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April has arrived, spring has sprung, and it's once again time to cover a live-action subject on the What A Cartoon podcast. And this time around, we're digging into the oft-referenced but never-fully-discussed sketch series, Mr. Show with Bob and David. Bob Odenkirk and David Cross might be renowned comic (and at times, dramatic) superstars in our current era, but back in 1995, they were scrappy upstarts, looking to bring their brand of revolutionary alt-comedy to the small screen. The result? A 30-episode sketch show that went mostly unwatched, yet still ended up being extremely influential. So listen in to this month's What a Cartoon: the only podcast that's not constantly on fire!

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Comments

Blake R.

Great episode! I second the praise for Bob Odenkirk's book. I breezed through it a few months ago when held over in O'Hare airport and was pleasantly surprised that Better Call Saul is mostly relegated to a small section near the end while his other oddities in his career are what's embellished upon. Particularly fascinated by his discovering of Tim and Eric as well as his movie duds Let's Go to Prison and Brothers Solomon, the latter of which I bought on DVD for $2 when a local Hollywood Video was closing. I still haven't touched their Netflix revival of the Mr. Show name mostly out of how much Arrested Development on Netflix really soured me on revival shows where the cast have gone on to far different placed in their career in the time since the original and that same energy just isn't there. I am seeing David Cross do stand-up in May. Not particularly enthralled by his specials on Netflix and he does tend to overdo a bit one too many times, but ah well, it'll be interesting just to say I've seen him live. Assuming the old timey theater in Milwaukee Bob is referring to is the Oriental. One of my favorite venues for 35/70mm showings though I am a bit bummed we don't get quite as many offerings as Music Box in Chicago. Though you'll probably be back in CA by the time you check any comments, hopefully you stopped off at Ma Fischer's Diner next door for a bite. I make a habit of going before/after every movie for some pie and coffee.

Andrew Giachetti

The causal h Jon Benjamin conversion made me realize it’s been since 2018 when we had the home movies episode. That would be a great mini series option, especially with the show more available than ever. At the very least a revisit on what a cartoons would be quite a treat. Hell, be indulgent as hell and do an “h jon Benjamonth” and cover more dr Katz, home movies, bobs burgers, and an episode of venture brothers with the master on it.

Alistair Shand

For a U.K. version of the goodfellas sketch - type in “did you fun my wife” in YouTube - you won’t regret it 😎 also for some great sketch comedy with lots of repetition and no build up you can’t beat the bbc show “the fast show” from the same sort of era

Mike Mariano

Bob mentions using a Larry Kleist avatar on the Something Awful forums. About 15 years ago a similarly-minded user in the AV Club user comments made his username “Larry Kleist, Rapist.” I remember at the time thinking, “I’m sure this is a clever reference but I really don’t like seeing it.”

Anonymous

After a spotty history of making people watch Mr. Show sketches and getting lukewarm reactions at best, I tried showing off the Fairsley's sketch a few years ago at a party, thinking it was a slam-dunk, I was instead greeted with righteous fury from a woman in her mid-twenties about the horrible injustices on display, and how there was nothing funny about the misery being inflicted on that poor man by a cruel and abusive competitor. She did chuckle at the Cock-Ring Warehouse commercial, however.

James Babbo

Back in the 90s if you hung out in the Lower East Side of NYC especially at the Horseshoe Bar on 7th & Ave B (famous for the attempted murder scene of Frank Pentangelli in Godfather 2), you could meet alt comedy performers. My friends & I drank & smoked weed with members of The State often. That's how we found out about a new live alt show starting that week called STELLA. At that first performance there were more people on stage than in the audience. Later when word got out, it became standing room only. I spilled my scotch down the back of a wasted Ben Stiller & he didn't notice. But I digress... One night at the Horseshoe Bar ('98 or '99) I spied David Cross sitting with Laura Kightlinger. Being a pushy rude fan, I pulled up a chair, asked a bunch of Mr Show questions, & got autographs. David wrote "I love you." Laura wrote, "David can't possibly love you more than me." Because The State guys were so friendly, I didn't get the hint that they didn't want me around. Clearly David & Laura were on a date. In retrospect, it was very rude to sit with them but if they had asked me to leave I would done so gladly. Instead David got increasingly angry & motioned Laura not to speak. He ignored me until I left. You can still run into these people in that area from time to time. I ran into Todd Barry recently who was also on a date. That time I just waved & said, "Big fan." He waved back.

Michael Branson

Watched this episode yesterday with my 13 year old and his friends. They all found it hilarious. They all knew David across from Chipmunks and they knew Bob Oedenkirk from all those Saul meme’s and Tik Toks they said.

Saya Clarke

Wild to think that Odenkirk is such a successful artist that writing on season 1 of Conan is something he doesn’t even mention in his autobiography

Jason Lew

Regarding Vons, if you've been to Safeway, then you have been to Vons. Safeway owned Vons and sold the same in-house Safeway brands like Signature and Organic as well as was had the same store layout, look and signage as a Safeway. I've even used my Safeway card at a Vons and it was accepted. A few years ago, Albertsons bought Safeway so when you went to Vons or Safeway, you were really shopping at Albertsons. Last October, Kroger bought Albertsons, so now if you go to Vons, Safeway or Albertsons, you're really shopping at Kroger.