Richard Herring
An English comedian whose fiercely intelligent, meticulously crafted stand-up and prolific writing dissect language, politics, and modern absurdities with gleeful precision.
Born 1967 (age 59)·English comedian and writer·Birthday: July 12·Generation X
Biography
Richard Herring emerged from the Oxford University comedy scene alongside Stewart Lee, forming the cult duo Lee and Herring. Their BBC shows 'Fist of Fun' and 'This Morning with Richard Not Judy' were surreal playgrounds of in-jokes and satire. When the partnership paused, Herring reinvented himself as a solo stand-up, developing a unique style that blends seemingly pedantic deconstruction of phrases and ideas with deeply personal, often cringe-inducing honesty. His output is staggering: daily podcasts like 'Richard Herring's Leicester Square Theatre Podcast' (RHLSTP), countless blog posts, and a series of acclaimed live shows that tackle everything from Hitler's moustache to his own struggles with parenthood and faith. He operates largely outside the mainstream TV circuit, cultivating a devoted audience through direct engagement and a relentless work ethic. Herring's comedy is a sustained argument against lazy thinking, delivered with the energy of a mischievous schoolmaster and the vulnerability of a man confessing his flaws on stage.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Richard was born in 1967, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Richard Was Born
The biggest hits of 1967
#1 Movie
The Jungle Book
Best Picture
In the Heat of the Night
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Richard's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1967Born
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1972Started school
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1980Became a teenager
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Could drive
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1985Could vote
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Turned 21
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1997Turned 30
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 40
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 50
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 59 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Created and sustained the massively popular interview podcast 'RHLSTP' (Richard Herring's Leicester Square Theatre Podcast) for over a decade.
- Wrote and performed a celebrated series of solo stand-up shows, including 'Christ on a Bike' and 'The Headmaster's Son'.
- Co-wrote and performed the influential BBC comedy series 'Fist of Fun' and 'This Morning with Richard Not Judy' with Stewart Lee.
- Maintains a near-daily comedy blog, 'Warming Up', which has run for thousands of consecutive entries.
Did You Know?
He ran a marathon dressed as a giant prawn to raise money for the British Humanist Association.
Every year on his birthday, he does a 24-hour podcast marathon for charity.
He wrote for the satirical show 'Have I Got News For You' and the children's series 'SMart'.
His wife is the comedy producer and writer Catie Wilkins.
“Comedy is the last resort of the over-educated.”
