Stark Talk

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Edi Stark with revealing, thought-provoking interviews

Join Edi for the interview series which often treads where others wouldn't dare!

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Stark Talk: Karen Koren

Karen Koren

BBC Radio Scotland - Stark Talk, Karen Koren

Edi meets the producer and promoter of comedy talent and founder of The Gilded Balloon.

Back in the 1980s, stand up comedy was rare on the Edinburgh Fringe and it was even rarer for a woman or a single parent to be in the business of finding, producing and promoting comedy talent... but with courage and a penchant for high risk, Karen Koren founded The Gilded Balloon. She’s given career breaking chances to relatively unknown comics like Bill Bailey and Tim Minchin who went on to become big names... far wealthier than their nurturing matriarch, who has struggled to keep financially afloat through some tough times, not least when a fire ripped through The Gilded Balloon premises in 2002, destroying everything. But as she explains to Edi... ever since childhood, by necessity, she has had to demonstrate toughness and resilience, even if that means she can be seen as a little terrifying to people who don’t know her well. In this funny and heart rending interview she reveals the highs and lows of keeping her head above water financially and emotionally.

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