Nine Lessons and Carols for Godless people

Robin Ince hosted the evening of science readings, comedians and music. The music wasn’t all to my taste but Jarvis Cocker went down very well with the crowd with “They said there’ll be snow at Christmas.” This he picked for its mean-spirited lyrics.

Simon Singh gave an interesting talk about his book on the Big Bang and also his argument with Katie Melua about the lyrics to her song “Nine million bicycles” . Obviously we aren’t 12 billion light years form the edge. Simon didn’t mention the trouble he was having with the British Chiropractic Association, presumably for legal reasons. Hopefully the case will be resolved very soon, it should be very interesting to follow.

The comedians were a mixed bunch. The event lasted for three hours with each act getting, I think, eight minutes. So, there were a lot of performer of variable quality. Some excellent, some okay and some not to my taste at all. I have seen Mark Thomas a fair few times and he did much of the same material that I had seen previously. Stewart Lee is always worth seeing live and did some very funny material asking whether the sale of Pope John Paul II lollipops increased or decreased after his death.. Ricky Gervais got a very good reception but seemed to offend people by making a joke about raping an old woman. Personally, I thought it was amusing and his logic was impeccable. But there was an audible sharp intake of breath.
Dara Ó Briain has a science degree and doesn’t have much time for alternative medicine. His proposal to put nutritionists, psychics and homeopaths in a burlap bag and then hit them with a stick caused great applause. He also pointed out that whilst dietician is a protected title (as is pharmacist in the UK) anybody can call himself or herself a nutritionist in the UK. (Hence, the pseudoscientific mumbo-jumbo written by nutritionists in every UK newspaper)

The highlight for me was Professor Richard Dawkins. Mr God Delusion himself. He read three extracts from his work including an interesting and humbling piece from “Unweaving the Rainbow” Dawkins has a voice that reminds me of Professor Yaffle from Bagpuss, but it is a very sonorous one and I could listen to him for hours.

Ben Goldacre gave an impassioned speech about his legal battle with Matthias Rath. Rath sued Goldacre and The Guardian over articles in which Goldacre criticised Rath’s peddling of vitamin pills for the treatment of HIV and AIDS. A chapter in Goldacre’s book “Bad Science” was cut due to ongoing litigation. This has since been dropped by Rath who now owes The Guardian about £500,000 in legal fees.

Tim Minchin was also amazing, ending the show with a nine minute beat poem, “Storm.” It sounds horrendous but it was actually incredibly moving and inspiring.

It was a very interesting evening and a rational celebration of Christmas. Considering the room was largely full of atheists, it was not particularly anti-religion. More anti-woo and pro- evidence-based medicine.

Never have I seen so many geeks and nerds in one room. As Robin Ince said “This is our time!”

Merry Christmas