Interview: Todd Barry

After playing Mickey Rourke's mean boss in The Wrestler, an annoying bongo player on Flight of the Conchords, that guy in Spin City, the other white balding guy in Lucky Louie, and Keith in The Larry Sanders Show; Todd Barry continues to cement his career on film and on TV as “that guy from that thing.”

But as a stand-up, Todd is one of the most original voices in America. His dry, dead-pan style and low-key persona hide his almost neurotic perfectionism, illustrated recently by his penchant for only granting email interviews, as the medium allows him the time to painstakingly write and rewrite amusing answers to questions.

The Skinny: You have done a lot of film and TV work. Everyone saw you in The Wrestler, and I just saw you recently in Louie, and in Bob’s Burgers. So what drives you to do stand up?
Todd Barry: I consider myself a comedian more than an actor. I get most of my acting work from friends who are making a movie or a TV show, so that I'm lucky in that sense. It's nice to do lots of standup, and do the occasional acting gig just to mix things up. Also, the parts I get are pretty small, so I'd be broke if I depended on that.

TS: Why has it been so long since last time you played the festival?
TB: I'm tempted to give you a bogus answer that involves prison time and months of charity volunteer work, but the truth is that I often find festivals overwhelming, so I need a little break before I do them again. Yes, I know seven years is not really a “little” break.

TS: Do fans approach you in the street?

TB: In the States (and parts of Canada) it's a mob scene; I can't even walk three steps without being accosted by packs of out-of-control fans. Luckily, I make enough money to hire bodyguards to beat these fans up. That's part of the reason I'm coming back to Edinburgh; I'm less known over there, and need a break from the MADNESS.

But to be serious, I do get recognised a couple of times a day. The people are usually nice, and it's a pretty manageable situation.

TS: Why play the Edinburgh festival? What is in it for a comedian?
TB: I could easily just do shows in the US for the rest of my life, but I like to perform in a wide variety of circumstances. And I get to hang out with comedian friends I don't see very often, including international comics I've met over the years. I also plan on seeing lots of shows, which should be easy, since my show is at 3pm.
   
TS: What’s a day like for a comedian at a festival like this?
TB: I'm kind of a fitness nut, so I'll probably wake up at 6am and lift weights non-stop until my 3pm show, or maybe get a degree in Scottish history at the University of Edinburgh. Or I might just roam around looking for people to eat with.

TS: Can you tell me the first joke of your set?
TB: I could, but then I'll get all fired up and end up doing the whole set for you. I think it's best to let people experience my first joke at my show. Also, I don't know what my first joke is yet.

TS: What if no one laughs at a joke? Is it your fault or theirs?
TB: Well, if “no one” laughs at the joke, then it's probably my fault. But if even one person laughs in an audience of a thousand, then that joke is what we call a “keeper.”