Susie Essman: Getting analytical about comedy

by Emma Kat Richardson

As Curb Your Enthusiasm enters syndication via the TV Guide Network June 2, Susie Essman will add yet another title to her already varied comedy resume. She’s now the host of Curb: The Discussion, a companion show that will dissect each episode of the smash hit.

She’s best known as the woman behind the woman scorned by a man who specializes in scorn, but Susie Essman wants you to know that, despite whatever similarities may exist on the “first name” portion of their government documents, she and Susie Greene are two mutually exclusive entities.

For example, the former is a bold, brazen comic firebrand (and published author, after the fall debut of What Would Susie Say: Bullshit Wisdom About Love, Life, and Comedy) with a sense of insight so sharp she’d make industrial-strength razor-blades look dull and useless. The latter, conversely, is a fierce, fiery, trash-talking tormentor of Larry David and his whole shiftless, morally bankrupt world in HBO’s mega hit Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Setting aside personal disparagements between Susie the comedian and Susie the f-bomber, Curb’s seven season run (with an eighth on its way in 2011) has proven a very fruitful endeavor for the two Susies – the gift that keeps on giving as syndicated episodes of Curb prepare to make their way to a new life on the TV Guide Network every Wednesday and Thursday at 10 pm EST, debuting on June 2.

Be mindful, dear David devotees, that this is no Sex and the City-TBS-esque vanilla makeover; although the series has been mildly edited for risque language, an accompanying discussion panel will follow the airing of each episode and will allow Curb’s creative team to match wits with a collection of brainy, academic types and comedians as the ethical ins and outs of each story-line are offered up for dissection.

Checking in with the Curb panel’s hostess with the most-ess(man), Punchline Magazine caught up with Susie to commiserate over agreeing with Larry David on morals, replacing “fucks” with “freaks,” and how to successfully spotlight the misspelling of the word “aunt” for a basic cable audience. (Hint: this misspelling involves the letter ‘c.’)

What sort of topics will you be spearheading with the TV Guide Network’s Curb Your Enthusiasm panel discussions?
Oh god, everything. I mean, it’s interesting when you go through the episodes, how many issues Larry brings up. And like really intense stuff: so much stuff about race and the handicapped. It’s just like this real stuff that comes up.

How instrumental were you in preparing the talking points?
Totally instrumental. I went through each episode and came up with the questions. [Producer] Scott Carter and I basically did that together.

What have been some of the more surprising revelations that have come out of these panel discussions?
For me, some of the most surprising things are how often I agree with Larry. It was really kind of shocking to me, because you know, my character never agrees with Larry. And here I was – I purposely stepped out of my Susie Greene head, and was watching it – and so often, I was agreeing with Larry’s point of view. Larry’s so concerned with justice and injustice and social mores and the ridiculous things we all do in life and behave in certain ways.

I often agree with the choices he makes, but the only problem is his delivery. He just goes about it like such a jerk, that you’re completely turned off. And then a lot of times he goes too far: you don’t steal flowers from a roadside memorial of your best friend’s mother to give to your wife. There are certain things that are just wrong. [Laughs].

What do you think Curb’s die-hard fans can gain from watching these panel discussions?
I think it’s going to be really interesting, because people tell me all the time that their Monday morning water cooler discussions are just these exact kind of issues. People are talking about Larry’s behavior all the time. We got a really diverse group of people on the panel – from lawyers like Gloria Allred to psychiatrists like Dr. Drew Pinsky, to comedians Jerry Seinfeld and musicians Dave Navarro, like just across the board, so many different voices, like Joe Scarborough and D.L. Hughley.

Just great opinions, and there’s a lot of diversity going on in terms of the opinions; it’s just an interesting discussion. It’s like sitting around – to me, it’s a fantasy – because I’m sitting around with really smart, interesting, and sometimes very funny people, having discussions, and there’s nothing I like better than good conversation.

What goals did you and the rest of the creative team behind the discussion panels have?
To make it interesting, to make it something that people would want to watch. To make people think about things. Laughs are good, but it’s not always funny: some of it is very funny, but some of it… we get into real discussions about stuff that’s interesting– moral and ethical discussions.

Different people have different points of view. Randy Cohen, who’s the ethicist for the New York Times, he writes that column every week, he would come up with things that would have never crossed my mind, because he comes at it from an ethicist point of view. I always come at things from a more moral point of view. I enjoyed the discussions myself, so if I enjoyed them, I think the audience will.

Have there been any episodes you’ve discussed that, when they originally aired, they were written with a certain message in mind, but when they were dissected in the discussion, a completely different moral emerged?
No, there was never a consensus about everything. And we were never trying to get a consensus; we’re not looking for answers, we’re just looking for opinions and voices. Let people figure out their own answers. I don’t ever feel like I can tell anybody right from wrong. What’s interesting about it is the different interpretations. You wanted to get all voices: you wanted to get a liberal voice and a right-wing voice. A black voice, a white voice; whatever the differences could be.

Are you concerned that Curb’s transition to the TV Guide Network might have some negative ramifications for the series, considering that some content will undoubtedly be edited out?
Well, I’ve seen the first two seasons and the way that they cut them. I have to say, I myself was extremely worried about it. I spent 10 days in a sound booth looping – you know, I had to take out all my “fucks” and make them “freaks.” I was worried about the integrity of my character, first and foremost, and I found for Susie Greene it really didn’t make that much difference. I’ve always contended that the thing people are responding to with Susie Greene is not her language: it’s her comfort with her anger. The anger is still there and the intent is still there, so my character seemed to work.

They were very careful in terms of the content – there are some instances where they have to change some things, but they seem to be clear, anyway. Like, for example, the “Beloved Aunt” episode. Do you know that episode?

I don’t think so.
The “Beloved Aunt” episode is where Cheryl’s aunt dies, and Larry has to put an obituary in the paper. There’s a typo, and it’s supposed to say “devoted sister, beloved aunt,” but instead of saying “aunt,” there’s a typo and the ‘a’ is changed to a ‘c.’ All hell breaks loose, and the entire family kicks Larry out of the house, when it really wasn’t Larry’s fault; it was a typo.

Of course, it’s the worst thing you could ever possibly say in an obituary, and somehow, they managed to finesse it so that they didn’t show it. In the HBO version, they showed the typo, and in the TV Guide version, they didn’t show the typo, but you knew exactly what was going on anyway.

Do you feel like that almost adds another dimension of humor to the series, just based on the element of surprise and mystery there?
It’s hard for me to say, because I’m so familiar with the other version. There’s nothing that could really surprise me, but I’d be curious to hear what other people who’ve seen it for the first time feel like. It would be interesting.

Do you think that Curb’s regular fans might be alienated by the vanilla makeover?
No, because it’s not that vanilla. It’s pretty risque for basic cable. One of the great things that TV Guide did is they’re not editing it for time, which is why we’re doing these panel discussions. Most of our shows are 28, 29, 30 minutes – full half-hours – so if they were going to be on a network, with commercials, they’d have to be 22 minutes. And to take out story-line would really ruin the show.

They didn’t do that. They left the integrity of the show, and I also think we’re adding something the diehard group is going to be interested in with this new element, the discussions.

Do you foresee the series recruiting a new crop of fans because of this move?
Oh, absolutely. There will be way more viewers; millions of viewers! A lot of people tell me, “I’ve never seen the show, I don’t have HBO.” I guess there are still people that don’t have cable, and TV Guide is pretty much on everybody’s basic cable plan, I think. So I think we’re going to add millions of viewers. I think the show has gotten to the point where it becomes so popular that a lot of people who haven’t seen it are going to be really curious to see it. It definitely grows on you.

In addition to the next season of Curb, what’s next for you and your comedy career?
Just more of the same. I do tons of stand-up – I have a bunch of gigs set up between now and June when we start shooting, and I have to do another 46 episodes of the discussion. We’ll see, we’ll see; I just can’t do more than six or seven months ahead of time.

Do you think the discussion panels will end up playing any kind of integral role in the new season when it’s finally put together?
No. I know how Larry thinks; he’s not thinking about that. He won’t think that way.

But for you personally, is it kind of hard to turn off that switch that’s constantly analyzing now?
No, because when I do Susie Greene, I become Susie Greene. I put on those outfits, and I’m Susie Greene. I’m not thinking about anything but my acting in that moment.

Are you a Method actor?
Yeah, I suppose so. I guess. I’m not really sure what that is, but yeah, I get my anger worked up, but I also work from the outside in. I mean, a lot of actors look to the inside out, but Laurence Olivier used to work from the outside in, in that he would change his nose a lot with putty, and for me, it’s the Susie Greene wardrobe. I kinda put on those outfits, and I’m just her. I just become her. I don’t put a whole lot of thought into it, but I definitely have to work on the anger.

Do a lot of similarities exist between Susie Greene and yourself?
Yes and no. I’m not nearly as angry as her. She’s a lot more reactive than I am. I analyze everything every which way, but with Susie Greene, it’s like you do something, she responds. She doesn’t think a whole lot about it. She’s a lot simpler than I am, I think.

Do you ever find her coming out when you’re doing your stand-up?
Yes, and I find her coming out when something makes me really angry. There is definitely that Susie Greene aspect in me.

For more info on Susie, check out susieessman.com; for more on Curb Your Enthusiasm, check out TV Guide Network’s official site. To buy Susie’s book, just click the image below!

Carolines break out comedy artist: Myq Kaplan

by Punchline Magazine

Print this page out to get $5 off admission to Myq Kaplan’s show at Carolines on June 1. Get more ticket info here.

World famous comedy venue Carolines on Broadway and Punchline Magazine have joined forces to present the Breakout Artist Comedy Series. Each Tuesday, at Carolines in New York City, an emerging stand-up comedy star will headline their own show and prove just why they’ve been quietly building a name for themselves in the national comedy scene.

And since we here at Punchline Magazine are all about exposing the best comedians – well-known or not – we’ll be profiling each comedian taking part in the Carolines series each week. So let’s get to this week’s headliner: Myq Kaplan!

Myq Kaplan is a comedian named Myq Kaplan (pronounced “Mike Kaplan”).

The Comedians magazine calls him “a comedy machine, in the best possible way. The way that some machines vend soda or prevent other machines from killing future revolutionaries – that’s how Myq Kaplan does comedy: relentlessly, methodically, unblinkingly.”

Myq has appeared on The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien and in his own half-hour Comedy Central Presents special. He was voted 2008’s Best Local Comedian in the Boston Phoenix and won the 2009 NY’s Funniest Stand-up Competition. He invites you to hear more bragging by going to myqkaplan.com or calling by his grandmother.

Not including at a comedy club or comedy event, tell us about a time where being a comedian came in handy.
One time when I was answering interview questions for a comedy website, I easily thought of snappy answers instead of responding sincerely. (Unless this counts as a comedy event, in which case, you got me.)

More sincere answer: I enjoy making elevator rides with strangers more entertaining. One way to do this is to look at the weight limit, and if there’s only one other person there, ask them if they weigh some large number close to that limit. (Make sure it’s not actually a person who MIGHT be that heavy. Or someone who might be sensitive about their weight even though they’re skinny. So, anyone. Maybe don’t do this.) Fun!

Who do you think are the breakout comedy artists of the next few years?
It’s hard to distinguish between who has already broken out and who will break out later, but here goes.

Ken Reid, Josh Gondelman, MC Mr. Napkins, Micah Sherman, Joe List, Dan Hirshon, and Shane Mauss are all hilarious comedians and great friends of mine from the Boston comedy scene who I think are all destined for great things.

Baron Vaughn, Reggie Watts, Rory Scovel, Jared Logan, Myka Fox, Victor Varnado, Danny Lobell, Baratunde Thurston, Sean Patton and Hari Kondabolu are all hilarious comedians and great friends of mine from the NYC comedy scene who I feel the same way about.

Aparna Nancherla, Alex Koll, Brian Moote, and Erik Charles Nielsen are hilarious friends in cities that I have less allegiance to. (The cities, not the people.) Also, the comedy podcast Keith and the Girl is great and destined for more greatness.

People use the words “nerdy” and “weird” to describe your comedic style. Is there a certain power (or license) associated with being nerdy and weird that the cool kids just don’t get?
First, I prefer dorky to nerdy. But I accept that I am both. Also, I think a lot of cool kids today ARE nerdy and weird. And all I can do is be myself and hope that my nerdy dorky weirdness overlaps with that of others, and that we find each other. So far, so good. (Unless that didn’t answer the question. In which case, you’re one of the cool kids that just doesn’t get it, let’s say. Cool?)

What’s up with the way you spell your name?
Great question. The way I spell my name is unnecessary. It can be off-putting and make it hard for people to know how to say it or write it, depending. I agree, everyone who thinks that… you’re right! I just made a decision as a weird teenager when Prince changed his name to a symbol, and that decision has stuck with me into less weird adulthood. Main positive feature: it makes it very easy to find me and only me on Google.

Has your passion for comic books worked its way into your comedy? Is there a middle ground between the two?
Having a “middle ground” seems to suggest that comic books and comedy are diametrically opposed, and I don’t believe that’s true. They’re both creative art forms that garner some criticism from people who aren’t into them for whatever reason, which is sometimes justified on an individual level but never when referring to either medium as a whole. The fact that there are bad movies doesn’t mean that there can’t also be GOOD movies.

Now to answer the question you asked… I enjoy reading comic books. I enjoy doing comedy about the things I experience, including comic books. Ideally I make audiences enjoy this comedy, even if they thought they didn’t like comic books. Or comedy.

What’s next for Myq Kaplan? Where will you be in a few years?
Good question. Hopefully being interviewed again and having a better answer? (I’ll definitely be able to tell you about the next few years after they’ve happened, though.)

Print this page out to get $5 off admission to Myq Kaplan’s show at Carolines on June 1. Get more ticket info here.

John Pinette: Show Me The Buffet (10th anniversary edition)

by Meredith Daniels

Some might say if you’ve been to one buffet you’ve been to them all. Don’t tell that to John Pinette whose first CD, Show Me The Buffet from Uproar! Entertainment is back. And this time around it’s got crisper sound quality and is completely uncensored.

Favorite clips like Chinese Buffet and Free Willy keep audiences rolling and make you realize why this large comic with the sarcastic delivery does really have a likeable, ‘cherub-like demeanor.’

Even lesser comedy fans (in the past ten years since it’s first release) have quoted Pinette’s “You go now” and with good reason. He’s animated, he’s got great timing and he talks about what he knows – eating…a lot. Plus, just when you think he’s moved on to a new buffet or a new topic he’ll call back the beloved catchphrase.

The heavy man is light on the expletives, but big on the voices such as the Chinese buffet owner, Japanese movie-goer and Ghandi. And while Pinette’s got his Asian accents down pat, his imitation of The Chipmunks and Elvis could use some work. Those clips are the last two of the CD and provide no continuity with the rest of the buffet theme so the listener may just want to go ahead and skip them.

What you won’t want to skip (and may even want to play twice) are the first 10 clips on the CD. Pinette’s hunger with regard to Halloween candy is hilarious as is his chafing problem at Disneyworld and sliding issue at the water park. Plus, who else but Pinette could do a whole bit about a meat recall?

And if you’ve never heard the “Free Willy” bit or “Chinese Buffet” you’re in for a bigger treat than Pinette could ever imagine.

Click the link below to buy the uncensored 10th anniversary edition of John Pinette’s Show Me The Buffet!

Show Me The Buffet (original Unedited Version)

Exclusive video: Dan Cummins

by Punchline Magazine

It began in 2008, with a modest interview pegged to his 30-minute Comedy Central special. It continued last year when we met up with him in Aspen and shot a video interview, and then when he released his debut album on Warner Bros, Revenge is Near, which landed on our list of top 10 comedy albums of 2009. And with his hour-long special, Crazy with a Capital F, set to debut on Comedy Central this Saturday at 11 pm EST, it’s going to continue. Coverage. That’s right. Dan Cummins coverage on Punchline Magazine.

On Crazy (out on iTunes amd Amazon now; out on DVD June 8), Cummins twists mundane observations into dark fun; he gives more than a few tips on how to confuse and worry the people around you and most of, he just makes us laugh. He’s a comic you should, for sure, pay attention to. And why not start now, by checking out this exclusive video starring Cummins.

BONUS: Check out two clips from Dan’s special below. Enjoy!

Jokes.com
Dan Cummins – Outdoing Yourself
comedians.comedycentral.com

Jokes.com
Dan Cummins – Tiny Porcelain Army
comedians.comedycentral.com

Check out more Dan Cummins at dancummins.tv. Click the image below to buy the album version of Crazy with a Capital F.

Tom Segura: Thrilled

by John Delery

Do not be deceived by the white suit Tom Segura wears on the cover of Thrilled: This comic is one dark dude. But he’s light enough, endearing enough and downright wacky enough to mock Mexicans, midgets, men and women without sounding like a fulminating Tea Party candidate or a Ragin’ Palin apostle on his delightfully deranged and dippy debut CD, available now from Rooftop Comedy Records.

His engaging personality, irresistible I’m-just-one-of-you- guys delivery and his mastery of misdirection turn what nowadays could be construed as galvanizing campaign venom into sidesplitting perceptive humor.

On Thrilled, Segura ably charms listeners and the audience at Acme Comedy Co. in Minneapolis, Minn., for 52 minutes, allowing him to explore his weird world onstage without sounding pretentious, or, worse, serious.

Contorting Americans’ tiresome resolution to lose weight, the, um, flabsurdist in Segura dreams of gaining 800 pounds so he can essentially commit to sit. In what amounts to public service announcements, generally for women, he thoughtfully reveals when to flee from a man sporting a ponytail and when asking “What is normal?” is an absolutely terrifying question. Even without Lasik surgery, Segura sees the mundane and the madness with equal sharpness.

You can download Tom Segura’s Thrilled by clicking the link below.

Featured review: David Cross — Bigger and Blackerer

by Dylan P. Gadino

Every once in a while you read an interview with a rock band that explains they didn’t include certain songs for a new album because those pieces didn’t seem consistent, either thematically or sonically, with the rest of the album. Then, there are bands that boast a strong point of view and unique voice, which allows them to own any song and make it great— regardless of style or tone.

David Cross, while not a rock band, has, for the better part of his career in stand-up comedy, fallen into the latter group. He has deftly toggled his time onstage, delivering jokes both as a socio-political critic and light-hearted philosopher. Cross doesn’t cast jokes aside because they may be too pedestrian for his mostly well-educated, ultra-liberal fan base. He doesn’t have to. The man is a force; he can take a hack premise (airline travel, anyone?) and form an insightful and funny joke around it. How? He’s David Cross. You’re not going to get re-heated airline jokes; you’re going to get gourmet versions of the normal fare.

And that’s how Cross’ third release, Bigger and Blackerer (Sub Pop) plays out. Like his previous two releases, Shut Up, You Fucking Baby and It’s Not Funny, Cross expertly makes some heavy points on religion (namely, a brilliant Carlin-esque analysis of Jesus, the carpenter) and government (Obama wants to kill your grandparents!), taking care to palette cleanse with goofy bits – a story about him wearing an S&M mask on a plane, a fun way to fuck with your waitress, an exploration of Coors Light’s obsession with easier-to-drink beer cans (though, technically this bit is in the bonus features) – giving his audience a dynamically rich comedic experience.

Near the beginning of the show – filmed at the Wilbur Theatre in Boston – the veteran comic even engages the sketch muscles he worked so hard on Mr. Show with a back-and-forth between himself and a questionable signer at the side of the stage, who’s ensuring the deaf community gets to “hear” all the jokes.

Unlike a lot of stand-up DVDs put out these days, the aforementioned bonus features on Bigger and Blackerer do not include any behind the scenes footage or interviews. Rather, the objective here is obviously to give viewers as much Cross stand-up as possible. After all, if you’ve seen Cross live, you know he hates the confines of the 45-minute comedy club headlining set. The dude likes to talk, take his time and explore. We highly suggest you explore with him.

Editor’s note: If you consider yourself a true Cross fan, you’ll probably want to pick up both the DVD and the album version, since the latter has some material you won’t find on the DVD (and vice versa).

To buy Bigger and Blackerer on DVD, just click the image below.

Carolines breakout artist: Colin Jost

by Punchline Magazine

Print this page out to get $5 off admission to Colin Jost’s show at Carolines on May 25. Get more ticket info here.

World famous comedy venue Carolines on Broadway and Punchline Magazine have joined forces to present the Breakout Artist Comedy Series. Each Tuesday, at Carolines in New York City, an emerging stand-up comedy star will headline their own show and prove just why they’ve been quietly building a name for themselves in the national comedy scene.

And since we here at Punchline Magazine are all about exposing the best comedians – well-known or not – we’ll be profiling each comedian taking part in the Carolines series each week. So let’s get to this week’s headliner: Colin Jost!

Colin Jost is a writing supervisor at Saturday Night Live, where he’s written since 2005. He’s also got a film Identity Theft in development) as well as Kappa Mikey , an animated series for Nickelodeon, under his belt.

He’s performed in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Richmond, Fort Lauderdale, and Toronto, just to name all the places he’s performed. He’s the author of more than 2,000 e-mails. His collection of poems, “Je Ne Say What?!” received three genius grants. And in 2003, he became the first person to win the New York City Marathon simultaneously in both the regular and wheelchair divisions. He’s eight feet tall.

Not including at a comedy club or comedy event, tell us about a time where being a comedian came in handy.
On the set of Precious. I was able to keep the mood light.

Who do you think are the breakout artists of the next few years?
I’d look out for Chester Larabee, Rozilla Flagg, Berkeley Grimball, Oleander Stursevant, C.C. Felton, Bugzester Maxim, Loyce Quattlebaum, and Baron Curt von Maltzahn.

How’d you land your job as a writer at SNL?
Hard work + Perseverance – Attitude + Computer glitch.

Is writing sketch something new for you? How much does it relate to your stand-up act?
I actually wrote sketches before I performed stand-up, so I’ve had to adjust to being a performer. Sometimes an idea works better as a sketch, and sometimes it’s better as a stand-alone joke. Often, it doesn’t work for either.

You were the editor of the Harvard Lampoon, a position once held by Conan O’Brien. Is there some sort of Harvard blood oath that requires you to seek vengeance on his behalf?
You mean the Oath of Osiris, Lord of the Netherworld? No…

What’s next for Colin Jost? Where will you be in a few years?
Popping out babies.

Below, check out a recent sketch Colin wrote for Saturday Night Live. Enjoy!

Print this page out to get $5 off admission to Colin Jost’s show at Carolines on May 25. Get more ticket info here.

Reggie Watts: Master of the absurd

by Tom Keller

Nobody’s quite sure what to make of Reggie Watts— not even Reggie Watts.

This happens when you’ve never done the same show twice. Watts, the New York-via-Seattle absurdist-via-music, is doing what hardly anybody dares in the world of stand-up comedy — making it all up as he goes. Armed with a loop machine and a willingness to let his mind wander far from the dock, Watts creates sprawling, ear-tickling songs that are punctuated by laughter but typically only after untying a pretzel of deep thought. Nothing is ever repeated — he creates each beat and lyric in the moment, and his upcoming CD/DVD from Comedy Central, Why Shit So Crazy?, is an amalgam of tracks hatched at different shows.

These things are certain: It’s fascinating, it’s made him a cult hero among fellow performers and it’s chewing up audiences like brushfire. Watts, a veteran of Bonnaroo, SXSW, Bumbershoot and stages throughout Europe, Australia and Africa, was hand-picked as the opening act for Conan O’Brien’s Legally Prohibited from Being Funny On Television Tour, which continues through June 14; the tour found him in Dallas when he chatted with Punchline Magazine about how he operates.

The most astonishing track on this new album is “My History Thus Far,” a 15-minute ballad that progresses in gravity from a story of growing up in Idaho to New York friendships “of the druggish variety” to life as a performing nomad to our human endowment to choose our own reality; it’s a seamless and beautiful stream of consciousness that’s punctuated with someone from the crowd yelling with a sincerity not typically heard on comedy albums: “You’re a genius, Reggie Watts!”

“Thank you, sir,” he replies cheerily. “We’re all geniuses. Let’s go out and destroy the world!”

Were you a fan of comedy growing up?
Yeah, I loved comedy at all levels — cartoons, Abbott and Costello, slapstick like Sanford and Son. With HBO, I fell in love with George Carlin, Steven Wright, Richard Pryor, Bill Cosby. Gilda Radner, comedic actresses like Carol Burnett. I loved it. I was a big fan, and I was always looking for a way to make people laugh.

How does your style fit into what people traditionally expect from comedians like that?
It works to my advantage, I think. People don’t know what to expect, and I just kind of go for it. It works like that. People who know what I do, they don’t necessarily know what I’m going to do. And then people that haven’t seen me, get to let that unfold for them however they want it, whether they think it’s ridiculous or they love it for an hour and a half, so at least it’s interesting.

Have you ever tried to work with a script?
I’ve always been improvised. The thought of writing down my solo performances is just horrifying to me.

Why is that?
I don’t like having to think about structure when I go up. I don’t want to think about specific things like a set list. I like to have the flexibility of saying whatever comes to mind.

How has that process evolved? Do you ever do a show and feel like you didn’t really get to anything?
It’s one of those shows where you want to do the best you can, but still, with improvisation, it’s a give and take type of element where sometimes something is working and sometimes it’s not, but you just have to keep moving and try different things. Not every night will be something that you’re proud of.

Is that the beauty of it, that the next show is always a new start?
Exactly. Someone’s going to find something entertaining about it, so it’s never a total loss.

Have there ever been crowds that just couldn’t follow along?
Sometimes you read the audience wrong and you feel like they’re not into it, and some audiences are quieter than others. There have been times where I thought, these people hate me. But for the most part, audiences seem to like it. But you know, I always hear back from people or I have a Google alert that says, ‘I didn’t get it. That guy was lame. That guy wasn’t funny.’ Which is fine, but I always get a little … I wish I could talk to that person and say, well, this is why you thought this was this. But you can’t do that. You can’t explain why someone doesn’t like you. You can’t explain someone into liking something necessarily.

How did you hook up with the Conan tour?
A couple friends of mine were writers for the Tonight Show, so when Conan and his crew were determining what they wanted for the show and they started talking about the opening act, they recommended me and then Conan went and checked it out on YouTube and asked me to be part of the tour.

It’s been amazing. Everybody in the crew and all the performers are all just great people. The level of production, I’ve definitely experienced in one-off shows but not as consistently. It’s an amazing thing to be part of because it’s definitely not something I can afford at this point in my life. So it’s great to see how it’s done.

Have all the stories you use on the album really happened?
No, it’s a mixture of both. Sometimes I tell a story that actually happened, but I’d say more often than not I just make up things that could be real.

Have you encountered other comedians who are trying something similar?
Not exactly. But my friend Rory Scovel, an amazing comedian, we kind of share a similar thing. He usually riffs at the beginning of his sets, and I love when he does that, and I totally get it. His jokes are amazing but they still have that fresh, experimental quality to them. People like them or Baron Vaughn or T.J. Miller, he riffs a lot. We definitely connect on that level.

It’s harder to find someone who does music. Most people that do musical comedy, they sit down and write jokes and write music and then perform it. I don’t know anybody else that goes and improvises. The closest guy I’d say is a guy named Beardyman from the UK. He definitely has a flair for the absurd and the ridiculous, but I wouldn’t necessarily call him a comedian comedian. That’s coming from me, so take that with a grain of salt. So it’s going to be interesting to see how that evolves for him, because he’s mainly a beatboxer and has these amazing machines that he’s rigged himself.

He’s a lot more technologically refined than me, and he’s technically a lot more proficient than me. He can do some really amazing stuff with the things he has. But he’s not necessarily a comedian, so it’s interesting to see, with us hanging out with each other in New York and London and having conversations on performance, he’s become more interested. So we’ll see. It could be cool.

Do you consider yourself a comedian?
I consider myself a comedic performer.

How do you make that distinction?
I’m definitely not a stand-up comedian per se, although I’m included in that world which is really amazing and an honor. I think of myself more as performer who uses comedic elements.

It takes a certain leap of faith to get up there and do what you do, but also for whoever’s putting on the show. You did Jimmy Fallon, and I’m sure they don’t have many acts like you where they don’t necessarily know what’s going to come. Have there ever been people who don’t want to take that chance?
Of course. There have been many times where I’ve submitted or my manager submitted for even the Conan O’Brien show and they’re like, ‘Ummmmm, I don’t know.’ It was great on Jimmy Fallon, I remember the producer calling me up and saying, ‘You’re not going to do anything not appropriate for TV, right?’ And then it’s me saying, ‘No, no, don’t worry about it,’ and they have to take my word for it. So yeah, it is a leap of faith. I enjoy getting to perform in those situations because my aim is to not be a dick when I get up there.

I want to fall in line with the show. I want people to come up afterward and say, ‘Thanks, that was good. I don’t have to worrry about that anymore.’

How did you enjoy your Fallon performance?
It was my first time improvising in front of a large audience, so I think that it was good. I got all the points I needed to get in. Watching it again, I wish had done things little bit differently. I would’ve just made it a little bit more fluid, kept things moving, sold it a little better. I did the best I could so I’m very forgiving of that.

Do you typically critique yourself like that?
There are people that will mention parts of a show they really liked and I’ll take note of that, or sometimes I’ll look online — there are a lot of videos of the Conan tour, and I’ll watch those and go, that’s right, I remember that thing I did, that was interesting. I’ll watch like that, but I won’t necessarily break it down break it down.

What other accomplishments are you proud of?
I’d say winning the Andy Kaufman Award, which is an award started by Andy Kaufman’s estate. You apply for it and then you get to perform on stage and in front of judges, a peer kind of review. It was a crazy thing to be part of. The best part was getting to see all the different performers, and we still see each other around. It was definitely the closest thing to having a family of people that are close to what I do.

Was there a specific criteria or brand of humor they were looking for?
Sort of odd stuff off the beaten path. I really didn’t think about it too much, I just did what I do and just hoped it would work out.

What are the biggest challenges of life as a performer?
It’s mainly just staying healthy on the road, keeping yourself connected and grounded as much as possible during the whole process. It’s mainly just me making sure I’m not being a complete idiot and treating myself horribly.

I go to the gym in the hotel and work out or do pushups and squats and stuff like that in my room, go out to movies or get a massage or a facial or a manicure. It sounds so stupid, but those things really count. The most important thing is your health. For me, that’s the main challenge. Going on stage and doing what I do is kind of what it is, so I don’t really like to prepare too much. I absorb wherever I’m at and whatever’s happening at the time and just kind of keep that in mind, and maybe it comes up in the performance and maybe it doesn’t.

What are your ambitions now?
I’d like to have access to more resources so I can do more things that I have in my head or that come to mind. Get a TV show or get a chance to be in some films or what have you, or be a spokesperson for some strange technological oddity that I like. Whatever it takes to get access to more resources and have fun.

Have you listened to this album?
I’ve seen the DVD a few times. I really like the way it turned out. I was a little scared to see it, but I think it captured visually what I do live but in an edited way. It was pretty fun to see that.

The moment on there when someone yells out, “You’re a genius!” — how do you handle something like that?
I’m not a big crowd work guy, but that does happen and the only thing you can do is just respond honestly. Other comics are much better at it than I am, but when that happens you just try to absorb it and be creative with something, or choose to let it go. It’s a great thing when someone says something positive to you.

Jokes.com
Reggie Watts – You About To
comedians.comedycentral.com

Do you have a ritual before a show?
Not really. I generally just try to spend some time by myself. Or not — sometimes I’m talking to someone all the way before I have to go on, and we’re screwing around doing random things. Usually I try to keep myself not thinking about the show until the say it’s time to go on, that way I have much more of a blank canvas going in.

What are your greatest joys as a performer?
Getting the opportunity to be on stage in front of people and have them react in a positive way is something that I’ll hopefully never stop enjoying. When I’m out there, it becomes like the audience is part of it as well, and there’s a lot of satisfaction there knowing the audience is part of this thing they’ve never seen and I’m mostly doing things that I haven’t heard yet. In a way, we’re both kind of experiencing the show together.

Keep up with Reggie at reggiewatts.com. And buy his new CD/DVD by clicking the image below. Seriously, do it.

Carolines breakout artist: Josh Spear

by Punchline Magazine

Print this page out to get $5 off admission to Josh Spear’s show at Carolines on May 18. More ticket info here.

World famous comedy venue Carolines on Broadway and Punchline Magazine have joined forces to present the Breakout Artist Comedy Series. Each Tuesday, at Carolines in New York City, an emerging stand-up comedy star will headline their own show and prove just why they’ve been quietly building a name for themselves in the national comedy scene.

And since we here at Punchline Magazine are all about exposing the best comedians – well-known or not – we’ll be profiling each comedian taking part in the Carolines series each week. So let’s get to this week’s headliner: Josh Spear!

Josh Spear built and defined himself as an original voice in stand-up comedy in New York City and performing in all the venues New York has to offer, as well acting in sketches on shows such as Conan O’ Brien & The Chris Rock show.

Needing a life change, Spear headed to Sydney, Australia where he instantly started headlining the local clubs and appearing on The Comedy Channels Headliners, Fox’s The Joint, NBC’s music video show Ground Zero, where he wrote and performed ads/sketches for Sony Corporation and Liquor Land. While working out of Oz Josh toured Asia and Australia doing standup.

After returning to the United States and reestablishing himself in New York, Josh toured the US on the Finding Tom tour, appearing in every single one of the Improvisation Comedy Clubs in under thirty days. He recently appeared on the Internet’s Comedy Net and SiTV plus Anthony Anderson’s Mixed Tape show. This year, Josh made appearances on CBS’s the early Show and NBC’s the Today Show and radio’s 1010 Wins.

Not including at a comedy club or comedy event, tell us about a time where being a comedian came in handy.
Everywhere I go, sandwich shop,pep boys,coffie shops, im living the almost almost almost (3 almosts) famous life style.

Who do you think are the breakout artists of the next few years?
Me and some other people and Barack Obama

You left NY a few years back to pursue stand up in Australia. Did you have to write a whole new act? Did the audiences find you to be exotic and enticing?
It didn’t change a thing they have 33% USA TV, 33% Australian TV and 33% English TV. The #1 rated shows when I was there was Everybody loves Raymond and Sex & the City…The woman thought I was exotic but I’m exotic here also cause I’m not a jock, or preppy or wear Khakis or go bald or fat.

You’re the host of the weekly Class Clowns Show at Carolines on Broadway as well as their 2010 Final Four Competition. How is hosting different than straight stand up? Do you prefer it?
More personality less structure. Hosting isn’t an act! Its me! I’m the best pound for pound, you need the style to make it work. But I like both doing sets and being an MC.

What’s next for Josh Spear? Where will you be in a few years?
HBO special, movies, TV, fame and continuing to answer interview questions obnoxiously.

Print this page out to get $5 off admission to Josh Spear’s show at Carolines on May 18. More ticket info here.

Tony Clifton returns, whether you like it or not

by Rob Turbovsky

My previous run-ins with Tony Clifton have been well documented, but I can’t help but be excited by the news that the venerable lounge lizard has once again emerged from (what I assume is) a haze of hookers and booze for a four-night stand at the famous Comedy Store in Hollywood.

The shows, May 16th, 19th, 20th, and 21st promise to inject new life into the Clifton legend for decades to come, especially with the swirling and probably unsubstantiated Twitter rumors that point to the return of the long-dead Andy Kaufman on the same nights. Then, there’s the Comedy Store’s official line, which is that they “can’t confirm or deny” that Jim Carrey may appear as Clifton at one of those shows.

Pretty exciting stuff for a heavy drinking, cigarette flicking, audience dividing singer/comedian who started as an Andy Kaufman character, was passed onto Kaufman’s associate Bob Zmuda, and then seemed to emerge as a living, breathing, ranting figure all his own.

Here’s what I know: no one who loves comedy or train wrecks or awesomeness should miss these shows. I’ll be there, attempting to cover it as it unfolds. Clifton called me from New Orleans last week to talk about the shows. Well, the shows and midgets and finger fucking and Danny DeVito.

In total Clifton fashion, the interview starts off with him asking me the first question. He asks “Where are you now?”

I live in beautiful Culver City.
Oh, you’re in Culver City? You’re close to MGM, there.

Yeah, it’s Sony now.
Well, that’s where, you know that hotel [The Culver Hotel], where all of those fucking midgets stayed when they made the Wizard of Oz.

Is that true?
Yeah, it’s true. They put them up close to the studio. And, you know, those are lowlife bastards, let me tell you something. Those fucking midgets. Those are grown men, they look like little kids. Like they’re cute or something. The studio made a mistake. They gave Judy Garland the presidential suite at that hotel. She was still a young woman, and they were putting fucking booze down her, they were finger fucking Judy Garland, running through the halls saying, “Smell my finger. I finger fucked Judy Garland.” This is a true story. And, those fucking midgets are like Danny DeVito. Did you know DeVito is a legal midget in eight states?

I did not.
He is. In eight states. He’s a fucking legal midget. I worked with him, as you know, in Man on the Moon; I just about stole the picture from him and Jim Carrey. DeVito produced that fucking thing, and he’s a lowlife little fucking midget. I don’t care, they say you should call them “little people.” I call nobody little people! I’ll call them shrimp! I’ll call them everything I want. I ain’t calling them no fucking “little people.” They’re little bastards is what they are. DeVito is a bastard, too. And, if DeVito tries to get into my show, I’m going to do a midget toss and toss him out of there. He’s full of shit.

Do you think any show business types are going to come to your shows?
I don’t give a shit. What the fuck do I care? I’m an international super sensation. The town has never seen anything like me. There ain’t nobody bigger than me! No one! Maybe…who would be bigger than me…maybe Clooney. It’s Clooney, me, and Tom Cruise. That’s about it.

You’re doing four shows in six days at the Comedy Store. Does that get exhausting?
Not for me, my friend. When we were on tour, we were doing shows every night for a fucking month. We’re old school show biz. The show must go on. We don’t cut corners. I give them a show and a half. That’s why I got the kind of reviews I get. Hey, how do you know a Polack designed the lower extremities of a woman?

How?
Because who else would put the shit hole right next to the snack bar.

I’ve been told that you and some of the Cliftonettes [his back-up dancers] are going nightclubbing next week in Hollywood.
I think so. We’re going out Friday night. It’s a big night. We’re going to go to all of the places that night. Got a big limo. We’re going to be drinking like a motherfucker. I’m going to have all of those fucking Cliftonettes in the back of that fucking limo, and I’ll be sucking their titties left and right. Get some of that titty milk from them.

So, the shows are the 16th, the 19th, the 20th, and the 21st?
Yeah. We’re going to blow the fucking socks off of Hollywood. Not only that, but I’m going to reveal a lot of the bullshit that’s coming out on the town that people are afraid to talk about. Like DeVito being a legal midget. All of this shit.

Now, the band – the Katrina Kiss-My-Ass Orchestra – is sponsored by Comic Relief, the charity started by Bob Zmuda to help the homeless. How did your association with Comic Relief begin?
I don’t know crap about charities. All I know is that I was busted in New Orleans on a morals charge. And the judge was going to through the book at me. But the Comic Relief people stepped forward and convinced the judge to give me community service instead. So I have 80 hours of community service for Comic Relief. After that,… I’m out of there.

May 16th is an important date, is it not?
Well, you saw the movie Man on the Moon? That movie ends with my appearance at the Comedy Store on May 16th. And, that will be exactly 25 fucking years to the day. So, it’s kind of historic that I’m coming back on that date at the Comedy Store. I’m still around. See, Kaufman’s dead. I’m still kicking, aren’t I? He did everything that….listen, Rob. He never drank, he never smoked, vegetarian bullshit, yoga three hours a day. And, he died at 35. And, he is dead. I don’t believe any of that “faked his death” bullshit.

Why do you think there are these rumors that he faked his death?
People are goofy. Then, I know for a fact – you read the books and whatever – that he had talked to a number of fucking people about faking his death. I understand this was about six months before he fucking croaked. That’s why nobody would fucking believe him when he was dying of the cancer there.

Wasn’t there a script for a Tony Clifton movie at some point?
Yeah, the Tony Clifton Story. That’s sitting over at Universal. It’s in turnaround now. We’re going to do that one of these days.

That’s great news.
Did you ever read that script?

I could never get a copy of it. I read a lot about it.
It stars me.

Don’t you die at the end of it?
Well, listen, there’s a couple of different scripts. They did a couple of fucking endings, so I don’t know what’s what. But, listen, if Universal paid me the right amount of money, I’d die for them onscreen. How’s that? Okay? But, that better be some kind of fucking sequel or some bullshit, where you think I die, then I come back. I ain’t going to do that fucking movie unless they put that clause in there. I already talked to Jim Carrey. Jim’s going to be playing Andy Kaufman again in the Tony Clifton Story.

How are you going to fit your whole show into a comedy club?
Well, it’s going to be challenging. But, it’s the Main Room of the Comedy Store. We’re going to do it. Nobody will see a show like this in the Comedy Store. It’s a twelve-piece band. Four piece horn section. Eight fucking dancing girls. Costume changes. It’s a big thing. Now, we’ve got video stuff we’re going to be showing. So, we’ve got two big screens coming in.

Sounds like you’ll be putting on a spectacular.
I do whatever I do. Listen, any fucking song out of my mouth is a winner. I’ve got a two hundred-piece song list. I don’t care. We don’t figure it out. I hit the stage, and we go. Those people are just fucking lucky they see me there. I don’t care if I drop my pants and take a shit on stage. You’ve seen the show. My mere presence is enough for the price of admission. Where are you going to see somebody like me? Where?! Nowhere! Don’t you piss me off.

Visit Tony Clifton on the web at TonyClifton.net. Tickets, which are $30 for the May 16th show and $20 for the May 19th-21st shows, are still available at TheComedyStore.com.

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