Beyond the cringe: Impractical Jokers and Inside Amy Schumer
The rise of humour drawn from awkwardness and embarrassment reaches a new zenith with two American programmes.
Mind, Body & Life
“Princesses do have hair on their legs”
A Q&A with stand up comedian Sara Pascoe.
I’ll believe in God – but on on one condition
Laurie Taylor reminisces about the arguments he's had with true believers.
Your couch or mine?
Laurie Taylor remembers a friend with a penchant for psychotherapy.
The enduring appeal of makeup
We have worn makeup for thousands of years despite puritanical condemnation and the scorn of radical feminists. Why?
Misfit memoir
At heart, Juliet Jacques' transgender coming-out story is about what it's like to be an outsider.
How the advent of the mobile phone has ruined parties
Imaginatively amplified stories of comic disaster have given way to bland shots of people’s faces, says Laurie Taylor.
Could body modification be a pathway to liberation?
Control of the self should not be underestimated as a form of power.
Reaching rock bottom
The meaning of “alcoholism” is disputed. But seven years ago I realised I had a choice: to drink and die, or to stop drinking and live.
The cost of happiness
Powerful interests benefit from our increased willingness to monitor and meddle with our mental states