Episode 134 - Can't Stop the Music: LIVE!

[SevenDollarsWorthofHoobastank 226]

The audience member bringing up the "Hit and run" line, along with the reaction from everyone in attendance had me in hysterics.

[taylor anne photo 11311]

I had another shitty week and this thread is making me want to punch things.

 

[Thedge 314]

This is the best audio quality the live shows have had so far. Thumbs up for improvement. I take it you are recording straight from the desk now instead of from a device. All of the vocal mics are usually really boomy and have way too much natural reverb. It makes everything sound very distant. Straight out of the console is the way to go.

[NundercoverBrother 174]

I am baffled by how anyone didnt like this episode.

I even loved petes call to The Lawnmower Man towards the end.

I feel bad for you folks. This is one of the best ways to burn 2 hours.

The onion layers of this movie they go through is fascinating.

[Quasar Sniffer 4174]

I unabashedly and unapologetically love Pete Holmes. He just brings so much joy out of everything he does, be it cheap jokes (the cheapest!) or Al Pacino impressions. So hearing him, Jason, and Cameron all play off each other, each with their own unique comic timing and personalities, was an absolute delight. HDTGM is consistently the funniest podcast I listen to, but there were moments in here, like the "HDTGM in Czech" and Paul's accent that just struck me stupid with laughter. Good work, EVERYONE.

[BenA.Varkentine 20]

Oy, my god. Listening to this episode in three segments over the last 24 hours, I've gone from liking Cameron but thinking she wasn't a good fit here, or was having an off night, to reassessing whether I like her as a performer at all.

 

Maybe most of all when she made the crack about the men getting paid more. Well, Pete was the only one who's also a standup, and I believe he's been working longer than her and had his own talk show. Jason and Paul are writer/actors etc, and again, I believe have been on "the scene" longer than she has. Maybe *that's* why they make more money.

 

If you told me she was doing a parody of the cliched, angry lesbian feminist, I would not take much convincing. And one of the reasons this hit me so hard is that's not at all what I thought of her before this, I've literally never minded her discussing her sexuality or views on any other podcast (and she's done a lot).

 

But on here sometimes I wanted to shout in frustration: It's not about you!

[Quasar Sniffer 4174]

Oy, my god. Listening to this episode in three segments over the last 24 hours, I've gone from liking Cameron but thinking she wasn't a good fit here, or was having an off night, to reassessing whether I like her as a performer at all.

 

Maybe most of all when she made the crack about the men getting paid more. Well, Pete was the only one who's also a standup, and I believe he's been working longer than her and had his own talk show. Jason and Paul are writer/actors etc, and again, I believe have been on "the scene" longer than she has. Maybe *that's* why they make more money.

 

If you told me she was doing a parody of the cliched, angry lesbian feminist, I would not take much convincing. And one of the reasons this hit me so hard is that's not at all what I thought of her before this, I've literally never minded her discussing her sexuality or views on any other podcast (and she's done a lot).

 

But on here sometimes I wanted to shout in frustration: It's not about you!

I am sorry to have to rehash this argument, but I strongly disagree. Of course, I think that there should be a dedication to the room and improving the environment that one is in, be it a podcast, a club show, or a sketch. However, every comedian brings his or herself to their performance. Jason is always going to give a "WHAT'S UP JERKS!?" and then slobber over tits and discuss his hard penis. That's part of his character. With Bloodsport, June is going to pick some strange style/visual aesthetic to love or get on the side of the animal-actors and how that makes her uncomfortable. Both of those examples are AWESOME and why I love this podcast. I don't see Cameron as any different. She brought up gay issues in a film starring gay people, that appeals to a gay audience, and that features content geared towards a titillating gay men. Of course she's going to bring up her own sexuality in discussing that film! Maybe she was a bit more serious at times than Jason when doing so, but that's her perspective, and different perspectives is why THIS SHOW HAS GUESTS. As a straight white dude who found this movie prrrrretty boring to get through despite its ridiculousness, I loved the shit out of this episode.

 

I mean, that Lawnmower man riff that occurred for no reason? Ugh, I couldn't walk for a good ten seconds I was laughing so hard.

[Lukas Holmes 2287]

Ah man, I felt tired the whole episode.

 

Carmen has lots of awesome insight and analysis in her but I felt it all fell to the wayside. To me, she came across as so confrontational to everyone and it felt like a "us vs them" situation constantly. By then end I felt like I was blugeoned by a hammer.

 

I guess that's my only complaint about her. She seems to always start every appearance with a "I'm gay!" take, which is fine. I understand and this movie was a perfect place for it. But it almost always turns into a 'and you're arguing with me!' thing that only seems to be happening in her mind. I mean, I like to think these audiences and (most) of the Earwolf listeners are pretty okay with her/that. I mean, Tig was one of the most popular hosts in the history of this network and I never felt like it was a 'It's me and my life against all of you!' when she was on shows. I really do think Cameron is funny but I just wish she would give us all the benefit of the doubt and understand that with few exceptions, we're with her. Stop attacking us.

[Smigg 1488]

I didn't really like this episode, it just degenerated into four people screaming over each other and got a little too "Social Justicey" in places, but I'm looking at this positively, one "not so great" episode after 133 great episodes? That's a fucking incredible ratio.

[JoelSchlosberg 352]

Question:

 

How did the Leatherman eat anything with that monstrous mustache of his, I mean that thing had to have caught everything that he tried to eat. I mean I have a full bear and mustache now and find it problematic at times either eating or drinking and getting food caught or liquid in my mustache, I can only image how much more it's amplified with that steroid ridden caterpillar across his upper lip. Additionally, does anyone else think that Gutenberg would be better suited to offer the backing tracks to the music of Alfie from The Apple, similar to the Macklemore/Ryan Lewis partnership?

 

With a straw.

 

[Amy the Gorilla 732]

Am I the only one who read Cameron's "social justice rants" as a joke most of the time? Just exaggerating concern over uncomfortable subjects for laughs?

[Smigg 1488]

Am I the only one who read Cameron's "social justice rants" as a joke most of the time? Just exaggerating concern over uncomfortable subjects for laughs?

 

I'll be honest, I couldn't tell, because it was just so ham handed, and aggressively delivered, it removed the nuance and took the humour out of it. Take June for example, she could have taken the same subject, but has that delivery which is just perfect for it.

 

They have a much different way of putting the square peg in the round hole, June will distract you somehow, and then serruptitiously slip the lid off, put the peg in the bucket, slip the lid back on, and you're none the wiser. Cameron on the other hand wedges the peg in the hole, then takes a sledgehammer, smashes the peg, the bucket, the table and puts a couple of holes in the wall, then drops it on your foot when she's done.

[NathanGordon 1096]

Made this account to say how bummed out I am by some of the fan responses here.

 

Whatever you do, don't look at that reddit thread, it's as toxic as they come.

 

This has been my favorite podcast for years now, and I used to be a regular poster here (cat & beard). This kind of entitled fan tempest in a teapot is a big reason why I don't bother with most podcast forums anymore. I mean, it's just so out of line. It's not criticism, it's not really interesting to read, it's redundant, and worst of all it gives sexist homophobes a chance to wax hyperbolic ("she RUINED the show"), decree what is and isn't comedy ("I asked all my internet echo chamber friends and they all agree"), and just be regressive and lame in general ("this is a comedy podcast, it's not for social issues!").

 

Screw you, you don't get to decide what this podcast is or isn't, you don't speak for the fans, and you don't get to moderate the podcast guests or hosts. The sense of entitlement and presumed ownership on display is unreal, and this sort of thing ONLY happens for women performers on the forums. I've never seen this kind of behavior for any male here (I guess they're just all really really funny and beloved).

 

Sometimes I wish we all had to have our moms screen our Internet posts first.

[Smigg 1488]

Question:

 

How did the Leatherman eat anything with that monstrous mustache of his, I mean that thing had to have caught everything that he tried to eat. I mean I have a full bear and mustache now and find it problematic at times either eating or drinking and getting food caught or liquid in my mustache, I can only image how much more it's amplified with that steroid ridden caterpillar across his upper lip. Additionally, does anyone else think that Gutenberg would be better suited to offer the backing tracks to the music of Alfie from The Apple, similar to the Macklemore/Ryan Lewis partnership?

 

Also, it would make sense that Jenner was asked to be in Airplane as it was at the time of Police Squad having a celebrity guest every episode which transferred into the Naked Gun films. You also had random cameos on shows like the Love Boat and Gilligan's Island, which apparently Jenner had some roles in as well.

 

You can actually get moustache protectors for your drink

 

 

In fact, here's Stephen Fry trying some out

 

[Smigg 1488]

Made this account to say how bummed out I am by some of the fan responses here.

 

Whatever you do, don't look at that reddit thread, it's as toxic as they come.

 

This has been my favorite podcast for years now, and I used to be a regular poster here (cat & beard). This kind of entitled fan tempest in a teapot is a big reason why I don't bother with most podcast forums anymore. I mean, it's just so out of line. It's not criticism, it's not really interesting to read, it's redundant, and worst of all it gives sexist homophobes a chance to wax hyperbolic ("she RUINED the show"), decree what is and isn't comedy ("I asked all my internet echo chamber friends and they all agree"), and just be regressive and lame in general ("this is a comedy podcast, it's not for social issues!").

 

Screw you, you don't get to decide what this podcast is or isn't, you don't speak for the fans, and you don't get to moderate the podcast guests or hosts. The sense of entitlement and presumed ownership on display is unreal, and this sort of thing ONLY happens for women performers on the forums. I've never seen this kind of behavior for any male here (I guess they're just all really really funny and beloved).

 

Sometimes I wish we all had to have our moms screen our Internet posts first.

 

In fairness, it's not "sexist and homophobic" to not like a certain person's performance, in my opinion, it was a poor performance, regardless of gender or sexual proclivities. She tried way too hard, interrupted way too much (as did everyone else), and just bludgeoned people in the face with her politics, and people are well within their rights to be put off by it, because they want to laugh at a silly movie, and they probably felt that it was just a little too much.

 

But, all in all, in my opinion, it wasn't as good an episode as the others, and because there's been 133 episodes of absolute excellence, so a not-as-good episode is going to look worse by comparison, I'm not going to stop listening to the podcast, including mini-episodes because of one guest, hell, I'll even listen to any further episodes with Cameron Espisito, because I love listening to Paul, June and Jason, talking about stupid movies.

[NathanGordon 1096]

 

In fairness, it's not "sexist and homophobic" to not like a certain person's performance, in my opinion, it was a poor performance, regardless of gender or sexual proclivities.

 

Smigg, I knew you would reply to that, and I didn't want to implicate you in my bummerpants. I'm not against "not liking things".

 

I think characterizing any of Cameron Esposito's words as "bludgeonjng" is weird, though. The kind of words people use to characterize a gay woman screaming about dicks is pretty interesting, compared to the language used when a male comedian is screaming about dicks.

 

Regardless of how sincere your dislike is (no hard feelings dude), like I said, it allows for the real jerks to fly under the radar with bad intentions, trolling (notice the new accounts), and cross posting to other forums, in the name of voicing fan opinions or whatever. So this isn't directed at you really.

 

And it's hard to not see this reaction as typical for a woman in comedy who dares to talk about sexuality in a way that isn't purely for titillating -- see the shade thrown at Amy Schumer, Nikki Glasser, Whitney Cummings, etc. It just doesn't happen in that way for men, gay or straight. And it's a pattern I've seen on many other podcast forums, like here (especially for CBB), Doug Loves Movies. Harmontown, and more.

[Smigg 1488]

No, I feel no hard feelings coming from you, I was merely adding an alternate perspective so that people don't get lumped in with those who are doing it to be pricks for the sake of being pricks, I've been lumped in with "pricks" for my own opinions, and been accused of reprehensible things for nothing more than disagreeing with a viewpoint, so I can be quick to defend my stance.

 

But, I've always not liked it when anyone, comedian or otherwise leads off with their own identity, other than their ideas. So when things like wage gap is shoehorned in when it's a discussion about a movie starring the Village People, it's not relevant, and it was just forced, hence the use of the term "bludgeoned", not so much the "lesbian" stuff.

 

You brought up Whitney Cummings, I really like her , have you ever seen Shappi Khorsandi? Because I'm in England, and she's pretty popular, so I don't know if she's made it over there, she's really good.

[MotorboatJones 41]

Also, it would make sense that Jenner was asked to be in Airplane as it was at the time of Police Squad having a celebrity guest every episode which transferred into the Naked Gun films. You also had random cameos on shows like the Love Boat and Gilligan's Island, which apparently Jenner had some roles in as well.

Airplane! pre-dated the Police Squad TV show.

 

I didn't see anyone mention that the director of this movie was 70's TV mainstay, Nancy Walker. She was Rhoda's mother, Ida Morgenstern, on Rhoda as well as the Bounty paper towels pitchwoman.

 

 

By the way, I love Valerie Perrine. I think that's deeply ingrained in me from coming across this issue of Playboy as a young boy.

 

[babyoilbandit 81]

I always feel embarrassed for the audience members who have to come up with a "what would you BLANK" or whatever Paul also wants in addition to the question. I imagine some people don't ask a question because they can't think up a wrestler name or alternative movie title or whatever, in this case it's fairly easy. For the record I'd choose a sexy professor type - with tweed jacket and leather elbow patches and pipe and reading glasses.

 

I don't know if it's kosher to mention another bad movie podcast here but anyway We Hate Movies has an occasional feature called Animation Damnation that covers shitty cartoons and they point out that in the 80s everyone had a cartoon, if you were famous in the 80s you get a cheaply animated poorly written cartoon, so watching this I couldn't help but think where was the Village People cartoon. The Harlem Globetrotters had a cartoon, alright I know that's the 70s but same principle as here because it would be easy to make into a cartoon when you have a bunch of different characters in one format that could be transplanted into another format. Imagine then The Village People Detective Agency or The Village People Defence Force protecting America from commies.

 

If you wonder how Steve Guttenberg got the role in this movie I'd say it has more to do with the Stone Cutters than Guttenberg's sexiness.

 

One last thing, what surprised me was how skinny some of these Village People were, I think my brain had them confused with the Chippendales. I thought being buff was part of the gay sub-culture or was that later?

[The-God 36]

It's tough. I listen to Doug Loves Movies, but I don't think I've ever laughed at any of his pot jokes and that's his whole shtick, but I can still hear the audience laugh at those jokes. Pete Holmes talks about his divorce and Catholicism all the time. Moshe Kasher talks about being Jewish every other minute. Anthony Jeselink is probably going to say some outrageous controversial thing. And that awful awful Chris Hardwick shoehorns in his alcoholism every chance he gets. I don't think it's necessarily right to chastise a comedian for bringing up something that's their bread and butter. I can certainly respect a comedian more if they're not harping on the same subject by their 2nd or 3rd comedy album and especially when they're on a podcast that's not directly about them. I won't fault Cameron for trying.

[Amy the Gorilla 732]

 

By the way, I love Valerie Perrine. I think that's deeply ingrained in me from coming across this issue of Playboy as a young boy.

 

 

 

 

I'm sure you did.

 

[Elektra Boogaloo 3371]

Am I the only one who read Cameron's "social justice rants" as a joke most of the time? Just exaggerating concern over uncomfortable subjects for laughs?

Nope, I thought so too. Like you guys discussing why she might get paid less than her are making me laugh because it's a free podcast; none of them are getting paid.

 

I also feel like she was brought on purposefully to be the "professional gay." Otherwise, again, it's straight guys making fun of a gay movie and could be seen as gay bashing. They had her as a guest for a reason. And I think she leaned into it in a "yes and" exaggerated way.

[Smigg 1488]

 

 

I'm sure you did.

 

 

Nice

[FisterRoboto 7499]

Nope, I thought so too. Like you guys discussing why she might get paid less than her are making me laugh because it's a free podcast; none of them are getting paid.

 

I also feel like she was brought on purposefully to be the "professional gay." Otherwise, again, it's straight guys making fun of a gay movie and could be seen as gay bashing. They had her as a guest for a reason. And I think she leaned into it in a "yes and" exaggerated way.

She also does a great job as the (no pun intended) straight player with a bunch of ridiculous-ass people. For me, at least, I enjoy listening to her be pretty straightforward when she's on CBB while PFT and Gourley act like completely hilarious idiots (I'd take 10 more of the Stillwater eps before one more of the Gilly/Garry eps).

 

But I totally agree that they had her on specifically to make sure they weren't really crossing any lines (Pete even asks quite seriously at one point, "Am I doing it right?" when talking about Bruce/Caitlyn which I thought was kind of sweet).

 

I get why people might not like her. I'm not the biggest fan of Pete Holmes, but I think he's okay in small doses. But it's hard to be like, "All she does is talk about being a lesbian!" when you're on a show where Jason talks about tits and/or his dick for major stretches of many episodes (seriously, how long did he creepily go on about Mathilda May's tits in the Lifeforce episode?), but no one ever says, "Ugh. Jason only ever talks about being heterosexual!"

 

Anyway, that's the last I'm going to say about Caramel.

 

I didn't get a chance to watch the movie (although my old roommate used to get high and watch it a lot, so I remember parts of it), so I don't have much in the way of C&Os.

[tigerlilies83 2]

Why did HDTGM gloss over the fact that a movie comprised of blatant gay male stereotypes is full of instances of those males hitting on women (especially the guy in the sequined native american costumes who kept winking at female characters, etc.)? It almost felt like they were trying to avoid some sort of censorship with a very thin veneer of heterosexuality which just came off as bizarre.

 

There is an imdb thread here http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080492/board/thread/165102705 that sums it up well:

 

Yes, this is a funny, campy, hot mess of a movie. However, it really is a visualization of Hell for a homosexual male.

 

Imagine you're a gay man and when you die, your soul is sent to a world where gay culture and fashion and attitude are abundant. There is music, glitter, and beautiful men everywhere, but no one is actually gay. That hot guy may be wearing a tight tank top and high-cut denim shorts, but he loves the ladies. Ask him if he is gay, and he'll answer "What does that mean? What is 'gay'? No, I don't want to have sex with you, I only like women."

 

This movie would've made a great Twilight Zone episode...

 

- fritali04 on imdb