Eating, People.
I don’t know what’s happening in my mind really. I’ve been aggro and impatient and cynically angry and very funny.
I guess it all feeds the same beast. I guess the way I innately gather my thoughts and wrangle them into standup doesn’t change. I have always envied those who write jokes but because of the life or death pressure I put on myself to make broad strokes, find themes, speak truths of some kind, I just could never do it that way. It’s a full immersion experience, at least mentally. Wait, physically too because I eat compulsively when I’m in it. I am in it.
I clearly don’t know how to do it and other way or I just haven’t tried. The last few weeks I’ve been going on stage every night except Sunday and Monday because The Comedy Store isn’t open those nights yet. Just hammering it out. Finding where I stand currently on stage. Figuring out my disposition in light of all that’s happened off stage and in the downtime of the plague and grief. It’s exciting, but I’m a little edgy and a little angry. Though it doesn’t feel like it used too. It isn’t coming from a place of fear or insecurity. It isn’t coming from a place of contempt either. It is grounded in my own sense of acceptance and craft and I believe it is coming out funny. I do have to lubricate it a bit more. Pepper it with some more silly stuff or the tone will get exhausting.
The other night, before I left the stage, I said, “If my tone made you uncomfortable it was on purpose. It’s a character I’m working on called, ‘me, half the time.’”
I have gotten into some hardened mental shape over the last few weeks. I feel ready to stretch out. Ready to do the long sets. Ready to do the searching. Getting out on the ice at Dynasty Typewriter. We’ll see what happens.
So, a few weeks ago my producer, Brendan McDonald, said he was coming out to LA for a few days. I immediately thought it was bad news. Like he was flying out to tell me we were ending the show and he wanted to settle up on stuff. Maybe have a fist fight or something. Turns out it was because Quentin Tarantino was booked on the show and he wanted to be here for it. He also wanted to get the fuck out of NYC for a few days. He hadn’t traveled since the plague receded. He’s only come out for one other talk in the history of the show, Obama. So, I kind of knew this was a big deal. Of course all I could feel was the regular dread I feel before every talk. Will it be a conversation? Do I have to watch all the movies again? How will I get anything new out of a guy that has been talking and talking about himself for a few decades now.
Well, it turned out all of my expectations were off and we had a very engaged chat. I actually really loved the new book so I entered excited. I think he’s always pretty excited. It was a relief and a good time. I’m posting it today.
On Thursday I talk to another prolific and profound director, Steven Soderbergh. I was full of dread about that too (like all of them) because he is so capable and has used so many styles and tones over the years and made some truly great movies. He has some real cajones. And, again, it was a great talk.
Enjoy!
Boomer, Monkey and LaFonda live!
Love,
Maron