the comic's comic

Myq Kaplan has a Comedy Central Presents and a CD, "Vegan Mind Meld." Watch one, buy the other!

I've made little to no secret that I've been a fan of Myq Kaplan's comedy for years, and I'm not just saying that because I have ridden in his car on trips between Boston and New York City when we both lived in the former, although I am just saying that in the interests of full disclosure, although I should probably also mention that I have been in his car at other times, too.

If you're a fan of Kaplan's already, then perhaps I don't need to explain further. Kaplan not only has earned a master's degree in linguistics, but also has earned a mastery of the use of wordplay in stand-up comedy. As he has matured onstage, he has learned how to slow down his fast-paced wit so audiences can follow along and laugh at each and every nuanced turn of phrase, tag and callback -- whether he's telling you why "betwixt" is the gayest of the prepositions (which, of course, it is) to showing you why conventional wisdom arguments against gay marriage, drugs and civil rights aren't necessarily wise. All of this shows up on his new CD, Vegan Mind Meld, recorded live last spring at Comix. And some of this will be on full display tonight when his half-hour Comedy Central Presents debuts. As someone who also enjoys playing with words, I have enjoyed pretty much every single one of my conversations with Kaplan over the past five years. And by pretty much every single one, I mean all of them.

Here's one sampling that you can see tonight and hear slightly differently on CD, in which Kaplan talks about engineering schools, women, robots and sex. In that order, but not really.

More? OK. Here is Kaplan reminding us of the joys of Snakes on a Plane, then extrapolating other movie ideas -- which segues into a bit about his grandmother (which appears on the CD) and fighting stereotypes. Roll the clip.

Kaplan had quite the 2009, winning multiple stand-up comedy contests, including the one called New York's Funniest Stand-Up, earned ECNY Emerging Comic honors not only for that, but also for being a "New Face" at Montreal and performing for the short-lived Conan O'Brien edition of The Tonight Show. Here's what that looked like, in case you need a reminder:

All indications indicate that Myq Kaplan will be known by many more people everywhere in 2010.

Get his CD, Vegan Mind Meld, before the rest of America beats you to it.

Colbert wasn't the only one to pay tribute to OK Go's Rube Goldberg machine in the past 24 hours

Before you can say May Day, May Day, you have to remember that there's still this last day in April, and it got started with not one but two tributes to OK Go's Rube Goldberg machine that made their music video for "This Too Shall Pass" watchable again and again and again.

Stephen Colbert had the band on his The Colbert Report last night, and to kick off the show, he got Syyn Labs to create a customized Rube Goldberg machine to start the credits rolling. Short but sweet. Roll it!

But he wasn't the only one with Rubes and Goldbergs and OKs and Gos on the brains. The Station went retro and reworked the lyrics to make you nostaglic for the game Mousetrap. Did you own that game? Did you enjoy owning that game? Roll the clip and find out.

And because you need a third one to complete the rule of threes, here's an oldie but goodie from the fellas at Mythbusters. Roll it!

Keep your shirts on! Bob Bledsoe hosts a very informal chat with Josh Sussman and Kyle Kaplan

Did you see that guy take his shirt off for Rashida Jones last night as one of the "94 meetings" on Parks and Recreation and wonder, where and when can I see more of that guy?

I'm here to help. That guy is comedian Bob Bledsoe (fun fact: I saw his very first stand-up performance a very long time ago when we both lived in Seattle), and he told his Facebook friends: "Rashida was totally into me. I wasn't sure I read her signals right, but I told her I wasn't interested just in case." If you'd like to see him interact with other actors from TV shows, this short video should more than suffice. It's the debut of his "Informal Chat with Bob Bledsoe," in which the comedian really didn't do his homework before talking to Josh Sussman (Glee, Wizards of Waverly Place) and Kyle Kaplan (10 Things I Hate About You). Note: Contains content that must be bleeped! Roll the clip.

Meet Me In New York: Matt McCarthy

What do they say about New York City: There are eight million stories, and sometimes it seems as though eight million of the people telling them think they're comedians? No, that's not it. It is a fact, though, that America's biggest city is also its biggest comedy mecca. Hollywood may be Hollywood, but New York City is where comedians are born funny, become funny or arrive to thrust their funny upon us. I think we should meet some of these people. This is a new recurring feature, a mini-profile of newcomers, up-and-comers and overcomers of New York's vibrant comedy scene. It's called Meet Me In New York.

The first time I encountered Matt McCarthy (pictured here by Anya Garrett), he was wildly ranting out of a giant book in a tiny room in Mo Pitkin's for a show he ran called "Max." I never learned if he named the show after a person named Max, but I did figure out that this McCarthy (no relation) took his comedy to the max, so to speak. And now you most certainly recognize him either as the "cable guy" from the Verizon TV ad campaign, or from his Front Page Film shorts with Pete Holmes and Oren Brimer. He also hosts AMC's "Action Pack" with fellow comedian Nick Stevens. You'll soon see him in a role in the new Will Ferrell film, The Other Guys.

Matt McCarthy released a new CD this month, Come Clean. His greeting track, a series of character introductions, is one of those bits that's structured in the way that just when you want to stop laughing and think enough, he gets you laughing again, or harder, for four minutes straight. He's also a redhead who won't date a redhead or celebrate St. Patrick's Day, is prone to screaming and sweating, and will do that and more to entertain you. He even dedicated a preview track just for iTunes, and closes by answering 25 questions to know someone better. Here he is answering just a few more for your reading pleasure.

Name: Matt McCarthy
Arrival date: August 31, 1997 (Goodbye England's Rose).
Arrived from: Rumford, RI.
When and where did you start performing comedy? My father's retirement party, I did an impromptu set on my old man. Then I started doing open mics at NY Comedy Club and wanted to kill myself.
What was your best credit before moving here? Captain of my high school swim team.

Why did you pick NYC over LA or anywhere else? There is no choice when New York City is involved.

How long did it take to get your first paid gig in NYC after moving here? I don't know, I still don't get paid.

How is this scene better/same/worse than the scene you moved from? I started in NYC. There are shows in Providence I guess, but I've never done them.

Do you already have an "only in New York City" moment yet? I was here for 9/11, but that could've happened anywhere like DC or Pennsylvania.

What tip would you give to any comedian who moves here? Perform every night you can, go to as many shows as possible.

Where do you see yourself five years from now? On a hoverboard saving my kid.

If you'd like to see Matt McCarthy live, he'll be starting up a new monthly show at Comix, The Matt McCarthy Stand Up Comedy Comedy Show, debuting May 27. Here's a video promo for his CD, Come Clean, an earlier look at track #15 "abortion" from his Live at Gotham appearance, and CD purchasing info:

Which NYC comedian would you like to see me style and profile next for Meet Me In New York? Send your nominations to: thecomicscomic AT gmail DOT com

Rare species will gather at The Paley Center: Women who write for late-night TV

To everyone who thinks that late-night TV comedy is a man's man's world, well, you're not 100 percent correct. Just mostly correct. And if you want to know what it's like to be a woman who writes for a late-night talk-show, well, don't ask me (I'm no lady!), but you can ask these women -- Allison Silverman, Ann Cohen, Jill Goodwin, Hallie Haglund and Meredith Scardino -- when they gather for a panel on the topic May 13 at The Paley Center in New York City. Tickets are on sale now.

Patton Oswalt calls out comedian/actor who was stealing his jokes this week

Even in this YouTube age we live in now, apparently some comedians still feel like they can get away with going onstage and telling someone else's jokes as their own.

Nick Madson performed Tuesday night at the Harrison Hilltop Theatre in Davenport, Iowa, and by Thursday, video of his performance hit YouTube, and by this morning, Patton Oswalt had more than a little something to say about it. Particularly because Madson had quoted several of Oswalt's bits verbatim. Even Oswalt's very well-known opinion about the KFC Famous Bowls. Here is Nick:

And here is Patton, in case you need a reminder:

Upon discovering Madson's video, Oswalt put fingers to keyboard and wrote about his very personal reaction. After discussing the facts of the matter and his views on joke theives, Oswalt wrote:

Why We Laugh (DVD): A sobering reminder of the past, present and future of black comedy

Based on the book "Black Comedians on Black Comedy" by Darryl Littleton, Robert Townsend's documentary Why We Laugh debuted at Sundance in 2009 and just came out on DVD this week. Before you get to the documentary, however, you see six separate trailers for stand-up comedy specials, each one touting it was the event of the year. Sure, Codeblack Entertainment is responsible for them as well as this documentary, but the sales pitch leads to a misdirect when the main feature plays, and you hear the voiceover narration from Angela Bassett, footage of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and commentary from former NAACP head Kweisi Mfume and former Congressman Walter E. Fauntroy -- you know this isn't going to be a joyride. 

Instead, the documentary uses cultural critics and comedians alike to tell the story of black Americans, and how they have used humor throughout the past century as a way to rise above their pain and oppression. Here's the extended trailer:

The path is traced from minstrels and blackface, to early stars such as Bert Williams and Lincoln Perry (better known as Stepin Fetchit), who made far different career choices with implications for generations to follow. You see how Nipsey Russell was a star at the Apollo long before he held a regular seat on Match Game in the 1970s, and how Amos 'n' Andy both helped and hurt the cause of black comedians. The careers of Moms Mably, Redd Foxx and Dick Gregory are examined, then the sitcoms of the 1970s (Good Times, The Jeffersons), Bill Cosby and Richard Pryor, through Eddie Murphy, Whoopi Goldberg, a too-short segment on the start of a separate black club circuit and Robin Harris, In Living Color, Def Comedy Jam, the Kings of Comedy and Dave Chappelle.

Most everyone interviewed continues to express awe and admiration for what Pryor accomplished. Princeton professor/author Dr. Cornel West called Pryor "the freest black man America's ever had. He is not just a genius, he exercises parrhesia. He exercises the most plain, frank, honest, unintimidated speech we had in the 60s, even more than Martin and Malcolm!" That's followed up by Townsend himself, who adds: "He gave to the world a gift, you know, like none other, that opened the playing field. And the only thing that I hate now is that, a lot of comedians, the only thing they took from Richard was the cursing. They didn't take his social commentary."

Tea time with Mike Tyson: Leave the cannoli

How was this a thing that happened and we don't already all know about it? Comedian Reese Waters sat down for tea with Mike Tyson for -- well, I don't know what for, exactly, although I do know that this aired earlier this month on the new nightly Versus cable show, The Daily Line.

Watch iron Mike Tyson share his opinions on tea (not a fan of the Earl Grey blend), his love of honey, his fear of cannolis, and his curiosity about his interviewer. Roll the clip!

Tim Minchin gets animated in song about the Pope

Tim Minchin may be a cheeky bastard at times, but he's also a very loving man and father who has neither molested children nor covered up and protected child molesters, which is more than we can say about the Catholic Church and Pope Benedict XVI. Actually, Minchin came up with just about all he could say, in very explicit (read: Not Safe For Work) language, in this song he directed to the Pope. Animated by Fraser Davidson. Roll it!

Todd Glass performs stand-up on Bonnie Hunt Show nine days after his heart attack, talks about it

One of the people I hoped to see at the Bridgetown Comedy Festival in Portland but could not see last weekend was Todd Glass, who suffered a heart attack after performing onstage at Largo last week in Los Angeles. He's OK, thanks to Jeffrey Ross and others who looked out for him when he collapsed. And even more to his credit, Glass talked about his experience with Bonnie Hunt, in an appearance which will appear on TVs around the globe today (check your listings: 2 p.m. on NBC in NYC; 3 p.m. in L.A., but earlier perhaps where you live). I cannot tell you how happy I am that he appears to be OK now.

Glass also performed stand-up on Hunt's show, which looks like it aired before the panel session. He didn't hold back much on the energy, despite what he went through last week. Roll that clip here:

P. Diddy, Zac Efron tell Aziz Ansari's story through pictures in first MTV Movie Awards promo

And so it begins. MTV has launched its ad campaign for June's MTV Movie Awards, hosted up rising comedian star Aziz Ansari, with this promo featuring Sean Puffy Puff Daddy P Diddy Combs, Zac Efron, Sarah Silverman and Kristen Bell telling the story of who Ansari is via actual pictures from his childhood. So precious, and yet not Precious. You know what I mean. Notice how the "Who is Aziz Ansari" ad campaign isn't pretending that celebrities don't know who he is? That's another sign of how far his star has risen. Roll the clip.

Old rivalries never die: David Letterman says Jay Leno "can't help himself" from being "a boob"

This week at The Comic's Comic HQ has been quite a blur, dealing with post-festival fatigue and coming down with a fever, so we're playing catch-up yet again. Here's something I apparently missed from Monday night -- Dr. Phil showed up as a guest on Late Show with David Letterman and asked him how he was coping with all of the "late-night wars."

Of course, Letterman has loved it, continues to love it and isn't afraid to say so, complete with mocking impersonations of Jay Leno. Letterman first says what some of us have long held, that Leno's attempt to frame himself as "getting screwed" or "cancelled" aren't exactly truthful, then reminds everyone that his relationship with Leno dates back 35 years to 1975. Notice how Letterman is quick to say that Leno was the funniest guy in the room back then, but also had an offstage personality that explains what has made Letterman's blood boil since the earlier Tonight Show shuffle of 1992-1993. Roll the clip.

Still unsure about Justin Bieber? Mark Douglas, Carolyn Castiglia break him down via music video

Seems like everyone has Bieber Fever, but few people who are tween girls know exactly why that is. Why is that, anyhow? Well, if you cannot knock Justin Bieber off of Twitter's trending topics, you might as well join him, right? That's what Mark Douglas and Barely Political have done in their new music video that breaks down what this Bieber Fever is all about, and of course, the 16-year-old Canadian boy's voice is provided by a lady, comedian Carolyn Castiglia. So watch this video, and then you'll know all you'll need to know about Justin Bieber:

Pic of the day: The morning after Carnegie Hall, Andy Kaufman wrestles on the Staten Island Ferry

Thanks to Bob Mantin for this photo from the comedy archives. It was 31 years ago this month that Andy Kaufman infamously performed at Carnegie Hall, then took the entire audience out for milk and cookies afterward, and after that, invited anyone interested to join him the following morning on the Staten Island ferry. Fans who took Kaufman up on his offer watched him playfully wrestle a woman, and also eat an ice cream cone. Memories.

A&E's "Battle for Late Night" revisits past TV clashes much more than current Leno-Conan

If you thought it was rather fast for a two-hour documentary on the late-night machinations from NBC this January and February, then, well, perhaps you're right.

"The Battle for Late Night" -- debuts tonight on A&E and repeats early Wednesday morning and also Saturday, May 1 -- features no exclusive interviews with Conan O'Brien or Jay Leno (nor even David Letterman and Jimmy Kimmel). But the special, produced by New Wave Entertainment, does mine archival footage for choice moments of Conan, Leno and Letterman from the late-night wars of 1993, and includes new 2010 interviews with the New York Times reporter Bill Carter (who wrote the book on the 1993 late-night shuffle and is hard at work on the 2010 sequel), TMZ.com's Harvey Levin (whose sympathy for Leno may suggest where he was getting his exclusive leaks?) and other observers.

And if you wanted to know what Craig Kilborn is up to, you're in luck, too. Kilborn speaks candidly about both of his late-night adventures, first at The Daily Show on Comedy Central, and then The Late Late Show on CBS. "I have no regrets," Kilborn says now. You'll also learn more about Pat Sajak's brief tenure in late-night for CBS than you might have expected, as well as more than you may have wished for from Bill Maher, as he and his producers take you through his journey from Comedy Central to ABC and finally HBO.

All of which means this special isn't so much about what's going on right now between Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien (although they do cover it in the final segment, with a screen-grab of the news announcing Conan's move to TBS appearing as a reporter suggests FOX would be crazy not to hire Conan!). It's really more about how all of the TV politicking that came before this makes what's happening now seem slightly less crazy. But just slightly. Hearing Leno joke back in January 1993 that NBC stands for "Never Believe your Contract" raised my eyebrows, knowing that he went back to that well a couple of months ago, despite the fact that he has remained under contract with the Peacock Network all of this time. By taking a historical look-back at late-night, you also get to see how Dick Cavett and Joan Rivers felt about being the first people to take on Johnny Carson -- Rivers discloses just how heartbreaking the experience was for her. The documentary does a fairly good job of remembering those who came before, not just with Cavett and Rivers and Sajak, but also Arsenio Hall, Steve Allen and Jack Paar. There's mention of how Chevy Chase's short-lived bomb impacted the landscape in 1993, but no mention whatsoever of some of the other entries (no Magic Johnson, no Keenan Ivory Wayans, no Alan Thicke, no Dennis Miller and while Jon Stewart gets talked about for his Comedy Central gig, there's nary a mention of his earlier effort on MTV). But then again, this special did come together fairly quickly. If you really want to know what went down this winter at NBC, you're just going to have to wait for the dust to actually settle.

Second City reunion, Patton Oswalt, JB Smoove, Childrens Hospital added to 2010 JFL Chicago

The second annual Just For Laughs Chicago comedy festival has joined up with Second City alums and more as the schedule comes into focus.

JFL Chicago 2010 already had announced another new TV special with Ellen DeGeneres, Denis Leary's Rescue Me Comedy Tour, Cedric the Entertainer, Aziz Ansari, Russell Peters and more.

Now add to that: Patton Oswalt leading a mini version of "Comedians of Comedy" with Maria Bamford and Chris Hardwick, a sneak peek screening of the upcoming Adult Swim series Childrens Hospital with Rob Corddry, a live episode of the Adam Carolla Podcast, JB Smoove in character as "Leon Black," and last but certainly not least, The Second City Alumni Reunion Show featuring the Class of '79 -- George Wendt, Tim Kazurinsky, Nancy McCabe Kelly, Bruce Jarchow, Danny Breen and more. The festival also has added a second night for Ansari at The Vic, and moved "The Not Inappropriate Show" to the Mayne Stage.

Here is more specific info on each of the newly announced shows:

Alt Comedy – Saturday, June 19, at 7 and 9:30 p.m. at The Vic. Featuring Patton Oswalt, Maria Bamford, Chris Hardwick and more.

Rob Corddry’s Childrens Hospital – Thursday, June 17, at 9:30 p.m. at Park West. Rob Corddry, Jonathan Stern, David Wain, Erinn Hayes and others appear for a live presentation of the upcoming Adult Swim series Childrens Hospital. The show will feature a preview screening, a Q&A session and more.

The Adam Carolla Podcast – Thursday, June 17, at 7 p.m. and Friday, June 18, at 7 p.m. at Park West. A special live edition with surprise guests.

An Evening with Leon Black and Friends – Friday, June 18, at Midnight at Park West. JB Smoove performs in character as Curb Your Enthusiasm's Leon Black, the outspoken, self-righteous, “prettay, prettay, prettay” live-in guest at the Larry David household. Leon will host three nights of laughs with special guests. And if that weren’t incentive enough, he’ll also brings the ruckus to the ladies.

The Second City Alumni Reunion Show – Class of ’79 – Thursday, June 17 at 8 p.m. at Second City. For one night only, the cast of 1979 will reunite in a benefit for The Second City Alumni Fund as they recreate some of their classic scenes from The Second City archives. The cast will feature George Wendt, Tim Kazurinsky, Nancy McCabe Kelly, Bruce Jarchow, Danny Breen and more.

Conan writers reminisce at Bridgetown Comedy Festival; perform April 28 at the Hollywood Improv

One of the more intriguing events listed on the schedule for the 2010 Bridgetown Comedy Festival was a panel featuring writers for Conan O'Brien moderated by Jimmy Pardo, who had provided the audience warm-up comedy for the short-lived Conan edition of The Tonight Show. What would they say about the tumult that hit late-night TV just a few months earlier? What are they up to now? Are they still on Team Coco?

You can hear their latest material that's not on TV by checking out the Conan O'Brien Writer's Room show on Wednesday, April 28, at the Hollywood Improv. The tentative lineup, hosted by Pardo, includes Josh Comers, Matt O’Brien, Dan Cronin, Todd Levin, Brian McCann, Brian Kiley, Andres du Bouchet and Deon Cole.

We'd get to some of that juicy news and gossip, but not after Pardo asked each of the writers present -- Brian McCann, Josh Comers, Kevin Dorff and Dan Cronin -- about how they originally had gotten hired for Conan. (Photo by Liezl)

McCann, who joined Late Night in 1995, said he had submitted writing packages at least three times since the show debuted in 1993, and joked that he thought his friendship with Andy Richter through their mutual performances in the Chicago improv scene would have gotten him in easily. As far as what earned approval even back then? "Conan was looking for ideas. Just endless ideas," McCann said. Crazy, topical, anything really. "He loves it all, as long as it makes him laugh."

As for the switch from NYC and LA, and moving from 12:35 a.m. to 11:35 p.m., McCann said the implied suggestions from on-high were to make the show "more presentational" like a "live road show." Which is, ironically, what Conan is doing this spring with his North American live tour of theaters. Dorff, meanwhile, had said the writers had heard last year to keep the show "Conan-centric." Before, the show's writers often were a big part of the mix with sketches before, during and after the guest panelists. "Give people time to get used to seeing this guy in this job which is new to him," Dorff said they were told. Cronin said that the WGA strike that lasted 14 weeks at the end of 2007 -- when Conan eventually had to front and carry the entire load himself on the air -- only drove home the point that Conan's Tonight Show would be more about Conan and less about all of the characters.

SNL #35.20 with Gabourey Sidibe and MGMT, recapped

We open cold with President Obama (Fred Armisen) blabbing away something about financial reform, and yes, I know Obama gave a speech to Wall Street on Thursday, but that doesn't mean we can go a couple of minutes into the show without a single joke or laugh line. Not a one. I started to fall asleep. Granted, I'm working on very little sleep over the weekend, but still. You know how some political comedians say the jokes sometimes write themselves? It's also nice when comedians write something funny, too, just in case the real-life joke isn't so funny.

Gabourey Sidibe is hosting. You know that famous comedic actress? Well, she's young, right? That's all that counts, right? I don't know what counts. She's not going to be one of those sassy young big black women, is she? One thing's for certain. She's not Precious. But she is singing with the SNL cast in the background as part of the doo-wop phase that reminds us how great black people had it in the 1950s. So great. Fun fact: The last time I was in the Pacific time zone and missed SNL when it aired live, January Jones was the host. That turned out great. So great. Lowering expectations now. Even knowing what I know a full day later.

Oh, look, it's the return of SNL's Suze Orman parody, starring Kristen Wiig as Orman, dispensing financial advice on the TV. Sidibe plays a Jamaican nurse guest who wrote a book. Orman has some jokes about her lesbian cat and such, but they're not big laughs, and Sidibe is focused too much on reading her cue cards on the first take. I'll say this: Wiig is good at channeling Orman. This sketch falling somewhat flat is not her fault.

For some reason, that reason most likely being Kenan Thompson developing his Steve Harvey impersonation, we get a spoof of game show Who Wants to be a Millionaire, with guest host Steve Harvey (Kenan Thompson), and contestants played by Abby Elliott, Bobby Moynihan and Sidibe. Bill Hader provides the voiceover. They also use this sketch as an excuse for Harvey to stumble over the pronunciation of Iceland's volcano and cities. There's a throwaway line at the end suggesting Larry the Cable Guy would guest host Wheel of Fortune. So, that means this sketch is suggesting that comedians should not be game show hosts? If that's the underlying message, then why, SNL, why?

We're on a stoop with Armisen and Thompson, being told to quiet down by an old lady (Sidibe), old Mrs. Johnson. Sidibe is messing up her lines again. And yet, you see, the point is she's not an old crazy lady, but an old lady who knows a lot about a lot of the things she is yelling.

SNL Digital Short: Cherry Battle. Does it make sense? Should it? Is it referencing something none of us know? Is it a technical marvel to show Samberg and Sidibe spitting several cherries from one mouth to the other? That last question is a surefire yes. Weird, but proudly so.

11-year-old critic interviews Larry the Cable Guy, unaware of his comedy career, old friends

You know what's so great about the 21st century? Celebrities don't have to worry about taking any hard-hitting questions anymore, because the Internet makes anyone with an Internet connection a star. Lights Camera Jackson is an 11-year-old "kid critic" of the movies, who already talks like he has been studying hours of TV footage of how "reporters" conduct interviews. And check out this get! Lights Camera Jackson has an exclusive sit-down with Larry the Cable Guy. You know, Mater from Cars? That's where everybody on the street knows Larry from, obviously. Who are these crazy old uncles of yours, Larry, and why are they crashing our interview? What's that? Jeff Foxworthy and Bill Engvall? Never heard of 'em. Are they going to be voicing any cars in Cars 2?

Look. I know it's unfair to be harsh toward an 11-year-old kid. After all, he should be just barely smarter than a fifth grader. What would he know about Larry's stand-up career, or even know what Larry's "B-cup" punchline even means? Of course he's a big fan of Cars. It's just one of those Mondays when I stare outside at the rain and wonder if this is the future of celebrity journalism, or if this is what celebrity journalism has been like all along, and it's just dawning on me now.

You can think whatever you want when you watch this interview. Roll it!

Diablo Cody, Michaela Watkins spoof HBO's "Hung" by flipping the script for "Tight" (NSFW video)

If you thought that HBO's series, Hung, was a little odd for the premise of a series -- a guy who's otherwise down on his luck realizes he can make money becoming a male prostitute because of how he is "hung" -- then just imagine what it'd be like if the same story were told from a woman's perspective. That's what screenwriter Diablo Cody did, and with director Jill Soloway, they cast Michaela Watkins as the star of their version, called Tight.

Also features: Nick Kroll, John Bowie, Michael Hitchcock, Craig Anstett, Jordan Rubin, Jim Turner, Jamie Nakamura and Too Short. How come this isn't on the TV? Eggsactly. I mentioned the video is NSFW, right? Alrighty then, roll the clip.