BUDPOD LIVE! | London, Leicester Square Theatre

Kogi. BudPod, hosted by old friends and top British stand-ups Phil Wang (Netflix) and Pierre Novellie (The Mash Report), has been delighting its listeners (known as ‘PodBuds’) with spicy political perspectives and poo jokes since 2018.

The very first BudPod Live! took place last month, selling out 21 Soho and immediately necessitating the move to a bigger venue, facilitating what Wang and Novellie highlight in this second live show as the largest grouping of PodBuds in one location ever.

Wang and Novellie’s quick wit and insane flights of fancy seem to amp up in front of a live audience. After recording hundreds of episodes together, they are so relaxed, and the comedy is effortless as they riff off one another, seated on white armchairs with handheld mics.

There are in-jokes a-plenty for fans: Wang’s lengthy monologue advertising American whiskey ‘Lucky Kentucky’ reveals that the new cask, ‘Jebediah 7’ is named after the whiskey’s founder, Jebediah Menelaus, and the seven workers who died due to Lucky Kentucky’s horrific health and safety track record.

Fans of the podcast love the lack of laughter track, and the quiet, intimate way these two talk with each other ‘backstage’. But there’s no denying that inverting the form, and putting the comedians back on stage, is a complete and utter triumph, for PodBuds and newcomers alike.

Both live shows have been recorded, and are available to listen back to (with audience reactions!) on the BudPod podcast.

The Prickle - About transp