Meet My Friends the Friends
February 2, 2019 3:59 PM Subscribe
It starts out as a rough-around-the-edges TV recap podcast covering that NBC classic from the 1990's, Friends. But since it's hosted by Tom Scharpling (previously on MetaFilter), it turns out to be something altogether more worth listening to.
I used to listen to The Best Show on WFMU back in the day, but of course that ended. I had no idea until recently that Tom had brought it back as a podcast. His brand of long-form slow-burn broadcast comedy is perhaps not for everyone, but for new listeners these 15-minute chunks might resonate better than a 3-hour block.
If you don't know Scharpling, you may recognize him as the voice of Greg Universe, Jermaine (Jake the Dog's brother), or the DJ from Fortnite.
I used to listen to The Best Show on WFMU back in the day, but of course that ended. I had no idea until recently that Tom had brought it back as a podcast. His brand of long-form slow-burn broadcast comedy is perhaps not for everyone, but for new listeners these 15-minute chunks might resonate better than a 3-hour block.
If you don't know Scharpling, you may recognize him as the voice of Greg Universe, Jermaine (Jake the Dog's brother), or the DJ from Fortnite.
I had to bail on The Best Show. His take on everything seemed too mean-spirited for my taste. How does this compare?
posted by runcibleshaw at 5:46 PM on February 2, 2019
posted by runcibleshaw at 5:46 PM on February 2, 2019
Tom's schtick is that he moans and complains about everything, and he can be pretty cynical. I personally wouldn't call it mean-spirited because he has a huge soft heart, but I can understand why that would turn someone off.
posted by Think_Long at 6:20 PM on February 2, 2019
posted by Think_Long at 6:20 PM on February 2, 2019
Yeah, he's a curmudgeon and a complainer, but he also really sticks up for the underdog. He lampshades his own failings to such a degree that I can see why some people see him as whiny; he's not for everyone. But gosh I find him so hilarious and relatable. When he goes to town on someone that's a sign that it's a bit (his comedy partner Jon Wurster calls into the Best Show as a variety of characters, though it's never acknowledged on the show that it's a bit).
One of the things I really like early on in this Friends podcast, is the "Buzzfeed critic" Ruby Goodman he has on for a few episodes. It slowly becomes clear that Ruby not only doesn't write for Buzzfeed, but is also a really toxic misogynist. Tom then has to shut him down, and it's really awkward to have to do "live on the air," but it's also totally necessary by Tom's standards. It's a relatable moment of dark comedy.
Tom also said a couple of weeks back that Louis CK could be welcomed back into comedy, but only if he had his hands cut off. If that's mean-spirited, give me more.
posted by rikschell at 7:50 PM on February 2, 2019 [4 favorites]
One of the things I really like early on in this Friends podcast, is the "Buzzfeed critic" Ruby Goodman he has on for a few episodes. It slowly becomes clear that Ruby not only doesn't write for Buzzfeed, but is also a really toxic misogynist. Tom then has to shut him down, and it's really awkward to have to do "live on the air," but it's also totally necessary by Tom's standards. It's a relatable moment of dark comedy.
Tom also said a couple of weeks back that Louis CK could be welcomed back into comedy, but only if he had his hands cut off. If that's mean-spirited, give me more.
posted by rikschell at 7:50 PM on February 2, 2019 [4 favorites]
If nothing else (and there are a hundred things else) this podcast has the absolute hands-down best ads in the business.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 3:11 PM on February 3, 2019
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 3:11 PM on February 3, 2019
Meet My Friends the Friends is really a comedic feat in how slow the burn is on the humour. Many of the episodes are straight-faced recap podcasts with two goofy fake ads and some of Tom's podcast persona grumbling about slights and screw-ups. And that's pretty much it! The narrative is stretched out very long. It's not full of a ton of belly laughs but I just sit there smiling at the whole ridiculous enterprise. It's basically a thesis about how vapid podcast culture is. But Tom goes for it, all the way.
I mean Tom repeatedly says how terrible podcasts are, on The Best Show, and how he's the greatest. He's not wrong either. The Best Show, though a slightly different beast than what's typically labeled a podcast, is so much deeper and broader than anything remotely like it. It's like comparing the Bayeux Tapestry to a macrame owl.
posted by picea at 7:28 PM on February 4, 2019 [2 favorites]
I mean Tom repeatedly says how terrible podcasts are, on The Best Show, and how he's the greatest. He's not wrong either. The Best Show, though a slightly different beast than what's typically labeled a podcast, is so much deeper and broader than anything remotely like it. It's like comparing the Bayeux Tapestry to a macrame owl.
posted by picea at 7:28 PM on February 4, 2019 [2 favorites]
Thanks for the replies. It bothers me, probably more than it should, that I just don't see what other people do in the Best Show. And yeah, "mean-spirited" was the wrong adjective. "Negative" would be closer to correct. I just didn't see the humor in a guy complaining for a few hours, getting annoyed at callers, and then pretending to be a squirrel.
Reading that this show may just be some sort of high-concept way to say that podcasts are bad (what does that even mean? it's a medium. that's like saying that paint is bad.) I'll have to give it a miss.
posted by runcibleshaw at 8:00 PM on February 4, 2019
Reading that this show may just be some sort of high-concept way to say that podcasts are bad (what does that even mean? it's a medium. that's like saying that paint is bad.) I'll have to give it a miss.
posted by runcibleshaw at 8:00 PM on February 4, 2019
From the comments, I'm assuming this podcast leans to the side of lampooning the despicable characters of Friends that make the Always Sunny crew look wholesome. I love Greg in Steven universe, and the comments seem to indicate Tom is a positive guy so I think I'll like this. But if it's like, defending the crappiness of the Friends gang I don't think I can do it.
posted by GoblinHoney at 11:01 AM on February 5, 2019
posted by GoblinHoney at 11:01 AM on February 5, 2019
« Older The Future Is Female! | Golden Gate Bridge sunsets Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by saladin at 5:04 PM on February 2, 2019 [2 favorites]