Aug 30, 2015
WATCH: https://londonrealacademy.com/episodes/howard-marks-meeting-mr-nice-redux/
The sad news of counter-culture icon Howard Marks’ inoperable cancer has been met with great sadness here at London Real.
I’m sure you are aware how important he is to the show, and how incredibly grateful we were to have him visit the studio a couple of years ago.
In order to show our respect to Howard, this week’s episode is a REDUX of the hugely entertaining interview we did with him.
The reversal of ludicrous drug laws is close to our hearts on this show, and Howard Marks has championed this cause for the best part of thirty years.
This has been his life’s purpose, whether it is being imprisoned as one of the most successful cannabis smugglers in history, or as a writer of his memoir ‘Mr Nice’ which brought the drugs debate to a whole new generation.
Howard is every bit the British gentleman, mixing his outlaw status with a brilliantly warm personality. His blend of kind heartedness and bold adventurism is what we’ve always been about at London Real.
Howard is charming, witty, and intelligent.
He answers some tough questions about his links with the IRA, and he reveals how he managed to survive in the brutal American prison system. Some parts of his story are just incredible!
He infiltrated Pakistan on the behalf of drug lords, maintained over forty different identities and passports, and doubled as an agent for the British secret service.
While serving his sentence in the infamous Terra Haute prison in the US he discovered that the best way to survive in a tough environment was to serve others.
You can’t get more London Real than that!
Even hardened criminals respond tosomeone delivering value! Howard acted as a lawyer for other prisoners and helped some with literacy skills and education.
In the course of revisiting this London Real favourite, you’ll see just how Howard managed to ride the massive ups and downs of his adventurous life.
He has this joyful energy about him, and doesn’t take himself too seriously.
He’s also got the most amazingly deep and musical voice, and a disarming smile.
Howard is someone we are very proud to have hosted here at the studio, and we send solidarity, love and gratitude to him and his family at this difficult time.
https://londonrealacademy.com/episodes/howard-marks-meeting-mr-nice-redux/