Scharpling & Wurster / The Best Show On WFMU

[Dusty Substance]

I love Julie K's calls and in-studio appearances. She seems to me to be one of very people who are on Tom's wavelength. She gets more of his references and is more quick witted than most guests. She also finds A.P Mike to be particularly funny - Her reaction to Mike's karaoke song of choice is a delight: https://youtu.be/FrYmVREQT_M?t=575

[Dusty Substance]

Latest Double Threat has Shaun and Hayes from Hollywood Handbook as the guests and, boy oh boy, it's a good one. They play a game of Newly Hosts (Newly Weds/Mr. & Mrs.) and I was laughing so much I had to pause the podcast to calm down before continuing.

It takes a lot to shock me but Julie K says something in this latest Double Threat that properly shocked me.

[Dusty Substance]

Tom's announced The Best Show is going on hiatus: https://twitter.com/scharpling/status/1270125723668250624

The Best Show is on hiatus until further notice. Thanks for the support for the last few years, I will be back soon in some form or another.

Not tweeting this to be dramatic, it's just that we should all have bigger and better things to focus on right now. I know I do.

He's been stuck in L.A for months now, must be horrible separated from his wife and home, and he's good friends with Marc Maron who's obviously going through a terrible time at the moment.

The Best Show fan group on Facebook had imploded over the last few days due to some political comments from A.P Mike. I don't know if Tom's announcement is connected to that or if it's just a coincidence but I really hope The Best Show returns in one form or another soon and that everyone involved is O.K.

[Mobius]

Latest Double Threat has Shaun and Hayes from Hollywood Handbook as the guests and, boy oh boy, it's a good one.

Ace thanks - Just got caught up on HH so need some more of the The Boys.

I'm pretty far behind on Best Show - do they still file the Wurster calls under 'Best Show Gems' - Just not sure how to find them

[chveik]

The Best Show fan group on Facebook had imploded over the last few days due to some political comments from A.P Mike.

what happened?

[Pearly-Dewdrops Drops]

The Best Show fan group on Facebook had imploded over the last few days due to some political comments from A.P Mike. I don't know if Tom's announcement is connected to that or if it's just a coincidence but I really hope The Best Show returns in one form or another soon and that everyone involved is O.K.

That's a shame considering I don't think Mike said anything very egregious. (Certainly orders of magnitude less anti-progressive than years of Julie Klausner on Twitter...)

Ditch Tom and bring back Depravity's Rainbow, imo.

[chveik]

I'm pretty far behind on Best Show - do they still file the Wurster calls under 'Best Show Gems' - Just not sure how to find them

they're called Best Show Bests now

http://thebestshow.net/podcast/

[Pearly-Dewdrops Drops]

what happened?

Maybe there's more to the story but the only thing I saw was A.P. Mike posting a single tweet (since deleted) that he thought it was unrealistic to completely defund the police.

[peanutbutter]

The Best Show fan group on Facebook had imploded over the last few days due to some political comments from A.P Mike. I don't know if Tom's announcement is connected to that or if it's just a coincidence but I really hope The Best Show returns in one form or another soon and that everyone involved is O.K.

He was saying some "talking about defunding will let the GOP win in November" shit, I gather? It's dumb but not unforgivable... Guess it depends on how he weathers being taken the piss out of for it more than anything.

I'm perpetually way behind on the Best Show but always keep coming back too, was listening to it a good bit until I was furloughed, solid work from home soundtrack. Can't imagine doing the whole 3 hour show live every week over the last couple of months was that good though, for the show or Tom's psyche.

That's a shame considering I don't think Mike said anything very egregious. (Certainly orders of magnitude less anti-progressive than years of Julie Klausner on Twitter...)

This could be part of it too actually, Mike bringing lib shit into the FOT universe could open up Klausner and Kirkman teardowns and who on earth would want to deal with that...

[Pearly-Dewdrops Drops]

This could be part of it too actually, Mike bringing lib shit into the FOT universe could open up Klausner and Kirkman teardowns and who on earth would want to deal with that...

Though I wouldn't be surprised if a substantial part of the FOTmmunity is that subset of people who absolutely despised Bernie Sanders (and thought Warren or Buttigieg or whoever was a progressive icon) and who is now freaking out about anyone whose actions do not fit their definition of an appropriate "ally"

[Dusty Substance]

He was saying some "talking about defunding will let the GOP win in November" shit, I gather? It's dumb but not unforgivable...

Mike's a good guy and a smart man, but he's also approaching 60 while the average listener age of The Best Show is, what, mid 20s,so there's going to be a difference in opinion.

A lot of the members of the group over-reacted and took Mike's tweets a pro-racism stance. Fred From Honolulu took particular offence as one of the few brown listeners to the show (his words) and wrote a long statement on the Facebook group - He very rarely interacts in that group.

A couple of those involved seemed to make it all about themselves - Mary From Lansdale, one of the shows more boring callers, made it all about her.

Apparently there was a secret hidden No Dudevember group exclusively for women and LGBT+ people as there'd been a number of straight dudes being creeps with some of the women.

[Crabwalk]

I can sympathise with Tom thinking 'fuck this'.

[Dusty Substance]

I can sympathise with Tom thinking 'fuck this'.

Yep.

He's been working on a secret project in L.A over the last few months after being dropped from writing on season two of What We Do In The Shadows. Not confirmed but all clues point towards season two of The Mandalorian, so a pretty lucrative job.

The latest Double Threat is excellent. Tom and Julie's commentary on Woody Allen's appearance (by Zoom) on Alec Baldwin's podcast.

[Pearly-Dewdrops Drops]

Tom and Julie's commentary on Woody Allen's appearance (by Zoom) on Alec Baldwin's podcast.

Cursed game of Mad Libs.

[McQ]

Yep.

He's been working on a secret project in L.A over the last few months after being dropped from writing on season two of What We Do In The Shadows. Not confirmed but all clues point towards season two of The Mandalorian, so a pretty lucrative job.

The latest Double Threat is excellent. Tom and Julie's commentary on Woody Allen's appearance (by Zoom) on Alec Baldwin's podcast.

He got dropped from What We Do in the Shadows? Has that been confirmed somewhere? I just assumed that maybe he didn't want to go back and work all those late nights, but maybe constantly dragging Toronto and his experience of working there on The Best Show would be enough to get you not invited back.

I've not been all that keen on Double Threat, I have to say. It's had its moments. The Hayes and Sean episode was great, and Ayo Edebiri was excellent, but I've just found it all a bit too straightforwardly negative. Julie shouts and mispronounces words and then they both agree that whatever it is they're talking about sucks. I'm not all that up for stuff that wallows in its own cynicism like that, these days.

Still, pretty glum about The Best Show going on hiatus, mainly for all the fallout surrounding the fanbase and Mike's ill-judged comments, though. (Do we know if this is going to effect Meet My Friends The Friends and So Far, also?) The show hasn't really felt like the show for a while and judging by some of his tweets Tom had been thinking of wrapping things up or at least putting them on hold for a while, even before the pandemic, but sort of just carried on almost out of habit. The stuff that's gone on yesterday seems to have been the final straw. I remember Mike having some bad opinions a few years ago that Tom gave him short shrift over, mind you. And the fanbase has always been an issue, I think, although since I don't have a Facebook account I've not always seen it. I've been working my way through the episodes I'd not heard before, as I only got on board in 2009. I'm up to 2008 now, and there are some pretty problematic calls along the way. One that stood out was this guy railing on Sasha Frere-Jones for daring to point out that indie rock might have a race issue.

And as much as I enjoyed Monk, I really admire Tom for taking a stand against copaganda and owning up to his complicity in it, also:

"If you—as I have—worked on a TV show or movie in which police are portrayed as lovable goofballs you have contributed to the larger acceptance that cops are the implicitly the good guys."

I keep wondering what Officer Tom would make of all of this. Glad he stopped calling.

[no_offenc]

Tom's also announced that any patreon donations for at least June will be going to charity.

[Dusty Substance]

He got dropped from What We Do in the Shadows? Has that been confirmed somewhere? I just assumed that maybe he didn't want to go back and work all those late nights, but maybe constantly dragging Toronto and his experience of working there on The Best Show would be enough to get you not invited back.

You're right to pick me up on that as I had only been reading between the lines, Tom's slight negativity when talking about the TV show and going on second hand gossip on the Friends Of Tom Facebook page so, no, it hasn't been confirmed. You may well be right about it being his choice to not work on the second season.

Still, pretty glum about The Best Show going on hiatus, mainly for all the fallout surrounding the fanbase and Mike's ill-judged comments, though. (Do we know if this is going to effect Meet My Friends The Friends and So Far, also?) The show hasn't really felt like the show for a while and judging by some of his tweets Tom had been thinking of wrapping things up or at least putting them on hold for a while, even before the pandemic, but sort of just carried on almost out of habit.

It's properly effected more than I would have expected. I can't imagine not having The Best Show any more - I know there was that year break between the WFMU and podcast era but I used that time to catch up on all the 2000-2008 episodes I'd missed having got into around 2009, so it never really went away for me.

I've really been enjoying So Far too, as it's always a joy to hear Tom talk about music whether he loves it or hates it, and he's done both on So Far, bit the show has been a real education about a band that I no virtually nothing about. I've only ever heard So Far (the compilation L.P), Decade, three Young albums and one Stills record, so it's been an interesting journey so far.

[Hank Venture]

I suspect Tom is an anti-Sanders liberal (though not quite as unhinged as Klausner), so I was a little worried at the start of this weeks show when he started talking about Chapo and Hands Man, but I must say he threaded the needle well.

When did he talk about Chapo?

I hate lib Gen X'ers. Just nothing of value on offer politically.

[Custard]

Annnnd it's back. Good

New 1 hour episode available now!

[Dusty Substance]

Annnnd it's back. Good

New 1 hour episode available now!

Waaaiiiittt, what?!

Tom's returned to save 2020!!!

[Pearly-Dewdrops Drops]

Boycotting the show until AP Mike is returned to power.

[Crabwalk]

I've only read summaries of what went on back in the summer but it does all sound entirely unnecessary. I hope it was Mike's decision to step away for a while and I hope people lay off of him now.

[Paaaaul]

Last week's show was almost entirely based around the concept of "two strikes", which was clearly aimed at Mike. Without saying it, Tom showed that he was supporting Mike, but that he had to be on his best behaviour from now on.

Mike's decision is definitely Mike's decision.

[Dusty Substance]

Mike's decision is definitely Mike's decision.

It's a real shame that Mike's decided to distance himself from the show. He has been an integral part of The Best Show for 15 years and has been responsible for some of the all time great moments ("Hi, I'm Dennis", The Creation Of Manchester, introducing Tom to PigPen etc.).

I've only read summaries of what went on back in the summer but it does all sound entirely unnecessary.

I watched the whole nastiness unfolding in the Bad Company Best Show Facebook group. All Mike did was to suggest that perhaps defunding the police in certain areas may not be the most sensible idea and, as a result of that, got shouted down and accused of being all sorts of things that he clearly isn't.

[Pearly-Dewdrops Drops]

That's a shame considering I don't think Mike said anything very egregious. (Certainly orders of magnitude less anti-progressive than years of Julie Klausner on Twitter...)

Ditch Tom and bring back Depravity's Rainbow, imo.

I just realized that I have been slandering Julie Klausner for years by confusing her with Jen Kirkman.

[chveik]

I just realized that I have been slandering Julie Klausner for years by confusing her with Jen Kirkman.

it's fine, Klausner's a centrist dipshit too.

[Mr Farenheit]

It's a real shame that Mike's decided to distance himself from the show. He has been an integral part of The Best Show for 15 years and has been responsible for some of the all time great moments ("Hi, I'm Dennis", The Creation Of Manchester, introducing Tom to PigPen etc.).

And he had by far the best puppet


'Skeevy likes it spicy!'

[sevendaughters]

examined my mind to figure out why I went from being such an ardent FOT to not listening anymore. the move from WFMU didn't help for some reason, but the cosying up to these mediocre comedyland bluetick neoreactionaries, when the funniest three guys are the main ones, really got on my tits. there have been some great guests (PFT, Ted Leo, Andy Zax) but most of them I could live without.

That said while I was making dinner yesterday I recalled Spike's call in to Martin Short and lost it.

[Dusty Substance]

it's fine, Klausner's a centrist dipshit too.

I think she's great. She and Tom have wonderful comedy chemistry on Double Threat.

[colacentral]

examined my mind to figure out why I went from being such an ardent FOT to not listening anymore. the move from WFMU didn't help for some reason, but the cosying up to these mediocre comedyland bluetick neoreactionaries, when the funniest three guys are the main ones, really got on my tits. there have been some great guests (PFT, Ted Leo, Andy Zax) but most of them I could live without.

That said while I was making dinner yesterday I recalled Spike's call in to Martin Short and lost it.

The mid to late 2000s are my favourite era. Tom is so sharp in those years. He hasn't seemed quite the same since the move to the podcast. I keep wondering why that is, if it's just that he's older or whatever. It could be that those WFMU years were when he had a pretty good, stable job at Monk, so the show he did for free on the side was purely for fun. He seems to enjoy it less since he started really wanting to turn it into his full time job.

I also think that, like you said, he fell into a trap of allowing fawning, boring guests and callers who contribute nothing funny to take up such a big chunk of it. In the early years it was a nice mix of real guests, guests doing improvised bits, the scripted bits with Wurster, callers trying to do their own bits, antagonistic callers, and so on. He had great chemistry with Todd Barry and Jon Benjamin, I don't know why they totally disappeared.

It might seem like sacrilege to say, but I think he could do with streaming vdeo versions and putting them up on youtube. It might expand the fan base and get different types of people calling in. He sounds bored in the last few episodes and I think he needs some element of danger. He could do what office hours do and take zoom calls. He's been talking about stripping things back, but I'd say he needs a more radical change to re-energize him a bit.