Tip jar

If you like CaB and wish to support it, you can use PayPal or KoFi. Thank you, and I hope you continue to enjoy the site - Neil.

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

Support CaB

Recent

Welcome to Cook'd and Bomb'd. Please login or sign up.

March 28, 2024, 08:06:14 PM

Login with username, password and session length

The first 10-15 minutes of WTF with Marc Maron

Started by madhair60, January 28, 2019, 11:56:44 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

PaulTMA

Quote from: checkoutgirl on February 01, 2019, 01:15:32 PM
The Andy Dick episode was immense. I've listened to it at least 4 or 5 times. But I think that's because Andy Dick is so fascinating to me, his sexual history, his humour and his life story, the lot. If I was to criticise Maron it would be for having so many obscure musicians who I don't care about (the guitarist for Camper Van Beethoven) and comedians who I don't give a shit about (Gabriel Iglesias). I think he once interviewed that singer Josh Groban who I'd never heard of. Just a shopping list of no-one.

Thank you for recommending this, it was even greater than I hoped and Maron wasn't able to ruin it in any way.

Does anyone have any other Andy Dick recommendations, along these lines?  I get the feeling that had they not wrapped up the podcast when they did, he just would have kept going with never-ending tales of insanity.

Epic Bisto

I used to listen to Maron's podcast all the time but can't bear it anymore, no matter how enticing the guests are.  His lack of research and those tedious intros are just too much to bear.  At least Herring gets his bluster out of the way as soon as possible.  I can't bear to listen to his voice.

Quote from: PaulTMA on April 21, 2019, 06:18:08 PM
Thank you for recommending this, it was even greater than I hoped and Maron wasn't able to ruin it in any way.

Does anyone have any other Andy Dick recommendations, along these lines?  I get the feeling that had they not wrapped up the podcast when they did, he just would have kept going with never-ending tales of insanity.

He was on the Dr Drew podcast (associated with Your Mom's House) two weeks ago

https://youtu.be/avZ0pf1rIRg

phantom_power

When I used to listen to Maron, and when I occasionally listen to Herring, apart from the odd interview where they get to the heart of the subject I usually find myself thinking "I wish this person was being interviewed by Adam Buxton

Sin Agog

#64
Quote from: phantom_power on April 23, 2019, 09:35:45 AM
When I used to listen to Maron, and when I occasionally listen to Herring, apart from the odd interview where they get to the heart of the subject I usually find myself thinking "I wish this person was being interviewed by Adam Buxton

Although when Adam Buxton actually interviewed Marc Maron, the chemistry was so awkward that they resorted to talking about Louis Theroux the whole time instead.

By the way, did anyone end up seeing that episode of The Simpsons where Maron interviews Krusty? (https://www.facebook.com/TheSimpsons/videos/marc-maron-guest-stars-the-simpsons/236892213855625/). Looks shite, but it does have an alright joke about Maron talking about himself all the time. I haven't listened to many eps lately, but I thought his chat with Yeardley Smith was genuinely brilliant.  They were truly Simpatico.

phantom_power

Quote from: Sin Agog on April 23, 2019, 09:37:30 AM
Although when Adam Buxton actually interviewed Marc Maron, the chemistry was so awkward that they resorted to talking about Louis Theroux the whole time instead.


Yeah I think that goes back to what people have said about Maron not being a very deep or interesting person himself, and Buxton being a good Norfolk lad who gets intimidated by scary noo yoikers

Sin Agog

Are you telling me you weren't mesmerised by his riveting tale about some nearby cellphone tower making his record player buzz?  I thought it was a dizzying display of bravura raconteurism myself.

McFlymo

Quote from: Enrico Palazzo on April 19, 2019, 07:06:39 AM
https://twitter.com/marcmaron/status/768863488609357825

Noticed this with the Talkhouse Podcast recently. Bizarrely pointless 10 minutes of two nobodies lip servicing how great the interview you're about to listen to is, followed by about 15 minutes of decent interview, that would've been far better had it been 3 times longer!

Quote from: phantom_power on April 23, 2019, 09:35:45 AM
When I used to listen to Maron, and when I occasionally listen to Herring, apart from the odd interview where they get to the heart of the subject I usually find myself thinking "I wish this person was being interviewed by Adam Buxton

My god! Yes!! I've thought this many times.

Armin Meiwes

Think you's are all being a bit harsh on the guy, i remember trying to listen to WTF many years ago and I did indeed find him way too self absorbed to be able to listen but either he's calmed down a bit or I've become more tolerant but I think he's a great interviewer, just as long as he's not interviewing some "old blues cat" where he'll just talk about effing guitars or (sometimes) comedy mates from back in the day when they'll just talk about old comedy clubs no one's interested in. Funnily I find him one of the best interviewers of British comedians because his lack of knowledge about almost anything to do with Britain means he'll ask about stuff people would  not usually cover.

Also I suspect he knows no one really listens to the bit at the start of the podcast, seem to remember him even doing a joke about it on an early episode of Maron where one of the characters says "yeah everyone fast forwards that bit".

Ballad of Ballard Berkley

His recent interview with Jane Fonda is actually very good. That's because he's interested in Fonda's life and career, and has bothered to do some research. Fonda is a very interesting person anyway, of course, but fair play to Maron for asking some decent questions and allowing her to talk at length.

He really should just stick to interviewing people he actually gives a fuck about.

Puce Moment

Quote from: Sin Agog on April 23, 2019, 09:37:30 AMAlthough when Adam Buxton actually interviewed Marc Maron, the chemistry was so awkward that they resorted to talking about Louis Theroux the whole time instead.

My wavering dislike of Maron really crystallised during this interview. I couldn't believe how woefully boring he was being given that he should have some empathy for Buxton's situation. It was clearly a favour for a mate, and it showed. I found it disrespectful and I wanted to kick the door in and say that 25mins of a Buxton BUG show pisses all over your best hour, and the same goes for your podcasts.

phantom_power

Buxton talking to the wise old tree at the end of the latest podcast is funnier than anything Maron has slaved over for months

Pranet

I love the wise old tree. I had been thinking before the last podcast we hadn't heard from him in a while.

Sin Agog

Quote from: Puce Moment on May 01, 2019, 10:34:31 AM
My wavering dislike of Maron really crystallised during this interview. I couldn't believe how woefully boring he was being given that he should have some empathy for Buxton's situation. It was clearly a favour for a mate, and it showed. I found it disrespectful and I wanted to kick the door in and say that 25mins of a Buxton BUG show pisses all over your best hour, and the same goes for your podcasts.

I'm certain Maron mentions 'this English podcaster who really wants to be on my show' in an earlier interview with a Limey comedian, maybe Simon Amstell, but probably someone else.  He must have been referring to Buckles. Considering how Maron's kinda famous for forming opinions on people he barely knows, he probably went into the Buxton interview thinking he was dealing with some overly-insistent small fry. 

So yeah, wanker, but he has his uses, and being so wide open on some interviews that he tears up is sweet, if at times a little vampiric, like an emotional lamprey.

Armin Meiwes

Quote from: Ballad of Ballard Berkley on April 30, 2019, 10:00:38 PM
His recent interview with Jane Fonda is actually very good. That's because he's interested in Fonda's life and career, and has bothered to do some research. Fonda is a very interesting person anyway, of course, but fair play to Maron for asking some decent questions and allowing her to talk at length.

He really should just stick to interviewing people he actually gives a fuck about.

Really?? I didn't notice him going in to her life and work in any more detail than any one else. I think he asks his questions (presumably a lot of them are put together by his producer) and then to an extent its just dependent on how engaged and engaging the interviewee is. The best ones are the ones where people are really open but of course ultimately it just comes down to whether the person actually has anything interesting to say.

Ballad of Ballard Berkley

I wasn't for a moment suggesting that he'd conducted some sort of astonishingly incisive interview with Fonda, just that he wasn't going through the motions as he usually does. He was clearly interested in her life and career, hence why he provided her with some decent prompts and let her talk.

Armin Meiwes

Oh yeah no I didn't mean that, I just meant that I didn't notice him in any way going more or less through the motions with her than with anyone else, I didn't actually find this an interesting interview but maybe that's just because I didn't find Fonda that engaging a person. Recent ones I found particularly good were ones like Lanthimos and Molina, I just feel like it's more about the person than Maron as Maron always gives people a good platform to talk and then it depends on the interviewee as to whether they're interesting or not.

Johnboy

he doesn't shut up enough for my liking but there are some good interviews in there - Albini, Neil Young, Obama spring to mind

Ballad of Ballard Berkley

The new episode with Irwin Winkler, who produced classic films such as Rocky, Raging Bull and Goodfellas, is worth it for the well-worn yet wonderful story of how Rocky came to be made. Winkler's account includes some details I've never heard before, such as the staggeringly stupid and short-sighted comments from the studio bosses who didn't think the film was worth making.

Sure, they couldn't have foreseen that a low-budget boxing drama starring a no-name actor would go on to become a massive, Oscar-winning box office smash that would create a franchise that's still running today, but even if Winkler is exaggerating slightly for comic effect, some of the notes they gave were ridiculous.

Ballad of Ballard Berkley

I listened to his interview with Craig 'Creg' Ferguson recently. Ferguson mentions in passing, as a joke, that most British men think they can do great impressions of Sean Connery and Michael Caine.

To illustrate his point, Ferguson then delivers a half-decent Connery and a passable Caine. The joke, of course, is that Ferguson knows his impressions aren't brilliant, a joke which wouldn't be lost on anyone who's heard this well-worn yet undeniably true observation several times before.

Maron's straight-faced response?

"Is Michael Caine Scottish?"

He wasn't joking. Ferguson's broad south London Caine impression didn't sound Scottish, so it's not as if Maron was being cheeky. It was a genuine question.

I'm constantly amazed by his inability to understand nuance, irony and silliness. He's been a professional comedian for over 30 years and yet he often fails to grasp the intent of fairly straightforward jokes. Maron isn't a stupid man, but he's not quick (like Tom O'Connor). He takes obviously silly things at face value, which no comedian worth their salt should ever do. What a strange man.


Dusty Substance

Quote from: Ballad of Ballard Berkley on June 03, 2019, 10:19:39 PM
"Is Michael Caine Scottish?"

I'm certain he asked the same question when Billy Connolly was the guest and Caine got mentioned.

Ballad of Ballard Berkley

Quote from: Dusty Substance on June 03, 2019, 10:29:10 PM
I'm certain he asked the same question when Billy Connolly was the guest and Caine got mentioned.

If Maron was a genuinely funny man, then we could applaud that as a subtle running 'bit' - imagine, folks, if I actually thought that the famous English actor Michael Caine was Scottish! - but he isn't, so we can't.

Sin Agog

I think he's just got that nonplussed attitude to foreigns/foreign comics that tons of American comics of his generation have.  Stern used to be similar.  It usually stems from a) a fear that he'll get mugged and/or contract a debilitating disease the moment he steps off the plane, and b) we didn't invent stand-up so the fuck do we know about comedy?  We're like teenage girls caking our faces in bottles of foundation in a bad impression of womanhood.

Rolf Lundgren

Maron always seems to be fascinated with the UK and UK culture but doesn't make any effort to learn anything about it.

Ballad of Ballard Berkley

Quote from: Rolf Lundgren on June 04, 2019, 06:14:14 PM
Maron always seems to be fascinated with the UK and UK culture but doesn't make any effort to learn anything about it.

He obviously spends a lot of time reading books and watching stuff, but it's apparently never occurred to him to read or watch anything that might give him some insight into British culture.

It's been mentioned in this thread already, but it was pretty obvious during the recent Coogan interview that he's never watched any Alan Partridge. That's just mad. If you're going to interview one of Britain's leading character comedians about his life and work, you should - at the very least - watch an episode of a show in which he plays his most famous character.

Quote from: Sin Agog on June 04, 2019, 10:27:33 AM
we didn't invent stand-up so the fuck do we know about comedy?

I must admit, I always enjoy it when a British comedian tells Maron about their British comedy heroes - their guys - and Maron doesn't know what to say because he's never heard of them. Wasn't there an episode in which James Corden, of all people, tried to explain who Ronnie Barker was? Maybe I dreamed that, but it was a funny dream.

I spend far too much time listening to, and moaning about, Marc Maron.

Pranet

After he read Stewart Lee's book I got the impression he booked a few UK guests based on that. He interviewed Simon Munnery, had Josie Long on a live one, Richard Herring said he got asked to do it but was busy, I think Maron said he asked Sadowitz but he said no.... but that was years ago before he started interviewing Hollywood actors etc.

Pranet

I've listened to Marc Maron so much now I know exactly when he is about to misunderstand something. Or get distracted by an irrelevant detail.

Ballad of Ballard Berkley

Quote from: Pranet on June 04, 2019, 07:05:11 PM
I've listened to Marc Maron so much now I know exactly when he is about to misunderstand something. Or get distracted by an irrelevant detail.

Maron Bingo.

Schnapple

Enjoyed the recent Letterman interview, thought they gelled well and Maron was on form, as he typically is when dealing with somebody he gives a fuck about.

Sin Agog

I think that last pod with Mavis Staples might be one of my favourite ever podcasts.  Even if I didn't consider the first Staples Singers album Uncloudy Day one of the best records I own (such a spooky, spare thing), she sounds like one of the most vivacious people on the planet, and Marc did a great job just keeping up with her.  Totally unexpected surprise.