Comedy of the Week Room 101 with Paul Merton
Sep 1, 2025
Richard Ayoade, a multi-talented writer, actor, and director known for his unique humor, joins Paul Merton for a lively chat. They tackle the mental strain of constant news consumption and the pressures of staying informed. Ayoade humorously critiques the commercialization of care in language and reflects on chunky knit cardigans, pondering their relevance while deciding to send them to Room 101. The conversation also navigates the awkwardness of social events and the cult-like behavior of group cheers, blending insightful commentary with witty banter.
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The Mental Cost Of Constant News
- Richard Ayoade finds 24-hour news exhausting because it never ends and creates a pressure to keep up immediately.
- He suggests a one-month news delay would let many stories drop away and reduce anxiety about constant updates.
How News Cycles Age Culture
- Ayoade argues the news cycle's immediacy has seeped into culture so old films feel less relevant because they're not 'new'.
- He'd prefer randomized or delayed releases so audiences watch without present-day context bias.
Be Careful With 'Empathy' Claims
- Avoid conflating empathy with moral superiority or presumptuous emotional absorption.
- Prefer 'sympathy' when you mean basic compassion and be wary of claiming you literally feel another's emotions.