FOT Forum
The Best Show on WFMU => Dear Tom => Topic started by: Greggulator on November 01, 2013, 12:54:51 AM
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The Best Show really did change my life in a lot of ways. I made so many lifelong friends and had so much fun being part of this wonderful, wonderful community. But I also learned a lot of lessons from Tom and The Best Show over the years. Here are some of them.
) DO THE WORK. 13 years is a long friggin' time. Tom put out on Twitter a few years ago general advice for people who want to do something creative for a living. Just put in the work and then work even harder. Tom said something once about how there's a bottom 10% of people in creative endeavors who are terrible. There's a 10% who are preternatural geniuses. Tom was in the the vast 80% in the middle. But out of that 80%, he could work harder and outhustle everyone. I think 13 years of amazing work (on top of all of his other projects) proves that.
2) USE WHAT YOU DO TO HELP OTHERS. I was listening to the show one day and Tom talked up our podcast. That was great. Then another time, he out of nowhere talked me up as a potential protege. I had never talked w/ Tom before, aside from a few Tweets. He really didn't have to do that. After that, so many wonderful opportunities opened up for me. I've managed to write a few things for The Classical. I don't think that happens without people knowing who I am because of Tom's generous comments.
That taught me a lesson. On top of Holding Court, I produced a comedy show in Philly called Bedtime Stories for a long time. I always made it a point to try and get new people on the show -- people who never tried comedy but wanted to, or newer comics I saw somewhere who I thought had a lot of potential. On HCP, I always tried to talk up people I know who do great work who deserved to have people elsewhere know about them. Anytime I was interviewed by someone about my creative work/comedy, I always tried to talk about other people who I liked a lot, too.
I don't have nearly the pulpit that The Best Show has. But I'll use what little spotlight I do have to try and help other talented people get some attention.
3) THIS DOESN'T JUST HAVE TO BE FOR LAUGHS. We all know about the WFMU fundraisers and how much work Tom puts into those. But it's more than that. Look at the outpouring of love we all have today. A legitimate community has formed because of The Best Show. I've met so many wonderful people from the show and have made some truly special friends. That's a magical thing. Creative work can spawn bigger communities. It might not happen all of the time but it's really possible.
4) CREATE A UNIVERSE. Bedtime Stories was great and a lot of fun. Every month, I came up with a theme and all of the acts -- sketches, videos, stand-up, songs, etc. -- had to connect to that theme. But I always wanted to take it to another level, where everything existed within it's own weird universe. The Best Show did that better than anything else in comedy, save The Simpsons, w/ the Newbridge bits. I ended up producing two shows like that. I did a lot of sewing together so things flowed and connected. It was such an insane amount of work to figure that out. But I was really, really proud of how it was executed. This was SO DRAINING. I only had two of these shows in me, and they took place three months apart.
Think about that. Tom and Jon have been doing bits like this nearly every week FOR 13 YEARS! There are so many characters and callbacks and references. And this is in radio via a phone interview -- there are no visual cues or a live audience to pick up momentum from or anything like that. It's all about language and vocal delivery. That is completely bonkers to be able to churn out that level of work for that length of time.
But trying to establish a universe like that -- it's something that anyone who works in a creative medium should really try, because it elevates everything up a lot of levels.
5) JUGGALOS. 'Nuff said.
Thanks, Tom and Jon.
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One the wisest things I've ever heard said:
"You're allowed not to speak." - Tom Scharpling
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1) People like what they like. Don't get mad about other people's tastes. (I probably should have learned that one on my own, much earlier!)
2) ABBA is amazing.
3) Too many others to list.
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"Not everything has to be homework."
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Tip!
Technically I did tip in the past but I've bumped it up 5-10%.
Musically the Dirtbombs and Reigning Sound.
Oh, and Zach Galifianakis!
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1. Mirth
2. Music
3. Mayhem
Thanks, Tom
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Tom introduced or reintroduced me to so much good music: ABBA, Paul McCartney, J Dilla, Jay Reatard, DC Snipers, Spider Bags, GbV, Ted Leo, Wu-Tang Clan, Big Dipper, Love, Volcano Suns. I knew a lot of it, even most of it, but he made me a fan.
He also made me considerably less pretentious. Sometimes it's okay to just be entertaining.
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It can't be all Crunch Berries.
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Yeah, there was a ridiculous amount of artists/bands that I came to love because of the Best Show: Faces/Small Faces, Big Star, GbV, Sabbath, The Monkees, The Clean, The Byrds, Jay Re-uh-tard, Reigning Sound, The Move, 13th Floor Elevators, Macca, Sir Douglas Quintet, Syl Johnson, Wipers, etc. Tom forever changed not only my tastes in humor, but my musical preferences as well.
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I don't remember when, but it was the show that made me a committed listener. Tom was talking to Z-Man, who was working on getting this puppet together. He was testing out Wally Wackiman's voice and was all humble about how his puppetry could never reach the heights of achievement represented by, say, Fozzie Bear. Tom was all, "Listen, Z-Man, you've gotta get hungry. You've gotta take that puppet out and run laps with it. You stand in front of the mirror every morning and say 'Fozzie Bear is nothing. Fozzie Bear is garbage to us.'"
I have thought of this inspirational speech often in the practice of my painting, and it has helped. Thanks, Tom.
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1. Mirth
2. Music
3. Mayhem
Thanks, Tom
Strong first/onlypost
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"Can't get around it. Gotta go through it."
This mantra has put so many things in perspective.
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"Can't get around it. Gotta go through it."
This mantra has put so many things in perspective.
Tom really would be an excellent motivational speaker, if he ever decided to pursue that vocation.
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"Do It" was the best advice I could have ever gotten at the place my life was at when that was the theme song. Having it pounded into my skull for a full year as a reminder helped get me on track after college.
Also, along the lines of Nec13 -- thanks so much for the music.
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I was given the "heave ho" on the show because I didn't bring it. I have worked on being able to bring it every single day since. Thanks Tom.
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Tom taught myself that "Ya gotta do your thang" and be a cool cat.
"How dare you."
The Dancing Cat - Kitty Dance (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zALJ5YXwuU#)
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Isn't this guy supposed to be banned?
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I see the Bryan is a Space Champion!
Yeah, the VAST space betwixt his ears.
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Tom introduced me to Big Dipper. For that I say thanks! That and all the hundreds of hours of free entertainment.
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1. You don't always have to be nice, but there should be justice. Bad callers get the heave-ho or better yet a Bad Company send off. There is always justice. This should carry into everyday life.
2. People like what they like.
3. Passion is never embarrassing. It is important to care about what you do, and that's noble. Snark will only carry us so far. It's about people, and all the connections we forge between ourselves.
4. Don't talk over the host. Knowing your place seems like a Victorian concept, but every situation has an etiquette to it. Don't talk over Tom--be gracious and listen. It's not always about you.
5. Fight the fight. I've been in some tough schools (I'm a teacher), and Tom's attitude toward adversity, that you should just do the work and fight the good fight, has given me some perspective and helped me propel through some stuff.
6. Let things end. It can't go on forever, and we should enjoy what we get. Tom worked on the show for 13 years, and he should get no flack for doing what he has to do for his family.
The show will be missed, but I can only be grateful that I got to hear it.
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I was given the opportunity to work with Tom & Jon on a number of Best Show related projects (stickers, shirts, cd covers, etc) which was a fantastic experience. I consider Tom my #1 Comedy Hero of all time and being able to collaborate with him was the best damn creative internship an "artist" could ever ask for.
Some lessons:
1) DO IT. Put the work in.
2) Work with the tools you got. Heck, when I first started making Best Show related photoshops, it was on a PC that I pulled out from a snowbank that looked like it got hit by a truck. Back in 2009, I made a feeble attempt to land a creative gig down in NYC. I ended up doing some spec work (read: free) for some shitty production house. I remember the guy that owned the place (which was outfitted with all manner of Mac Stations, Recording Gear, Cameras) making fun of my shitty Toshiba laptop that I was making stuff on.
I told the guy: "hey, I made more stuff on this $400 laptop last month than your whole studio does in a year". Needless to say, I didn't end up landing a gig there.
3) NYC is not the be-all-end-all. I used to have this dumb idea that in order to REALLY "make it" in the creative field, you HAD to live in NYC. For some, like actors/ comedians, i can certainly see how being in close proximity to where things are being made would be beneficial. Every place, however, has creative outlets (theatres, workshops, spaces) and people willing to collaborate. Heck, why be one of hundreds of aspiring UCB-ers when you can be the ONE person in your town running the damn show. you can also use the internet to connect and collaborate with people. Many of the things I did for the Best Show were collaborations with other artists across the country who I had never even met with in person.
4) Splash some cold water on your face.
5) Dozens of other life and artistic lessons that Tom/ Jon/ TBSOWFMU have taught me.
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4) Splash some cold water on your face.
Amen.
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I learned that "God bless 'em" might be the Northeastern equivalent of the Southern "bless his/her heart."
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I say this without a stitch of hyperbole or irony: The Best Show made me a better person.
Also, it stopped me from putting a Ramones onesie on my son.
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I learned never to compare people's looks to those of celebrities whether that comparison is supposed to be positive or negative. It's not something I had ever made a habit of but something about hearing that topic the first time it was raised made me keenly aware that it's never worth it.
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Tom once off-handedly talked about doing his pre-show vocal warm-ups at the start of a show once. As a soprano in far too many amateur choirs, this reminded me about the importance of stretching and practicing vowel sounds, no matter how busy I am.
Oh, and another thing. The pointlessness of swearing and turlet talk. I've always appreciated the show's "Hard G" rating throughout the past 13 years, and wouldn't have noticed anyway given that the anecdotes and phonecalls were funny and entertaining on their own.
I know it makes me sound like a pearl-clutching prude, but I really dislike that sort of thing. I don't swear often in real life and hate being sworn at as I associate it with playground bullies and being in nasty arguments with older brothers. I also hate when people resort to it in arguments about music or feminism as it is akin to a nuclear option which makes things even worse for everyone involved.
So thanks Tom. Just don't start writing "The Thick of It set in a high-school radio station" now you've left!
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<<3) NYC is not the be-all-end-all.>>
Yes, this. I spent most of my life in and around NYC; then moved in the late '90s for family reasons. It turns out I've had more creative/journalistic opportunities out here in this mid-sized Midwest city than I ever did in NYC. And I've been able to take the lessons I learned in that crowded city, including the importance of perseverence, and apply them here. Had I remained in NYC, I surely would've become bitter(er) at the 22-year-olds populating the rock shows.
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Tom has taught myself to be a man that ladies love.
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Tom has taught myself me to be a man that ladies love.
God, am I really doing THIS now?
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Tom's way of being funny is harder to grab on to, I think, because it's more bizarre and more genuine than other comedy. Snark and mean-spiritedness is easier to do, but the effect is that it drives the bar ever-downward. I'm glad I stuck around in spite of early misgivings. Although it's made less funny a lot of stuff that I once would've found funny, I feel like a more elevated human. I'll make that trade any day.
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*bump in honor of The Best Show 2014*
Tom is great at bursting some of my musical bubbles, in a good way. He made me realize that Tom Waits was kind of a phony. He informed me that the Pixies were a terrible live band. He made me take a long, hard look in the mirror and admit that about 80% of Frank Zappa's music was unlistenable. That last one hurt, but it saved me money, time, and friendships.
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i still love Tom Waits! and the blues, and the Old 97s. :)
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i still love Tom Waits! and the blues, and the Old 97s. :)
Rhett Miller was great on WTF.
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i still love Tom Waits! and the blues, and the Old 97s. :)
Yeah, I could have made my point better. In other words, he taught me to have a critical eye towards "cool" and/or "untouchable" artists. Tom is even critical of people he likes when they do something sub-par, which was a valuable lesson for me when I was a younger listener. I still listen to some of the artists in Tom's "trash-it" category... with a grain of salt.
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After years of watching and listening from the sidelines, I finally got logged into the FOT forum! Today (christmas day 2014, merry christmas to me!) This show means ... just. so. much. to me.
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Tom introduced or reintroduced me to so much good music: ABBA, Paul McCartney, J Dilla, Jay Reatard, DC Snipers, Spider Bags, GbV, Ted Leo, Wu-Tang Clan, Big Dipper, Love, Volcano Suns. I knew a lot of it, even most of it, but he made me a fan.
He also made me considerably less pretentious. Sometimes it's okay to just be entertaining.
Saw Bob Weston with Shellac last night, the way he ran the "Q and A" portions of the show was very Tom-like.