Filed Under Sketch Comedy, Stand-Up Comedy
Off Your Feet for Sit Down Comedy
Inspired by his talk with Bob Newhart at the Aspen Comedy Festival, comedian and director David Steinberg is repeating the experience with Newhart and five others in Sit Down Comedy, a talk show about comedians and comedy premiering tonight on TV Land at 10 PM. All of the episodes can be previewed with podcasts available through iTunes, with full episodes available later as streaming video. The comics to be featured along with Newhart are Mike Meyers, Larry David, George Lopez, Martin Short and Jon Lovitz.
From my viewing of the podcast clips, you can see how Steinberg likes to keep things loose, even admiting he hasn’t done any research. So insights into the craft of comedy are more like discoveries within a mass of pretty enjoyable banter. (In other words, this isn’t Inside Joke.) Still, hearing Larry David giving his first hand account of how he famously abandoned a stand-up set before he said the first joke is pretty priceless. (it’s also kinda fun for Meyers admit, though it is practically common knowledge by now, that Monty Python is an anti-aphrodisiac.)
At times, it’s seems Steinberg isn’t interested in the details of how his guests became and learned to be comics, but rather in them performing their greatest hits (or in the case of Jon Lovitz, encouraging him to perform one of Woody Allen’s bits). But the forum is so relaxed and friendly, the subjects are comfortable enough to talk about whatever. With someone who’s an interview shy as Larry David, it’s a real opportunity. If you’re interested in the comic Steinberg’s talking to, it’s worth watching.
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