An episode with Tim Batt

Comedian Tim Batt has fond memories of John Hawkesby.

I don't find you funny - change my mind.

I can lead an editor to comedy but I can't force them to laugh.

What is the worst joke of all time?

Colin Craig's poetry. Too bad to be prose, yet still too awkward to be funny.

Who on television currently cracks you up to the point of incapacitation?

Eric Andre. Good gravy, that man is making transcendent stuff on his show with Hannibal Buress. I've been a fan of the Adult Swim network since Space Ghost: Coast to Coast in the mid-2000s. I have fallen into hour-long YouTube binges of this show several times.

Banter is tipped as a forum for live debate on current affairs, etc. This sounds distinctly like a public broadcasting prop - they said yes?

That question is above my pay grade BUT as far as I know DUKE is putting up all the money for this. If they did get funding, I need to talk to the manager, because this thing is being put together with a lot of masking tape and just a couple Sir Eds.

What is the most important characteristic or trait you need to survive and make it in this business?

A thick skin. You're going to have rough audiences, brutal reviewers, newspaper editors opening a conversation by saying "I don't find you funny". You have to be able to weather a bit of abuse and try and keep an open enough mind to accept helpful criticism while being smart enough to ignore the destructive stuff.

Who on TV captivated you as a child ?

I have fond memories of John Hawkesby (which is odd because I would've been very young at the time he was reading the news) and John Campbell when I was a bit older. I listened religiously to Martyn Bradbury on Channel Z back when he was Bomber. But ... he's a bit different now ...

Have you ever tweeted Trump's personal Twitter account?

Oh boy. Not that I recall. Twitter is like shouting violently into a void at the best of times but at least you don't get threatened by the MAGA crew most of the time. I don't think I'd tempt that hornets' nest by tagging him in, unless I was wasted and Tweeting. Which is actually a pretty frequent occurrence.

What are you currently finding gripping on TV outside the comedy genre?

Only just devoured The Queen, which I thought was excellent. House of Cards is gold. Love a bit of Megafactories to unwind to.

For what do you throw the remote at the television?

I refuse to answer this question because I will undoubtedly be guilty of doing the thing I answer.

What are your TV ambitions - do you secretly want to be the father of the nation?

I desire to be less the father of the nation, and more the uncle. Not the dodgy one, the cool one. Telling you weed's not all that bad for you when you're an adult but, if I catch you smoking the stuff before your 18th birthday, so help me boy/girl/non-binary child of my sibling!

Lowdown

Banter is a live panel and discussion show, launching June 20, 8.30pm on Duke.