Walking The Dog with Emily Dean - Tom Rosenthal (Part Two)

Episode Date: July 2, 2025

We’re back in Finsbury Park with the hilarious and brilliant comedian, actor and writer Tom Rosenthal! Tom played Johnny Goodman in one of our favourite shows of all time - Friday Night Dinner. We found out what it meant to be part of such a well-loved show, how much he’s like Johnny in real life, and how it felt to be a conduit for public grief after the death of his co-star Paul Ritter. We found out all about Tom’s new show - Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I Am. Tom told us all about his love for Arctic Monkeys’ early discography - and how he’s loosely seen *some* parallels with his own life… you can see the show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe from 30th July – 24th August (18:15) at Assembly Roxy, Upstairs and then touring across the UK and Ireland – tickets on sale now at www.tomrosenthal.netWe also find out what happened when Tom took his dog Kiki for a tarot reading… Follow @rosengrams on Instagram Follow Emily: Instagram - @emilyrebeccadeanX - @divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Faye LawrenceMusic: Rich Jarman Artwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Part 2 of Walking the Dog with actor and comedian Tom Rosenthal. Do go back and listen to Part 1 if you haven't already and do go and see Tom's brand new show, whatever people say I am, that's what I am, at the Edinburgh Festival. It's on until August the 24th and you can get tickets via Tom Rosenthal.net. As I mentioned in Part 1, I kept Ray at home for this one as it was a little bit too hot for my boy, but there's lots of chat about him and Tom's dog Kiki, so I really hope you enjoy. And I'd love it if you gave us a like and a follow, so you can catch us every week.

Here's Tom. We need to talk about your new show, because this is, and I am going to, before I let you go, because you've got a gig tonight, but I am going to have to ask you about two of my favourite shows, plebs and Friday night, didn't it? If you don't mind me discussing that? Oh, why would I mind? Oh, good, because I love them. I love them.

It would be insane for me to come on this. Oh, good. You can't talk about any of that. Oh, good. Although I was hoping to talk about my dog more, but yeah, go on. We are going to talk about your dog. Do you know, I like you? I like you, because you're quite direct, aren't you?

Do you think you are? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I have a theory that, like, I actually, I'm not funny. I just say things that other people, like, filter out, you know? Like, the sort of internal monologue, I just say that out loud. And everyone lasts because it's, like, too awkward not to. Do you know what I mean? I don't know.

I don't know whether that's true. Do you think that's a lot true of a lot of comedians, then, that they just, I definitely know for a fact that I filter language very differently to some people and it can be so incongruous to a listener that they just can't not laugh and I think maybe I've sort of honed that sensitivity to then become what is sort of perceived as a funny person despite the fact that honestly sometimes I'm just telling what I think is considered to be the truth or like an obvious reality you know

all these people are laughing great yeah well you know well let's discuss Go on. What do you want to say about the show? Let's get your bloody tour out the way. No, I want to discuss because you're going to Edinburgh. Well, I said you're going to talk about the shows and then we are. But I want to get the tour. All right. Go on here. Thank you. Thank you very much. I appreciate it. I want you to feel comfortable. Yeah. And I'm conscious because I'm a bit of a people pleaser. But I'm conscious that if we don't, you'll be worrying about that, that we haven't discussed at all. So we can relax more. So we will come back to the tour. But let's just give it a mention. You are going to Edinburgh. fairly imminently actually. I don't want to panic you.

Yeah, when is this podcast get released? I don't know. I'm going in August. This will be released on the 1st of July. Fantastic. So plenty of time to buy tickets, people. You've got to book your plane tickets. You've got your Airbnb and you get tickets to me. And then you get tickets to me the next day as well.

And it'll cost you only like three, four grand. There you go. And do you know, Edinburgh is so cheap at this time. Yeah, precisely. I have to bargain. Tell me, so this is. is the latest show that you're doing and it's whatever people think I, whatever people say I am? Oh I get it wrong. It's the Arctic Monkeys song anyway. You're going to have to say it properly.

I just sort of let you, uh, yeah, you let me muck it up. No, no, you can have another go of you one though. Whatever people think I am, say I am? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Is that right? Whatever people say I am. Yeah, yeah, that's what I am. Oh! Now I'll pretend to say it normally. So you've got your new Or whatever people say I am, that's what I am. No, I don't lie.

You shouldn't lie. I'd be furious if you had a little bit of that. Can you imagine if I did that? You'd lose respect for me. No, I would. Go on. Yeah, so, I mean, honestly, it's whatever people say I am, that's what I am. And it was just about two years ago, I thought, I need to write a new show. And that's just the first thing that came into my head. Really? And then I just thought, okay, so what is that show?

Yeah. And I, yeah, I mean, so it's a parody of, you know, as a pun on the Art Tip Monkey's first album, which is called Whatever People Say I Am, that's one. not. Do you like Arctic Monkeys? I absolutely love the Arctic Monkeys, but the show is sort of how I love the first two albums and like Alex Turner's sort of recent creative elements, I'm slightly less. Yes, he's gone a bit jazz odyssey, isn't he? He has gone jazz odyssey, which is an excellent phrase, which I might steal for the show.

Oh, please do. Because you know what, it's not my phrase, therefore I gift it to you. Fantastic, yes. He has gone very jazz odyssey. And I suppose, trying to sum it up, I am saying that, uh, I don't really like his due stuff. But, you know, he was a big mainstream success as a young man who had two quite big mainstream hits. In the Alexa years.

And he's sort of following his own creative pursuits to the alienation of a portion of his fan base. And I think that maybe that's going to be me because I've also had two quite big mainstream successes as a young man. And I'm now pursuing my own creative taste and I think people might sort of start to like me less, you know? No, you're too funny.

Well, that's the hope, isn't it? But I bet you, Alex Turner thinks that when he's doing those new music, he's like, this is absolutely amazing. This goes to 11. So, yeah. But I also think Alex Turner has a right to pursue his own creative journey, you know, and it's just not to my taste. People lose fans. That's a reality of putting any stuff in the world. So it's sort of, that's really interesting, though, that you've seen parallels in your own life and career.

It's just, yeah, I don't know. It's maybe not like a direct. It's a jumping off point. It's an excuse to pay a lot of Arctic Monkeys music that I really like. but also yeah I think that you you can't be too beholden to an audience as someone who creates stuff you know you find your audience you know you found all the people who love dogs and our new podcast you'll find all the people who love you know predators so and you know if people switch off your podcast that's just a reality that you have to face

but I guess I'm quite a sensitive person I don't like the idea of ever doing something that someone doesn't like but if you're a creative person you also have to just embrace putting something out there and people make it what they will you know how do you feel particularly when you're doing something like and you're waiting for reviews and stuff. And because, you know, you have a profile now and a recognizability factor, how do you feel about reviews and online comments?

Do you, how do you deal with that? So actually, I've achieved it for the first time. I did a play recently in Chichester, Yes, I heard about this. And I actually managed to completely stay away from the reviews. Because unlike Edinburgh, they didn't plaster them all over the building you're in. So, like, I still haven't read one review from that play.

All I had was the guy at the pub that we'd go to afterwards just be like, oh, the reviews are good. the reviews are good, that's all I heard. Yeah, they were good. Exactly enough, that's all I need. And yeah, I just, I just want to avoid all of it. I mean, a lot of my comedian friends read their reviews and take it as genuine feedback

and the critics want you to improve, but I am just, I can't. Even when people are nice, it's just, it just gets in my head and it ruins my enjoyment of what I'm doing. Like, it informs how I perform it the next night. And I just don't want that. I just, it's not good for me and I don't think it helps, to be honest.

One thing I did want to talk about, When I was doing the play in Chichester was one of our days off, we went to a festival called Goodworth. Have you heard of Goodworth? I've been to Goodworth. You must have performed at Goodworth or something. Well, I don't want to vote. You were like a main speaker. I've been invited officially. I've met the Duke of Richmond.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. He owns Goodwood. He actually walked past me when I was in the queue for the Dog Tarot tent, which I cued in for 80 minutes. Did you take? Worth every minute. Did you take Kiki? I was with Kiki. I got Kiki a tarot reading, right? Get this. I sit down, right? Immediately the dog tarot person goes, oh, she likes barbecue chicken. What do we feed her the day before? Barbecue chicken. And she goes, and she goes, oh. She hasn't just kind of too, she went, she doesn't like the lemon pesto though. What do we try and feed her the week before? Lemon pesto. She didn't eat it. I'm not making it up. I don't know who this dog tarot person was, but I message Goodworth the next day being like, please, who is that? And they haven't applied.

So if anyone worked at Goodwood Festival, I need to know the name of that Tara person because she is a freak witch and she's maybe believing the dark arts. It was amazing. And this dog Tara reading made me cry because she said all the stuff that you probably would say to a rescue, you know, all the horrible stuff happened before

and how she feels comfortable. And I was just like, I was in floods of tears. I was like, this is so meaningful. But I just completely believe that it's all true because of the weird barbecue lemon pesto scenario. Which I'm not lying about. I haven't, I don't lie. I've not struggled.

that up, that is exactly what happened. No, I can tell you a very truthful person. Because I rang Jiji and I knew we just fed a barbecue chicken, but I didn't know about lemon pesto. And what a weird thing to, how does that work? Magic is real. Anyway, Goodworth's brilliant. Not only that, but it was sponsored by Land Rover and I happened to have a Land Rover.

So when I drove into the car park, they were like, you can't park here, you have to park up the front. All the Land Rover's get special parking because it's for rich people. I got to go in the special parking. Yeah, did you? I don't have a Land Rover, but I have Ray. There you go. And he gave me access.

I called it the Duke's area. I don't think it was. It's so posh. But I felt we went for, Ray, there are all these things to do. And Ray just wanted, he's such a snob. He literally, he just wouldn't leave from, you know, there was a main house bit, a sort of VIP bit, where he got to have cream tea on the little chair.

It's brilliant. I love it, though. It's so great. I walked out, I saw Claire Boulding there with a ton of Labrador's. Yeah. I thought, this is heaven. Well, they need to get Jim Rosenthal down because, do you know, Jim Rosenthal down?

Dad does crofts. You ever watch crufts? He commentates on the fly ball, on cruffs, right? And they had a commentator on the flyball at Goodworth, and she had a shrill voice. I'm not trying to dig her out, right? You know what you're doing, but you know Jim Rosenthal. So next year, Goodworth, get in touch.

I know the organises. I'm actually going to... We'll do a live version of my new podcast. It's going to be the biggest hit with the dog community. Dogging. Yeah, dogging with Tom and N. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed Goodworth. It was magical.

Kiki absolutely loved it. I got a little character. Chauture of Kiki. She got a free 10 minute like primping by some brand I can't remember. Oh my God. This is fantastic. She deserves it. Yeah. She's a princess. Okay. We need to talk to you about Friday night dinner. Sure. The best show ever. Thank you. Honestly. I could take some more amount of credit for that. But yeah, thank you very much. It's so brilliant, isn't it? And obviously it's written by the fabulous Robert Popper. And I think it's one of those shows. Well, I'm interested to know what you think why do you think it was such a total success and people really connected with it and

identified with it and what do you think was the secret and the key to it? What we always say is that every family has its own idiosyncrasies and I think what Friday night didn't manage to do was be sort of relatable enough in the fact that it's quite a standard family. set up, but weird enough that people somehow saw their own family in it, because you might not have the same mediocrisy as this family, but everyone has their own weird stuff that families do, which is weirder than the normal family sitcom, right? So it somehow managed to traverse the gap between, I don't know, young teenagers and parents, whereby, like, they both seem to get something out of it to the point that families could actually watch it together, which I think there

basically is very, very few shows that managed to succeed in that. Yeah. And it's so that relationship that you had with Simon Byrd, it's interesting that you don't have siblings because that was the most believable sibling relationship. I think I've ever seen on screen just in terms of how fucking annoying you were. Yeah, yeah. But also how you wound each other up and it just, did you know Simon or did you, that must have been just a chemistry thing as soon as you know. I did, I didn't know. We did a few sort of chemistry auditions because they auditioned like really wide, which is why even, you know, got scenes. I'd only just be in like the final of like one stand-up competition.

I had no experience or whatever, but they saw a lot of people. And, yeah, I just think that, A, I think I look a lot like Tams and Greg, which they really like for casting reasons. But B, I just think I was probably the most annoying person they found. You know, so my entire job was just antagonised Simon Bird, which I found very easy, you know. So when people say it's like a realistic sibling relationship, it means a lot. Like it's honestly like the sort of nicest thing that people say to me on a regular basis.

But I have no idea how we managed that apart from just the brilliance of the writing really. Because, you know, Robert has a real sibling called Johnny and they did prank each other. And it was based on a completely real relationship, even it was slightly heightened. So I just think that I was sort of like privileged to, you know, have that script and I just had to be annoying. And then everyone's like, oh, that's really realistic. I'm like, oh, good. But you were sort of annoying but charming, which is why, do you know what I mean? I'm using that quote for the poster.

I need that. I need that because I worry about just being annoying really. So as long as a little bit of charm. No, I think that's what made it watchable because you had to be likable. And I think that's why it was good casting because if you weren't, it just would have been unbearable. Whereas because you're sort of like, oh no, but he's sort of winning and charming. And so when he's doing things like, you know, right from the beginning, it's just like I still wake up at night. Just thinking about that phone call when Simon Byrd's character meets this world.

the mum's trying to set him up with someone. Yeah, that is. And Johnny goes into the loo and returns to, he's going, hello, trying to be polite as you are. The nightmares and I are being set up with the parents' friend. And Johnny, you, I still haven't forgiven you. Stop flushing the toilet. And she's going, you do you poop?

And I just was screaming. I remember watching that. Just go, this is awful. Stop him. But because you sort of love you, it's not. it sounds weird but it's the closest thing to having a family member on screen that you think oh well that's what johnny he does that yeah well i mean it's it really is sort of music to to my ears that you that you found something redeeming in my day because i don't think i'm really in control of that you know

i'm just sort of i'm just sort of doing what i'm told and you know are you either sort of warm to me as a personality or not you know and i guess the anxiety is that you don't you don't come across as a nice person who's come across as a sort of psychopath. No, I think it's some... But, yeah, I mean, I'm glad that's how you received me and I'm glad that there seems to be a large portion of the country that also seemed to, you know, not think that I was just like an unremitting prick. Well, it's also why I think that show works and why it's so brilliant

and why it was such a success was because of these performances, in the writing, as you say, from Robert Popper, but also there's a fundamental sort of love and affection so that even when your dad says something or your mom says something and that you feel that the kind of the endless piss taking and roasting is actually coming from a place of a good place you know it's not coming from a dark place it's not do you know what I mean yeah yeah yeah I mean again that's testament to the to the writing of the whole thing and the performances of everyone else I mean I always felt like it did feel very real quite a lot and being surrounded by actors of that talent it just it just sort of elevates

it's you basically. That was so sad that Paul, the guy who played your dad died, and I'm so sorry Tom, that must have been really tough. Yeah, it was a lot to go to a very sort of public grief. Yes, I imagine. I remember feeling quite strange for his actual sort of family really, because people would grieve with me as if I was his actual sort of son. Yes.

I kind of felt like a bit of a conduit for the next. nation's grief in a in a not the nation but you know all the fans of the show no it was a huge thing went on the news and yeah it was because it was a sudden you know it was life interrupted wasn't it it was yeah it was definitely a lot to take but again it was like a maybe privilege is the wrong word but like to to to work with him and and learn from him and to know him and then be to some extent responsible for helping people to kind of process his death was again it's like a you know it's and something that like I'm sort of proud to have done and just having a connection with him. And I still feel connected to him now, you know, it's something that I'm sort of oddly, you know, grateful for and happy about, you know.

It's, I don't really know how you sort of process death. I've not really had much death around me, but I just like to think about all the great things and the great experiences that I had with him as opposed to sort of, you know, missing the fact that he's, gone if that makes sense you know it's like a I know it sounds weird but no I that doesn't sound well to talk to me I think about him you know and how lovely that you have that incredible piece of work which has such affection well I was so many people you know that you did that experience together you had that experience together and it will always be a record of your yeah I was saying this a couple of weeks ago to someone actually just because Paul didn't really get as much

recognition as he deserved for his talent and it was only like with you know Friday night dinner in Chernobyl and stuff, which was right. The end of his career that people saw how great you were. So, you know, it is, it's like a blessing that he got to have that. And his family got to see him, you know, have that sort of time in the sun, so to speak, when he'd had an entire career of being an amazing actor. Yeah, how lovely. But I'm, you know, that's a tough thing when you, you know,

had that working relationship because actors, you know, you do really bond with people and it's like a family. So I was, um, I was interested to know as well, because obviously, That was a long-running show. I know there were periods off, you know, in between, but it was sort of nine years, and then you'd have got plebs a couple of years after that, didn't you? And that was similarly a long run, something like nine years.

That's amazing to be involved in two of the most high-profile successful shows with this huge fan base. I mean, firstly, that must have been life-changing. But secondly, that must have been. have affected your life as well in terms of just being recognised and the focus on you. How did that feel? Did you have to navigate that a bit? I don't really feel like I had to navigate it at the time, to be honest. I think now it's just my 20s, which is sort of making sitcoms and being really privileged to have that position.

I think the show that I'm doing now is an attempt to navigate from that, you know? I think for people to come into my shows and generally sort of wanting me to be Johnny Goodman from Friday Night Dinner. And then kind of feeling that I actually am not that, but also I don't want to disappoint you because that's sort of what you like, you know, like I am something different and having to sort of like try and navigate that gap. And I suppose that's where I think about Alex Turner whereby the transition from like, you know, the first two albums to what it is now. It's like I don't think he's really navigated that business zone. Even though there was an album in between, it's like you sort of, you've lost people, right? And I sort of don't want to lose people, but also I don't want people to know who I am and what I do. I don't want you to like me for some false reason or think that I'm something that I'm not, you know.

So I guess that's what I'm thinking about now. I'm overthinking about what it is to be me beyond those two shows. But no, I understand that. Zero to complain about. It's been a wonderful life. It's that thing where it's like people, you know, they'll get hold of a catchphrase or something. They might run up to you and say, pass face or something. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And you're like, oh yeah, I'm with a dad now. It's like, that's weird, isn't it? Yeah. Like I was talking to Joel Frye, who's in, he's in the first few series of PLEBS. It plays Stylax. Yeah. Brilliant. You know, like, he lives close to me now.

People asking for photos from PLEBS. He's just like, well, that was like 10 years ago now. Like, I'm like, well, at least am I got my family and stuff. And I've got jokes in the show about, like, Daniel Radcliffe and, you know, Arndlo Han and Emma Watson and, you know, all these people that basically, like, they're known for being a character. sort of them for life to some extent, right? Daniel Radcliffe kind of is Harry Potter.

I'm like, that's not a bad thing, but also like, how do you navigate that when you're trying to make new things? Like, how could you ever not be Harry Potter? Like, is that a life that you would want? Like, it's, it's an, I think it's an interesting question. He's had an amazing career, but when you sort of know, I always, I mean, I used to have a joke about McCauley Culkin as well, how like, the biggest thing he'll ever do to, you know, culture is a face that he made when he was sick, that sort of that.

And it's like, how do you deal with that? psychologically, like what... Well, it's why probably John Hamm has waited so long because he was Don Draper. Yeah. So people would say, oh, you know, Don Draper? And I go, no, no, no, he's called John Ham. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. He's not a real man.

Yeah. But John Hamm, it will always be Don Draper. And that's why it's interesting with those roles, isn't it, where you think... And I can imagine with something like Friday Night Dinner, it's also particularly for you and Simon Bird, where you were young when you got... Yeah. I mean, it was post in between us for Simon.

wasn't it? But still, it could easily be that you were in your early 20s when you got that role. So you get stuck at you. You did that show for nine years. You're Johnny forever. You're the adolescent who can't quite grow up forever. Yeah. And I think the in-betweeners boys like suffer it more than anyone. Like they're literal cultural icons. And you can see the way that they've all dealt with it is quite interesting. Buss Wanker. I've got a mortgage. I'm caring for an elderly errand. Yeah, that's Frank on the passport. You know what I mean?

No, I got... There's a mortgage advisor shouting. Obviously, it's a sort of nice problem to have, but it is still something that you have to sort of psychologically contend with to some extent. Clebs was such a brilliant show. Thank you. And I had lovely Tom Bazden on this podcast. He's a nice boy, isn't he?

Very nice. Very smart and talented and nice. Why, do you not believe that? Why he's not laughing? Because I sounded a bit like I realised when he's a nice boy, I sounded like Tamsin Grey. I sounded like a Friday night dinner, mum. Lovely male. He is a lovely boy. Yeah, no, actually to be fair, it sort of, he reminded me, you know, he described

himself as quite backfoot comedically, which I thought was quite a good reference for how I perceive myself to be as well. Really? I do think a lot of comedians is sort of like funny all the time and, uh, I don't really consider myself to be one of those people. I sort of like, being around funny people and sort of bouncing off them rather than having to inject all the comedic energy into a situation or conversation. Oh but you're very funny company though. Like...

Well, I wasn't, I was sort of fishing for that compliment but thank you very much anyway. Or you're talking about him. No, you are. Thank you. Whereas there are some comedians who have what I call the Rowan Atkinson energy. Right. Which is such, you know, arguably one of the funniest comedians comedians who've ever produced, but notoriously not sort of the funniest guy in the room. You know, it's a different kind of approach to comedy, isn't it? It's almost, whereas I think you are someone who I think, oh, let's get Tom a long. All right, well, I appreciate that. Yes, but I mean, Tom Bazden is, I think I'm arguably the

most talented person that I've worked with, blosely. I think he's a sort of freak of productivity. and a real, I think he is a genius to be honest. I think he has to be in that bracket, really. What's your worst quality, please, Tom? My worst quality? Yeah. What would you like to change about yourself? Oh, goodness.

Well, I think there are two different questions. I mean, now, my worst quality I have to sleep too much. I mean that's an annoying thing about being me. That's not my worst quality. I think my worst quality is I can be quite sort of cold conversationally I think. I think I can be very literal and not really understand the emotional context of my statements. which I think, you know, it's quite difficult to be around when there's a highly charged situation, you know? I would say that that's what the people around me suffer the most with. But I don't want to change that. No. I feel like, you know, I would like to be sort of more emotionally intelligent and emotionally in tune.

But I don't beat myself up about not being. I don't think it's just how my brain works, you know. But also, how all your brain works. and how you communicate with people and your speech start and all that, you know, that's where the light gets in, isn't it? That's kind of what's amazing about you, I think. So... This is it. You know, strengths and weaknesses, right?

Yeah. What about you? Well, I think someone once said to me, the things that people find strange and odd about you, those are your strengths. Yeah. And you really need to focus on those things. to focus on those things. Yeah, it's your USP, isn't it?

It's like that's what you have to offer, exactly. Yeah, so you know those things when you're younger, you think, I think it's quite helpful to think, what are the things that I would most change about myself in order to fit in? Those are probably the things I really need to cultivate. Because those are my points of difference, you know, and anything that makes me fit in is probably not a good thing.

So in my case, you know, bit extra, bit eccentric, bit loud, also a bit over-emotional, a bit cryy and drama queen. You know, if something, if a man comes up and a cycle and goes a bit too close to me, I'll go, ooh! Like Alban and La Cajun Fall. And now I think, I've just lent into that now. That's kind of who I am. Yeah.

He sort of made a career up your personality. You can't be that bad, can't it? Yeah. People listen to this podcast, aren't they? Otherwise, why am I here? No, we've got a few listeners. See you all at Goodworth. Will you tell me about your lovely partner?

I would gladly, she is called Gabrielle. Gigi for short. She's your worded there. And she's a bit of a bombshell. The close listeners will know that my dog's called Kiki. My partner's called Gigi. And my daughter's called Simi. Why not?

Your dog's called Kiki, isn't she? Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. You just said Gigi? No, I said my girlfriend's called Gigi, my daughter's called Kiki and my daughter's called Simi. I think that's what I said. I do get those names switched quite a lot. Oh, annoying.

I thought you got it wrong. Yeah, producers nodding that I got it right. Oh, that's so annoying. No, but don't worry, that has happened a lot. Everyone in the family is called Gigi Simi or Simi Kiki or Kiki Simi. It's like a, it's a ridiculous family. And how did you and Gigi meet? A dating app.

Is that depressing? No, she's a bit. of a bombshell as well she's half Welsh half Russian she's a bit of a stone of those jeans well you know I tried to pick a pretty one yeah I mean I was I was actually having a photo shoot last week and I you know they were like oh I just see a picture of a girlfriend and they said they said wow she's so beautiful in a way that suggested that she should definitely not be going out with me and I was like well don't say she's that beautiful you know no I think you look really good together Thanks. Thank you. I appreciate that. She's a wonderful person. And an incredible mother, it must be said, unbelievable relationship with our little child. And I'm just a very, very privileged that I've picked such a nurturing lady to care for my progeny. I know this might be, don't answer this if it feels weird, but what do you think she loves about you the most?

Oh, I mean, it is definitely weirdness. You know, oddly, we are quite sort of spiritual. And she claims that she manifested me right after the breakup of her last relationship. She wrote in her phone that she wanted, it was literally like a weird oddball with a big nose. That's what she wrote in her phone. Because I don't know, like her granddad had a big nose or something. And she thought, I don't know, I don't know what it was going on. But she literally manifested.

And the thing she said funny as well, which I, you know, at least. you know I have earned money in the common industry whether you think I'm funny or not so there's there's got to be funnier than your average person right so yeah yeah she she fully takes credit for sort of manifesting me and I'm very glad that she did because as you say she is sort of you know quite nice to look at and she's a phenomenally good mother and person really yeah so what else do you want to know I'm really happy for you Tom I feel like I've met you at a really good point in your life oh I mean I am unbelievably blessed right now I've been surrounded by a lot of love Is that a man?

He's a man meditating, yeah. He looks really serene, isn't he? It's like Jesus of Nazareth. Have you got pants? He's got crossed legs and... Has he got pants on? He has just sort of looked at us while we're talking about him. I think maybe we're getting in the way of his meditation a little bit,

but you're going to meditate in a park. You are going to get people doing a podcast, isn't he meditating. That's so rude. What do you think it is that's so special about dogs? There is something sort of... I'm quite a, yeah, I am a sort of quite spiritual woo-woo person, and I just think that they're tuned into something that we're not. They perceive a sort of different...

Do you think so, Tom? A different wavelength, yeah. I think they can maybe see auras or something like this, you know what I mean? And I think that they give us access to like a higher resonance of existence. And it's honestly what I believe. Having previously not liked them at all, I just think that they are a gateway into like... Well, it's true when old people hang out with them. You know, like their heart rate falls and they live longer.

And whenever I just sort of touch my dog or I'm close to my dog, I just feel my heart is like lighter, you know. There isn't really good scientific language to explain that. But I just feel that they're tapped into something that really benefits us and is of some kind of elevated frequency. I mean, I don't know, I sound mad. But that's why I think they're so special. You know, I don't think they're very special things.

Do you know what as well? there's a thing I often quote this because I really love it something Freud said because Freud was obsessed with dogs and he used to keep them in his consulting rooms and he would sometimes sort of get the dogs to sit in and see how people reacting with them as part of the therapy and he once said he talked about the purity of dogs's emotions dogs emotions and he said dogs are quite unlike humans humans bite their friends dogs only bite their enemies. And I thought there's something so powerful in that.

It's so true that if a dog likes someone, you know, it's this truth-telling thing, you know. And I think what I... I mean, I love loads of things about Kiki, but she is like a physical manifestation of the love that's being poured into us. When we first, like, met her, she hadn't had much love put into her. So she was really suspicious and, you know, I guess, a bit aggressive, I guess, to the world. because that was her how she protested it.

But Gigi was like so loving and so nurturing and just put so much love into her. Oh, do you like him? All right, bro. I heard you on the radio there. Did you? Oh yeah, I'm ready. Thank you so much.

Cheers, brother. You too. Oh, he looks so happy to see you song. This is it, man. Radio 2 with Ramoschanga Nathan. I didn't know many people listened to that. My goodness. Went on there and

loads of random people are saying that. Anyway, that was nice. Yes, I saw a clip of that. And the weather girl. You saw, I haven't seen. seen that clip yet oh my god is she called sally i need to see where did you see that clip that was that was so funny i'll send it to you it's on instagram and she basically says she she says you have such an interesting face this is what i mean and romish utterly

lose it we we we could yeah i i need to see that clip she says no it's a very very interesting face and romish is going interesting but she said that me and my dad have the same interesting face yeah which is you know i guess true i was very interesting thank you for your interest sally and then she says she follows it up with something even worse afterwards she tries to make it better what does she she she she paid she was sort of then kind of worried that dad wasn't alive anymore so she she basically she did a really partridge thing being like i hope he is still alive anyway on the a 3834 like it was such a hilarious transition that me and roves like laugh for like a minute and a half i'm so glad they've kept that up i need to see that it was something like i'm so glad he's still with us yeah

yeah anyway yeah this is it but what i'm saying is these dogs you know you pour love into them and then they basically broadcast that love back out you know the lovely dogs that we've met were so offended to us because you know humans have poured love into them and they kind of like rebound it out back right yeah and i just think that's what's so magic about well at least my experience with kiki um that you know what you put in you kind of get out agree with that and I also think I know with Ray I brought Ray into my life and you know I was going through a lot of grief and my sister died and all this kind of stuff and actually it was really amazing but how he sort of it is really life-changing when you're going through

tough times just because I do think they pick up on it yeah like I would be crying and he would come over and he'd make me laugh because he's so ridiculous I'd literally go from sobbing to like his step you know when your dog makes you love off hysterically. Have you ever had that? Yeah, yeah. They're being so stupid. Yeah. You're just like, okay.

And I think, no, that's the gift, you know, that they... With Gigi's like pregnancy and giving birth to Simi and like the sort of kind of protectiveness and the softness and it's like they just, Kiki's just so intuitive. How does Kiki feel then? Did she love the baby? Well, yeah, we thought that she'd be like a bit jealous, but she's actually just so soft and protective and whenever we're walking she's way more aggressive now than she ever has been as a little baby so she's like she doesn't have tiny little thing but if any dog even sort of comes close she's like just because simmy's there and she wants to protect

our pack you know and do you have to when you get the baby do they advise do you is there a certain way you know that they advise to be with a dog I mean I think they basically said that like don't just put the baby down because the dog will be like blah and they might get in the baby's face some dogs do that so what you're supposed to do is like have the babies like clothes and put it in kiki's like bed so Kiki gets used to the sort of smell of the baby. So it isn't quite so like confused or mad with the baby first kinds. But we, I mean, we, I know everyone says this, but we think Kiki's pretty intelligent and she sort of sussed up what's going on when the baby was in the thing. And so when the baby arrived, Kiki doesn't seem that surprise. She was just very soft the entire time.

And we have to have nothing that has caused any problem with her. She just comes up and sometimes, you know, puts a little paw on her head or a little lick or whatever. And it's like, yeah, I mean, it makes me cry like regularly. And I don't cry at stuff. Do you not cry much? No, not really. But now, now, you know, with a baby and a dog and I'm just like, oh, this bit of me has opened up that hasn't really been there before.

And yeah, it's a real privilege to have so much love in my life right now. You seem quite good nature, Tom. It's all an act. It's a ruse to sell tickets. Is it? I don't know. Yes. I mean, I think I'm quite earnest. honest. What would Gigi say if I said, what's Tom like when he's angry? Are you someone who's

quiet and stews on it a bit? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I have to go away and I suppose avoidant would be the term. It can be quite good though sometimes because you process your feelings, don't you? Yeah, I'm very rarely like so carried away by my emotions that I'll do or say anything that I, you know. You're not a Gordon Ramsey type. You don't, you strike me as the opposite of that. No, yeah. Oh, this is good. I'm very fortunate that I don't. don't have too many negative emotions to process right now. Yeah. Yeah.

I really like it here. What a lovely way to spend an afternoon with you. And you know what? Even though I didn't have Ray, I'm going to say something sincere here. And I'm just wondering, how do you feel about compliments and sincerity? Does it bother you a bit? I don't love them. I don't know.

I might just think it then. It's, no, it's just because I don't necessarily know what to say afterwards. That's my main sort of concern because I think there's no way that you can receive a compliment well, you know? Because I think I used to be like quite British and bashful about it

and be like, oh no, no, no, no. And now I just sort of go, you know, okay. Which comes across as quite rude, you know, like, so... Do you know what, though? I think compliments are like... I was going to say they're like charity, but that sounds terribly insulting.

But I think they are in their... that you can't give for the response you get from giving. You don't give for the applause. You have to give because it's in your heart and you want to. And I think a bit like, I don't know, if you have a difficult relationship that ends, or, you know, or friendship or whatever, or it's like keep your side of the street clean.

Even if you send a text to that into the ether and you never get a response. It's that thing of feeling. I didn't do that to get an answer. I did that because I wanted to feel okay about it. What was the confident you're going to say and we'll see how I respond to it. Okay. Whether I do it correctly or whether I end this podcast in a terrible way.

Yeah, I quite like that. So let's go down that road. I think you've got, it sounds a bit weird and hippie. I just think you've got very good energy to be around. And I really, I don't know what, I really like your energy. I'd appreciate that. I say that sort of thing and my dad gets so upset. Whenever I say anything containing energy, he's like, you've lost me.

don't say that word. Can you phrase it any other way? Me and my girlfriend say it all the time as well, and I really appreciate that. It means a lot. I likewise, have it had a very nice energy of you. Thank you for being so receptive and open to my neurotic whittering. Oh, you've been brilliant.

I just really need to do this again with Kiki because it will be a... Could we come... I really love doing you so much. I think you might have to just be on it all the time. Fab. So when is the next thing you have to promote? Well, no idea. But fingers crossed, there's something.

I don't know. I don't care. You're going to have to be like some people, Lee Mackie, he has to come on all the time. Right, right, right. Every episode of what I lied to you. He said that about five times. I'd just call my going to leave.

Big laugh there. Living the producer, laughs with recognition. We're going this way to the tube. Come here. Yeah, well, you know, I've got that Edinburgh to sell, but then I've got my tour the start of next year. So maybe I'll just come back and just remind people about my show. Yeah, of course.

If you want to come to Bristol, that would be way easier for me because I can take you on our little walk we've got. Well, let's, and I'll bring Ray up, if he's still with him. God willing. Big sign. On a sort of lukewarm day, you know. I love Bristol.

Bristol's brilliant. Yeah, you're definitely coming on again whether you like it or not. You're in this space. I've already tried to get kick it. So there was a show called Battle in the Box. I don't know whether you came across it on Channel U. I've seen most.

If it's Tom Rosenthal's in it. It was like a sort of massively failed sort of panel show kind of thing hosted by Jimmy Carr. and we had we had to bring different objects into the box we were going to spend 24 hours in the box one of my objects was some kiki bunting basically so I put up in my box just like loads of little photos of kiki I'm always trying to get kiki in the public eye

I took her to krufts and I carried her around krufts but actually they didn't let me into krufts I had a photo of her and I was going look at this dog, it was the best dog in the world and everyone at krofts looked at me like I was insane because she's like a mixed breed and krufts they're really like ugh god oh I can't bear it Best in church. They are very, that's what I like about Goodwuf as well. Goodwuf was a lot more sort of open. It's much more inclusive. It's rescue dogs next year. They're the big feature of Goodwuf.

So Kiki's going to clean up. That's not, that's not going to do well there. He's a bit of a pampered print. We got, we got to go big time Goodwuf. Me and you. Oh, I love that. And I really love to meet Gigi and Kiki. So I'm definitely going to come to Bristol and meet the Rosenthal's. Meet the Rosenthal's. Super. I'd watch that. A nice walk. Oh, is it lovely, Tom. I don't walk very often actually, yes, without a dog. So I really appreciate that, thank you.

Oh, Tom, you've been such a great guest. Well, you've got to go and perform the stand-up now. Yes. You're doing these previews for your Edinburgh show. Tom, on this, we're finishing on a dog walk. That's quite an upset dog, I think. I don't think we want to meet that dog. I think we should quit all her ahead with the dog meeting.

Is that like the mock the weak bully of the dog world? Oh, here comes the dog. bully what do you think it's not an excel bully it's just an I like I like this dog it's cute actually it's a really cute dog is it a Jack Russell I think it is a Jack Russell it's so cute excuse me is that a one a Pomeranian oh my friend has a is your cart sure yeah they were saying that yeah what are the Q-POM is it or POMChee oh yeah I got a rescue dog oh yeah I got a rest of my friend has that as well oh She's called.

She's called Kiki. Oh, Kiki. She's from like Romania, man. Oh, nice. Yeah, he's from Kentucky. Kentucky. That's amazing. I didn't know you got a lot of rescue dogs from Kentucky.

Well, they do. Yeah, yeah. They hit the south. They have a lot of like these like kill shelters. Is that really? They were living in the States at the time. Yeah, so they bring them up to like the, well, we were living in New York. They brought them up there.

Really? So it's quite a lot of people have southern dogs. Is it complicated bringing it over? It was relatively expensive as a couple of grand. Yeah, but what price? What's this all called? Hubert. Hubert.

It's everything I want and more. Hello, Hubert. Oh, darling. Oh, sorry. Hubert, we don't want you to get one over by the bike. You're ever so sweet. He's so sweet. We love you, Hubert.

It was so nice to meet you. We won't check up any more. Good time. Bye-bye. I do you can measure. It's a lot friendier than we thought. Do you know it just shows you, not all Hubert's or what you think you're going to be? Yeah, all Bart, no, bye.

What you say Hubert is? Yeah. It's not going to work, is it? No, it's hard. Whatever people say Hubert is, that is what Hubert's not. Yeah. Let's work on it, okay? That's my next show.

I think we're a good team socially as friends, because I can see with these encounters, I like to think I grease. You definitely are the grease, yeah. I can never approach people like you approach people. Really? Yeah. Once we're in the conversation, they're fine, but you're like, hey, can I talk to your dog? I can't do that. I just can't.

But that makes me happy because you know earlier you were saying, like, about qualities that make you a bit weird. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like when I was a kid, that's what I would do is Emily's always just walking up to people. It's a gift. And now I used to be embarrassed of that, and so I would never do it. And I think, oh, no, I like it. It would have been a much worse podcast if you didn't have that. And we've seen another doggy.

Oh, here we go. Oh, there we go. What's this one called? This is Harry. Harry? Harry the Cocker Spaniel? Oh, best coats in the world. Harry, we love you, Harry.

What a cutie. Oh, bye, Harry. Do you want to say hello to my? Oh, go. We've got a bar. Do you want to say hello to me? No, no. Harry doesn't like men.

It's so nice to meet you. Goodbye. What a treat. Harry just, at that, yeah, don't take it personal. Yeah, Harry. It's a bit of a depressing end to the podcast. but what can you do? Harry clearly didn't see me on radio too.

Wasn't as excited to see me. Tom, I've loved it. Can we have? Do you do hugs? Yes. Yes. Yes. Oh, I love to do this.

Thank you very much. We normally say goodbye, Ray, but can you say, see you soon, Ray? See you soon, Ray. Keep well. Until next time. Goodbye. I really hope you enjoyed that episode of Walking the Dog. We'd love it if you subscribed and do join us next time on Walking the Dog wherever you get your podcasts.