"I Was Gonna Save the World" - Gallagher on WTF

I have 30 years of experience, and you think I don't know what the hell I'm talking about!

After listening to the Gallagher interview on WTF with Marc Maron, I must say I heard more of a resigned abandonment than a storming-off.

More 'This is dumb,' than 'Well—I—Never!'

And I disagree with Gallagher. It wasn't dumb. Maron deserved a response to his questions, and the harshest part of the interview was already over. Here's where I thought Gallagher was going to leave:

Gallagher: You can't tell a lesbian joke in Boston, Minneapolis, Portland, and Seattle.

Maron: Why?

Gallagher: 'Cause they'll boo you.

Maron: Because… why?

Gallagher: Their politics is different.

Maron: Their politics? Or their sensitivity to people who are a specific group of people that are being made fun of at the brunt of a joke to release the aggression of narrow-minded people as some form of entertainment, is offensive to them. That's why. So my question is: If by releasing aggression in an audience is by saying like "The Arabs stink. They're all evil" or… "Gays are fucked," and that releases aggression, how is it not just reaffirming fucking prejudice and intolerance in that group of people?

Gallagher: You think I have the power, by telling a joke, to rally people—

Maron: —to laugh.

Gallagher: —around—

Maron: —to laugh. You rally people to laugh at what? Because they identify with your prejudice. That's why they're laughing. "I get that. I hate fags too." Is that releasing aggression in a healthy way?

Gallagher: (pause) Hate—

Maron: Sure.

Gallagher: There's not hate involved here. We're telling jokes.

Maron: O, there's a lot of hate in jokes. Come on…

Gallagher rolls with this challenge and claims not to hate or wish to oppress any group. Maron's claim—that Gallagher is reaffirming intolerance—starts to merge with his broader challenge that the humor isn't helping society's problems.

Because, of course, we know that comedy is all about problem solving.

But that's a fair push. It's fair of Maron to pursue it. And at this point in the interview, the tone starts to calm down. They even go on to chuckle a few times. Yeah, Gallagher probably should admit that his comedy isn't fixing things. I have no problem (as if that matters) with Maron hoping his own comedy heals and doesn't just distract. His humor has always had more the sting of antiseptic than the ease of anaesthetic. But that's why I wasn't sure what precise point he was making when he asked about Gallagher's act

What if it hurts people's feelings? And…what if people see it as as isolating and vicious? Does that bother you?

The strength of Maron's act has always been that even if he cares that he hurts people, he keeps going with it. Because people—even when they're in groups—can handle being ridiculed. But is he going to insist that unless you're trying to help, an act that "hurts" is contributing to intolerance? Maron doesn't give much space when Gallagher claims that he's showing society its hangups.

And that's because when you try to talk about the moral responsibility of comedy, you either have to draw some completely arbitrary lines; or you start a horrible discussion of aesthetics; or you have to admit that there is no morality as long as you're OK with who your audience is.

In this interview, Gallagher comes across a comic that thinks he has a lot to teach. He doesn't value the trend away from histrionic comedy. He believes every comic should want to sell out State Fairs. He believes even the greatest comedians who focus their material on their own fears and problems are doing it wrong. He sees himself as a blend between historian and mentor. And he's sad that his audience is literally dying. The thing that drives him away from the interview is that he doesn't realize that Maron is already important, and doesn't need a teacher, teaching those things. Right before he gives up, Gallagher complains "Why did you want me to do this interview if you don't think I dont know anything about what you're asking me about."* I can't imagine he would ask that if he understood how well WTF has done, and will continue to do, without him.

WTF on iTunes
WTF on Libsyn

---

* It's important to keep in mind how this all started. Maron explains in his weekly email update: "My manager got a call from a guy who said he was Gallagher’s manager. He wanted to know if Gallagher could do a spot on my show and maybe do the podcast."

Run, Gallagher Run: Maron Loses his First Guest Mid-interview

This just in: Halfway thru being interviewed by Marc Maron earlier today, Gallagher threw a tantrum and ditched the room. Here's how it went down according to Maron's recent tweets. In the order Maron posted:

• Looks like I'm going to interview Gallagher today. WTF. (9:34 AM PST)
• Going to find Gallagher. Talk later. I hope[....] (10:41 AM PST)
• Gallagher just threw the mic down and stormed out of my hotel room. (11:33 AM PST)
• I got about a half hour. Very defensive. I guess if you call bullshit on him there is no debate. He just storms off like a child. (11:36 AM PST)
• I was being very diplomatic but I guess its either his way or[....]he throws the mic down and storms off. (11:37 AM PST)
• I wouldn't put it past Gallagher to come and heckle me tnite. He was pissed. Doesn't like comics who talk about themselves. (11:41 AM PST)
• I knew what I was getting into. He snapped when I disagreed with his assessment of good and bad comedy. Not politics. (12:02 PM PST)

@lowmoralfiber asks: "Did you feel physically threatened?"

• Not at all. I was sad he left. It was just getting good.

@smassing asks: "First guest to walk out on you?"

• Yes.

@SonicReducer09 asks: "were you really being that hard on him?"

• No, I was trying to logically understand where he was coming from. My bad.

And it looks like we'll get to hear the buildup.

• I plan to air the half hour. No reason not to if the sound is good.

Anyone who follows Marc Maron or listens to WTF knows that he readily admits to occasionally being aggressive and confrontational. But not really in his WTF interviews. There he just has honest and revealing conversations with comedians just begging to be understood and loved. There are tense moments, sure, but Gallagher is apparently the first to shut down walk away.

And don't worry; Maron assures us that the mic was not harmed.

Comedy Central Keeps Presenting

A reminder and update: The Netflix stash of Comedy Central Presents is growing. They're not yet posting the 2010 season, but they are pretty much caught up to the 2009 season, which is about 24 more episodes since I last counted a few months ago.

Daniel asks where he can watch or get the first two new episodes. The Tom Segura and Michael Kosta episodes are available for $2.99 each on iTunes. For $34.99 you can buy all of season 15. Or you can get the whole series for only $477.60.

And there's a free season 15 "Sneak Peek" that I haven't seen yet, on iTunes. I'll update once I've taken a look at it.

[UPDATE]
And of course, it's exactly what you'd expect. Short clips that sell a few pretty successful bits. None of these names should be new to you, but here's a list of the sampled acts just in case there are a few in here you haven't seen and would like to take a quick look at:

Michael Kosta
Chelsea Peretti
Chris D'Elia
Sheng Wang
Tom Segura
Matt Fulchiron
Hari Kondabolu
Al Jackson
Jay Larson
Kyle Kinane
Jessi Klein
Louis Katz
Nate Bargatze
Natasha Leggero
Mike Vecchione
Jack Whitehall

Comedy Central's Stand-Up Showdown

Tomorrow (Thursday) at noon, the voting closes for Comedy Central's Stand-Up Showdown. I've been tempted to write about this all month, but something kept telling me it wasn't important. "Why isn't it," you ask?

Well how about the fact that Jeff Dunham finished 1st in 2008 and 2nd in 2009?

But it's not a useless campaign. The top twenty placers are a pretty good mix of styles. And it's not only the current sweethearts and trending comics that get all the attention. There are a lot of consistent performers on there. But ultimately, yeah, it's popularity contest. As most of these contests are.

But it's a good way to get a look at influential and rising comedians. A bunch of them stacked together and put up on a single page for you to watch.

In related news: January has been stand-up comedy month on Comedy Central. Which means they've been showing almost enough stand-up comedy.

Unfunny

Friend and faithful reader, Ed asks:

yo 3gdx- do you find 'My Name is Earl' unfunny?

First: Dig the 3gdx handle.

Second: I hate having to admit when I don't find something funny. It's not even out of a sense of duty to "all humor" or a respect for anyone that tries. It's just unsettling to watch something that's obviously supposed to be funny but isn't working. Unless there's a clear fix. When I don't know why a joke is failing, I feel suffocated. Probably because of some fear that I could write something and not know that it's a dud.

I haven't watched much of My Name Is Earl. Maybe 80 minutes of it all together. But not once in those 80 minutes have I even chuckled. And it's uncomfortable to admit that I can't tell you why. I can't tell you what's wrong with the show or what's missing.

And so, this isn't a critique. This is related to my comment several months ago on another post:

but when we don't laugh, and insist we do get it, we're lying, and trying to convince people that we know where our spidey sense would have picked up any traces of humor, but they didn't, and that's why the joke isn't funny.

I'm just admitting that I never got My Name Is Earl. And it's not because I'm above it. Everyone knows I'm willing to admit when I think I'm above something.

So I'm not going to say it was "unfunny." I just never laughed.

As I was saying…

About a month off. That'll do. Now I can get back to posting here to make sure I look dedicated to being a loser with a blog.

Hold on… I'll be with you as soon as I've had my coffee.

This Week On The Shows: Nov. 15-19

• Monday
  • Ferguson: Dennis Miller
  • Kimmel: Kathy Griffin (1st guest)

  ---

  
  
• Tuesday
  • Ø

  ---

  
  
• Wednesday
  • Ø

  ---

  
  
• Thursday
  • Letterman: Jim Carrey (1st guest)
  • Kimmel: Robin Quivers†

  ---

  
  
• Friday
  • Letterman: Mike E. Winfield
  • Ferguson: Amy Sedaris
  • Kimmel: Gary Dell'Abate

---

All guests as listed on shows' web sites at time of posting. Changes in schedule may be reflected in updates.
† …since I listed Baba Booey both last week and again this week.

Stewart, Maddow, and the Search for Sanity

Was Rachel Maddow's interview with Jon Stewart a success? A friend sent me a message crying out: "He wasn't funny at all," and adding "I lost all of my respect for him."

That's a lie. He wasn't crying out about the lack of humor, just noting it. And he actually wrote "I wasn't sure whether I lost all of my respect for him right then, or started respecting him for the first time ever" in response to Stewart's comment regarding the D.C. rally: "In twelve years, i'd earned a moment to tell people who i was."

So can Stewart be successful even if he isn't funny? Of course he can. Was this his first chance to show himself? I don't think so. But let's not get into an argument about whether comedy is honest, or if all art is a lie. It's pretty clear that he meant that this was a chance to say something without irony.

Stewart and Maddow debated a bit on a more interesting question: are they both 'in the game' as Maddow believes, or is Stewart right when he says he's a spectator, just booing and cheering. I was critical of Stewart several years ago when he complained that Tucker Carlson wasn't living up to a righteous journalistic standard. Stewart excused himself by arguing that on Comedy Central he's flanked by puppets and clowns. The problem I had with that argument was that TV is a single arena, and ultimately neither Stewart nor Carlson can claim to be working in a freer or more ethically liable medium than the other.

Stewart has made a good argument that some programs and organizations misrepresent themselves: that they promise a standard of credibility and a good faith effort that they knowingly don't work towards. And I'll grant him that. He doesn't claim to be important or balanced. He admits his agendas and he warns people not to trust every fact he uses in his commentary.

In this case—his criticism of MSNBC and Fox as two opposing players in a game that he's only watching—I will disagree with his claim of spectator status. They all focus on political powers. All have an agenda. All use the media to push it. All comment on each other. All influence the discourse.

Here's where I agree with Stewart: he's much better at it than the others. All are vocal observers, but as a satirist he is admitting that his take on the issues is influenced by values that not everyone needs in order to be moral. He creates, of himself, a character, and puts himself on a moral level with those he mocks. There is no claim that he is right, only that he cares about his likes or dislikes.

It's telling that Olbermann responded to Stewart's rally mission by assuring his viewers that his efforts on MSNBC are immune to criticism because he is a moral voice.

All of us here at countdown, and a lot of progressives have one major well-defined problem with the rally to restore sanity and or fear…a false equivalence between what we do here, and what Fox news and the like do there.

Well of course he believes what he does is right. That's no argument against Stewart's claim that both channels resort to escalating accusations and inflammatory appeals to the need for fear and division.

Olbermann has further defended his tactics by saying that "sticking up for the powerless is not the moral equivalent of sticking up for the powerful." And of course, hating Fox news automatically means you're sticking up for the powerless. And liking Fox news automatically means you're a racist.

So basically, Stewarts accuses MSNBC of being divisive, and Olbermann responds 'we're not divisive. we're the good guys.'

Olbermann needs to admit that 'Come over to our side' is not an olive branch. And if you think it is, you're really just saying that if the other side doesn't shut up, the disagreement is all their fault.

Stewart's current campaign isn't against ideas, but methods. He's attacking blind spots. He's making the same claim that Ted Koppel makes when he calls the current news machine "an environment that flaunts opinions as though they were facts."

Stewart's success comes from his admission that he's flaunting opinions, and getting people to listen anyway.

This Week On The Shows: Nov. 8-12

• Monday
  • Leno: David Baker
  • Ferguson: Myq Kaplan

  ---

  
  
• Tuesday
  • Fallon: Rory Scovel

  ---

  
  
• Wednesday
  • Leno: David Spade (1st guest)
  • Ferguson: Tim Meadows
  • Fallon: Rainn Wilson (1st guest)

  ---

  
  
• Thursday
  • Leno: Dennis Miller†
  • Kimmel: Gary Dell'Abate

  ---

  
  
• Friday
  • Letterman: Greg Fitzsimmons
  • Fallon: Tracy Morgan (1st guest)

---

All guests as listed on shows' web sites at time of posting. Changes in schedule may be reflected in updates.


† It was a tough call deciding to categorize him as a comedian. Even harder than the decision to include Kimmel's guest for the same evening.

Funny (title borrowed from the author)

A friend who makes me laugh a lot, has told me that he could never be a performer. I think he could go into humor writing. But only if he learns not to get so bogged down with the morality of what he says.

So I watched a little video he made using the xtranormal video template service. And I sent him a rambling note about the power of language to connect and the human capacity to search for the other. He responded: "I was just trying to make a joke."

Yep. We humans are good at connecting.

Here's what struck me about this video. As soon as I started it, I was expecting it to follow the common template of all of these xtranormal videos. Two people talking. One of them sees things as they are. One of them is stuck in a single perspective. The joke comes from the repetition of that perspective no matter what the other person says.

A: I see things this way.

B: There are many other perspectives.

A: I don't care. I like seeing things this way.

B: You need to open your mind to other possibilities.

A: I don't want to. I like seeing things this way.

B: You're not even listening, are you?

A: I like seeing things this way.

This is the standard. Take a quick look at the first one to get a lot of attention, iPhone customer; then the spin-off starring Sarah Palin; and the Stand Up Comedy is NOT Pretty series; and from just last week, So You Want to Get a PhD in the Humanities. They're pretty funny. And there are some good lines in there. I think my favorite is "It's in Alaska, where there are mooses and bears."

The success and draw of the template is probably because of the robotic repetition working well with the jagged and robotic intonation. And the calm frustration, or even anger, of the other talking head is stifled by the monotone delivery, creating a nice tension. But it's time for the formula to be put aside. Let's see if we can make up some funny dialogue that doesn't layer the repetition of lines on top of the repetition of a premise.

Expecting him to follow along in that mold, I was surprised and pleased to see that Casey was breaking free from the flock. (As a professor of literature who's also a political conservative, he's getting used to being the spotted lamb.) Even if I inferred a little too much sincerity in Casey's submission, the lines are pretty funny. And I laughed even when I thought he was serious. Enjoy it.

This Week On The Shows: Nov. 1-5

• Monday
  • Kimmel: Will Ferrell (1st guest)
  • Fallon: Jonah Hill (1st guest)

  ---

  
  
• Tuesday
  • Ferguson: Lewis Black (1st guest)
  • Fallon: Will Arnett (1st guest)

  ---

  
  
• Wednesday
  • Letterman: Tina Fey (1st guest)
  • Fallon: Zach Galifianakis (1st guest)

  ---

  
  
• Thursday
  • Letterman: Steve Martin (1st guest)

  ---

  
  
• Friday
  • Letterman: Tracy Morgan (1st guest); Mike E. Winfield
  • Ferguson: Dick Van Dyke
  • Fallon: Lewis Black (2nd guest)

---

All guests as listed on shows' web sites at time of posting. Changes in schedule may be reflected in updates.

Stewart Gets All Sincere and Stuff

"I know there are boundaries for a comedian-pundit-talker-guy, and I'm sure I'll find out tomorrow how I have violated them."

This Week On The Shows: Oct. 25-29

• Monday
  • Kimmel: Mike Birbiglia
  • Fallon: Molly Shannon (1st guest) Paul Scheer (2nd guest)

  ---

  
  
• Tuesday
  • Letterman: Seth Meyers
  • Ferguson: Henry Cho
  • Fallon: Joan Rivers (1st guest)

  ---

  
  
• Wednesday
  • Letterman: Dana Carvey (1st guest)
  • Leno: Robin Williams (1st guest) Judd Apatow (2nd guest)
  • Ferguson: Donald Glover

  ---

  
  
• Thursday
  • Letterman: Will Ferrell (1st guest)

  ---

  
  
• Friday
  • Ferguson: Adam Hills

---

All guests as listed on shows' web sites at time of posting. Changes in schedule may be reflected in updates.

The Swagger Wagon

I've always thought Brian Huskey looks like Jason Lee. Except funny. And not as cult-y.

This Week On The Shows: Oct. 17-22

• Monday
  • Kimmel: Aasif Mandvi

  ---

  
  
• Tuesday
  • Letterman: Stephen Colbert (1st guest—repeat) 
  • Fallon: Tina Fey

  ---

  
  
• Wednesday
  • Ø

  ---

  
  
• Thursday
  • Letterman: Jon Stewart (1st guest)
  • Leno: Betty White (2nd guest…(1st guest is Ryan Reynolds *sigh*)
  • Ferguson: Don Rickles (1st guest—repeat)

  ---

  
  
• Friday
  • Ø

---

All guests as listed on shows' web sites at time of posting. Changes in schedule may be reflected in updates.

Video Bit of the Week: Better Off Ted Outtakes NSFW

This aren't really blooper outtakes, but just unused takes. Most of them are performed without error, using language that releases evil demons, and is kept safely away from network television.

If you haven't seen the episode that made it to air, it's available on Netflix instant viewing. The simple premise: A company memo is supposed to tell employees they "must not use offensive or insulting language in the workplace." A simple typo changes it so they believe they "must NOW use offensive or insulting language."

Twitterer of the Week: Myq Kaplan

You probably remember Myq Kaplan from his success on Last Comic Standing. He's the one the judges kept praising as a joke writer once Laurie Kilmartin was no longer on the show. His style is quick, slick, full of language play, just verging on puns. As his act has developed, he has started to move safely away from being too cute and clever.

He has a Masters in linguistics, so naturally he's drawn to playing with words. And idioms. And I'm guessing Dungeons and Dragons.

Most Recent Tweet:

• money can't buy happiness. but at times it can be used effectively to prevent sadness.

Four Older Tweets:

• i refer to masturbating as “having an imaginary friend with benefits.”
• a cross is a cross between a line and another line.
• sometimes i don't know my own strength. other times i'm like, "oh yeah, really weak. that's it!"
• don't put all your eggs in one basket. unless you only have one egg. then you have to. if baskets are important to you.

Brian Gaar Interviews Marc Maron

Brian Gaar, at It's Always Funny in Austin, talks with Marc Maron about comedy, fame, conversations, and controversy.

Maron:

I’ve been surprised a lot by the conversations I’ve had with a number of people - (Bob) Odenkirk and Rob Delaney and there have been some emotional moments. I mean, the second Mencia (podcast) was pretty amazing and my buddy Sam Lipsyte, who I love, and also the two Louis CK episodes this week were particularly important to me because we were able to rebuild our friendship that had become sort’ve strained and you can sort’ve hear that. So most all of them are good, the only time I’m a little disappointed - and I’m not gonna mention names - is where it’s difficult to have a conversation and that doesn’t happen too often.

Yes. They spelled it "sort've".

Netflix Instant Nudge: Jonathan Winters: Rare & Riotous

The DVD, Jonathan Winters: Rare & Riotous, incudes footage from various Winters performances with other artists. Netflix Instant offers a segment of the DVD, taken from Winters' 1964 special, A Wild Winters Night, with Art Carney. The bulk of the online video features Winters and Carney doing improv prop gags, wig work and a few impressions.

The longest bit is a birthday party for Granny Maude Frickert where Winters (playing Maude, of course) is given random gifts and allowed to riff on them as he opens them. He's also fed set-up lines by the party-goers and, again, allowed to riff on them. It's all pretty obvious, and let's be honest, not always funny.

Some of Winters' better moments come in the form of comments he makes about the other players. They're all supposed to recite set-lines and he's the one that's supposed to get all the attention. One girl asks him, with great earnestness, about his most terrifying experience. At her delivery, Winters, unimpressed, remarks, "Oh, what a dramatic reading." The girl, who all along has been turning to face the camera as often as possible, does another extended reaction take for the camera. Winters, apparently catching on, puts a hand on her shoulder and has to remind her to look at him. All in character of course.

Watching these old shows is a good look at the continuity of improv. By that I mean, that when people complain that Whose Line Is It Anyway? isn't always funny, or that Robin Williams only "seems" funny because he does voices and acts goofy, watching the old masters is good reminder that improv has alway been hit-and-miss.

And the next time someone complains that product placement is taking over, or that commercialism is ruining modern entertainment, show them an old video like this. We can complain about intrusive and out-of-place commercials, but we can't call them new.