Nathan For You

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The "Souvenir Ship" episode that aired this week was the hardest I've laughed at a half-hour show in a very long time, I dunno who else is watching this but it's brilliant. Figure it deserves its own thread to post YouTubes in. If nothing else please watch this clip

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8QruYW6v6E&list=PLD7nPL1U-R5p2A2PNhFaimVdzjIg6CNpI

Maggie killed Quagmire (collest baby ever) (frogbs), Sunday, 13 July 2014 18:02 (ten years ago)

I loved the gas station rebate episode.

when you call my name it's like a prickly pear (Crabbits), Monday, 14 July 2014 04:00 (ten years ago)

oh my god was the "Chinese Dragon Rentals" part amazing

Maggie killed Quagmire (collest baby ever) (frogbs), Wednesday, 23 July 2014 11:58 (ten years ago)

i watched the entire first season a couple nights ago and it was the best night of my life

Clay, Thursday, 24 July 2014 00:52 (ten years ago)

ok so caught the starbucks episode purely by chance (was half watching drunk history, didn't turn channel) and it was one of the funniest things i've ever seen on comedy central. i can understand how that ep might be an outlier though. are the other episodes of similar quality? him and that lawyer.

balls, Wednesday, 30 July 2014 15:18 (ten years ago)

they're basically all good; starbucks ep is middle of the pack imo
johnny depp episode is pretty top level

go ahead. make vid where u rap about this new TMNT movie. (forksclovetofu), Wednesday, 30 July 2014 15:20 (ten years ago)

otm this show is incredibly consistent

een, Wednesday, 30 July 2014 15:25 (ten years ago)

I thought the skydiving one was too cringey but other than that every single episode has been hilarious. I agree with forks, that the Depp episode was my favorite so far. But all of them have made me laugh, sometimes it's just the little things that make this show work so well - like "School sucks, man. You can just go on the stinkin' internet!" as Nathan's idea of what teenagers talk about these days

"Claw of Shame" is also amazing and I believe the only other one that's just one long segment. The dude specifically asking not to be credited as a "consultant" (who wound up being credited four seperate times in the end) was probably my favorite part but the whole thing was brilliant.

Maggie killed Quagmire (collest baby ever) (frogbs), Wednesday, 30 July 2014 15:32 (ten years ago)

i love the episodes where he starts with a simple, dumb scheme and consequently builds up an immense and overly complicated series of rube goldbergian plans that move him further and further away from his original purpose
which is most of them

go ahead. make vid where u rap about this new TMNT movie. (forksclovetofu), Wednesday, 30 July 2014 15:35 (ten years ago)

http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/2aoj9b/i_am_nathan_fielder_comedian_director_and_host_of/

go ahead. make vid where u rap about this new TMNT movie. (forksclovetofu), Wednesday, 30 July 2014 15:36 (ten years ago)

Haven't seen any of s2 yet but s1 was amazing. The gas station rebate episode best epitomizes the show's ability to start one place and end up somewhere totally different.

Immediate Follower (NA), Wednesday, 30 July 2014 15:47 (ten years ago)

xxp I think most of them do have that potential but he can't control what the business owners will or won't do. The "Ghost Free Homes" lady definitely went all the way with it but there are bits like with the Private Investigator where you can tell things didn't quite go the way he had planned (due to the actor's fiance getting really skeeved out by Nathan). Though that one did have an amazing punchline in the end

Maggie killed Quagmire (collest baby ever) (frogbs), Wednesday, 30 July 2014 15:51 (ten years ago)

His Dan Mintz-like delivery makes me think Tina Belcher is narrating the show, which makes it better.

Stephen King's Threaderstarter (kingfish), Wednesday, 30 July 2014 15:56 (ten years ago)

i so desperately want that banana/tongue out/"I HATE JEWS" photo; someone please post that here when it inevitably shows up on the internet

that was one of the most painful things I've ever seen

go ahead. make vid where u rap about this new TMNT movie. (forksclovetofu), Wednesday, 6 August 2014 04:36 (ten years ago)

death is so saaad
death is so saad

when you call my name it's like a prickly pear (Crabbits), Wednesday, 6 August 2014 13:22 (ten years ago)

I thought the skydiving one was too cringey but other than that every single episode has been hilarious.

I loved the skydiving episode. "I forgot that I owed my friend forty dollars."

when you call my name it's like a prickly pear (Crabbits), Wednesday, 6 August 2014 13:25 (ten years ago)

Hard to believe that This Hour Has 22 Minutes wound up fostering anything of worth, but here we are. This show rules.

Simon H., Wednesday, 6 August 2014 13:25 (ten years ago)

this was a good episode (and two of the ideas actually seemed legit!) but nothing made me laugh harder than the dog shrieking when Nathan tried to pick it up

Maggie killed Quagmire (collest baby ever) (frogbs), Wednesday, 6 August 2014 18:05 (ten years ago)

well besides the Bill Gates impersonator

Maggie killed Quagmire (collest baby ever) (frogbs), Wednesday, 6 August 2014 18:05 (ten years ago)

"you know... when we made microsoft..."

go ahead. make vid where u rap about this new TMNT movie. (forksclovetofu), Wednesday, 6 August 2014 18:06 (ten years ago)

this guy is just the best

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL6fco19xXQ

Maggie killed Quagmire (collest baby ever) (frogbs), Wednesday, 6 August 2014 21:52 (ten years ago)

i think the toy store one is my new favorite, just omg the santa reappearance. really amazed at this show's ability to do the same thing over and over again and keep it fresh, improving it even

een, Friday, 8 August 2014 20:44 (ten years ago)

would really like to see that "i hate jews" picture...

go ahead. make vid where u rap about this new TMNT movie. (forksclovetofu), Friday, 8 August 2014 21:09 (ten years ago)

it's in the episode i saw on the comedy central app

dilligaf escape plan (Whiney G. Weingarten), Friday, 8 August 2014 21:24 (ten years ago)

i think the one with "the hunk" is my favorite ep, love this guy

hug niceman (psychgawsple), Friday, 8 August 2014 21:28 (ten years ago)

http://oi61.tinypic.com/2rgnxxf.jpg

Number None, Saturday, 9 August 2014 00:32 (ten years ago)

as much as I lost it at the picture, the end of that segment was the first time I genuinely felt the show went too far

Number None, Saturday, 9 August 2014 00:35 (ten years ago)

that's worse than when he was three seconds away from showing his dick to a crowd of kids?

een, Saturday, 9 August 2014 00:51 (ten years ago)

but that didn't actually happen

Number None, Saturday, 9 August 2014 00:55 (ten years ago)

thank you, that picture is amazing.
yeah, the bit where the lawyer was getting genuinely indignant was deeply uncomfortable but hey! She posed for the shot!

go ahead. make vid where u rap about this new TMNT movie. (forksclovetofu), Saturday, 9 August 2014 03:09 (ten years ago)

i kinda assumed 4channers would be all over this show

go ahead. make vid where u rap about this new TMNT movie. (forksclovetofu), Saturday, 9 August 2014 03:13 (ten years ago)

I can't see this show's title without singing "Nothing on You" by B.o.B.

dilligaf escape plan (Whiney G. Weingarten), Saturday, 9 August 2014 03:28 (ten years ago)

i always hear flava flav myself

een, Saturday, 9 August 2014 03:48 (ten years ago)

http://assets.adamriff.com/images/woodfellas.jpg

slam dunk, Sunday, 10 August 2014 03:23 (ten years ago)

this is the funniest show i've seen in a long time

Spectrum, Sunday, 10 August 2014 03:30 (ten years ago)

he has weird hair

del griffith, Sunday, 10 August 2014 04:56 (ten years ago)

my god santa telling those kids they look like babies and the one kid opening up about another kid being mean at school
my god

Neckbread (Will M.), Wednesday, 13 August 2014 02:58 (ten years ago)

wait, what episode are you talking about here?

go ahead. make vid where u rap about this new TMNT movie. (forksclovetofu), Wednesday, 13 August 2014 04:41 (ten years ago)

yeah last night was the Taxi/Line Cutting episode. pretty good though the cab company owner's desperation was a little unsettling. I'm glad they didn't go through with it!

Maggie killed Quagmire (collest baby ever) (frogbs), Wednesday, 13 August 2014 12:48 (ten years ago)

oh i am talking about ep8, on the comedy cnetral site. shh never mind it's only a tiny spoiler ;)

Neckbread (Will M.), Wednesday, 13 August 2014 14:49 (ten years ago)

did not even realize that the site was ahead of the broadcast schedule! is that normal for cc?

Neckbread (Will M.), Wednesday, 13 August 2014 14:49 (ten years ago)

watching this on hulu. they just put the liquor store/exterminator/car wash episode. first two ones were pretty dumb, but the car wash was funny. i think i overdosed on this show "binge watching" the first season.

Spectrum, Wednesday, 13 August 2014 14:51 (ten years ago)

the lawyer in that dumb starbucks episode trying to steal the signed contract was one of the funniest things i've seen on tv. even if a lot of it was staged or w/e, he does a great job playing with the line between reality tv artifice and the actual, ridiculous things he is doing to/for these businesses

hug niceman (psychgawsple), Wednesday, 13 August 2014 17:15 (ten years ago)

yeah i was curious about to what extent this show is real and found this, which pretty much jibes with my impression:

Many people suspect that reality television is scripted, and with “Nathan for You,” this is, in a sense, the case. Fielder and his writers compose detailed outlines for each episode, trying their best to predict “what a reasonable person might say in a situation,” Fielder said, and to steer events in propitious directions — nudging customers from the gas station, for example, to the mountaintop. This doesn’t mean that the show’s marks are acting, however, or in on the joke: Fielder’s producers approach prospective businesses without letting on that “Nathan for You” is a comedy show, and Fielder never breaks character at a shoot.

In filming the show, Fielder says, chance ultimately rules: “We don’t even reference the script after a certain point. An entire day of shooting will ride on stuff happening the way we hope. It’s crazy to do a production like that, but the uncertainty makes the show feel more authentic and spontaneous.” Koman agreed: “It’s setups and luck.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/15/magazine/nathan-fielder.html?_r=1

een, Wednesday, 13 August 2014 22:10 (ten years ago)

if the lawyer wasn't in on it that is like the funniest thing ever

een, Wednesday, 13 August 2014 22:11 (ten years ago)

that corkboard thing was one of the funniest moments on the show, my god

Maggie killed Quagmire (collest baby ever) (frogbs), Wednesday, 20 August 2014 12:29 (ten years ago)

"Inside all of our anatomies there's two parts. There's a part that's a liar, and a part that's a cool guy."

oblique blasphemies (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Thursday, 21 August 2014 10:08 (ten years ago)

dumb Starbucks did not disappoint

Peeking at Peak Petty (Sufjan Grafton), Friday, 22 August 2014 04:38 (ten years ago)

i keep thinking there should have been more interesting material there (like how did the employees react to the media blow-up), but if there were, they would have shown it.

Philip Nunez, Friday, 22 August 2014 05:22 (ten years ago)

This show is the most tortured I've been between thinking it's the funniest thing I've seen in years and thinking he really is possibly an awful person who is blatantly exploiting (at best) unhappy people for a gag (thinking of the repeated cuts at the expense of the lonely guy who allows Nathan to test the 40-maids-in-6-minutes scheme; the woman who says she was assaulted by an 'entity' in Switzerland during the ghost real estate thing; even the lone shot of a woman crying to herself across the pet cemetery when he unveils the advertisement/headstone).

I even felt for all the people who would have been so excited to see the 'Johnny Depp' movie being filmed - though that sequence also had me doubled over in pain from laughing (when he repurposes the footage of the guy running through the souvenir shop as 'people were desperate to get supplies' or whatever I fucking lost it).

He's got to be some kind of sociopath to stand there through these horrible and often quite sad interactions just trusting it'll all wash out in the edit.

Your Ribs are My Ladder, Monday, 1 September 2014 14:45 (ten years ago)

There's definitely some tension there. I think it helps that the show often paints "Nathan" the character as being untrustworthy and openly manipulative, particularly in his constructed social behavior and his contradictory narration. If anything he mirrors some of the sadder characters you mention, and only seems to behave "naturally" when confronted by the truly out-there encounters that there's just no character protocol for, like the "entity" assault victim or the pee-drinker from S1.

Simon H., Monday, 1 September 2014 14:58 (ten years ago)

the show often paints "Nathan" the character as being untrustworthy and openly manipulative, particularly in his constructed social behavior and his contradictory narration.

But I guess my first problem is with the actual interactions as they occurred. These people aren't meeting someone they know to be those things - and they seem to sometimes be possibly fragile people who are getting dicked around.

And then the edit can be cruel for the sake of a joke that *isn't* part of the show's larger target of cheap/dumb/lazy marketing. I was aching watching Nathan asking that guy about his relationship status and seeing the guy trail off, going "Gosh, L.A. is just so.... hard...."

Your Ribs are My Ladder, Monday, 1 September 2014 16:10 (ten years ago)

We just started watching this, and def. getting Sacha Baron Cohen vibes from it. It's pretty funny, though. My wife was in tears during the gas rebate episode, which just gets so ... strange.

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 1 September 2014 16:44 (ten years ago)

I agree there's inherent sociopathy involved but probably to a lesser degree than actual makeover shows.

Philip Nunez, Monday, 1 September 2014 17:02 (ten years ago)

We just started watching this, and def. getting Sacha Baron Cohen vibes from it. It's pretty funny, though. My wife was in tears during the gas rebate episode, which just gets so ... strange.

― Josh in Chicago, Monday, September 1, 2014 12:44 PM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

SBC vibes is exactly what bothers me about it. The being a dick to being funny ratio is just a little too high for me, and he seems a little too proud of his *deadpan* humor.

'arry Goldman (Hurting 2), Monday, 1 September 2014 18:10 (ten years ago)

His hair also appears to be waxy like an otter's fur

post...aftermath (Sufjan Grafton), Monday, 1 September 2014 19:13 (ten years ago)

I think SBC goes farther to make people look stupid. Like, part of the joke of his stuff is that no one recognizes him as a cartoon and takes him seriously (the fools!). Nathan's pitches on the other hand at least operate within a skewed system of reality TV makeover logic, made funnier by his total deadpan. I mean, sometimes his ruses work! (See: Dumb Starbucks, pig rescues goat, King of Sting, etc.). And when they don't work, he hilariously tries to find some way to take credit anyway. Or sabotage the results, like turning the gas rebate scheme into this weird human interest story, not publicising the pig rescue, taking mock offense at the King of Sting.

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 1 September 2014 21:10 (ten years ago)

there’s a weird inconsistency in character when nathan gets upset at the quiznos rep for going too far, which makes me wonder if that amazingly wasn’t staged.

Philip Nunez, Monday, 1 September 2014 21:20 (ten years ago)

His hair also appears to be waxy like an otter's fur

He is Canadian. I think that's normal for them.

il balletto da bronx, yo (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Tuesday, 2 September 2014 03:07 (ten years ago)

They call it a "pelt."
http://www.glacierwear.com/media/catalog/category/Fur_Hats_Fur_Ear_Muffs_Fur_Acc.jpg

Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 2 September 2014 13:58 (ten years ago)

one month passes...

The Daddy's Watching/party planner episode might have been my favorite except it also had the weight loss bit which was the first one that really crossed into unnecessary cruelty for me. But I was so happy when he brought back the Bill Gates impersonator.

Immediate Follower (NA), Wednesday, 15 October 2014 21:24 (ten years ago)

The weight loss part was amazing but yeah that ending was rather tough to watch. The Bill Gates dude could be in every episode as far as I'm concerend.

Also, if this isn't a preview of season 3 I don't know what is:
http://www.vocativ.com/money/business/gestations-bar-for-pregnant-women-viral-marketing-stunt/

Maggie killed Quagmire (collest baby ever) (frogbs), Wednesday, 15 October 2014 21:29 (ten years ago)

Considering he already did the free taxi rides for pregnant ladies I don't think that's a NFY bit. Speaking of which, I loved the part when he made the obstetrician pretend to be a mechanic to vet the midwife's credentials.

Immediate Follower (NA), Wednesday, 15 October 2014 21:31 (ten years ago)

"When we started Microsoft..."

you walk on the street, grab the rock (President Keyes), Wednesday, 15 October 2014 23:03 (ten years ago)

nine months pass...

I've been listening to this every day

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcrLSSlNZGs

frogbs, Friday, 7 August 2015 20:33 (nine years ago)

Managed 27 seconds.

ewar woowar (or something), Friday, 7 August 2015 23:09 (nine years ago)

33 here

Aimless, Friday, 7 August 2015 23:41 (nine years ago)

.53 and a lot of that was because I was in another tab and couldn't figure out what to close

let's not get too excited w/ the ouches (forksclovetofu), Saturday, 8 August 2015 02:00 (nine years ago)

Zippity-doo-dah for the Internet Age.

Aimless, Saturday, 8 August 2015 02:05 (nine years ago)

geez, youre missin the good part

frogbs, Saturday, 8 August 2015 02:05 (nine years ago)

and wisely avoiding all the rest

Aimless, Saturday, 8 August 2015 02:08 (nine years ago)

Nathan's lipsynching is fascinating.

a poetic ODE to FORNICATION (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Saturday, 8 August 2015 20:46 (nine years ago)

one month passes...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDs3sw098tU

Number None, Monday, 21 September 2015 20:04 (nine years ago)

ha, feels like he might step up his game to compete with Review

the naive cockney chorus (Simon H.), Monday, 21 September 2015 20:06 (nine years ago)

I'd say Nathan >>> Review but both shows are great

frogbs, Monday, 21 September 2015 20:58 (nine years ago)

I loved that he said he wanted to keep each season of his show low on episodes to keep quality high.

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 21 September 2015 21:24 (nine years ago)

what's review? google not coming up with the answers

NI, Monday, 21 September 2015 22:42 (nine years ago)

tell a lie http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2141913/

NI, Monday, 21 September 2015 22:42 (nine years ago)

8.3 stars on IMDB
That's 999,991.7 less than COCAINE!

Why because she True and Interesting (President Keyes), Tuesday, 22 September 2015 22:02 (nine years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHBaVVIrONI

omg the soundproof sex box

woman in the dunes, Thursday, 24 September 2015 17:25 (nine years ago)

three weeks pass...

"Alligators, little doors... I'm seeing psychosis."

frogbs, Friday, 16 October 2015 12:38 (nine years ago)

god this one had everything didn't it

frogbs, Friday, 16 October 2015 13:20 (nine years ago)

Oh man that was great. When he brought the guy to be psychologically evaluated, we were rolling. "Oh yeah, we sell TVs for a dollar, but you need to wear a tuxedo, and you have to go through a little door first, past the alligator ..."

Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 17 October 2015 03:32 (nine years ago)

At this point I can't imagine actually watching this show as it airs on TV. There are always several points at which I need to pause and step away, either to recover from what just happened or to steel my nerves for what's coming next. In this episode those moments were (1) when he asks the guy in the Man Zone "what's your favorite posish" and (2) when you see the part of the store display with the human bones.

JRN, Friday, 23 October 2015 18:21 (nine years ago)

i watched both of those live and the answer is "i look away from the screen, wincing in pure embarrassment"
this season has been A++ so far

a llove spat over a llama-keeper (forksclovetofu), Friday, 23 October 2015 18:27 (nine years ago)

the gun shop guy's message ringtone!

a llove spat over a llama-keeper (forksclovetofu), Friday, 23 October 2015 18:27 (nine years ago)

scale of 1 to 10, how fake was the rabbi?

a llove spat over a llama-keeper (forksclovetofu), Friday, 23 October 2015 18:28 (nine years ago)

not sure, but the gun shop owner was real as fuck

the naive cockney chorus (Simon H.), Friday, 23 October 2015 18:29 (nine years ago)

i don't believe in this bubblegum cotton candy world of yours where -
UH OH UH OH
is... is that your ringtone?

a llove spat over a llama-keeper (forksclovetofu), Friday, 23 October 2015 18:30 (nine years ago)

also I died at Nathan's insistence that the stable owner would definitely just be remembered for this stunt, and definitely not for any other reason

the naive cockney chorus (Simon H.), Friday, 23 October 2015 18:31 (nine years ago)

nathan explaining how missionary is his favorite position, "man on top, woman on bottom"
"nothing wrong with that!"

a llove spat over a llama-keeper (forksclovetofu), Friday, 23 October 2015 18:31 (nine years ago)

rabbi is real, he's a mohel in la. this show remains so fucking amazing.

balls, Saturday, 24 October 2015 02:22 (nine years ago)

died at him showing old usfl games

balls, Saturday, 24 October 2015 02:23 (nine years ago)

This show makes me uncomfortable ... It works as comedy in places but overall is just kind of creepy.

calstars, Saturday, 24 October 2015 11:21 (nine years ago)

Man, the fake oven ... my wife had to cover her eyes like she was watching surgery footage.

Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 24 October 2015 13:00 (nine years ago)

my wife thinks the "man room" thing is absolutely brilliant, so I love how Nathan makes it seem as awkward and unworkable as possible

frogbs, Sunday, 25 October 2015 01:06 (nine years ago)

by the way this website totally exists, be sure to scroll to the bottom

http://www.summiticeapparel.com/

frogbs, Sunday, 25 October 2015 01:08 (nine years ago)

my wife thinks the "man room" thing is absolutely brilliant, so I love how Nathan makes it seem as awkward and unworkable as possible

― frogbs

yeah some his ideas are at least borderline good ideas but then the execution "ruins" it

balls, Sunday, 25 October 2015 01:55 (nine years ago)

between 1933 and 1945, two thirds of all the Jews in Europe were killed by the Nazis
many victims were transported to concentration camps by train and murdered with poison gas on arrival
others perished from deplorable conditions in the camps (disease, exhaustion, and starvation)
others were simply shot and buried in mass graves
gypsies, homosexuals, and other minorities were also persecuted
learn more facts at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Holocaust

balls, Sunday, 25 October 2015 01:57 (nine years ago)

a friend of mine pointed out that the logo looks like his hairline

the naive cockney chorus (Simon H.), Sunday, 25 October 2015 15:07 (nine years ago)

The return of private investigator Brian Wolfe this week was an unexpected joy.

JRN, Saturday, 31 October 2015 05:21 (nine years ago)

Another a+ episode
Jungle children

a llove spat over a llama-keeper (forksclovetofu), Saturday, 31 October 2015 05:24 (nine years ago)

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSh800SVAAA-iuO.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/ioenZ3a.jpg

Number None, Saturday, 31 October 2015 12:17 (nine years ago)

Would buy.

Hadrian VIII, Saturday, 31 October 2015 13:19 (nine years ago)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1517159393

Number None, Saturday, 31 October 2015 13:44 (nine years ago)

You gotta be kidding

a llove spat over a llama-keeper (forksclovetofu), Saturday, 31 October 2015 14:14 (nine years ago)

http://www.themovementworkout.com/videos/

pretty much lose it every time they mention Steve Jobs

frogbs, Saturday, 31 October 2015 15:53 (nine years ago)

I just wanna mention, I do charity work with jungle children

frogbs, Saturday, 31 October 2015 16:01 (nine years ago)

RIP Dende, it was sad how he got kidnapped by baboons

frogbs, Saturday, 31 October 2015 16:11 (nine years ago)

From Core to Floor... and More!

a llove spat over a llama-keeper (forksclovetofu), Saturday, 31 October 2015 21:28 (nine years ago)

http://i.imgur.com/8CN82rq.png

a llove spat over a llama-keeper (forksclovetofu), Saturday, 31 October 2015 21:34 (nine years ago)

I need to buy a copy ASAP. I feel like it's gotta be just a matter of time before that's yanked off of Amazon.

Trimming The Hegyes: The Life & Times Of A Sweathog's Barber (Old Lunch), Saturday, 31 October 2015 22:52 (nine years ago)

Fully erect, they looked like spaghetti strands with pieces of burger meat to simulate the grooves of muscle of his forearms and biceps.

my copy's in the mail!

Hadrian VIII, Sunday, 1 November 2015 18:42 (nine years ago)

yeah, that line just leaps off the page don't it

a llove spat over a llama-keeper (forksclovetofu), Sunday, 1 November 2015 20:51 (nine years ago)

nine bucks shipped from amazon seems a good price to pay.

a llove spat over a llama-keeper (forksclovetofu), Sunday, 1 November 2015 20:53 (nine years ago)

Most amazing show

puff puff post (uh oh I'm having a fantasy), Sunday, 1 November 2015 21:23 (nine years ago)

This is a man who does not respect people, as they are.
I do not like him, his show, or Comedy Central for airing it.

The episode with the "alternative girl" was disturbing.
That chick seemed cool and nice, and she even gave him a second chance.
She must have been lonely, to meet him in the first place.

He made fun of a lonely girl on television.

I do not condone this. I hope he gets cancelled.

monster mash, Sunday, 1 November 2015 21:55 (nine years ago)

40%

puff puff post (uh oh I'm having a fantasy), Sunday, 1 November 2015 22:01 (nine years ago)

Alternatively: people will agree to anything as long as there is the promise of being on TV.

Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 1 November 2015 22:01 (nine years ago)

Yeah, my sympathy for Nathan's marks is mitigated somewhat by the fact that no one is required to appear on TV, and also by the fact that every single person appearing on the show signed a release.

Trimming The Hegyes: The Life & Times Of A Sweathog's Barber (Old Lunch), Sunday, 1 November 2015 23:48 (nine years ago)

Even if that's true I find his humor too mean-spirited to enjoy a lot of the time, like even if the participants themselves aren't hurt it still feels icky to watch him get off on being a dick.

on entre O.K. on sort K.O. (man alive), Monday, 2 November 2015 05:02 (nine years ago)

no one comes off worse than nathan.

a llove spat over a llama-keeper (forksclovetofu), Monday, 2 November 2015 07:05 (nine years ago)

Very true.

I really dislike a lot of pranky stuff (Improv Everywhere can suck a fuck) and mean-spirited humor, but this show doesn't really push those buttons for me.

Trimming The Hegyes: The Life & Times Of A Sweathog's Barber (Old Lunch), Monday, 2 November 2015 11:24 (nine years ago)

I think someone like Sacha Baron Cohen is a lot meaner, seeing he trades off of ambush tactics and putting people on the spot, then plying on their politeness to make them look bad (sometimes with a point, often not). But Fielder right off the bat offers ridiculous solutions to problems, and the humor comes from his straight-man reactions (subbing for our own incredulousness) to people actually going along with his on their face ridiculous to the point of surreal ideas (as opposed to trying to play along with or translate SBC's invented slang). But as written/acted/improvised, there's something more to Fielder that I can't quite put my finger on. Maybe a weird sort of ... empathy? Identification with the mark? I'm thinking of his early season rebate episode, where the camping trip in the mountains turns into something sort of touching, or how he twists the genius Best Buy/electronics store episode into a sort of meet cute blind date. And if you're to believe him, there are not only several ideas a season that don't pan out but also plenty of twists there's no way he saw coming, like the realtor speaking in tongues (iirc) when they try to exorcise the ghosts out of her house.

That AVClub interview was pretty incredible, and includes asides like "I think I’m taking a lot of vulnerabilities and insecurities that I had when I was younger, and I’m exaggerating them for the sake of comedy." Or his reaction to the realtor: "Well, that moment in particular, I didn’t even know how to comprehend it. That was an instinct of mine in that moment to take a photo, I guess. Some people view the show that way, and that’s totally valid, but personally, I don’t find the people involved in the show, for the most part, to be foolish. They come across to me as very sweet and endearing most of the time. Especially that real estate lady." Some people he picks seem like dicks (the private investigator, for example) or just out for exposure. Others are more innocent, but I don't think he's trying to make them look bad for being innocent or naive. If anything, like I noted above, he seems pretty attuned to how things are going, and often shifts the gist of his scenarios for the sake of ... pathos?

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 2 November 2015 14:03 (nine years ago)

well put

Hadrian VIII, Monday, 2 November 2015 16:10 (nine years ago)

Honestly, the only time I'm a little wary is when he's fucking with kids ("You don't want to be a baby, do you?"), but that's at least as much on the parents as it is on him.

Trimming The Hegyes: The Life & Times Of A Sweathog's Barber (Old Lunch), Monday, 2 November 2015 16:12 (nine years ago)

Though like most reality shows, it's often hard to know how much is actually scripted or prepared vs. how much the audience is lead to believe it is.

Evan, Monday, 2 November 2015 17:07 (nine years ago)

Honestly, the only time I'm a little wary is when he's fucking with kids ("You don't want to be a baby, do you?"), but that's at least as much on the parents as it is on him.

It's also tremendously infantile, which is partly what makes it funny. (See also: horsey rides.)

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 2 November 2015 17:45 (nine years ago)

Summit Ice has raised $45k for the Vancouver Holocaust Awareness Centre: http://www.ew.com/article/2015/11/02/summit-ice-jacket-nathan-for-you-holocaust?12444&hootPostID=7219adcc3b15844be47bf254ec4a0e15

the naive cockney chorus (Simon H.), Tuesday, 3 November 2015 01:13 (nine years ago)

That is just incredible.

Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 3 November 2015 01:18 (nine years ago)

it's nerdy but i'm tempted to get a jacket

a llove spat over a llama-keeper (forksclovetofu), Tuesday, 3 November 2015 01:34 (nine years ago)

It's for a good cause!

Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 3 November 2015 01:50 (nine years ago)

the only time I'm a little wary is when he's fucking with kids ("You don't want to be a baby, do you?")

Yeah that was the only time on the show that I felt like he really crossed a line, that one was unpleasant.

Sharia Law and Lambchop (The Yellow Kid), Tuesday, 3 November 2015 02:39 (nine years ago)

The Summit Ice thing is pretty funny

on entre O.K. on sort K.O. (man alive), Tuesday, 3 November 2015 03:24 (nine years ago)

It just occurred to me that, even though the Doink It! dude completely disagreed with everything Nathan wanted to do and also thought Nathan's message to the kids was awful and seemed to think that the entire thing was harmful to his product...he still signed off on appearing on the show. It would probably, by all rights, have been one of the aforementioned failed segments that never aired if his desire to be on TV hadn't superseded his judgment in every other regard.

Trimming The Hegyes: The Life & Times Of A Sweathog's Barber (Old Lunch), Tuesday, 3 November 2015 18:12 (nine years ago)

more or less everyone he "works for" disagrees with nathan (except for the total nutjobs), but there's something about being on tv that demolishes people's sense of responsibility and common sense.

a llove spat over a llama-keeper (forksclovetofu), Tuesday, 3 November 2015 18:15 (nine years ago)

also tbf, the doink it ad is clearly not aimed at kids in any case
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eb5sNjhItw

a llove spat over a llama-keeper (forksclovetofu), Tuesday, 3 November 2015 18:17 (nine years ago)

Got my "Movement" book in the mail today! Will leave it in the bathroom to perplex visitors.

Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 3 November 2015 21:34 (nine years ago)

xpost "If you don't have this toy, people will think you wear diapers and cry all the time."

Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 3 November 2015 21:35 (nine years ago)

got my book too; looking forward to reading on the subway and recommending it

a llove spat over a llama-keeper (forksclovetofu), Tuesday, 3 November 2015 22:14 (nine years ago)

ok, click that summit ice $45k link, scroll down to the image of Nathan holding the doink-it, and tell me why he looks like a simpsons character

nerd shit (Will M.), Wednesday, 4 November 2015 16:08 (nine years ago)

next episode supposed to be about abusing "you break it, you buy it", gonna be some real awkwardness upcoming

frogbs, Wednesday, 4 November 2015 16:12 (nine years ago)

i'm super glad a couple people agreed with my view on him.
the thing about this is, well, sometimes what he does is absolutely harmless and hilarious.
but, there was that episode a couple of weeks ago: the skit with the balloons and horse-rider was totally harmless and hilarious, everyone was in on the joke, or got the joke a little later (and it was still harmless), etc. but, in the same episode, when he exploited that cool, nice girl's loneliness in the other skit, well, that was just really f-ed up.

eh. sure. he's harmless and funny sometimes, but it just isn't worth it to me to continue to expose myself to his other completely mean-spirited behavior/humor. simply put: some of the shit he does is just bad for my soul. i'm never watching him, again.

monster mash, Friday, 6 November 2015 15:13 (nine years ago)

this week's had some good moments but also some of his least convincing schemes

the naive cockney chorus (Simon H.), Friday, 6 November 2015 15:16 (nine years ago)

The age progression scam artist was definitely one of the creepiest/funniest moments thus far

Agreed that the business ideas were particularly terrible this time around but that's kind of the point isn't it? The whole second half was just a lead up to a drunk bro in a sumo outfit trying to make his way down a narrow aisle in an antique shop in order to score some free pizza.

frogbs, Friday, 6 November 2015 15:19 (nine years ago)

and that was amusing, but I prefer the eps where his ideas have a hint of inspiration to them, even when they're obviously insane

the naive cockney chorus (Simon H.), Friday, 6 November 2015 15:30 (nine years ago)

yeah, i love this show and i loved this episode but it was among the most disturbing he's ever done

a llove spat over a llama-keeper (forksclovetofu), Friday, 6 November 2015 16:05 (nine years ago)

all worth it for him breaking the plate at the end

frogbs, Friday, 6 November 2015 16:21 (nine years ago)

the guy telling the kid he was gonna die in space in like two years
the drunk brothers from ohio earnestly discussing tag teaming with nathan
"that's a boy"
the guy writing emails on his phone and ignoring nathan
the pizza at the end of the booby trap

a llove spat over a llama-keeper (forksclovetofu), Friday, 6 November 2015 16:38 (nine years ago)

haha yeah "that's a boy" made me lose it, dunno how Nathan kept a straight face through that

frogbs, Friday, 6 November 2015 16:49 (nine years ago)

the jacket rigged with whiskey-removing and apple-juice replacing pumps

gr8080, Friday, 6 November 2015 20:43 (nine years ago)

god, how did i forget that

a llove spat over a llama-keeper (forksclovetofu), Friday, 6 November 2015 21:04 (nine years ago)

I just hope no PUA engineers watch this show

the naive cockney chorus (Simon H.), Friday, 6 November 2015 21:08 (nine years ago)

I just caught a screener for this week's episode and it might be my new favorite.

the naive cockney chorus (Simon H.), Tuesday, 10 November 2015 01:58 (nine years ago)

http://www.avclub.com/article/nathan-yous-star-confronts-v-club-mom-who-scorned--226825

balls, Wednesday, 11 November 2015 18:59 (nine years ago)

what a great interview!

i made a scope for my laser musket out of some (forksclovetofu), Wednesday, 11 November 2015 19:13 (nine years ago)

I thought the sports/antique show ep was totally about the ancillary weirdness and less the business fix. So in the case of the former, it's all that creepy photoshop guy (and the astronaut). In the latter, it's that can't make it up drunk dude he finds. When he takes the guy home, man, who knows what he was expecting/hoping to find there. Getting pulled into a triple tag team scenario?

Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 11 November 2015 20:51 (nine years ago)

yeah watching that photoshop guy continually repeat "I'm 90% sure" over and over was worth the whole segment, though it went from hilarious to creepy really fast

frogbs, Wednesday, 11 November 2015 21:13 (nine years ago)

Smokers Allowed was pretty close to this show at its best for sure
As good as the mountain climbing to get your rebate episode

i made a scope for my laser musket out of some (forksclovetofu), Friday, 13 November 2015 04:48 (nine years ago)

"Smokers Allowed" somehow conjured both Frederick Wiseman and David Lynch for me

the naive cockney chorus (Simon H.), Friday, 13 November 2015 05:18 (nine years ago)

this show is starting to feel like Review, in a good way

how long did they actually rehearse that to get it down so pat? you could see pages of the script being printed off, one including a long paragraph about Louie C.K...

frogbs, Friday, 13 November 2015 14:17 (nine years ago)

funniest part was the muscular dude staring at the audience of two, like "what the hell is going on here?", then having an actor recreate that moment by staring at the actual audience right off the bat

frogbs, Friday, 13 November 2015 14:22 (nine years ago)

absolutely brilliant episode

gr8080, Friday, 13 November 2015 14:52 (nine years ago)

This was fantastic. Exactly what I needed tonight.

Alien All-Topless (Old Lunch), Saturday, 14 November 2015 01:48 (nine years ago)

Smokers Allowed was pretty incredible, and really shows Nathan for You at its best. Like, the "I love you" exchange - what's real? What's not real? If someone is feeling something, is it real? Did he really cry? Isn't that an honest emotion? Felt like a wonderful moment, so was it? And then the brilliance of flipping it into a punchline, not just for her erstwhile acting partner's intense reaction shots but also for the payoff at the end with the fake bartender. Just amazing all around.

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 16 November 2015 15:38 (nine years ago)

someone found his old blog from ten years ago, hard to tell exactly how serious any of this is but it's entertaining

http://www.nathanjoseph.blogspot.com/

lol @ this picture
http://photos1.blogger.com/img/297/4329/1024/shuswap%20043.jpg

frogbs, Monday, 16 November 2015 16:30 (nine years ago)

tonight, there is a "traffic light party" at the bar -- wear red if you are taken, yellow if you are taken but willing to compromise, and green if you want to hook up.

i have decided to wear red because my theory is that women want what they can't have.

frogbs, Monday, 16 November 2015 16:34 (nine years ago)

truly, he is the wizard of loneliness

frogbs, Monday, 16 November 2015 16:36 (nine years ago)

http://photos1.blogger.com/img/297/4329/400/vicpics%202021.jpg

i made a scope for my laser musket out of some (forksclovetofu), Monday, 16 November 2015 16:41 (nine years ago)

i feel sure he desperately wishes this had remained buried.

i made a scope for my laser musket out of some (forksclovetofu), Monday, 16 November 2015 16:41 (nine years ago)

can't you make new blog posts look old w/ blogspot? part of me wants to believe this is all made up recently for an upcoming episode. like why would it pop up now?!

nerd shit (Will M.), Monday, 16 November 2015 16:42 (nine years ago)

the pictures are definitely of young nathan and the storylines on that blog FEEL authentically early twentysomething

i made a scope for my laser musket out of some (forksclovetofu), Monday, 16 November 2015 16:47 (nine years ago)

re: the "people want to be on TV" thing, any of the small business owners probably consider it free advertising.

billstevejim, Monday, 16 November 2015 16:51 (nine years ago)

I love you.

Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Monday, 16 November 2015 16:57 (nine years ago)

Say it again.

Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Monday, 16 November 2015 16:57 (nine years ago)

can't you make new blog posts look old w/ blogspot? part of me wants to believe this is all made up recently for an upcoming episode. like why would it pop up now?!

you can (he moved all the "guest blogmaster" posts to 1990) but I think this is for real. his Youtube channel is full of old videos from around that time which are just as dry.

frogbs, Monday, 16 November 2015 17:37 (nine years ago)

jesus christ smokers allowed was fantastic. that 'nathan' is this horribly lonely man desperate for human contact and love but prevented by his delusions and vanity from achieving it is always this nice touch in other episodes but my god it paid off there. i also thought the girl and the actress playing 'ellen' were kinda shockingly good though i guess that's la, and it was perfect if predictable that ellen wouldn't really be able to pull off 'ellen' as well as the actress. loved the guy staring at the audience both times. the tag showing both productions side by side was great. i get some ppl's complaints that the show is mean spirited i guess (i mean a huge percentage of his business proposals are basically 'what if we exploit a loophole to commit fraud') but so often you have such amazingly natural and yes awkward (but not in a miserable way necessarily) moments of genuine humanity.

balls, Thursday, 19 November 2015 03:31 (nine years ago)

http://i.imgur.com/kAzxVMD.jpg

balls, Thursday, 19 November 2015 03:39 (nine years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3Im37oRMRE

davey, Thursday, 19 November 2015 10:12 (nine years ago)

Nathan's old band!

http://wildryce.tripod.com/

"Wednesday Nite" is cracking me up ..."Wednesday...on a Wednesday night...it's on a Wednesday night"

frogbs, Thursday, 19 November 2015 22:37 (nine years ago)

"I gave them your names, so it would be more realistic", my god

also lol@ the kid morphing into Nathan

frogbs, Friday, 20 November 2015 13:54 (nine years ago)

two weeks pass...

So what do people think--was the sex box segment real? If anything on Nathan For You were going to be outright faked, that would have to it. I know some stage parents will agree to put their kids in just about anything, but that would be too far... right?

Highlight of this week: "coming off the thrill of go-kart racing, I wanted to harvest Brendan's blood as quickly as possible."

JRN, Friday, 4 December 2015 21:33 (nine years ago)

p sure it was edited so there never was a kid in that box while the sex was happening

gr8080, Friday, 4 December 2015 21:37 (nine years ago)

That's what I assume, too. Unfortunately, that means that the bit where Nathan gives the porn stars the parents' names (which was a brilliant example of the show's ability to ratchet up the tension in an already-awkward scene beyond what the audience expects) wasn't genuine, since with no kid in the box there would be no reason for the parents to be in the room.

JRN, Friday, 4 December 2015 21:44 (nine years ago)

the build-up to his racist mock-asian accent was excruciating and also peak nathan

gr8080, Friday, 4 December 2015 21:45 (nine years ago)

So what do people think--was the sex box segment real?

this has been in the back of my mind too hahaha

if it was real, imagine explaining this to the Comedy Central legal dept before attempting

bricc baby hitlo (Whiney G. Weingarten), Friday, 4 December 2015 21:54 (nine years ago)

yeah, the "asian accent" to the stunt driver was uncomfortable enough that i had to leave the room.

to say nothing of the confession of stealing that poor guy's urine. more or less up to the end, i thought nathan had finally broken my ability to not feel sorry for these poor schlubs he tapes. But you know what, the guy really had a good time at Knotts Berry Farm! I think he was cool with it! I wanna believe they hang out occasionally still.

Eugene Goostman (forksclovetofu), Friday, 4 December 2015 22:07 (nine years ago)

i don't see why the kid COULDN'T be in the box if the parents consented! what are the legal ramifications?

Eugene Goostman (forksclovetofu), Friday, 4 December 2015 22:07 (nine years ago)

Both the parents and Nathan can be arrested for endangering a child?

bricc baby hitlo (Whiney G. Weingarten), Friday, 4 December 2015 22:09 (nine years ago)

"Oh no, your honor, the box three feet away where we hired people to moan and jizz was SOUNDPROOF, we did a test"

bricc baby hitlo (Whiney G. Weingarten), Friday, 4 December 2015 22:10 (nine years ago)

well i'm sure whatever they had the parents sign gave them the right to put the kid in that position so where's the endangerment? Unless he gets stuck in the box. That's what I was worried about!
but yeah, it was probably staged.

Eugene Goostman (forksclovetofu), Friday, 4 December 2015 22:12 (nine years ago)

I'm not a lawyer, but paying someone to jizz feet from a child's head is probably illegal even if the parents say it's ok unless you are in Finland

bricc baby hitlo (Whiney G. Weingarten), Friday, 4 December 2015 22:15 (nine years ago)

xp replace with murder box and think about what you are saying

the grimes of claire boucher ('90s on) (Sufjan Grafton), Friday, 4 December 2015 22:19 (nine years ago)

i hate to tell you but murder is illegal even if you get everyone's consent first

Eugene Goostman (forksclovetofu), Friday, 4 December 2015 22:34 (nine years ago)

So is whatever is happening to minors in a sex box is my point

the grimes of claire boucher ('90s on) (Sufjan Grafton), Friday, 4 December 2015 22:42 (nine years ago)

so if forcing a child into seeing adults having sex is illegal and you are putting a child in a box that will do this illegal thing if it fails, you have to be endangering a child I'd think? then again maybe a car/airplane/etc. qualifies as a "murder box" in this scenario, so maybe the legality is more ambiguous than it first seems.

the grimes of claire boucher ('90s on) (Sufjan Grafton), Friday, 4 December 2015 22:55 (nine years ago)

since the motive is just profit or entertainment, though, I'd think it'd still be endangerment.

the grimes of claire boucher ('90s on) (Sufjan Grafton), Friday, 4 December 2015 22:56 (nine years ago)

Sort of the flip side of the robot built to depants him in front of kids, isn't it?

Josh in Chicago, Friday, 4 December 2015 23:20 (nine years ago)

do you guys not remember the Claw of Shame episode?

frogbs, Saturday, 5 December 2015 04:27 (nine years ago)

I am fascinated by Nathan's hand gestures this season.

Capitalism Is A Death Cult And Science Is A Whore (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Wednesday, 9 December 2015 13:52 (nine years ago)

This old Nathan gig segment really got me:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rw-43W4Plg

Evan, Wednesday, 9 December 2015 14:35 (nine years ago)

renewed for a 4th season.

gr8080, Thursday, 10 December 2015 20:58 (nine years ago)

great news, can't wait for tonight's episode

frogbs, Thursday, 10 December 2015 21:31 (nine years ago)

oh wow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lC3zb7fNW4

Does that make you mutter, under your breath, “Damn”? (forksclovetofu), Thursday, 10 December 2015 21:33 (nine years ago)

I made this my wallpaper

http://i.imgur.com/7miuvyN.png

frogbs, Thursday, 10 December 2015 21:45 (nine years ago)

p sure it was edited so there never was a kid in that box while the sex was happening

― gr8080, Friday, December 4, 2015 3:37 PM (6 days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

idk why this would be

Listen to my homeboy Fantano (D-40), Thursday, 10 December 2015 21:56 (nine years ago)

obviously he's lying about needing to 'test' the box's soundproofing

Listen to my homeboy Fantano (D-40), Thursday, 10 December 2015 21:57 (nine years ago)

http://www.gq.com/story/nathan-for-you-season-3-qa

Speaking of those other segments, where are we headed with the personal arc of Nathan, this socially awkward guy who can't seem to find his place in this world?

That's always prominent. I try to draw as much as I can from real experiences and feelings I've had and bring them into the show. This season, structurally, we have more full stories that span an entire episode. I'm thinking about identity a little bit more this year. The season culminates in a finale that I think is the most ambitious thing I've ever done. It took me eight months of physical training just to pull it off. I can't go into specifics, but it's very elaborate and really crazy (laughs). A lot of things that happen this season will culminate in the finale.

Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 10 December 2015 22:19 (nine years ago)

i am a little worried about this

Does that make you mutter, under your breath, “Damn”? (forksclovetofu), Thursday, 10 December 2015 22:21 (nine years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu0D5mhjDyc

Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 10 December 2015 22:25 (nine years ago)

Yeah it's almost frightening...I heard him say that on the Best Show. It's kind of hard to imagine what could out-concept episodes like the robot pants-puller.

Hadrian VIII, Thursday, 10 December 2015 22:28 (nine years ago)

"most people your age sort of grow out of that mentality..."

Does that make you mutter, under your breath, “Damn”? (forksclovetofu), Thursday, 10 December 2015 22:32 (nine years ago)

So the wirewalking episode.
Wow. Just wow.

Does that make you mutter, under your breath, “Damn”? (forksclovetofu), Friday, 11 December 2015 05:15 (nine years ago)

wuz amazing

johnny crunch, Friday, 11 December 2015 05:24 (nine years ago)

also thanks for that wallpaper, frogs

Does that make you mutter, under your breath, “Damn”? (forksclovetofu), Friday, 11 December 2015 05:32 (nine years ago)

holy shit...yeah, wow

nerd shit (Will M.), Friday, 11 December 2015 07:48 (nine years ago)

yeah I have no idea what to even think about all that, kinda felt bad for Jasmine, who seemed like a legitimately sweet person

at this point I honestly question Nathan's sanity

frogbs, Friday, 11 December 2015 14:11 (nine years ago)

lol

https://www.facebook.com/iamcancerstrong/posts/116349185369537

frogbs, Friday, 11 December 2015 14:13 (nine years ago)

http://i.imgur.com/ohLAQhx.png

frogbs, Friday, 11 December 2015 14:39 (nine years ago)

i slept on it and i still can't wrap my head around it

nerd shit (Will M.), Friday, 11 December 2015 15:29 (nine years ago)

Nathan's impression of Corey was pretty impressive, I thought.

JRN, Friday, 11 December 2015 20:52 (nine years ago)

(No pun intended)

JRN, Friday, 11 December 2015 20:52 (nine years ago)

wow this show

sean gramophone, Saturday, 12 December 2015 09:25 (nine years ago)

Ep was great, though not quite the season peak of "Smoking Allowed" or the Best Buy one. Still, brilliant stuff. Has anyone posted this?

http://splitsider.com/2015/12/how-nathan-for-you-brought-charlie-kaufmans-sensibility-back-to-television/

Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 12 December 2015 13:49 (nine years ago)

it’s tempting to imagine what might happen if Netflix or FX opened their coffers and gave Kaufman carte blanche to return to television with his own show

FX already tried this last year w/ a Kaufman pilot starring John Hawkes, Michael Cera, Sally Hawkins, and Catherine Keener - they passed on taking it to series.

the naive cockney chorus (Simon H.), Saturday, 12 December 2015 14:18 (nine years ago)

this show is fucking incredible on so many levels.

maura, Sunday, 13 December 2015 03:50 (nine years ago)

someone just walked into this restaurant wearing a summit ice jacket

jason waterfalls (gbx), Thursday, 24 December 2015 20:39 (nine years ago)

i moved recently and, as I tend to do, I got rooked into helping the movers to "keep things going" and i found myself unloading the truck for an hour or so before finally tapping out and the lead mover was like "cmon man, you can do it, stick with it" and i realized i was part of The Movement

Does that make you mutter, under your breath, “Damn”? (forksclovetofu), Thursday, 24 December 2015 22:15 (nine years ago)

Home for xmas, one brother has predictably watched the entire series (thankfully, as the Garbarino book is one of the presents I bought him) and the other has never heard of it. And my gf only got as far as a couple of episodes from season 2. Looks like a holiday marathon is in the cards.

Some Pizza Grudge From Twenty Years Ago (Old Lunch), Friday, 25 December 2015 05:14 (nine years ago)

I showed family the Hero episode over Christmas and they thought Nathan Fielder was a sociopath. Definitely made me feel a little weird, especially after talking up how funny it was.

larry appleton, Saturday, 26 December 2015 18:50 (nine years ago)

Like, I tried to explain that the comedy was all about the "layers", you know, and how it was a statement about modern times, but that didn't seem to fly.

larry appleton, Saturday, 26 December 2015 18:52 (nine years ago)

lol, yes.
people who don't get this show REALLY don't get this show and look at you like something's wrong with you that you do.

Does that make you mutter, under your breath, “Damn”? (forksclovetofu), Saturday, 26 December 2015 19:07 (nine years ago)

I definitely think the show is super funny and layered and a nuanced satire of fame and fortune *AND* Nathan Fielder is almost definitely a sociopath; those things aren't mutually exclusive

Your Ribs are My Ladder, Sunday, 27 December 2015 12:04 (nine years ago)

Yeah but he's clearly in character. His character is a sociopath. This distinction is clear to everyone else, right?

Evan, Sunday, 27 December 2015 14:41 (nine years ago)

yes

Hadrian VIII, Sunday, 27 December 2015 16:09 (nine years ago)

but he does the things to real people, not actors

global tetrahedron, Sunday, 27 December 2015 16:38 (nine years ago)

Right. He also conceives and writes the bits. Either way, there are lots of performers who even "in character" could not do the things that he is doing to real people.

Your Ribs are My Ladder, Sunday, 27 December 2015 18:24 (nine years ago)

as with all shows involving real people, whoever is on there has entered into a contract trading their privacy for the ability to be on teevee and that's a devil's bargain at best. i feel better about the way the people Nathan lampoons are treated than, say, the cast of Survivor. At least no one on N4U is injured! And he has regular return performers!

Does that make you mutter, under your breath, “Damn”? (forksclovetofu), Sunday, 27 December 2015 19:05 (nine years ago)

nathan r u ok

home organ, Sunday, 27 December 2015 20:51 (nine years ago)

Yeah I'm not sure Nathan is hurting anyone with his character beyond testing their endurance to withstand excessive awkwardness.

Evan, Sunday, 27 December 2015 22:34 (nine years ago)

three weeks pass...

The Daddy's Watching/party planner episode might have been my favorite except it also had the weight loss bit which was the first one that really crossed into unnecessary cruelty for me. But I was so happy when he brought back the Bill Gates impersonator.

― Immediate Follower (NA), Wednesday, October 15, 2014 5:24 PM (1 year ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

lol @ the girl on the bowling date of "if two planes brought down the two towers i could see that as being feasible but what brought down bldg number 7"

johnny crunch, Thursday, 21 January 2016 01:50 (nine years ago)

"Actually caring about others — practically, actively, consistently — is one of the hardest things in the world to do. There are a million ways to fail at it, each more cringe-inducing to watch (or recall) than the next. This is the fact on which Nathan for You’s improbable, uncomfortable magic depends; the thing that makes this show harder and better and worse to watch than anything else on TV."

https://lareviewofbooks.org/essay/missed-connections-how-to-tell-if-nathan-for-you-is-for-you

sean gramophone, Thursday, 21 January 2016 02:07 (nine years ago)

the security guard tv pilot is really amazing too, lol @ first i drink a large glass of water that i left at my bedside overnight & then his hot pocket eating tips

johnny crunch, Thursday, 21 January 2016 15:11 (nine years ago)

one month passes...

wow, missed this its amazing

http://www.avclub.com/article/nathan-yous-star-confronts-v-club-mom-who-scorned--226825

johnny crunch, Friday, 4 March 2016 19:35 (nine years ago)

was posted itt several months ago (I can't see it now, hidden behind "show all posts"). it's pretty illuminating.

Cornelius Pardew (jim in glasgow), Friday, 4 March 2016 19:40 (nine years ago)

Exhibit A for those who don't get that Nathan isn't "Nathan".

Telephone Meatballs (Old Lunch), Friday, 4 March 2016 19:45 (nine years ago)

two months pass...

That last picture perfectly captures the central dynamic of NFY

JRN, Monday, 16 May 2016 01:50 (nine years ago)

three months pass...

Nathan has a new web series. It's reminding me a lot of Jenny Slate & Dean Fleischer-Camp's similarly mannered 'Catherine' series: http://www.ew.com/article/2016/09/08/nathan-fielder-jenny-slate-webseries-david

davey, Thursday, 8 September 2016 21:27 (eight years ago)

it's pretty solid! And yes, it's basically Catherine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAOOO12KW60

thrusted pelvis-first back (ulysses), Friday, 9 September 2016 20:04 (eight years ago)

heckuva punchline

thrusted pelvis-first back (ulysses), Friday, 9 September 2016 20:28 (eight years ago)

haha, yeah the bit at the end is great

davey, Saturday, 10 September 2016 06:52 (eight years ago)

but i do kind of wonder why everyone in catherine and this series seems to have some kind of autism spectrum disorder

davey, Saturday, 10 September 2016 06:55 (eight years ago)

Dean Fleischer-Camp directed both of these

Hadrian VIII, Monday, 12 September 2016 10:46 (eight years ago)

Oh, I loved Catherine

Chuck_Tatum, Monday, 12 September 2016 11:47 (eight years ago)

i don't fully understand the aesthetic value of this style. it's... farce? deconstructionist? but is there a deeper point it's trying to make? i felt this series is a little better than catherine because the weird shit going on works in service of the punchlines, where catherine just kind of left me wondering wtf (which maybe was part of the idea)

davey, Monday, 12 September 2016 20:12 (eight years ago)

its comedy people that dont have office day jobs making fun of people with office day jobs haha v edgy and existential

kurt schwitterz, Monday, 12 September 2016 20:16 (eight years ago)

oic yeah haha ppl like me so dumb working in offices when we coulda just launched comedy careers smh

davey, Monday, 12 September 2016 21:03 (eight years ago)

six months pass...

http://www.summiticeapparel.com/news/

maura, Friday, 24 March 2017 12:10 (eight years ago)

lol @ the last line of that press release

frogbs, Friday, 24 March 2017 13:41 (eight years ago)

ha, that pop up is v near where i live, sadly no taiga jackets to trade in

bomb diggy diggy diggy bomb diggy bomb (jim in vancouver), Friday, 24 March 2017 16:57 (eight years ago)

Vancouver’s historic outdoor apparel district

this made me laugh

bomb diggy diggy diggy bomb diggy bomb (jim in vancouver), Friday, 24 March 2017 16:58 (eight years ago)

Please, let season four launch soon. Please.

davey, Friday, 24 March 2017 23:33 (eight years ago)

four months pass...

Back 09/21. Also:

A week before premiere (Sept 21) we're airing a 1 hr special where I check in w/ folks from past eps called "Nathan for You: A Celebration"

— nathan fielder (@nathanfielder) July 25, 2017

a serious and fascinating fartist (Simon H.), Tuesday, 25 July 2017 18:06 (seven years ago)

err I guess that means it's properly back 09/28. durr reading comprehension

a serious and fascinating fartist (Simon H.), Tuesday, 25 July 2017 18:07 (seven years ago)

I'm doing a few Nathan for You S4 sneak peek shows

Sept 4 - Vancouver
Sept 5 - Seattle
Sept 6 - Portland

Tix here: https://t.co/c27GiEZb0b

— nathan fielder (@nathanfielder) July 21, 2017

-_- (jim in vancouver), Tuesday, 25 July 2017 18:10 (seven years ago)

yay! i have nothing to add but yayz.

davey, Tuesday, 25 July 2017 22:50 (seven years ago)

four weeks pass...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obmqcnj2vUE

Week of Wonders (Ross), Wednesday, 23 August 2017 03:49 (seven years ago)

Oh boy.

Always Be Cropdusting (Old Lunch), Wednesday, 23 August 2017 03:52 (seven years ago)

oh my god

a serious and fascinating fartist (Simon H.), Wednesday, 23 August 2017 04:06 (seven years ago)

Bill Gates impersonator being actually insane is the least surprising reveal ever

frogbs, Wednesday, 23 August 2017 04:12 (seven years ago)

The message on the ticket website is great:

Host Nathan Fielder appears live and in person to give you a sneak peek of the upcoming season of Nathan for You. The screening will be followed by a Q&A discussion that will include several off-the-cuff jokes by Fielder, who’s a mediocre improviser.

I Love You, Fancybear (symsymsym), Wednesday, 23 August 2017 04:28 (seven years ago)

wow

johnny crunch, Wednesday, 23 August 2017 11:42 (seven years ago)

Yay

i believe that (s)he is sincere (forksclovetofu), Wednesday, 23 August 2017 12:23 (seven years ago)

god remember how much different the world was when Season 3 was on

frogbs, Wednesday, 23 August 2017 13:38 (seven years ago)

no

a serious and fascinating fartist (Simon H.), Wednesday, 23 August 2017 13:44 (seven years ago)

Gonna be hard to top the season 2 finale but I'm watching 4sho

davey, Wednesday, 23 August 2017 19:05 (seven years ago)

i find this show funny and really creepy and i honestly hope substantial parts are faked

global tetrahedron, Wednesday, 23 August 2017 19:26 (seven years ago)

two weeks pass...

damn 2-hr finale

i shd re-watch the hero ep

johnny crunch, Friday, 8 September 2017 17:04 (seven years ago)

oh yeah, upthread i said second season finale would be hard to top, but i meant The Hero. didn't realize it had already been three seasons, not two.

davey, Friday, 8 September 2017 18:13 (seven years ago)

lmao @ that smoke detector idea, that's pretty brilliant

frogbs, Friday, 8 September 2017 18:58 (seven years ago)

btw some spoilers in that article

frogbs, Friday, 8 September 2017 18:58 (seven years ago)

lmao they found Brian Wolfe's Hustler spread

frogbs, Friday, 22 September 2017 14:35 (seven years ago)

http://www.cc.com/episodes/7xvpj9/nathan-for-you-nathan-for-you--a-celebration-season-4-ep-400?xrs=talent_092217_nfy_34

str8 dying

Roberto Spiralli, Saturday, 23 September 2017 01:59 (seven years ago)

nathan's interview on kimmel was hilarious as well

Week of Wonders (Ross), Saturday, 23 September 2017 02:03 (seven years ago)

yea it was but I kinda feel that story was not real

frogbs, Saturday, 23 September 2017 02:28 (seven years ago)

yeah frogbs it's definitely trolling on Nathan's part

season premiere was good. Funniest thing was the overall vibe of trying to pitch Nathan as being such a helpful and decent person and down playing his more manipulative moments. his edit

Week of Wonders (Ross), Saturday, 23 September 2017 07:39 (seven years ago)

"sure, yeah. I don't have anything going on today, fuck it". good episode

Week of Wonders (Ross), Friday, 29 September 2017 04:13 (seven years ago)

god this show is funny

davey, Friday, 29 September 2017 08:23 (seven years ago)

a copy of that newspaper would be a real collector's item

frogbs, Friday, 29 September 2017 13:42 (seven years ago)

"your cover story is a review of nick and noras infinite playlist?"

johnny crunch, Friday, 29 September 2017 13:53 (seven years ago)

"diners, dive-ins, and drives?"

maura, Friday, 29 September 2017 15:29 (seven years ago)

Happy to announce The Diarrhea Times is now available on newsracks nationwide pic.twitter.com/EL68Qkq8Hm

— nathan fielder (@nathanfielder) September 29, 2017

global tetrahedron, Friday, 29 September 2017 18:34 (seven years ago)

boston gets screwed again

maura, Friday, 29 September 2017 18:48 (seven years ago)

I loved the detail in the RS article where Nathan seemed "genuinely panicked" when the author ordered a turkey sandwich. "Would you be upset if I got a breakfast thing? Should I get what you get?"

flappy bird, Friday, 29 September 2017 18:55 (seven years ago)

Level of quality is so high
The path from promoting a restaurant to Nathan handcuffed to an ex felon in a hotel is so twisty

i believe that (s)he is sincere (forksclovetofu), Friday, 29 September 2017 23:37 (seven years ago)

Also I gotta go to gramercy asap

i believe that (s)he is sincere (forksclovetofu), Friday, 29 September 2017 23:37 (seven years ago)

the negotiation for 1001$ had me in tears

flopson, Saturday, 30 September 2017 23:43 (seven years ago)

lol at Nathan taking the money from the holocaust charity on loan

Week of Wonders (Ross), Sunday, 1 October 2017 00:23 (seven years ago)

I think the old man who used a soldiering iron on his dick could become a new fan favorite

frogbs, Friday, 6 October 2017 12:49 (seven years ago)

Sometimes you just gotta grimace and soldier iron.

davey, Saturday, 7 October 2017 09:28 (seven years ago)

amazing that the episode also featured Nathan taking a hot iron to his *own* junk. man's got some dedication

frogbs, Saturday, 7 October 2017 13:37 (seven years ago)

The individual reservoirs would be linked by a network of tubes that would all lead to a battery powered peristaltic pump for dispensing the chili. Using our intake funnel, we loaded in over thirty pounds of Robert's product that had been blended into a thin paste to ensure an even flow without compromising the flavor.

del griffith, Saturday, 7 October 2017 15:14 (seven years ago)

the pig saves baby goat bit is, it turns out, an excellent object lesson in confirmation bias and bad sourcing. that poor gma woman who gets mocked for being suspicious...

maura, Wednesday, 11 October 2017 23:03 (seven years ago)

Ok the Mambo No 5 scene is probably the hardest I’ve ever laughed at this show

frogbs, Friday, 13 October 2017 03:17 (seven years ago)

i spit out my cereal milk when i saw the cd-r in the trash fire

maura, Friday, 13 October 2017 11:45 (seven years ago)

http://reason.com/blog/2017/10/13/nathan-for-you-tackles-uber-finds-the-fr

lmfao

the portentous pepper (govern yourself accordingly), Friday, 13 October 2017 18:23 (seven years ago)

so far this season seems pretty forced compared to others

kurt schwitterz, Friday, 13 October 2017 18:30 (seven years ago)

I guess, but aren't nearly all episodes of this show like that? This last episode was clearly not going to go in the direction it was "intended to", but I still think it was one of the best they've ever done

frogbs, Friday, 13 October 2017 18:55 (seven years ago)

It's easily as good as ever so far imo.

Chris L, Friday, 13 October 2017 19:01 (seven years ago)

"you can probably do a cup here? a cup or so"

||||||||, Friday, 13 October 2017 19:04 (seven years ago)

Feel like this season has done good in lightening up after the utter headfuck "the hero"

Week of Wonders (Ross), Friday, 13 October 2017 20:11 (seven years ago)

I remember trying to describe that one to someone and giving up a third of the way through

frogbs, Saturday, 14 October 2017 21:24 (seven years ago)

so far this season seems pretty forced compared to others

― kurt schwitterz, Friday, October 13, 2017 2:30 PM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

nah

flopson, Saturday, 14 October 2017 21:40 (seven years ago)

i wonder what would have happened if Andy would have enthusiastically supported sending the terrorist threat video to Uber lol

flopson, Saturday, 14 October 2017 21:41 (seven years ago)

I would've liked to see that too

davey, Sunday, 15 October 2017 00:03 (seven years ago)

turtle face & vegetables

||||||||, Sunday, 15 October 2017 07:26 (seven years ago)

soft teeth in sauce

Chocolate-covered gummy bears? Not ruling those lil' guys out. (ulysses), Sunday, 15 October 2017 07:32 (seven years ago)

also TURN OFF THE MUSIC! TURN OFF THE MUSIC! TURN OFF THE MUSIC!

Chocolate-covered gummy bears? Not ruling those lil' guys out. (ulysses), Sunday, 15 October 2017 07:34 (seven years ago)

I can't deal with the fake marriage, so amazing, Nathan is full-tilt insane at this point

fgti, Monday, 16 October 2017 01:04 (seven years ago)

i love it so much

flopson, Monday, 16 October 2017 03:57 (seven years ago)

nathan is good at towing the line between scripted and actual real stakes - last ep was a mentalist shaggy dog story

Week of Wonders (Ross), Tuesday, 17 October 2017 02:36 (seven years ago)

Next Episode:

The Anecdote - Nathan hones his skills at telling stories.

just spitballing here but could this have to do with that bizarre appearance on Kimmel where he spends the entire interview telling a story about getting pulled over while in another guy's clothes? I've never seen him do an interview like that and, as mentioned in this thread, the story seemed completely made up.

frogbs, Wednesday, 18 October 2017 18:29 (seven years ago)

I wonder how many hours of mediocre footage has to be shot before, say, you get a passenger who seems legitimately triggered by 'Mambo No. 5' or another who delivers a very earnest karaoke performance of 'Yankee Doodle Dandy'.

I believe I will have another helping of your scrumptious casserole (Old Lunch), Wednesday, 18 October 2017 19:05 (seven years ago)

here's the kimmel appearance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJbXsnFKGaU

Chocolate-covered gummy bears? Not ruling those lil' guys out. (ulysses), Wednesday, 18 October 2017 19:11 (seven years ago)

kinda think you're onto something there frogs

Chocolate-covered gummy bears? Not ruling those lil' guys out. (ulysses), Wednesday, 18 October 2017 19:34 (seven years ago)

I wonder if there will be an episode that explains Nathan's appearance on Conan a few months back pretending to play guitar in Mac Demarco's backing band.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3Fl0xsxsCA

woman in the dunes, Wednesday, 18 October 2017 21:27 (seven years ago)

that seems a lot more on-brand than him just rambling about lost luggage

Chocolate-covered gummy bears? Not ruling those lil' guys out. (ulysses), Wednesday, 18 October 2017 21:47 (seven years ago)

Nathan's the best troll around today. Increasingly I don't buy the consequences of the show, I think it's just smartly edited - but it's always been a comedy show anyway I guess

Week of Wonders (Ross), Wednesday, 18 October 2017 23:07 (seven years ago)

Ha!! I knew it!!!

frogbs, Friday, 20 October 2017 02:15 (seven years ago)

“which is typical for two strangers”

maura, Friday, 20 October 2017 02:27 (seven years ago)

"we also got permission to snake her drain for any body parts that mightev fallen in during a shower"

johnny crunch, Friday, 20 October 2017 02:36 (seven years ago)

kirsten dunst mustve done the same anecdote analysis research

johnny crunch, Friday, 20 October 2017 02:49 (seven years ago)

anyway, next episode involves forming a band in order to sell discount smoke detectors, might explain his appearance with Mac Demarco? was there any loud beeping during the performance??

frogbs, Friday, 20 October 2017 03:15 (seven years ago)

good call w/ the jimmy kimmel bit. i wonder if they really spent $350,000 making this anecdote a reality

dynamicinterface, Saturday, 21 October 2017 00:07 (seven years ago)

Nathan at the wedding was so hilarious

JRN, Saturday, 21 October 2017 02:02 (seven years ago)

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DMocsGPWkAARXUj.jpg

johnny crunch, Saturday, 21 October 2017 03:39 (seven years ago)

Man I love Nathan Fielder

carpet_kaiser, Saturday, 21 October 2017 03:43 (seven years ago)

LOL this episode

flopson, Saturday, 21 October 2017 08:29 (seven years ago)

nathan's the best

Week of Wonders (Ross), Saturday, 21 October 2017 20:25 (seven years ago)

Lol @ the irony of how he lies to all these people in order to have a "true" story to tell on Kimmel.

Also loved this as satire of the late-night talk show format, which is a pretty lame, tired thing deserving of savage mockery imo.

davey, Sunday, 22 October 2017 05:41 (seven years ago)

Just caught up on the new season. This show fucking destroys me.

circa1916, Sunday, 22 October 2017 06:25 (seven years ago)

On season 4 but still weirdly niche. It’s probably the funniest thing on TV.

circa1916, Sunday, 22 October 2017 06:26 (seven years ago)

@davey i thought the same thing. that montage of anecdotes was amazing

maura, Sunday, 22 October 2017 10:25 (seven years ago)

the scene where he invites himself to the wedding was excruciating

gr8080, Monday, 23 October 2017 18:31 (seven years ago)

yeah as much as I love this show there are entire scenes I just have to skip

Simon H., Monday, 23 October 2017 18:33 (seven years ago)

The hilarious thing about that is the couple seemingly unaware of the art of saying "We'll get back to you on that".

Evan, Monday, 23 October 2017 18:33 (seven years ago)

also lol @ how he goes from hiding behind a tree to ripping up the dancefloor

gr8080, Monday, 23 October 2017 18:34 (seven years ago)

its even more awkward when you consider that there were probably other couples that just flat out said no, this was as close to a "yes" as he got

frogbs, Monday, 23 October 2017 18:35 (seven years ago)

series is killing it. last episode was insane

||||||||, Monday, 23 October 2017 19:06 (seven years ago)

So I've not seen him on Kimmel yet, should I go watch the new ep first or would seeing Kimmel first make more sense? Or is it entwined?

Le Bateau Ivre, Monday, 23 October 2017 19:41 (seven years ago)

*intertwined

Le Bateau Ivre, Monday, 23 October 2017 19:41 (seven years ago)

The best way is to have seen the Kimmel appearance without the knowledge that there was going to be an episode about it. The next best thing is to watch the Kimmel appearance first, then the episode.

Evan, Monday, 23 October 2017 19:45 (seven years ago)

^ this is correct

Chocolate-covered gummy bears? Not ruling those lil' guys out. (ulysses), Monday, 23 October 2017 19:46 (seven years ago)

Next best thing it will be (as a watcher of the show I unfortunately haven't avoided the knowledge)

Le Bateau Ivre, Monday, 23 October 2017 19:52 (seven years ago)

yea I was glad to have not seen the appearance first

johnny crunch, Monday, 23 October 2017 20:01 (seven years ago)

was there any info on if Kimmel was in on it? I was leaning toward he was since after the story he says "you're out of your goddamn mind" in a laughing way that seemed like he knew.

Western® with Bacon Flavor, Monday, 23 October 2017 20:03 (seven years ago)

Ok that was great. Surely Kimmel and Dunst too were in on it though, right?

Extremely good uncomfy viewing the couple.

Le Bateau Ivre, Monday, 23 October 2017 20:22 (seven years ago)

I don't think Nathan believes in people being in on it

Number None, Monday, 23 October 2017 20:24 (seven years ago)

yea i would doubt they were

kimmels comment and knowing laugh maybe were just a guess that something was up idk

nathan commenting that 'i considered just leaving' when dunst's story was hitting all his points was really funny also

johnny crunch, Monday, 23 October 2017 21:02 (seven years ago)

Idk but it doesn't take anything away from my enjoyment of the show either way

Le Bateau Ivre, Monday, 23 October 2017 21:07 (seven years ago)

I legitimately think the Kirsten Dunst thing was a coincidence

frogbs, Monday, 23 October 2017 21:13 (seven years ago)

The show thrives on that sort of happenstance

Number None, Monday, 23 October 2017 21:14 (seven years ago)

that appearance on kimmel makes so much more sense now lol

Listen to my homeboy Fantano (D-40), Monday, 23 October 2017 21:57 (seven years ago)

okay this show has made and does make me laugh but it's pretty ethically dubious right? i've been getting more and more uncomfortable with it, like it's a lot of immigrants/people of color or just genuinely unhinged seeming people who are the ones ending up lampooned and yes a lot of them do agree to do do whatever he is saying but there is certainly a power differential. i usually see this excused away by people saying 'he makes himself the butt of the joke' but i don't quite see it that way

global tetrahedron, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 00:29 (seven years ago)

I legitimately think the Kirsten Dunst thing was a coincidence

So do I.

re: the ethics, I dunno, it always seems to me like it could be a hell of a lot worse. Like the Chinese restaurant marriage proposal thing could sound iffy on paper but they almost went out of their way to underline the absurdity of the concept above all else, even if the gag itself does necessarily lean on the "otherness" of the setting.

Simon H., Tuesday, 24 October 2017 00:39 (seven years ago)

i guess my problem is less that he was doing a silly impression of a chinese restaurant and more that he... you know... got someone to marry him against their consent? (even if it was fake which i suspect)

not surprising that tim and eric produced this, it sure fits into that T+E school of humor centering on basically laughing at mentally ill people

global tetrahedron, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 00:58 (seven years ago)

eh, nathan always comes off more clueless and worse off than anyone else on the show

Chocolate-covered gummy bears? Not ruling those lil' guys out. (ulysses), Tuesday, 24 October 2017 00:59 (seven years ago)

but he's putting on an act

global tetrahedron, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 01:06 (seven years ago)

This show's humor is rooted in evil, and so is Tim and Eric. But how evil, really? To me it's like two dogs play fighting "evil". Nobody's getting hurt here, as far as I know, and everyone comes out of it better off, or at least in the same place they were.

carpet_kaiser, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 01:08 (seven years ago)

Compare it to Million Dollar Extreme which is fucking Neo Nazi shit.

carpet_kaiser, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 01:09 (seven years ago)

So much of the humor is Nathan's absolutely idiotic, overwrought ideas. The people going along with it is like the background to that... it's less evil than Jay Leno's Streetwalkers segment.

carpet_kaiser, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 01:11 (seven years ago)

so we've got:

a- it's not as bad as neo-nazi humor (although his fake ted talk was really good)
b- even he 'comes across' as clueless or poorly off even though that isn't reflective of the situation at hand

global tetrahedron, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 01:14 (seven years ago)

*if he does, ugh

global tetrahedron, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 01:14 (seven years ago)

c- can we not

flopson, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 01:17 (seven years ago)

Yeah, I like that one, the c option

carpet_kaiser, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 01:18 (seven years ago)

i like the show you all, just you can't deny there's something a pretty immoral about it

global tetrahedron, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 01:20 (seven years ago)

if by immoral you mean twisted or strange sure
if you mean "evil" i can't even exactly
like in this dark fucked up world how is this the thing you wanna take offense at

Chocolate-covered gummy bears? Not ruling those lil' guys out. (ulysses), Tuesday, 24 October 2017 01:24 (seven years ago)

what's some good MORAL comedy these days that doesn't go overboard with the lampooning of the mentally ill like our friends Tim and Eric do, or the targeting of ethnic immigrant shop-owners like anti-immigrant Nathan Fielder does

del griffith, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 01:25 (seven years ago)

i take offense at plenty, thanks

global tetrahedron, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 01:27 (seven years ago)

would you be OK with the show if the producers had decided to remove any scenes involving immigrants or people or color?

del griffith, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 01:30 (seven years ago)

just using that as an example of a power differential and punching down

global tetrahedron, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 01:33 (seven years ago)

the entire show is a ruthless mockery of contemporary capitalism which is kinda the ultimate punch up imho

Simon H., Tuesday, 24 October 2017 01:36 (seven years ago)

One of Nathan's best bits this season involved goofing on a well-off white couple and talk shows. Tim and Eric's best bits goof on middle class white values.

So ... ??? as far as your premise goes. Which is worse to you than Million Dollar Extreme unironically attacking Jewish and black people?

The gist I get from the T&E scene is, "what a weird, fucked up world humanity is." And that includes everything including the wealthy, the powerful, the middle class, and more.

carpet_kaiser, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 01:38 (seven years ago)

i think MDE is worse, that doesn't mean parts of this aren't bad lol

global tetrahedron, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 01:41 (seven years ago)

I think there's something humanistic about it

carpet_kaiser, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 01:45 (seven years ago)

"This is us, humanity, without the veneer or romance", because Nathan nor T&E focus their humor solely on immigrants or the mentally ill

carpet_kaiser, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 01:46 (seven years ago)

okay sure! i think i get that part of it. to be fair i do occasionally watch a youtube channel of a spectacularly insane man because yes, it's 'us'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RHuAkkjcHM

global tetrahedron, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 01:50 (seven years ago)

Tim and Eric, Nathan Fielder, they're weird-ass whack jobs, too. Just higher functioning.

carpet_kaiser, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 01:54 (seven years ago)

somehow i suspect that NFY is more ethical than the shows it’s parodying. you ever read Bar Rescue Updates?

maura, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 02:07 (seven years ago)

the entire show is a ruthless mockery of contemporary capitalism which is kinda the ultimate punch up imho

eh, I dunno about this. it doesn't go deep enough into finance to strike meaningfully at contemporary capitalism, but it's a mockery of marketing for sure, and I think that's also central to the Tim and Eric aesthetic (the LA/entertainment industry side of it, anyway). but anyway the stylistic similarities between this show and Tim & Eric pretty much end there. I don't think the intent with this show is to "punch up" at contemporary capitalism as much as it is to generate lols by sneakily revealing the ridiculous and depersonalizing lengths people will do to in the name of increased revenue.

so yeah, I guess the Nathan character is somewhat exploitative and therefore unethical, but I wouldn't call it significantly exploitative and I certainly don't get the feeling he's specifically targeting anyone under his realm of privilege. it's not as bad as Borat, where the character's schtick is supposed to be used as an attack on racism, but then it goes and perpetuates racial stereotypes as a means to exposing a deeper & more genuine racism that isn't as often documented. Nathan's merely using/perpetuating the stereotype of Canadians being social awkward psychopaths, which is sort of true actually, and therefore not as bad.

del griffith, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 02:42 (seven years ago)

it doesn't have to be a total critique of capitalism to be a meaningful one imo. the funniest parts of the show from the sociopolitical satire angle (it also entirely works independently of that dimension, just on the level of cringe comedy) are like, Nathan's plumbing the depths of the desperation within the gig economy (the things he can get craigslist randos to do!) and other stuff congruent to 'people in LA will do anything for money/if a guy with a camera crew asks them to do it' (restaurant swapping out revolting menu items)

flopson, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 04:19 (seven years ago)

it doesn't, it can still be, but I don't think he's going after the gig economy itself, or really any economy in particular. the craigslist ads he uses to bait participants aren't really the punchline, they're just a convenient source for producing an endless supply of desperate/dim folk ripe for the picking for use in the show's asinine rube goldberg marketing schemes. the schemes themselves are what elevates this show beyond man on the street bits, or whatever other condescending comedy extraction techniques other shows use to get us to laugh at regular people. the patented Nathan™ schemes are elaborate and elegant and this show has excellent writers. But designing the show that so that it puts these unwitting participants (initially unwitting, anyway, I mean they do sign a release right) inside of the schemes for us to laugh at is both somewhat unethical yet also hilarious.

del griffith, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 04:47 (seven years ago)

ok professor

flopson, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 05:01 (seven years ago)

thank you, I agree that I do win the argument

del griffith, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 05:18 (seven years ago)

i agree he's not satirizing the gig economy (see: the ending of andy vs uber) and one of the things i like best about the 'critique of capitalism' within the show is that it's not an obvious leftist one

flopson, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 05:47 (seven years ago)

i kinda just assumed the people appearing on his show were compensated in some way

, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 14:41 (seven years ago)

he paid off that cop for sure

Chocolate-covered gummy bears? Not ruling those lil' guys out. (ulysses), Tuesday, 24 October 2017 14:58 (seven years ago)

Well, he said he did.

This season more than the last few seems to be more about the process than the result, which is pretty funny. Like, setting up his schemes is the whole reason to watch, with the execution almost irrelevant.

Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 15:18 (seven years ago)

Yes. where he places limits and requirements, and where he draws ethical boundaries, is consistently arbitrary and hilarious.

Simon H., Tuesday, 24 October 2017 15:19 (seven years ago)

the running sub-theme of nathan being his own biggest project is the best part

gr8080, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 15:35 (seven years ago)

Nathan seems to twist reality. Listen to this early NPR report where the host calls him Nathan Fielding throughout, which could be a joke from the show.

dinnerboat, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 16:19 (seven years ago)

I recall an interview where Nathan mentioned having to scrap an entire segment because the business owner figured out what was going on halfway through. I can imagine something like that being a big hit to the show's budget. Might explain why he's drawn to people who are unlikely to know who he is.

frogbs, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 17:46 (seven years ago)

I can imagine something like that being a big hit to the show's budget.

Also, designing a ridiculous chili suit or spending $350,000 to validate a TV show anecdote.

Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 17:49 (seven years ago)

Or, you know, going scuba diving to pick up a burner phone dropped off a pier in an abandoned scheme to extort Uber.

Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 17:50 (seven years ago)

well yeah, imagine doing something like that and then having to scrap it because someone figured out this was a comedy show or recognized who Nathan was

frogbs, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 17:54 (seven years ago)

Good point. But I assume that kind of stuff is built into the budget.

Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 18:01 (seven years ago)

the RS profile maura linked last month said "the show simply takes a long time to produce; upwards of 90 hours of footage go into one 22-minute episode"

gr8080, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 18:34 (seven years ago)

ahahahaha he tells the story again on Seth Myers, and justifies it by saying, "look, if you're the Beatles, and you wrote 'Hey Jude'..."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L7GsGc5adk

frogbs, Thursday, 26 October 2017 15:39 (seven years ago)

he misses the fashion police line though

frogbs, Thursday, 26 October 2017 15:43 (seven years ago)

i wonder if he'd had this appearance in his back pocket in case something went wrong on kimmel. although that'd be a pretty short turnaround in getting the episode out in time

global tetrahedron, Thursday, 26 October 2017 16:05 (seven years ago)

lol at him staring at the audience to illicit applause for meyer's kid

Chocolate-covered gummy bears? Not ruling those lil' guys out. (ulysses), Thursday, 26 October 2017 16:08 (seven years ago)

this show definitely punches down and exploits immigrant business owners and y'all being obtuse if you deny that or get defensive about that

kurt schwitterz, Thursday, 26 October 2017 16:23 (seven years ago)

I don't feel invested enough to get defensive about it, I just don't recall many times I've seen humor in the business owners is in their (generally v understandable) befuddlement at Nathan's weirdness. Off the top of my head the exceptions (eg the ghost realtor and the PI dude) are largely white

Simon H., Thursday, 26 October 2017 19:35 (seven years ago)

*besides in their befuddlement

Simon H., Thursday, 26 October 2017 19:35 (seven years ago)

and those two people tried to get their own reality show spinoffs (Wolfe actually succeeded) so it's kinda hard to feel bad for them. he certainly doesn't seem to have much of an issue getting people to reappear on the show.

frogbs, Thursday, 26 October 2017 20:10 (seven years ago)

jfc you guys. i love this show too but man your bubbles must be a nice place to live. "he gets them back on the show! it means he's HELPING them." smh

kurt schwitterz, Thursday, 26 October 2017 20:38 (seven years ago)

idk - I see what you're talking about but it doesn't really feel to me like the joke is often on the business owners. the guilty part for me is that a lot of them probably felt Nathan was legitimately going to help them and wind up having to go along with his bizarre ideas as a result. but I've never really heard of any of them claiming they felt deceived or had regretted going on the show, even if they weren't aware it was for a Comedy Central thing ahead of time. I dunno if that means anything to you, but it does make it a little easier to watch for me.

frogbs, Thursday, 26 October 2017 20:56 (seven years ago)

I don't think it's any more exploitative than any other reality show. Power of the camera/celebrity/fame/TV, etc. I do agree it focuses largely on low-level working people of all bents, but given his gimmick is improving small businesses, I mean, I don't see a way around that. I do think Nathan is typically the uncomfortable butt of the joke, not just because he often makes everything about himself, even when he is clearly barking up the wrong tree with a dumb idea.

Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 26 October 2017 20:57 (seven years ago)

I have noticed a lot of Armenians, fwiw, but that's LA for you.

Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 26 October 2017 20:58 (seven years ago)

i feel like "los angeles" is a pretty solid running theme, without which the show would be way different

gr8080, Thursday, 26 October 2017 21:26 (seven years ago)

i'd like Nathan to follow up with restaurants featured on Kitchen Nightmares.

nomar, Thursday, 26 October 2017 21:29 (seven years ago)

he seems to be branching out in the new season out of LA!

kurt schwitterz, Thursday, 26 October 2017 21:37 (seven years ago)

Well, driving distance, at least.

Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 26 October 2017 21:40 (seven years ago)

LMAOOO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TN_ElpaabJU

frogbs, Friday, 27 October 2017 13:25 (seven years ago)

on spotify too!

Chocolate-covered gummy bears? Not ruling those lil' guys out. (ulysses), Friday, 27 October 2017 13:43 (seven years ago)

"he gets them back on the show! it means he's HELPING them." smh

I don't think the show helps anyone, it's not clear it's harmed anyone though

Simon H., Friday, 27 October 2017 13:55 (seven years ago)

The most uncomfortable I can recall being was during the manipulation of the "girlfriend" from last season's "Hero" episode

Chris L, Friday, 27 October 2017 15:15 (seven years ago)

Best new music?

— nathan fielder (@nathanfielder) October 27, 2017

maura, Friday, 27 October 2017 19:03 (seven years ago)

someone with juice make this happen

Chocolate-covered gummy bears? Not ruling those lil' guys out. (ulysses), Friday, 27 October 2017 19:04 (seven years ago)

Next season Nathan crowdsources enough money to buy out Conde Nast just so he can give a song BNM.

Josh in Chicago, Friday, 27 October 2017 20:19 (seven years ago)

A Nathan thing would be to help an indie artist get BNM by putting out EPs that all get at least 3.2 scores (minimal effort), and then releasing them as a compilation album, assuring at least a 9.6 rating.

Evan, Friday, 27 October 2017 20:24 (seven years ago)

ahaha

maura, Friday, 27 October 2017 22:31 (seven years ago)

I'm not sure what Nathan was going for with this episode, but as far as punchlines in search of a joke go, his cool record producer outfits were the best.

Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 28 October 2017 02:41 (seven years ago)

actually getting that song to go viral somehow was clearly the goal but there's no way with that fucking beeping noise

frogbs, Saturday, 28 October 2017 02:46 (seven years ago)

god, kirsten dunst telling a wedding anecdote with a drug mixup story just before nathan is just the best thing ever

(also, even in that little snippet they show - she didn't realize the weed in the blunt was real until AFTER they smoked the whole thing? no wonder it was the highest she'd ever been, that was probably her first time)

Karl Malone, Saturday, 28 October 2017 05:05 (seven years ago)

"orphaned skies" still has <1000 plays on spotify, i don't know how it's possible

Karl Malone, Saturday, 28 October 2017 05:29 (seven years ago)

In time the Earth will have to stomach what we spew
And face the trees we killed before they grew
From your disconnected heart you
Play the part, and take it to heart
It's true you believe in every word you say
Spied one relevance release
The hard truth sink in latch
You would sit the spot, incentivize the plot into
The monetary value you can frame
Into something heavenly unveil
To God still link at once to justify your work or rectify your curse

So when we look up at the sun
Her eyes go wide, we hear the hum
Of our faith, our hopeful eyes
We're bringing home those orphaned skies
It's time to revolutionize
It's time to revolutionize
We're bringing home those orphaned skies
We're bringing home those orphaned skies

Times are shifting, you can feel it in the sway
You can feel it in the words our hearts convey
The rhythm of these anxious hands
The melody expands in order to enchant and
Prove there's beauty to be had within the dance
Of sunlight in the ocean's lulling trance
It's time to open up our hearts
I'm groping in the dark
And bring the world out from its tomb

So when we look up at the sun
Her eyes go wide, we hear the hum
Of our faith, our hopeful eyes
We're bringing home those orphaned skies
It's time to revolutionize
It's time to revolutionize
We're bringing home those orphaned skies
We're bringing home those orphaned skies
It's time to revolutionize
It's time to revolutionize
We're bringing home those orphaned skies
We're bringing home those orphaned skies

Karl Malone, Saturday, 28 October 2017 05:31 (seven years ago)

it’s up to 5669 (nice)

maura, Saturday, 28 October 2017 14:30 (seven years ago)

I guess artists just feel more than the rest of us do

davey, Saturday, 28 October 2017 19:21 (seven years ago)

Times are shifting, you can feel it in the sway
You can feel it in the words our hearts convey
The rhythm of these anxious hands
The melody expands in order to enchant and
Prove there's beauty to be had within the dance
Of sunlight in the ocean's lulling trance
It's time to open up our hearts
I'm groping in the dark
And bring the world out from its tomb

Karl Malone, Saturday, 28 October 2017 19:23 (seven years ago)

love that part

i totally missed out on this show. i've only seen maybe 4 full episodes? whenever i watch one i literally do it through my fingers like https://i.imgur.com/UtOnN9y.jpg

Karl Malone, Saturday, 28 October 2017 19:25 (seven years ago)

Nathan's background in improv is clear in his interviews, funny and spontaneous guy

Week of Wonders (Ross), Saturday, 28 October 2017 19:59 (seven years ago)

"are we done with the banter now?"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TUGZ1VQDss

Chocolate-covered gummy bears? Not ruling those lil' guys out. (ulysses), Tuesday, 31 October 2017 17:59 (seven years ago)

Smoke detector episode was a bust

Felt pretty bad for the band members too

Number None, Wednesday, 1 November 2017 19:10 (seven years ago)

if you don't like the cringier moments of the show then definitely don't watch this last episode

that said the implication that Nathan's plan actually kinda did work in the end was pretty amusing

frogbs, Friday, 3 November 2017 13:37 (seven years ago)

My wife is not a fan of the current season. She felt the past seasons had more emotion/heart to them. Which might be true! Smokers Allowed, the Hero episode, those things are emotionally epic and in many ways thought provoking. The new season is mostly just ... weird.

Josh in Chicago, Friday, 3 November 2017 13:39 (seven years ago)

sorry your wife feels that way

del griffith, Friday, 3 November 2017 14:17 (seven years ago)

there is a 2 hour season finale about finding the Bill Gates impersonator's wife, so maybe they're saving that stuff

frogbs, Friday, 3 November 2017 14:23 (seven years ago)

what if Nathan for You did an episode about the ghost busters? pic.twitter.com/FuClMGSbha

— Spooky Pain Blogger (@trash_sleeper) November 3, 2017

na (NA), Saturday, 4 November 2017 00:58 (seven years ago)

Maria garcia seems like a real sweetheart

i believe that (s)he is sincere (forksclovetofu), Saturday, 4 November 2017 04:02 (seven years ago)

Also: i hate to say it, but i dont think i need a two hour episode.

i believe that (s)he is sincere (forksclovetofu), Saturday, 4 November 2017 04:03 (seven years ago)

I'm glad she found her dream guy

frogbs, Saturday, 4 November 2017 04:07 (seven years ago)

The cut to Maria Garcia's face with the messed-up lipstick right as Salomon is asking her out is one the most brutal jokes in the history of the show. I have to say, Nathan's treatment of Salomon makes me uncomfortable in general, in much the same way that his continued targeting of business owners with a shaky grasp of English creeps me out a bit.

JRN, Saturday, 4 November 2017 05:38 (seven years ago)

has finale aired yet?

flopson, Saturday, 4 November 2017 19:10 (seven years ago)

next week

maura, Saturday, 4 November 2017 21:06 (seven years ago)

uh... wow

maura, Friday, 10 November 2017 04:50 (seven years ago)

spoiler ?

http://youtu.be/_Ohkhhs0AiM

maura, Friday, 10 November 2017 05:10 (seven years ago)

removed... what was it?

Evan, Friday, 10 November 2017 13:35 (seven years ago)

This wasn't on last night, right?

Chocolate-covered gummy bears? Not ruling those lil' guys out. (ulysses), Friday, 10 November 2017 15:45 (seven years ago)

It was

Evan, Friday, 10 November 2017 15:57 (seven years ago)

here's the video

There aas a hidden message in the closed captioms of #NathanForYou and I'm sad now. Geez this show is smart, sad, and funny pic.twitter.com/LSe4KG4mxI

— Saw (Binoculars) (@Enduerrment) November 10, 2017

maura, Friday, 10 November 2017 16:28 (seven years ago)

given that he devotes an entire 18 months of his life to produce four hours of TV I guess that's understandable

frogbs, Friday, 10 November 2017 16:43 (seven years ago)

fuck, don't know why it didn't tape...

Chocolate-covered gummy bears? Not ruling those lil' guys out. (ulysses), Friday, 10 November 2017 16:47 (seven years ago)

Should be up on cc.com though.

Evan, Friday, 10 November 2017 16:55 (seven years ago)

We hear him say exactly what's in the subtitles? Am I missing something here?

Le Bateau Ivre, Friday, 10 November 2017 17:07 (seven years ago)

yes

, Friday, 10 November 2017 17:09 (seven years ago)

he definitely doesn't say that last part

frogbs, Friday, 10 November 2017 17:10 (seven years ago)

oic. yeah, seems understandable tbh.

he's got the cutest sad look, i'm sorry, but it's true.

Le Bateau Ivre, Friday, 10 November 2017 17:18 (seven years ago)

He mixes convincing realness + the Nathan For You character so well, especially in this last episode. Like when he had the escort watch an episode in front of him. He was being the Nathan For You character acting as if out of character: not acknowledging the show is a comedy but also not denying it, going along with the accusation that he is lying to people but not suggesting it's for humor. It's a weird overlap.

Evan, Friday, 10 November 2017 17:29 (seven years ago)

That subtitle addition could simply be a joke, his actual feelings and a joke at once, his character's feelings and a joke... who knows.

Evan, Friday, 10 November 2017 17:31 (seven years ago)

So much pathos. Watching the finale felt like watching a tragicomedy by Samuel Beckett.

davey, Friday, 10 November 2017 21:28 (seven years ago)

Wow, this episode. My wife said it was super weird (it was) but redeemed all the episodes this season she didn't like. At the same time, this was the first time she literally had to cover her eyes once in discomfort.

Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 11 November 2017 05:03 (seven years ago)

The way this one shifted from tragic to hopeful to scary to weird to sad to sentimental ... I noticed there were, what, 6 or 7 credited writers on it? I wonder how they put something like this episode together.

Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 11 November 2017 05:04 (seven years ago)

It's sadly fitting that when Nathan's NFY character finally finds a semblance of human connection, it's through a relationship that's really an ongoing business transaction.

JRN, Saturday, 11 November 2017 06:25 (seven years ago)

nathan must have been burning through comedy central's money at some rate w/maci

||||||||, Saturday, 11 November 2017 09:18 (seven years ago)

anyone know why the last ep isn't on amazon?

dynamicinterface, Saturday, 11 November 2017 13:25 (seven years ago)

What did he say the anecdote episode cost, $300,000? That would pay for over 40 24-hour days of Maci, at around her rate. Now that would be a funny episode, if instead of the girlfriend experience he wanted the wife experience (I could have sworn he was going to propose in this one) and he paid her her going rate to basically move in with him and do mundane domestic stuff for a month or two.

Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 11 November 2017 13:52 (seven years ago)

It's sadly fitting that when Nathan's NFY character finally finds a semblance of human connection, it's through a relationship that's really an ongoing business transaction.

this was my thought as well

Simon H., Saturday, 11 November 2017 15:59 (seven years ago)

Same with the Smoker's Allowed actress, right?

Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 11 November 2017 16:00 (seven years ago)

Yup.

Simon H., Saturday, 11 November 2017 16:13 (seven years ago)

MUD 2
NEVER CLEAN

johnny crunch, Saturday, 11 November 2017 16:15 (seven years ago)

definite smokers allowed parallels in their interactions

maura, Saturday, 11 November 2017 20:44 (seven years ago)

am i only one that felt like that last episode was a waste of time, sort of a shaggy dog story without a punchline. oh well

Week of Wonders (Ross), Sunday, 12 November 2017 06:19 (seven years ago)

I have mixed feelings about it. It's a departure from the show's main shtick, for one thing. It seems like Nathan wanted to show what people don't often see: the lonely old man who's lived a life of regret, the escort on her dates, and Nathan himself being called out as a liar, all of which was uncomfortable to watch. But I like Samuel Beckett and I like this, even if it's less entertaining than, say, Nathan inventing an absurd way for obese people to ride horses. (That episode almost killed me laughing.) The finale is another brand of absurdist performance, and it's heavier and probably a little more philosophical, and I appreciated the anticlimax. But TBH I did hope for more lolz, hah.

davey, Sunday, 12 November 2017 08:01 (seven years ago)

Idk this show has always been about the ~journey~ and not the destination. Regardless, thought this episode was hilarious, disturbing, uncomfortable, sad, touching and finished with a kind of catharsis. That phone conversation Bill has with Frances (outside of her house!) was kind of just the right way to resolve it. So much going on there. Brilliant episode imo.

circa1916, Sunday, 12 November 2017 18:56 (seven years ago)

loved how this ep kind of felt like a low-key spoof of S-Town at times.

gr8080, Sunday, 12 November 2017 23:53 (seven years ago)

Yeah, it felt very podcast-y.

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 13 November 2017 00:32 (seven years ago)

“Can you switch to Fox News?”

circa1916, Monday, 13 November 2017 00:35 (seven years ago)

I can’t believe this I love you this made my year https://t.co/cHS2SGIQR9

— nathan fielder (@nathanfielder) November 13, 2017

maura, Monday, 13 November 2017 04:32 (seven years ago)

been watching clips of nathan's show on youtube

not sure how i feel about him, but did find the poop one endearing in a my-6-year-old-makes-those-jokes way

i n f i n i t y (∞), Monday, 13 November 2017 04:45 (seven years ago)

That’s kinda beautiful

xp

definite xp

circa1916, Monday, 13 November 2017 04:57 (seven years ago)

i feel kinda lame for even pursuing this point given the precision of fielder's comedy but maci is clearly a scripted character yes?

Chocolate-covered gummy bears? Not ruling those lil' guys out. (ulysses), Monday, 13 November 2017 06:11 (seven years ago)

also
https://streamable.com/s154b

Chocolate-covered gummy bears? Not ruling those lil' guys out. (ulysses), Monday, 13 November 2017 06:15 (seven years ago)

I do wonder how many of the people on the show are in cahoots. The "ai doo" bit earlier in the season worked almost a little too smoothly, but who knows

davey, Monday, 13 November 2017 06:18 (seven years ago)

somewhat related:
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2017/11/paying-for-fake-friends-and-family/545060/

Chocolate-covered gummy bears? Not ruling those lil' guys out. (ulysses), Monday, 13 November 2017 06:22 (seven years ago)

Hoooly shit that is depressing stuff

davey, Monday, 13 November 2017 06:45 (seven years ago)

bill gates reminded me of the guy from the jinx a bit

||||||||, Monday, 13 November 2017 06:48 (seven years ago)

i feel kinda lame for even pursuing this point given the precision of fielder's comedy but maci is clearly a scripted character yes?

― Chocolate-covered gummy bears? Not ruling those lil' guys out. (ulysses), Monday, November 13, 2017 12:11 AM (one hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I do wonder how many of the people on the show are in cahoots. The "ai doo" bit earlier in the season worked almost a little too smoothly, but who knows

― davey, Monday, November 13, 2017 12:18 AM (one hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I wondered about these things, too. It's one of the mysteries of the show, how much of it is kayfabe. I had doubts about Maci especially, since she allowed her face to be shown, something I doubt a real escort would do.

JRN, Monday, 13 November 2017 07:26 (seven years ago)

pretty convinced majority of this show is staged/finely edited. still it's great obviously

Week of Wonders (Ross), Monday, 13 November 2017 07:32 (seven years ago)

Yep.

Maci is a real escort. Reddit is having a very hard time deleting her personal info, as she keeps being harrassed by people tracking her down and posting her asl. Supposedly her escort service is easy to find (I didn't look for it obv).

Which doesn't mean it was obv scripted, but she is in fact an escort.

Le Bateau Ivre, Monday, 13 November 2017 10:13 (seven years ago)

That should read it's obv scripted, but she is etc

Le Bateau Ivre, Monday, 13 November 2017 10:14 (seven years ago)

Like I noted, I think.6 credited writers on the finale. for what that's worth.

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 13 November 2017 13:01 (seven years ago)

Well yeah, the writers come up with general scenarios for each episode and ideas for things like Mud 2

they're not writing scripts for actors to learn (unless they actually are actors in the context of the show)

Number None, Monday, 13 November 2017 13:19 (seven years ago)

Many people suspect that reality television is scripted, and with “Nathan for You,” this is, in a sense, the case. Fielder and his writers compose detailed outlines for each episode, trying their best to predict “what a reasonable person might say in a situation,” Fielder said, and to steer events in propitious directions — nudging customers from the gas station, for example, to the mountaintop. This doesn’t mean that the show’s marks are acting, however, or in on the joke: Fielder’s producers approach prospective businesses without letting on that “Nathan for You” is a comedy show, and Fielder never breaks character at a shoot.

In filming the show, Fielder says, chance ultimately rules: “We don’t even reference the script after a certain point. An entire day of shooting will ride on stuff happening the way we hope. It’s crazy to do a production like that, but the uncertainty makes the show feel more authentic and spontaneous.” Koman agreed: “It’s setups and luck.” The way Fielder manages this unpredictability is to shoot an excess of footage: He may need only one kid sitting on Santa’s lap with a Doinkit, but he’ll film three to ensure that he’s covered. “This show shoots more footage than anything I’ve worked on,” Notarnicola said, sitting at his editing bay. Fielder said, “Only a few things keep making you laugh the 10th, 12th, 15th time you watch them, though, so it gets easier to cut as you go.”

Number None, Monday, 13 November 2017 13:20 (seven years ago)

6 credited writers seems like a lot doesn't it? Are there usually 6 writers on every Nathan For You episode? I've never noticed. most scripted shows don't credit that many writers per episode, let alone a pseudo documentary-style show. Anyway, clearly the show is written in the editing room. I'm not sure I would trust much about it, from chronology on down. In this last episode he claims he was in Little Rock for weeks. as depicted in this episode, there's not much that would take more than 3 days, imo. it's all like an elaborate meta magic trick.

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 13 November 2017 13:23 (seven years ago)

most of the episodes have 3-4 writers

this was obviously a bit more ambitious than usual though

Number None, Monday, 13 November 2017 13:30 (seven years ago)

No doubt. I do think that this could have been edited down to a usual run time, if they wanted to, but the expansion - and all the weirdness that entailed - was what made it special. Conversely, I'm sure they could have made any other episode into a weird epic like this one. The Maci stuff, she's just tangential to it (if thematically linked, per the "plot"). Like (gross though it might have been) he could have said, to reference a previous episode, "but first we wanted to see if a regular person would buy chili dispensed from a fat suit, so we hired this actor/escort/whatever to play the part of a 'real' person," and so on. The Maci stuff is the hardest to suss in this one. She's OK with her face on camera, and for that matter, she's OK with the camera crew being present - except when she's not? Regardless, I'm continually impressed by his ability not to break character in uncomfortable situations. When he's doing the dance for her? When they're smooching? So uncomfortable. It's totally impossible for me to tell where Nathan the actor/host ends and Nathan the person begins. Vs. someone like Sasha Baron-Cohen, who pops up out of character all the time.

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 13 November 2017 14:04 (seven years ago)

yeah I was thinking about that a lot during this episode. is this the only time we see him laugh during the show?

frogbs, Monday, 13 November 2017 14:07 (seven years ago)

as my friend dan pointed out, one of the most interesting beats in the series so far was when nathan says to maci: "it's business. you know, business."

sean gramophone, Monday, 13 November 2017 14:14 (seven years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cZoc6WTnYs

Chocolate-covered gummy bears? Not ruling those lil' guys out. (ulysses), Monday, 13 November 2017 14:31 (seven years ago)

MUD 2
NEVER CLEAN

― johnny crunch, Saturday, November 11, 2017 9:15 AM (two days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

i've been laughing at this for like ten minutes

ToddBonzalez (BradNelson), Monday, 13 November 2017 18:52 (seven years ago)

That Cotillard clip reminds me of the faux flirty Between Two Ferns with Charlize Theron.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83I_rQUbw8c

Acting is a really amazing balance of power. I have a friend who once interviewed this minor actress, and he said she was so flirtatious, almost hypnotically so, that he was convinced she was going to ask him out for a drink or something. It was only as he was working on his feature that he recognized, Usual Suspects style, just how perfectly she had played him.

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 13 November 2017 19:38 (seven years ago)

There were definitely a lot of really funny moments in that episode but it all felt overshadowed by its emotional content. I feel the not-so-subtle subtext was the similarity between Nathan and Bill - he criticizes Bill for being dishonest and for having some unsavory aspects to his personality, but at the same time NFY is practically built around deceiving people to some extent, and he winds up spending a chunk of Comedy Central money so he can pal around with an escort (who is willing to tell Nathan, "but you're lying to these people...").

I thought it was amazing how they went on this insanely elaborate quest to track this woman down only to have it result in a short phone call, right outside her house no less. I loved that scene because both characters were so visibly nervous - Bill because he's been pining for this woman for nearly his whole life, Nathan because he knows this is the grand finale to the season (and maybe the whole series) and has no clue if anything's going to come of it, or if we're even going to see her on camera. The bit where Bill keeps trying to get her to guess who's on the other line was heartbreaking. She has no clue what they've been through just to get her phone number, or why he's calling in the first place. I can't imagine what watching that episode must have been like for her family.

frogbs, Monday, 13 November 2017 19:52 (seven years ago)

is there any word on another season? I kinda have a hard time imagining where they could go with the concept from here

Simon H., Monday, 13 November 2017 19:56 (seven years ago)

Curiously, we noted her Facebook profile picture was included in the show, but her husband's was blurred. Wonder when she gave permission, or what she thought about giving permission.

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 13 November 2017 19:59 (seven years ago)

man, that was great

ToddBonzalez (BradNelson), Monday, 13 November 2017 20:28 (seven years ago)

btw I know that Nathan's recent-ish divorce doesn't get mentioned on the show, but I was half-expecting it to come up at some point during this episode. obviously I'm extrapolating here but I would guess that moving to LA and putting insane amounts of time into this TV show was not great for that relationship.

frogbs, Monday, 13 November 2017 20:54 (seven years ago)

I thought he got divorced before the first season? Did he get remarried?

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 13 November 2017 21:11 (seven years ago)

i feel like you guys trying to prove the show is "fake" or scripted are kind of missing the point

Listen to my homeboy Fantano (D-40), Monday, 13 November 2017 21:17 (seven years ago)

like the show is already about fake scenarios around real people, why would it need to have an extra layer of deception when the entire purpose of the show is revealing its deceptions to the audience

Listen to my homeboy Fantano (D-40), Monday, 13 November 2017 21:18 (seven years ago)

it was in 2013, right when the first season started airing

frogbs, Monday, 13 November 2017 21:20 (seven years ago)

Who's trying to prove something is real or fake? It's on TV, it's been edited, it's not "real," and it doesn't matter. But given the entire point of acting is to make something "fake" seem "real," it's really impressive how well it straddles the line. I mean, "Thor" has you suspend disbelief, to some extent, but it does not seem "real." This on the other hand, the divide between real and fake is the whole point. Why else would you watch it?

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 13 November 2017 21:22 (seven years ago)

im talking about the theorizing that maci is an actress instead of an escort? its very bizarre, what sense would that make? the whole episode she's like puncturing the falseness of it, why would they hire an actress to do what a normal person in that situation would do?

the skepticism directed towards the show is just strange to me, like it's obviously the point of the show that they're forcing scenarios and "nathan" in the show isn't a real guy. thats what the 'writers' are for. but the art of the show is about the interplay of the real & the fake, and the way these things bleed in capitalism ... the whole episode is about whether or not his love for her is real, if her love for him was real, if nathan's attachment to maci is real (while being obviously not) (but is it? frogsbs just described him as using comedy central's money to hang out with an escort, as if maybe the real nathan might have a real attraction to this escort underneath which are all these fake layers, the money he spent for her, the show which is the 'real' purpose, etc.)

anyway the point im making is this show isn't really something that you 'disprove' for being fake, it uses fakeness to find the real, thats its whole thing

Listen to my homeboy Fantano (D-40), Monday, 13 November 2017 21:30 (seven years ago)

i think the funniest moment of the whole episode is nathan standing in teh doorway to the bathroom while bill harangues him about frances lol

Listen to my homeboy Fantano (D-40), Monday, 13 November 2017 21:31 (seven years ago)

nothing wrong with her line of work but Maci has a future as a screen actress if she wants it imho

Simon H., Monday, 13 November 2017 21:33 (seven years ago)

im talking about the theorizing that maci is an actress instead of an escort? its very bizarre, what sense would that make? the whole episode she's like puncturing the falseness of it, why would they hire an actress to do what a normal person in that situation would do?

― Listen to my homeboy Fantano (D-40), Monday, November 13, 2017 3:30 PM (six minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Because escorting is only a quasi-legal profession, and many escorts won't even show their faces in their own advertising. There's no guarantee that they'd be able to find a real escort in the Little Rock, AR area ready to be identified as such on national TV. I guess they lucked out with Maci, but the alternative is not at all implausible.

JRN, Monday, 13 November 2017 22:00 (seven years ago)

Haven't seen this yet, but some of this talk sounds familiar.

https://i.imgur.com/Q4c39Rc.jpg

pplains, Monday, 13 November 2017 22:07 (seven years ago)

Maci can be both real and fake. She's basically an actress already. Apparently from her:

"I am aware that curiosity tends to be a very natural part of human nature, however, let's all remember curiosity killed the cat. I feel like this is a very necessary post in light of recent events. Before you get too excited...No. I will not be elaborating on anything regarding the show.
I am, for all intensive purposes, a small business. I run this whole operation all by my lonesome (which is how I like it). However, there is a literal shit ton of admin work that goes into this industry. Screening in itself is not a 2 min task. Everything takes time and I pride myself in my response time. I like to think of it as "good business practices". With that being said....my emails have more than tripled, my twitter is on steroids, and my phone rings all times of the day. It's more than a little out of control.
The backstory for my actual clients that read these and follow my day to day life. A TV show that I appeared on aired this past Thursday....and you know...people bring up escorts and everyone loses their fucking minds.
Let's be grown ups people... This is literally the one of the oldest professions and we still lose our shit whenever it's brought up. I don't need the judgement. I honestly don't care what you think about me or what I do. This is my life and this is how I am choosing to live it...my life. my business. For those of you that are supportive. As much as I appreciate all the kind words, the emails and phone calls really just bog me down.
I am going to say this again...one last time for those of you that may not have been listening before...
I am not at liberty to discuss anything related to the show AT ALL.
So....now that all that is settled...
If you would like to book a date please use my booking form located on my website. Fill it out in its entirety. If you have any questions (about booking) I will be more than happy to answer them. Please read my website prior to asking (more than likely, your answer is on my site somewhere). Any mention of the show will put you on my do not see list.
Also....
1. I don't want your dick pics
2. When in doubt, be a gentleman
3. You are not allowed to link to my website without my consent and I will not give it so please stop trying to do it.
4. Also, I just want to elaborate on a comment I saw somewhere....There is no such thing as "hooker attire". I don't know why you expect us to dress like pretty woman. That is a movie and it's not a real representation of what escorts dress like...just fyi we are allowed to wear jeans.
To all my legit clients...I apologize for any delays in response time. Please just bare with me."

So sounds like she signed a NDA, which is a bit more than signing a generic release form. Doesn't change anything, just implies there is more going on than what we know.

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 13 November 2017 22:24 (seven years ago)

I am not at liberty to discuss anything related to the show AT ALL.

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 13 November 2017 22:24 (seven years ago)

she is real escort though. She's just not from anywhere near Little Rock

Number None, Monday, 13 November 2017 22:29 (seven years ago)

she signed an NDA means what to you? that her reactions weren't authentic? That they were scripted? that she didnt behave like a normal person would in that scenario?

Listen to my homeboy Fantano (D-40), Monday, 13 November 2017 22:35 (seven years ago)

No, just that there's anything secretive for her to reveal at all beyond what we see on the show. I mean, all those things you said could be right. Who knows?

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 13 November 2017 22:38 (seven years ago)

the real interesting thing about Maci is that she's one of the few people who have appeared on the show who explicitly knows what kind of show it is

Number None, Monday, 13 November 2017 22:38 (seven years ago)

Right. It just adds another layer to it all.

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 13 November 2017 22:39 (seven years ago)

Nathan is a liar and is playing a role, so is his "relationship" with Maci "real?" Maci is an escort, who lies for a living to make people feel good. She knows Nathan is a liar, because ... he told the truth. And yet she participates anyway. It's all kind of fascinating.

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 13 November 2017 22:40 (seven years ago)

idk if you remember the "pig rescues goat" episode but Nathan's NDAs are no joke

frogbs, Monday, 13 November 2017 22:45 (seven years ago)

Haven't seen this yet, but some of this talk sounds familiar.

https://i.imgur.com/Q4c39Rc.jpg

that one was fake, though - she's been an actress since the early 90's

frogbs, Monday, 13 November 2017 22:46 (seven years ago)

Because escorting is only a quasi-legal profession, and many escorts won't even show their faces in their own advertising. There's no guarantee that they'd be able to find a real escort in the Little Rock, AR area ready to be identified as such on national TV. I guess they lucked out with Maci, but the alternative is not at all implausible.

― JRN, Monday, November 13, 2017 4:00 PM (forty-four minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

it s not at all implausible that an escort might consider 'being on television' a huge boost to her business

Listen to my homeboy Fantano (D-40), Monday, 13 November 2017 22:49 (seven years ago)

Did you read her letter?

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 13 November 2017 22:56 (seven years ago)

The concluding episode of Nathan For You (season 4) is unfathomably great. (Now, I'm going to business school.)

— errolmorris (@errolmorris) November 13, 2017

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 13 November 2017 23:06 (seven years ago)

it s not at all implausible that an escort might consider 'being on television' a huge boost to her business

― Listen to my homeboy Fantano (D-40), Monday, November 13, 2017 4:49 PM (thirty-nine minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

That's true, and consistent what I've said. The calculation could plausibly go either way.

JRN, Monday, 13 November 2017 23:33 (seven years ago)

oh man, just finished the finale. i thought it was fantastic.

Karl Malone, Tuesday, 14 November 2017 06:33 (seven years ago)

Did you read her letter?

― Josh in Chicago, Monday, November 13, 2017 4:56 PM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

yeah, how does that contradict anything?

Listen to my homeboy Fantano (D-40), Tuesday, 14 November 2017 07:28 (seven years ago)

recently discovered jon benjamin has a van (feat our very own nathan fielder) and wow, so so brilliant. can see where nathan got his layer upon layer upon layer ideas from. i know nothing about us tv commissioning but how the hell didn't this get more than one series?

NI, Tuesday, 14 November 2017 21:28 (seven years ago)

just guessing: it probably didn't pull enough viewers / advertisers.

davey, Tuesday, 14 November 2017 22:00 (seven years ago)

Did you read her letter?

yeah, how does that contradict anything?

Because it seems all the show-related stuff has either complicated her life for the worse or is something she can't exploit for personal gain. She's not talking about the show, she doesn't want people linking to her site (which is what drives her business), emails and phone calls are "bogging her down," "Any mention of the show will put you on my do not see list," and so on. I mean, I don't know what she was expecting, but all those things seem to be signs of a business boost, but that's apparently not what she wants. Or wanted.

Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 14 November 2017 22:07 (seven years ago)

nathan had an entire book written and distributed on amazon for a goof. "but they're posting her website on reddit" is an interesting burden of proof. it hardly matters either way; as with kaufman, there's no benefit in seeing behind the curtain here.

Chocolate-covered gummy bears? Not ruling those lil' guys out. (ulysses), Tuesday, 14 November 2017 22:17 (seven years ago)

I've never argued that. But I have argued that the confusion of truth and fiction is what makes this show compelling, at least to me. A lot more than a more conventional clown like Sasha Baron Cohen.

Anyway, I didn't specify reddit or whatever. I just quoted the escort herself, who seems to be somewhat bristling at the attention, which does not seem like the actions of someone who did something for the extra attention/business.

Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 14 November 2017 22:20 (seven years ago)

The anecdote episode perfectly underscores the balance. It's a guy playing a neo-fictional character who fakes an elaborate anecdote to make his story "true," providing a burden of proof that no one expects from a celebrity interview in the first place.

Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 14 November 2017 22:22 (seven years ago)

Because it seems all the show-related stuff has either complicated her life for the worse or is something she can't exploit for personal gain. She's not talking about the show, she doesn't want people linking to her site (which is what drives her business), emails and phone calls are "bogging her down," "Any mention of the show will put you on my do not see list," and so on. I mean, I don't know what she was expecting, but all those things seem to be signs of a business boost, but that's apparently not what she wants. Or wanted.

― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, November 14, 2017 4:07 PM (twenty-seven minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

and this relates to why she agreed to do the show in the first place, before any of that happened, because...?

Listen to my homeboy Fantano (D-40), Tuesday, 14 November 2017 22:35 (seven years ago)

a better example of the kind of pulling at the scenery you guys are doing that annoys me would be if you just outright said you didn't think the workout dude ever went on daytime TV. it just feels like missing the forest for the trees as a form of critique

Listen to my homeboy Fantano (D-40), Tuesday, 14 November 2017 22:36 (seven years ago)

Well, if everything was an outright fiction it would be a conventional TV show or movie, like the terrible "Ali G Indahouse."

Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 14 November 2017 23:06 (seven years ago)

So I guess I'm to understand Twin Peaks: S3E8 has some new competition in the "TV episodes cinephiles are going to slip into their year-end top 10 movie lists" derby?

Anne of the Thousand Gays (Eric H.), Wednesday, 15 November 2017 14:44 (seven years ago)

Yep, though it works best if you've seen the rest of the series

Simon H., Wednesday, 15 November 2017 14:52 (seven years ago)

I still think about this a lot, the idea that so much time and effort was spent trying to give an old man some closure and it just resulted in a awkward phone call w/ someone who didn't really even remember who he was

frogbs, Wednesday, 15 November 2017 15:52 (seven years ago)

https://www.theringer.com/tv/2017/11/14/16650726/nathan-for-you-season-4-finale-finding-frances

Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 18 November 2017 23:47 (seven years ago)

Thanks Josh for throwing me down a NFY rabbit hole because of that article. The first of season 4, the Michael Richards one, really is the best. So many steps and twists and turns.

I honestly don't think he could do a season 5, but I'd be happy proven wrong. Seriously though, after the last finale, where can he go, what can he do next with this?

Le Bateau Ivre, Sunday, 19 November 2017 02:10 (seven years ago)

Eradicate malaria in order to "prove" Bill Gates impersonator is really Bill Gates.

Philip Nunez, Sunday, 19 November 2017 06:25 (seven years ago)

I honestly don't think he could do a season 5, but I'd be happy proven wrong. Seriously though, after the last finale, where can he go, what can he do next with this?


If anything this show has shown that you can find a premise anywhere and surprises will spring from them and they’ll splinter out into countless possibilities. I️ know he’s always trying to one up himself with the finales, but he could do this show almost indefinitely until he gets recognizable I️ think.

circa1916, Sunday, 19 November 2017 06:57 (seven years ago)

two weeks pass...

Wow. Errol Morris wrote about Finding Frances for The New Yorker https://t.co/hv3u5WgDw2

— nathan fielder (@nathanfielder) December 5, 2017

Karl Malone, Tuesday, 5 December 2017 19:16 (seven years ago)

Was just coming here to post this. Just watched the finale last week. So so good.

Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Tuesday, 5 December 2017 19:43 (seven years ago)

I want a show entirely about the age progression artist who just dropped in the whole "we're all going to live in space thing".

Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Tuesday, 5 December 2017 19:51 (seven years ago)

did you see the other NFY episode he was in?

frogbs, Tuesday, 5 December 2017 20:10 (seven years ago)

I think I've seen most of them but I don't remember him! Which was it?

Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Tuesday, 5 December 2017 20:13 (seven years ago)

the one where they tried to sign a bunch of child athletes as sponsors for a sporting goods store. he brings that guy in to "age progress" the kids by just pasting their faces over stock models

pic.twitter.com/DF8U7Kn92T

— no context nathan (@NathanForYouOoC) December 1, 2017

frogbs, Tuesday, 5 December 2017 20:18 (seven years ago)

"Who did this?"

"Cornelius Ladd"

Number None, Wednesday, 6 December 2017 13:30 (seven years ago)

^ my favorite part of this episode

Hadrian VIII, Wednesday, 6 December 2017 17:24 (seven years ago)

this paragraph makes me dizzy

Before the finale, Bill Heath appeared in an earlier episode, called “Souvenir Shop,” in which Fielder organizes an elaborate hoax to bring business to a Los Angeles souvenir shop by hiring celebrity impersonators to appear in the store. His first hire, a Johnny Depp impersonator, doesn’t really look like Johnny Depp, so Fielder hires a second impersonator who looks even less like Johnny Depp, thinking that the presence of the not-so-good Johnny Depp impersonator would make the first one look better. Fielder calls in Bill Heath, a self-advertised Bill Gates impersonator, because the Johnny Depp impersonators’ schedules are too busy for regular employment. But, by the end of “Finding Frances,” we learn that Bill Heath was never really a Bill Gates impersonator at all. He merely impersonated a Bill Gates impersonator in order to get the job on “Nathan for You.”

frogbs, Wednesday, 6 December 2017 18:46 (seven years ago)

3. the wire
2. the sopranos
1. this two-minute clip of nathan for you pic.twitter.com/OeOY3U9UOv

— bobby 👖 (@bobby) November 19, 2017

Karl Malone, Friday, 8 December 2017 23:58 (seven years ago)

Just finished Finding Frances and it was everything it was billed to be. Bravo

fuiud, mac (rip van wanko), Saturday, 9 December 2017 03:19 (seven years ago)

one month passes...

Oh my god, the chilli suit with the poo tube coming out next to the chilli dispensor.

chap, Thursday, 1 February 2018 17:25 (seven years ago)

one month passes...

pic.twitter.com/Z5jmRLhCtK

— nathan fielder (@nathanfielder) February 1, 2018

maura, Thursday, 1 March 2018 21:47 (seven years ago)

explains the flamethrowers

maura, Thursday, 1 March 2018 21:48 (seven years ago)

Elon needed an idea guy of course

Evan, Thursday, 1 March 2018 21:51 (seven years ago)

nathan noooo

Simon H., Thursday, 1 March 2018 21:52 (seven years ago)

Don't worry it's a wax Elon, surely

Evan, Thursday, 1 March 2018 21:53 (seven years ago)

i can't think of nathan fielder anything but nathan fielder. i always wonder if how he handles himself in these situations

i remember the corned beef of my childhood (Karl Malone), Thursday, 1 March 2018 22:03 (seven years ago)

Probably something likes this. "Mr. Musk, people are always working on technology that helps us to go faster, but have you ever considered how productive we would be if we all just moved ... slower? My proposal to you is a train - a floating magic hover train - that takes *twice* as long to get from one place to another. Just imagine all the work you would get done, and how excited people would be watching it go by, slowly."

Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 1 March 2018 23:02 (seven years ago)

three months pass...

Can the Emmys be Hacked? I asked an important question and got a frightening answer. https://t.co/wcJ0MLTwM6

— nathan fielder (@nathanfielder) June 8, 2018

maura, Friday, 8 June 2018 07:26 (seven years ago)

shocking to say the least...and really shocking to say the most

frogbs, Friday, 8 June 2018 12:50 (seven years ago)

maura that's really great

sunburst N snowblind (Ross), Friday, 15 June 2018 04:22 (six years ago)

one month passes...

the quick edit during the kid talking about orange at the beginning cracks me up

http://www.cc.com/video-clips/mxavib/nathan-for-you-interview-with-a-seven-year-old

global tetrahedron, Monday, 6 August 2018 16:46 (six years ago)

I finally started watching this show after putting it off

This is not a bingeable show, and I mean that in the best possible way. Because holy shit, so awkward

mh, Friday, 10 August 2018 00:50 (six years ago)

I watched one episode a couple years ago and I haven't worked up the nerve for a second yet. Is it streaming on something?

faculty w1fe (silby), Friday, 10 August 2018 01:05 (six years ago)

Nathan is less a straight man than an incredibly awkward man. Any moment he starts to lose control of the situation or is about to break character, he responds in the most awkward way possible. It's not usually anything that's wrong enough to draw immediate anger, it's just.. what the fuck, this guy just doesn't know how to interact with people!

like even feeling for a sec that his character is relatable is the most cringe-worthy thing

silby, it's on hulu now

mh, Friday, 10 August 2018 01:27 (six years ago)

I'm still pretty early in the series but the whole reality show part of "The Hunk" where you're not sure if the women think they're on a real Bachelor-style show, or if they just know it's being taped for.. something.. was so weird. The woman who was asked "what's your deepest, darkest secret?" and the huge pause where she's making facial expressions that start at questioning, going through several emotions until she just looks like she's in a dark place.. was she doing that because she wants to be an actress and was trying to create a lot of footage so they'd cut in some of it? Was she really thinking about it and thought of something really unsettling?

just so great when she goes with "I hate wearing socks"

mh, Friday, 10 August 2018 01:53 (six years ago)

This is not a bingeable show, and I mean that in the best possible way. Because holy shit, so awkward

― mh, Thursday, August 9, 2018 8:50 PM (one hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

cringeable show

Evan, Friday, 10 August 2018 01:59 (six years ago)

I just had to revisit the clip of the Uber passenger freaking out over the driver's refusal to stop blaring 'Mambo No. 5'.

I might need to rewatch the entire series right now.

Funkface LLC (Old Lunch), Friday, 10 August 2018 02:03 (six years ago)

a little bit of nathan in your life

mh, Friday, 10 August 2018 02:09 (six years ago)

three weeks pass...

I just watched Vampyr (1932) for the first time last night, and I don't know if the timeline works out but I'm pretty sure the main actor was Nathan Fielder. If not, I would like to commission a remake ASAP.

Digital Squirts (Old Lunch), Sunday, 2 September 2018 14:47 (six years ago)

one month passes...

good choice i think. end it on a high note

( ͡☉ ͜ʖ ͡☉) (jim in vancouver), Wednesday, 17 October 2018 23:01 (six years ago)

two weeks pass...

Somehow I fell out of watching this two episodes into season 4 but I just watched all of it except the Melinda episode and goddamn, what a show.

DEATH PUPPET (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Thursday, 1 November 2018 20:25 (six years ago)

was thinking yesterday that a bar rescue type show with a MacGruber-esque host would be really good. then I remembered that Nathan For You is that show.

for i, sock in enumerate (Sufjan Grafton), Thursday, 1 November 2018 21:49 (six years ago)

tivo alert: comedy central are rerunning the last two part ep this sunday and monday am

Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Friday, 2 November 2018 15:15 (six years ago)

not Melinda, Frances

the dude's Bill Gates impression is solid

DEATH PUPPET (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Saturday, 3 November 2018 07:32 (six years ago)

Some dude is doing Nathan For You stuff for real, except Nathan For You was already real, and this is also an intentional comedy, so I guess it's just cruelty-free Nathan For You.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owUWiWkFoCQ

Philip Nunez, Monday, 5 November 2018 00:49 (six years ago)

also comedy-free

Number None, Monday, 5 November 2018 07:48 (six years ago)

yeah i dunno if it's possible to do nathan for you schtick without being cruel.

Philip Nunez, Monday, 5 November 2018 18:07 (six years ago)

Watching a terrible knockoff is useful in appreciating all the subtle things Nathan's show does so well. Apart from the absurdism, the awkward tension and editing that makes it so hilarious is there even in brief clips.

dinnerboat, Monday, 5 November 2018 18:29 (six years ago)

definitely. i was watching the Smokers Allowed episode last night, and really appreciated one of the edits from the audition/casting scenes where the actor was kept walking toward the door even as nathan was telling him he got the part

Karl Malone, Monday, 5 November 2018 18:42 (six years ago)

four weeks pass...

Amazon Flex allowed this woman to lose 100 lbs in 18 months by creating a workout while delivery packages.https://t.co/uBk49fYzFi

— Amazon News (@amazonnews) December 3, 2018

maura, Monday, 3 December 2018 21:27 (six years ago)

Nathan Fielder's show is going to be studied in business schools seriously within 10 years

maura, Monday, 3 December 2018 21:27 (six years ago)

for the conspiracy theorists out there: adult swim recently rescreened the final two part episode for (what I believe is) the first time since it originally aired. It was on at 3am on Saturday and Sunday. The entire endgame sequence, starting from the moment Nathan and Bill drive to Francis' house up until the scene where Bill gives Nathan the serving dish, was missing. That means the phone call in the car to Francis was cut. Wondering if this wasn't necessitated by a lawsuit and if the unexpurgated version is likely to be shown on television ever again.

Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Tuesday, 4 December 2018 14:40 (six years ago)

I thought things were dirty last time, but this time it's...filthy

frogbs, Tuesday, 4 December 2018 15:08 (six years ago)

one month passes...

Wow, thank you https://t.co/3KvfwUgUSO

— nathan fielder (@nathanfielder) January 17, 2019

Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Thursday, 17 January 2019 19:33 (six years ago)

Ha!

Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 17 January 2019 19:34 (six years ago)

Oh my gosh. So embarrassing lol https://t.co/pBwIXKwuHB

— nathan fielder (@nathanfielder) January 22, 2019

omar little, Tuesday, 22 January 2019 19:29 (six years ago)

kinda awesome that the "Claw of Shame" opening clip is just going viral now

frogbs, Thursday, 24 January 2019 22:11 (six years ago)

six months pass...

https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/nathan-fielder-sets-hbo-overall-deal-docu-series-and-comedy-pilot-exclusive-1203299428/

Nathan Fielder has signed a one year overall deal at HBO, Variety has learned exclusively.

Under the deal, Fielder will serve as executive producer on”How To…With John Wilson,” which has been ordered to series at HBO, and an untitled comedy pilot in which Fielder will star as well as write and direct.

Number None, Monday, 12 August 2019 19:28 (five years ago)

hell yeah

maura, Monday, 12 August 2019 20:01 (five years ago)

hope nathan for you is still on tho!

Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Monday, 12 August 2019 20:09 (five years ago)

the John Wilson shorts can be seen here for now

http://johnsmovies.com/

Simon H., Monday, 12 August 2019 20:17 (five years ago)

that first one is great

Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Monday, 12 August 2019 20:26 (five years ago)

hope nathan for you is still on tho!

I doubt it, or at least not for some time. I can see a one-off special in a few years maybe

Number None, Monday, 12 August 2019 20:36 (five years ago)

nathan is that you?
https://6abc.com/man-wearing-tv-on-head-caught-on-camera-leaving-old-tvs-on-porches/5462579/

Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Tuesday, 13 August 2019 21:12 (five years ago)

I think he said NFY was basically over in an interview

I remember something about how S3 & S4 struggled a bit with finding people who didn't recognize what kind of show it was - he's not exactly a household name but the show's popularity sorta worked against it. plus it was apparently a very difficult show to film, because you couldn't go out of order and you just had so much footage

I'll miss it but I'm excited for whatever's next, hopefully it won't be as uncomfortable to watch

frogbs, Tuesday, 13 August 2019 21:40 (five years ago)

why deny him his strongest comedic asset?

more awkwardness, please

untuned mass damper (mh), Tuesday, 13 August 2019 21:43 (five years ago)

I imagine it was quite taxing to produce; intrigued to see what he has coming up.

Simon H., Tuesday, 13 August 2019 21:45 (five years ago)

one month passes...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nktRFx47VOM

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 7 October 2019 15:26 (five years ago)

it is so weird watching him try to act

frogbs, Monday, 7 October 2019 15:33 (five years ago)

four months pass...

Meet your new TV-comedy dream team: Nathan Fielder and the Safdie brothers. According to Deadline, the former Nathan for You star and Uncut Gems directors have a new TV project in the works at Showtime, and it sounds very promising. Titled The Curse, the half-hour comedy pilot is about “how an alleged curse disturbs the relationship of a newly married couple who star in Flipanthropy, their troubled HGTV show.” Fielder will star as the husband, while Benny Safdie will play the producer of the HGTV show. Fielder is credited with writing the pilot, while the Safdie brothers will direct and executive produce.

omar little, Monday, 2 March 2020 22:12 (five years ago)

six months pass...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pafGc0rzyg

Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Wednesday, 16 September 2020 14:01 (four years ago)

I was hoping this would be for the Fielder/Safdies show but this also looks dope!

unpaid intern at the darvo institute (Simon H.), Wednesday, 16 September 2020 14:06 (four years ago)

thought the bump was gonna be for this

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/16/holocaust-us-adults-study

frogbs, Wednesday, 16 September 2020 16:43 (four years ago)

two weeks pass...

Lmaooooo

pic.twitter.com/mZqobAnODd

— big time influencer guy on here (@boring_as_heck) October 2, 2020

frogbs, Saturday, 3 October 2020 16:56 (four years ago)

two weeks pass...

https://www.hbo.com/how-to-with-john-wilson

Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Thursday, 22 October 2020 18:26 (four years ago)

Starts tomorrow!

Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Thursday, 22 October 2020 18:27 (four years ago)

looks fascinating, definitely planning to watch (if i remember)

glengarry gary beers (voodoo chili), Thursday, 22 October 2020 18:59 (four years ago)

Finally, a show about New York, the quirky little city that could.

Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 22 October 2020 19:03 (four years ago)

that looks awesome

superdeep borehole (harbl), Thursday, 22 October 2020 19:04 (four years ago)

Def. intriguing!

Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 22 October 2020 19:06 (four years ago)

I'm gonna throw some money down for this because I have complete faith in Nathan's comedy instincts and he has yet to disappoint

the burrito that defined a generation, Thursday, 22 October 2020 19:11 (four years ago)

psyched for this

error prone wolf syndicate (Hadrian VIII), Thursday, 22 October 2020 21:14 (four years ago)

I worked on this! It's a culmination of my friend John's ambition of 10+ years and is amazing. Can't wait for everyone to tune in.

tomorrow, Thursday, 22 October 2020 22:39 (four years ago)

Awesome, congratulations! Always looking for something good to watch with my wife.

Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 22 October 2020 22:46 (four years ago)

wow, that's cool tomorrow! i'm definitely going to be checking it out

president of my cat (Karl Malone), Thursday, 22 October 2020 22:47 (four years ago)

36 minutes remain

president of my cat (Karl Malone), Saturday, 24 October 2020 02:24 (four years ago)

this absolutely delivers

it bangs for thee (Simon H.), Saturday, 24 October 2020 05:27 (four years ago)

Yes

Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Saturday, 24 October 2020 05:32 (four years ago)

also having just watched a second time....pretty sure that was actually Kyle maclachlan

it bangs for thee (Simon H.), Sunday, 25 October 2020 05:19 (four years ago)

for sure

Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Sunday, 25 October 2020 05:20 (four years ago)

his old shorts are still up on Vimeo:

https://vimeo.com/johnsmovies

it bangs for thee (Simon H.), Saturday, 31 October 2020 15:20 (four years ago)

New scaffolding episode is best-of-the-year tv

Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Saturday, 31 October 2020 15:51 (four years ago)

good show

johnny crunch, Sunday, 1 November 2020 00:03 (four years ago)

yup

the burrito that defined a generation, Sunday, 1 November 2020 00:40 (four years ago)

I know what I'm about to say is corny and a bit hyperbolic but it's been awhile since I've seen something like How To which makes me see the world around me in a new way, what a show

self-clowning oven (Murgatroid), Sunday, 1 November 2020 02:14 (four years ago)

How To is wonderful and this i really don't mean this as self-promo but it is weird to encounter a piece of art that feels like a cousin to our own weird thing we made this year, an interactive "game"/film/hard-to-explain for yr phone: http://www.motto.io

sean gramophone, Sunday, 1 November 2020 03:12 (four years ago)

like the same appropriation of unseasoned real-life footage, using storytelling as a way of projecting meaning, decency and sincerity onto it

sean gramophone, Sunday, 1 November 2020 03:12 (four years ago)

probably no Red Hot Chilli Pipers content though right

the burrito that defined a generation, Sunday, 1 November 2020 03:27 (four years ago)

looking forward to checking that out Sean

Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Sunday, 1 November 2020 03:48 (four years ago)

no Chi Peps but some donna summers!

sean gramophone, Sunday, 1 November 2020 16:49 (four years ago)

*summer

sean gramophone, Sunday, 1 November 2020 16:50 (four years ago)

zinoman agrees with me
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/02/arts/television/john-wilson-scaffolding-hbo.html

Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Monday, 2 November 2020 22:16 (four years ago)

my god, the end to this one.

The Beige of Dadz (Sufjan Grafton), Saturday, 7 November 2020 06:14 (four years ago)

Don't
Talk To Me
Unless
It's About
the Mandela Effect

johnny crunch, Saturday, 7 November 2020 18:02 (four years ago)

yeah this is so good. I dont want to consider it Nathan For You Jr or something, but its definitely a worthy successor

turn the jawhatthefuckever on (One Eye Open), Saturday, 7 November 2020 21:53 (four years ago)

incredible

it bangs for thee (Simon H.), Sunday, 8 November 2020 01:37 (four years ago)

this was definitely the most NFY esque one yet

it bangs for thee (Simon H.), Sunday, 8 November 2020 01:38 (four years ago)

time for a new thread
How To with John Wilson

i believe that (s)he is sincere (forksclovetofu), Sunday, 8 November 2020 03:41 (four years ago)

three weeks pass...

posted in the john wilson thread but really needs to be here too
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCNsx_NyNOU

the serious avant-garde universalist right now (forksclovetofu), Thursday, 3 December 2020 17:47 (four years ago)

two weeks pass...

never got around to any of the "On Your Side" videos; they're great
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7hE6MlFzz4

the serious avant-garde universalist right now (forksclovetofu), Monday, 21 December 2020 00:00 (four years ago)

two months pass...

this interaction is so absurd that it even made Nathan Fielder break character pic.twitter.com/bq0H0DYjg6

— Zaku May Cry (@ZinZaku) March 17, 2021

Josh in Chicago, Friday, 19 March 2021 01:15 (four years ago)

high point of the show

nobody like my rap (One Eye Open), Friday, 19 March 2021 12:21 (four years ago)

“To save their company, Cinnamon Toast Crunch needs to make cereal classy again, and what’s classier than shrimp?” pic.twitter.com/pXs2RgZh5c

— Elyza Halpern (@elyzawithawhy) March 23, 2021

G.A.G.S. (Gophers Against Getting Stuffed) (forksclovetofu), Tuesday, 23 March 2021 23:31 (four years ago)

three months pass...

https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/nathan-fielder-the-rehearsal-hbo-1235005441/

burly crafty woodsman (James Harden) vs tall ethereal phantom (forksclovetofu), Friday, 25 June 2021 20:55 (three years ago)

fuuuck yesss

intern at pelican brief consulting (Simon H.), Friday, 25 June 2021 21:01 (three years ago)

four months pass...

been rewatching this lately and man the "Smokers Allowed" episode might be one of the most meta & avant-garde episodes any comedy show has ever produced. just...really stripping down what is real and what is performance which is underscored even more by the fact that nothing interesting at all happens during the "play" itself

I do wonder about the original audience of 2 or the actors he hired - they had to know this was absurd, right? Did they play along because it was for a TV show? Did they know what the TV show was about?

frogbs, Wednesday, 17 November 2021 22:45 (three years ago)

sounds like his upcoming show has a pretty similar premise to 'smokers allowed':

“The Rehearsal’s” official description is as follows: “In a world where nothing seems to ever work out as you had hoped, Nathan Fielder gives people the opportunity to rehearse for their own lives.”

flopson, Thursday, 18 November 2021 02:41 (three years ago)

seven months pass...

https://www.vulture.com/article/nathan-fielder-rehearsal-profile.html

fpsa, Wednesday, 6 July 2022 15:10 (two years ago)

In one of the more unpleasant segments, Fielder pitches the owner of the Help Cleaning Service on an idea he says would allow her to offer “the fastest clean in the country.” At his suggestion, the owner dispatches 40 of her employees to a small apartment. Crammed into the place like clowns in a clown car, they manage to clean it in just over eight minutes. After they finish, Fielder lines them up in front of the man who lives there, a middle-aged white guy, and tells them he’s single. When the guy compliments the women on their hard work, Fielder turns to them and jokes, “If you’re lucky, he could do some hard work on you.” The women look unamused.

The owner of the housecleaning service, Kandiie Tapia, is a Mexican immigrant. She was 22 when Fielder’s producers told her they wanted to interview her about how she had built her business. She felt honored that someone wanted to share her story and called her family to tell them the good news. But after the producers rushed her through the process of signing a contract, they “flipped a switch,” she said. During the taping, she found Fielder to be rude. He was in character, but she didn’t know that, or that his technique sometimes involved getting a rise out of a subject. At one point, Tapia said, he blew his nose in a tissue and then asked her if she would throw it out for him. “You’re the Help, right?” she recalled him asking her. (No such exchange made it into the episode.) “It was a power move,” she told me. “Like he’s white and I’m a minority and I’m young.” She talked to her husband about dropping out, but he still thought the show could benefit the business. When the episode aired and Tapia realized it was a comedy, she was so embarrassed she told her family not to watch it. “If I’d known what it really was, I would have said no,” she said. “I’m not gonna go on a show voluntarily to be made fun of.”

Fielder said he was surprised and upset to learn how Tapia felt. “It kills me any time I hear people didn’t like their experience,” he said. “I remember her being very excited about it.” He didn’t recall asking her to throw out a tissue or calling her “the Help” and couldn’t imagine having done that. “I don’t want to invalidate anyone’s experience,” he said, “but I know the types of jokes I might make.” He pointed out that he is the one who is meant to look like a fool in the episode. “I definitely feel I’m the most pathetic person in everything I do.”

fpsa, Wednesday, 6 July 2022 15:11 (two years ago)

I do wonder about the original audience of 2 or the actors he hired - they had to know this was absurd, right? Did they play along because it was for a TV show? Did they know what the TV show was about?

― frogbs, Wednesday, November 17, 2021 5:45 PM (seven months ago)

It can be hard to tell just by watching the show how a given subject will feel about it. When fans debate its cringiest moments on Reddit, they sometimes cite a scene with an actress named Victoria Lynn. In that episode, Fielder stages a play at a bar in a highly impractical attempt to circumvent California’s ban on indoor smoking. Lynn was cast in one of the roles. At one point, Fielder proposes an acting exercise. He gazes into her eyes and instructs her to say “I love you.” One of the running jokes of the series is that Fielder is desperate to connect with someone, anyone, and will use his power as a television host to wheedle affirmation out of everyone he meets. “I’m not believing that at this point,” Fielder says in the episode. “Say it again.” She does. “Again,” he says. This happens 11 times, ending only when Lynn points out Fielder has tears in his eyes. Viewers have wondered whether she felt harassed or threatened, but as it turns out, she had a great experience. “He just seemed like he needed to hear ‘I love you,’ ” she told me, “and I felt really comfortable giving him that.”

fpsa, Wednesday, 6 July 2022 15:12 (two years ago)

“It kills me any time I hear people didn’t like their experience,”

cmon bro you cannot seriously believe this, the show is fucking funny, but don't act like you don't know what you're doing

global tetrahedron, Wednesday, 6 July 2022 15:27 (two years ago)

"I'm sorry if you were offended"

immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Wednesday, 6 July 2022 15:30 (two years ago)

yeah the show is unambiguously exploitative & sometimes deliberately mistreats its subjects (wasn't one of the big jokes of the Claw of Shame episode Fielder finding a way around the requests to make the parents anonymous?) - I can give it a pass sometimes because it's very funny and I do believe it tries to make Nathan himself the primary butt of the joke, but yeah there are a lot of episodes where I came away thinking "I hope he made things right with those people"

frogbs, Wednesday, 6 July 2022 15:38 (two years ago)

My kids think he's hilarious. They also like Eric André, who has maybe (?) the same kind of schtick without some of these more problematic aspects.

immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Wednesday, 6 July 2022 15:43 (two years ago)

glad the article touched on the fact that the businesses in many cases are immigrant/poc owned also

global tetrahedron, Wednesday, 6 July 2022 15:44 (two years ago)

I need to read that article. But I feel that what Nathan often exploits is the desire of people to be on television, specifically reality television, or even more basically, the desire for attention or money. Like what hoops people will jump through for free gas, or a cheap television, or to be on (or host) a dating show. Of course I don't agree that Nathan is the most pathetic figure on the show, because we know he is a character. What's pathetic is our almost pathological societal complicity whenever cameras come out. I mean, how many reality shows have any of us seen where our take away was, I can't believe the people on camera signed off on that?

Eric Andre ... he kind of falls even more into the more obnoxious category of what will people tolerate, how far can I push them, a la Borat.

Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 6 July 2022 16:41 (two years ago)

I can't remember at all, does much of Nathan for You, a few episodes aside, take place anywhere outside of Los Angeles?

Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 6 July 2022 16:42 (two years ago)

I still remember then "The Gong Show" made such a splash. It was maybe the first show expressly to exploit the desire of people to be on television and their willingness to humiliate themselves to do so.

immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Wednesday, 6 July 2022 17:00 (two years ago)

I remember watching Cops regularly when it first started and came to the realization all the perps dragged away drunk with their pants around their ankles had agreed to be shown on national TV. I think they do get paid some small amount, and maybe they were in positions that they figured a few hundred dollars was worth it, but I also came to believe that some just wanted their 15 minutes.

nickn, Wednesday, 6 July 2022 17:04 (two years ago)

absolutely cannot wait

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fjPFt8cpic

Murgatroid, Wednesday, 6 July 2022 17:36 (two years ago)

didn't know Eric Notarnicola, the main off-camera guy from On Cinema, was also involved heavily in Nathan For You

this show looks like it'll be pretty good and a natural extension of what NFY brings. but who knows. feel like there's gonna be a lot of crazy stuff in this show that they're deliberately not showing yet

frogbs, Wednesday, 6 July 2022 18:02 (two years ago)

fwiw I just noticed yesterday that NFY is available on HBO Max now for anyone who wants to revisit before the new show starts up

Clay, Wednesday, 6 July 2022 20:00 (two years ago)

Think it's almost entirely filmed in LA

One night at dinner, he agreed to show me the feat of deception that short-circuited his brain all those years ago. “It’s not that impressive,” he warned, slipping a worn business card from his wallet. “See the card?” With a flick of his wrist, the card disappeared. I asked him to do it again. Fielder smiled. “No, I’m not going to do it again.”

lol

Vinnie, Wednesday, 6 July 2022 22:50 (two years ago)

He's still got it

I was scream laughing at the trivia inception, especially "I curse the day when the Chinese invented gunpowder"

Kompakt Total Landscaping (Will M.), Saturday, 16 July 2022 07:20 (two years ago)

Spoiler tagging because I think I'd be more mad about this show getting spoiled than any twisty scifi whatever type show

Kompakt Total Landscaping (Will M.), Saturday, 16 July 2022 07:22 (two years ago)

this was amazing & this gave me anxiety

johnny crunch, Saturday, 16 July 2022 12:00 (two years ago)

what a joy.

there is nothing like this show

sean gramophone, Sunday, 17 July 2022 01:50 (two years ago)

yeah I was in heaven watching this

Clay, Sunday, 17 July 2022 01:56 (two years ago)

ok i will be the guy who asks

where do you all sit on the exploitation-ometer re this show? i felt somewhat uncomfortable with the way the friend Trish was portrayed in her introduction - and thought the trivia cheating was 50/50 - the rehearsal of an angry reaction was a fascinating addition that still didn’t justify or absolve the manipulation

i watched this with my partner who doesn’t know Nathan’s schtick - and she thought it absolutely exploited the subjects. Cole had a degree of agency in the whole thing but i’m not sure I would be stoked if I were Trish. we both work in tv and have many discussions about exploitative vs collaborative documentary film models. i know it was entertainment! i know these issues have probably been discussed to death elsewhere including probably upthread! still keen to hear some different views.

the life of a rebo band is always intense (emsworth), Sunday, 17 July 2022 02:57 (two years ago)

i feel like with "exploitation" i really want to be able to understand the harm being done: a harm beyond being embarrassed after the fact about something you understood and agreed to

i don't think these people are mocked; i think they seem human and complicated. i agree that it "uses" other people to achieve its ends, but there's a matter of degree here, and with this first episode it doesn't feel abusive. an improv show that invites a volunteer on stage (and then does something silly with them) isn't necessarily "exploitation" - although it can still be mean or embarrass about the volunteer.

if trish was mistreated over the course of this production - if she felt deceived, etc - then she'd be right to be angry and fielder would be obliged to respond to this. but with a lot of art i think that's the extent of the moral obligation: to try not to do harm; to face those who feel harm was done, if that's the case, and respond in good faith to their complaints. but you don't have a moral obligation to "avoid any circumstance where someone might feel bad."

i say this as a novelist who has used real people in his work

sean gramophone, Sunday, 17 July 2022 03:05 (two years ago)

if there is a novel about a jerk, and it becomes known that the character was inspired by a real person, the author may have a responsibility to deal with that real person face to face. but they don't have an obligation not to write that book.

sean gramophone, Sunday, 17 July 2022 03:07 (two years ago)

bad nathan friend

Guayaquil (eephus!), Sunday, 17 July 2022 03:22 (two years ago)

Xp thanks for this response Sean G, that’s really interesting - esp “avoid any circumstance where people might feel bad”, which I must admit I try to do myself! there’s something about the power imbalance between someone with access to massive budget and broadcast distribution apparatus - and people who don’t! that makes me wary. i think people often enter into relationships with media without really understanding the implications of what it means to surrender their story to an edit process.

your example of writing novels is interesting, would you agree tho that maybe there is a difference when someone is presented in a certain way in a heavily constructed “reality” show?

the intro montage of Trish’s over-talking was the one bit where i felt the editorial of the show was being actively unkind - especially given she had not agreed to participate. would be absolutely fascinated to read about Trish’s post-production interactions with the show and feelings about the experience. Presumably she had to sign off? Was paid? maybe providing that kind of insight as extra material would be an ethically cool addition, i dunno.

the life of a rebo band is always intense (emsworth), Sunday, 17 July 2022 03:43 (two years ago)

I’m not a tv insider but I always take it as a given that any time I see someone’s face & hear their voice in a show like this (i.e. not the news) they have agreed in writing and been paid at least a nominal sum

nobody like my rap (One Eye Open), Sunday, 17 July 2022 04:45 (two years ago)

i was more wondering if they showed her the cut before she signed! btw of course i do think she actually comes across really well when it counts - but definitely interested in these considerations around agency and representation.

the life of a rebo band is always intense (emsworth), Sunday, 17 July 2022 05:14 (two years ago)

https://thriftyboy.org

yes, the "stories" look hilarious but don't miss the iStock watermarks on all the preview photos

Murgatroid, Sunday, 17 July 2022 13:53 (two years ago)

this was staggeringly impressive, i couldn't believe they spend the money on the bar set.

akm, Sunday, 17 July 2022 15:19 (two years ago)

this should prob have its own thread, ill start it

johnny crunch, Sunday, 17 July 2022 16:48 (two years ago)

one year passes...

This sounds potentially amazing

https://www.indiewire.com/news/general-news/the-curse-first-look-nathan-fielder-emma-stone-flip-houses-benny-safdie-1234897207/

Guayaquil (eephus!), Monday, 21 August 2023 02:43 (one year ago)

i wonder if we'll get another season of the Rehearsal given all the HBO problems

I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Monday, 21 August 2023 14:21 (one year ago)

one month passes...

Hmm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tui5vl13Gqg

Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 12 October 2023 20:59 (one year ago)

i guess we're not getting a second season of the Rehearsal

I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Thursday, 12 October 2023 23:09 (one year ago)

but this looks great.

I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Thursday, 12 October 2023 23:09 (one year ago)

i guess we're not getting a second season of the Rehearsal

It technically was renewed for a second season (after this new show was already greenlit) so it should be coming eventually, but who knows with (HBO) MAX these days

Judi Dench's Human Hand (methanietanner), Thursday, 12 October 2023 23:24 (one year ago)

Would love if this new show was just an elaborate ruse by nate to meet Emma Stone

deep wubs and tribral rhythms (Boring, Maryland), Friday, 13 October 2023 00:42 (one year ago)

It's hard to see Nathan in a purely dramatic role — which this may not be, it's still kind of vague in the trailer — without wondering what "Nathan" is making of the whole thing.

dinnerboat, Friday, 13 October 2023 16:20 (one year ago)

the scene where he takes the $100 back from the girl is pure Nathan though

frogbs, Friday, 13 October 2023 16:32 (one year ago)

that last line was delivered in pure Nathan voice, too

ɥɯ ︵ (°□°) (mh), Friday, 13 October 2023 17:22 (one year ago)

The Curse is a genre-bending drama series that explores how an alleged curse disturbs the relationship of a newly married couple as they try to conceive a child while co-starring on their new HGTV show.

...and the creators are Nathan and Benny Safdie

this is going to go to some really dark places to be funny, isn't it?

ɥɯ ︵ (°□°) (mh), Friday, 13 October 2023 17:23 (one year ago)

one month passes...

I really liked The Curse and it certainly kept me off-balance, tonally. Fielder's conversation with the father-in-law is funny, but there's this horror film drone on the score that was unsettling--I kept waiting for something terrible to happen, some sudden abuse. Ditto the camera work--all those shots through windows, and that fantastic one in the kitchen with Stone in the mirror.

I read an review calling Emma Stone America's best "mouth actor", and she certainly has an amazing way of keeping a smile plastered on as the rest of her face starts losing control.

After it was over, my partner said, "Wow, they really can show anything on TV these days, huh?" I feel sorry for the reddit commenters who mentioned watching this with their parents.

blatherskite, Wednesday, 15 November 2023 21:07 (one year ago)

only the first episode has dropped, right?

ɥɯ ︵ (°□°) (mh), Wednesday, 15 November 2023 21:11 (one year ago)

That's right, I think it's airing weekly, ten episodes.

blatherskite, Wednesday, 15 November 2023 21:19 (one year ago)

We've only seen the first episode so far but ... yeah, this is predictably pretty fucked up. This show is like a cross between "Uncut Gems" (with long silences subbing for the yelling) and "The Rehearsal." Re: the score, this is Daniel Lopatin/ Oneohtrix Point Never, right? He did "Uncut Gems" as well.

Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 18 November 2023 21:16 (one year ago)

Was not expecting the importance of micropenii to the plot

Judi Dench's Human Hand (methanietanner), Saturday, 18 November 2023 21:34 (one year ago)

Before watching the second episode I wondered if that might be part of the title’s meaning.

Chris L, Saturday, 18 November 2023 23:45 (one year ago)

best actor in a supporting role goes to… Steven

ɥɯ ︵ (°□°) (mh), Sunday, 19 November 2023 18:00 (one year ago)

Nathan "out of character" and Emma committing to the bit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MldMVC82-Po

ernestp, Sunday, 19 November 2023 19:31 (one year ago)

Stone is so good in that first episode. And for all his supposed limitations as an actor, Fielder is doing some hard work on his own even trying to keep up with her.

Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 19 November 2023 20:27 (one year ago)

Hate to admit that so far I'm having a really hard time getting into this, but I trust Nathan enough that maybe he’s got some more tricks up his sleeve over the course of the show. Just find the satire of clueless influencer types plus sleazy reality TV guy to be really cliché & tired, feel like I’ve seen these beats so many times over the years. Really hope there ends up being more to it than that.

waste of compute (One Eye Open), Monday, 20 November 2023 13:32 (one year ago)

I sort of feel the same way, and I also don't really like the way it kind of leans harder on the Safdie brand of discomfort than the Fielder Method (even though Fielder directed a lot of it, iirc). But I trust in Fielder, since none of his projects have ended where they began. On the other hand, I think this is 10 episodes long, which is a lot for this story.

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 20 November 2023 13:39 (one year ago)

I like the show but this made me even more curious about where it's going.

saw the first three eps of the curse at NYFF and thought it was extremely whatever but when i watched the whole thing at home i realized it’s probably the best new show of the year (disclaimer: i barely watch TV). my review for @PasteMagazine https://t.co/GgKBmna1jg

— brianna (@justbrizigs) November 6, 2023

Chris L, Monday, 20 November 2023 15:28 (one year ago)

fwiw I was kind of underwhelmed by the first episode of The Rehearsal and figured the positive reaction was mostly from people who just really missed NFY. but yea not only did the show get way better/weirder it also turned out to really need a first episode like that lest the thing just make no sense whatsoever

frogbs, Monday, 20 November 2023 15:38 (one year ago)

wait is the whole thing out or no?

I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Monday, 20 November 2023 19:45 (one year ago)

no, only the first 2 of 10

ɥɯ ︵ (°□°) (mh), Monday, 20 November 2023 19:46 (one year ago)

apparently reviewers have the whole thing

ɥɯ ︵ (°□°) (mh), Monday, 20 November 2023 19:46 (one year ago)

right and very much like The Rehearsal a lot of them are saying "oh, just you wait"

frogbs, Monday, 20 November 2023 19:55 (one year ago)

Episode 4 is great. I can't stop thinking about the last scene -- I think it really gets at the core of... something.

Chris L, Sunday, 3 December 2023 16:28 (one year ago)

two weeks pass...

I can't imagine wanting to talk about this show, but I need to know that other people are watching it.

NB I'm still getting caught up, so the episode Chris L. mentioned (that ends with the corporate comedy class) is the last one that I've seen.

Dougie makes an extremely plausible alcoholic. I loved his stupid faux-soul-baring about being cursed himself ("It's the only way to explain what happened!")

The king of the demo (bernard snowy), Monday, 18 December 2023 16:01 (one year ago)

It's so, so good. I also feel like nobody else is watching it. I think maybe what it has to offer is something not that many people are interested in. I do not agree with the blurb above that calls it "a biting satirization of white guilt."

Guayaquil (eephus!), Monday, 18 December 2023 16:29 (one year ago)

It's a pretty uncomfortable show, and, what, six (?) episodes in it's a little tough to discern the precise target of its satire. Which I think it is - a satire, that is - it's just uncomfortable in multiple directions/dimensions.

Speaking of Nathan, I got my daughter a pair of Summit Ice "Deny Nothing" socks for Hanukkah.

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 18 December 2023 16:37 (one year ago)

it's a little tough to discern the precise target of its satire.

the human fucking condition, man

Guayaquil (eephus!), Monday, 18 December 2023 16:39 (one year ago)

like that's fielder's entire thing, that the painful, wince-making, difficult thing about people is that they're people

Guayaquil (eephus!), Monday, 18 December 2023 16:40 (one year ago)

I had to take a break from The Curse and will be catching up sometime this week. It was becoming a little bit too cursed

ɥɯ ︵ (°□°) (mh), Monday, 18 December 2023 16:52 (one year ago)

Honestly though! The only time so far when I've really felt like the show was "doing satire" was during the focus group, when a guy* starts rattling off his talking points against climate change, and the lady he's arguing with goes "You know I thought the show was boring while I was watching it, but I changed my mind, I like it now." That felt a little on the nose, but not unrealistic.

(And even in that scene, the show bucks convention: when they ask "Did anyone actually like the husband?" the asshole climate denier is the only person to raise his hand)

The king of the demo (bernard snowy), Monday, 18 December 2023 16:56 (one year ago)

that part was very funny

ɥɯ ︵ (°□°) (mh), Monday, 18 December 2023 17:00 (one year ago)

i'm not certain its a satire, but i also dont know what i think its doing. whatever it is, i'm not convinced yet that it needs 10 hours to get there.

having an issue with this that i have with stuff sometimes where there are elements that seem very obvious, stock, or overfamiliar, and i'll end up overthinking and getting confused about how intentional that is, how aware of it i'm expected to be, etc - if that makes any sense. i'm obviously curious about where it will end up but so far i feel totally lost at sea with it.

waste of compute (One Eye Open), Monday, 18 December 2023 17:02 (one year ago)

there are a lot of semi-satirical points in the episodes I’ve watched. all the people asking them if the mirror house is related to the work of an artist who had a similar concept, the constant talk about how they’re enabling people and then immediately fretting how those same people are doing it wrong

they don’t want to help people, they want the perception that they’re celebrities helping people. and they’re not succeeding at either! they’d be effective in one of those goals if they just did what was prescribed at the beginning: shout at someone that you have a small penis and move on with your life, imo

ɥɯ ︵ (°□°) (mh), Monday, 18 December 2023 17:05 (one year ago)

I just got done watching episode 7 and I'm a little confused... I was listening to a podcast host who had already seen the advance screeners and said it gets really weird and funny in episodes 6&7, but that was not my experience at all. And also those episodes are 10-15 minutes shorter than all the others. I'm wondering if they may have been recut at some point?

The king of the demo (bernard snowy), Saturday, 23 December 2023 19:10 (one year ago)

I think the thing that I ponder the most is how different characters perceive the existence of a reality tv production intersecting their lives. A different show might be too on the nose and have a populace that fawns over the characters in an attempt to glom on to
fame, or more people reacting with outright disgust

Having most people see this as benignly annoying or malignant but not overly threatening, or not have any opinion whatsoever, is something Fielder’s brought to the table. All of the supporting cast here is just viewing this as a curiosity that probably won’t affect their lives in any particular way.

I liked seeing that one actor as the sweaty prospective homebuyer husband. He’s got a great look

ɥɯ ︵ (°□°) (mh), Saturday, 23 December 2023 19:30 (one year ago)

Yeah the fake homebuyers were probably the highlight of the series so far. "Can we do another one where you don't touch your belly" lol

The king of the demo (bernard snowy), Saturday, 23 December 2023 19:41 (one year ago)

the complete lack of commentary on the guy giving his wife a look and then bursting into song was excellent

ɥɯ ︵ (°□°) (mh), Saturday, 23 December 2023 21:17 (one year ago)

It should finally be noted here that Emma Stone is giving an all-time great performance in this.

I’m also loving the use of Alice Coltrane music.

Chris L, Sunday, 24 December 2023 14:23 (one year ago)

Stone is incredible in this, but now that we're caught up we still have no idea where this is going. Death?

Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 24 December 2023 14:35 (one year ago)

Yes came here to exclaim about Stone's amazing acting here, I really don't know much about her and had no idea she was this good

Guayaquil (eephus!), Sunday, 24 December 2023 16:42 (one year ago)

that conversation with the native artist had so many twists and turns and Stone’s expressions were so awkward and on point

ɥɯ ︵ (°□°) (mh), Sunday, 24 December 2023 17:43 (one year ago)

Episode 8 definitely bringing the lols. I love how when Brett is making up fake profound Native spiritual shit to troll Whitney, you can tell by her face that she isn't really buying it, she kinda wants to call his bluff (or at least say "I don't understand"), but she weighs her options and lands on the fake earnestness that is her default setting ("... That was beautiful")

The king of the demo (bernard snowy), Tuesday, 2 January 2024 15:00 (one year ago)

I think she's thinking "wow, this seems really stereotypical but it's not my place to question it."

Chris L, Tuesday, 2 January 2024 15:06 (one year ago)

Right, which is why it's such good trolling.

The king of the demo (bernard snowy), Tuesday, 2 January 2024 15:08 (one year ago)

Dougie is really becoming an archetype for how I think of sleazy reality TV producers. I think his contempt for Asher stems from Asher having a humiliation fetish and being unwilling to call out Dougie's bullying for what it is.

Chris L, Tuesday, 2 January 2024 15:19 (one year ago)

"I can't *make* you do anything if some part of you doesn't already want to do it" = the reality TV producer code of ethics in its entirety

The king of the demo (bernard snowy), Tuesday, 2 January 2024 15:36 (one year ago)

I worked in reality for years (editor) and knew many producers. None of them were like Dougie. We all knew we were making trash for the most part but had fun on the usually very short ride that was a series or pilot. People like Whitney and Asher, though? Dime a dozen.
Have to say Emma Stone is excellent in this.

completely suited to the horny decadence (Capitaine Jay Vee), Tuesday, 2 January 2024 18:00 (one year ago)

I both like and cringe every time the show tries to define Dougie. He's very amorphous in that he seems to want to make a sleazy show, seems to actually be interested in people tangential or not in the show, but he's only ever identifiable as "the guy with the dead wife" (do not ask about her)

ɥɯ ︵ (°□°) (mh), Tuesday, 2 January 2024 18:29 (one year ago)

He's a guy who goes to the liquor store in a blackout, buys booze for teens when they ask him, but then forces them to hang out with him and endure lectures about how he killed his wife while driving drunk. What's not to get?

The king of the demo (bernard snowy), Tuesday, 2 January 2024 19:48 (one year ago)

He's sad and lonely and (as he tells his date in an early episode) he doesn't feel like himself unless he's busy with work. He must be vaguely aware that a lot of his creative choices (starting with the menthol in the eyes) are things that would strike the average HGTV viewer as manipulative or cruel, but he views it as a sign of his professionalism that he is able to do the work without ever feeling squeamish.

The king of the demo (bernard snowy), Tuesday, 2 January 2024 19:57 (one year ago)

Okay I just saw another comment re: Dougie's compulsive breathalyzing that made a lot of sense to me. He's obviously traumatized by the car crash that killed his wife, and he's also heavily invested in the idea that the crash was not his fault because he wasn't impaired in any way when it happened. Successful drunk driving is a way he tries to prove his innocence to himself. Each time he blows above .07 and still makes it to wherever he's going, it shows that he's a good drunk driver, not a dangerous one.

The king of the demo (bernard snowy), Wednesday, 3 January 2024 14:03 (one year ago)

This show is so strange and hard to pin down, and even eight or so episodes in, whatever it is up to, its characters are still defining themselves. Asher is basically a meek, insecure lifetime bullying victim trying to reinvent himself as an alpha dude. Whitney is a seemingly not self aware victimizer (at least in the aggressive white privilege sense) trying to mold herself into a well making exemplar. And then there's Dougie, who is a lot more self-aware, totally steeped in self-loathing, boiling in a stew of denial and self-destruction. Their collective motivations are a fascinating muddle of complex contradictions.

I think Asher may be the most mysterious to me. As Fielder portrays him, he seems to recognize when people are fucking with him, and he's doing real time calculations to try and determine how much he is willing to take to achieve his transformation.

Josh in Chicago, Friday, 5 January 2024 17:12 (one year ago)

i dont believe anyone actually likes this show they are just stockholmed syndrome'd by nathan

kurt schwitterz, Friday, 5 January 2024 17:50 (one year ago)

i think this because it kinda sucks and is boring

kurt schwitterz, Friday, 5 January 2024 17:51 (one year ago)

i dont believe anyone actually likes this show they are just stockholmed syndrome'd by nathan

― kurt schwitterz, Friday, January 5, 2024 bookmarkflaglink

I'm generally not a fan of Fielder, but I started watching this... idk I guess out of peer pressure? There are moments/episodes where I love how smart/funny it is. And others where the discomfort is too discomfiting. I had a hard time with the last episode. I'm in it to the end at this point though I'm not totally convinced it will have been worth it.

sctttnnnt (pgwp), Friday, 5 January 2024 19:43 (one year ago)

It's funny to dislike nearly every TV show and then get accused of performatively liking one of them.

Chris L, Friday, 5 January 2024 21:12 (one year ago)

i dont believe anyone actually likes this show they are just stockholmed syndrome'd by nathan

― kurt schwitterz, Friday, January 5, 2024 12:50 PM (eight hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

i think this because it kinda sucks and is boring

― kurt schwitterz, Friday, January 5, 2024 12:51 PM (eight hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

this is otm.. i am pot committed at this point so will watch ep 10 but i expect to still think it sux

johnny crunch, Saturday, 6 January 2024 02:02 (one year ago)

Latest episode was even more twisted. Things are shifting ... somewhere.

Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 6 January 2024 03:18 (one year ago)

Are you talking about ep 8 (with the smoke detector batteries, and the arms dealing art collector) or is there a newer one out? I can never keep track of when this releases

The king of the demo (bernard snowy), Saturday, 6 January 2024 13:39 (one year ago)

9. It came out yesterday.

Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 6 January 2024 14:37 (one year ago)

I was a few eps behind and watched 3 in a row to get caught up today. Put me in a weird headspace, but I like this show and think it’s good and interesting. Can totally get not liking it, I think I’d be hesitant to recommend it to most, but it’s compelling to me ymmv.

circa1916, Saturday, 6 January 2024 23:23 (one year ago)

I had to pause this after episode 5, think I’ll wait until I can watch the remaining episodes in (relatively) quick succession. Watching them week by week just left me feeling “so what?” after each one, like the mains are just repeating the same character beats over & over & over again.

The last ep I watched was when she walked over to the neighbors house to talk about amazon package theft, and iirc we are shown her entire stroll over there in real time and idk, after so many hours of scenes like that overlaid with ominous synth music it started to feel like wheel-spinning. the characters are well-constructed and the performances are good but it might just fundamentally be too long for me.

waste of compute (One Eye Open), Monday, 8 January 2024 14:58 (one year ago)

I think there's been enough movement but it's a slow build for sure - also it didn't help that it's been impossible to figure out what any build that's building might be building to! I've been enjoying it.

Evan, Monday, 8 January 2024 15:20 (one year ago)

Despite liking it ("enjoying" is the wrong word), based on where the show is now I still can't really justify the number of episodes. This probably would have worked as well with, say, six episodes. Then again, they would have probably had to cut down all those really slow, long scenes of, like, people standing there in shock, just staring in silence.

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 8 January 2024 15:45 (one year ago)

I loooove all the slow push-ins. Someone compared the camerawork to Tarkovsky, which is somehow both lol and otm

The king of the demo (bernard snowy), Monday, 8 January 2024 16:07 (one year ago)

There are definitely some experiments with pacing. That sequence at the beginning of one episode with Dougie looking for something lasts for about 10 minutes. Then I think episode 6 is just over 30 minutes long.

The ending of episode 9 reminded me of the intensity of something like Scenes from a Marriage, albeit with vastly different character emotions.

Chris L, Monday, 8 January 2024 16:45 (one year ago)

Is next week the last episode?

sctttnnnt (pgwp), Monday, 8 January 2024 16:50 (one year ago)

Yes, episode 10.

Chris L, Monday, 8 January 2024 17:13 (one year ago)

ok, halfway through e8 and there have been ten minutes of solid jokes

the native artist’s friend hamming it up was killing me

ɥɯ ︵ (°□°) (mh), Monday, 8 January 2024 18:32 (one year ago)

We'll see how it ends but in general I've been wondering how much of Emma's character is a broad parody of what would happen if rich, extremely online liberals tried to put their vision of the world to practice with as much nuance as the tweets and retweets that shaped it (with the best of intentions by all means but really ill-equipped when managing expectations) or if it's primarily just about a particular character that is especially delusional and lacking self awareness?

Evan, Monday, 8 January 2024 19:22 (one year ago)

^ Not a dig at liberal beliefs or anything just a observation about the caricature the show feels like it's conveying through her imo

Evan, Monday, 8 January 2024 19:27 (one year ago)

a friend who has watched a lot of reality shows, although more the Bravo-style ones than the HGTV ones, is checking out The Curse now. I'll see what they think.

ɥɯ ︵ (°□°) (mh), Monday, 8 January 2024 19:33 (one year ago)

i cant believe i'm only just now remembering that IRL i used to know an eerily similar couple who briefly had a HGTV home-flipping show like this, even down to the fact that their whole thing was funded by massive family wealth that they worked hard to keep secret. idk how The Curse will turn out but in this case the marriage did not survive the show

waste of compute (One Eye Open), Monday, 8 January 2024 21:38 (one year ago)

spoilers!

Evan, Monday, 8 January 2024 21:38 (one year ago)

I just rewatched the last 3 eps with my gf to get her all caught up for the finale. I think my new favorite scene is the one where Whitney and Asher have just come home from bowling, and Whitney overhears Asher pleasuring himself(?) while having an imaginary conversation with his former coworker, the way it just drags on and on, it's so good. And then the last line I hadn't previously caught until we watched with captions on: "That's whose wife you want to fuck. The whistleblower's wife."

The king of the demo (bernard snowy), Wednesday, 10 January 2024 17:40 (one year ago)

OH SHIT I was totally unable to make out the dialogue, it was so quiet, thank you for explaining this to me

Guayaquil (eephus!), Wednesday, 10 January 2024 17:43 (one year ago)

I ended up rewinding a bit and turning captions on too.

nickn, Wednesday, 10 January 2024 17:48 (one year ago)

I say this after nearly episode to my partner, but: goddamn, Emma Stone. That scene is my favorite as well--all those micro changes in her expression as she overhears Asher in the bathroom. And she has so many exquisite forms of "performative enthusiasm" that seem so cringy in Whitney's "off camera" interactions, but you can see why they make her look like a pro in the HGTV clips. Excited for and dreading the finale--Whitney looked a bit terrified in the final scene when Asher says "good girl".

I'm glad she won the Golden Globe for Poor Things, which I loved, but I think I might like this performance a bit more.

blatherskite, Wednesday, 10 January 2024 17:57 (one year ago)

I love how "that's beautiful" or "that was beautiful" has just become the ultimate recurring signifier of empty, meaningless praise on this show, culminating in Dougie saying it after Asher had his meltdown in the hotel room.

also: does Asher even have that small of a dick? I guess the implication here is that's where his cuckold fetish comes from. seems more likely someone just told him that he had a micropenis and he just believed it.

Evans on Hammond (evol j), Wednesday, 10 January 2024 18:39 (one year ago)

I dunno, I think it's supposed to be pretty small. But that's also the contrast between him and his fellow little weiner father in law. Is alpha father in law embraces it, but Asher (it's implied) can't get beyond it, because his alpha aspirations are so weak and insincere. He's constantly struggling where his wife is striving.

Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 10 January 2024 18:44 (one year ago)

In a show full of amazing vignettes it's possible their attempt to replay the sweater-pulling moment is my very favorite, good god

Guayaquil (eephus!), Wednesday, 10 January 2024 18:44 (one year ago)

they show him peeing in the first episode, guys

he's just an insecure guy who has some hang-ups that other people are not doing anything to disabuse him of. makes that breakdown at the end of the most recent episode even more glaring, in that instead of taking responsibility for his shortcomings (social and relationship, not... you know) he's capitulating to being whatever Whiney wants him to be. a strong Jester, if you will

ɥɯ ︵ (°□°) (mh), Wednesday, 10 January 2024 19:00 (one year ago)

Which is a weird swerve for this show/character to take so close to the end. And on that note, Benny made some comment about not ruling out a second season, so my hopes for any sort of closure are dimming. I've liked this show, but its memorable peaks have admittedly been relatively few and far between. Dynamic it is not.

Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 10 January 2024 19:05 (one year ago)

his alpha aspirations

i didn't really get this vibe from the character. to me, "alpha" necessarily implies a particular toxic masculinity which i don't really see asher aspiring to. the father-in-law, on the other hand, would fit that definition but it's clear that asher is uncomfortable with him. i think if he were truly aspiring to be an alpha male, he'd be sucking up to the father-in-law whether whitney liked it or not

he's got some serious anger/inadequacy/dependency issues and he+whitney are terrible for each other. but i read the scenes where he's trying to stand up for himself as a deeply insecure guy sincerely attempting to fake-it-until-you-make-it with self-confidence

butch wig (diamonddave85), Wednesday, 10 January 2024 20:30 (one year ago)

something is setting off alarms in me about nathan always putting uncomfortable sex stuff in his shows (the sex box with the kid and the pants coming off in front of the kids in nfy and now this cuck stuff in curse) it's so offputting lol. he's definitely trying to tell us something.

kurt schwitterz, Wednesday, 10 January 2024 20:35 (one year ago)

Not sure where people are getting cuck stuff from, clearly his kink is hotwifing

The king of the demo (bernard snowy), Wednesday, 10 January 2024 21:02 (one year ago)

lol

ɥɯ ︵ (°□°) (mh), Wednesday, 10 January 2024 21:21 (one year ago)

Well holy shit

Deverly (Bangelo), Friday, 12 January 2024 08:28 (one year ago)

what the hell

fpsa, Friday, 12 January 2024 17:08 (one year ago)

That was unreal.

Chris L, Friday, 12 January 2024 22:46 (one year ago)

I guess you could say the curse was lifted.

Chris L, Friday, 12 January 2024 23:34 (one year ago)

Wow

johnny crunch, Saturday, 13 January 2024 00:54 (one year ago)

Wild

Judi Dench's Human Hand (methanietanner), Saturday, 13 January 2024 01:30 (one year ago)

With “The Curse” ending on Jan. 12, Safdie isn’t sure about a second season. “There’s a lot more fun to be had in this world. It’s not off the table,” he says. “There are ideas, but it’s definitely too premature to put them out into the world.”

johnny crunch, Saturday, 13 January 2024 03:17 (one year ago)

Well that was a very satisfying on-screen translation of something that I've spent large amounts of idle time imagining throughout my life.

The king of the demo (bernard snowy), Saturday, 13 January 2024 04:21 (one year ago)

Uh

sctttnnnt (pgwp), Saturday, 13 January 2024 04:46 (one year ago)

I knew there was no way I could guess what was going to happen this episode and I was right.

Chyiv Kyiv (Fetchboy), Saturday, 13 January 2024 05:11 (one year ago)

I just don’t even know how to react to it. I’m trying to decide if it was all just a big troll.

sctttnnnt (pgwp), Saturday, 13 January 2024 05:34 (one year ago)

My interpretation

a curse was placed on Whitney at some point due to her and her parents being slum lords. That curse is lifted when she agrees to give away a house for no charge — even paying the property taxes — as Asher’s “gift” to her. Asher unwittingly seals his fate here though as he is Whitney’s curse. So as the physical manifestation of that curse, once it’s lifted he is physically removed as well.

Chris L, Saturday, 13 January 2024 12:56 (one year ago)

hmmm...I like this interpretation.

completely suited to the horny decadence (Capitaine Jay Vee), Saturday, 13 January 2024 15:44 (one year ago)

God DAMN this was good.

Guayaquil (eephus!), Saturday, 13 January 2024 19:57 (one year ago)

I'm ... at a loss.

Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 13 January 2024 22:54 (one year ago)

the scene regarding the “gift” was great, though. is this wanted? is it actually a burden and not a gift? the recipient seemed to understand a lot more about the implications and it answered the question about whether Whitney and Asher ever understood anything about what housing means as a basic need and the struggles people face. they don’t!

pretty funny after finding out that Whitney tried to shrug off her parents having an actual problem tenant. the way to not be a slumlord is to just let people do whatever and eat the cost and that makes you good. keep paying for those pants

ɥɯ ︵ (°□°) (mh), Saturday, 13 January 2024 23:10 (one year ago)

the scene regarding the “gift” was great, though. is this wanted? is it actually a burden and not a gift?

I think the point is that it is an act of aggression from Asher, him telling her he knows this is what she would want when he knows it's NOT AT ALL what she wants but it's what she has to assert that she wants lest her entire concept-edifice break down; but she fights back, not letting the edifice break down, not breaking character and acting the part of the person who wants to give the house away, COLLABORATING with Abshir in denying Asher the whatever-it-is he's going for

Guayaquil (eephus!), Saturday, 13 January 2024 23:31 (one year ago)

oh I was referring to the man receiving the house as the gift receiver. from Asher to Whitney, it’s definitely him doing what she’s telegraphed but her moral compass doesn’t actually point anywhere because she just does something other than what she thinks is wrong

which means a different, also wrong thing

ɥɯ ︵ (°□°) (mh), Saturday, 13 January 2024 23:40 (one year ago)

Per that hidden text up there, I think Asher was, or may have been, her curse, but the curse is (literally) lifted because Dougie (re)curses Asher, sucking him up to space. Granted, that (re)curse happened months before this final episode, and I'm totally stumped at what the unseen dynamics of the previous many months (after Asher's meltdown) might have been like, or even where their relationship stands at the start of this one. And the show was apparently a success? Kinda unclear. Of course, if the show were not called The Curse I'm not sure how much we're supposed to be seriously considering the curse stuff at all. For sure I was not expecting the explicit turn to magic realism, though I'm not at all sure what it's supposed to mean. I guess in the best way.

Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 13 January 2024 23:40 (one year ago)

in the moment, she can’t come up with a reason why gifting Abshir the house is wrong. but Abshir makes it clear that it’s not ideal and she definitely feels vindicated. it’s Asher’s pants moment

ɥɯ ︵ (°□°) (mh), Saturday, 13 January 2024 23:41 (one year ago)

well that was weirdly moving, cathartic even

karl...arlk...rlka...lkar..., Monday, 15 January 2024 01:03 (one year ago)

I think there has to be some significance from Asher getting pulled away at that particular moment, right after giving away the house. If there is a curse that is lifted by that specific act, I don't think the recipient has to be grateful under the terms of the curse. It just has to be a major action that they receive zero benefit from, not even the feeling of satisfaction of the recipient being grateful.

I don't think Dougie has the ability(?) to curse Asher. Him believing he did is meant to compound the guilt and torture he already lives with.

Chris L, Monday, 15 January 2024 16:19 (one year ago)

Also, I think Judaism factors in to what happens but I don’t know enough to theorize.

Chris L, Monday, 15 January 2024 17:30 (one year ago)

Unpacking this show's relation to Jewish thought would require.... a serious man

The king of the demo (bernard snowy), Monday, 15 January 2024 19:05 (one year ago)

Don’t know if the Alice Coltrane song playing had any significance but this was some sub Kaufmanesque shit…I mean seriously

X-Prince Protégé (sonnyboy), Monday, 15 January 2024 20:46 (one year ago)

I felt like Dougie’s breakdown at the end wasn’t because he felt responsible for cursing Asher. I think he was finally accepting that he had been a huge asshole, all the way up to the previous few hours. Compared, say, to his inability to take any responsibility for his wife’s death.

sctttnnnt (pgwp), Monday, 15 January 2024 22:34 (one year ago)

I haven't gone back and checked the exact chronology of events on screen (and maybe they're not shown in strict order anyway) but my immediate thoughts are that Asher is reborn as their own son David, and the curse therefore is being the baby to Whitney that he always aspired to be, and of course more generally samsara, or gilgul in Judaism. On the other hand, perhaps the good deed that he did for Abshir ensures he will be born to a loving mother, and exactly who he would have chosen.* This also fits in with my own impression that Asher's fate cannot be described as purely negative or a punishment as such - look how it's portrayed, the strange peace and transcendence (literally heh) and magnificence he achieves; he is the first human being in history to do that, or perhaps he is a modern day Elijah. John the Baptist is sometimes considered the reincarnation of Elijah based on Jesus' ambiguous words in Matthew 17:12-13, and John has come to prepare the way for Jesus, who was often referred to as "the new David", and of course "the son of David". So Asher has had greatness thrust upon him, like Jesus in Gethsemane, and maybe this is the curse, that he is being used for a higher purpose.

*I know that it's tempting to regard this as a humiliating sexual kink only, but I think Asher's psychological need for love and acceptance, as well as the general Freudian ideas of all men needing their wives to be their mothers, does elevate it to a more noble plane, potentially, if we choose to see it that way... It could however lead perfectly into the main comic horror theme for a second season if Whitney begins to realise that David is Asher reincarnated...

glumdalclitch, Wednesday, 17 January 2024 23:22 (one year ago)

i just started watching this and blazed through 3 episodes in one afternoon on my day off. will go back and read thread when i am caught up!!

Piggy Lepton (La Lechera), Thursday, 18 January 2024 00:14 (one year ago)

I finished it last night. Wowee!

jaymc, Thursday, 18 January 2024 00:15 (one year ago)

usually shows that have this many anxiety-inducing moments in just the first twenty minutes of the episode stress me out but I'm engrossed instead.

ok finishing ep 1!

Disco Biollante (Neanderthal), Thursday, 18 January 2024 04:21 (one year ago)

Nathan Fielder is dripping slime

Disco Biollante (Neanderthal), Thursday, 18 January 2024 04:23 (one year ago)

Asher's "you're not validating me" tirade equal parts uncomfortable and yet funny in its patheticness

I like how they're both bad people in very different ways.

Disco Biollante (Neanderthal), Friday, 19 January 2024 01:07 (one year ago)

i’ve binged this past week & am on episode 9

re the bowling scene: asher wearing the bowling glove made me lol so hard. the accuracy of that small detail fits so perfectly with how much of a total knob he is

werewolves of laudanum (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 19 January 2024 02:24 (one year ago)

In retrospect I feel like this show would be better as a binge than a weekly drip.

sctttnnnt (pgwp), Friday, 19 January 2024 04:56 (one year ago)

finale: i feel like i was just tricked into going to a live improv show without my consent

somehow i knew this would happen
and yet i am still mildly annoyed lol

werewolves of laudanum (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 19 January 2024 07:18 (one year ago)

It's great as a binge!! I finished ep 8 and so far the time during this entire show when i was the most stressed out was when Dougie was driving. Esp when they were rapping/Dougie wouldn't stop holding up the magazine. I noticed that we know so little about Asher -- we know primarily 3 things:
He went to camp with Dougie as a kid and was bullied by him, he worked in a casino and laughed at an addict, and he came to the Southwest because of a prior relationship that didn't work out. Oh and that he has a small penis but that is ongoing, not backstory

Oh I also got a little nervous during the art party bc Cara and the elevator man?

Piggy Lepton (La Lechera), Friday, 19 January 2024 15:52 (one year ago)

Whatever you think about the finale, a lot of the talk I saw of this show was about how no one was watching it, now I see a bunch of people catching up.

Chris L, Friday, 19 January 2024 16:42 (one year ago)

yeah i think the fact that it's interesting to talk about is drawing some people in that otherwise would've skipped it b/c it can be so uncomfortable to watch. my friend said she literally has to look away from the screen sometimes, which i find relatable. i found myself checking texts and stuff to avoid having to watch certain conversations play out

karl...arlk...rlka...lkar..., Friday, 19 January 2024 17:23 (one year ago)

I was drawn in by being told it had the pace of Uncut Gems and was set in a place we had literally just passed through on a trip to NM. I got a lot more than I bargained for to say the least.

I haven’t watched the last two eps yet and I keep wondering about Asher and how he got that way — what’s his family like? What was the failed relationship like? How did he and Whitney meet? I loved Dougie’s line about cosplaying as a good guy. Dougie otm.

Piggy Lepton (La Lechera), Friday, 19 January 2024 18:05 (one year ago)

i saw a couple of ilxors talk about it on social media elsewhere, and learned that it was a fictional drama which interested me
before that i had assumed it was more like nathan for you

overall i liked it more than i expected to
but i see now that it is prob 90% red herrings & 10% actual story lol

werewolves of laudanum (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 19 January 2024 18:33 (one year ago)

the interpersonal relationship stuff was so well observed

i think that’s what ultimately kept me watching

werewolves of laudanum (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 19 January 2024 18:34 (one year ago)

Whatever you think about the finale, a lot of the talk I saw of this show was about how no one was watching it, now I see a bunch of people catching up.

― Chris L, Friday, January 19, 2024 10:42 AM (two hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Speaking personally, I knew I wanted to watch this show from the moment it was announced, but I waited until this month to sign up for a Paramount Plus With Showtime subscription so I could binge it and then cancel the sub.

jaymc, Friday, 19 January 2024 18:50 (one year ago)

Man Asher is an asshole and a bad husband but the shit Whit did to him in Ep 9 with the pottery video bombshell is still mega cruel.

Disco Biollante (Neanderthal), Monday, 22 January 2024 06:27 (one year ago)

And then he manages to do something to make me like him even less lol

Disco Biollante (Neanderthal), Monday, 22 January 2024 06:31 (one year ago)

Started in and am existentially bummed out because in the early 1990s I spent some time in the San Luis Valley/Southern CO/Northern NM territory and miss what it was like 30 years ago. The Rio Grande Cafe on the old Los Alamos Hwy in Espanola had the most amazing huevos rancheros.

Elvis Telecom, Monday, 22 January 2024 07:04 (one year ago)

HOLY FUCK the finale

never trust a big book and a simile (Neanderthal), Tuesday, 23 January 2024 04:30 (one year ago)

How can you guys binge this?? I watched one episode and had to shower and take an anti-anxiety

flamboyant goon tie included, Tuesday, 23 January 2024 04:34 (one year ago)

i actually often would distract myself on my phone while watching.

never trust a big book and a simile (Neanderthal), Tuesday, 23 January 2024 04:34 (one year ago)

leave it to Vanity Fair to have the worst take on the finale lmao

never trust a big book and a simile (Neanderthal), Tuesday, 23 January 2024 04:37 (one year ago)

idk i kind of agreed w him

werewolves of laudanum (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 23 January 2024 04:43 (one year ago)

the part at the end where the doctor asks if Whitney wants to see if her husband has arrived and she hesitates and says "sure" was a great moment for Emma Stone. she was caught up in the panic of the horrific situation with Asher and being in excruciating pain but she feels free without him, he's an afterthought now that she has her beautiful baby, and won't be tied down by him and his desperate attempts to abase himself for her.

never trust a big book and a simile (Neanderthal), Tuesday, 23 January 2024 04:44 (one year ago)

also the moment where Whitney mocks Asher for being such a nice guy and his 'there will be consequences' tough guy act was equal parts funny and devastating, like masterful moment from Emma Stone there as well

anyway I loved the finale. lot to ponder on, but the sheer absurd horror of it is something I'll not soon forget

never trust a big book and a simile (Neanderthal), Tuesday, 23 January 2024 04:46 (one year ago)

I can’t say watching this show gave me noticeable anxiety? I binged without incident.

Haven’t read anything about the ending but did have some interesting convos about it. I keep thinking about all the things in the last ep, not the least of which was that charade about the house & Abshir.

Piggy Lepton (La Lechera), Tuesday, 23 January 2024 14:04 (one year ago)

they were so grossly patronizing to Abshir throughout the whole thing and he was one of the most normal people in the entire show

ɥɯ ︵ (°□°) (mh), Tuesday, 23 January 2024 14:07 (one year ago)

That model with the tiny figures of them waving outside…

Piggy Lepton (La Lechera), Tuesday, 23 January 2024 14:19 (one year ago)

I loved watching their faces when he asked about the property taxes.

Piggy Lepton (La Lechera), Tuesday, 23 January 2024 14:20 (one year ago)

yeah that whole sequence was great.

"it's ok if you need to cry"
"no, it's just dust"

never trust a big book and a simile (Neanderthal), Tuesday, 23 January 2024 15:08 (one year ago)

they were so grossly patronizing to Abshir throughout the whole thing and he was one of the most normal people in the entire show

― ɥɯ ︵ (°□°) (mh), Tuesday, January 23, 2024 9:07 AM bookmarkflaglink

yeah like sending him to a chiropractor that ignores his cries that he's in extreme pain and keeps working on him until he nearly passes out.

very much 'stop helping'!

never trust a big book and a simile (Neanderthal), Tuesday, 23 January 2024 15:09 (one year ago)

I read the VF review and actually do not agree at all. I think it's easy to assume it was a Mad Men-style fantasy weirdo cop out, but then what to make of the final shot being almost identical to 2001, with the baby/star child floating in space in the same position as Asher?

I was trying to make sense of the lack of narrative resolution to so many of the threads and what i noticed was the one thread running throughout the show was ART. Whitney was convinced she was making art. She was different from her parents bc she was an artist and they were just bad landlords. In the final ep she angrily notes that Cara gets a NYT writeup for "quitting art" and she's stuck on reality tv. Architectural art, coffee art, fashion (jeans) art, performance art, art buyers and sellers, Native art, conceptual art, artlessness and artfulness, art and artifice (like the eye drops), art and activism -- I feel like I had a better thesis at some point but I do see a throughline from the beginning of the series through the last episode that seems very intentional, not lazy absurdism as the VF writer implies.

Piggy Lepton (La Lechera), Tuesday, 23 January 2024 21:13 (one year ago)

That sort of total dismissal is what's lazy.

Chris L, Tuesday, 23 January 2024 21:31 (one year ago)

precisely, and I never really felt like this was a tightly-plotted show, like a Breaking Bad that had you wondering what development was coming next - which was refreshing, because I could just watch and not fight my brain trying to figure out what was coming next.

Asher/Whitney were like a patch of weeds growing in the middle of a garden, growing larger while continuing to insist that they're not destroying the garden, and my "enjoyment" of the show was seeing them faceplant in handling challenge after challenge because their intentions aren't pure and that sullies everything they do. Española grows more tainted through every interaction with them, such as Whitney almost arriving at the right solution for the jeans theft ("we should be focused on de-escalating") but for the wrong reasons (wanting to keep crime in Española out of the press), which leads to a far-fetched solution nobody actually wanted, which actually makes things much worse for everybody involved.

I like your point about artifice because that's all it is - their marriage is stage managed by Dougie and HGTV! The shops can only remain open if the show is picked up, and to ensure the show gets picked up, they have to tread a fine line of creating enough fabricated friction to make the it interesting but not too much to where people don't like them, which leads them to make a lot of rash decisions that play well for a tv bit but make life worse for everybody long-term, including themselves.

Asher abases himself to atone for being Whit's curse, they seem to finally reach the finish line, and then their show gets picked up and it's not even a victory lap, they're second fiddle to Vincent Pastore on Rachael Ray, they're financially struggling to turn what they do into a living without the aid of Whit's parents, and their relationship is still fractured, even if Asher is a bit oblivious to it.

his last pickle being one he ultimately can't escape is kind of artistically brilliant - he can't get helped to safety because everybody misinterprets what's happening based on who he is and has been to this point (Dougie thinking he's shirking parenthood, for example), only to send him careening upwards to his death.

never trust a big book and a simile (Neanderthal), Tuesday, 23 January 2024 21:45 (one year ago)

that VF article is pretty bad!
David Lynch has some ideas on that:
https://archive.org/details/ConsciousnessCreativityAndTheBrain around 00:13:00

fpsa, Tuesday, 23 January 2024 22:55 (one year ago)

I think one of the running threads is how Asher even fits into this other than being “the husband” and trying to use his incredibly limited social, sexual, and handyman capital never works out. He’s just a normal guy who is kind of a jerk but hey, he’s kept it level enough to get married and that’s the american man second act.

He constantly seems like he’s trying to not even be relevant, just keep himself tethered to this marriage, tv show, partial friendship with Dougie, but… his tethers all fail

I think that’s the second phase of the unfocused american man, the child (after the marriage, precluding a successful career) and as his child is born…

Working off of a very cliched stereotype of “american man” here, as reality shows will

ɥɯ ︵ (°□°) (mh), Wednesday, 24 January 2024 03:47 (one year ago)

I’m halfway through, and kinda squint-scrolling this thread so as not to spoil anything

This show gives me such anxiety, like Portlandia before it (I like this show better than Portlandia, so far, but it does feel like an extended sketch from that world). I described the show to my brother today as Nihilist Mon Oncle

Asher’s first visit to the comedy workshop reminded me of a game I invented years ago that I called Bob Saget, I just made it up at an afternoon picnic table party thing, you go round in a circle and plainly say a funny word, and then everybody votes out the loser (who doesn’t have to leave, but has to drink). The following round, the goal is to say an unfunny word, and the loser is who fails and inadvertently says something funny. As the loser drinks, everybody pounds the table and says “Bob Saget”

Anyway, the entire comedy workshop sequence reminded me of that game, that Asher’s contribution was so extremely unfunny, and it felt like this was in fact the format for much of Fielder’s comedy language, to set up a joke, and then deliver the least-funny imaginable punchline

flamboyant goon tie included, Friday, 26 January 2024 06:34 (one year ago)

I think if we retroactively look for signs of something supernatural going on, the comedy class is a possible example. It's a scene that unsettles a lot of people, me included. Asher is unable to contribute anything at all when it's his turn; his outburst has nothing to do with the rules of the game, and comes after he fails to come up with anything at all. It seems he's physically incapable of being a likable person -- the only person who seems to have ever found him funny and charming is Whitney, for reasons unknown -- and his reaction betrays some intense inner struggle.

Chris L, Friday, 26 January 2024 07:03 (one year ago)

At least Charlie Kaufman makes his intentions perfectly clear from the get go and doesn’t let you get 9 and half hours into a series to get metaphysical on your ass

X-Prince Protégé (sonnyboy), Friday, 26 January 2024 16:24 (one year ago)


He constantly seems like he’s trying to not even be relevant, just keep himself tethered to this marriage, tv show, partial friendship with Dougie, but… his tethers all fail

your analysis is interesting mh -- i have struggled to figure out how Asher fits into this at all as he seems to fuck up everything he touches and we have no idea where he comes from. i'll buy it!

Piggy Lepton (La Lechera), Friday, 26 January 2024 16:26 (one year ago)

i do get a strong whiff of "i married a women whose family has money and i am not letting this go without a fight" only he's bad at fighting and also at everything else

Piggy Lepton (La Lechera), Friday, 26 January 2024 16:27 (one year ago)

oops WOMAN

Piggy Lepton (La Lechera), Friday, 26 January 2024 16:27 (one year ago)

two weeks pass...

I think the end of the season is just a set up for S2 in which grown Asher plays baby Asher

calstars, Sunday, 11 February 2024 19:20 (one year ago)

Still fucking fuming about this

X-Prince Protégé (sonnyboy), Friday, 16 February 2024 01:17 (one year ago)

one year passes...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CaHP5P4wUc

Number None, Thursday, 3 April 2025 18:39 (two months ago)

three weeks pass...

lmao

https://summiticeapparel.com/pages/about

frogbs, Monday, 28 April 2025 17:33 (one month ago)

save it for the Rehearsal thread okay??

You're supposed to go to Heaven, ideally not Las Vegas (bernard snowy), Monday, 28 April 2025 18:24 (one month ago)

are you done having your tantrum?

frogbs, Monday, 28 April 2025 19:18 (one month ago)

That's beautiful

You're supposed to go to Heaven, ideally not Las Vegas (bernard snowy), Monday, 28 April 2025 19:48 (one month ago)

fantastic

massaman gai (front tea for two), Tuesday, 29 April 2025 19:00 (one month ago)

are we practicing our comments here before we put them in the rehearsal thread?

massaman gai (front tea for two), Tuesday, 29 April 2025 19:03 (one month ago)

If 6 was 9

calstars, Tuesday, 29 April 2025 19:07 (one month ago)

https://images.robinpro.gallery/v7/_robin-pro_/uploads/a39eecbb5e57ae536388f167899b9999.jpeg?ci_seal=56fc327bdd&org_if_sml=1&q=85&w=1800
Jon Meyer's expression is very quintessential "I don't know how I got roped into this, and I don't know how I'm gonna get out of this"-era Nathan for You

Philip Nunez, Tuesday, 29 April 2025 19:30 (one month ago)


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