Well, that’s all, Folks!
It’s done. I taped the new hour for HBO last Thursday. A year and half of touring about 90 minutes of material landed me at Town Hall in NYC for two shows to try to make an hour-long special.
They both went well. They were both very different shows. I was different and the audiences were different.
A day of shooting is a long day. The shows were at 7 and 9:30. I got there at 1:30. I had to check out my wardrobe options. I hired a stylist for this one. It was the right thing to do. Those of you who know me, or maybe I’m the only one who knows, I almost never make the right clothing decision for a TV appearance of any kind. Ever. From leather pants to a shirt that some guy I met at a bar made me to a shiny suit to a faded flannel shirt to a vest and on and on. I always feel shitty about it. So, I hired a stylist.
The guy came over weeks ago, looked at all my clothes and got the hang of my thing. Then he came back a week or so before the show with a few things and we nailed it down. I’m not sure why I’m telling you this. It’s a common thing. Most people on television aren’t wearing their own clothes. I just used to think it was better to just wear my own shit but then I realized I’d worn the same suit or shirt on at least six tv appearances. So, I let the guy dress me. It was a burgundy suede western shirt from John Varvatos. I think it was cool. Wore some Ship John black jeans and my Love Jules Leather Chelsea’s. I’m just very conscious of my clothes on TV and almost never look good in them. Hopefully this looks better.
Backstage there was a huge platter of smoked fish from Russ and Daughters. Sable and salmon. Every kind of herring. Whitefish and salmon salads. Bagels. Pickles. Babka and rugelach. I wanted to be salted for the shows. I guess I was trying to put a little water weight on for the fight. I was digesting the history of the Ashkenazi Jews for both shows. That was the subtext. Processing fish, sugar and salt. Maybe that should be the title of the special.
I was amped but not nervous. I ran this stuff so many times it was part of me. The set looked great. I came on stage to the music I created with the guys who perform with me at Largo.
The first crowd was on fire. There were some parts of the show that I was too amped. I missed a couple of things I wanted to do. Some of the lighting screwed up. I had to do some redos after. The crowd was actually getting up to leave and I had to make them sit down. It was actually nice, fun. I told a story and did the pick-ups.
I had Brendan backstage for both shows doing the off-stage announcements. I had no family in attendance. It was great.
The second show I felt grounded and focused. The audience was good but real. I had to earn the laughs which is perfect. Watch me do the job for real when you see it. I was loose in a way I am when I’m just doing a regular show. I was able to find the freedom of mind to riff a bit and because of that there will be things in the special that I had never done before and won’t do again that actually brought things together in a new way. It was a great feeling.
The second show will probably be the base and we will probably pull some stuff from the first as well.
I felt like it went well but it was a bit of a letdown because on some level it was just another couple of shows in a higher-pressure situation. I was wearing a strange shirt and I had to do what I had planned. Now the shaping of the show begins and me getting back in shape starts also. I’d like to think I’ll take a break but I’m already putting in for spots at The Comedy Store for this week. I have some new stuff I want to try out.
Thanks for bearing with me through this process and if you made it to any of the live shows, thanks for coming out.
Today I talk to Irish comic, Tommy Tiernan. I’ve seen him around forever but we never talked. He’s a true legend. On Thursday I talk to James Austin Johnson about the time we hung out that I didn’t remember and Jesus and SNL. Great talks.
Enjoy!
Boomer, Monkey and LaFonda live!
Love,
Maron
The Special.
