Harry Shearer

Changes to Slapstick Festival

In a late change to the advertised programme for the 19th annual edition of Slapstick in Bristol, the event now taking place on Saturday 18 February at St George's, Brandon Hill (5.30pm) will be "Comic Strip Stories" - a 40th anniversary look back at The Comic Strip Presents.

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Richard Herring's ten best interviews

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The voice of Mr Burns and Ned Flanders says that many US comedians "have really out-sized egos...but in Britain, the guys just do the work and don't proclaim themselves in the same way."

Radio Times review

If you're settling down for a relaxing half-hour of gentle entertainment, this isn't it. In fact it's likely to make your blood pressure soar. Pete's in charge of the Brockman brood for the day while Sue's struggling to organise a conference call at work... and yes, that's Harry Shearer (from The Simpsons) on the computer screen.

And on this day Karen's in trouble with her head teacher (Rebecca Front delivering a startling line about Roald Dahl), Ben's lost his mobile, Jake's lost his Oyster card and Pete's lost the plot, trying to juggle these problems by shouting into an aged mobile.

Anyone whose train of thought has been derailed by the tangential mind of a teenager will relate to Pete's exasperation, while many women will experience a familiar feeling of dread when he pompously announces "Just leave it all to me!"

President Richard Nixon - or, to give him his full title, disgraced president Richard Nixon - recorded almost all conversations he held in the Oval Office and it is these transcripts that provide the basis of the dialogue for Sky Arts' Nixon's The One.

Harry Shearer, of The Simpsons and Spinal Tap fame, takes the lead role - one he has honed over many years for the US cult comedy show Saturday Night Live - with Henry Goodman lending support as Henry Kissinger.

Nixon brags, rambles, whines and holds forth, while Kissinger fawns, flatters and, in one memorable scene, fumbles an uncomfortable and not wholly convincing explanation as to why a foreign journalist quoted him as calling his boss "a cowboy". Such is their depth of friendship that Nixon forgives Kissinger, and then orders his entire outgoing phone calls traced.

Those who prefer their viewing a little more visual might go away disappointed - the characters are largely chair-bound, it is filmed on a single set and the only discernible action is outside the window when a gardener shambles past. But for anyone wanting a fascinating, funny and slightly disturbing insight into the mind of the former leader of the free world, Nixon's The One is the one.

We know what you've been doing Mr President

Harry Shearer says the surveillance state has always been around. Just ask Richard Nixon...

Harry Shearer: Nixon didn't like a lot of people

Harry Shearer, 70, is best known for The Simpsons. He listened to 2,000 hours of Nixon tapes for his new series and says the leader was a 'twisted guy'.

Harry Shearer portrays Nixon behind closed doors

Harry Shearer is best known for providing the voice of Mr Burns in The Simpsons and as Derek Smalls in spoof rock band Spinal Tap. His next role sees him take on former US president Richard Nixon in a series based on the disgraced politician behind closed doors.

Nixon's the One!, Sky Arts 1, review

Harry Shearer was excellent as the former American president in Nixon's the One! says Charlotte Runcie.