SEASON 01
The Futurenauts grill Jon Richardson
TOPIA Season 01 podcast – Humour in dark times
In the first episode of TOPIA’s new podcast series with The Futurenauts, comedian Jon Richardson runs away from a clown to watch Home Alone and has some Big Bang epiphanies
A balanced and happy world maybe doesn’t need comedians,
Jon Richardson
but an imperfect and troubled world certainly does.
Welcome to the first in this new TOPIA podcast series with Ed Gillespie and Mark Stevenson aka ‘The Futurenauts’ – a couple of futurists, bestselling authors and recovering sustainability guys who love the planet.
Some of you may know that they do a podcast with ‘Britain’s third top comedian’ and professional worrier, Jon Richardson. They talk about the things that keep us all awake at night, what needs to be done to sort it out, and wrestle with the bigger picture. Approaching one million listens, it’s fair to say it’s doing pretty good. The first series reached number one in the Apple Podcasts Science chart and are in the top 0.5% listened podcasts in the world.
TOPIA is excited to collaborate with The Futurenauts to bring you a special podcast series of Cosmic Chats – candid conversations with remarkable people keeping our planet cool.
EPISODE 01
THE BIG BANG
To tie in with TOPIA Season 01 being themed (loosely) on The Big Bang, Mark and Ed kick things off by going back to the origins with Jon Richardson – finding out why he wants to make people laugh and why we need humour at all.
Jon doesn’t agree to interviews often. And might not again.
The trio discuss Big Bang epiphanies, transforming difficult times into laughs, mental health, and what “a world of good” looks like. Plus, what the killer clown in IT has in common with Boris Johnson. So, let’s get Futurenaughty for the first time.
See them live!
Fancy some future-focused f***ed up fun? On 12 May 2023, comedian Jon Richardson and The Futurenauts will take to the stage for their first ever LIVE event – in London. ► Get your tickets here.
Soundcheck
If you are wondering about the opening music on the TOPIA podcast, it’s ‘Citizen and State’ from London-based prog duo Quantum Pig – which is how Mark Stevenson saves the world sonically. His lyrics covers themes of exploration, marginalisation and search for meaning in times of uncertainty – and icebergs.
