Alun Cochrane: Centrist Dad?

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Stand-Up Specials: Alun Cochrane: Centrist Dad?

BBC Radio 4 - Stand-Up Specials, Alun Cochrane: Centrist Dad?

A stand-up special about centrism from Alun Cochrane.

After coming out as almost bang in the centre of an online political compass test, Alun wants to know what being a 'centrist dad' actually means.

“A Centrist Dad takes his children to feed the ducks, a Conservative Dad takes his children duck shooting, a Socialist Dad takes his children to a Solidarity With Ducks rally.”

Centrist Dads have a bad reputation.  They’re “entirely responsible for Labour’s Election defeat”, “aggressively condescending” and they “like Top Gear too much”.  And yet, Alun Cochrane is fine with being one (albeit one who hasn’t actually watched Top Gear).

Recorded in front of a virtual audience from Salford, this show is Alun’s quest for the centre ground, an area bizarrely underpopulated in the comedy world.  Comedians should poke fun at all hypocrisy no matter whether it emerges from the right or the left, so why are so few stand-ups apparently adept at sniping from the middle?

Alun investigates whether his politics have changed or if it's the world that has changed around him and left a reasonable man feeling like an extremist.  He is pretty sure he isn’t an actual baddie.  He spends his days writing jokes in ‘Where’s Wally?’ pyjamas alongside his gluten-free dog.  Does that sound like an extremist to you?

Written and performed by Alun Cochrane
Production co-ordinator:  Mabel Wright
Sound engineer:  Michael Smith
Producer:  Richard Morris

Photo credit:  Matt Stronge

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