Hidden in the depths of Adult Swim — i.e., The Cartoon Network's programming after your kids' have gone to bed — is
The Eric Andre Show, a prime example of the anti-talk show. Andre and fellow comedian Hannibal Buress buck the conventional talk show format and bring on the awkward humor, enhanced by a set and graphics that look like they were inspired by 1980s public-access TV. Nothing is off limits for Andre, as evidenced by his knack for getting completely naked and spraying ketchup on his wiener (not a hot dog), or conducting hilariously uneasy man-on-the-street pranks — for instance, dressing up as an escaped slave being chased by his master at a Civil War reenactment. His guests have included everybody from Sinbad to Reese Witherspoon — well, the African-American-guy-in-a-blond-wig version of Reese Witherspoon.
The Scene got to catch up with Andre in anticipation of his show tonight at Exit/In. We discussed his love for Space Ghost, the wounds he’s received in the name of comedy, and whether he hs any special musical acts planned for Nashville:
I went to your website, trying to find your bio. Usually publicists will write up some kind of cutesy thing, have some fun facts, but instead I spent about 37 minutes writing my name in sperm on a vampire Ronald Reagan’s face.
Yeah, sounds about accurate.
Yeah, did you design that?
It was a collaboration. I reached out to this artist-guy named Kenneth Hung, who’s totally brilliant. He made this website called "1111111111" — there’s like sixty ones in a row — .com. It was like the most amazing website I ever saw, so I just reached out to him on there, years ago, actually, and I re-reached to him this year and we collaborated. He and I would bounce ideas off of each other and stuff like that.
What’s the feedback you usually get when people visit your website?
I get a range of emotions. Some people are like, "This is the most amazing thing." But my tour bus driver goes [in a country accent], "I went to your website, your website damn pissed me off. I couldn’t figure the god damn thing out." I was like, "You gotta earn your way into the website!"
You have a very strong presence online. I reached out to you on Twitter and you responded, and I appreciate that because a lot of celebrities don’t —
— Yeah, a lot of celebrities are, like, famous and successful, but not me.
No, you’re famous. But the cool thing about Twitter is that you can interact with millions of fans and users, but the terrible part about it is that you can interact with millions of fans. You seem to enjoy retweeting people who hate you.
Yeah.
Do you get a kick out of people verbally assaulting you online?
You know, I think it’s funny to tweet at somebody that you hate. It’s so aggressive and juvenile. It’s like, "I hate this guy so much, I gotta let him know!" I don’t think people are aware that I actually read it, but they think they’re tweeting at my entity, but not directly at me. But to me it’s like getting a text. If you hated somebody in your phone, you wouldn’t text them, "Hey man, fuck you. You suck." To me it’s like the equivalent of somebody sending me a text message. I just think there’s something funny about that.
There definitely is. I also noticed from the attacks on you that Anthony Jeselnik’s show, The Jeselnik Offensive, was recently cancelled. You were on and lit a firecracker, and a lot of people are saying you’re the main reason for his show being cancelled. What do you have to say to those people?
Yeah, it’s ridiculous! I found out that the highest rated episode, out of both seasons, was my episode. So, fuck all that noise. If anything I saved it and had the show going longer, but you know, it’s just 12-year-olds hating on the Internet — it doesn’t mean anything.
In regards to your show, I’m a big fan of Space Ghost Coast to Coast.
Yeah, me too.
I know it’s a big inspiration on your show, and it really created the modern-day Cartoon Network. I think it was their first or second show —
Yeah, it was their first one I think.
If there’s no Space Ghost, there’s no modern-day Cartoon Network or Adult Swim. What about Space Ghost did you love and try to bring to your show?
I loved how completely dysfunctional it was. I liked how the guest was on and they almost completely ignored the guest. It was so cool and funny. And how, like, Zorak and Moltar just hated on Space Ghost, and they were supposed to be the co-hosts and support him, but they just did not help out at all. It was funny.
So, if you’re Space Ghost, is it fair to say Hannibal Buress is Moltar? Because I feel like he’s too laid back to be Zorak.
He’s somewhere between Moltar and Zorak.
Is he Brak?
No, definitely not Brak.
He’s way too smart to be Brak.
Yeah.
You and Hannibal met through stand-up and you also did The Awkward Comedy Show together and your energy plays well against one another. Did you approach him for the show because you were looking for a sidekick — and thought he’d be good to audition — or did you create the role specifically for him?
I wrote it for him since day one. I mean, I wrote the first treatment of the show, seven years ago, and he was in it from day one. I was like, "Hey man, I have this idea" — before I even shot the little sizzle reel on my own or anything — I said, "I’ll play this crazy-ass talk show host and you’ll be sane, normal and the voice of reason." And he was like, "OK, cool." To him, I was pitching him a little one-off, YouTube sketch. I think it was even before — it might not have been before YouTube, but it was before it is what it is now. But to him, it just sounded like I wanted to shoot this one-off little video, and he was like, "Yeah, cool. I’ll do that, fine. Just hit me up.” And then it took me a while. I pitched it at MTV and then it didn’t go anywhere. Then, I ended up shooting it in a bodega in Brooklyn on my own, with my directors. But yeah, he’s been in it since day one.
When did you shoot the original pilot? What year?
The original presentation, the thing we made on our own? I shot in 2009. 2009? Yeah, 2009.
Since you were inspired by Space Ghost and had a similar format, did you have a vibe that Adult Swim was probably going to be into it and that they would be your best bet to get picked up?
I mean, the Space Ghost influence was there. It wasn’t too academic, I was just writing what I thought was funny, but I wasn’t like, "I have to be like Space Ghost so I can sell it to Adult Swim."
One of the things that makes you so fun to watch on stage is that you’re all over the place. One minute you’re calmly telling a joke, the next you’re taking your clothes off and egging the audience on. Is that not physically and mentally exhausting as a performer?
Oh yeah, it’s really exhausting. Especially if I get hurt — if I’m in pain — and I’m like, “Oh, shit.”
What’s the worst injury you’ve suffered on stage?
Live or on the TV show?
Both.
I haven’t really gotten — knock on wood — too badly hurt on stage, it’s more on the TV show. I was interviewing Vivica Fox and I fucked my back up and then during set destruction I fucked my shoulder up. I got two bad injuries this year.
Ooooh.
My shoulder actually still hurts from shit we shot in May, and I already have preexisting back issues. I have two bum discs in my spine. I hurt my arm really bad — I kept hitting it in the same spot on the first leg of this tour and I couldn’t lift it up after shows, but it’s feeling better now.
That’s good. You obviously put your guests through crazy jokes, situations, and that’s the beauty of the show — it’s the anti-talk show — but has there ever been a time where you’ve been in the middle of a bit and started to wonder if you were pushing them too hard?
A lot of things are rushing through my head when I’m shooting … It’s like that when we do man on the street stuff more because I don’t want any of our bits to come off as mean-spirited, where they’re getting really pissed and you got to figure out if it’s good pissed or bad pissed. But yeah it’s the only time, certain man on the street bits.
Let’s switch gears to your live show. You’re coming to town on Wednesday. Have you ever been to Nashville before?
Yeah, I went on a school trip — I went to a music school — so we did a school trip to Nashville.
Did you go to all the tourist spots?
I don’t remember. It was over 10 years ago. I went to see some bluegrass band play, and I went to some recording studios, and to an awesome record shop — you guys have great record shops.
Yeah, we do.
I bought old shellacs, like 78s.
Since we’re the Music City and you went to Berklee, do you have any special music segments or anything planned?
Uhhh, yeah. You know, in line with the show. I don’t want to ruin any surprises, but you know, a little bit.
I know you probably get asked the same boring questions, so I want to do some quick, random rapid-fire questions. Is that cool?
Sure.
You tweeted your support for four more years for Toronto Mayor Rob Ford. What do you think his favorite buffet is?
Favorite buffet?
Yeah.
Crystal meth? I don’t know, crack and booze?
Music-wise, you have to pick one: Macklemore or Pitbull?
Uh, both.
What’s your favorite Pitbull song?
All of them.
I always wonder how celebrities' moms feel when they see their kids' nude scenes. How does your mom feel when you run around naked, yelling, with your hands stuffed in raw chickens?
My mom thinks it’s funny, my dad doesn’t know what’s going on, and my sister thinks it’s gross.
I know that one of the guests you really want, that you haven’t gotten yet, is Maya Angelou. Can we get an update on that? How’s that looking?
That will never happen.
