1995-2000
Journalist Grace Dent interviews Paul Schlesinger and Meera Syal about making radio comedy in the late 1990s.
The Frequency of Laughter is a six-part history of radio comedy, covering 1975-2005, presented by journalist and radio fan Grace Dent. In each episode she brings together two figures who were making significant radio comedy at the same time, and asks them about their experiences. This is a conversational history that focuses on the people who were there and the atmosphere within the ´óÏó´«Ã½ and the wider comedy world that allowed them to make great radio - or not.
This penultimate edition features producer Paul Schlesinger, who spent the late 1990s making shows such as the Sunday Format, People Like Us and Absolute Power before leaving to make television, returning in 2005 to become Head of Radio Comedy; it also features Meera Syal whose Radio 4 sketch show Goodness Gracious Me was the first British Asian comedy hit, later transferring to ´óÏó´«Ã½ Two. Grace asks them about the atmosphere within the Radio Comedy department and the attitude of TV Comedy department towards it; they discuss the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s reaction to the wide range of Black and Asian talent breaking through; and they discuss what it is about media parodies that works so well on radio.
The Frequency of Laughter is presented by Grace Dent, a journalist for The Independent, and is a ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Comedy production.
Presenter ... Grace Dent
Guest ... Paul Schlesinger
Guest ... Meera Syal
Interviewee ... Andrew Caspari
Interviewee ... Peter Fincham
Producers ... Ed Morrish & Alexandra Smith.
Last on
Clip
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"It had a universal resonance"
Duration: 00:45
Archive Clips Featured in Episode 2: 1995-2000
The Sunday Format - Written by John Morton.
Goodness Gracious Me - Â Created by Sanjeev Bhaskar, Meera Syal, Anil Gupta.
Goodness Gracious Me - Â Created by Sanjeev Bhaskar, Meera Syal, Anil Gupta.
People Like Us – Written by John Morton.
Masala FM – Written by Meera Syal.
Goodness Gracious Me - Created by Sanjeev Bhaskar, Meera Syal, Anil Gupta.
Goodness Gracious Me - Created by Sanjeev Bhaskar, Meera Syal, Anil Gupta.
Absolute Power – Written by Mark Tavener.
The Sunday Format – Created by John Morton.        Â
Broadcasts
- Sat 29 Nov 2014 10:30´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4
- Fri 23 Sep 2016 06:30´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4 Extra
- Fri 23 Sep 2016 13:30´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4 Extra
- Fri 23 Sep 2016 20:30´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4 Extra
- Sat 24 Sep 2016 01:30´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4 Extra
Comedy Clips
A selection of clips from recent and upcoming comedy programmes.
Podcast
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The Frequency of Laughter: A History of Radio Comedy
Grace Dent presents a conversational history of radio comedy, from 1975 to 2005.