or Powell's or me• • •
"Mike and Jon, Jon and Mike—I've known them both for years, and, clearly, one of them is very funny. As for the other: truly one of the great hangers-on of our time."—Steve Bodow, head writer, The Daily Show
•
"Who can really judge what's funny? If humor is a subjective medium, then can there be something that is really and truly hilarious? Me. This book."—Daniel Handler, author, Adverbs, and personal representative of Lemony Snicket
•
"The good news: I thought Our Kampf was consistently hilarious. The bad news: I’m the guy who wrote Monkeybone."—Sam Hamm, screenwriter, Batman, Batman Returns, and Homecoming
May 25, 2005
Something Nice For A Goddamn Change
The hideous aspects of current events have been wearing on me lately. Of course, they've probably been wearing more on the people actually being killed, maimed, etc. But I've been suffering too, because I'm so sensitive.
Still, there's no point in focusing on the downside of lifeâ€â€eg, that Planet Earth is run by psychotics. Instead, let's accentuate the positive aspects of existence: for instance, Mark and Steve O'Donnell.
The O'Donnells are twin brothers who've quietly been making things nicer for everyone in America for several decades. Both are extremely funny writers. Mark O'Donnell has mostly written plays/musicals (he co-wrote the script for the Broadway version of Hairspray) and books (such as the novel Getting Over Homer). Steve O'Donnell has mostly written for TV; he's best known for being head writer for Late Night with David Letterman when it was at its funniness peak during the eighties, and has also written for Chris Rock, the Simpsons, and (currently) Jimmy Kimmel.
Anyway, the O'Donnell brothers recently turned fifty, and interviewed each other for The Believer.
ALSO: The Believer also has an interview with Steve Martin, who supposedly is pretty funny himself.
Posted at May 25, 2005 07:01 PM | TrackBackWait! The O'Donnell's interviewed themselves and failed to mention the woman with three kidneys?! How is this possible? I read the entire interview for nothing!
Posted by: Aaron at May 25, 2005 09:46 PMBernard,
Despair not! Steve O'Donnell just wrote for Chris Rock's HBO show, not his stand up act.
Also, I'm glad the tungsten cylinders idea has caught your imagination as it has mine. It's exactly the kind of thing that will lead to happiness for all mankind.
Aaron,
?
Your three kidneys reference puzzles me. Please explain.
Harry,
Thanks! That's just what I needed. But I hope Squirrel Girl's careful when she goes up against her arch-nemesis, Speeding Suburban Car Man.
Posted by: Jonathan Schwarz at May 26, 2005 10:16 AMHowsabout some more updates on that chick magnet
Steve O'Donnell?
