sardines
Friday 3rd July 2009 3:09am [Edited]
265 posts
Quote: Jacob Loves Comedy @ July 2 2009, 9:01 PM BST
If you want a decent interview with two comedy greats who both seem genuinly nice people as well as being extremely brilliant at what they do then watch Ricky's interview with Larry David.
"You're great Larry"
"You're even better Ricky"
"Oh nonsense, you're amazing..."
Quote: Jacob Loves Comedy @ July 2 2009, 9:01 PM BST
on the basis of that interview Shanlding just didn't seem like a nice person. A complete arse in fact. So when people say Shandling was being "clever" and "showed Gervais up for what he really is" they have no idea what they are talking about.
...but you can be clever and show someone up while being an arse, it just means that it'll prove difficult to win other people over.
Quote: Jacob Loves Comedy @ July 2 2009, 7:50 PM BST
You have no idea what you're talking about! Shandling didn't do anything, apart from making himself look a complete tosser. The Office is better than anything Shandling has done, in my opinion. Yet Shandling thought he was so superior to Gervais, he wasn't, isn't.
Shandling is a ridiculously awkward man, I'd absolutely hate to meet him. Although he also had the sense to not be a big outlandish personality voicing every little thing when he was a big name because he was almost certainly aware he's a bit of a prick, like the Sanders character... in fact, the Sanders character often seems scarily close to the bone.
...BUT he is(well... was, he pretty much lost his mind after Larry Sanders if you ask me) infinitely more talented than Gervais ever will be. With two truly innovative shows which nurtured all sorts of writing talent, that goes without saying really. The fact he decided to challenge himself when he could've easily got a cushy chat show slot.
Shandling almost certainly became obsessed that it'd be entirely on his terms, he seems the petty sort... especially these days.
Gervais could've at least read Shandling's wiki and lord knows what he was expecting from the whole "you look like yer man from the banana splits" thing.
Basically if he done any research at all into Shandling, he would've been aware that the sort of pally pally interviewing he was trying to use would never work well with him, watching Sanders would tell you that. After that, Shandling set out to destroy the interview(which if I'm not mistaken, he more or less says when the credits are rolling).
It's a shame the interview wasn't the other way around cos Shandling pressed Gervais a few times(not the Nazi one though, also note dodgy editing at the end of the cerebral palsy one) with some good questions, Gervais had nothing for him.
The way this thing always boils down is that fans of Gervais say he came outta it better and Shandling fans say the opposite.
The interview made me like Ricky a bit more cos when he drops that arrogance thing, he can be rather likeable. Shandling undoubtedly came outta it worst, but was fascinating to watch and mauled Ricky every time he tried.
