Re: Flock of Dodos

On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 4:35 PM, jamie kilstein <jamiekilstein@gmail.com> wrote:

Hey man, really great questions. An interview i have not dreaded. Here ya go. Hope the answers are OK. If not I was pretty tired so just tell me to re tool something. Talk soon man!

1. Both: I've always wanted to be one half of a creative-class power couple. What's it like?

Allison gave the "now" answer so in order not to hack her shit I will give the "then" answer.

I think creative class and power should not be used in the same sentence. Creative class usually means "without health insurance." So when we first met it was amazing. She was starting as a writer and I was failing as a comic and we were both working at a bookstore.

Any other girl that was pitched this idea "Hey you want to leave our job in NYC so we can live out of Saturn made of plastic and wishes for two years? Don't worry, what I lack in money I make up for with poorly crafted amateur comedy!" would have punched me in the neck. Allison however was failing as well. So we quit, left our closet in NYC, and hit the road. Being to naive to realize it was a bad idea.

I guess the best part is just being with someone who gets it. We are trained to abandon our dreams. To think that doing what you want is a sign of weakness. That being happy makes you childish.

It's bullshit constructed by people who have failed. It's also the majority. So if you find someone who has aspirations beyond minimum wage, benefits, and security (what ever the fuck that means.) don't let go. If you can find someone who doesn't use the word "back up plan" hold on to them forever.

2. Jamie: What's an Australian audience like? Do they respond differently to certain parts of your act than do your typical New York audience?

It's not the crowd it's the industry. The crowds in both places can be good or be shit. They seem to care about politics more in OZ. Not because they are smarter but because they are not lied to about our politics as much as we are. But also because of the industry. In America comedy is a stepping stone. It's used to propel you to something that's not comedy. Acting, writing etc. Because of this a lot of these people come up with the most watered down ethnic mom sitcom ready seven minutes and never challenge the audience. They use stand up like when the frat guys in the awful movies tell the nerdy kid to fuck some slutty girls before the girl he really loves. Both cases end in fail.

So in the UK and OZ crowds are ready to be pushed because stand up is treated like an art form, so comics keep going farther and farther. It's all about comedy there not marketability.

4. Both: What's the most interesting thing Noam Chomsky has ever told you?

Where to get good weed. Sorry, the real answer is everything. It's insane to watch him talk. I dropped out of high school and the fact that he can make such complex issues so simple. The fact that he can find something so basic and humanitarian the no one else has found in an argument you have heard a million times blows my mind. That and the fact that he is Noam Chomsky and he has talked to us three times (third later this month)

5. Jamie: Did Janeane Garofalo join 24 for purposes of camp or what?

We have laughed about 24 but that is a question you would have to ask her. The bottom line for me is we should not be so uneducated about torture. The fact that the media lets our politicians get away with quoting Jack Bauer, a fictional TV character is heartbreaking and is another dent in their record.

8. Jamie: Who's the worst successful comedian at the moment?

Oh man, I feel like such an asshole. You know how when people ask you who your inspirations are you are like man there are so many? That is how I feel about this question.
In no order, Carlos Mencia, Dane Cook, The Blue Collar Comedy Tour (God Hates Fags even protested them, and if you can agree with God Hates Fags on something you know it's bad) anyone who steals material, dumbs down a group of people and picks on the weak. Comedy is supposed to be a tool to take down powerful people so when its used to beat on a homeless guy or just spew out cliche racial stereotypes it seems like a fucking waste.

10. Both: How disappointed are you in Obama thus far?
Allison summed up how I feel but I can add that I am also disappointed in Obama supporters. This notion that just because he is cooler then George Bush he can somehow get away with this shit. I only became politically aware during the Bush years, so this is the first time "my team" has been in office. And I assumed, just like with your sport team, if they fuck up you scream shit. That's kind of your job.

So the most heartbreaking moment for me was after he won I became critical of some of his policies and I started to get the same blind allegiance don't question the leader hate mail that I used to get from Bush supporters. With Obama supporters even with the hate mail though it was oddly hopeful. I don't know if that makes sense but it would be like "Fuck you...YES WE CAN!" Weird stuff.

I think this mentality of "Obama is great even when he fucks us" is kind of the same as someone who gets out of an abusive relationship. Where our last boyfriend was so crazy that now anything Obama does seems awesome by comparison.

"How's the new boyfriend?"

" He doesn't waterboard me!"

"Put a ring on that finger girlfriend!"

It's insane. If the lobbyists and these giant corporations see that the left is powerless lazy and apathetic it doesn't matter how great a guy Obama is, they are going to walk all over us.

11. Jamie: What's your favorite bit you've done?

Anything on religion. Only because people look shocked at first since you are trained not to talk about religion then there are these laughs of relieve when people realize "oh. This is fucking crazy."

On Thu, May 21, 2009 at 7:55 PM, <jamiekilstein@gmail.com> wrote:

Cool man and thanks for the book. We would love to do the interview shoot us the questions and we will get on it

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
From: Barrett Brown
Date: Thu, 21 May 2009 19:53:34 -0400
To: <jamiekilstein@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Flock of Dodos
Busy tonight, but let me know when the good one to come to would be (or I'll just keep an eye on your Facebook announcements).

On Thu, May 21, 2009 at 7:48 PM, <jamiekilstein@gmail.com> wrote:
Tonight I'm downtown with garofalo if you want me to list you
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
From: Barrett Brown
Date: Thu, 21 May 2009 19:44:22 -0400
To: jamie kilstein<jamiekilstein@gmail.com>
Subject: Flock of Dodos
The publisher should be sending along a copy soon, but here's a PDF of the book, too. Also, I'll send you some interview questions at some point in the near future, and will try to catch one of your gigs soon as well.

Thanks,

Barrett Brown
Brooklyn, NY
512-560-2302
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