Tag: Jimmy Fallon

Ep. #284: Vic Berger

Post author By vish
Post date October 19, 2016

Vic Berger is a talented video editor and satirist based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Currently employed by the online video and production company Super Deluxe, Berger has made a name for himself with his surreal video creations, in which he re-edits existing news and pop culture footage to highlight their most odd and socially awkward moments. While he’s been at it a while now, both independently and in collaboration with the ingeniously uncompromising comedian Tim Heidecker, Berger’s profile has risen considerably since he began producing clips that tweak the 2016 U.S. presidential election, its various debates, and, in particular, the Republican ticket of Donald Trump and Mike Pence. Here, Vic and I discuss growing up and living in Bethlehem, little cities and big success, working from home for Hollywood, perogies all day, his degree in music and songwriting, the Beatles and Beach Boys, DIY independence but also well-adjusted socializing, playing in a band in high school before going solo, getting into music again someday, current faves like Of Montreal, Foxygen, the Lemon Twigs, raising kids and finding time for music in one’s life, going to Philly, no more movies, background music, growing sick of this negative U.S. election campaign, Donald Trump and Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, catering to the alt right movement and its key figures, The Daily Show remote segments with Trump supporters, disappointment with people more than the candidate, Hillary Clinton hatred, dealing with Trump’s inconsistencies, immovable bases, obfuscation and deliberate voter suppression, political engagement, political engagement prior to 2016, what he’s learned about the media, a lack of substantive news reporting, CNN, Giuliani the goldmine, music therapy and election stress, therapeutic Vines and YouTube videos, comedic communication and coping, making music videos and fooling Tim Heidecker and On Cinema at the Cinema into thinking he had real expertise, comedic influences like Tim & Eric, the BBC version of The Office, awkward and uncomfortable comedy, six political degrees of Larry David, vicariousness, nihilism and civilization, Curb Your Enthusiasm, giving Trump too much credit, insult comedy, the horrifying ‘Hillary should be in jail’ comment during the second presidential debate, gaudy style over meaningful substance, the stylistic trademarks of his videos, saturating Trump, digital zooming, Jeb Bush tries to seem cool, diminishing powerful people’s power, the Jimmy Fallon/Trump’s hair clip, maybe Jimmy wasn’t onboard, comedy shows held to the same standards as news shows, humanizing Trump, the air horn, Melania says “Hello?”, how he made the video sending up the recent Town Hall debate between Clinton and Trump, what works and doesn’t work, telling stories in his videos, what to expect from the third and final presidential debate, nastiness, how he thinks the election will end up going, Trump’s horribly dangerous and intimidating Election Day instructions for his supporters, divisiveness and healing, upcoming projects and people to cover, “Jeb is a Mess,” the Bush family, and that was paaaaaaaaaaaaaaamp!

Related links: victorberger.com superdeluxe.com vishkhanna.com

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News Podcast

Ep. #187: Mike Sacks on David Letterman

Post author By vish
Post date May 18, 2015

Mike Sacks is a respected journalist and humour writer whose work has appeared in many of America’s top periodicals. He’s a member of the editorial staff at Vanity Fair and has written three books including two acclaimed and mind-blowing interview collections, 2009’s And Here’s the Kicker: Conversations with 21 Humor Writers About Their Craft and 2014’s Poking a Dead Frog: Conversations with Today’s Top Comedy Writers. With David Letterman’s retirement as a TV talk show host imminent, it seemed like a good time to gain more insight about what this means for comedy so here, Mike and I discuss Brooklyn and My Little Pony, attending one of the last tapings of the Late Show with David Letterman, growing up with Dave, watching and taping Letterman as a kid and then reciting his jokes to other kids, observing Reese Witherspoon and fakery, encountering Letterman after the taping, the end of an era and connecting with someone, real time and in the moment with great TV, attending a Letterman taping and seeing all the behind-the-scenes stuff, Norm Macdonald’s amazing tribute to Dave this past Friday night, Letterman’s impact on comedy and kids who watched him and acted and spoke like him, a Letterman bias, Merrill Markoe’s tremendous role on Late Night with David Letterman, Dave admitting that he’s been outta the loop the last few years, coasting, NBC to CBS, Letterman’s stunt-free power and great interviewing skills, Jay Leno, Jon Stewart, and Stephen Colbert, silence and listening, how the world of comedy views Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon, subversive comedy lives on the radio and in podcasts, Scharpling, Wurster, and the Best Show, 12:35 AM versus 11:35 PM, Leno’s edginess, Conan O’Brien was pushing the envelope even on the Tonight Show, the tempering of Letterman’s show at CBS, the resilience of the late night TV talk show format, tradition, the dullness of certain interviews as opposed to real talk, Letterman says he might do a podcast, what will happen to TV and comedy when Letterman leaves, youthification, historical comedy, the greatness of Poking a Dead Frog, writing a crime book and/or collaborating on a comedian’s memoir, not chasing a Letterman interview, the Harry Shearer versus The Simpsons fiasco, Letterman’s final episodes feature Tom Hanks, Eddie Vedder, Bill Murray, and Bob Dylan, predicting what the final episode will consist of, anyone can do anything but not everyone can do everything, @michaelbsacks, and that’s all kids.

Related links: michaelsacks.com vishkhanna.com

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News Podcast

Ep. #174: Andy Kindler

Post author By vish
Post date March 24, 2015

Andy Kindler is a stand-up comedian from New York City who is currently based in Los Angeles. Best known for frequent appearances as himself on the Late Show with David Letterman and recurring acting roles on Everybody Loves Raymond, Maron, and Bob’s Burgers, Kindler is a hard-working road comic who fearlessly assesses and critiques the comedy industry, both in his act and in his annual ‘State of the Industry” address at the Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal. Kindler will be performing at the Park Theatre in Winnipeg on Friday March 27 and here, we discuss my amazing guest introductions, milk and green apples and voice over auditions, Bob Dylan doesn’t drink water on-stage, Marco Rubio was thirsty and terrible, the red button is over, Jimmy Fallon’s viral videos, Ricky Gervais really is that David Brent character, fundamental atheism, interacting with Gervais once on Letterman, thinking about Robin Williams, Dane Cook and Hitler, how David Letterman has kept it real and Jimmy Fallon might be a phony, the pretentiousness of Louis C.K., the sanctimony of Jon Stewart, defending and enhancing the art of comedy, wanting to be loved and laughed at, satisfaction, the ‘I’ve-gotta-make-it’ phase of being in show business, bumping into each other once at SXSW, his connection to music and the Hold Steady, some of Andy’s hit singles, Adam Levine and Coldplay, loving the National, Steve Earle, Elvis Costello, and some other white people, liking soul music, contemplating David Letterman’s retirement, Dave’s demeanour before and after the heart surgery, Dave probably doesn’t really want to retire, Stephen Colbert will be amazing, being a true curmudgeon, what’s happening on the third season of Maron, appearing with Dave Anthony and Marc in Maron scenes, voicing Mort on Bob’s Burgers, Andy’s new special Hence, the Humour, Innerspace and All of Me, Marc Maron should return my calls, and that was that.