Kelly Pendergrast (with bright red hair and wearing a grey sweatshirt with a loose polo-neck) and Anna Pendergrast (smiling and slightly behind Kelly with blonde-brown hair a black crew cut t-shirt and a buttoned cardigan or jacket) Anna and Kelly Pendergrast’s latest work is More Zeros and Ones a book they edited which is published by BWB. This book brings together essays from incredibly interesting thinkers and … Continue reading Ep 120: Beyond a Joke 11 – Anna Pendergrast & Kelly Pendergrast talk with Pip Adam about The Laughter Lift from Kermode & Mayo’s Take

Marolyn has been on the podcast once before in an episode we recorded about the show From the 4410 to the 4412 which Marolyn made with Helen Lehndorf and Charlie Pearson last year. In this episode we touch briefly on that show. I loved recording this conversation because it made me think a lot about … Continue reading Ep 119: Beyond a Joke 10 – Marolyn Krasner talks with Pip Adam about Hudson Valley Ballers: Lovers

CW: This podcast contains discussion of Gender-Based violence. Rijula Das’ award-winning novel Small Deaths is an amazing book. Set in Shonagachhi and orbiting the violent murder of a sex worker it is one of the most compelling and felt reading experiences I have had this year. It is astounding. I was so grateful that Rijula took time to talk to me. Rijula was … Continue reading Ep 118: Beyond a Joke 9 – Rijula Das, author of Small Deaths, talks to Pip Adam about a New Yorker cartoon

As this arrives in your email Dominic Hoey’s new novel Poor People With Money will have just been launched at Soap in Auckland. A couple of weeks ago, Dominic and I got together over Zoom. Dominic told me a funny story. This story was a great prompt to talk about story structure, self-deprecating humour and even the economics of writing fiction. I’m really interested in money and art and it was great to talk to Dominic about how these work … Continue reading Ep 117: Beyond a Joke 8 – Dominic Hoey tells Pip Adam a funny story and they talk about Poor People With Money

Sarah Jane Barnett As you will know, in this series I’m asking guests to identify ‘something that has made them laugh’. Sarah offered the TV series The Good Place created by Michael Schur. This is a show that has given both of us a lot of joy over the years and is a really great ‘way in’ to talking about Sarah’s new book Note on Womanhood which you … Continue reading Ep 116: Beyond a Joke 7 – Sarah Jane Barnett talks with Pip Adam about Michael Schur’s The Good Place

Brannavan Gnanalingam (Image by Lucy Li). As you will know, in this series I’m asking guests to identify ‘something that has made them laugh’. Brannavan offered Kira Muratova's film The Asthenic Syndrome which, maybe, is not an immediately obvious choice. Well, it wasn’t to me. It is, of course the perfect starting point for a conversation about Bran’s compelling, disturbing, funny(?), romantic new novel Slow Down, You’re … Continue reading Ep 115: Beyond a Joke 6 – Brannavan Gnanalingam talks with Pip Adam about Kira Muratova’s film The Asthenic Syndrome

In 2022, I producing a series called Beyond a Joke where I speak with writers and other artists using something that has made them laugh as a jumping off point to discuss their work. In this episode, Rachel O’Neill and I are talking about Pockets and Everything Everywhere All At Once two films made by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert. SPOILER … Continue reading Ep 114: Beyond a Joke 5 – Rachel O’Neill talks with Pip Adam about Pockets and Everything Everywhere All At Once by the Daniels

As you may know by now, this year I’m producing a series called Beyond a Joke where I speak with writers and other artists using something that has made them laugh as a jumping off point to discuss their work. Anthony is an incredible fiction writer and you can read more about him and his work on his website www.anthonylapwood.wordpress.com Anthony Lapwood (Image … Continue reading Ep 113: Beyond a Joke 4 – Anthony Lapwood talks to Pip Adam about ’Goethe in the Roman Campagna’ by Johann Heinrich Wilhelm Tischbein

I loved talking to Jordan so much. I’ve been a fan for a while and it was so great to sit down and chat about poetry and humour. Jordan Hamel (Image by Ebony Lamb) Jordan’s new book Everyone is Everyone Except You is out in May 2022 with Dead Bird Books. Click here to read more Cover by Matt Mitchell https://linktr.ee/mattmitchell To launch … Continue reading Ep 112: Beyond a Joke 3 – Jordan Hamel talks to Pip Adam about his poem ’Death Coach’

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