#144 Fin Taylor (Fin vs History)

About this episode

<p><strong>Fin Taylor is a standup comedian and podcaster. He is the creator of Fin Vs History and Fin vs The Internet.</strong></p><p><br /></p><p>Comedian Fin Taylor joins Origin Story to unpack how a Glasgow kid who relocated to a Oxford girls’ boarding house (7–13) got <em>“cancelled” at 14</em><strong>, started stand-up at 18, and went from £500/month gigs to sold-out tours and a cult podcast. </strong></p><p>We get into why TV exposure ≠ audience, how to actually build jokes that work anywhere, the Riyadh debate, and the monoculture flashpoint of Bonnie Blue.</p><p>In this episode:</p><ul><li>​Private school without the money: damage at both ends</li><li>​The headmaster who told him off… then apologised (context collapse 101)</li><li>​Comedy = craft: word choice, rhythm, ending on the funniest word</li><li>​TV vs Internet: why clips and podcasts move tickets</li><li>​Parasocial fans &amp; designing theatre shows that don’t feel contrived</li><li>​Getting punched on stage and handling chaos in real time</li><li>​Building Bumble Risky: owning the edit, scaling a team</li><li>​The Riyadh question, Bonnie Blue, and the “death of taste”</li><li>​If starting today: the 90-day playbook</li></ul><p>Chapters00:00 Cold open — “Cancelled at 14”02:18 Glasgow roots &amp; Hutchie debate05:12 Living in a girls’ boarding house (7–13)12:30 Headmaster apology &amp; early confidence17:40 Starting stand-up at 18; debate team as proto-comedy24:10 £500/month vs £380 rent — taking the leap30:22 Why TV didn’t move tickets36:05 Parasocial fans &amp; theatre design43:22 Riyadh debate &amp; brand fit51:03 Punched on stage — what you do next58:00 Building Bumble Risky &amp; the core team1:04:10 Next horizon: a British South Park1:09:40 If starting now: people, reps, own the edit</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>