Will Franken

[JCBillington]

This has been mentioned in one of the podcast threads, but I felt it was worth drawing peoples attention to. I have just listened to a couple of shows from 'Things We Did Before Reality' by Will Franken, an American comedian who I know fuck all about. The two I have heard thus far (the most recent and the first) have been absolutely excellent, and the Loose Change parody in the first one is one of the funniest things I have heard in ages. Anyone else heard any of this stuff? I was a bit put off by some of the quotes about him, and by a picture of his face, as he looks a bit Ross-noble-LOL-random-woah-a-monkey! shite. But he absolutely is not. There is weirdness, certainly, but with an actual bite to it, and with stuff that is actually funny and clever rather than just whimsical. The individual shows are structured brilliantly (like Python or Mr Show, there is not only a stream of conciousness, but a very carefully worked out 'flow' to the episodes) and should be listened to in their entirety, as I cant imagine they work well in extract form.

Look, I'm shit at describing stuff. Just listen to some and call me a cunt for wasting your time.

http://willfranken.libsyn.com/

[Hank_Kingsley]

I just started listening to the first one on your recommendation, it's damn good! I love the English seminar sketch...

[kidsick5000]

Bloody good find JC. Really like this.

[Morrissey Gran]

Listened to the first one... there are some good voices, but material-wise, it never seemed to get beyond the occasional wry smile. But then that may be partly due to the coldness of an audience-free/atmosphere-free podcast recording.

EDIT: Checking up on the guy, it seems he gets lots of plaudits for "bustin' political correctness" and so forth, which suggests he blows American minds because US comedy, with a very few exceptions, is so homogenised. As that so-called US equivalent of cookdandbombd, whatever it was called, suggested, just using the word 'cunt' over there can get you hailed as the new messiah or the new anti-christ.

[Hank_Kingsley]

Yes, American audiences are so stupid. That's why British comedy is so superior in ever conceivable way, especially at the moment!

[YoungAmerican]

I've been talking to Will about teaming up a lot lately -- he was a guest on my show a couple years ago. I've also performed with him a few times.  He's a really great guy and a very unique talent.  The first time I saw him, I dismissed it as too theatrical, too one-man-showy, but I warmed to it quickly because he's a great writer.  I heartily recommend the podcast.

[Spam removed]

[JCBillington]

Bloody good find JC. Really like this.

Can't take the credit, it was Youngamerican who mentioned it on one of the comedy podcast threads.

[kidsick5000]

I've been talking to Will about teaming up a lot lately -- he was a guest on my show a couple years ago.  I've also performed with him a few times.  He's a really great guy and a very unique talent.  The first time I saw him, I dismissed it as too theatrical, too one-man-showy, but I warmed to it quickly because he's a great writer.  I heartily recommend the podcast.

Are you the guy that interviewed Jackson Publick a while back? If so, nice one and are you planning on getting him back to talk about Venture Bros 3? And if it is you, I enjoy your podcast too.

[YoungAmerican]

Are you the guy that interviewed Jackson Publick a while back? If so, nice one and are you planning on getting him back to talk about Venture Bros 3? And if it is you, I enjoy your podcast too.

Yes... and I'm not planning on having him back, just because I don't usually have people on more than once, unless in some cases they have a big new project or something.  He was great though, really nice guy.

And thank you.

And definitely look forward to an all-new Will Franken podcast, distributed by [spam removed]

[JCBillington]

The more of these I listen too, the more remarkable they are. The production would be amazing even if it were a professional show, but for an apparently unfunded podcast, its miraculous. As for the comments about his 'Anti-PC'ness, it should be pointed out that this is meant literally, in as much as he is actually attacking the kind of empty, vacuous political correctness that values being PC over being a decent person. I'm not sure to what extent I agree, but for most modern comedians, being un-PC means telling a racist joke with an ironic smirk on their face. It's also the first time that I've felt a comedian was genuinely edgy for some time. Check out the Goodfellas parody in 'Whose Dick do I gotta suck to get a blowjob around here' to see what I mean.

I have watched a short clip of his stand up on 'The World Stands Up' page, which was good, but frustratingly short.

Youngamerican, great to hear about this new podcast, any word on what form it will take? Will it be standup or monologues or sketches?

[YoungAmerican]

This is pretty much what Will does, on stage as well, so expect more of the same.  It may be shorter and more frequent.  Up to Will, really, his call to start fresh.

If any US people happen to live in New York or SF, he has some shows coming up.

Edited to add: yeah, Will makes these on his home computer, no funding, no studio, just Will and a microphone.

[Spam removed]

[larrybob]

Just to resurrect a half-decade old thread... Will Franken is finally making his Edinburgh Fringe Festival debut (tonight as a matter of fact.)
The solo show is titled "Things We Did Before Reality."
http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/things-we-did-before-reality