Zach Galifianakis has appeared in the phenomenal movie Comedians of Comedy, Comedy Central’s show Dog Bites Man, as well as standup. He’s funny, contemplative, plays the piano, and he’ll be blowing apart the Crystal Ballroom this Friday. MERCURY: What’s your feeling on the comedy climate right now? GALIFIANAKIS: I think it is quite exciting. There are […]
Katie Shimer
Posted inMovies & TV
Hannibal Lecter Eats People
And He Isn’t Even That Hungry!
Thomas Harris’ novel Hannibal Rising came out on bookshelves nearly 18 years after The Silence of the Lambs was published, and 15 years after the movie made Hannibal Lecter famous. So does anybody really care anymore? Sure, Anthony Hopkins was creepy as hell as Dr. Lecter, and his character’s proclivity toward cannibalism was disturbing and […]
Posted inTheater & Performance
Michael Ian Black and Michael Showalter
See comedian Michael Ian Black in the upcoming Reno 911!: Miami movie, and in person this Saturday at the Wonder Ballroom. Black was in London at the time of this interview (oohh, fancy) and without phone service (oohh, not fancy), so I caught up with him via email. MERCURY: Tell me something really embarrassing that’s […]
Posted inMovies & TV
Insane Depressed Druggies!
Almodóvar Makes the Dark Days Brighter
Writer/director Pedro Almodóvar wears his heart on his sleeve. That—along with a good sense of humor—is probably my favorite quality in a filmmaker. Which explains why I love Almodóvar so much: He brings both honesty and dark comedy, in full force, to all his films. He consistently explores themes of sexual deviance, depression, obsession, drugs, […]
Posted inNews
Smoking: Canada 1, Oregon 0
For years my peers have made fun of Canadians, and I’ve never understood why. They’re friendly, they don’t take themselves too seriously, they don’t have as many guns, and just crossing the border into Canada makes me want to quit smoking cigarettes. So why can’t Oregon take a page out of their book? While certain […]
Posted inComedy
Reverend Bob Levy and the Killers of Comedy
The Reverend Bob Levy has a dirty mouth, loves to lick women’s asses (two separate qualities), cures hangovers with booze, and, along with the rest of the Killers of Comedy, is a regular guest on the Howard Stern Show. See the Reverend, Sal the Stockbroker, Shuli, Yucko the Clown, Jason Stewart, and Oregon’s own Gary […]
Posted inMovies & TV
I’m Staying Home
Stella!
Everything the comedy trio Stella does devolves into sex or violence—but that’s why they’re so fucking great. The troupe, made up of goofy, ironic, and ultimately demented comedians David Wain, Michael Showalter, and Michael Ian Black, have been writing and performing together for 16 years. With season one of their TV show Stella hitting DVD […]
Posted inMovies & TV
Love Thy Drunks
Factotum: A Day in Bukowski’s Life
When I’m shitfaced in a bar flirting with some guy whose face I can barely distinguish, I think of Charles Bukowski. When I’m working manual labor for 10 bucks an hour, I think how I have it so much better than he did. But sometimes, I wish I had it just as bad—just so one […]
Posted inTheater & Performance
The Comedy Men from Tomorrow
One of the writers/actors behind the cinematic gems Wet Hot American Summer and The Baxter, and television shows The State and Stella, Michael Showalter is diversifying his resume with a little standup. See him explode on P-Town with Eugene Mirman and Leo Allen. Now, let’s see what he has to say… Were you popular in […]
Posted inFeature
Making the Grade
The Mercury Food Issue Checks In with Old Standbys
Making the Grade