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Robin Ince: science, comedy and mimophants
The new SfAM podcast features an interview with the brilliant comedian Robin Ince who talks about science and comedy, his fascination in the world around us, and mimophants. I was lucky enough to grab a few minutes with him just before one of his ‘Uncaged Monkeys’ shows in Manchester at the end of last year. This series of shows featured Brian Cox, Ben Goldacre, Adam Rutherford, Simon Singh, Helen Arney, and Tim Minchin in a nerd-fest which celebrates all things science and in my opinion is one of the best examples of science communication in action. Here are some highlights from our conversation:
SfAM policy on the media We will: ■ always do our best to provide facts, information and explanation. ■ if speculation is required, explain the rationale behind that speculation. ■ desist from hyping a story—whether it is the journalist or the scientist doing the hyping.
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met Robin at the stage door of the Manchester Apollo Theatre on a very cold December evening. After brief introductions we settled down in a room backstage. I began by asking him about his background and what inspired his interest in science. When asked if he was a scientist by training, his immediate response was: “No, I’m an idiot.” Anyone who knows anything about Robin will know that is far from the truth and that one of his original inspirations was Carl Sagan’s ‘Cosmos’ — a television series first screened in the 1980s, from which he’s known to quote in many of his stage and radio shows. When he first saw the television series he was…“11-years-old...” Robin describes the fact that he became bored of science at school as “it seemed to have no reflection of what life was about even though [science] is everything that it’s about...The way I got back into science was I was in a village in Suffolk, Lavenham, where they filmed ‘Witchfinder General’ and
I believe it did also have some witch-hunting trials as well… I found a copy of James Randii’s ‘Psychic Investigator’ book and I read that…and that made me read Carl Sagan’s ‘Demon Haunted World’… so as usual, as most of my life is, I was skulking around a bookshop, found a thing and then that led me to talk about what I talk about now.” Robin was keen to point out the irony that his return to science took place in a village ‘haunted’ by the supernatural. For readers unfamiliar with Robin’s work, he began as a stand-up comedian. Since that time he’s developed his interest in science and rationalism into a series of shows about science and scepticism — he’s become an enabler for what seems to be a burgeoning rationalist/sceptic movement, putting together and leading shows like ‘Nine lessons and Carols for a Godless Christmas’ and the BBC Radio 4 show ‘Infinite Monkey Cage’ which he presents with Brian Cox.