PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA, THE: WEB MEDIA: HUMAN GIANT LIVE! {LONG VERSION}
Summary
One in a series of seminars presented by The Paley Center for Media which celebrates web media. Held at the Paley Center in New York, Pat Mitchell, President and CEO of the Paley Center, introduces comedian Eugene Mirman, who moderates the seminar "Human Giant Live!” Mirman talks about his affection for “Human Giant,” which began on the internet before being added to MTV’s programming. Next, “The T-Shirt Squad” (troupe members/writers Aziz Ansari, Rob Huebel, and Paul Scheer) use “T-shirt cannons” to fire jerseys into the audience, after which clips from "Human Giant" are shown. The clips include: the search for a cop-killing cartoon character; comic Will Arnett "partying" with paparazzi masquerading as Mary-Kate Olsen, Ashley Olsen, and Matthew McConaughey; carpet salesman dealing with a murderous pet monkey; the efforts of the T-Shirt Squad to save U.S. Marines in a "Saving Private Ryan" parody; infomercials about pedophiles; and a behind-the-scenes look at "Battle Sector 17" TV show, which parodies "Star Trek." Next, Mirman introduces the panelists: Ansari, Huebel, and Scheer; directors Jason Woliner and Tom Gianas; and Jon Glaser (playing “Jim the writer.”) After taking the stage, the panelists answer questions on such topics as: the writing process on the show; getting jokes approved “by committee”; how the writers become inspired; if Ansari, Huebel, and Scheer fight with each other while writing material; improvising on set; recurring themes on the show -- which leads to a clip of the show's commercial jingles sendup, as well as "outtakes"; reactions of the troupe’s conservative parents to the troupe’s more risqué routines; the challenges of working for MTV; dealing with the network’s standards and practices department -- seguing into a clip about a mother-and-son moving company which "championed" an anti-adoption agenda; if there will be a third season of “Human Giant”; and celebrities that have refused to be on the show. Questions from the audience then lead to a discussion of the following topics: what kind of cameras are used for the show’s “shaky” documentary look; if “auditions” for “Human Giant” are allowed during the seminar; how original music, special effects, and elaborate graphics are employed despite a limited budget; how the group’s members met; why the show’s humor will never mirror the comedy of Jim Belushi’s sitcom, “According to Jim” ; working with child actors -- which is exemplified by a "Human Giant" clip showing a young boy as the head of the "Shutterbugs" talent agency; Huebel’s commercials as “inconsiderate cell phone man”; and if the group will ever attempt another twenty-four hour comedy marathon, as they pulled off in Times Square in 2007. The program concludes with two unaired clips from future shows: a group of pinatas that exact bloody revenge on partygoers; and the wake for a high school sports star who died due to his unceasing consumption of high-energy drinks.
Details
- NETWORK: N/A
- DATE: April 1, 2008 6:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:39:23
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:92255
- GENRE: Seminars
- SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Pat Mitchell … Host
- Eugene Mirman … Moderator
- Aziz Ansari … Panelist
- Rob Huebel … Panelist
- Paul Scheer … Panelist
- Jason Woliner … Panelist
- Tom Gianis … Panelist
- Jon Glaser … Panelist
- Will Arnett
- Jim Belushi
- Matthew McConaughey
- Ashley Olsen
- Mary-Kate Olsen