The Frank Skinner Show - A Fight At The Opera

Episode Date: December 12, 2025

This time Frank and Emily are joined by Ania Magliano! Frank has had another bizarre incident on the Tube and Ania has had an unconventional dinner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's Frank Off the Radio, Frank Off the Radio, Frank Off the Radio, it's the Frankskinner podcast, don't you know? Hey, I'm a real human being, but I don't have a mind of my own. This is Frank Off the Radio. I'm joined by Emily Dean, and what's that that's crossed out? Anyway, Anya Magliano is here with us today. You can follow the podcast on X and Instagram. You can email the podcast via Frank off the Radio at Avalon UK.com and on the WhatsApp front. You can WhatsApp us on

7457-4-7-4-1-7-6-9. Do you know what that sounds like? In some teen drama, it's like, Dad, we're getting some new music together. What do you think of this? And I love it for that. It sounded quite camp rock, if that's a reference that will land. Yes, Jack Black. Oh, no.

No, that's School of... And that is my favourite, one of my favourite films of all time. It's brilliant. It's such a good film. Absolutely. And I've come on here to promote it. You're too late. Did you ever see the School of Rock Celebration Concert?

No. Yeah, when obviously Jack Black somewhat dominates. Yeah. They're all there. You seem such a shy retiring violent. You know people you've only seen when they were like 12 and now they're 25 and they're on stage. It's good. It's good to watch. It is a fantastic film.

Did you ever see the reality TV show version of it? No, but I remember that they made that. It was Jean Simmons from Kiss. I mean, they had you at Gene, didn't they? And they had, he went to Christ's Hospital School. Do you know that? Oh. What's a Christ's Hospital school?

They have the best uniform. It's not A, it's The. The hospital. Oh, so I thought it was a church times like a hospital. No, no. And also a school. It's a public school that looks like it should be a private school. It's a hospital.

They don't use any medicine at all. They just rely on God. Exactly. It's going to be fine. But they have a very sort of, the uniform is very unique, isn't it? Yeah, they wear long, like a cassock. Hospital gowns. No.

They wear a cassock and they wear a cassock. wear yellow woolly socks. Really? Several well-known comedians. Yeah. Is it in London? Yes, it's an extraordinary school. Well, I've never heard of it.

It's not quite in the outskirts, maybe. It's going out towards Bognor Regis. It's quite far out of London. I know because I got the train to Bognor Regis recently. And there's actual a Christ Hospital stop on the way. Okay. But I didn't have me robes on. I was to say it's quite a posh sort of.

public school thing, but it also has a shitload of bursaries for people who are well off. So it's got a heart of gold. Does it produce a lot of creative people? Well, like I say, I know a couple of comics who went there. I don't know why I wouldn't name them because it's a good school. I think I know who it is. Who is it? I can't, now you're saying that.

I don't want to name someone. I think Holly Walsh went there. Right. For example. And she's a good person. It's a good egg. Yeah, so Gene Simmons went into that school and did a real school of rock

and chose his band and I remember they had of course they had a school debating society about whether this should be allowed or not so Mr Simmons I mean I don't know if we think he's a good example because they're not all nursery kids I don't remember recording that

I don't know if we think he's a good example he claims to have had sex with 10,000 women. And they said, over to you, Mr. Simmons. And he said, I don't like the word claim. Mr. Simmons. That's amazing. But he did.

You know, he's the one who plays bass and sticks his tongue out and spits blood and that in case. Is he the sort of front man, isn't he? No, that's Paul Stanley. Oh, he's the one I'm obsessed by it. You showed me him on a trapeze or a tripwire or something. That's right. He swings from one side of the arena to the other.

20 feet above the audience without a safety harness. In giant platforms, how old would you say Frank 60? No, he's in his 70s, early 70s. So he can't be the one with the big hat, because that would fall off. There's no big hat. There's no, I'm thinking of slash. Oh, no, no, no. Now this is, so anyway, Gene Simmons, in his defense,

instead of doing a debating thing, he takes an acoustic guitar. And sings a really sweet, beautiful song. His voice is really lovely. During the debate? Yeah. And everyone goes, oh, maybe we were wrong about you, Mr. Simmons. I'd be annoyed if my lawyer did that. Yeah, exactly.

You wouldn't want it in a big proper court case. The posh liked it. Yeah. I can see how Jean would appeal to the posh. Yeah, he was great with the kids, actually. I think what the posh want is. authenticity. So they're okay with that. What

Jane says is my heels are higher than yours and I wear more makeup than your mom. That's one of his things. Well, if I'm your mom. Yeah. Anyway, that happened. I'm going to say I was on the

tube. Yes. Today. And I was sitting next to a Niles woman. Oh, she had a long nails? You know, there are people

always on, around, there are nails with you. You can call them witches. No, I don't think how it is. You know, people who go to the nail bar and all that stuff. Yeah. You know that quite long one? I've referred to as a nail woman. Well, you know what I mean?

Those kind of women who are very interested in their nails more than say, I don't know, theatre. Okay. So, she was sitting next to me. Do you think they're mutually exclusive? You can't turn the programme with a few nails. Yeah. No, no, exactly.

So I, it's very hard to write out that interval, drinks order. Shit. So she was next to me and, you know, live and let live, that's me. People are entitled to their proclivities. So everyone's on their phone. I'm sort of, I'm listening to stuff on my phone. Okay. And a guy, not next, the other side of Nailswoman,

reached across with his phone right across her. Oh, my God. And at first I thought he was taking a photo. And he had a picture of me from about 25 years ago in a football kit. And he said, is this you? and I said yeah he said

ah I thought it was thought it was and then he just went back he didn't ask for a selfie he didn't ask for anything that's a bit embarrassing

all he wanted was he wanted to clear that up he didn't want to be lying in his first anecdote of the morning yes yes and did it

do you think that's a photo that comes up of you top of Google search or do you think he'd picked a specific photo oh well I wouldn't dare Google search me. I know what comes up

very high on Google search. If I Google search, man, you better check the rafters. There's one that always comes up. Oh, yeah. Which is you and David. I don't know if it was a load of... Frank.

That's showbiz. You know, a lot of them you're punching the air with the fists. Yes. And you've got an England top on. And then David has the round John Lennon... When she says the air, Not my child.

You know, that gas which we breathe in and out. The air to the skin of... But I like it. The air to the skin of it. But you know what I like? I'm going to spend it now! David has the sort of round artistic glasses on. So it's kind of which I like,

because it sort of contradicts. He still wears glasses. I don't know if you've seen him in recent years. He doesn't wear the round glasses anymore. He switched them up. He now has the square black. frames and there's a big difference. Oh, did you not notice that? I never look him

in the eye. You're not big on detail, are you? No. You haven't noticed David Biddell completely changed his glasses. No. Really? That was a big moment for me. Okay. No ever noticed. Obviously it looks different when I first saw him. I thought

it was the fact all the black hair had gone white. I don't think it was his glasses as it turns out. Okay. I'll ask him about his glasses Have a little look at his face Do that thing like in an American rom-com where you take off his glasses

and go oh my god, you're gorgeous You're beautiful And then I let his hair down And it just lands on the carpet Oh man Oh man I don't think I've ever met David So I hope that was okay to say

Without his Without knowing He's very laid back He won't mind, will he Frank Mm-mm I don't know that he's very laid back I don't know that I'd say that He's lovely

Okay All right So what are we going to discuss now Would you like to hear what readers have been saying Um If you like I'd like to hear from Anya Magliano

Oh yeah Max Hasn't been on for a bit What's going on with Mags? I've got Well I've got this is This is what's going on with me actually. I recently ordered a meat box. Have you ever done that? Well, I've heard make new sexist language in my time. Do you know what? That had sought me out for my old age.

I'd be happy with one of those. I don't have to put up with the abuse, just get the meat box. Somebody bought me a meat voucher for a local butcher, 60 quid meat voucher. Oh, I remember that was a big moment for you. The nice thing was. You know, you know, it's quite tricky buying a voucher. So I spent a long time in Liberties once with Emily. I had a 50 quid voucher and I wanted to get it. You know when people fill the petrol tank I wanted to spend exactly 50 pounds.

So I picked something and then I thought, I'm going to have to sacrifice this because it's spoiling my other. But I find with the meat voucher, you can just say cut it there. Oh, that's perfect. Yeah, you've got exactly right. Oh, that's a great Christmas present idea. But what is it? A meat box?

So you kind of order from a farm and they send you a selection of meat because I'm trying to get a bit more protein. This is the subscription ones, Frank, isn't it? When you say a selection of meat, do you mean, some are dead and some are living? That's what I'd want. I'd want a live chicken in with a big leg of lamb. Oh, God. Pack tightly. It's just looking at the leg of lamb like, oh God.

And then it bemused pig. Thick the chicken thinking, I love that fucking laugh. Oh no. Me and Emily said before we come in that we find jokes about animals dying really hard. No, okay, I won't do anymore. It makes us so sad. It's not really a joke.

It's not really a joke. But that's alive. The chicken, right? Oh, yeah, okay. Well, that's a happy ending, I guess. He's from the black country. They're hardened to these things. He's told me all sorts of stories that make.

your hair curl. Yeah, my hair is curly. It is. I've clearly heard them. You've clearly heard them too many. But I had... Yeah, you bought the compendium. So I got this meat box and then

it was going off. So I basically had to make myself a dinner which I would now call beef party. The beef party dinner. I don't like the sound of that. Was it all beef in the box? No, there was some chicken and stuff,

but I'd used up. some of the other stuff but when the deadline was approaching of the sale deadline. What is it? An article for the card in? No, I do know that when you think

I've got to eat all of this today. Yeah, exactly. So then I had two steaks served with beef mince on top and that was my beef party dinner. That is, you should have invited a lion.

The tiger who came to tea. Exactly. Wow, that's great. I love the idea of using beef mince as spree. Brinkle. Yeah, because it looks a bit like a sort of hundreds and thousands

that's made of intestines. Yeah, you're essentially using meat as garnet. I saw a Nigel Farage headline. And it says, Farage says, I'm going to send back hundreds of thousands.

And I thought, oh, don't send them back. What about those white chocolate buttons? No, I love white chocolate buttons. Oh, with hundreds and thousands. So does Nigel for half. White chocolate buttons are Nigel Farge's favourite, form of sweet, I would imagine. But not with hundreds and thousands on them. No, he says it makes him think of a raft.

Yes. Anyway. So that was my beef party dinner and I'm definitely one of those people. I don't know about you both where when you want to use something in the fridge, it's just I will prioritise using it all up rather than the taste. And I got a bit of hate on Instagram because once before I went up, to Edinburgh, I needed to use some stuff up so I made savoury porridge

which was porridge with lettuce and eggs and it really upset something. What say you, Frank? It's very Heston. Yeah. It's so fat-down. It tasted awful. I sometimes eat stuff

I don't really want from the fridge because I become really distressed by the fucking alarm on it. So do I. So sometimes I think I'll run it out of time. I just have that. I don't know. You're going to have. Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-no!

So I will literally not take the time I should take to select because I'm so scared at the stupid bloody alarm going on. Oh, yeah. No, I do find myself stiff with stress sometimes, come sell by day to day as it's coming around. And I know I have some mints in my cold section currently, and I know it's coming, that I need to start cooking that up. Well, you should try the beef party.

I'm going to have a beef party at mine. Fancy it, Frank? I'm going to have a clip that I put on my food. And the day before the sell-by date they play, it's coming home. And I know I have to. Well, luckily, I've got a wife, and she will say to me, you need to eat these eggs.

And so I eat the eggs. That's like something I have Chaucer's Britain. Yeah, it takes all. My wife makes me eat eggs. My weep of bath. Yeah, exactly. Wow, my whole degree was worth it for that reference. I can't believe that's finally come into use.

Well done. I think the wife of Bath wasn't actually. Was she married? No, I think she was a bit of a strumpet. Well, she had a gap. She was living her best life, I think you'll find. She was a gap between her front teeth, which was a sign of wantonness. It was lasciviousness.

Oh, really? Yeah. Like, is it Kate Mills have that? I'll tell you who does have it. Vanessa Parody, Jeolotaxie. Oh, yeah. Is gatt-toothed. Is that right?

Yes, she is. Good company to be in. What happened to... And Mistress Doll. What happened to Vanessa Paradee? She married Johnny Deer. I knew that, but that didn't last, did it? No.

They often don't. No. There you go. So, I went, I was going to tell you this last week, but stuff gone in the way. Pierre left, that's what got in the way. Pierre left. I feel like Hitler probably left.

Hitler felt I said left I thought I'd do an anagram of what I meant to say Oh God Hitler felt when he was in the bunker on the last days You know that when everyone

start you realise Hold on, where's the Colonel Schmidt I don't know I haven't seen him for a couple of days Oh okay But you've got your fresh new blood Yeah I've got my fresh new blood We do continue to listen everyone

Yes Yes So I went to see Partennepi Which is an opera by Handel Oh, I didn't know Handel did operas, isn't that ignorant of me? Handle, oh no, I was going to say something so stupid. Go on, say it, you do it. You do you.

I, okay, just, I've had a long week, and I, my first, A long, was? A long week, what? My first thought was Handel and Gretel, Gretel. Oh, okay. No, not him. No, not him. And that's Hansel, isn't it? That'd be great.

If he'd gone into a double act with like Wolfgang Gretel, that would have been fantastic. He should have, he missed a trick there. He did. I don't know if there was any Gretel's in the music business at the time. Messing about with water. So tell us about the opera. Well, so the opera was about. to begin

and the woman sitting next to me suddenly said can I have a selfie? Now the music by now was just beginning but the curtains were still closed and I thought I don't want to say no to this woman so I thought we'd do it quickly well she'd like the woman young, old demographic

just vague description. Injured was what she was like she explained to me later she'd fallen off a bicycle. So she had like a some plaster on the arm.

Okay. So I said, yeah, okay. Obviously I was aware that the curtains were about to go. But we are, you know, I find photography is fairly quick. In this day and age. You don't hear anyone say, can I just get a slow photograph? Never.

They always say quick. I just get a quick photo. What are the sort of you're going to fucking time lapse. They never say, can I grab you? They all say, can I grab you for two minutes? They don't say, can I grab you for 44 minutes? No, yeah. So she wasn't, I knew she wasn't going to do a panoramic.

So anyway, so I started, I smiled for the photo. I felt someone really prodding my elbow. I mean, can I demonstrate this to our listeners? Oh, like that. And I thought that will be someone I know. Yeah. Because there was a bit of a slight opening. We're all gathered in the Ellis room,

which is where one goes for drinks at the ear now. But it had a hell fellow well-meted. Well, no, it didn't. It was misjudged. It's someone who knows me, and they're a bit, they've misjudged. They're over a bullion. Swash was my guess. Swash.

Joe Swash. Yeah, I thought it felt like Joe Swash thinking he's being funny, but actually hurting me. Because he's a big handle fan. Yeah, well, I don't know. I never, I don't judge. You know, Harriet Harmon said to me, don't tell me you like opera,

and I thought, I said you're supposed to encourage social mobility. I encourage social mobility. I don't believe Joe Swash would have been at that event. Well, I could be wrong. Anyway, I look round, it wasn't Joe Swash. It was this bald-headed guy who looked like a fucking Bond villain.

And he said to me, put your phone away. Put your phone away. now. And I said Merry Christmas Mike. I thought he

looked sort of late 60s. Yeah. And I said Merry Christmas, mate. How lovely you must spread

sunshine wherever you go. Oh my God. I'll tell us put your phone away. So anyway, the opera started and I thought to myself,

hold on. I'm thinking he's light 60s. I can't really say anything. I'm fucking late 60s. You wait to this first interval.

Oh my God, I feel ill. Oh, it is quite tense, isn't it? Just hearing. Hang on, can I just establish? Were you in your seats when this happened? Yeah. Right. Was it her phone?

Did she? Yeah, it wasn't my phone. Yeah. We'll come to that. Oh. So anyway, the interval comes. So I turn round and I said, so, um, you're ready with the apology? Oh my God.

Oh my God. You resumed it. Yes. You resumed it. No, but, hear me out. I feel ill. Don't judge me. I agree.

I think. I think this is really brave and I'm perverse in line behind you. Don't judge me. Don't judge me yet. He said, I think you should apologise to everyone here getting your phone out.

The opera. I said, wasn't my phone. My phone was switched off and in my pocket about five minutes before. He said, well, it doesn't matter who's phone it was. I said, well, that's an interesting theory.

Oh, my God, I'll tell you what happened, mate. By now, everyone is, is, gathered Sherry Blair Richard Stilgo Oh she's a KC She can intervene in media Well So everyone stopped

And I said And the violins are like No no they're off They've gone So I said Wrong music But you know what I mean This lady

This lady asked me For a selfie The show had You said the show had started I said no the music Had started The curtains hadn't opened This is like 12-angry

This woman was nodding. Yes, yes, that's what happened. And I said, you know what? I thought, I'm sort of wanted to be friendly and, you know, and nice. He asked me, and I thought, yeah, I'll do it. I'll do it quickly. It'll take seconds.

I said, and then I felt this. And I started prodding him on the shoulder. And he went, oh, dare you go. And I said, that's what you did to me. And he sort of went, yeah. And I think it first occurred to him that he had done that to me. Wow.

You got through to him. Is this story still going on because I can't speak? I've got my head in my... So then I said, I said, look, I was just trying to be friendly and nice to someone. That's what I was trying to do.

Whereas you were obviously a deeply unpleasant man. You did not say that. I did say that. Oh my God. And I said, so you wouldn't really get he. You called him a deeply unpleasant man. So then he started walking away. And I said, I think you should be banned from this theatre anyway.

You were shouting off to him. And I just established. Oh, no, I wasn't shouting. He was still only like a couple of rows away. Oh, she rose away. Fine. A woman said to me, I think that's enough now. What? How was Kath?

She must have that. Cass wouldn't get to an opera if I get her a million quid. So, and then Richard Stilgoe said, you're wasting your time, you won't change someone like that. I'm getting advice. Do you know, you don't know Richard Stilgo. He writes comedy songs. He was massive in...

His son, by the way, it was in the horn section for a while. Oh, right. That's right, yeah. His son is another like multi-styler guy. Anyway. But he used to be very, very big time. He wrote topical and funny songs. Oh, okay.

Yeah, and Starlight Express, you just said, didn't you? Yes. He wrote The lyrics for that. Okay. I didn't know. I didn't know. He didn't work with Tim Rice for once, Andrew. And I've got to say, I do like the lyrics to Starlight Express.

Um, anyway. But anyway, so he said, you know. What did still go say? What still goes to take? He said, you won't change someone like a, why you're wasting the time. And then the woman who was with Sherry Blair saying. Sherry Blair is getting involved in the audience. It's great for him to be a minor character.

in this story. It's an amazing cast. Her mate. It's the greatest story ever told. Her mate. Which is so appropriate for Christmas time. Her mate said to me, yeah. You're feeling better now?

As if I... I mean, I honestly, I know you think I'm an asshole, but I really think I was in the right in this case. I was just trying... I know the music was starting. I was just trying to be nice. But you know, I struggle with that. And then when you try, you get told off.

Me and Emily both established, but I think Emily agreed with me, that me and Emily aren't actually what you would call nice. No, no. And Kat always, my wife always says to me, you know, I mean, blah, blah. I mean, they're nice people. They're much nicer than honest. Know myself. But anyway.

That's exhilarated. I said to her, I said, yeah, I really like conflict. And I thought, I don't. But that's what you want to. hear from you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. What did the woman say? Oh, she just walked on. I have a question. I think it was a sense of this is what happens when people who like football come to the opera. Yeah, yeah, yeah. The opera is on the floor. When I walked in, this bloke was on his phone and I said, I think you need to switch your phone off, mate, and look around, it wasn't

him. Oh, no. Oh, no. This bloke said, I think you got the wrong ball bloke. So he worked it out. Oh, no, it seems like everyone knew. Oh, it was the talk of the hill is true. I'm surprised that didn't end up in the paper or something. It's a shame because the English National Opera is not like the Toffee knows, Royal Opera House. It really tries to encourage new people in, but they don't come because they think everybody's like that bloke. And sometimes they're right. Sorry, Anne Magh, you were saying.

So my question is, excuse me, I just knocked the mic, I have been in situations, not really at the opera, but more at the cinema. where someone's done something and there's been a confrontation. And then I will be so, have so much adrenaline that I can't enjoy the rest of the evening because I'm thinking, wow, like the whole time before saying, oh, can you stop rustling or can you stop going on your phone? I'll be like building up to it and be like, I've got to say it, you've got to say, you've got to be a person of the people.

And then after you say it, I'm so like, wow, I did it, I did it. And I haven't taken anything in. Did you find your second half of the opera was impacted? if that happened? No, he does this stuff all the time. No, I don't. I just felt... This is how he enjoys it.

No, I felt... I've said my peace now. I'll say. And so that's all right. Like, I didn't feel any need to talk to him again. He didn't talk to me again. He, you know, he was on relenting. He still felt he was in the right.

I felt I was in the right. But, you know, I'd said, as I said, I'd expressed my thoughts. I felt utterly cleansed. That's amazing. I can't imagine that. But if I hadn't said anything, it would have ruined the whole. It would have been right.

You kind of, you've got to burst the boil. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I think also where I would, I have issues with bald man is that I think that's an absolutely valid role. I think during a performance, when someone is texting. It needs to be fair to him,

The orchestra had been gone. I think that's fine, though. But my view is fuck the orchestra. It's about the people on stage. That's the show. Very unseemly. As I've often said, they can't even be bothered to learn it.

Don't expect me to hold back on a selfie. I think the only, if the house lights are still vaguely, if there's still a hint of the house lights, it's okay. In an ideal world, I wouldn't have been doing a selfie then, but I really, I don't like saying no to people like that. Yeah. But I tell you, I was with you once. Remember when you went to see Oklahoma, Frank? What, where the wind comes rushing down the plane? But it was a very modern production, but we loved it, didn't we?

It was called Wokeloma in the press. The male hated it. Really? Yeah. Because it was good. And so Frank and I went to see it. And do you remember, I get very irritated by repetitive movement next to me? So she just accepts it. Your generation are like, yeah, that makes sense. I must admit I accept. See, I don't get this strong to it. This wasn't me telling someone off of using their phone. This was me being told off using.

You were being told off. Inverted commas, my phone. I am utterly accepting when I go to the cinema. The people are going to talk, drink, masturbate, whatever they do, they'll be on their phones. That's just you. Depends which cinema are, obviously. If you will go to those.

No, that was just, I was riffing. the theme. Anyway, you were saying... No, I just said, and there was someone texting. My rule is always, once the house lights are down, and they're actually performing, it's when you can see the glow of the phone and the hands moving constantly. And I did have a word with the man. I think Frank was quite proud of me, I think. I said, you need to put that phone away. That's amazing. I think you need is helpful

in these situations. Yeah. Did he? Something of the Miss Jean Brody about it. You need to put that phone away. But I know my standards on what to expect from my fellow audience members are so low, I don't even... It's awful. And it's been good because I don't really notice it. Cat will say to me,

they're going to talk for the whole show. And I said, when I went to see my bloody Valentine Max and if you know them, they are so fucking loud that all those problems disappear. Yeah, that's the dream, isn't it? And also at music gigs, people talk. took photos, you know, I video bags and all that.

I saw Inside Number 9 stage fright recently. Oh yeah, I saw that. I got Jonathan Ross. He told me he did it the other night. Yeah, yeah, it was that one. And we were sat in front of some people. So the show opens with a sketch about people being annoying. Yeah, I've seen.

I got Simon Pegg when I said. Oh, did you? And I thought, what a relief that they've covered that and that will demonstrate to the audience that they need to stop being annoying. The person behind kept kicking our seats. And it was an adult man. And so we got moved to the private director's box in the Oxford Palace Theatre or New Theatre or something.

Because the Man Beehive kept kicking your seat. Yeah, we just said, are there any spare seats we can move to because it's really distracting. I think he was drunk and sort of like just kept stretching his legs out. And did they move you? They moved us, but we moved into this box. The only other people in the box were this couple. And my theory is that the man was actually quite scared.

Every time there was any tension in the play, quite a lot. He would go to his girlfriend, boo! And she would go, can you please stop? And he'd go, I'm just trying to have a laugh. Oh, no. And it was so, it felt so, we were just like, we're, it's stuck in the middle of this domestic. And then she was getting quite angry at him and then he burbed and knocked over his drink.

And I just thought, how can you enjoy stuff when this is happening? I haven't been stuck in the middle of a domestic for years. It was quite thrilling, but... She left again. Oh, my. Theatre audience. aren't what they were. No, but you have to accept that.

Apparently, I think I've told this before, a theatre manager said to me that since COVID, people have utterly forgotten out to be an audience. She said we get much more fights, arguments. Well, like the one the other night, between Frank Skinner and the bald man. I think Handel brings out the worst in people.

Was the opera more dramatic or less dramatic than the fight in the audience? Let me tell you, and this when you said it's for your evening, The opera was brilliant. The production was really clever and interesting. So you're able to park. It's one of the most enjoyable nights at the opera I've had. That's amazing.

Open brackets and set for the Bondville and close brackets. But I find it fascinating that you're able to park a drama like that and still enjoy what's going on. No, but it is like Lansing the Boyle. Once we've had the conversation and I've said what I think. You feel okay, don't you? I'm absolutely. It's like some people, you know, get a row.

on and go for a treatment. That's how I feel. Really? Well, I think that's because you're like purging your body of the emotions, whereas I'm always sort of saying something passive-aggressive then. You're not actually confronting it, so then we're stuck in the, like, in the boil. But Frank actually lets it, I can't remember what the phrase you used to. Frank lets everyone else.

You're not boiling. I think I lanced. Lance. Well, you're still in with the pus. Yeah. We're rolling in the pus. I love that Adele song. Frank, you know, when you're a little.

on the tube. I wish it had been called that. Rolling in the past. It's about when they were teenagers and they used to have a rough carpet. The acne just popped all over. Oh no. Like pouring ad for a car. That's really upset everyone in the room. Before we go, have I got time to quickly share something with you? For you always. Thank you. It's something from one of our readers and it just reminded me when you were talking about being on the tube and someone, just the casual nature of that man's hand reaching across the day of the photo without saying, excuse me, I'm so sorry to disturb you.

Nails woman getting involved. Anyway, what I think that's describing is what Sarah's referring to here. She says, apparently, the word of the year is parasocial, where someone thinks they kind of know someone personally because they spend so much time following them on the socials

or just they feel familiar with that person because they're famous. So it's, you've heard a parissocial mag. Yeah, it's like what I have with Frank. But didn't you get, you have a man approach you, don't you? Yeah, yeah, I think you get people, yeah, though I would say they, there's a mixture. I have some people who just reply to everything I do like we know each other. And I never reply and I just think that's amazing that you've kept going.

You've got the best perseverance in the UK. Enjoy it while you're young, because as you get old, If you're older, someone comes up into the street and says, hello, Frank. Can I think, I mean, I might have known you for 20 years. I don't know who you are, but that doesn't mean anything. Yeah. Well, Sarah continues. My family looked at me when they heard the word parasycial and we were discussing it.

And they said, oh my God, that's like you and Frank Skinner. So Sarah Kay is in a parisocial relationship with you. She has requested, just FYI, one of your 800 signed pictures of himself. I haven't signed them yet. They're waiting to be signed. I bought these publicity shots when I was just on the cusp. I was just still quite hot, but I went cold very quickly. Oh, right.

And I was left with about 800 publicity shots of me with long curly hair, can you believe. Oh, my God. But they're not signed up. They're the space for them to be signed. Many of them aren't. But the nice thing about it is I've watched my autograph change over the years. So they were spidery frial. Only ever seen in the Telegraph crossword on an old colonel.

Sarah Kay, I like her pitch. She says, look, I'm a fellow practising Catholic. So hopefully my shared faith in the Lord will get me a step closer to a sign photo of my comedy hero. Yes, I will sign one of the 800. Yes. I love one of the 800. I read that book.

So we have her address and we will get that sorted for you, Sarah, Kay. That's beautiful. Thank you, Sarah. Thank you, Mags. You're back next part. I'm back next pod. Yes. Absolutely.

Lovely. See you then. Okay. And you're back next part, Dame. Oh, I'll be here. And you are a real unpleasant man. What was it? You said to it?

I said you're a very unpleasant man. No one around nigh said that. No one said, oh, that's a bit. I feel like we kind of glossed over the fact that you started just with Merry Christmas. That's an amazing. I love Merry Christmas. No, well, I thought that would be enough. But then I thought with the same eye, we can open up a little.

It's a Frank Skinner podcast. I knew when the change is blowing. It's the Frank Skinner podcast. I'm not totally sure how it's going. Thanks for listening to the podcast. Make sure to like and follow so you never miss an episode. And if you want to get in touch, you can email the podcast via Frank Off the Radio at Avalonuk.com.