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Paul Provenza's Showtime Showcase Puts Comedians' Behind-The-Scenes

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Paul Provenza's Showtime Showcase Puts Comedians' Behind-The-Scenes WATCH!: The way The Green Room is shot, it seems like anything can happen and end up on camera. Is that intentional? PAUL PROVENZA: I’ve always been frus- trated by how the most important and valuable things about comedy seem to get lost in the effort to capture it on tele- vision. Because comedians have to adapt to the medium. We wanted this show to IS feel like an experience, and not like it had been staged for the audience. The content would be all off the cuff, very conversational and organic. We told the camera guys to shoot as if they’re shoot- ing sports, where you don’t know where GOOD that ball is going. WATCH!: Where did the idea for this series come from? PAUL: The first incarnation of my idea Paul Provenza’s to capture a behind-the-scenes look at Showtime showcase comedy started with Comics Only back in the early 1990s. And even before that, puts comedians’ I had done a pilot where comedians sat behind-the-scenes around looking at newspapers and riff- ing on the day’s events. So I’ve always personalities on center been captivated by the possibilities of stage BY JIM COLUCCI capturing what I’ve experienced hanging out with comedians. Then, in the past few years, my phenomenal friend and co-executive Barbara Romen and I part- nered to develop live shows. We started doing The Green Room live as a stage show at the Fringe festival in Edinburgh and at Montreal’s his more-than-30-year funnymen and -women into Just For Laughs. We ended career, Paul Provenza dropping their stage schtick up doing it maybe 50 times has been performing to instead engage in candid live before we had a “sizzle stand-up comedy—and, conversations about anything reel” to pitch to Showtime. INapparently, observing the art from pop culture to politics. form, too. In 2005, his critically Part performance, part free- WATCH!: Without that actual lauded film The Aristocrats wheeling talk show, Provenza’s footage, it seems like this celebrated comics of varying brainchild comes to life not must have been a hard con- generations as each told the same on a typical TV soundstage but cept to describe. famously off-color, vaudeville- on the floor of the Hollywood PAUL: Yes, and that’s why the era joke. Last year, his book rock club The Vanguard— pitch meeting ended up being Satiristas! served up uncen- where, yes, liquor is served really hilarious. “What’s the sored interviews with dozens during tapings. Provenza says theme and the format of the of comedic legends. The Green Room’s relaxed set- show?” There is no format. Now, with The Green Room ting, paired with Showtime’s “Well, are there themes?” No. ME The Green Room creator I Paul Provenza says he with Paul Provenza, which airs generous anything-goes atti- WT “What’s the structure?” There compares his role as its second season of six hour- tude, allows today’s wittiest SHO is none. Showtime wants host to a jazz musician, long episodes this summer, the stars the freedom not just to their image to be fearless, and IPSON/ not a moderator. 54-year-old actor and writer is work blue, but to dig deep into L for a long time, “No Limits” successfully coaxing his fellow true comedy gold. CLIFF was their slogan. So I actually 84 AUGUST 2011 / WATCH! FdCW0811_084-085_SCR_GreenV4.indd 84 6/24/11 9:01 AM WATCH!: The way The Green Room is shot, said to them, here’s a chance for you to to lose so many great jokes and moments? it seems like anything can happen and really do that. And to their huge credit, PAUL: That was a really big problem when end up on camera. Is that intentional? they really did take a leap of faith. I was doing The Aristocrats—“This is PAUL PROVENZA: I’ve always been frus- so great and I don’t want to lose it!” But trated by how the most important and WATCH!: It sounds like the famous Sein- I learned that in the editing room, our valuable things about comedy seem to feld pitch, for a “show about nothing.” mantra can be “DVD extras.” So it’s a little get lost in the effort to capture it on tele- PAUL: And the whole point is that the bit easier because we know that the good vision. Because comedians have to adapt show really isn’t about nothing. There stuff is not going to just disappear. to the medium. We wanted this show to is no topic list or agenda so some of the feel like an experience, and not like it shows get very political, and some get WATCH!: What is the process of putting had been staged for the audience. The very personal and intimate. We have each panel of comics together? Is there a content would be all off the cuff, very real discourse, where it doesn’t matter formula for getting the best chemistry? conversational and organic. We told the who’s right or who’s wrong. I always feel PAUL: Showtime has asked that we have camera guys to shoot as if they’re shoot- frustrated when I watch Real Time with at least one or two names on every show ing sports, where you don’t know where Bill Maher or The Daily Show and think, that will make people watch. In Season 2, that ball is going. “This is such a great conversation—keep we have Margaret Cho, Richard Lewis going!” But they don’t, because they have and Lewis Black. Then it’s a question of WATCH!: Where did the idea for this series a format they have to keep to. which two do I put together, and who do come from? I put around them? I also have a personal PAUL: The first incarnation of my idea WATCH!: Why did you decide to call it mission both to bring in some unknown to capture a behind-the-scenes look at The Green Room? talent, and to respect the Old Guard. comedy started with Comics Only back PAUL: In a “green room” before and after in the early 1990s. And even before that, shows, comics aren’t concerned about WATCH!: What differences can we expect I had done a pilot where comedians sat their images, or how their hair looks, or in The Green Room for Season 2? around looking at newspapers and riff- having everything they say be perfectly PAUL: This second season felt so much ing on the day’s events. So I’ve always crafted. That’s the vibe we try to capture more organic and authentic right out been captivated by the possibilities of on the show. of the gate that at one point capturing what I’ve experienced hanging when I had to go to the bath- out with comedians. Then, in the past WATCH!: You tape each room, I got up and left the few years, my phenomenal friend and show for nearly an hour THE GREEN ROOM panel to carry on the conver- airs Thursdays co-executive Barbara Romen and I part- and a half, and then you at 11 p.m. ET/PT sation. Then, I realized, “I nered to develop live shows. We started have to edit down to an on Showtime. just got up and took a leak in doing The Green Room live as a stage hour. Doesn’t it kill you the middle of a TV show!” show at the Fringe festival in Edinburgh and at Montreal’s Just For Laughs. We ended up doing it maybe 50 times live before we had a “sizzle reel” to pitch to Showtime. WATCH!: Without that actual footage, it seems like this must have been a hard con- cept to describe. PAUL: Yes, and that’s why the pitch meeting ended up being really hilarious. “What’s the theme and the format of the show?” There is no format. “Well, are there themes?” No. ME I WT “What’s the structure?” There O is none. Showtime wants their image to be fearless, and Comedians Dana Gould, Andy Dick, PSON/SH LI Brendon Burns and Andy Kindler join for a long time, “No Limits” Provenza in a roundtable discussion. CLIFF was their slogan. So I actually WATCH! / AUGUST 2011 85 FdCW0811_084-085_SCR_GreenV4.indd 85 6/24/11 9:02 AM.
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