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Brainy Adventures
I’ve spent years studying the human brain, but nothing could have prepared me for the situations it has dropped me into. Here are a few of the more unusual moments from the past decade (the ones that don’t quite fit anywhere else, but probably say a lot about my career.)
The Whoopi Goldberg Incident
A call out of the blue from my agent that began with “Are you sitting down?” is how I learned that the US TV rights to The Idiot Brain had been purchased by none other than Hollywood icon Whoopi Goldberg. This led to several meetings with American studios, a baffling encounter at a local bank, and a wildly unlikely friendship that endures to this day.
Being laughed at by astronauts
I once had the rare experience of being laughed at by a real life astronaut. It was during a performance I was doing at the Hammersmith Apollo. I was told they were laughing with me, not at me, but there’s no proof of this.
Kicked off Radio 5 Live
I was once politely removed from a Radio 5 Live discussion for claiming I could perform a head transplant with a hacksaw and a stapler. I was making a valid point, though. The science was solid!
The Miami Ketamine Episode
An unexpected invitation took me to Miami to observe and report on the international psychedelics conference. What I found was a wild clash of spirituality, science, economics and commerce. Featuring innovative treatments for depression, mushroom-infused coffee, virtual reality, and a great many people engaging in ‘chemical relaxation’. It was eye-opening, moving, and literally mind-bending.
Comedy Beginnings
Before the books and the neuroscience, there was stand-up comedy. It explains more than you’d think.
The Owl on Polish TV
I once had to do a live interview on Polish TV conducted through four layers of translation. However, the most confusing part of the experience was the large owl roaming around the studio. Nobody explained it. I still think about it.
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