August, 2018
It’s that time of year again, folks. The streets are heaving with tourists. There are drag queens posing for photos on the street in front of your flat–a girl dressed in an inflatable squirrel costume is high-fiving kiddoes–a man is sword-swallowing on a temp stage in the middle of the Mile.
And don’t get me started on the flyerers.
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD. DON’T LOOK THEM IN THE EYE. Or you’ll be buried beneath your bodyweight in advertisements for shows.
Edinburgh in August is either a tourist’s dream… or alternatively, a local’s nightmare, depending on who you are. Being not only a Permanent Tourist, but also living Outside the City Now, I fall somewhere in between. I first visited the Festival in August of 2012 on not only my first trip to Edinburgh, but my first trip overseas from America at all. My recollection of the event is a blur of activity. Running, always running to catch that next bus or make it on time for the next event. My now-husband being thrown under the bus by Hannibal Buress’s heckling of his friend (who then turned the spotlight on him). And laughing awkwardly during a political satire: the jokes were funny, but that doesn’t mean I understood who and why.
I’ve been lucky this year to have attended three shows. I know, how extravagant–nevermind that there is a total of more than 53,000 shows to choose from. I mean, it’s lucky anyone has time to choose any at all considering it takes 8 years just to flip through the catalogue!
1 – REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL WITH ED MILIBAND AND GEOFF LLOYD
Remember when I said I went to see a political satire when I first visited Edinburgh? Well, it wasn’t long after I first moved over that I got to witness firsthand the UK’s general election in 2015. David Cameron was then prime minister and leader of the conservative (Tory) party, running for reelection. It was quite exciting seeing so many candidates from different parties running against him: Nick Clegg, Lib Dem; Nicola Sturgeon of the Scottish National Party; Leanne Wood of Plaid Cymru (which was my first time having the socks charmed right off me hearing someone with a Welsh accent).
But David Cameron’s biggest challenge was Ed Miliband, Labour Party leader.
This being my first exposure to Ed Miliband–I can safely say it was one that stuck in my mind. Here is is, looking totally normally and kind of savvy even. Who wouldn’t trust a face like that, ladies and gentleman?
Maybe anyone who had alternatively seen a slew of images that weren’t quite so flattering, including most famously this one:
POOR ED. Honestly the guy just couldn’t catch a break during this election, even when trying to have a nibble on his bacon sandwich. I ended up feeling bad for him but not really knowing much about him at all. British politics really doesn’t pull punches when it comes to its own, and Ed was unfortunately the recipient of if not all of it, then certainly his fair share of ridicule!
It was only when a few months back I saw a recommendation from a friend for a new podcast that I rediscovered Ed Miliband. As a huge fan of podcasts, I’m always on the lookout for new and interesting series. I downloaded the very first episode of Reasons to be Cheerful–and then a few more–and suddenly, that was it.
I am a little bit in love with Ed Miliband and Geoff Lloyd now. I’LL ADMIT IT, Y’ALL.
It’s a fantastic wee podcast. The chaps not only address real issues, but they do so in such a way to leave you laughing and, as the podcast would suggest, with a perhaps slightly sunnier perspective than you came in with. Either by addressing real world issues and how people are addressing them around the world–or by bringing a comedian on at the end to plot sometimes crazy, sometimes hysterically plausible ways to better the world we live in–or simply by listening to the good-natured banter between Geoff and Ed.
It’s honestly charming. For those interested, you can totally listen to the first podcast HERE.
So H and I trundled off to see a live recording of Reasons to Be Cheerful, which was amazing, if surprisingly heartbreaking, something I think perhaps neither the audience nor Geoff & Ed were quite prepared for. I do hope they post this recording later, because I would love everyone to hear it. Not only because they read my name aloud (ha, WIN!!) but because it was incredible.
Poor Ed couldn’t catch a break though. Here he is witnessing a photo of himself again snapped while handling a pork product–this time a hot dog, whereas it was a bacon sandwich in the prior photo!
Reasons to be Cheerful, y’all. Seriously would recommend!
Clarissa Explains Hardly Anything 