Poor Comedians in a Car Getting Coffee
September 7, 2014 7:36 PM Subscribe
Sure, Seinfeld has expensive cars to shepherd the successful comedians around in. But Kristen Bartlett and Jason Gore get it done in a 2003 Toyota Echo.
Obligatory mention of the British show that started it all, Carpool.
posted by Sara C. at 7:51 PM on September 7, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by Sara C. at 7:51 PM on September 7, 2014 [3 favorites]
Nothing beats Comedians in Cars Getting Cocaine, with Joel McHale & Tony Hale.
posted by leotrotsky at 7:59 PM on September 7, 2014 [13 favorites]
posted by leotrotsky at 7:59 PM on September 7, 2014 [13 favorites]
I will never stop loving spoofs of Seinfeld's smug, lazy web series.
He gets all these amazing comedians on his show, and then he almost seems to be creeped out that despite their success, they managed to retain some humanity instead of spending the episode's 10 minutes with him looking down on all the plebs who weren't smart enough to exploit celebrity to become rich enough not to care about anyone else. And buy lots of cars.
posted by malapropist at 11:56 PM on September 7, 2014 [1 favorite]
He gets all these amazing comedians on his show, and then he almost seems to be creeped out that despite their success, they managed to retain some humanity instead of spending the episode's 10 minutes with him looking down on all the plebs who weren't smart enough to exploit celebrity to become rich enough not to care about anyone else. And buy lots of cars.
posted by malapropist at 11:56 PM on September 7, 2014 [1 favorite]
I warmed up to Comedians in Cars (although the Costanza one fell flat). I don't know why there is so much negativity towards it. I like the casual framework of just getting breakfast at a diner with a friend.
I also especially like the awkward moments when jokes between two people aren't quite landing perfectly. It's like they are two human beings who don't give birth to perfectly formed jokes every 30 seconds. And that's OK.
Also most of the cars in CiCgC are borrowed, not personally own by Seinfeld.
posted by yeti at 4:32 AM on September 8, 2014 [2 favorites]
I also especially like the awkward moments when jokes between two people aren't quite landing perfectly. It's like they are two human beings who don't give birth to perfectly formed jokes every 30 seconds. And that's OK.
Also most of the cars in CiCgC are borrowed, not personally own by Seinfeld.
posted by yeti at 4:32 AM on September 8, 2014 [2 favorites]
Can't watch video with sound at work but the initial shots of the Echo won me over.
I miss my Echo. Poor baby, done in by a Escalade.
posted by charred husk at 6:09 AM on September 8, 2014 [2 favorites]
I miss my Echo. Poor baby, done in by a Escalade.
posted by charred husk at 6:09 AM on September 8, 2014 [2 favorites]
My wife loved her 2003 Echo so much, after it was totaled (by hail, not an Escalade) she replaced it with a 2014 Yaris. I personally thought the Echo handled funny and the Yaris is much better, but YMMV (and it does, the Echo was just a hair more efficient).
trackofalljades, we can be members of the Doesn't Like Seinfeld Very Much Club.
posted by Foosnark at 6:15 AM on September 8, 2014
trackofalljades, we can be members of the Doesn't Like Seinfeld Very Much Club.
posted by Foosnark at 6:15 AM on September 8, 2014
Seinfeld's smug, lazy web series.
Leave the guy alone, he's retired goddamnit!
posted by carter at 6:46 AM on September 8, 2014
Leave the guy alone, he's retired goddamnit!
posted by carter at 6:46 AM on September 8, 2014
I warmed up to Comedians in Cars (although the Costanza one fell flat). I don't know why there is so much negativity towards it.
Eh, it's just people proving their cool by tearing down something popular (in this case Seinfeld, one-time king of TV comedy). The show itself is meh, but the hate it gets is bizarre and really does come across as people showing how hip they are by letting everyone know how much they totally didn't like that super-popular show he used to have.
posted by Sangermaine at 8:22 AM on September 8, 2014
Eh, it's just people proving their cool by tearing down something popular (in this case Seinfeld, one-time king of TV comedy). The show itself is meh, but the hate it gets is bizarre and really does come across as people showing how hip they are by letting everyone know how much they totally didn't like that super-popular show he used to have.
posted by Sangermaine at 8:22 AM on September 8, 2014
The reason it gets so much hate is that there are a million young upstart comedians who did a few Groundlings classes who have web series and podcasts that are at least as funny as Seinfeld's thing. He has the money/reputation to book any guest he wants, and the clout to create a really extravagant setting, and he still wasn't able to get anywhere near as funny as something like "Getting Doug With High", which I don't even think is that good a podcast.
posted by Sara C. at 8:36 AM on September 8, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Sara C. at 8:36 AM on September 8, 2014 [1 favorite]
He has the money/reputation to book any guest he wants, and the clout to create a really extravagant setting, and he still wasn't able to get anywhere near as funny as something like "Getting Doug With High", which I don't even think is that good a podcast.
Yeah, but why is that surprising? He's an aging comedian well past his glory days and cultural relevance. His later work being safe and comfortable and not all that great seems par for the course. Comedians in Cars isn't even really a very big hit to begin with, it's not some juggernaut that needs to be knocked down a peg.
It just seems like a weird target for the level of hatred I've seen it get. It seems like it deserves a "Huh, I guess that's what he's up to these days" at best response.
posted by Sangermaine at 8:52 AM on September 8, 2014
Yeah, but why is that surprising? He's an aging comedian well past his glory days and cultural relevance. His later work being safe and comfortable and not all that great seems par for the course. Comedians in Cars isn't even really a very big hit to begin with, it's not some juggernaut that needs to be knocked down a peg.
It just seems like a weird target for the level of hatred I've seen it get. It seems like it deserves a "Huh, I guess that's what he's up to these days" at best response.
posted by Sangermaine at 8:52 AM on September 8, 2014
he almost seems to be creeped out that despite their success, they managed to retain some humanity instead of spending the episode's 10 minutes with him looking down on all the plebs who weren't smart enough to exploit celebrity to become rich enough not to care about anyone else
Um, what?
posted by davebush at 8:52 AM on September 8, 2014
Um, what?
posted by davebush at 8:52 AM on September 8, 2014
" it's just people proving their cool by tearing down something popular "
Well, no. I am not cool. I just really hate JS (and Larry David) and though we were finally rid of him and now he's back with more hack work.
The most uncool way I can put it is: Mean people suck.
posted by Lesser Shrew at 9:02 AM on September 8, 2014
Well, no. I am not cool. I just really hate JS (and Larry David) and though we were finally rid of him and now he's back with more hack work.
The most uncool way I can put it is: Mean people suck.
posted by Lesser Shrew at 9:02 AM on September 8, 2014
Seinfeld seems to have become the U2 of comedy.
posted by davebush at 9:10 AM on September 8, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by davebush at 9:10 AM on September 8, 2014 [3 favorites]
It's odd that people would get so exercised. CICGC is such a minor little thing, why does it deserve to be attacked? I mean if it was particularly bad, but it's mostly meh comedy-wise. I watch it, because I like seeing old comedians who are sometimes long past their career prime - do they still retain a bit of spark, how are they holding up etc., and many episodes deliver on that front: Robert Klein, Don Rickles, Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks, Michael Richards. Others who still have a career going full strength, do fine, in a low-key sort of way: Gervais, Silverman, Rock, C.K., Ansari. Sure, there have been busts (Howard Stern, Todd Barry - ugh). But there have been pleasant surprises: Leno and Baldwin (whom I expected to hate, but didn't).
And yes, it's ripe for parodies and takeoffs. Totally. I'd love to see some funny ones. And then I see Poor Comedians - and it's awful. I mean, other than the title and premise, it's got nothing. Didn't like the Getting Cocaine either - obvious and lazy, there is so much more you could have done with that premise. Suddenly you start thinking, wow, maybe CICGC is not such dreck, maybe it does take some skill, maybe it's not all a walk in the park, maybe, just maybe it takes talent - after all, it presents such a fat target, and yet these poor parodies and takeoffs do such a bad, bad job of it. They could theoretically be spectacular - hungry young talented people should just totally sweep the floor with that old guard of CICGC. And yet they don't - maybe because the best of the best (CICGC) are a product of Darwinian selection of funniest man left standing, and the legion of pretenders to the throne just aren't quite up to snuff for reasons of statistical distribution of talent.
I'll still watch the next season of CICGC, and I'll keep an eye out for funny take offs on it, but the world of comedy has not been rocked off its orbit so far.
posted by VikingSword at 10:06 AM on September 8, 2014 [6 favorites]
And yes, it's ripe for parodies and takeoffs. Totally. I'd love to see some funny ones. And then I see Poor Comedians - and it's awful. I mean, other than the title and premise, it's got nothing. Didn't like the Getting Cocaine either - obvious and lazy, there is so much more you could have done with that premise. Suddenly you start thinking, wow, maybe CICGC is not such dreck, maybe it does take some skill, maybe it's not all a walk in the park, maybe, just maybe it takes talent - after all, it presents such a fat target, and yet these poor parodies and takeoffs do such a bad, bad job of it. They could theoretically be spectacular - hungry young talented people should just totally sweep the floor with that old guard of CICGC. And yet they don't - maybe because the best of the best (CICGC) are a product of Darwinian selection of funniest man left standing, and the legion of pretenders to the throne just aren't quite up to snuff for reasons of statistical distribution of talent.
I'll still watch the next season of CICGC, and I'll keep an eye out for funny take offs on it, but the world of comedy has not been rocked off its orbit so far.
posted by VikingSword at 10:06 AM on September 8, 2014 [6 favorites]
Within comedy, it's not a "minor little thing".
That said, the parody that is the subject of this FPP isn't really that great. Mostly because they didn't get a good guest, or maybe just didn't frame their guest particularly well for people who aren't part of their particular little improv class scene.
posted by Sara C. at 10:35 AM on September 8, 2014
That said, the parody that is the subject of this FPP isn't really that great. Mostly because they didn't get a good guest, or maybe just didn't frame their guest particularly well for people who aren't part of their particular little improv class scene.
posted by Sara C. at 10:35 AM on September 8, 2014
Within comedy, it's not a "minor little thing".
Does the fact that it exists prevent anyone from doing their own web series or podcast? If it disappeared tomorrow would everyone just start complaining about how Maron or someone else with a lot of views/downloads get all the good guests?
posted by crank at 10:44 AM on September 8, 2014
Does the fact that it exists prevent anyone from doing their own web series or podcast? If it disappeared tomorrow would everyone just start complaining about how Maron or someone else with a lot of views/downloads get all the good guests?
posted by crank at 10:44 AM on September 8, 2014
If it's humble transportation you're looking for, JS took Jon Stewart for a ride in a Gremlin.
posted by Flexagon at 10:56 AM on September 8, 2014
posted by Flexagon at 10:56 AM on September 8, 2014
It's true, I've been waiting for a really great CICGC take-off but it just hasn't happened yet. The production is pretty damn high, mind, and the guest list is lots of people with gobs of talent and experience. And in some cases gobs of money. Which has led to their being completely out of touch with 'normal' life and 'normal' people. Which is alienating. Also, all the really expensive cars and somehow Seinfeld's outfits too. Interesting put the money is kind of way in your face.
posted by From Bklyn at 11:07 AM on September 8, 2014
posted by From Bklyn at 11:07 AM on September 8, 2014
Crank, my point is that the reason everybody hates on CICGC is that it's a big enough deal that pretty much everybody who has a passing interest in comedy knows about it and has an opinion on it. It's probably the most well-known comedy webseries out there.
posted by Sara C. at 11:32 AM on September 8, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Sara C. at 11:32 AM on September 8, 2014 [1 favorite]
Also, just to throw it out there, Joan Rivers' take on this is at least as good. She's definitely a better interviewer.
posted by Sara C. at 11:40 AM on September 8, 2014
posted by Sara C. at 11:40 AM on September 8, 2014
The thing I hate the most about Seinfeld's series is that he entices me with the promise of some easy conversation with people I love, the people he gets to star on his show. But then the conversation is dictated by Jerry fucking Seinfeld, and it's not only that but he seems genuinely uneasy around anyone who doesn't embrace the idea that they are now a celebrity, just like him, just by dint of his including them on the show. I remember when I saw that Jon Stewart was on his show, after watching a bunch of these I still thought, as a daily Daily Show viewer, there's no way I could hate that, and yet it was a conversation that went in two directions: 1) Just how fucking humble Jon's roots were considering the Gremlin was picked for him, and 2) Jon kissing Jerry's ass about how, by this point, he'd made it, and never had to worry about anything again (almost verbatim). I think that particular episode is a good example of how this show takes people you like and turns them into grist for a dude who is worth so much money he doesn't know what taste is anymore, no matter how much you like who he books on his show.
posted by malapropist at 12:05 AM on September 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by malapropist at 12:05 AM on September 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
The weird thing is that I didn't really like Sarah Silverman that much until her episode of Comedians With Cars Getting Coffee.
posted by Sara C. at 8:58 AM on September 9, 2014
posted by Sara C. at 8:58 AM on September 9, 2014
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posted by trackofalljades at 7:43 PM on September 7, 2014 [1 favorite]