Quote:
Originally Posted by GreeningOA
high so I need to write ...
These shows are awesome not because of the content but because where Danny and Mr. Mauss go with the content. It is actually fitting that Mr. Mauss sometimes takes over Danny's show because they both have the same comic rythym. This was the best solo TTSWD yet and I especially liked the calls from ristband, radiator, and all the other r chicks. If anyone missed it, she told him he's only good for the big loads he dumps in her that she needs to cum.
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*snaps*
I am really proud of Danny for this episode. He knew it would be a big risk. He knew some people would not respond well. But he did it in service of his genuine desire to push himself into more challenging and experimental comedic territory. After 165 episodes, Danny *could* just sit back and rest on the formula the team has perfected. But doing so would constitute a real missed opportunity to develop the skills and voice he will need to make the transition into the broader comedic scene he is interested in. Danny has always been a big fan of character work and improv. Some of his favorite podcasts and shows are Comedy Bang! Bang!, Mr. Show, Characters (Netflix), shows that rely heavily on folks developing all kinds of characters over the course of their episodes to generate the funny. This ability does not arise overnight, it requires practice and commitment. And courage. Even when executed beautifully, it is still not always appreciated or enjoyed by all fans. Here’s a quote about Paul F. Tompkins’ character work on Comedy Bang! Bang! from an
AV Club review: “With a light shone on Comedy Bang! Bang! now more than ever before, it'd come as no surprise if Tompkins wound up with his own series sooner rather than later. His characters on this podcast may be the most under-appreciated aspect of today’s comedy scene.”
It’s okay if some people didn’t like the shane’s dad bit. Everyone has their own taste and historically TTSWD has not been heavy on this kind of material, so expectations are being violated. But I do think it’s worth acknowledging that what Danny is trying to do is worthwhile, that he does have fans that are willing to go along for the ride, and that his solo shows are a space where he should feel particularly encouraged to flex these character muscles. I think this was a great use of the solo show and I look forward to seeing him push the format even more in the future (maybe have some fellow improvisers on?). The purely call-in format is not working super well, and K&C’s strengths/interests do not lie in the experimental improv space Danny keeps asking them to go to. An experimental monthly show could allow him to branch out comedically AND still give us his bread and butter with K&C every other week of the month. I hope most of you feel the same.
Personally, I thought the episode was very funny. I thought it was funny that he decided to do the shane’s dad bit at all after the mixed feedback. I thought it was even funnier that he decided to dedicate an entire episode to it. That commitment was fucking ballsy. He knowingly baited the haters. He put himself on the line. He forced himself to jump in at the deep end and try to stay afloat. Danny, the boy who lives and dies by the approval of others, did something he knew some folks would not like, because he believed it was important to his comedic development and he believed in himself and the form enough to walk that plank. I thought it paid off. Plus, he got to end the bit on his own terms. I'm proud as hell.
If you didn’t bother to listen to the whole thing, you’re missing out. If you thought this episode meant danny is in a bad place, you just didn’t get what he’s trying to do (that’s okay, we are in new territory!). So to set the record straight, it means he finally has the strength and confidence to strike out on his own. Of course there will be growing pains. Of course he won’t hit his stride immediately. Of course it won’t be for everyone (KATG fans became TTSWD fans in part because they enjoy the comedy talk show format). But it will get better and it will be funny, it is Danny after all.