WTF with Marc Maron (podcast)

[JayP7]

I will preface this by saying that, like many here, I'm a big fat comedy nerd. So things like the whole 'Mencia-situation' fall into a class of stories that aren't really that important and yet strike a ridiculous chord in me. (Kinda like the 'Tiger Woods Scandal' strikes in young married women.)

That said, I can honestly say that this past episode was the single greatest podcast I've ever listened to. It was entertaining and informative. Marc was both a fair interviewer, but not a cream-puff. And my reaction when the episode finished was more so than any episode of "LOST" or "The Wire". AWESOME. Can't wait for the next one.

I found Mencia to be very very interesting. I definitely didn't believe a lot of what he said but I came out of this one certainly more sympathetic than I thought I'd be. We'll see what happens.

[MikThrontveit]

Wait did rapechoke already get banned? I'm going to miss him... I feel violated and out of breath at the same time.

[nathansmart]

Yeah, I'm not done with this Mencia episode yet but he just sounds like a guy who is making stuff up as he goes along. And it sounds like you guys are saying he does a follow-up on all the stuff. Can't wait to hear.

[nathansmart]

Did Carlos just say "seriousville?"

[Siggers]

This was the Skit Carlos was talking about doing on the Podcast. HOLY SHIT this is Horrible. I want to steal this bit Just to make it funnier. Question if i steal from a thief does that make me Look bad?


[YOUTUBE]0sZsoh1MjAM[/YOUTUBE]

[nathansmart]

It makes you the Omar of comedy and real fuckin' scary.

[Siggers]

What i found hilarious about the Interview was every Bit that was brought into Question Was battled with. "OH THIS WAS SUCH A HUGE MISUNDERSTANDING!"

[nathansmart]

BRO

[RoyalDutchOfDukes]

So is it just like 30-45 minutes of Marc going "What about this joke? Why did you steal this?" and that asshole going "Oh no bro, I know it seems like I stole that, but I actually went back in time and performed it before Cosby so it's not actually stealing."? Because if so, I don't really want to listen to it. If there's even a glimmer of him actually owning up to being a blatant thief, I think it's worth a listen, but I don't want to listen to him try to snow Marc the whole time.

[smartbunny]

We get the "idea" of the Americanizer thing in about 2 seconds; actually watching it get played out is not necessary.

[Berliner]

I honestly tried to listen to that with an open mind, but it's impossible. He was the opposite of Robin Williams.

How about the part where he said something like, "I could use my power within the Hispanic community to make them hate white people, but I'm too much like Spiderman to do that." Paraphrasing here.

[RoyalDutchOfDukes]

Ugh, God, I'm so glad you said that Berliner, now I don't have to listen to it.

Also, Carlos, you don't have any power in the Hispanic community, you twat. Every Latino I know hates him and loves George Lopez. He has about as much pull in the Hispanic community as Byron Allen has in the black community.

[thegreg]

Opposite of Robin Williams is right. Carlos was literally the most defensive interviewee I think I ever heard. He literally didn't let Marc say anything and he when he did he literally followed up each time in the form "Yeah Marc. . . but". Marc had him dead to rights, literally, when he said Carlos's attitude was "Fuck you, I win".

It was literally the most frustrating thing I've listened to in a long while and I literally can't wait for part two: The Lid Blower.

LITERALLY LITERALLY LITERALLY ARGH

[nathansmart]

Marc was pretty silent during his answers - you could almost see his skeptical face. And this guy is all over the place - that quote from Berliner is pretty weird. It's annoying to listen to but I think you guys really should, just to follow the drama of all this and see how it's going to play out.

[Berliner]

Oh man, and talking about having a wheelchair bound friend who vicariously lives off your success (because someone in the wheelchair can't do standup? I mean, he can't literally stand up, but...) and as an impetus for starting standup. I can't wait to see that in the Mencia biopic.

[nathansmart]

this is a real treat

[beccaBeccaBECCA]

What I don't understand is why Mencia even wants to do comedy... or why any joke thief would be a comic in the first place. The obvious lack of respect for the craft or pride in their work is baffling. Mencia doesn't seem to care about garnering the respect of his peers or predecessors... or getting a laugh based on something originated in his own mind - so what's the goal? Surely no one gets into comedy solely for money and fame; that takes years.

I can't even find the words to express how much this confuses me. If he and other joke thieves weren't in comedy, would they just be con artists???

Maybe these questions were answered in the podcast... I've got a few WTF episodes to catch up on before I listen to Mencia's.

[scamboogah]

Mencia really exposed himself when trying to defend against the Bill Cosby stuff. I might have believed anything he said if he didn't clumsily say, "I think it's from...uh...Himself or something".

Himself, or something? Oh, you mean that thing that anyone with a casual knowledge of comedy has heard of and you've been defending yourself for ripping off for 5 years? That's not obscure, jackass. No one is ever going to believe that you're struggling to come up with the name of Bill Cosby's best known work.

This is the behavior of a sociopath. He not only believes his innocence, but also believes that there is a massive plot against him orchestrated by those who are jealous of his talent. I'm so happy that Maron's bullshit detector still works, and that Mencia's attempt to clear the air left it more farty smelling than ever.

Can't wait for part two!

[nathansmart]

What I don't understand is why Mencia even wants to do comedy... or why any joke thief would be a comic in the first place. The obvious lack of respect for the craft or pride in their work is baffling. Mencia doesn't seem to care about garnering the respect of his peers or predecessors... or getting a laugh based on something originated in his own mind - so what's the goal? Surely no one gets into comedy solely for money and fame; that takes years.

I can't even find the words to express how much this confuses me. If he and other joke thieves weren't in comedy, would they just be con artists???

Maybe these questions were answered in the podcast... I've got a few WTF episodes to catch up on before I listen to Mencia's.

Because it's fun. It's to be the funny guy. And he talks about it in the beginning (although I don't know if any of this stuff is true) but he made his friends at work laugh and then got on stage and got hooked on it. I think it's one of those addictions to making people laugh that fuels anything and it supersedes his ethics. Whatever he needs to do to make someone laugh (I mean, he says it enough in this interview about even his original material - he keeps talking about how they're all easy jokes) and if that means retelling someone's joke then he'll do it. The people want to laugh and it's his duty to make it happen.

I don't know if he would be a con artist in another life but I wouldn't be surprised to find out he's a pathological liar. I've known a lot of "pliars" and his tone and words are all things I've heard before.

[angryrobot]

An innocent man would answer an accusation of joke stealing this way:

"I don't take jokes."

A guilty man might answer it this way:

"I don't take jokes but if I did I would take it from some mook who noboby knows."