You are going to be hearing a lot from comedian Eugene Mirman over the next few years. Hes a favorite of SG pal Patton Oswalt, he recently released his first comedy CD/DVD on Suicide Squeeze and hes a regular at all the New York clubs.
Check out the official website of Eugene Mirman
Daniel Robert Epstein: The first time I saw you when was you opened for Patton Oswalt before he taped his special for Comedy Central. Are you friends with him?
Eugene Mirman: Yes we are and he asked me to do it.
DRE: Did you have to perform for Comedy Central people?
EM: They know me but since it was Pattons special and he asked for me that was enough. Ive been on Premium Blend on Comedy Central and I just sold them a film thats going to appear on their show, Jump Cuts.
DRE: How did you and Patton meet?
EM: I think he might have seen my website because I know hes friends with Michael Penn who really likes it. I think we also met at random shows in New York and Bumbershoot.
DRE: Your website is pretty complex for a comedians website.
EM: The design of it is pretty simple then there is a lot of funny stuff.
DRE: Do you do the site yourself?
EM: No a professional web designer friend of mine named Scott Bowers does it. I used to work at a web company in Boston and we started it then.
DRE: Your comedy album came out on Suicide Squeeze, how did that happen?
EM: They emailed me and asked me if I wanted to put out an album and I did. I have a rock agent who books me as well as The Shins and Modest Mouse. Shes from Seattle so she knows a lot of Seattle people so I believe she sent my website to Suicide Squeeze. The CD also has some of my short films on it and Im also going to eventually put out a full length DVD as well.
DRE: I know Patton wanted to wait to do a comedy album so he could own his catalog, did you do that?
EM: No, they own the masters. Patton and I are also in different positions but I do have a great indie deal. After they recoup, I get 50 percent which is the most any label would give anybody. I think Comedy Central gives people 13 percent.
DRE: How was putting the album together?
EM: I put it together from a few different shows in different cities. Its mostly shows from New York and Boston. Now that I know how its done the next time I will probably just do a bunch of shows in New York. To match sound from different rooms is a little complicated.
I didnt really have time to record a lot of stuff in the studio. I put a thing at the end of album where if you hold a land line up to the speaker when the CD is playing it will dial a number and you can leave me a voicemail.
DRE: Howd you do that?
EM: If you just play the tones it will work on your phone.
DRE: I think James Bond did that once.
EM: Its technology from the 70s so its possible. I havent broken any barriers.
DRE: You should put tracks underneath that will give people seizures.
EM: I have the sounds of pigs being cut up under one joke so dont listen to the album too loud.
DRE: Do you get a lot of email through your site?
EM: When it was first going around I used to get like 8000 hits a day. But I think that has also helped me be seen as not just a comedian. Also as a result people knew of the website before they knew who I was.
DRE: Youve been on Conan OBrien a few times. When you do something like that do you get a ton of hits?
EM: Probably. The truth is links on The Onion or when Excite sends out their newsletter generates insane traffic.
DRE: Is Conan the only late night show youve been on?
EM: Also Late Friday. I will probably be doing The Late Late Show and Kimmel in the spring. It would be awesome to do David Letterman but he only has like seven comedians a year on and they are only the huge ones. It might be easier to get a TV show first then email them.
DRE: Are you looking to do a sitcom?
EM: I got into this to do comedy, little weird films and albums. I would gladly have a show but I want to do want Im doing. If its a good show it would be fun.
DRE: If you could do anything you want on a sitcom what would you do?
EM: I would be the wacky neighbor [laughs]. Honestly it might be about a comic living in New York. It would be just making up lies such as me having Chinese parents.
DRE: You do a weekly show at Cinema Classics. What happens there?
EM: Its a standup show that me and Bobby Tisdale produce. Not too long ago Patton, Todd Barry and Louis CK were there. it started after I stopped in and asked Cinema Classics if they wanted to do it and now its been two and a half years.
DRE: With your standup, do you write it out beforehand or riff and record?
EM: All of it together. I dont have any one way. Sometimes I will write something and walk around and think about it. Then I will try it on stage.
DRE: Do you get a lot of pussy as a result of being a comedian?
EM: No because I am dangerous and coy.
DRE: When did you come over from Russia?
EM: When I was four so all I remember is the smell of black currant. Russia released us and we were technically refugees but we werent hiding in a boat. We went on an airplane.
DRE: Are your parents funny?
EM: They are but they are also mathematicians and programmers.
DRE: Have they seen your act?
EM: I dont let them come because they make me nervous. But they have seen me because I cant prevent them from watching television.
by Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
Check out the official website of Eugene Mirman
Daniel Robert Epstein: The first time I saw you when was you opened for Patton Oswalt before he taped his special for Comedy Central. Are you friends with him?
Eugene Mirman: Yes we are and he asked me to do it.
DRE: Did you have to perform for Comedy Central people?
EM: They know me but since it was Pattons special and he asked for me that was enough. Ive been on Premium Blend on Comedy Central and I just sold them a film thats going to appear on their show, Jump Cuts.
DRE: How did you and Patton meet?
EM: I think he might have seen my website because I know hes friends with Michael Penn who really likes it. I think we also met at random shows in New York and Bumbershoot.
DRE: Your website is pretty complex for a comedians website.
EM: The design of it is pretty simple then there is a lot of funny stuff.
DRE: Do you do the site yourself?
EM: No a professional web designer friend of mine named Scott Bowers does it. I used to work at a web company in Boston and we started it then.
DRE: Your comedy album came out on Suicide Squeeze, how did that happen?
EM: They emailed me and asked me if I wanted to put out an album and I did. I have a rock agent who books me as well as The Shins and Modest Mouse. Shes from Seattle so she knows a lot of Seattle people so I believe she sent my website to Suicide Squeeze. The CD also has some of my short films on it and Im also going to eventually put out a full length DVD as well.
DRE: I know Patton wanted to wait to do a comedy album so he could own his catalog, did you do that?
EM: No, they own the masters. Patton and I are also in different positions but I do have a great indie deal. After they recoup, I get 50 percent which is the most any label would give anybody. I think Comedy Central gives people 13 percent.
DRE: How was putting the album together?
EM: I put it together from a few different shows in different cities. Its mostly shows from New York and Boston. Now that I know how its done the next time I will probably just do a bunch of shows in New York. To match sound from different rooms is a little complicated.
I didnt really have time to record a lot of stuff in the studio. I put a thing at the end of album where if you hold a land line up to the speaker when the CD is playing it will dial a number and you can leave me a voicemail.
DRE: Howd you do that?
EM: If you just play the tones it will work on your phone.
DRE: I think James Bond did that once.
EM: Its technology from the 70s so its possible. I havent broken any barriers.
DRE: You should put tracks underneath that will give people seizures.
EM: I have the sounds of pigs being cut up under one joke so dont listen to the album too loud.
DRE: Do you get a lot of email through your site?
EM: When it was first going around I used to get like 8000 hits a day. But I think that has also helped me be seen as not just a comedian. Also as a result people knew of the website before they knew who I was.
DRE: Youve been on Conan OBrien a few times. When you do something like that do you get a ton of hits?
EM: Probably. The truth is links on The Onion or when Excite sends out their newsletter generates insane traffic.
DRE: Is Conan the only late night show youve been on?
EM: Also Late Friday. I will probably be doing The Late Late Show and Kimmel in the spring. It would be awesome to do David Letterman but he only has like seven comedians a year on and they are only the huge ones. It might be easier to get a TV show first then email them.
DRE: Are you looking to do a sitcom?
EM: I got into this to do comedy, little weird films and albums. I would gladly have a show but I want to do want Im doing. If its a good show it would be fun.
DRE: If you could do anything you want on a sitcom what would you do?
EM: I would be the wacky neighbor [laughs]. Honestly it might be about a comic living in New York. It would be just making up lies such as me having Chinese parents.
DRE: You do a weekly show at Cinema Classics. What happens there?
EM: Its a standup show that me and Bobby Tisdale produce. Not too long ago Patton, Todd Barry and Louis CK were there. it started after I stopped in and asked Cinema Classics if they wanted to do it and now its been two and a half years.
DRE: With your standup, do you write it out beforehand or riff and record?
EM: All of it together. I dont have any one way. Sometimes I will write something and walk around and think about it. Then I will try it on stage.
DRE: Do you get a lot of pussy as a result of being a comedian?
EM: No because I am dangerous and coy.
DRE: When did you come over from Russia?
EM: When I was four so all I remember is the smell of black currant. Russia released us and we were technically refugees but we werent hiding in a boat. We went on an airplane.
DRE: Are your parents funny?
EM: They are but they are also mathematicians and programmers.
DRE: Have they seen your act?
EM: I dont let them come because they make me nervous. But they have seen me because I cant prevent them from watching television.
by Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
VIEW 4 of 4 COMMENTS
xanippi:
I think he's hot. so dangerous and coy... 
curmudgeon:
he opened for stella here in michigan and i actually thought he was funnier. his short films almost made me pee my pants.