Comic Star of The Eric André Show Does The Anti Interview
by Brad Balfour
November 4, 2014
It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to realize that a show called The Eric André Show is hosted by its namesake, the 31 year old American actor and comedian. Now going into its third season, the wacky talk show airs on the Adult Swim lineup of the Cartoon Network — which allows for the kind of offbeat freedom that this former Floridian has become known for, as well as the anti interviewing style that becoming a trend.
Previously he co-starred as Mark Reynolds on the short-lived ABC comedy series Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23, and guest-starred on 2 Broke Girls as Deke, Max’s love interest and fellow pastry student for a few episodes.
But it’s through his edgy show where he’s gabbed with the likes of musicians such as Pete Wentz, Devendra Banhart, Chance the Rapper, Dave Koz to B-Listers such as Ryan Phillipe, Krysten Ritter, James Van Der Beek, Dolph Lundgren and Eric Balfour to various faux celebs like Rochard Hatch that he made his mark on the universe — or at least non-traditional television.
Born of a Haitian father and Jewish mother, André graduated from Boston’s Berklee College in 2005, where he had played upright bass having made his escape from hometown Boca Raton Florida.
Hitting the Standard Hotel running, keeping Andre in the lounge seat long enough for this exclusive one on one in advance of his next season was a challenge, exposing me to the kind of manic energy that has kept his show running and thriving.
You couldn’t do certain things for your show in LA because of regulations, so you had to come to New York to do it. Have you thought to make more of a meta effort and just drop into people’s apartments and record the show there or even go to the mayor’s office for an interview?
Eric André: I’m open to anything…
You can come to my apartment!
EA: It’s time consuming, that’s the only issue.
You can’t break anything there though.
EA: Okay, well then maybe your apartment’s out. But it just comes down to how much time we have, because we have very little money and very little time.
Could I do an interview with Eric Andre that’s like an Eric Andre interview?
EA: I have received that challenge before. You’re still special!
When you talk to people, you need to serve the show, but are there things you just want to ask. Do you say to yourself, “I’m going to ask that because I want to know—I don’t give a fuck.”
EA: Oh, I’ll ask whatever the fuck — I usually try to be the least competent interviewer of all time, not do any research. I just want to ask questions that it doesn’t matter that they’re like, a celebrity, anyone can ask, you could ask anyone. I’m trying to be the worst interviewer of all time.
I think Jiminy Glick — Martin Short’s talk show host alter ego — has got you beat.
EA: Ahhh, he’s one of my idols. I love Jiminy Glick, I love Jiminy Glick.
Who else do you think of as your idols? There’s a lot of people who probably…
EA: Besides Jiminy Glick….? Sacha Baron Cohen, Space Ghost, Tom Green, the Jackass guys, Dave Chapelle, Chris Rock, Richard Pryor, Bill Hicks.
What about Bill Cosby? Bill Cosby has a talk show host quality.
EA: Yeah, but not so much as the other guys, though Bill Cosby’s in there for sure. I grew up watching “The Cosby Show.”
And there’s Fat Albert.
EA: Fat Albert, for sure.
Because you loved Space Ghost — that’s the animated interviewer — have you thought about having animated characters be interviewed?
EA: It’s hard to create any stakes… We want the stakes to be high, so there’s not really any stakes with a cartoon. We’ve done a little animated ideas, but I’ve never done animation. I’ve done voiceover but I’ve never like, produced animation. That’d be fun.
How random do you try to be? Obviously, you’ve talked about random in terms of anti-preparing.
EA: Yeah, we got those fake guests from central casting, which was like, the most eccentric Hollywood freak-type people. But I think we’re open to anything.
Have you ever had interviewers come on to interview you while on the show?
EA: Well no, but I’ve interviewed interviewers. I interviewed [Jimmy] Kimmel this year. He’s the first talk show host that I interviewed. Well that’s not true; we had Chris Rock on the show and he’s had a talk show. He wasn’t interviewed, he just had a random segment.
Do you expect comedians to be as funny as they’re supposed to be when they’re not doing their [standup routine]? Do you think of yourself as funny as you are when you’re not trying to be?
EA: It’s case by case. I wouldn’t want somebody to like, ham it up offstage just for the sake of pressure of hamming it up, but I don’t think people really do that as much as we’re accused of being. Comics are also funny offstage and that’s why they get into comedy. I don’t like–I’ve had people accuse me like, not accuse me…
That woman you were eyeing earlier might be accusing you.
EA: Oh yeah, that girl stopped thinking about me the moment I walked away. But you know, sometimes I’m joking around offstage and people are like, “Alright, funny man, you’re not onstage anymore!” Like, what do you want me to do? Just be completely like, vapid and boring when I get off stage? I goof around and that’s why I got into comedy, because I’m a goofball. I’m not doing it because I’m starving for attention and I need to be funny at all times.
You’re not doing it because you’re starving for attention?
EA: Well, that’s not true, I am doing it… I also think comics get accused of starving for attention a lot, but I think that’s like, a negative reaction. I think people are jealous and envious of our freedom. It’s not like, a behavior disorder. I think what’s more satisfying than making other people laugh, making other people happy? I think we get accused of starving for attention, but for me, I crave attention from the opposite sex, definitely. Like in high school, I learned once you can make a pretty girl laugh, you will want to keep doing it. That’s not the only reason. I think there’s genuine, positive reasons that comedians perform.
Of the comics, who was the most un-comic? I’d say Steve Martin. He was not unfunny but he truly gave really serious answers. Sadly, the funniest on an ongoing basis, was Robin Williams. He would do great bits, and then give the serious answer. He was just amazing.
EA: He was the man. He was the most spontaneous, he was the best.
Chris Rock was pretty damn great, too.
EA: We had him on the show this year, he was amazing. And he was so sweet and supportive and he called me up and was like, “I love the show, I wanna fly myself out and put myself up to be on it.” He was so gushing and supportive and he’s like, one of my idols.
Have you thought of actually going to a public access station, like Manhattan Neighborhood Network, and do the show there?
EA: That’d be fuckin’ awesome. I’d be so fucking thrilled to do that. I would love to do a one-off public access special for a real live [audience], to tape.
Why did you throw out the analog side of it — in the first season you made it look like the ‘80s low rent shows?
EA: From the network, they were just like, “You know, we love it. We know you guys love it. Comedians and writers, we show it to them and love it.” But the reference is lost on the 16 year-olds watching at home that didn’t grow up in the ‘70s and ‘80s and didn’t know New York City public access like we know it and grew up with. They were like, “I feel like it’s hurting more than it’s helping and they wanna just see you. The Eric Andre Show’s about you.” But I do miss that old, dusty…
I was reading some articles on your show and it’s like, you do a meta talk show, but the the problem about being called a meta talk show is how meta can you get about being a meta talk show?
EA: Question as old as time, my friend.
How do you pick your guests?
EA: Some of it’s not random, some of it’s through personal connections, through talent bookers, it’s a cornucopia.
So after this, I can recommend people to you?
EA: Yeah, absolutely. If you have a celebrity’s phone number, I’ll fucking harass you for it.
[Laughs] I might have a few for you.
EA: Anything to juke publicists. Those are the fuckers I avoid! [Laughs] Except my own, who’s the best in the biz!
How much do you decide on the balance between celebrities and non-celebrities?
EA: Oh my god, so many stunningly beautiful women in this city, I fucking hate it. Ugh, I want to kill myself.
The difference between LA and New York is that LA women are not as approachable. New York women are — you can meet them…
EA: I don’t know why I don’t [live here].
Why do you stay in LA, then?
EA: I’m going to Chinese castrate myself. I’m going to cut off my balls and penis.
You have had a lot of music people on the show.
EA: My god, do I wish [we could have more]. I would love to, we can’t afford to fly anybody out. [Laughs] If you don’t live in LA or you’re not willing to fly yourself out, you’re probably not going to be on the show.
You grew up in Florida?
EA: Boca Raton, Florida. It’s the worst.
Well, thank god you got out of there. I drove through Boca Raton once. That was enough. When did you end up in LA?
EA: 2009.
Was LA always the destination?
EA: Really, New York was the destination. I was here in New York for five years after college. Florida, Boston, New York, then LA.
Where did the standup begin? Here, I guess.
EA: Yeah, finishing college in Boston and then here.
Do you regret that the TV series, Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23, your ABC show ending, or are you glad that that sort of kicked into this place where you’re at now?
EA: Well, that’s out of my control, if something I’m on gets cancelled. I can’t really be bummed about it. It was a great learning experience, it was a great group of people. They were a really nurturing and creative environment. It was a great place to like, get my start because I had no idea how to be on camera or act.
In terms of the issue of being serious as opposed to being unserious, do people not assume that have this serious side and you wanna have this serious side be known? Besides the drug-taking side?
EA: I’m open to whatever, I guess I’ve never really thought about it. I’m down to be seen as serious.
Do you think we’ll ever reach a post-racial time not just on television or in entertainment but in general?
EA: Perhaps, I don’t know. I’m bluish. I’m Black and Jewish. My director is Jew-panese. She’s Japanese and Jewish.
I like that. We’re going to keep those coinages.
EA: For sure.
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