Texas, Folks!
I didn’t know what to expect going to Austin. I hadn’t been there since the invasion of the comedy and tech bros. I thought it would have an impact on the vibe of the crowds and the city.
It didn’t. As far as I could tell the people that were always there making Austin a great city were still there. I’m sure the city is different for those who live there but, in terms of audiences, the shows at the Moontower Festival seemed as great as always.
I’m not sure what I was expecting. Physical confrontations between regular, diverse and interesting comics and the anti-woke hack brigade? It didn’t happen. Each seemed to stay in their separate camps. Bubbles.
It kind of reminded me that there are a lot of people that still live in the middle of the opposing poles of extreme ideology. I’d like to think most people, but I don’t know. Is it possible that most people aren’t brainfucked? That most people still appreciate and respect other people that may live a different life than they do. Is it possible that most people still give a shit about tolerance and acceptance? I don't know, but I had a little hope. Or maybe I was just happy that the people who appreciate what I do were there and that the ones that don’t weren’t.
When I was in Austin I decided to track down A. Whitney Brown. Many people have no idea who he is. He was a great comic. He wrote and appeared on SNL in the late eighties for a few years. He helped create the original Daily Show. He has always been one of those guys that people say, ‘What happened to that guy? Is he still alive?’ He is. I found him. He’s been out of the show biz game for years and he lives a relatively quiet life in Austin with his wife, who is the amazing blues guitarist, Carolyn Wonderland.
Whitney picked me up and we drove to his house. He’s old school Austin. We talked, ate beans and rice, he showed me the trees he planted, listened to some new mixes of Carolyn’s new record, talked about Mark Twain and Pryor. It was a reminder that there is life after show business. That there are choices one can make to honor themselves that don’t involve compromising one's integrity or being part of the validation machine. He seemed great. It was inspiring.
I watched a limited series on Netflix called Baby Reindeer. It kind of broke my brain. It was one of the most honest, raw, disturbing, personal stories I’ve ever watched unfold. A truly courageous piece of work that explores trauma, emotional damage, needs, comedy, mental illness, resolving identity issues, moving through abuse, dealing with the crippling effect of self hatred. It’s a harrowing, profoundly personal piece of work by the creator and star Richard Gadd. Highly recommended.
Today I talk to former SNL writer, actress and living legend, Paula Pell. On Thursday I take a run down memory lane to the Lower East Side of the nineties with T.D. Lang, aka Tammy Faye Starlite. She’s doing a new show as Nico in NYC. Good week.
Enjoy!
Boomer, Monkey and LaFonda live!
Love,
Maron
