Previously? Sounds music radio put Hell well, I'm Lauren Laverne, and this is the desert island discs podcast. Every week I ask my guests to choose the eight tracks book and luxury they'd want to take with them. If they were cast away to a desert, island and for rights reasons. The music is shorter than the original broadcast out. You enjoy listening. I the. my castaway this week is the comedian television presented and writer dora o Brien is known.

He's razor sharp stand up comedy and the hugely popular panel show mock the week, which he hosted for seventeen years. He's also shared his passion for science and astronomy on programmes, including stargazing life with Brian Cox. He grew up in brain county wickliffe. on the east coast of ireland, where he was a shy matter, loving boy, a nerd is he puts it after studying Six at university he became a children's television presented, but the thrill of performing live louis him to london, where he and his com dick stripes on the stand up circuit at heart, he's storyteller and his own life has proved tal ground for material, including the disco. if a family, he didn't know he had. He says it's the prospect of failure that lights, the creator, fire gold unamused stare of the audience is a great motivator will never fear dar. We can see the whites of their eyes today. Darrow Brian welcomed it as undisc. It's a pleasure to be here to dara

the idea that the fear of failure is, you know shared between comics and scientists like as most of eight beyond that. What do those two disciplines having common cause? They are the kind of twin engines of your creative life. They are, and you write the jokes and scandal kind of away. You write a couple of hours material. You draw you stories together, and then you find this effort all this suffering. You will how best to order this. There is an active structure there in terms of like well. How can I, his energy left them in the drop them two hundred. Also, let you ass, you are describing it fun puzzle. Language is that's a shared There was a point I remember where I could not work it out. Pre admiral then heads were I deny stuff and it could work it out. So I wrote all the bits and pieces, paper, unlit, individual piece of paper. Scuse me and threw them in the air. I then I feel seven so well. Ok, oh yeah, actually could lead to that like a lot of time. You remember you don't remember specifically the do you remember the link between two jokes. So

If you stand up, his writing is written. It's it's. That kind of creative act sitting down on your own. How much do you enjoy that put it? It is one you get into on the on the billboard. New tour show where you're just looking at any time. Just looking around going tables was on the table there, this is on the table as it was when I know what you think I can get everything some with kind of hungry. I of eighty zero thing worse thing, that's interesting that that wages- it is, I think, if etc. Do that look at everything you can become doing it all the time. The dream is it. You have six good ideas. Everything else will discover the go along, but six ideas than that to our show right. There don't got so much welcome back to David. Of course, we've also got your music tell us about your first day at first, it was a very quickly became my favorite tune of all time, and if you imagine me. schoolboy nine fifteen everyone's bags had either to a cdc written on them and so prince came along and

would kiss sounded? Blew the mines of everyone who is at that age. We had never had a sound like us and that noise that just wait qatar thing that delay limping noise. It's fine, a sound in the world, it's actually a lot of the time. I don't dwell on the lyrics of takes particular. I remember doing interviews way where I'd mentioned kiss my favorite song to go or what to say to you that I was fifteen in dublin. I was a shy dorky virginal fifteen year old in dublin, really awkward in his own skin and nose issues going on that that a

in the bilateral outfits with I hear he's really speaking to me, but the guitar sound was just the swedish thing does case prince in the revolution door, o brien, as I mentioned, you were brought up in brain county whitlow and you are educated as irish language schools there. That was very important to parents, particularly your dad. Why was that when my job Joe. Ninety six ease travelling europe loss and fairness of

kind of irritated. It is thus a country every country went together or language and ireland had legates language slip and became part of those glue should negotiate with was a movement in the sixties to revive a very moribund language for him. It was a a was tied into choral music and he would m. Have a there was a push for an irish language mass at the big catholic church and he was a subject. For that new singing and through our, but also then he just name into irish and air. so he became shown the sheep genre John, and he spoke irish to us. Does the guy smoothly for housing. the cultural thing of their katy, dancing, that'll failures, and these kind of accessible, your dad was a negotiator jaded. He raised you relocating and biology a tenacious nations what he had a saying for a long time. be it air and need clearer, which truly stretches be a shepherd. Not a sheep, you know, don't follow So did you ever get to see your dad speaking in front of an audience I did and it was entered because he would do these these carol services does

church, embrace anybody's Carl's everson, the below sixty thousand people at these things with very squires music goose playing, and he would conduct this and then he would turn the audience and it gives them spiel about luck with, and I standing there. I am very impressed by the us and that that would that had an effect on me. tell me what you, your mother, etna shoes flourished. My mother. It shall be dorie, teller, talks, red quickly and china, which is a trade that is really unattractive. Rex say knowing raises the idea you know, and so she would your gavel, honest things, consular could ever and would tell a story and just change the story and you're going to go. You can't just we we live, we were we, we were there. None of this can you think of an example of I got. The of an extreme example that have been deleted. Dog wants can have with a dog once and we were both too old really to be looking after a dog to answer campus because of the strays were found and then the dog had to go and go live somewhere else or whatever

was hard telling you. This is well, I said to the kids and they are crying this. We don't celebrate the doc, don't send away the dog and we are going. I was eighteen and she is twenty one regret crying without the held onto me. I said: oh, I'm gonna get rid of the dog. Now and again that things became epic discomforting. Let me go, I have gone to because I don't look like all they do- is dance undergone. Coral plebeian trip to move There also because, as a piece of me, as I remember being away from the first extend appear time when I was a student in America and I Listen to this. For some reason, though, it may be riding home because without a cask musical is paid in the house, and I would get a little bit level, but weepy for some reason. Every time the happen the following day, he drinks. I have no idea how he did that and we just ringer housings going. It was ground with just over their voice and then

complain about art such rubbish, dad the charter's years, tat awful ex american, two hundred like it ever and never to examine. This block appeared that I had to go to a post office somewhere in boston to collect this three kilogram, but I want to open job was filled with proper was it chocolate, but anyway, piece of music that was paid off, and I I think, among the high points of choral music, it's Mozart's requiem.

moved elsewhere.

we performed by the london symphony orchestra with the london symphony course conducted bicycling davis, dora brain your parents were very open when you were growing up about the fact that they adopted you when you were a baby, can you remember when they told you what little I know the interesting thing about? It is a sort of crunch to the extent that it became a thing that I sort of forgot. mean I sat down with father. I would say he said in my thirties and said: look just confirmed this for me, I'm I adopted cause. Unease is yes, He said how did you forget- and I said who did you tell me and he goes there- he bore to tell him You know, and that must happen. If you doctor, you don't keep

It keeps things interesting because, obviously you know from what you've told me about your family. You know, if you told me that I I forgot, I would think well that implies you weren't talking about that you weren't engaging with it, but you don't sound like you have that kind of family you would. You were talking a lot yeah, but I mean- or maybe not about fashion, that just because it was just like a fact and they've they've always ever since been like. Well, it's your story. There's this concept for a lot of adopted, kids that they have This goes kingdom, you know the kind of a legacy of the reality of their union. I have that you don't think I didn't I didn't, and the thing I've always spoken of is is afraid to use it as a voyage, because people say that that they had a voyage or something they knew was missing in their life. There was I I didn't have that there either because I was in a relatively self sufficient and then my own family that I have now my family is aware at other pull, you need we re fulfilling you know have good relations with my parents. They thinks who's never case of. It was more like that. with a story that I could find out at some stage, and the story was a book on a shelf that maybe I'll take down at some stage

and what about religion? Do you brought up a roman catholic? Will? You is expected to be devout as the presumption would have been? Yes, we, we certainly would have gone through all the all the stages of a confirmation communion all that stuff. It was some point teams that I we're going. This isn't really speaking to me, does not really getting funding from this I could ever and is a touch of The EU is doing it for the sake of the parents, so they'll, probably sooner and do not have a balanced age, but I dont really anymore. You have made my point in that one, I am somewhat music tower dissonant between what we can do here and why I felt a nod to artificial music dwarf, which was a ton when I was growing up and also to my school and their language and the bandit shows and speckled killer a ragtag collection of credibly of large. As a musician who have combined to it in a kind of a very modern format and the these huge spectacular like shows some,

Lonnie may, which is about you, know removing somebody from your heart unease out. We can you from my heart on me like that I go on he made by chemo down brain. You read mathematical physics at university college, Dublin ii described yourself. Has quite a shy kid at school. But by that time you start taking part in student debates. What did you enjoy about them in? ouch universes debating there is a huge social and public tent suit

in friday. There are big public debate and what looked like super confident gods walk among us would walk down there and they would speak in front of the audience and I would sit in first year going on. We got us most impressive thing. I've ever seen life, and I did nothing about it for a year and in the second year, the maiden speakers, competition reason a little room, and During that summer they moved on faculties out of that big bars. Building the arts law, commerce, Billy now's, the arts, commerce, within move law to this other building miles way, but they force It's that comes traipsing down again, hang out and their attendants debase voted with twenty people there and get repeat a killer material. I are the first thing is over there. It's patients. Have you all here, especially the members, the law faculty, who have travelled so far to be with a sticker on that gas, a laugh and a round of applause? It ignited, though, a dial I didn't know I had it blizzard do this

I give adrenaline died, never got a laugh from those strangers and the wall that what was that feeling and in many ways everything I've done has been just chasing that high. Or it's time for your next track. Number four It's the siren call of great dance track. Those eight beat at the start that basing go get over here now get here now that you're better dancing to get here now. The one that I hear from use out of the room- and I got you ve got to get onto the values- will excuse me, I'm in the middle of a transaction here: iberia travelling, but I've gotta go now, and then, when I play on a public. More joy from pure joy is one that starts with damn Liddy saying it's time to dance the debates to act. I made it absolutely is just a minute sandra, which is grooves in the heart by daylight. the Why why,

the delight and groove is in the hot, so dora brain after you graduated from university, you dipped your toe into stand up, comedy performing a cabaret club in dublin. How did it go first night I did five minutes and still there was video found was and we found was edge and I am clinging to the middle of the m microns dance, I both hands on the minimum from stand holding up and I'm just obtained with. I walked around that pallidum for three hours beforehand. So that is just going recipes credit by also could have, and then the rushes enormous. So you Building iraq learning to do,

stand up yet find in your feet and find in your voice. You were also the time writing for the irish newspapers sunday world and you became a kids tv presenter. You were doing but then in two thousand and one you up, sticks and moved to london. Was that a difficult listen to me to know. I'd have a kind of a 'em when treading water, but a kind of hit us or limits and felt like it. Stand up the things you have probably to go somewhere else. how much do they went to london as I went and did festival in so doing? Edinburgh, then you melbourne, Then you do adelaide. There was a very rootless couple. here is where I didn't you address even when was the turning point or that the period that it changed anything actually I've crack. This is working. I think it was it doesnt show once more to material, but you much effect It was an interesting you because I didn't irish tour and it was Mitigated is direct with three weeks of just often

the people say dwayne droves is, there is a phrase that use three weeks of this tour. I remember right back in london and goin out at this stage of the town I could ever and add one being left in the dire remember essentially for which always and it was to do tat- from montreal in commerce, are blocked, went about you, how these amazing eggs did the gal. And it moves with three weeks later. I just took off its time some amazing dora number five bottlenecks glory. Esther his features in four separate shows of mine. I don't you persons ever noticed. the guy was a lorry s. Wasn't your theories and glory herself has never noticed this looking to play a full retains about our house. How true any bit like rhythm is gonna, get your I turned into another show, and it started cause I needed a spanish phrase for one critical shows What would girl, who, as an expert in spain, we were out through you? Don't really fast food restaurant? pointed to the post of the meal. I wanted, and I read the thing in the media,

I am chemical, believed a payment. They pay the bylaw. I read the thing on the poster and the I was shocked turned and my girlfriend with on the floor laughing at what I had to pick it up honey you, you said to him: why doesn't joy? I knew lunchtime meal dios, better, I'm It was a real thing that happened. I read the phrase that but then didn't know what the actual phrase was, who needed to substitute the phrase. So I just stole the course of a glorious and soggy spanish and other kind of like as every year.

With a. I just know their chemical believe it can be played by now ass, a pang of drama that things going on. It's called who believe my eyes, but gloria dedicated to really back by Gloria Stefan darrow brain. two thousand and five, you start hosting the BBC panel show me the weak iran for seventeen years you enjoy. Your role is ringmaster at times. Yes, a time no. There was

during the earlier years, which rose very competent, very elbows ie and you couldn't do with no space to mess around railing. You said that you felt sometimes in those periods he felt more like a traffic up. Yet it was element I would do now and also a region. one minor can kill a topic can just If the final word can put a hat on something and you kind of go in when I was a decent gentle whimsy at this point. But I can't anymore because you've just come in hard and frankly of that is genius, it would have on the russo come in as well as the two of them with the first and last illness efforts now ass, I was, I was frightened- will allow the time and then it sort of needed them to move on to the things for a further two that the rest of a breed the bed and then went into his golden phase. For me of every pupil messing around, had a weird relationship of people. It was very deregulated, say that task as it used to be yours, wrongs or thing or an eye and a new things in which it made. It was wrong. this their diversity because it was clear size for a lack of, and it was an accident and I only have buying on. I think,

they would argue in A- and it certainly is true that it reflected it accurately reflected the lack of firstly, that was in that section of the other company word at the time, but that does mean that it couldn't have done more then did more, hopefully later in terms of of being new termed in, but at the there are clearly being this is a confused him through. There programme of the investment. It has an ace, it's better sausage festival. It is just block block block blah blah blah blah blah blah view now totally different, so I've all he said that the reason it did this because a generation FEMA cometh kicked the door it was decommissioned last year, and you have said that you had caught mixed feelings about that decision. Why? I do On the one hand, a had endured- and it had been very good to Me- and I could have gone on, but equally you don't get it that kind of innings normally to a button the really they were kind of bittersweet was, after years of

going through observers. Rubbish Dominican, actually we're like avoiding vary from what we watching all this time- you told us that all we got was the grief of people we ve ever got the impression that we were liking asked not the weak fidgets, many different kinds of comics with so many styles, some extremely haughty in controversial. You know for you. when it comes to your own work. Where are the lines where? Where will you joke about? What won't you joke about? I can sidestep this hunter they're, not deliberately, but just as it turns out, my style is generally conversational, anecdotal, personal or am I wenzhou whimsical connections and and elevate jokes, not like whatever make you improvisational think so I sizeable others are yet. I find it kind of weird and people come and go because they aren't going to go on. I'm literally talking for two hours I dislike january. Like when people try to narrow comes down to where the comedy comedies to be saying shocking in the nit reading us some people. That is the way to move like Zeus and but

It is one of the things it can do, but it has been hugely broad. Church people tend to the skipper, latin and talk about it? If the only thing that the commission be doing is having a too on moderate, the trans issue or whatever the toads I think that people are getting very, very passionate about nothing. I'm not saying that we're all they do. Tweet puns and you know, are funny Thirty, whenever elected that, whatever at the bush, we're finally struck with other things, it chose without this kind. royal of people going, give waging shocking will do there are times more music. It's your sixth choice today. What is it and why you taken it to the island up to them, jazz have chosen some hammond organs with a jimmy mcgriff one of the great outdoors, but I also just did not to yeah? Maybe this is where the dancing is going now, that post show there's lizzie. Nothing I enjoy more. Finding a job to adaptable people are playing when you're in can a person, but you know, energy The draftsman whenever today

Somebody asked people some with genuine tallish debating this really nice way, dignity that at this: the perfect jimmu griffith. What about me

jimmy progress and all about my girl door open

in twenty twenty? You met your birth mother for the first time, what made you won't find, I was the filipino film, yeah, the Steve Coogan wrote it due to sadness. Story of filming lie through a woman who- and I always say this with quotation- marks- gaffer child up for adoption because of the love it was a lot of coercion. Societal pressure involve not an end. And your entire life trying to find out what happened. The chart I genuinely walked out of the cinema going. Are you each unit, the main protagonists? In this sorry? It was a who give a baby for adoption. Forty five years ago, and you have majors have invisible, because even ass engage with the search. So therefore she's no idea. What's going on and I have met, see coogan and said. Thank you for this. I have majid edge anna in the ones that the jugend for, like whatever so I'm very happy, so the passes on. Firstly, just because it's inspired me to do the search, and secondly, her hair in that film was remarkable,

It was not noted on, but her hair was older. Human hair. A kind of soft curl the blow dried, cutting that my mammy has tossing a nail. The look, the scarf the hair. Hopefully, the who have somebody irish was doing that when our differences have I'm his dress. So tell me better. First meeting than you eventually tracked down arranged to me in a hotel. How did it go well? People who thing odor, that's! What's it doesn't answering the questions you sit across this person? The stranger does not some trick of a button that happens, Thus it's like, oh and finally, home. That's, that's! Not! People live their lives in scotland, for directions and, and so when it comes to to building that relationship that that processes is a long. One then tell me about, from your point of view. How did it feel and and how does it change your your kind of understanding of of yourself and who you with the greatest advice I could give for that is, is be ready to pause because is very, very useful because I'm not queues

tional in they. My lesson is that could have. Obviously some has been quite quite moving, another black whatever, but it wasn't. I wasn't That is why we have family as go. Much stable, wasn't feeling avoid, so I came and in the best possible way in terms of being stable about isn't. This is just an addition to my. Essentially. This is a story that I will have and I should know this story, but even I had to go right. Let's take a pause because this can go faster and go slow. One of the things that helps in this is that the it's very informal with each other. It's like the hello is already being done. So when I went over and I met them and I met the entire family That was a little and tat libya, and how extensive is this all this is. This is three sisters in the brother and herself and her husband, so there's about seven the second day we met you more than because of dead. You know their children, they came along like whenever and daughter. Them kara, lovely woman, point The chairman said these are they are good for you

Recently I ever there always the status of just under katerina. Tell me about you, you bet, then you said you know at first you were strangers, but you know you have can develop. To bond? But I know there was a moment where you, to decide whether you want to give her hogan all the first army mesh, and there was a social groups at this but you were commence raft and go. who is going to be put on talking and emotion at one stage, sometimes commanders after a couple of hours and funny, because she said more time and we both know that provide. We know that that fight that's got school right. Click where we now need says this that's been fine and there was a catch new amendments, actions and choose another catch and low table between us- and I remember catching my south standing minded low table. because the motive was too wide for scimitar reach across and then going Oh you while you you're, just deliberate avoiding this

and maybe this voice again you're, not my mammy, and you know that's not if that's not what's goin on here, the grand. I'd like to buy mammy, whoever vertebrated knows well per status in this is unchanged and in all this boss. I then I listen consciously move get out from gave mine there that, like you'd, say dear kids, going cock on your grandfather, don't think about your grandfather, their heads, grand they would back away. I was a kid backing away. I know get out here and we did have voted for them. Gee I'm give out, but it wasn't like Finally, this is the moment of news: new expel just build a relationship time for some music. I think tat. This is disk number seven hours. You knows where trucks tend to use music as a kind of a soundtrack, inappropriate, gig or bobbing around they walk around. I like the dance element of it. All I could ever and equally dan my wife is a big fan of other tests, music, a thorn in the house that, whatever that I've become too

so? Then I wouldn't have judged with his is done Sebastian d we will see them in new york has great but I was only right you to watch them after the gig were still and you and she went to the bathroom and when she would Just a moment she went about him. She murdered whatever some door. Just say which people like willis is the singer from valid in your business you're not going to and said. Oh hello and I said hi in a rail I don't know enough to sustain this. Conversation like this gotta go. Look good, gig well done well, John, unwelcome and all your work I mean really really. I was like. Are you like, oh great, well anyway, nice to meet you thanks for coming to the show, like whatever and like clark kent in superman with a rotation door that he went to and then my wife tilly ribbons at okay, as it happened? I said all you just a minute ago, but also the earth there is one person, a song which has adverse about baseball player, and at the end of the thing about, goes into baseball, prepares, emotional struggles.

The line life outside the diamond is a wretch and have always of that right because it speaks of sports people, musicians, comedian, it's. What we do is play time, and outside it, ass god. have to pay bills and things out and do school runs knowledge. Yes, you do. How can I do back into the interior diamond edible, so it's piazzi, Your cut you buy bans, but the catch catches, trade alleging first in recent days. The goes into nice prostrate knows that during his speech to the life he wants the bench life outside the wrench statue, piazza you'll catch up, balin sebastian door,

bring many listeners know you from the BBC astronomy programme stargazing life that it always enjoyed the carpet the night sky but another your interest really took hold a few years ago. What happened this mainly because during lockdown enough to do so Do I find, rather than doing a tv show where they bring me amazing images I now in the garden why my tongue it's not about another task of that of another telescope, of the course locked and it became distinct. So if you caught like a telescope shadow, what where'd you put them there is, and there is an area of the kitchen and it's it that is a contingency not insensitive to the area is now it's can it's just its expanding poses a series of telescope them in small task of that active cameras in this one's vectors guides. Go to those sitting there in a kind of a semi permanent way out is not well regarded, wow, probably pass them going off to the island. Then what about if on the island, do you have any practical skills known well known as constituting a shelter, this intervention, job exposure, instant island, they'll, be no question. I have no skilled, my images,

by the way, is an item like in those cartoons in debt. In countries where this is a tree and a small ring of san they finally dead. and that Iraq's betting s and oh and passion, the reason I would have just gone all this is too much effort. I don't want to write everything else. I just kind of I'm just going to do what I do or it's horrible here, I'm burnt I'm going to just do collapse or dsl yeah. No, no, no, I'm not I'm not made for that. I have been. I would walk right to the other side, just in case there is a hotel there. That will be. I think that is very important to check Always these days is, are you just on the other side of a hotel has a luxury resort, if you died, not knowing. Oh, Did you not know its act? I mean I know they probably wouldn't you and if you didn't, have a credit card once you get that to give the place a thorough once over, you just do one lap of it and then go okay, dinah this does not happen here. However, to be few great nights, because guys incredibly clear and I dance obviously a loss,

the outgoing, were near would yet asks you all we ve got one more are we do? We do yeah we'll tell us what is that, for some reason I was on a flight landing either and struggling or into or from government to london. I attend The task of the headphones was somebody I forgot to tell me. So there is a sense of like Not being allowed listen to this, I could ever and ever listen to this. As the plane comment land and made the holding re epic, and then I as I because he sustained so long and now we are building it again. He sustained his game. This is incredible and then, as it only says, and then it was an awesome piece what is this, I too, have in four areas too long. Now is really he's kind of dragon, as I was a bit like it, but the thing that have played up my funeral over montage photographs to be looking credibly, young beautiful because it would kill the audience absolute. The audience my funeral While we have ever freudians let a battle with an audience

What's the track, its adagio restricts by samuel barber the the the the.

Samuel, barbers, adagio, strings performed by the berlin symphony orchestra conducted by sir Simon rattle so die. O brien, I'm gonna, send you away to your island thou, give me the bible on grounds of anthrax. Uk you can have the cafe. works of shakespeare, and you can take one of the books, I'm going to do think it on to myself almost mocking maybe have got, go to have some say, which is the richard. Feynman finds lectures on physics, physics, is split about a luxury item, o astor photography rig, which is a visit. with a with specific camera, on the envious and filters, and of because this don't you can see, then very quickly is start going. If I just point the camera at a point in the sky, which I can see nothing but leather run for six hours, then

start appearing of nebulae and distant galaxies and the sky with crystal clear, there's a scale. Could the scale which is imagine my pollution I have in london, so I'm eight out of nine im presuming the desert island is zero, oh yeah, and that would be mind. Blowing didn't want Dara, I'm going to give you that, on the basis of number one, the majesty of the cosmic which I want you to observe number two. I think it's time you cleared out the kitchen, so yeah is an element that I could I be asked to take If he wants to add anything into the mix she's more than welcome here and while you're at it all of that stuff goes well. Since it's basically a skip, I bring a skip full of stuff. That is because we nice I'm. Finally, we one of the aid tracks that you ve shared with us today, would you say from the waves juno was and, after the are group on the hearth by daylight down we. Thank you very much for letting us he your desert, island discs. It was a pleasure.

hello, my conversation with dora. I am slightly concerned about how will cope on the island, but if he keeps looking up, maybe he'll be ok with that's the way many comics, including to infringe stephen merchant and above one case, the stars of phenomena, Steve coogan in dame Judy densher now back catalogue too, you can find their episodes in a desert island discs programme archive I'm through BBC sands. Studio manager for today's programme. With Sarah Hockley, these sisson produce it was Christine Pavlovsk iii and the producer is poorly mckinley.

hello. One aims will show this world animal or smith, and we have a new focus from BBC radio for battle on a case, a weekly programmes where we can re recommend cherry pick through the weak and just go, have a look at that facing me. We're going highbrow we're going lowbrow right, we didn't legs were didn't hardrada, you don't have to later. Listen like all pulled cost we're talking about stuff. We start whether you should offer doing it for really were waxing lyrical and china made up paper. Baby economies in the pact subscribed to bang on it on visa sounds