- Wait, you have a TV? - No. I don't like to read the TV guide. Read the TV guide, you don't need a TV guide. ♪ Double Mr. Manit ♪ ♪ Double Mr. Manit ♪ ♪ Double Mr. Manit ♪ ♪ Ah ♪ - Hello and welcome to TV guidance counselor. As you may have noticed, it is not Wednesday, it's a different day of the week, yet you're still getting a new TV guidance counselor episode. I am sort of, it's not a close out. I have more episodes than the weekly schedule would allow me to release because whenever people come through Boston, cool people, interesting people, I always try and grab them to do an episode of the show and weirdly we've had an unusually high number of cool people coming through Boston lately. So I've been able to get some great episodes and I thought that I would pass the savings on to you. I don't actually think that's accurate. It's not really savings, but I have a bunch of good episodes. So I thought for a couple of weeks, I would do more than one episode a week. It may not be every week, it might be a couple of times a month. I haven't decided yet. Anyway, my guest this week, the amazing, absolutely lovely human being, Maeve Higgins. She is an incredibly funny comedian. If you have not seen her do stand up, I highly recommend that you do. She is from Ireland as we discuss in this episode, but currently resigns in New York City. So she came up recently to do Wesley Stace's Cabinet of Wonders, which is a great show that I've been lucky and have to be a part of in the past as well. And I was able to grab a bit of her time to record an episode. She also has a really, really cool, very entertaining, very charming cookery show called Fancy Vittles. It was on Irish television, but you can probably see it on the internet at some place. I think it was on YouTube for a while, it still may be, but definitely check that out. And this episode is a little bit shorter than usual. There were some weather issues and Maeve kind of got in the late. So I took more of her time than she should have given me, but we got a really great conversation in here. And I think you'll enjoy it. I really enjoyed speaking with her. And make sure you stay tuned to the end of the episode where I have some major announcements about the show and some fun stuff coming up. So here you go, this week's second episode of TV guidance counselor with my guest, Maeve Higgins. (upbeat music) (upbeat music) ♪ TV movies made for TV ♪ ♪ TV movies made for TV ♪ ♪ TV movies made for TV ♪ ♪ TV movies made for TV ♪ (upbeat music) - Hey Maeve Higgins, hello. - Good day to you. - Good day to you. - Hey, thank you for doing the show. - No, thank you for having me. - You're welcome. We are in the basement of the Somerville Theater, which is a very, very mysterious and exotic for people that have never been down here. - Well, it's a beautiful space upstairs. There's lots of musicians outside. - Yes, yes. - And I'm just wondering, so I'm gonna like start playing the tuba. - There's most musicians of tuba based in Boston. I found there's a huge brass container. - I just like, I was subletting this place for a month in New York, and my dancers' neighbor was a tuba player. - Okay, a tuba player? - A tuba player. - A tuba player. And it's such a cute, jovial instrument. And I would hear him like, "Bong, bong, bong, bong." And I was like, "I can't wait to meet that guy." I had seen him. He's like a chubby old man. - Of course. - With like pink cheeks. - Yeah. - And then I, he was so rude to me. - Really? He's like a cocky tuba player? - He was just like a pain in the ass. He was like, "You know what, your job just shoveled snow "just as much as mine." And I was like, "Yeah, I know." Like, I just came down here to ask you where the show snow, show snowballs. - Show snowballs. - Show snowballs, yes. Yeah, people will do that. I think most tuba players are bitter. - He was so grumpy. - Yeah. I wouldn't, if I had a tuba player below me, I would find it would be difficult to walk in a normal manner. - Wait a minute. What did you say? - What did you say? - If there was a tuba player under my apartment. - Oh my God, okay. - Did you say, you think I said below me? - Yeah, if I had a tuba player below me, I know he's like, "Okay." - I'm sure there would be a tuba player. - So this is the podcast. It's about musicians and reception police. You know, below me in the apartment. - Yes. - It would just be like, "Bum, bum, bum." Like, I feel like I had to walk in a style of being sound-shacked by a tuba. - That would be cool. Yeah, my movements did slow down a lot and they became a lot more plastic. - Yeah, I think that that was what you were trying to say. - You just couldn't even help it. You wouldn't even know what was happening. So we were talking a little bit about, like, some American things that you don't grow up in, and some other things that you watched, and I sort of plied you with some U.S. TV guides. - Yeah, I do. - And some British TV guides, which are again, not quite Ireland, but closer than American ones. - Yeah, so we got British TV. So I grew up with just Irish channels. - Right. - There was two Irish channels. - A lot. - RTE one or two. And until I was about eight. And then actually, I lived in Africa, where there was-- - Really, we're in Africa. - We just had, in Zimbabwe. - Okay. - For two years, where there was just a local, like, Zimbabwean channels, and they were also-- - What was in Zimbabwe programming? - Like, yeah. - What did you watch? - There was a lot of South African TV on, and I don't remember any American TV. I remember the trace, the almond show was on once when we went to a friend's house. - Okay. - And the Simpsons was on us. - Yeah, yeah. - And we were all, like, we never watched TV there. We didn't actually, like, have, so we didn't have a TV. It wasn't, like, hooked up, or whatever. We used to watch videos, and we had two videos that we brought with us from Ireland. - Right. - One was Blue's brother, one was Seven Bright for Seven Brothers. - Perfect. - So, giving us, like, really messed up messages about, like-- - Yes. - But TV wise, we didn't really see any TV for two years. - Right. - But then I remember when we went to my friend's house, it was like my dad's friend's house, and he, like, had the TV, and the trace, the almond show was on, and Simpsons was on. - Right, right. - And we were all just, like-- - What is this? - Oh my God, like, we found this hilarious. - Yeah, yeah. - Me and my brother were, like, looking at us, like, is this even possible? - Right. - Like, it's like these yellow people. You know, I remember really, really clearly, and I think that's probably because we hadn't seen anything. - Right. - So, like, imagine, like, not seeing anything, and then seeing-- - So, the Simpsons, the whole thing is to see. It could be, it could have been so much worse. You could have seen just some garbage, and been like, this is the best thing I've ever seen. - I know, I know. - So, you've been so far away from it. - Yeah, I know, exactly. But no, I think that, 'cause I think the quality did, I don't think we would have been happy with anything. - Right. - Because, also, there was, like, so much better stuff to do, 'cause we, like, we had a pool and stuff, and also, like, I was much bigger, reader than I was a TV kid. And I was, like, very pretentious about that. Like, it was, like, an important part of my, yeah. It was an important part of my dick-ishness as a child. - That's the best of us had that, yeah. I needed fuel for my immense dick-ishness. - Yeah, and that was just one of the little, yeah, yeah, weapons in my arsenal was to be, like, I don't actually watch TV. - I don't even know what it is, really. - But, like, then there was stuff, like, when I was, when we were little kids, home and away, started, which is an Australian soap opera, and that started, yeah, it was, like, on the beach, there was, like, vague bikini wearing. - And, you know, it was really, like, exotic, and-- - It was, for Americans, I guess it would call it, like, a dramatic sip by the bell. - Yeah, 'cause it was teenagers, and school, and stuff, and, yeah, and, like, the drama was quite muted. It was, like-- - Oh, absolutely. - You know, oh, you kissed my boyfriend, but, like, they wouldn't even show the case. - Yeah. - But my mother was, like, "You're not allowed to watch that show." - Was your mother very concerned about that stuff? - She just was, like, I think she just had a block about TV. Like, she just was, like, it would rot your brain, you know? - Now, this lady has done a full-- She is, now we have all cable up, and all American channels are home, right? I was back there recently. They have a TV in their bedroom. The kids have their own TV. There's another TV. There's three TVs in the house, though. All my mother does is watch, like, Gypsy wedding shows. - All the reality shows? - Yeah, she watches Kate with all the children. - Kate Plus, yeah. - So she's making up for last time, basically. - Oh, yeah, and she is, like, completely guiltless about it. Like, she's, like, so happy. - Right, right. - I spent all those years not watching, so now I can indulge. - Yeah, and I was, like, preventing you from watching. So, like, we weren't allowed to watch home in a way, so I-- and it was all everyone talked about in school. - Yeah. - So, I was really annoyed, but I just, like, turned that around, and I was, like, I don't care for such things. - Right. - But I was, like, I wish I knew-- - Childish. - Happening. - Who's dating who? - Yeah. - Who's fastered? - Did your mom watch you, like, the first time you were on TV? - Um, yeah, the first time I was on TV was in a hidden camera show. - Right. - Which is, like, you know, one of the trashier. - But it's here, I think people don't realize that in Europe, hidden camera shows are huge. We only have, like, two, but every country has, like, every decade they always have a hidden camera show. - Yeah, 'cause, like, they're cheap to make. - Yeah. - And they're easy to make. - Yeah. - You just, like, by their nature, there's a tiny crew. - Yeah. - And you control comedians into them, and, like, um, the one I was on, I think, maybe it's a bit hard to know, but what I was making was, like, 2006, 2007, when I just started doing comedy. And I really think Irish people, like, are good for hidden camera shows, 'cause Irish people really get involved. - Right. - Whereas, like, if you're doing a hidden camera show, say, in London, where I've lived or in New York, where I live now-- - They don't really know upon you. - Well, yeah, they'll ignore your upon you. Like, they'll just, maybe they'll be helpful briefly, but they'll also think you're crazy, 'cause I would do stuff like dress as a bride and be like, can you just come in here to this church? I just need to get right to somebody. You know, stuff like this, right? And Irish people are so curious, and, like, also so helpful. - Right, I'll help you out for a second. - Yeah, you draw them in, and they go along with it. And, like, that's what I loved about the show, like-- - It was unique to the area you couldn't quite do the same kind of humor and the same kind of setups, if it wasn't an island. - No, they tried, like, the same, like, my two, like, co-stars, and the different production company took it over, actually, but they tried to make it in England. I think they did make one series in the end. And I was, like, thinking about, will I get involved, won't I? And I decided not to for, kind of, other reasons, like, other, I was just doing other work stuff. - Right. - But I was also like, it's not gonna be-- - No more. - It's not gonna be as easy in England. - Yeah. - And it wasn't, I actually didn't see it, but, like, I think it wasn't as easy. - There are, I think people tend to lump in, like, Ireland, England, together too much, but there's significant cultural differences that is a prime example of, especially London, which is not like the rest of England. - Yeah. - But it just, that stuff doesn't translate. I can't imagine how much of a disaster that could be. - Yeah, I mean, like, I would say, you know, there's huge cultural similarities. There's more similarities than there are differences. - Yeah. - And the main, like, then when I was about, like, 12, when we had moved back to Ireland, then I remember very clearly getting, like, Skye, which was, like, a satellite network, and getting all this-- - Very knock, I think. - Yeah, he does, and getting all of those channels and suddenly having access to, like, all these UK TV. - So you went from famine to feast. Like, it was just nothing for two years and then everything you could possibly watch. - Yeah, it really was, like-- - They just tried to take it all in, like, at that point. - And I think, at that point, I mean, 'cause, like, seriously, seeing the Simpsons for whatever that was, like, 10 minutes or something, was it even, I don't even think of some of it. I remember me and my brother quoting it to each other, like, forever after. - Yeah, really stuck in there. - Yeah, and being like, doh, you know. - Yeah, well, I think there was part of, like, people our age, too, like, we really latched on it, actually, generally, because it was-- - Yeah. - A cartoon that wasn't for children. - Yeah. - And I felt, like, I felt clever watching this. I was like, I get it, and we'd watch it with my younger sisters, and they'd laugh at the baby bits, and I'd be like-- - I left at the talking, not the-- - Yeah. - Part of it. - Yeah. - It's actually adults in here. - Yeah, that's so true, I did love that. And then I remember, like, when I was about, like, 13, we saw "Airplane" the movie, and then I was, like, the Americans, they're the funny ones. - So, you know, like that slapsticky, the kitchen sink kind of-- - A door that stuff? - A door that stuff. - Okay. - And, like, the UK stuff that was coming through in Ireland was, like, more cerebral, and, like, you know, like, those things, like, only foods and horses, and, you know, it feels like that, and I was like-- - I don't know if I'd call that cerebral, right? - No, no, no, no, no, but I, but, like, the-- - It's not silly, it's certainly not airplane. - No, not silly, and, like, so things, like, I want to try and think of what my friends loved from the UK. - And you feel very, sort of, rural, right? - Yeah. - So, I mean, it only feels and horses is such a city show, too, that I imagine that would-- - Right. - Sort of off-putting, too. - Yeah, and it was, like, all guys. - Yeah. - Absolutely. - And I still have a problem with that. Like, I couldn't identify that. When I was a teenage girl, watching comedy shows, I was always like, "I can't, but I don't love this." - Yeah, there's no one here that's me in there. - Yeah, but I didn't know that that's what the problem was. - Right. - You know? - You couldn't put your finger on exactly why you didn't connect with it completely. - Yeah, 'cause I was like, "I can say that this is funny," and I also felt myself that I was funny, and that was, like, a part of me. But I had no idea that I could ever, like, do comedy, I can never-- - Do you have examples of that that you could-- - Yeah. - You have a crazy element. - A crazy element, yeah, definitely. I mean, definitely her. And then it wasn't until I moved to the States when I was 17, actually, and worked as a babysitter. Like, an Irish girl, like, came over straight after school, and I-- - Yeah, paired. - Oh, paired, yeah, exactly. And I had a TV in my room, and I, in New York, like, I was in Westchester, Kenzie. - Okay. - And-- - Was that the first time you'd ever been at the States? - Yeah, and I was like, "I'm moving to New York "to start my new life." And then I was, like, living in the suburbs, being paid $150 a week with-- - Plus, room and board. - Plus, room and board, which just makes you even more, like, track and add. - You're an attention servant at that point. You're working at the company store. - Totally, like, and so, I watched so much TV. - Right. - And, like, so, I remember very clearly watching Comedy Central, and, like, just being, like, seeing Kathy-- - Flapping. - And-- - No. - Kathy Griffin-- - Yeah. - special, and a Margaret Show special, that was, like, repeated again and again. And then, straight after, on the Food Network, they would show, like, Two Fat Ladies. - Yeah. - Which was an important show from the UK. - K, right. - And, like, I didn't, again, I had no clue that this is, like, happening in my brain, which is, like, what I'd say to anyone who's, like, interested in comedy and writing. Like, you think you're doing nothing, but, like, everything you're taking in-- - Oh, you're learning. - You're learning, and it's, like, make fusing little things in your brain you don't really know. - Yeah. - 'Cause then, like, years later, after I had started stand-up and been on TV in Ireland and stuff, then I did, like, a comedy cooking show with my sister. And then, it wasn't until I got back. I was, like, "Oh, yeah, that's almost, like, "incredibly lonely nights, now it's 17." - Watching Two Fat Ladies. - Watching two Fat Ladies. - Yeah. - Watching Cathy Griffin being, like, I felt like she was being outrageous. - Right. - Like, that special was, like, repeated again. I watched it so many times, and I was just, like, ever since she talked about, like, you know, accidentally, like, getting a M.A.S. course, - Right, right, right. - And, like, Margaret Cho talked a lot about, like, working in a gay bookstore and stuff like that, like, blew my mind. I was, like, these women are just being, like, mouthy and it's cool and-- - Right, not noticing anyone be like that in a public eye, especially if home in a way is too risky. - Yeah. - It must have been, like, wow, this is, you can say this, sort of thing. - Yeah. - Yeah. - And doing, women doing stand-up, too, because the only stand-up I had seen, I had never seen life stand-up. I didn't see that until I went to watch my first open mic night when I was, like, 23. So the only stand-up I had seen was, like, Eddie Murphy, Rob. - Rob, right. - And, again, I remember laughing and being, like, he's really funny. - But that's not you. But a girl in Ireland is very different from a Black man in America doing stand-up. Yeah, there's not something you can latch on to. - No, it didn't cross my mind, like, oh, maybe I could do that, or, like, maybe that's for me, like-- - I could be an astronaut. Like, it's not, like, it's that far away from where your experience is. - Totally, totally, yeah, totally. And, like, you know, good for him, like, more power to him. - Right. - And, like, that's great. But then seeing them was, like, it was really, it was-- - I agree with that, you could say, oh, there's a thing I can latch on to. - Yeah. - We were talking in the right over here, too, about myself, a life. - Yeah. - And so that was, we're the same age, and that was the show that was us at that age, like, just tapped into the ang stuff. And that was one of the first ones I remember with a very strong female lead and a teenage girl at that. - Yeah. - So I imagine that was probably one of the first things, 'cause that probably would have been right around the time you moved back. - Yeah, it was, so it was on, like, maybe, I think when I was, like, 13 or 14, it was on, and she was the same age as me. - Yeah. - And she was, like, funny, and, like, you know, had this huge inner life going on, that, like, she was actually so articulate about, and that still gets me about Americans when now that I've moved here, and I meet, like, kids who are able to, like, say what they feel. - Do you think that's uniquely American? - Well, it's more common here than it is in Ireland, definitely. - So Ireland's more, sort of, the old kids, children should be seen, and not heard, kind of, saying a bit. - No, I think it's just that, like, we, talking about our feelings isn't, like, as acceptable. - I'm gonna get you. - You know, like, it's literally, in, back home, if you, if you say something, like, I've actually prefaced things by being, like, "Sorry, this is still American." But I actually feel quite anxious about this, you know, or, like, "Sorry, this is American of me now, boss." I wish that you hadn't said that, 'cause that makes me feel hurt, you know. - We're doing therapy talk. - Yeah, but it's not that at all, it's just healthy. - Yeah. (laughs) - So we're saying that Ireland is unhealthy. - Well, kind of, that's what I love about Ireland, too. There's a lot of indirectness, there's tons of codes, there's like, you know-- - It's very suppressed in a lot of ways. - Yeah. - In communication, which makes it-- - Yeah, exactly. - Instead of be shocking to see a woman talking, but accidentally getting a male prosthetic. - Yeah, definitely. And, like, also thrilling, right? And, like, you know, so impressive. And it was the same at my so-called life. Like, remember, also, like, with sex stuff, like, I remember there was a scene where she finally cases driving in Catalano, and like, I thought that was, like, the be-all and end-all. - Right. - I was like, "Oh my God." I was also in love with him, and I was like, "He gets her." And then she said something like, "I don't even open my mouth that wide when I'm at the dentist." 'Cause he, like, goes into her. And he, like, really, you know-- - Which is a font that a real person would have. It's not the sort of mythologized, like, it was beautiful. - Like, fireworks going off, and she, like, feels turned on, none of that. She was like, "Whoa!" And I was like, that really, like, lit up something for me. 'Cause I was like, "Oh, you couldn't say." Like, "You couldn't just say." Even though she was crazy about him, like, even though she, like, she had a shitty time-kissing. My first kiss was awful. - Everyone's was. - Yeah. And so, but I was like, "Oh." And she can just say that to him, and then they can talk about it, and then it's like-- - Right, and it's okay. He doesn't get mad and storm out, or-- - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - I remember I was obsessed when I was, like, 17. I was really into my so-called life before that, with being able to take any sentence and make it into my so-called life-speak. And the way you do it is you take the noun. - Yeah. - You remove it from the sentence. And you put it at the end and add whatever. So, for example, if you were gonna say, "We were driving here in the car." - Yeah. - You would say, "We were driving here in the thing." The car, or whatever. And that makes everything sound like it was on my so-called life. - And it makes it just sound more, like, interesting and melancholy. - Right. - Yeah. - Yeah. - Listen to me, if I don't need to know the noun first off, I kind of had to-- - Oh my God, there was so many great lines in that show, like, and I only saw it once. I never saw it again. I remember making my cousin who was my age, who loved it as well. She got the box set recently and she was like, "We come over and we get wine and we watch it." And then, for whatever reason, I never managed to do that. - She's still editing it again. - No, but she was like, "Don't." - She's like, "She still doesn't hold up?" - No, not that it doesn't hold up, but just that her memories of it are different. - Right. - And I was like, "I bet that would have happened to me too." 'Cause like, there's so much of stuff that I've put into my own, you know, like I've put my own stuff on and then it's like-- - And you've clearly held on to it, 'cause I mean, you're still at once, 20 or 20 plus years ago, and you remember your exact lines. - Yeah, I remember this other line that I still think about when I'm arguing with my mom, which is like rarely because like we don't argue. - Right. - Which was like, she was fighting with her mother about something and she was like, "It wasn't that we were fighting." It was like the fight was having us. - Yeah. - And I was like, "That's it!" Like you just are thinking of something that I can't and I couldn't, you know. And so, I mean, I don't even know who wrote that. - I should find out who wrote that. - I heard her name was Winnie Holzman. She didn't show up 30-something before that. - Oh! - Which was basically, am I still called life for 30-something yuppies? - Oh! - It was kind of her, that was very 80s show. And so she wanted to do something that was more what she wished was around when she was a teenage girl. - Oh my God. - And so that was the direct follow-up show. - Oh my God. I don't know, she's a genius. I love how much she's doing that. Like when I say, you know, I think girls is like a brilliant show and it's so gladdening on them, it's like a life and in the world when I'm at the same time as me, like I'm delighted about that. But sometimes I'm like, well, like my talk on life, it wasn't that, it's not a massive departure. There was other things that managed to, especially like in, like there was some parts of it. Like, I remember this other scene where like, the experience, it was like riding her bike and she just was, I think it was like her in her mind. She said something or she, no, she was alone on her bike and like, I think she just, it was like her, you know how you could sometimes hear what she was thinking. - Yes, yeah, yeah. - The voice over and stuff. - The voice over and stuff. And she just said something. I can't, it was like about, oh, I'm just riding my bike and that's all I'm doing there. Like I'm just being or something like that. And it was very profound. But I was like, oh my God. Like a teenage girl's thoughts are valid. - You captured it, yeah. - Even if it's nothing, it's okay to think that. And one of my favorite things about that show as well was that it managed to capture that transitional time when you're still a kid. - Yeah. - But you're sort of becoming a teenager, you sort of want to be adult-ish, but you're also still very much a kid. So there are scenes in that where, you know, they act like they're 10 or 12 like when she's talking to crack out and that kind of stuff. But that is also being very adult and in this adult world. And I think what a lot of shows about teenagers miss now is it's very clear that an adult is writing their words. - Yeah. - It's a 14-year-old girl talking like a 30-year-old writer. - Oh my God, like the guillen worker. - Yeah, it's too precocious and snarky. And they're just spitting out these one-liners. And it's not how kids are. They can occasionally have moments like that. It's not all the time. And I think that was sort of unique about that show that I managed to kind of capture with that. - That's so true. There was a lot of blundering and like half-taught-eyed things. - Oh yeah. - Yeah. - So, awkward moments that weren't cringe-humory though. They were realistically awkward that you can identify with, but not like, although I like curvy enthusiasm, that's a show where you're just like, "No, oh God, no." Like that kind of stuff. - Yeah, definitely. - So that must have been a revelation and probably made you sort of get a mythology, but look at America as sort of a land of freedom in a lot of ways. - Well, yeah, and I mean as well, the thing, sometimes I'm like, did I on some level move to New York as a 30-something because of friends? - Yes, because many people probably did. - And like, definitely not on purpose. Like I was never like, but you know, we loved that show when we were teenagers and it was like, you know, world-wide. Like we were like, we were weighted and it was like, were they on a break? Or was it a break? You know, like, we like cared so much. - So you watch it as a group with your friends? - With my family, I was like, I've got six sisters. So like, we were like all watch friends and it was like a big thing for us. And I like, I loved it. And now, I still have moments when I'm in New York. And like, that show wasn't even that New York, do you? - It's during our New York, you know? - It was like a scene. They'd just show like the outside of an apartment building. And then it was just like all the indoor scenes. - Yeah, coffee shops. - Yeah. And sometimes I'm in New York, but I'm like having a conversation about something and I'm like, well, this is maybe, this is like friends. Like, and then I'm like, is this something like? - When will this be friends? I keep waiting for them. - More, yeah. Like more even than signfills, which I didn't actually watch. Like, and I had, like, 'cause now I have, like, lots of comedy friends. - Right. - And people assume that I have this, like, encyclopedia knowledge of, you know, like, signfills or, but I just, I don't know what, I mean, it was never on Telly in Ireland and then it just never, I never seek today. - Well, I think a lot of people don't realize that that signfilled was a very small cult show in the UK and Ireland. - Yeah. - It was on, like, late night in England on like Fridays at like 11. Not a lot of people launched it. So it didn't really have any sort of penetration over there where people were, like, it did here. - Yeah. - And that was weird for me when I lived in England, but friends-- - Oh, sorry. - I'm dropping your TV, guys. - That's quite all right. There was a precious, but friends was massive, just absolutely massive. And I think most people that I've encountered from Ireland and England, their ideas of America were all formed by friends. - Yeah. - Which was like, probably made in LA. - It was, yeah. It was nothing like anything I experienced in the night. - I wrote it as, like, one scene in the long direct or something like that. And then everything else was just like, mwah. - Yeah. - Yeah, like, there's a really cringy-- so the late later was, like, the Irish, like, version of, you know, whatever, like-- - Letterman or letterman? - Yeah, but it's the longest-running chat show in the world, actually. - Really? - Yeah, it's been going for, it's been going for, like, over 40 years. And there's a, they've had, like, a variety of presenters of different quality down through the years. And there was a particularly wooden guy who used to present it, and he interviewed Jerry Seinfeld and was like, couldn't pronounce his name. - Right. - And this was, like, in, just, like, six years ago, or something, you know? - Oh, you've seen. - Yeah, he said, like, I think he said, like, Zen Field. - Right. - And it was, like, is he joking? - Right. - You know, it was, it was incredible, it was incredible. 'Cause, like, it's, like, whatever. It wasn't a popular show, but still he-- - Yeah, it's so cultic, but you should know who he is. - It's a famous person, yeah. - Yeah, and he's, you know-- - Terry Wogan wouldn't have done that. - No, he wouldn't have. Terry Wogan famously thought, you know, Irishman went to the UK and made his living there as, like, a kind of sliver tongue TV host. Very good, very good at his job. And now, Graham Norton is like-- - Yes, he's the proud son of Ireland. - Yeah, as-- - They're weird too. - That's very well. - Where people are like, you, traitor. Like, you kind of have to go over that thing. - There's a funny thing in Ireland where it's never like you, traitor. It's like this, the small countries often have a colonized countries often have it, where it's like, you go off and you make your name somewhere else and then you're welcome back. - Right, bring it back here. - And then it's like, well done, like, you should, you know, but until you've made it somewhere else, it's like, you have to really, yeah. - All Austin's like that, understandably. - Yeah, little places, right? Like, kind of like places with a chip in their shoulder, I guess. - Right, yes. - So I think Ireland, Irish TV is a bit like that. There's some, you know, I don't know how much of it is factual and how much is a myth, but like, you know, Father Ted, that show, which is like, Irish writers. - Yeah. - But it was made by an English. - Right, it's Channel 4, was it? - Yeah, Channel 4, yeah. And Derma Morgan, who was the star of that show, was like a job in comic in Ireland for a long time and wasn't really, you know, he didn't make it, basically. - And he was probably in his 50s when he did, father. - Well, no, he looks very old, but I think he was younger. - Okay. - I think he was maybe 40 or something like that. But he's got gray hair and he looks, he looks older and he unfortunately passed away, like at the end. I think it was like just after the rap party for the third season or something sad, but, you know, I think he's a genius. Like, that show is, - It's very funny. - It's really funny, it's really silly, I love it. - Much like airplane in many times actually, back to seeing that sort of humor. - I love it like, I mean, sometimes it's embarrassing 'cause like, I'm not an idiot, but like, I just love silly. Like, there's nothing, it's funny to me. Like, at parties, I hate when people just get into like heavy conversations. I'm like, please be silly, please spit out the water when I say, you know, like, pretend to be shocked and spit out the water. That's like my favorite thing. - Yeah, we're not having this heated conversation, you know, in a car. - Yeah, like a philosophical kind of, yeah, yeah. And it's just, I find the same, I tell you, like I, like, say shows now, like girls or whatever. - I love when they go funny, like. - So you like the lighter stuff, there's not like a heavy program that you'll watch it. 'Cause I, everyone's like the wire and that and stuff. And like, I recognize that's probably a great show. - Yeah. - But if I sat and watched that, I would feel so depressed. - Yeah. - And I'm not always looking for escapism, but at the same time, like, I do kind of wanna just relax and watch something. I don't want to feel like having nightmares about the thing that I launched. - Yeah, I mean, do you talk about what TV that I watch now or is that? - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - So like, yeah, I really like things now, like the crowshow and stuff. - Right. - They seem to be just dedicated, I don't know then, those guys, but like, and they just seem to be dedicated to being like really silly and really funny. - But really sharp-witted and not, for a show that really just eviscerates a lot of American culture right now. - Yeah. - I feel like it was not really snucky somehow. - Yeah, it's very good nature, right? - Yeah. - And like, I love that. Like, I like comedy to be humane. - Yeah, I hate, hate full comedy. It's like, this isn't really comedy. - Right. It's kind of like, it veers into bullying or something, but yeah, so I think there's a lot of value to being silly and like, being imaginative. - Right. - And I also know that it looks easier than it is. - Right. - You know? - Well, I always say too that like, comedy's the one genre you can't do and fail and have it turn into anything else or enjoy it on another level. If you're doing drama, it's bad, it's funny. If you're doing hard, it's bad, it's funny. If you're in comedy, it's bad, it's just bad. - Yeah. - And so, in silly humorous, even harder to get away with because people are instantly already sort of one step removed from the show. - Right. - Which is why I love Grindling and stuff and I love black books and, you know, some of the stuff he did as well. - Yeah, and Arthur Matus is a really good writer. Yeah. So, do you want me to look at this? - Yeah, you can look at it. - Can you see if anything pops up for you? I mean, the first one, there's from '93 and you get Dr. Who right on the cover there. - Oh, okay, yeah, and that guy looks familiar to me. - He's Peter Davidson from, he was in, he was the doctor, but he was also in the show about, what was it, oh, creature's great and small. - Oh, right. Like, none of this, I don't, I've never seen Dr. Who, like, I'm not very, I still, oh, the Cosby Show, which I did love. - So, you did get that in-- - Yeah, we got that in Ireland, definitely. I've definitely seen the Cosby Show in Ireland when I was a kid. And, yeah, love this, real-- - Very New York, very Brooklyn. - Yeah, so sad that he was like, you know-- - A creep, the world's biggest creep. - I know. - Was there any, what's the most Irish show that you would watch? I think if someone was like, what was the best example of what you would consider Irish TV when you were growing up, what would it be? - Um, I think it was on, there was, like, a farm show called Ear to the Ground. - Okay. - And it's a farming show. - It was just like tips about farming? - It was like, you know, it's still on now. - Okay. - And there's that, and then there's a magazine show called Nationwide, which, where they just go around the country finding interesting things that are happening. - Just tell you about 'em. - Yeah, they're just like, send reporters around, and so it's widely, it's really varied, really funny. There's like a presenter who ties the whole thing together who looks at different angles. Like, so, he's like, here I am, walking by a river in county need. Okay, now we're gonna go to a pottery, pottery strolling festival down in Mayo. And then it like, slowly pans away from him as he just looks at the river. And then they go to like a pottery-- - It's a very quiet show, it is, yes. - Like, you actually think, like, am I stoned? You're like, it's something, like-- - Where? - At this slow depth, like-- - You look, I've been hypnotized. - Yeah. - It's not convincing by this show. - But it's adorable, because like, not that much happens in Ireland. - Yeah. - Like, it's a tiny country. There's like, only four million people-- - So that's what they're talking about. - It's like local tele, you know? And they do like a pottery, and then they're like, you know, there's a child who needs medical treatments, so like, the community are putting a fundraiser together for her, and then they show, like, this child with no limbs, or whatever. - Right, right. - And then everyone, like, baking cakes. - You feel good stuff. - And then they're like, and the technological revolution is continuing up in Dublin, and then they have, like, you know, the headquarters of, like, Twitter, opening in Dublin, so they have the interview, this kind of bewildered, like, German man, who's like the boss of Twitter in Europe. - And this in Ireland, it's very-- So, do you ever get homesick and watch, like, cliche of this-- - Yeah, I used to, I always loved it, and I used to like, tweet it, and people would be like, what, how did you make that up? I mean, I didn't make it up. I literally just said exactly what was happening on screen. And so, I'm blocked from the player, but my friend sometimes sends me, not like I'm personally blocked, but-- - No, but your IP address is not entirely, so you can't watch it. - Yeah, exactly. But my friend, Thomas, has started to send me particularly weird episodes, like, you know, when they're like, the seminary was about to close down, but then they found all these men in Africa who wanted to be priests. - So you didn't have, like, an Irish top of the pops or anything, right? Or did you get the BBC one, nothing more? - Yeah, we had the BBC one. Oh, I can talk about Pride and Prejudice, the BBC series. - Oh yeah, was that a big thing? - Yeah, it was, yeah. - Did you read the books when you were being pretentious as a teenager? - Yes, I did. I think, like, I think, when did that come out? I would have been about, like, 16 or 17 when the BBC series of Pride and Prejudice, and I would Jennifer L. and Colin Firth. And my older sister loved it 'cause she was a big Austin fan. I was more like a bratte girl. So I was like, Austin's tame. But then, so we used to mock her for watching that show. - For watching Pride and Prejudice. - Yeah, and also, like, it was so English, you know. Like, that's like, it's easier. And so we would mock her. And then I saw, like, episode three, it's six parts. And, you know, it was just him. Like, to be, like, I'm sorry to object by him, but, like, Colin Firth, there's a scene where he dives into the pool at his palace, and he dives into his outdoor pond 'cause he's, like, been on a horse, and he's, like, hot. - As you do. - And then, he looks so beautiful. And, like, you know, yeah, he's not a piece of meat. He's a person, whatever. - Colin Firth is pretty good. - Divine, divine. And so then I was, like, in. Like, the romance of it completely, like, overwhelmed me. And I was, like, I mean, I wanna know what happens. Oh my God, I want Lizzie to get with him so bad. And I knew this story already from the books, but it was just, like, a really fun watch. And it's just- - Was that the first thing you watched that was an adaptation of a book that you read? - Yeah, actually, it was, yeah. And, 'cause, like, you know, he was only reading Dostoevsky. - Yeah, clearly. And then I've been making BBC miniseries about that. (laughing) - And, like, I think since I saw that first time on TV, then when it came out in video, we bought it. - Yeah. - And now it's just become this ritual that, like, me and my sisters watch, right, and prejudice. Like, more than once a year, like, just when we're home, it's kind of like, we have dinner, and then it's like, when we put on pride in prejudice. And it's just, like, on, it's just, like, on all the time. - Yeah, it's just background, it's your comfort show. - Yeah. - Yeah. - It's definitely our comfort show. And also, still, the ones I was telling you about, when we were kids in Africa, when we only had seven brides, seven brothers, and the blues brothers. - Both brothers. - Yeah, I know, I know, and we're, like, a very close family and, like, we're all each one of his best friends and stuff. And those, we still watch those, you know, like, I might have to-- - It's totally sort of true. You have a trinity, if you will, on things that you watch. The blues brothers, seven brides, seven brothers. - Yeah. - And pride and prejudice. - Yeah, we really do. And, like, now my sisters' babies have started watching seven brides, seven brothers, and, like, learning the dance. There's, like, the Bryan dance scene. - But not the blues brothers. - Not the blues brothers. - Okay. - No. (laughs) But my dad says to his grandchildren, like, Orange Whip, Orange Whip, you know, that George-- - Yeah, yeah. - That John Candy line. So, yeah, I mean, it's so impactful. Maybe, like, the less, you see. 'Cause, like I said, we didn't watch a lot of TV. - Yeah, so it went a long way. Like, the two things you saw really were just locked in there. It wasn't also washed in a sea of everything that you can possibly see. - Yeah, yeah, like, now kids today. Like, but they do have so much TV, and then they have, like, YouTube stars that they love, and they have, you know, like, even jeans and stuff. - If you wanted to watch anything aside from blues brothers and seven brides, you kind of couldn't. - No, no. - So it's told that you actually liked it. - Yeah, because, even if we were in friends' houses, and they had this Zimbabwean channel, often the channel was, like, off-air. - Right. - So there was just, like, this very strange music playing, and there was, like, a still photo, saying "Zanu PF," which is, like, the ruling political party. "Zanu PF," food for the people, and there's, like, pictures of corn. - It was very 1984-ish, sort of. - Yeah, well, it's Mugabe, so totally. - Totally. - Kind of terrifying. - So that was, like, the TV. - Yeah, that's not a fun memory of television. I don't feel like I don't want to be anywhere near there. It's probably watching me. - Yeah, yeah. - So you were in one of my favorite shows from the last couple of years. You do an episode of "Moon Boy." Oh, yeah, did you like that song? - I absolutely loved "Moon Boy." - Yeah, so that's on Hulu here, I think. - It was on Hulu here. I got it from region two DVD, 'cause I'm-- - Grace, yeah. - You see it here. - Yeah. - I love Chris our dog. - Yeah. - But that show is, sort of, the vibe of, "I've set up my so-called life, it's not heavy like that," but that's the closest show I've seen that sort of captures that thing. - Yeah, it could be close to that thing. - They're kind of 11, I think, when it starts. - Yeah. - Are they both being younger, like, like, nine or ten in the first series? - And, yeah, that's not really gorgeous show, with, like, tons of laughs. - Yeah. - And, like, the sisters in that are so funny. The sisters are so much. He gets it so, so right. And, like, also, you know, that means a lot to, I guess, to Ireland, like, because it's, like, this lovely depiction of, like, and the whole town, it's called Boyle. It's the town where, like, Chris grew up and where the town is set, and that town, and, like, everyone is involved, and, like, it's, you know, I know, like, it means something. I feel like it was really cool and generous of him. - It's a sweet, funny show, and it's not, like, the Magdalen sisters, and it's not, like, just, you know, Catholic suppression, and the Dower, kind of things that we're getting about Ireland, you know, for years and years and years and not far and away. - Yeah. - It's like, Chris. - Yeah. - It's a refreshing, sweet show, and it reminds me of, like, the Adventures of Pete and Pete, which was a great American show, it was very similar. - Oh, really? - Like, and you were in the episode, I think, with Steve Coogan, right? - Yeah, he was, like, the fish. - Yeah, Steve Coogan was, like, the freebie guy, and I played, like, a hairdresser, and I think the day I went and filmed it, it was the last day of filming, so, like, that's, like, you know, everyone's exhausted, but there's, like, this real feeling of, like, we did it, and it was someone's birthday, so it's like a giant chocolate cake, and I just, and, like, everyone's there, it was just brilliant. And, you know, I had, like, a few lines, it's, like, such a fun thing to do. Like, I just recently recorded a bit in Amy Schumer's show, and it felt the same, it was, like, a really nice crew, everyone, like, worked together really well, I guess, they've done a lot of shows this day, and, like, it's, like, the nicest, easiest job, 'cause you, you just learn your four lines, then you, like, get your hair done in a funny way, and then, like, there's, like, real nice wardrobe girls where, like, that looks beautiful on you. And then, like, some of the people are, like, handing you coffee, and being, like, "You're just way there." - What do you mean? - And you're just, like, way there, and, like, yeah, it's so nice. - Like, compared to, like, the comedian's grubby job, - Yeah. - But here we are in the basement, like, you know, I need to, I need to, like, "Oh, no, this is great." But, like, this is comedy, you know, my trailer's late, you pick me up, it's, like, I don't know where anything is, you know, I have to change my clothes, you know, like, then TV, when you're not the main star. - It's exact opposite. - Oh, my gosh, people treat you, like, a little princess. - Right. - And, I love that. - Yeah, who would, who's, like, "Oh, I got to be a princess again." (laughs) But, what, what, what, we just talked with there at something about, um, moon boy that made me think. I wanted to tell you about, like, you know, you mentioned, like, the Sopranos and the wiring stuff. - Yeah. - The biggest show in Ireland at the moment, it's called Love Hate, and it's like a crime drama. - Yeah. - And I think people love it because it's made in Dublin. So, people, like, love seeing their own city back at them, and, like, most people in Ireland live in Dublin. Like, 1.2 million after that, under 4 million people live in Dublin. - There's seven other people who live in Dublin. - Yeah, like, there's some kind of, like, houses in Ireland where, like, sheep out number people. - Right. - You know, like, actually. So, everyone lives in Dublin, and this show is in Dublin, and it's about, like, the gang warfare in the-- - Right. - And, uh, which is really sad, but is the real-- - Engaging, though. - Yeah, and also, it's, like, middle-cast people being, like, "So, this is what's been happening." You know, like-- - So, is there a way to slum, to see, like, "I see who it is." - Like, I, what, I, I saw the first series, and I was pissed off with it because it was, like, the women were prostitutes, or a girlfriend, who got beaten up, or raped. - That's what we're proud of, too. - So, I was like, yeah, like, prostitutes were hard to go. Like, it was, like, every cliche, and then the guys were, like, gangsters. I mean, it didn't exactly do any favourites for men, either. - Right. - But, you know, it was, it was what it was. And it was hugely popular. But, like, there's such a funny story there, because, in, like, the second series, there's undercover cops in the show, because they're, like, trying to find the drug smugglers, whatever. And, in Ireland, the guards are called, the, the police are called the guardee. - Okay. - And that means, like, it's the guardee, she equation, and the guardee into the piece. - Right. - And, they get, like, six weeks off every summer, and they're allowed to do another job, because they're, like, civil servants. - Okay, I guess, just a volunteer, yeah. - So, they, no, no, it's not a volunteer thing. Like, they're, like, it's, like, a full-time job, but they get, like, six weeks off, where they're allowed to, it's the summer holidays. - Okay. - And they're, like-- - So, they're still no police during the summer? - No, like, not everyone goes on vacation. (laughing) - He's picturing them to be, like, "We can do our crimes now, they're all in vacation." (laughing) - That would be, like, that would be perfect. But, often, they work as, like, I know, like, drivers, or, like, you know, they're not allowed to get security jobs, but they're allowed to get, like, other types of jobs. - Right, they could be a life guard or something. - Yeah, I think so, yeah. And, but this one guy is, like, an actor, like, a part-time actor. So, he was on "Love, Hate," this crime drama, playing, he's an undercover cop, playing an undercover cop. - That's not being a good undercover cop. (laughing) - In the most popular show. - It might be so brazen, that'd be, like, surely no one would suspect the guy playing the undercover cop as an undercover cop. - But, Ken, I, so, it made the paper, right? 'Cause, also, he's a very distinctive-looking man. He's, like, tall and handsome, and, like, has silver hair, and is very distinctive, like, and it's, like, what does he think? - He's going into a drug den, and, like, aren't you the guy who's, like, no, that's not me. That's definitely not me. - I mean, and it's not, like, he's even, like, a normal, on-the-beast patrol guard. He's, like, an undercover guy. - Yeah, they must've been, like, I get a great idea. We had a real undercover cop, he played the undercover cop, and then they're, like, oh, shit. - And, you know what? He is really good in it. Like, he's very authentic. - At least he used to play in different people as an undercover police officer. - He's never actually played that role before. - Yeah, so now we want to see this, yeah. - Yeah, no, it's worth watching. And then, like, when you read about him, and then it was, like, okay, we're just gonna put him on office, and he, like, you know, he knew what was happening, but he wants to act, and I also love that idea that there's, like, a policeman who's, like-- - I'm an actor. - Yeah, I love that idea. - Kind of could only happen. It happened to be in a sweet way, and not like this asshole thinks he's all Hollywood. - Yeah. - And, like, that could only happen in a small country. - Oh, totally, like, yeah, like, definitely. Even the fact that, like, that exists that they're allowed to go and take out this extra work and stuff. - An actor being a cop that's fantastic, yeah. - Yeah. - Sometimes I'm a comedian, and sometimes I am a bus driver. - Yeah, well, like, the reason I found out about that holiday thing was, there's a comedy festival there, every July and Dublin, like, go back and off, and the drivers would pick up the airport. - All right, our thoughts on the break. - Yeah, 'cause they're all, like, very serious guys, and then once I was, like, the organizer was, like, they're not taxi drivers, and then he was, like, "No, no, they're well-guides." They're on their summer break. - They're on their summer break doing comedy. Well, you have to go do the show. - Yeah, I can. - But I need to talk to you. - Yeah, you do. - So, we're going to have to do more too sometime, and then more like the strangeness of Ireland. - But, do you think I need to, like, watch more TV? - I don't know, you seem like you worked out, okay, without watching it, but I'm sort of jealous that you have all this television that you've never experienced that you could kind of pick and choose through. - Yeah. - It's just decades of good stuff. - I know, right? - When I become an invalid, knock on wood. - Yes. - Maybe-- - That's the dream we are. - Or, like, incapacitated in some way. - Yeah. - Then I will-- - Just physically. - Oh, yeah, just physically, yeah. And then, and I'm just, like, a brain floating in a jar. - Catch up. - I'll watch TV. - That's when you revisit my still cup life. That's the correct time to do it. - But I'm unable to cry. - Yes, yes, perfect. - So nice how you do. - Thank you. - Thank you. - Yeah, thanks, Ken. (upbeat music) - So, there you go, that was Maeve Higgins. I told you she was great. I really, really enjoyed talking to her. Hopefully, I'll have her on again at some point and we can get into it again. There was some stuff we were discussing in the car ride on the way over to the venue that I wish we had kind of got on Mike that I'd like to talk about with her at some point in the future. Namely, that in Ireland, there is a native tone. There's Gaelic. And just like Wales in the UK, they speak Welsh. They have television stations in that language. And you might say, Ken, that's not that unusual. We have Spanish language television stations here. But it's not quite a one-to-one with Spanish language. This is sort of a native people's language. So it would be like if we had American Indian networks here, which we do not have. I don't know, I find that interesting and we talked about that a bit. So we'll have to talk about that again at some point in the future. Again, Czech Maeve out if she is coming to your town. I first saw her maybe six years ago on one of Eugene Merman Comedy Festival shows. And Eugene has been very nice to me and had me on almost all of his festivals in Boston and in Brooklyn. In addition to Julie Smith and Carolyn Craigie, and they were very, very nice. And I got to see Maeve perform on one of those shows and really enjoyed her act. So it was great to chat with her. And now on to the announcements. Speaking of Eugene Merman, there will be another Eugene Merman Comedy Festival here in the Boston area on the weekend of April 17th. And I will be doing a live TV guidance counselor podcast at the Brattle Theater in Cambridge Mass at 3 p.m. On Saturday, April 18th, with the one and only Mr. Eugene Merman as my guest. That is gonna be a great show. I am very excited about it. If you are in the area, please come down. You can go to Eugene Merman Comedy Festival.com to get all the details for that show. And then the following week, I'll be doing another live TV guidance counselor podcast as part of the Women in Comedy Festival. Again, I know that I am not a woman. However, I am always willing to participate in the Women in Comedy Festival. I think this is maybe the sixth or seventh year. And I'm pretty sure I've done something every year. It's a great group of people that run that festival and it's a lot of fun. I'll be doing one on Wednesday, April 22nd at Improv Boston with Mary Mack. So that should be a lot of fun as well. So come down to that and please say hello. And the third live TV guidance counselor podcast and our second West Coast edition will be at the Bridgetown Comedy Festival in Portland, Oregon. I was lucky enough to do this festival two years ago and had a ton of fun and I'm very excited to come back and do it. I will be doing a live TV guidance counselor podcast as part of the festival. You can go to Bridgetown Comedy.com. I am not quite prepared to tell you the name of my very special guest yet, but it is someone who I am incredibly, incredibly excited to have on, who I've wanted to have on for a long, long time. If you go to the Bridgetown Comedy Festival website and look under performers, take a guess as to who it is and you are most likely correct. So that will be very, very good. So definitely if you are in that area, please, please, please come down and say hello. I'd love to see what the people who listen to this show look like in person. You don't have to send me pictures. That's kind of creepy. So those are all good, exciting things I'm very happy about and also not the podcast, but that weekend of the Eugene Mermin Comedy Festival, I'll be doing four shows with Todd Barry around New England. So if you're a New England listener, we're doing Portland, Maine on the Thursday. We're in Providence on the Saturday and in Connecticut on the Sunday. You can go to Toddbury.com and he has all the details up about all those shows. So hopefully I'll see you at one of those shows or someone at one of those shows. And again, make sure you say hello, please. I'm not a violent man and I'm rather pleasant in person. So I would like to say hello and thank you for listening. And thank you for listening now. Again, I really appreciate it and I will hopefully do more than one episode a week, intermittent weeks in the next couple of months as I continue to get great guests coming through town, which is very exciting. So we'll see you again next time on TV Guidance Counselor. (upbeat rock music) - If I had a tube layer blow me, it was an important part of my dick-ishness as a child. Sorry, this is so American, but I actually feel quite anxious.
