By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
February 6, 2004
Marc Maron is 40. Or, as he likes to say, 37 in show-biz years. Funny and sarcastic, he’ll be in Chicago this weekend to sign copies of his book, Jerusalem Syndrome: My Life as a Reluctant Messiah (Broadway, $12.95), at 6 tonight at Borders in Evanston (847-773-8852). And the comedian also will perform Saturday night at Skokie’s Centre East Theatre.
“The book was actually published in 2001 but it came out right after 9/11,” says Maron, phoning from New York. “Great timing, huh?”
HERE’S WHAT ELSE MARON HAD TO SAY:
Describe yourself: Weird but practical.
Why the cooking channel is the only pure form of television: You start out with raw materials and there’s no shortage of suspense. When the chef says he’s going to put the onions aside for a while, you can’t change the channel. You have to know what he’s going to do with [them].
The foods you favor: I like fresh food. I’m not a creamy type of guy. I’m a pretty good cook, though I’m not great at improvising.
Tell us a secret: Inside, I’ve got an inner fat guy. He’s caged up in there and ready to explode. I guess the outer neurotic guy will keep him inside.
Kicking the habit: I don’t smoke. I stopped drinking four years ago.
Your next one-man show: I’d like to do something about love. Maybe a one-man show about divorce.
Last good movie you saw: I thought Gus Van Sant’s “Elephant” was great. It was a beautiful and poetic meditation on the dynamics of high school. It was a really stunning movie.
Book you’re recommending: Unless it’s a really well-recommended novel, I usually read non-fiction. I just finished War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning by Chris Hedges, this war journalist. It’s very intense. He really talks about the power of war on all levels, the way it affects our personal lives and what it means historically.
What CD you’re listening to: OutKast’s “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below.” It’s pretty funky, dirty and funny. Reminds me of Prince and Parliament. [Andre 3000] is a hip-hop Gandhi.
Best advice you ever got: I used to do this bit where I talk about how I was freaking out on hallucinogens at a Jerry Garcia concert. In an attempt to connect with the people, I tapped on a guy’s shoulder and said, “Pretty soon, he’s going to meld with his guitar into one organism.” The guy just said, “Hang on, man.” And I do, through any bad situation. [Laughs]
What you’ve learned about yourself: I used to insist that everybody deep down had to be as f—– up as me. I believed my flailing narcissism was the truest form of existence. I’m not completely sure it’s entirely false, but I’m willing to admit that everyone has their own thing.
Your theory: The only difference between disappointment and depression is your level of commitment.
Best thing about being you: I’m no longer filled with spite. That actually frees me to enjoy things again like music, movies, art. You have a lot of time when you’re not seething with resentment all the time.
Bitter-free: Bitterness is just an elevated form of self-pity, and there’s no way to make that appealing.
What you’ll do in Chicago: I need to eat some pizza or some sausage. And then I’ll spend the rest of the time outside of Oprah’s office trying to give her a copy of my book. Happy belated birthday, Oprah!
