HBO Max trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwBW3do9yqc

He's not afraid of pissing off the Trumpers.

I gave up listening to Marc Maron's podcast years ago. He's talks too much and he's too uninformed. But having listened before that, I know that he's pissed off a lot of people. You see Marc had an edge, as if angry that everybody he knew was more successful than he was.

He tried to rectify this with the twentieth century paradigm of a sitcom. But that ship had sailed, there were too many options and no one needed another self-centered show seen as a vehicle to boost the rep and the status of its star.

But then Maron was a secondary character in "Glow" and the show was a surprise hit and he got good reviews. And in "Stick" he's positively revelatory, all his prior anxiety is gone, he's the curmudgeon with a heart of gold, smarter than everybody else but not constantly rubbing it in your face.

As for his standup special?

I was shocked that he dove straight into politics. Almost nobody else has the balls, because of the insane blowback. It makes an entertainer question themselves, is it worth risking their audience, to take a stand on this subject that may be near and dear to their heart but is not the essence of their work?

And then comes the kicker:

"Progressives have really got to figure out how to deal with this buzzkill problem. You do realize we annoyed the average American into fascism."

BINGO!

I'd say that Maron is an equal opportunist offender, but that is untrue. He represents those of us who are solidly on the blue side of the line and are overwhelmed with Trump and his antics yet feel powerless. And we can see that the Democrats were, and to a great degree still are, their own worst enemy. Pronouns? Trans women in sports? Sure, we want to respect every individual, but can we use a little common sense?

You watch this special and you feel that Maron is coming from where you are. He resembles nothing so much as the guy who lives down the hall in your dorm. Who is not scraping off his rough edges to get along, but is speaking his truth, unafraid of those who disagree, yet possessing underneath a warmth and an understanding of the human condition.

Maron is not Chappelle. Sure, they both tell stories, but Chappelle is sly and builds up to an hysterical punchline. Maron is more of a storyteller, he's got more in common with Spalding Gray than he does with most of the comics plying the boards. You only laugh out loud a few times, but you still enjoy the show.

And the exhibition of his neuroses... We all have them, but today you either hide them or build your whole carer on revealing them.

But mostly Maron is finally comfortable in his own skin. He feels like he's made it. He knows he's not an arena act, but he's got his fans.

And isn't that what it's all about?

Entertainment is not a team sport. It is not us vs. them. But that does not mean you can't have an identity, can't take a position. But it's so hard for most to make themselves vulnerable to the blowback.

But the truth is it's all about your fans, nobody else matters. Everybody is not going to like you, but if you're good enough, you'll have enough followers to sustain a career.

Jokes are interesting, but real life is special, it's what truly resonates.

Maron is on the right path here. And the funny thing is so many of his contemporaries are pulling their punches.

Then again, Bill Burr has been opining about politics recently, speaking his truth unafraid of anybody.

But Burr is in-your-face, he's got a bigger presence, his act is more everyman, whereas Maron is an intellectual.

Maron has finally arrived. Kudos!


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