The only movie I watch end to end over and over again is Walk Hard. It just makes me laugh and relaxes me. the rest I will watch pieces of when they are on cable. I have so many emotions tied to every scene it’s hard for me to be a normal audience to any of it. Except Dewey Cox. And Zohan. And Popstar. I guess the sillier ones draw me in.
I like the very moment when you think of a great idea. I also like the first time you show an audience the film, but only if it works. That also can be the worst moment of your life.
When Moshe Kasher (my co-host) and I set out to do the podcast, we needed a hook, and I figured that only black guests was one we could deliver on. I know way more black dudes than Marc Maron, Chris Hardwick, and if you can believe it, Pete Holmes. Now, having said all that, our most downloaded episode it with Aziz Ansari, so our hook clearly doesn't work.
I was funny from an early age. I remember saying something when I was like, 9, that was legit funny. My family was cool with it. My older brother, Kevin Brennan is a comedian, so he was massively helpful.
That was on Louie ck's first short film called "Caesar's Salad" I played the part of "crazy pumpkin head" where I charged a group of people with a knife. Nick was one of them. We used a real knife and I dropped it on nick's foot in the scene. Went through his shoe and everything. He had to go the hospital. But he did get a bit out of it.
The one that aired was great. Very rarely does my brain come through for me at just the right time. In that case, it did. Marc is very smart, but sometimes he can use his intelligence to be reductive and disrespectful. That's what I felt he did on the WTF episode that I asked him not to air. One of the things about my career is, I used to work the door at a comedy club in the early 90's. Some of the guys from that era (Marc, Attell, Jeff Ross) had to adjust to me becoming a comedian/writer. They still see me as a doorman at times.
The thing I try to remember with hecklers is just to take my time and listen to them. I believe it was Chappelle who said, "A heckler's first punch is their best punch." They're generally not clever people. You don't see a lot of scientists going to comedy clubs and heckling. They're just drunk. And mostly women. So you just have to take your time and then eviscerate them.
Right now? Kanye West. Been my favorite for the last decade. Probably the greatest all around artist in the history of hip-hop. writes his own rhymes, largely makes his own beats. Triple double no assist. And he's 7 for 7 in terms of albums as far as I'm concerned. Dark Beautiful Fantasy is a fucking masterpiece. Blame Game makes me tear up. Never been anyone like him in hip-hop. Come to think of it, he's one of the greatest musicians of all times. Now I'm talking like him. YOU DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS, JKLAP.
Because of the episode where we used all of the outtakes, you pretty much got to see all of the stuff that cracked us up. People always talk about Chappelle's Show being quotable. Dave and I will quote it ourselves, but it's more obscure stuff. Like Rick James saying, "People think I do things just to do them. I got a little more sense than that. Yes I remember putting my feet on Eddie's couch." Dave and I will meet for coffee and say shit like, "People think I do things just to do them. I got a little more sense than that. Yes I remember going to get coffee with Neal." It's pretty stupid.
Only worked with him that one day on Chappelle. I really loved Patrice. But he had complicated energy. I sort of diffused on chappelle by whispering to him, "I know you don't listening to people, but..." And he was like, "Nahh...Where'd you hear that?" Meanwhile, he hated listening to people. One things about Patrice: He's the only person in my entire life who ever called me on the phone out of the blue just to tell me he thought I was funny. Another thing: I wanted to act in a pilot I co-wrote and was directing with Dov Davidoff. This is in 2009. I call Patrice. I go, "Dude, I want you to be in this pilot. But are you gonna be a pain in the ass?" He's like, "Neal, how the fuck you gonna cal...
That before 9/11 he was on a commuter jet that didn't have a bathroom so he relieved himself in the cockpit in front of the pilots into a mountain dew bottle.
Patrice O'Neal, Mark twain, and Doug Stanhope. Three of the most original minds in American comedy history. I would also throw in Bill Hicks and Bill Burr and Billy Wilder.
I agree with Justin Kirk who played Andy on Weeds..."I don't feel things when they are happening." At the time I was fine with it and looking forward to moving on to other things in life but now I am becoming a little nostalgic for it. We would have begun taping Season 9 this week. I have certain years that were my favorite on that run. I think when any show runs that long you are going to have some years that are stronger than others. I ran into Chevy Chase once and he said that with SNL a lot of people don't remember this but only one out of two SNL shows in the original years were good.
One of the few times I almost broke character is when Chris Farley got hung up on the Weekend Update letters behind us as he was supposed to be hoisted up on a cable and flown over the audience. Too funny!
Judd Apatow