There are few podcasts better than "The Dana Gould Hour" . Having been familiar with Gould through his work on "The Simpsons" and his previous stand-up special, "Let Me Put My Thoughts In You" (itself a classic and available streaming on Netflix), I eagerly consumed his pod when it first arrived in 2012. Each episode is loosely centered around a theme and is edited from conversations of Gould with various guests and features a central portion where Gould educates the listener on a specific related topic. These have ranged from the life of Tod Browning, to the carny-noir "Nightmare Alley", to the production lineage of "King Kong vs. Godzilla". Needless to say, if you're interested in the weird side of pop culture history, you'd do well to listen.
One of the constants on "The Dana Gould Hour" has been the presence of comedian Eddie Pepitone. He's been on nearly every episode, and at this point it almost feels like he is the co-host. The conversations between Gould and Pepitone are inevitably the best part of the show. I'd never heard Pepitone before encountering him on the program, but his combination of neuroticism, anger and undeniable likability made him a favorite of mine.
With Gould and Pepitone so intertwined through Gould's pod, it seems fitting that both of their new specials have been released this past week: Gould's "I Know It's Wrong" on Netflix Instant and Pepitone's "In Ruins" on Hulu.
"I Know It's Wrong" was filmed at the Neptune Theatre in Seattle. I saw Gould perform the material from this special last September in Boston, and both times I've been struck by how incredibly tight Gould's set is. He is one of the rare performers gifted with the ability to combine physical comedy with something more substantial. His set encompasses (among many other things): the JFK assassination, a rock legend having sex with an insect, Bob Hope, the Black Dahlia and the "n word". Despite the many touchy areas Gould dips into, he maintains an effortless flow and things never seem labored or forced. At this point in his career he is operating at such an exceptional level that his comedic arsenal seems limitless. This special marks a new high-point for the performer.
Pepitone's special likewise captures a veteran performer at the peak of his abilities. Both are stand-up comedy at it's purest, and in Pepitone's case: at it's most raw.
Filmed in Brooklyn by Steven Feinartz director of the Pepitone documentary "The Bitter Buddha" (highly recommended), "In Ruins" captures the maelstrom of rage, self-doubt, anxiety and existential dread that is Eddie Pepitone. With his disarming blue eyes, Pepitone holds the stage for an hour. He is the master of the digression and the nightmare scenario. Relentlessly personal, one feels they are seeing a man open up and lay bare the part of his psyche that most would not dare acknowledge. My Roku crashed during his opening "round of applause" sequence, which somehow makes sense given the performer involved. I can't get his lounge singer bit out of my head. This is essential, dark stuff.
Both specials are capsules of what makes the performer's special: Gould, master of the delayed punchline, willing to give his words room to breath, never eager to rush to the laugh; Pepitone, painter of apocalyptic scenarios, which become the canvas for his internal struggles and confessions. Support great comedy and watch them, and if you like what you see and hear, check out "The Dana Gould Hour", where you can hear Gould and Pepitone in a more subdued and candid, but no less entertaining environment.
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