David Cross

November 28, 2002 8:35 PM

You've been Crossed. Comedian's comedian David Cross would rather open for bands than typical comics and has had some funny roles in some unfunny movies and TV shows, but Cross has taken centre stage with his new double comedy album on Sub Pop and several biting columns in vice magazine. There is also a newly published behind-the -scenes look at his cult sketch comedy show ("Mr. Show") and Cross recently appeared at a Autism fundraiser called "Clash of the Titans" alongside his Mr. Show alumni and Janeane Garafolo, Triumph the Insult Comic dog and the Kids in the Hall (here is a related auction and show review). Even though it looks like the feature "Run Ronnie Run" has been shelved by New Line, the future is looking bright for Mr. Cross (including the possible addition of more live dates for "Hooray for America" in the spring). For a brief look inside his mind, check these out.
posted by boost ventilator (15 comments total)

I'm a huge Mr. Show fan; I've seen every episode, I read the behind the scenes book referenced in this post, and I even went to see the "Hooray For America" show when it came through Los Angeles. So for those of you out there like me, who are sad & disappointed that you won't see Run Ronnie Run in theaters, I can only tell you:

a) you can download copies of it on P2P networks, and
b) it's staggeringly, almost unwatchably stupid and lame.

New Line should be commended for shelving this horrific, unfunny waste of celluloid.
posted by jonson at 11:06 PM on November 28, 2002

just got the album....
havent listened yet but very intrigued...
posted by Espoo2 at 12:39 AM on November 29, 2002

I just saw David on episode 9 of IFC's excellent show - DINNER FOR FIVE. He was absolutely hilarious - despite Dennis Leary trying to dominate with boring conversation.
posted by jca at 5:10 AM on November 29, 2002

david cross is god.
posted by birdherder at 6:18 AM on November 29, 2002

I downloaded a bootleg video of those two introducing Tool at their concert. It involved one guy with an aging disease, who "was probably going to keel over and fuckin' die after about the first song or two." Pretty hilarious stuff.
posted by angry modem at 6:58 AM on November 29, 2002

it's staggeringly, almost unwatchably stupid and lame

It's true. A friend of mine knew somebody who knew somebody in L.A. who had a VHS copy of Run, Ronnie, Run. All of us are die-hard Mr. Show fans. But when I got up from watching Run, Ronnie, Run, I felt stupider for having seen it. Nothing but heartbreak.
posted by sklero at 8:42 AM on November 29, 2002

RRR had enough groaners in it that you knew it had to have been "test marketed" into oblivion. Mr. Show missed, sometimes... but it didn't miss 'stupid' like RRR does frequently.

If you're a die-hard fan, you have to see it. There are enough diamonds in the rough to warrant an hour of your time. Don't go in expecting genius (or even 'good'), and you'll be fine.
posted by cadastral at 9:08 AM on November 29, 2002

"I just saw David on episode 9 of IFC's excellent show - DINNER FOR FIVE."

I watched that marathon yesterday too. Cross was definitely the funny one in his group (Leary was really throwing around the "I have this project going" bullshit). I thought Martha Plimpton was going to wet herself a couple of times.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 9:27 AM on November 29, 2002

Well, the Nerve article above focuses briefly on RRR, and David reinforces what he and Bob have been saying all along: they were kicked out of the editting room (by the director, I've read other places) at the very beginning, and that the script they sold to them was a standard studio comedy.

Well, it didn't magically end up sucking. The script wasn't that great to begin with. We didn't sell the first four versions. The one we were sold was a formulaic studio comedy. Bob and I found ourselves outside the filmmaking process. We weren't allowed to see dailies, we weren't in the editing room. Then, movies like Super Troopers and Joe Dirt and shit like that came out, and they didn't make a lot of money. We're part of an industry where studios are not interested in making three million dollars. They want to make forty million, and they're not interested in taking a gamble if it's only going to get them three. It's an absurd way to think.

Luckily, in the next paragraph he said that he and Bob are working on a new script that they want to direct themselves, which may be the best way to get a Mr. Show movie out there.
posted by tittergrrl at 9:30 AM on November 29, 2002

I just downloaded a track off the new album, and it's a recorded show from his last tour (which I saw in SF 6 months ago or so). If you missed it, you're in for a treat.

I saw RRR a couple months ago, and it did indeed suck. It felt a lot like a Saturday Night Live movie, where a funny 3 minute sketch becomes a 90 minute "plot" (also see: It's Pat, Stuart Smalley, The Roxbury Twins, etc.).

It's great to see the rest of the cast doing other stuff. I saw cast members on Greg the Bunny last year, Spongebob Squarepants is making Tom Kenny rich, and about the only redeeming quality of the new MTV animated show 3 South are the characters Brian Posehn voices.
posted by mathowie at 9:39 AM on November 29, 2002

I just have to say that as a sufferer of entitilitus, I thank God that we finally have a celebrity spokesman the caliber of Mr. Cross to enlighten to world to our distress in the face of this most awful condition. I was hoping it'd be Michael J. Fox, but beggars can't be choosers.
posted by tristeza at 9:58 AM on November 29, 2002

I want to have, like, ten thousand of his babies.
posted by brittney at 10:19 AM on November 29, 2002

it's been heavily rumored that cross is working on a comic book with al columbia, the guy who did cross' eery stageset for 'the pride is back' - and is one of the most recognized cartoonists of his generation - here's some proof of that acclaim ..i can think of nothing cooler than that happening.
posted by Peter H at 10:22 AM on November 29, 2002

Maybe RRR seemed like a 3 minute SNL sketch stretched into a movie because it was a Mr. Show sketch stretched into a movie.
I think these guys are great, but I really doubt they had a good script based on Ronnie Dobbs to begin with. It was a great recurring bit, and they covered his rise and fall already on the show. What the hell else were they going to do with it?

Here's to the future...
posted by 2sheets at 10:45 AM on November 29, 2002

it's been heavily rumored that cross is working on a comic book with al columbia

I just creamed my pants. Er, I mean, what a delightful development to have shared!
posted by mediareport at 10:55 AM on November 29, 2002