Marc Maron's Blog
April 4, 2016
The Purge Continues.
Hey, People
So, this week I head to the Midwest. I’ve been talking about it. I’m a little nervous. I haven’t been out there doing the hour for a while but I’m sure we’ll make something happen together. It's going to be exciting. I believe Friday in Lincoln, Nebraska is sold out and Saturday in Iowa City is close. As far as I know there are plenty of tickets for my Kansas City, Missouri show on Sunday. So, that’s what’s happening. Looking forward to it all.
The purge continues. As some of you may have heard I solved the ‘what was that piece of furniture I threw out called’ puzzle. It didn’t start with a ‘C’, it was not a Credenza which many of you suggested. And thanks for all the help. It was a Buffet. That is what she used to call it. I think there are probably other names for it but that is what it was. I am so fucking happy it is out of my house. Now I can't stop getting rid of shit. I’m on a roll. I’m just throwing stuff away and giving stuff away at a pretty rapid clip. I did the Dining Room and Living Room--all the shelves and drawers. Clean. Went through all the bathroom drawers and just trashed all the expired creams and products that were mine or left there by a history of people who have lived at my house or given to me and never once used. Just threw out a bottle of BBQ sauce in my fridge that was dated 2013. It was just sitting there like a friend that never talked. I never used it. It was actually an ex-girlfriend’s. I really have to question why I keep stuff around.
I realized that I buy very few things. I’m not cheap. I just amass shit. I get stuff from people bringing it into my house. From people buying it for the house, like exes. Most of my clothes are left over wardrobe from my TV show. I get stuff from you folks, which I love, but as you can imagine my house was becoming museum of gifts and shit that was left here. I have a closet full of suits that I took from my gig as host of VH1’s ‘Never Mind the Buzzcocks.’ Not only did no one see the show, nor was it picked up, but those are almost 20 years old, AND I don’t wear suits. But there they hang in my closet. They have to go. It’s weird. I am actually attached to them hanging in my closet and that show sucked. It was an awful experience. I have to really assess my shame artifacts and maybe on a deeper level why I need to sit in some kind of shame in general. Also, I can buy my own suit if I want. I should. I will buy a shameless suit. Soon.
Today show I was thrilled to have Richard Linklater stop by bearing a gift of Thin Lizzy’s Jailbreak on vinyl. Class act that guy. It’s hard to find those things in good shape. The one I had was a bit beat up. We talk about his new film ‘Everybody Wants Some!!’ Good fun movie. Also, I talk for a longer amount of time to Sam Rockwell. Great actor, great guy, fun talk. On Thursday the elusive and brilliant John Lurie comes out of his relative seclusion to hang out in the garage and talk art, music, the Lower East Side, drugs, film, painting. Good talk. Cool to hang out with him.
Enjoy!
Boomer lives!
Love,
Maron
So, this week I head to the Midwest. I’ve been talking about it. I’m a little nervous. I haven’t been out there doing the hour for a while but I’m sure we’ll make something happen together. It's going to be exciting. I believe Friday in Lincoln, Nebraska is sold out and Saturday in Iowa City is close. As far as I know there are plenty of tickets for my Kansas City, Missouri show on Sunday. So, that’s what’s happening. Looking forward to it all.
The purge continues. As some of you may have heard I solved the ‘what was that piece of furniture I threw out called’ puzzle. It didn’t start with a ‘C’, it was not a Credenza which many of you suggested. And thanks for all the help. It was a Buffet. That is what she used to call it. I think there are probably other names for it but that is what it was. I am so fucking happy it is out of my house. Now I can't stop getting rid of shit. I’m on a roll. I’m just throwing stuff away and giving stuff away at a pretty rapid clip. I did the Dining Room and Living Room--all the shelves and drawers. Clean. Went through all the bathroom drawers and just trashed all the expired creams and products that were mine or left there by a history of people who have lived at my house or given to me and never once used. Just threw out a bottle of BBQ sauce in my fridge that was dated 2013. It was just sitting there like a friend that never talked. I never used it. It was actually an ex-girlfriend’s. I really have to question why I keep stuff around.
I realized that I buy very few things. I’m not cheap. I just amass shit. I get stuff from people bringing it into my house. From people buying it for the house, like exes. Most of my clothes are left over wardrobe from my TV show. I get stuff from you folks, which I love, but as you can imagine my house was becoming museum of gifts and shit that was left here. I have a closet full of suits that I took from my gig as host of VH1’s ‘Never Mind the Buzzcocks.’ Not only did no one see the show, nor was it picked up, but those are almost 20 years old, AND I don’t wear suits. But there they hang in my closet. They have to go. It’s weird. I am actually attached to them hanging in my closet and that show sucked. It was an awful experience. I have to really assess my shame artifacts and maybe on a deeper level why I need to sit in some kind of shame in general. Also, I can buy my own suit if I want. I should. I will buy a shameless suit. Soon.
Today show I was thrilled to have Richard Linklater stop by bearing a gift of Thin Lizzy’s Jailbreak on vinyl. Class act that guy. It’s hard to find those things in good shape. The one I had was a bit beat up. We talk about his new film ‘Everybody Wants Some!!’ Good fun movie. Also, I talk for a longer amount of time to Sam Rockwell. Great actor, great guy, fun talk. On Thursday the elusive and brilliant John Lurie comes out of his relative seclusion to hang out in the garage and talk art, music, the Lower East Side, drugs, film, painting. Good talk. Cool to hang out with him.
Enjoy!
Boomer lives!
Love,
Maron
March 28, 2016
I Kept Things Around.
Comedy, People!
I’m back at it. It’s weird when I get back to my life because I don’t really know what that means. I have been consumed with the TV show. Now, I am back to being a comic and podcaster. Which means thinking, eating, mentally struggling to pull thoughts out of the ether and make them into something. I was exhausted after the shoot and I really wasn’t sure if I had it in me anymore to do another new hour of standup. I didn’t see the point. Then, after a bit of rest, I remembered I do it because it is what I do. It’s what I have always done. It is daunting but the life of a comic is sometimes a waiting game. Waiting to engage with an audience, your life and your mind. So, I was just afraid and anxious and didn’t have any idea what was inside me. Now that I am out of the show for a couple of weeks, things have settled. Scribbling on pads, napkins, Post-its and actual paper has commenced. The obstacle of not blurting urgently has been overcome. It is happening. New material. Thank you, aggravated muse. Thank you.
I’ve been getting rid of shit. Throwing some stuff out, donating things. I’ve been through this before but not to this degree. I really want it all out. All of the haunted vessels must go. I never really believed that I kept things around because they were attached to emotions in my life, but I do. If you have something that represents a time or person in your life, you are in a dialogue with them as long as it remains in your periphery. I didn’t fully realize that. I thought I was just lazy and didn’t feel like getting rid of shit that served a purpose.
There was this giant piece of furniture in my dining room. I don’t even know what you call it. It was a cabinet with four drawers in it and a couple of big drawers outside the cabinet. It was my ex-wife’s. We brought it from NYC. It was in her apartment when I met her. She was hung up on it. She left it here. It has just been in my dining room filled with my random shit for years. I wanted to move it to my office to hold random shit. So, I emptied it and brought it over there. The drawers actually smelled like her old apartment. When I got it into the office I realized how big it was, how much space it took up. Then I realized it was really the only thing that truly represented my ex that was still in my life and it was taking up a lot of emotional space as well. I was ready to let it go. I put it on the street and within minutes someone was loading it into a car. It means nothing to them other than a thing they found. Now it is gone. It will not take from me or hold part of me in hurt. Haunted vessel.
Today I talk to Ethan Hawke. We cover a lot at a pretty good clip. Good stuff about acting and creativity. It’s probably the best actor interview I have done in terms of the actual process. On Thursday I talk to former child actor Quinn Cummings about being nominated for an Oscar for her role in ‘The Goodbye Girl’ when she was a kid and about all her books. She’s a writer now. I like her.
Enjoy!
Boomer lives!
Love,
Maron
I’m back at it. It’s weird when I get back to my life because I don’t really know what that means. I have been consumed with the TV show. Now, I am back to being a comic and podcaster. Which means thinking, eating, mentally struggling to pull thoughts out of the ether and make them into something. I was exhausted after the shoot and I really wasn’t sure if I had it in me anymore to do another new hour of standup. I didn’t see the point. Then, after a bit of rest, I remembered I do it because it is what I do. It’s what I have always done. It is daunting but the life of a comic is sometimes a waiting game. Waiting to engage with an audience, your life and your mind. So, I was just afraid and anxious and didn’t have any idea what was inside me. Now that I am out of the show for a couple of weeks, things have settled. Scribbling on pads, napkins, Post-its and actual paper has commenced. The obstacle of not blurting urgently has been overcome. It is happening. New material. Thank you, aggravated muse. Thank you.
I’ve been getting rid of shit. Throwing some stuff out, donating things. I’ve been through this before but not to this degree. I really want it all out. All of the haunted vessels must go. I never really believed that I kept things around because they were attached to emotions in my life, but I do. If you have something that represents a time or person in your life, you are in a dialogue with them as long as it remains in your periphery. I didn’t fully realize that. I thought I was just lazy and didn’t feel like getting rid of shit that served a purpose.
There was this giant piece of furniture in my dining room. I don’t even know what you call it. It was a cabinet with four drawers in it and a couple of big drawers outside the cabinet. It was my ex-wife’s. We brought it from NYC. It was in her apartment when I met her. She was hung up on it. She left it here. It has just been in my dining room filled with my random shit for years. I wanted to move it to my office to hold random shit. So, I emptied it and brought it over there. The drawers actually smelled like her old apartment. When I got it into the office I realized how big it was, how much space it took up. Then I realized it was really the only thing that truly represented my ex that was still in my life and it was taking up a lot of emotional space as well. I was ready to let it go. I put it on the street and within minutes someone was loading it into a car. It means nothing to them other than a thing they found. Now it is gone. It will not take from me or hold part of me in hurt. Haunted vessel.
Today I talk to Ethan Hawke. We cover a lot at a pretty good clip. Good stuff about acting and creativity. It’s probably the best actor interview I have done in terms of the actual process. On Thursday I talk to former child actor Quinn Cummings about being nominated for an Oscar for her role in ‘The Goodbye Girl’ when she was a kid and about all her books. She’s a writer now. I like her.
Enjoy!
Boomer lives!
Love,
Maron
March 21, 2016
New Information Has Been Revealed.
Good day, People.
Quick reminder for people of certain parts of the Midwest: I will be at The Mission Creek Festival at the Englert Theatre in Iowa City, IA on April 8th, The Rococo Theatre in Lincoln, NE on April 9th and at the Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland in Kansas City, MO on April 10th. Come if the spirit moves you or if you just want to see me.
Buzz update. As some of you know I am obsessed with a minor problem that is getting larger. There is now a multinational corporation involved and it may turn into a real David and Goliath story with me being David. There isn’t that much at stake, just my ability to comfortably listen to records, but there is a fight for some justice possible. We’ll see.
New information has been revealed. I did some troubleshooting. I brought my receiver down the hall to this guy Brian’s office and plugged it in. No noise. We brought his amp down to my office, plugged it in, noise. Yes! It must be the wiring in my office, right? Nope. Tried plugging it into all the outlets, some on different lines, noise. Then I hooked up to extension cord, plugged it in down the hall, put headphones on and listened while I walked around. As soon as I stepped out of the office, there was no noise. Is my office cursed? A holistic healer did occupy it before me. Then the electrician who came by to help gave me some new info. I knew there was an AT&T antenna on top of the building. I just assumed that it was for the building’s wi-fi. I also knew there’s a closet-sized room in the hallway that can only be opened with a security card and says ‘Keep Out’ on it. Never quite put it all together. It’s an old building. It was always kind of mysterious. Then I found out that AT&T leases space inside the building and on top of the building for A FUCKING CELL TOWER and all of the equipment that runs the tower on the corner of the building is housed in a fake brick structure directly above my office! I am being pummeled and drowned in GSM-style RFs. They are worst kind for trying to enjoy your stereo equipment. So, It’s going to be me and AT&T trying to find an understanding that will enable me to work in my office the way I want---listening to records AND using AT&T Wi-Fi. Fortunately, the landlady doesn’t really want the antenna up there anymore. It was there before she took over the building. I was informed by one of you that I could file a complaint with the FCC because the big corps aren’t really allowed to interfere with the little guy's life. Again, not a toxic situation but I’d like to get it resolved.
I talk to Todd Rundgren for a long time today because I wanted him to tell me why he is amazing and he was willing. On Thursday I will talk to Al Lubel about his strange, sad journey through life and comedy. Good times!
Enjoy!
Boomer lives!
Love,
Maron
Quick reminder for people of certain parts of the Midwest: I will be at The Mission Creek Festival at the Englert Theatre in Iowa City, IA on April 8th, The Rococo Theatre in Lincoln, NE on April 9th and at the Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland in Kansas City, MO on April 10th. Come if the spirit moves you or if you just want to see me.
Buzz update. As some of you know I am obsessed with a minor problem that is getting larger. There is now a multinational corporation involved and it may turn into a real David and Goliath story with me being David. There isn’t that much at stake, just my ability to comfortably listen to records, but there is a fight for some justice possible. We’ll see.
New information has been revealed. I did some troubleshooting. I brought my receiver down the hall to this guy Brian’s office and plugged it in. No noise. We brought his amp down to my office, plugged it in, noise. Yes! It must be the wiring in my office, right? Nope. Tried plugging it into all the outlets, some on different lines, noise. Then I hooked up to extension cord, plugged it in down the hall, put headphones on and listened while I walked around. As soon as I stepped out of the office, there was no noise. Is my office cursed? A holistic healer did occupy it before me. Then the electrician who came by to help gave me some new info. I knew there was an AT&T antenna on top of the building. I just assumed that it was for the building’s wi-fi. I also knew there’s a closet-sized room in the hallway that can only be opened with a security card and says ‘Keep Out’ on it. Never quite put it all together. It’s an old building. It was always kind of mysterious. Then I found out that AT&T leases space inside the building and on top of the building for A FUCKING CELL TOWER and all of the equipment that runs the tower on the corner of the building is housed in a fake brick structure directly above my office! I am being pummeled and drowned in GSM-style RFs. They are worst kind for trying to enjoy your stereo equipment. So, It’s going to be me and AT&T trying to find an understanding that will enable me to work in my office the way I want---listening to records AND using AT&T Wi-Fi. Fortunately, the landlady doesn’t really want the antenna up there anymore. It was there before she took over the building. I was informed by one of you that I could file a complaint with the FCC because the big corps aren’t really allowed to interfere with the little guy's life. Again, not a toxic situation but I’d like to get it resolved.
I talk to Todd Rundgren for a long time today because I wanted him to tell me why he is amazing and he was willing. On Thursday I will talk to Al Lubel about his strange, sad journey through life and comedy. Good times!
Enjoy!
Boomer lives!
Love,
Maron
March 14, 2016
I Am Fueled.
Hey, Humans.
I should plug my dates. My three dates before I go into some kind of creative panic spiral to generate the new stuff, if I can find it within me. I will be in Iowa City for the Mission Creek Festival at the Englert Theater on April 8th, at the Rococo Theatre in Lincoln, Nebraska on April 9th, and on at the Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland in Kansas City, Mo. on April 10th. I will be starting a Tuesday night residency at the Trepany House at the Steve Allen Theater here in LA beginning in May going through April.
I hope to take a little respite between ending the shooting of ‘Maron’ and immersing myself in the standup but we’ll see. I feel like I should. I’d like to take six months off but I don’t know how to do that. I’m a little fragmented. My brain is a bit fried. I’m concerned that I won’t be able to create or come up with anything new. I feel like I’ve done all that I can and I’m tapped. I feel like this whenever time opens up in front of me. It’s the dread of not being able to fill it with summoning the new thoughts. I am fueled by the panic of creativity.
I think I am experiencing pre-emptive postpartum depression for the end of the shoot. When you shoot a show you get very close with the crew and the collective collaboration of making a show. It is your whole life for months. Then, it just stops. This is the final week. We wrap Wednesday and then it’s back to the life of the mind, facing the responsibilities of the day-to-day, getting organized, figuring out what is next and working on the edits. It’s looking good.
My cat shit in my pants today. They were on the floor. I have never seen a more direct demand for me to change the litter.
On Monday I talk to the charismatic and intense Michael Rapaport. Good times. On Thursday I finally do an hour with my friend Ryan Singer. We talk about it all.
Enjoy!
Boomer lives!
Love,
Maron
I should plug my dates. My three dates before I go into some kind of creative panic spiral to generate the new stuff, if I can find it within me. I will be in Iowa City for the Mission Creek Festival at the Englert Theater on April 8th, at the Rococo Theatre in Lincoln, Nebraska on April 9th, and on at the Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland in Kansas City, Mo. on April 10th. I will be starting a Tuesday night residency at the Trepany House at the Steve Allen Theater here in LA beginning in May going through April.
I hope to take a little respite between ending the shooting of ‘Maron’ and immersing myself in the standup but we’ll see. I feel like I should. I’d like to take six months off but I don’t know how to do that. I’m a little fragmented. My brain is a bit fried. I’m concerned that I won’t be able to create or come up with anything new. I feel like I’ve done all that I can and I’m tapped. I feel like this whenever time opens up in front of me. It’s the dread of not being able to fill it with summoning the new thoughts. I am fueled by the panic of creativity.
I think I am experiencing pre-emptive postpartum depression for the end of the shoot. When you shoot a show you get very close with the crew and the collective collaboration of making a show. It is your whole life for months. Then, it just stops. This is the final week. We wrap Wednesday and then it’s back to the life of the mind, facing the responsibilities of the day-to-day, getting organized, figuring out what is next and working on the edits. It’s looking good.
My cat shit in my pants today. They were on the floor. I have never seen a more direct demand for me to change the litter.
On Monday I talk to the charismatic and intense Michael Rapaport. Good times. On Thursday I finally do an hour with my friend Ryan Singer. We talk about it all.
Enjoy!
Boomer lives!
Love,
Maron
March 9, 2016
I Had to Go.
Greetings, People
Firstly, thanks for checking out my special ‘More Later’ on Hulu and Amazon. Glad you liked it. I’m glad it’s now out there a bit more and available.
Well, I guess I’ll just tell you what’s up. Last week I worked with Ron Perlman and MC Gainey on ‘Maron.’ We shot the last two episodes of the season. I wrote the finale. I don’t think anyone can foresee what is going to happen and I don’t think there is any way I am spoiling anything. This season is so off the grid from the last three that I feel I can give you these little tidbits. Speculate away! It is so amazing to work with actors. They both had a great time and did a great job. I don’t think MC Gainey has ever played a part that wasn’t menacing or evil. He was happy to do it and dug the material and the character. He related! They both did. Made me proud. Perlman is a character. I will try to get them both on the podcast.
So, the other night I was invited to someone’s house for a party. I don’t usually go to parties but this was a friend and business associate and… Jeff Tweedy was supposed to play an acoustic set in the living room after dinner. What? This seemed like a pretty highfalutin party to me, almost awkward in my mind. A guy just pays to have one of the best songwriters and musical artists of his generation play in his house. I had to go. Turns out I was wrong about the whole thing and it was an amazing evening.
The host was Jeff Ulrich, who is the mastermind behind Earwolf, Midroll and Howl. He is an unsung hero in the evolution of podcasting. He sold his company a while back and is now transitioning into the great unknown and moving away from LA. He has been a great friend of our show and podcasting in general. He created a platform so many of us could use to monetize our shows with advertising along with a network of great podcasts and the new Howl app. Jeff is from Chicago and he bid at a charity event for an evening with Jeff Tweedy and got it. All the money he paid went to charity and we all got to hang out and watch Tweedy do a 30 song, two-hour-plus set spanning his entire career. It was amazing to hear all those songs acoustic and just see what a pro he is. He’s also hilarious and self-effacing and it was some of the best between tune banter I’ve seen from any musician. Amazing night. And because Jeff Ulrich reads these I want to thank him and wish him nothing but the best.
Today I talk to comedian Bonnie McFarlane about her career, her rural childhood and her marriage to Rich Vos. Yes, she married Rich Vos. On Thursday I talk to Dweezil Zappa about his music and his relationship to his father’s music. Great week.
Boomer lives!
Love,
Maron
Firstly, thanks for checking out my special ‘More Later’ on Hulu and Amazon. Glad you liked it. I’m glad it’s now out there a bit more and available.
Well, I guess I’ll just tell you what’s up. Last week I worked with Ron Perlman and MC Gainey on ‘Maron.’ We shot the last two episodes of the season. I wrote the finale. I don’t think anyone can foresee what is going to happen and I don’t think there is any way I am spoiling anything. This season is so off the grid from the last three that I feel I can give you these little tidbits. Speculate away! It is so amazing to work with actors. They both had a great time and did a great job. I don’t think MC Gainey has ever played a part that wasn’t menacing or evil. He was happy to do it and dug the material and the character. He related! They both did. Made me proud. Perlman is a character. I will try to get them both on the podcast.
So, the other night I was invited to someone’s house for a party. I don’t usually go to parties but this was a friend and business associate and… Jeff Tweedy was supposed to play an acoustic set in the living room after dinner. What? This seemed like a pretty highfalutin party to me, almost awkward in my mind. A guy just pays to have one of the best songwriters and musical artists of his generation play in his house. I had to go. Turns out I was wrong about the whole thing and it was an amazing evening.
The host was Jeff Ulrich, who is the mastermind behind Earwolf, Midroll and Howl. He is an unsung hero in the evolution of podcasting. He sold his company a while back and is now transitioning into the great unknown and moving away from LA. He has been a great friend of our show and podcasting in general. He created a platform so many of us could use to monetize our shows with advertising along with a network of great podcasts and the new Howl app. Jeff is from Chicago and he bid at a charity event for an evening with Jeff Tweedy and got it. All the money he paid went to charity and we all got to hang out and watch Tweedy do a 30 song, two-hour-plus set spanning his entire career. It was amazing to hear all those songs acoustic and just see what a pro he is. He’s also hilarious and self-effacing and it was some of the best between tune banter I’ve seen from any musician. Amazing night. And because Jeff Ulrich reads these I want to thank him and wish him nothing but the best.
Today I talk to comedian Bonnie McFarlane about her career, her rural childhood and her marriage to Rich Vos. Yes, she married Rich Vos. On Thursday I talk to Dweezil Zappa about his music and his relationship to his father’s music. Great week.
Boomer lives!
Love,
Maron
February 29, 2016
I Think People Were Excited.
Shalom, Friends-
Too Jewy?
I’m watching the Oscars as I write this. Not great so far. I know they aren’t generally ‘great’ but I like the spectacle of show biz and I like to see people win statues but man, it is slow and we’re only a half-hour in. I think we all know too much about show business now. I think that there is little mystique to the whole undertaking anymore. Too much speculation from too many different sectors and the magic of the movies seems a bit diminished. It is still great to see the raw emotion of talented people being overwhelmed with gratitude and winning and also showing grace in losing. That second one requires some real acting chops.
I was at the Comedy Store on Saturday night. I had a 10:30 spot in the Original Room. I knew Louie was doing two shows in the Main Room. I hadn’t talked to him since he’d been in town so I figured I’d drop in to the backstage dressing room while he was between shows. So, Sarah and I went backstage and it was just Louie, lying down. We talked for a bit, chit chat. He told me Chris Rock was supposed to come do a spot before him to run his Oscar monologue, which he had been doing all week at the Comedy Store. We left and a few minutes later the manager told me Louie wanted to talk to me. So, we went backstage again and Pam Adlon was there now. He said Chris wasn’t going to make it and would I go up and do 20 before him. I generally don’t open for people but this was Louie, my pal, this was my home club, the place was packed, so of course, I said sure. Then, Chris showed up. I didn’t care whether I went on or not and Chris had work to do so I was ready to bow out and Louie told us to both go one and do ten. It was a great show. Louie was doing his new hour, Chris was working his Oscar stuff and I was just doing a set in my favorite club with old friends. What’s the point you asking? Well, it was interesting to see those guys working out new shit. And Chris was really working that Oscar stuff and it killed at the club. I think people were excited about being part of the process.
So, I just watched it on the Oscars. It’s amazing what a big, weird and muted room that audience is and how pomp and circumstance can suck the life out of any real point. There was a lot of expectations on him in terms of how was he going to address racism--so much speculation. It’s just a ten minute TV set with a specific topic. All this lip and press service paid to an event and what might happen just sucks the life out of everything. On top that, the Oscars themselves suck the life out of some of the most talented people working. It's a very tough gig. Chris did fine.
I’m going to finish watching the Oscars now and hope it doesn’t suck the energy out of me.
Great shows this week. On Monday I talk to Scott Ian from Anthrax. Great guy, great talk. On Thursday I talk comedy with Iliza Schlesinger. Good times.
Enjoy!
Boomer lives!
Love,
Maron
Too Jewy?
I’m watching the Oscars as I write this. Not great so far. I know they aren’t generally ‘great’ but I like the spectacle of show biz and I like to see people win statues but man, it is slow and we’re only a half-hour in. I think we all know too much about show business now. I think that there is little mystique to the whole undertaking anymore. Too much speculation from too many different sectors and the magic of the movies seems a bit diminished. It is still great to see the raw emotion of talented people being overwhelmed with gratitude and winning and also showing grace in losing. That second one requires some real acting chops.
I was at the Comedy Store on Saturday night. I had a 10:30 spot in the Original Room. I knew Louie was doing two shows in the Main Room. I hadn’t talked to him since he’d been in town so I figured I’d drop in to the backstage dressing room while he was between shows. So, Sarah and I went backstage and it was just Louie, lying down. We talked for a bit, chit chat. He told me Chris Rock was supposed to come do a spot before him to run his Oscar monologue, which he had been doing all week at the Comedy Store. We left and a few minutes later the manager told me Louie wanted to talk to me. So, we went backstage again and Pam Adlon was there now. He said Chris wasn’t going to make it and would I go up and do 20 before him. I generally don’t open for people but this was Louie, my pal, this was my home club, the place was packed, so of course, I said sure. Then, Chris showed up. I didn’t care whether I went on or not and Chris had work to do so I was ready to bow out and Louie told us to both go one and do ten. It was a great show. Louie was doing his new hour, Chris was working his Oscar stuff and I was just doing a set in my favorite club with old friends. What’s the point you asking? Well, it was interesting to see those guys working out new shit. And Chris was really working that Oscar stuff and it killed at the club. I think people were excited about being part of the process.
So, I just watched it on the Oscars. It’s amazing what a big, weird and muted room that audience is and how pomp and circumstance can suck the life out of any real point. There was a lot of expectations on him in terms of how was he going to address racism--so much speculation. It’s just a ten minute TV set with a specific topic. All this lip and press service paid to an event and what might happen just sucks the life out of everything. On top that, the Oscars themselves suck the life out of some of the most talented people working. It's a very tough gig. Chris did fine.
I’m going to finish watching the Oscars now and hope it doesn’t suck the energy out of me.
Great shows this week. On Monday I talk to Scott Ian from Anthrax. Great guy, great talk. On Thursday I talk comedy with Iliza Schlesinger. Good times.
Enjoy!
Boomer lives!
Love,
Maron
February 22, 2016
I’m Not Saying That Won’t Help.
People!
Exciting day today.
About halfway through shooting the new season of ‘Maron.’ It’s been a blast. Last week I worked with Sally Struthers and she was a hoot. And I’ve never used the word ‘hoot’ in my life but she was one. She has the exact comedic intensity that she brought to ‘Five Easy Pieces’ and ‘The Getaway’ and ‘All in the Family,' obviously. So funny. She’s such a pro. It was a real thrill to work with her and the scenes and episode we did together is pretty fucking dark and weird… but funny! This whole season is a departure into some pretty great territory, comedy- and emotions-wise.
I think a lot about myself. Too much, I imagine. I wonder about who I really am and what that really means. We all play roles. We are caricatures of ourselves. We have different roles at work, in our relationship, around certain people, around strangers, when we walk down the street. Again, I know I am self-conscious/aware. But it is odd after talking to so many people, most of whom have public personas, how many are much more interesting and obviously more deep than we assume. I have no idea what to do with who I ‘really’ am or what that even means. I know pretty well what makes me uncomfortable and whether or not that is fear or just coming from not liking something. But in terms of what really makes me tick there are things that I just don’t share. I know that is surprising but I think we all have that stuff.
The reason we don’t share it other than fear of being judged may be just because we want to keep it to ourselves. Even if it’s not healthy. I have friends and family who insist that they will become better people if they just process all the little desire cancers and fears and emotional injuries they can find within. I’m not saying that won’t help. It will. Ultimately, you have to live with some of that stuff. Give it air when you are comfortable with yourself or with someone else and it will breathe and be relieved. I know I’m being vague but it just seems to me that there are some things that will go unresolved and fester for as long as you live, like creepy secrets and things you know you can't do because you can't handle it. I think that’s just life. If you spend your life trying to ‘fix’ yourself, what kind of life it that? Shit is hard. Being in your skin can be horrible. It will pass if you let it or it may be just who you are. Love it.
All that being said, Sacha Baron Cohen rarely talks as himself, out of character. I had no idea what he would be like. He decided to talk to me and it was a great conversation. You can hear that today. On Thursday I have a long conversation with seminal 70s director, William Friedkin. It was amazing. Great week.
Enjoy!
Boomer Lives!
Love,
Maron
Exciting day today.
About halfway through shooting the new season of ‘Maron.’ It’s been a blast. Last week I worked with Sally Struthers and she was a hoot. And I’ve never used the word ‘hoot’ in my life but she was one. She has the exact comedic intensity that she brought to ‘Five Easy Pieces’ and ‘The Getaway’ and ‘All in the Family,' obviously. So funny. She’s such a pro. It was a real thrill to work with her and the scenes and episode we did together is pretty fucking dark and weird… but funny! This whole season is a departure into some pretty great territory, comedy- and emotions-wise.
I think a lot about myself. Too much, I imagine. I wonder about who I really am and what that really means. We all play roles. We are caricatures of ourselves. We have different roles at work, in our relationship, around certain people, around strangers, when we walk down the street. Again, I know I am self-conscious/aware. But it is odd after talking to so many people, most of whom have public personas, how many are much more interesting and obviously more deep than we assume. I have no idea what to do with who I ‘really’ am or what that even means. I know pretty well what makes me uncomfortable and whether or not that is fear or just coming from not liking something. But in terms of what really makes me tick there are things that I just don’t share. I know that is surprising but I think we all have that stuff.
The reason we don’t share it other than fear of being judged may be just because we want to keep it to ourselves. Even if it’s not healthy. I have friends and family who insist that they will become better people if they just process all the little desire cancers and fears and emotional injuries they can find within. I’m not saying that won’t help. It will. Ultimately, you have to live with some of that stuff. Give it air when you are comfortable with yourself or with someone else and it will breathe and be relieved. I know I’m being vague but it just seems to me that there are some things that will go unresolved and fester for as long as you live, like creepy secrets and things you know you can't do because you can't handle it. I think that’s just life. If you spend your life trying to ‘fix’ yourself, what kind of life it that? Shit is hard. Being in your skin can be horrible. It will pass if you let it or it may be just who you are. Love it.
All that being said, Sacha Baron Cohen rarely talks as himself, out of character. I had no idea what he would be like. He decided to talk to me and it was a great conversation. You can hear that today. On Thursday I have a long conversation with seminal 70s director, William Friedkin. It was amazing. Great week.
Enjoy!
Boomer Lives!
Love,
Maron
February 15, 2016
It Always Seems Loaded Somehow.
How’s it going, People?
I hope you all did what you had to do on Valentine's Day. I was very fortunate. My girlfriend spaced it and made other plans. So, no pressure. I’m blessed. I did get up and make some waffles for us. The niceness of the act was undermined a bit by me losing my shit a little when the first waffle stuck to the iron and had to be scraped out. I know this is the way it goes with waffles and pancakes but I guess I wanted to get mad. I didn’t go crazy. I locked in and made a nice stack of cornmeal waffles. I felt a little shitty for eating them but I moved through that. We sat out back at the picnic table she got for me and ate waffles and looked at birds. It was nice.
Now, if I could just be okay with being loved I’ll be all set. I’m getting there. I know it may sound weird but not so much. Something so perfect and simple as being loved should be a beautiful thing. To me, it’s a little threatening. It always seems loaded somehow. A bartering chip, a negotiation, exhausting. I know the line I need to cross to let go and take it. I see it. I feel it. Crossing it feels like the most horrifying leap I can imagine. Maybe I will do it before I die. Maybe I’ll do it as I die. I don’t know. I know I feel pretty good about who I am these days. I accept the flaws and discomfort of being me. I feel that if I work from that place, gradual change is possible. If I plant the seed in my head that I want to ease into acceptance around almost anything it will happen without me even knowing it. The harder I work at those things the more they get polluted with effort and panic. If I just lean into it a bit and hope for the best I’ll get at least halfway there. Halfway there is pretty good. I’ll take a break there and decide whether the rest of the trip is necessary. In other words, I’m kind of a pain in the ass to be with.
Today I talk to the ladies from ‘Broad City.’ Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson talk a bit about how they got where they are, NYC and the new season of the show. Record mogul and musician Herb Alpert talks to me on Thursday. Great week.
Enjoy!
Boomer lives!
Love,
Maron
I hope you all did what you had to do on Valentine's Day. I was very fortunate. My girlfriend spaced it and made other plans. So, no pressure. I’m blessed. I did get up and make some waffles for us. The niceness of the act was undermined a bit by me losing my shit a little when the first waffle stuck to the iron and had to be scraped out. I know this is the way it goes with waffles and pancakes but I guess I wanted to get mad. I didn’t go crazy. I locked in and made a nice stack of cornmeal waffles. I felt a little shitty for eating them but I moved through that. We sat out back at the picnic table she got for me and ate waffles and looked at birds. It was nice.
Now, if I could just be okay with being loved I’ll be all set. I’m getting there. I know it may sound weird but not so much. Something so perfect and simple as being loved should be a beautiful thing. To me, it’s a little threatening. It always seems loaded somehow. A bartering chip, a negotiation, exhausting. I know the line I need to cross to let go and take it. I see it. I feel it. Crossing it feels like the most horrifying leap I can imagine. Maybe I will do it before I die. Maybe I’ll do it as I die. I don’t know. I know I feel pretty good about who I am these days. I accept the flaws and discomfort of being me. I feel that if I work from that place, gradual change is possible. If I plant the seed in my head that I want to ease into acceptance around almost anything it will happen without me even knowing it. The harder I work at those things the more they get polluted with effort and panic. If I just lean into it a bit and hope for the best I’ll get at least halfway there. Halfway there is pretty good. I’ll take a break there and decide whether the rest of the trip is necessary. In other words, I’m kind of a pain in the ass to be with.
Today I talk to the ladies from ‘Broad City.’ Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson talk a bit about how they got where they are, NYC and the new season of the show. Record mogul and musician Herb Alpert talks to me on Thursday. Great week.
Enjoy!
Boomer lives!
Love,
Maron
February 8, 2016
It Also Speaks Volumes.
Football, Folks!
Kidding.
In all honesty, I hope you had a fun day with the football thing if that is what you do. I did not do it. Not because I have an issue with it. I do. But that’s not what I’m talking about now. I just don’t care. Not in a hostile or judgmental way. I just don’t ever think about it. I don’t think about the commercials, the parties, any of it. It's really not even in my head. I’m writing this on Sunday night and I actually don’t know who is playing in the game. I’m serious. I’m not proud of that. It is a testament to how detached I am from most things. I haven’t watched a debate on either side. I don’t know what’s happening to me. It’s not that I’m apathetic. I’ve just been doing and thinking about other things. I don’t feel that bad about it. I assume I will lock in when it is necessary. It just doesn’t feel that way to me yet.
It also speaks volumes about my social life. I don’t have much of one. I don’t hang out much. I go to the Comedy Store if I want to check in with my friends, comics, comrades.
I don’t know if I am drifting away mentally or just feeling okay.
Sometime I take what some people say to heart about being happy. What happens if I feel better and find some happiness? I really don’t know. How do I adjust my creativity? Will anyone give a shit? Will I? Will I just stop? I don’t know. I know that will definitely slow down after shooting this season. I will try to figure out what I want to do next with the comedy. I will try to figure out what is actually important to me and what is just a habit.
This cold has been a bitch to kick. I still don’t feel great. It seems to be deciding what to do next in my body. It think the viruses now are so well adapted that they are actually regrouping and trying different approaches within one run. I can feel it trying to figure out whether or not it wants to fuck with my chest or just stay in my head a while longer. I’m trying to negotiate with it. We’ll see what happens. At what point is a cold no longer a cold and just a way of life? Is that what we are moving towards? A comfortable symbiosis with the viral world? Not a cure, a partnership.
On Saturday I wasn’t feeling great but I took three sets at The Comedy Store. I was just going to go in and out and get home and get some rest. I ended up hanging out backstage for a bit. I just love that all of us can usually just hang out and have some laughs, no matter where we are at or what we are doing in our career lives. I spent some time talking to Judd Apatow who was out doing sets. Then in the Main Room backstage it was me, Brian Scolaro, Tom Rhodes, Anthony Jeselnik, Sebastian Maniscalco, Morgan Murphy and Joe Rogan. Just talking shit, catching up, having some laughs. I love that part of comedy, being around funny, weirdos who live the life.
Today’s show is definitely and old school standup comic WTF talk. Me and Pete Correale just hang out and have some laughs. Great guy. Funny guy. On Thursday I have a talk with a guy I didn’t really know but I really got a kick out of. Ben Hoffman talks about his career in comedy and his new country music project. Funny guy in a very unique way.
Enjoy!
Boomer lives!
Love,
Maron
Kidding.
In all honesty, I hope you had a fun day with the football thing if that is what you do. I did not do it. Not because I have an issue with it. I do. But that’s not what I’m talking about now. I just don’t care. Not in a hostile or judgmental way. I just don’t ever think about it. I don’t think about the commercials, the parties, any of it. It's really not even in my head. I’m writing this on Sunday night and I actually don’t know who is playing in the game. I’m serious. I’m not proud of that. It is a testament to how detached I am from most things. I haven’t watched a debate on either side. I don’t know what’s happening to me. It’s not that I’m apathetic. I’ve just been doing and thinking about other things. I don’t feel that bad about it. I assume I will lock in when it is necessary. It just doesn’t feel that way to me yet.
It also speaks volumes about my social life. I don’t have much of one. I don’t hang out much. I go to the Comedy Store if I want to check in with my friends, comics, comrades.
I don’t know if I am drifting away mentally or just feeling okay.
Sometime I take what some people say to heart about being happy. What happens if I feel better and find some happiness? I really don’t know. How do I adjust my creativity? Will anyone give a shit? Will I? Will I just stop? I don’t know. I know that will definitely slow down after shooting this season. I will try to figure out what I want to do next with the comedy. I will try to figure out what is actually important to me and what is just a habit.
This cold has been a bitch to kick. I still don’t feel great. It seems to be deciding what to do next in my body. It think the viruses now are so well adapted that they are actually regrouping and trying different approaches within one run. I can feel it trying to figure out whether or not it wants to fuck with my chest or just stay in my head a while longer. I’m trying to negotiate with it. We’ll see what happens. At what point is a cold no longer a cold and just a way of life? Is that what we are moving towards? A comfortable symbiosis with the viral world? Not a cure, a partnership.
On Saturday I wasn’t feeling great but I took three sets at The Comedy Store. I was just going to go in and out and get home and get some rest. I ended up hanging out backstage for a bit. I just love that all of us can usually just hang out and have some laughs, no matter where we are at or what we are doing in our career lives. I spent some time talking to Judd Apatow who was out doing sets. Then in the Main Room backstage it was me, Brian Scolaro, Tom Rhodes, Anthony Jeselnik, Sebastian Maniscalco, Morgan Murphy and Joe Rogan. Just talking shit, catching up, having some laughs. I love that part of comedy, being around funny, weirdos who live the life.
Today’s show is definitely and old school standup comic WTF talk. Me and Pete Correale just hang out and have some laughs. Great guy. Funny guy. On Thursday I have a talk with a guy I didn’t really know but I really got a kick out of. Ben Hoffman talks about his career in comedy and his new country music project. Funny guy in a very unique way.
Enjoy!
Boomer lives!
Love,
Maron
February 1, 2016
People Will Understand.
Hello, People -
Today is the last day you can get my book ‘Attempting Normal’ for $1.99 wherever e-books are sold. I had nothing to do with this promotion. It was all my publisher’s idea and apparently my book is #15 on the NYT bestseller list for e-books, which is exciting.
We just got done filming week two of the 4th season of ‘Maron’ and I’m still having fun. I got sick, which I’m not happy about, but I’m not furious because that just makes it worse. The amount of time I’ve spend in my life putting all of my energy into not getting sick when I felt like I was getting sick is astounding. The amount of juice, vitamin C, greens, soup, oregano oil, Oscillococcinum, blackberry stuff, vitamin D, zinc, neti potting and gallons and gallons of water. It’s like a job. I still do some of that stuff but once it locks in, it locks in and you have to ride it out. Then you just have to sleep. My big fear going into the next week is that if my voice is a little off it will sound like I’ve gotten a cold within hours between scenes because we shoot out of sequence. We’ll see. It should be fine. People will understand. Maybe I’ll write an allergies line.
This week will be good because Bob Goldthwait is at the director’s helm and it’s always fun to work with Bob. One of the reasons is Bob has an awesome collection of hats and scarves and you really don’t know what you are going to get. Last week he wore a skirt. That’s just one of the many ways Bob expresses himself.
I would like to put in a good word for my pal Louis. He’s released something on his site that is quite astounding. It is hard to explain. It might be a play. He self-produced it in complete silence and just released it telling only his email list. It’s called Horace and Pete and its definitely something unlike anything he’s done and pretty unique on all levels. Check it out. He told me about it a couple of weeks ago and I was sworn to secrecy. Now, I can talk. You can get it through his site Louisck.net.
My guest on Monday is author, filmmaker and comedian Mike Binder. I don’t think he really likes being considered a comedian anymore but he was. He was one of the original Comedy Store guys when he was basically a kid. He was also one of the first guys I remember really laughing at when I was a kid. I remember his jokes from the mid-seventies. Loved him. We talk about all that he has done with a few Comedy Store stories thrown in. On Thursday I talk to Cindy Crawford because I could. I just wanted to pick her brain for a bit.
Enjoy!
Boomer lives!
Love,
Maron
Today is the last day you can get my book ‘Attempting Normal’ for $1.99 wherever e-books are sold. I had nothing to do with this promotion. It was all my publisher’s idea and apparently my book is #15 on the NYT bestseller list for e-books, which is exciting.
We just got done filming week two of the 4th season of ‘Maron’ and I’m still having fun. I got sick, which I’m not happy about, but I’m not furious because that just makes it worse. The amount of time I’ve spend in my life putting all of my energy into not getting sick when I felt like I was getting sick is astounding. The amount of juice, vitamin C, greens, soup, oregano oil, Oscillococcinum, blackberry stuff, vitamin D, zinc, neti potting and gallons and gallons of water. It’s like a job. I still do some of that stuff but once it locks in, it locks in and you have to ride it out. Then you just have to sleep. My big fear going into the next week is that if my voice is a little off it will sound like I’ve gotten a cold within hours between scenes because we shoot out of sequence. We’ll see. It should be fine. People will understand. Maybe I’ll write an allergies line.
This week will be good because Bob Goldthwait is at the director’s helm and it’s always fun to work with Bob. One of the reasons is Bob has an awesome collection of hats and scarves and you really don’t know what you are going to get. Last week he wore a skirt. That’s just one of the many ways Bob expresses himself.
I would like to put in a good word for my pal Louis. He’s released something on his site that is quite astounding. It is hard to explain. It might be a play. He self-produced it in complete silence and just released it telling only his email list. It’s called Horace and Pete and its definitely something unlike anything he’s done and pretty unique on all levels. Check it out. He told me about it a couple of weeks ago and I was sworn to secrecy. Now, I can talk. You can get it through his site Louisck.net.
My guest on Monday is author, filmmaker and comedian Mike Binder. I don’t think he really likes being considered a comedian anymore but he was. He was one of the original Comedy Store guys when he was basically a kid. He was also one of the first guys I remember really laughing at when I was a kid. I remember his jokes from the mid-seventies. Loved him. We talk about all that he has done with a few Comedy Store stories thrown in. On Thursday I talk to Cindy Crawford because I could. I just wanted to pick her brain for a bit.
Enjoy!
Boomer lives!
Love,
Maron
Marc Maron's Blog
- Marc Maron's profile
- 318 followers
Marc Maron isn't a Goodreads Author
(yet),
but they
do have a blog,
so here are some recent posts imported from
their feed.
