharach.
    • Polygram Tv.

  • The Shires

    State Lines

    • Brave.
    • Decca.
    • 008.

  • Led Zeppelin

    Houses Of The Holy

    • Led Zeppelin - Latter Days.
    • Atlantic.

  • The Pogues & The Dubliners

    The Irish Rover

    • The Very Best Of The Pogues.
    • Warner Strategic Marketi.

  • Madness

    Embarrassment

    • Madness - Divine Madness.
    • Virgin.

  • Dean Martin & Helen O鈥機onnell

    How D'Ya Like Your Eggs In The Morning?

    • Cool Couples (Various Artists).
    • Sanctuary.

  • Stevie McCrorie

    Lost Stars

    • (CD Single).
    • Decca.
    • 001.

  • Jane Wiedlin

    Rush Hour

    • Rock Of America (Various Artists).
    • Trax Label.

  • Billy Joel

    Don't Ask Me Why

    • Billy Joel - Glass Houses.
    • CBS.

  • Elvis Costello & The Attractions

    Accidents Will Happen

    • Elvis Costello & Attractions- The Man.
    • Imp Records.
    • 4.

  • Boston

    More Than A Feeling

    • Rock Of America (Various Artists).
    • Trax Label.

  • Indeep

    Last Night A DJ Saved My Life

    • Soul Weekender (Various Artists).
    • Crimson.

  • Madonna

    Beautiful Stranger

    • Madonna - Greatest Hits Volume 2.
    • Maverick.
    • 13.

  • Barenaked Ladies

    One Week

    • New Hits 99 (Various Artists).
    • Sony Music TV.

  • Keane

    Silenced By The Night

    • (CD Single).
    • Island.
    • 1.

  • A Flock of Seagulls

    Wishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You)

    • Electric Dreams (Various Artists).
    • Virgin.
    • 6.

  • Tears for Fears

    Sowing The Seeds Of Love

    • The Best Of Drive Time (Various Artists).
    • Polygram TV.
    • 7.

  • Thea Gilmore

    Coming Back To You

    • (CD Single).
    • Fullfill Records.
    • 001.

  • Iron Maiden

    Run To The Hills

    • Edward The Great: Iron Maiden's Greatest Hits.
    • Music Factory Mastermixes.
    • 1.

  • Whitney Houston

    I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)

    • Whitney Houston - Whitney.
    • Arista.

Pause For Thought

Pause For Thought

From comedian & writer Paul Kerensa:

I performed at a lovely stand-up gig last weekend, up to a thousand people in a theatre. A rarity for me 鈥� that鈥檚 one of my larger audiences. At the other end of the spectrum, can you guess the smallest audience number I鈥檝e ever played to? Fewer than one. Zero people. And the promoter made me go on. To zero people. I said to him, 鈥淢ate, it鈥檚 not going to work 鈥� it鈥檚 just me and you. That鈥檚 not a performance 鈥� it鈥檚 a conversation.鈥� He said, 鈥淥h no no no 鈥� I鈥檓 going to leave as well.鈥� Eh?

To be fair, it made sense. The promoter explained, 鈥淭hey鈥檙e all in the pub next door. Happens every month. They wait to hear the show start, through the wall, then they finish their drinks, they come in eventually.鈥� He said, 鈥淚鈥檓 going to go and usher them through. So you just need to start talking.鈥� To zero people. I should have left, but I really wanted that twenty quid, so on I went, and performed to the moose-head on the wall. 鈥淣ice to be here! Where you from? Canada? My kind of town... Hey moose, don鈥檛 run so fast next time, you鈥檝e gone straight through the wall.鈥�

For some that might sound like prayer, talking into a microphone in an empty room. 鈥淗ello? Is this thing on?鈥� I think prayer鈥檚 like I said: not a performance, but a conversation... although like that gig, you need to wait and listen for a response.

At that gig, it took fifteen minutes to get a response, when three people walked in. Then the promoter made me plug the disco. I said, 鈥淢y friend, there鈥檒l be no disco. There are three punters, and they鈥檝e kept their coats on.鈥� Sure enough, I finished my jokes and they left, leaving me and the promoter as the disco started with鈥� no joke 鈥� Whitney Houston, I Wanna Dance With Somebody.

Even facing a thousand-strong theatre crowd, it can be a lonely life as a stand-up. And sometimes we all feel we鈥檙e talking to ourselves. But my experience is that when life feels like an empty room, sometimes we just need to start talking: to God, to friends, to whoever will listen, or even to the moose-head.

Broadcast

  • Tue 5 May 2015 06:30
    麻豆约拍 Radio 2

Farewell Chris Evans: The best bits from his last shows at Radio 2

After eight years of hosting the Breakfast Show, Chris Evans leaves Radio 2.

500 Words

麻豆约拍 Radio 2's story-writing competition for kids.