When Celebrities Network! Part 5 - Richard Herring

Continuing day 2's session, we follow this morning's chat with Dr Karl / Alan Fletcher with a short interview with comedian, writer and ginger-obssessed * podcaster Richard Herring. As a weekly podcaster and daily blogger, Richard is obviously already well on the way to being a social media kingpin, so let's see what he had to say in response to our probing questions! :)

* Ginger the food, not the hair colour...

Best known as one half of nineties double-act Lee and Herring, Richard Herring is a bit of an internet-based comedy powerhouse. As well as his comedy-based day jobs, he has a blog which he has updated every day for the past five years; he records a weekly podcast (for free, as he regularly reminds listeners) which he records in the luxurious comfort of his attic with fellow writer and tramp-lover Andrew Collins; and he has several social networking presences, including an official Facebook page and profile...

You're on Facebook - do you use any other social media and to what extent?

I have a MySpace account that I scarcely even look at any more and was going to close down, but which I still use occasionally to send out a bulletin to the few people who haven't absconded to Facebook (though Facebook itself is starting to feel passe). I have a blog which I have done every day for almost the last 2000 days. I have recently started doing a podcast with TV's Andrew Collings. I spend most of my time on the internet looking at something or other, but usually in quite a trance like state at stuff that I have already just looked at.

What has your experience of Social Networks been like so far?

I have mainly enjoyed using the social networking sites, both for keeping in touch with friends and for informing people who like my work about what I am up to. I find most people are polite and understand the parameters, though one or two people have got borderline stalkerish (though I don't mind this so much if they stay in their houses to do it!). I have two Facebook pages, one for friends and one for anyone and I enjoy keeping up with people I know on here and catching up with old mates. I am less obsessed with it than I was six months ago though. I am getting a bit old for it.

As a public figure, how do you feel about / deal with fans (or critics in some cases) contacting you online?

As I said above it's mainly been great. I have always been very open to fans and enemies getting in touch and letting me know what they think. It's interesting to get some feedback, the vast majority of which is positive (and I have massive suspicions about the motives of people who get in touch with you only to slag you off - personally I wouldn't bother).

What would you class as the main reason you use social networks - personal interaction, publicising your work, research, feedback etc?

I use them for publicity purposes and for staying in touch with friends. And to a small extent making new friends.

Do you use any of Facebook / MySpace's added features or is your profile fairly basic?

I find most of the applications and the constant requests rather irritating. I use a few. Most notably Scrabulous, but it infuriates me so much when people cheat that I have decided to knock that on the head too.