Before & After I Saw Them: #3, Scott Aukerman
As a comic book artist, I listen to a lot of podcasts while I draw. I can’t help but build a mental picture of the radio personalities I listen to , so I’m going to illustrate and examine this process- what did they look like in my head, and how did my perception of them change once I knew what they looked like?
Comedy Bang Bang is one of the highlights of my week. At best, it's what I always wished radio was. It reminds me of the Chris Morris Music Shows from the early 90's- there's a blending of fact and fiction, improvisation mixed with scripted material that gives you a sense that anything can happen. I feel like the host, Scott Aukerman has created something both magical and hilarious with this show.
The first time I heard Scott was on Jordan Jesse Go!, a show I mentioned yesterday. On Bang Bang, Scott's job is to drive the show, which means that comedically he often hangs back on the "base line", giving the guests as much room as possible to be funny. On JJGo, however, he had the freedom to take the spotlight, and I so I heard a side of Scott that Bang Bang listeners don't often get to hear. You can read about how I arrived at the drawings above after the jump.
Scott seemed to have a big personality on the show. For my money, he was probably the funniest guy they'd ever had on, and I warmed to him quickly. Some combination of his voice, his larger-than-life catchphrase adopted for that episode only ('Hello, Baaaby!') and his purposely bad R+B song parody alter-ego 'Weirder Scott' gave me the impression that Mr. Aukerman had a physical flamboyancy to match his radio persona.
I listened to more of his show, Comedy Bang Bang, and grew to love it. But the more I knew about this guy, the more my picture didn't add up. Wait, this deep-tanned, bouffanted, slab-faced flamboyant comedian has a Laotian wife and loves showtunes?! I started to imagine his house with decorated with gold taps, water beds and black marble cladding, perhaps with a water feature depicting a cherub in the middle of his Hollywood Hills mansion.
A big bubble was burst the moment I found that Scott looks like… a totally normal dude.
My fantasy image of the guy dissipated, but the new Scott totally worked as a replacement. I guess Scott's relative normality makes him the perfect anchor to a show like Bang Bang, giving the guests a more robust framework within which to be hilarious.
Scott Aukermann as he is is extremely likeable. Now the question is- was the flamboyant and ambiguous character I imagined, who was starting to seem more like a gay movie villain day by day, more or less likable than the real Aukerman?
I'd say more, but only by a whisker. I'm not saying the real Scott should probably try to make himself more like that character. Satin dressing gowns and hair bleach are very easy to come by, however, so if you're reading, Mr. Aukerman- it wouldn't be too much trouble to consider giving it a shot.
Well, that's it for now! Holy crap, though- I really drew a lot of these, so I may post some more up from time to time.
By the way, I was in Birmingham yesterday to be interviewed about Nelson, the book I contributed to for Blank Slate. I saw that my book is available on shelves, already- I'm stunned! I only got my copy a week ago. Here it is on the left, along with Nelson in the Birmingham branch of Forbidden Planet:
If you'd like to read a preview of my James-Teacher book, you can do that right here. Or click here to buy it (why not)
Comedy Bang Bang is one of the highlights of my week. At best, it's what I always wished radio was. It reminds me of the Chris Morris Music Shows from the early 90's- there's a blending of fact and fiction, improvisation mixed with scripted material that gives you a sense that anything can happen. I feel like the host, Scott Aukerman has created something both magical and hilarious with this show.
The first time I heard Scott was on Jordan Jesse Go!, a show I mentioned yesterday. On Bang Bang, Scott's job is to drive the show, which means that comedically he often hangs back on the "base line", giving the guests as much room as possible to be funny. On JJGo, however, he had the freedom to take the spotlight, and I so I heard a side of Scott that Bang Bang listeners don't often get to hear. You can read about how I arrived at the drawings above after the jump.
Scott seemed to have a big personality on the show. For my money, he was probably the funniest guy they'd ever had on, and I warmed to him quickly. Some combination of his voice, his larger-than-life catchphrase adopted for that episode only ('Hello, Baaaby!') and his purposely bad R+B song parody alter-ego 'Weirder Scott' gave me the impression that Mr. Aukerman had a physical flamboyancy to match his radio persona.
I listened to more of his show, Comedy Bang Bang, and grew to love it. But the more I knew about this guy, the more my picture didn't add up. Wait, this deep-tanned, bouffanted, slab-faced flamboyant comedian has a Laotian wife and loves showtunes?! I started to imagine his house with decorated with gold taps, water beds and black marble cladding, perhaps with a water feature depicting a cherub in the middle of his Hollywood Hills mansion.
A big bubble was burst the moment I found that Scott looks like… a totally normal dude.
My fantasy image of the guy dissipated, but the new Scott totally worked as a replacement. I guess Scott's relative normality makes him the perfect anchor to a show like Bang Bang, giving the guests a more robust framework within which to be hilarious.
Scott Aukermann as he is is extremely likeable. Now the question is- was the flamboyant and ambiguous character I imagined, who was starting to seem more like a gay movie villain day by day, more or less likable than the real Aukerman?
I'd say more, but only by a whisker. I'm not saying the real Scott should probably try to make himself more like that character. Satin dressing gowns and hair bleach are very easy to come by, however, so if you're reading, Mr. Aukerman- it wouldn't be too much trouble to consider giving it a shot.
Well, that's it for now! Holy crap, though- I really drew a lot of these, so I may post some more up from time to time.
By the way, I was in Birmingham yesterday to be interviewed about Nelson, the book I contributed to for Blank Slate. I saw that my book is available on shelves, already- I'm stunned! I only got my copy a week ago. Here it is on the left, along with Nelson in the Birmingham branch of Forbidden Planet:
If you'd like to read a preview of my James-Teacher book, you can do that right here. Or click here to buy it (why not)