I’m Chris Gethard and I’m a comedian, actor, writer and the creator and host of the live variety talk show, The Chris Gethard Show, airing every Thursday on truTV. You can watch clips from the show here.

I also host the podcast Beautiful/Anonymous, where random anonymous phone callers share their stories with me.

Lastly, I was in a recent HBO special called Career Suicide. The album comes out at the end of this week!

Proof: https://i.redd.it/pf3gcqffreuz.jpg

Comments: 744 • Responses: 110  • Date: 

NickFCarter146 karma

Do you regret coming to my apartment immediately after episode 1?

chrisgethard77 karma

NEVER!

kevecca93 karma

Hey Chris, thanks again for your jacket! It looks great on me.

What are the origins of Vacation Jason? I know the Human Fish crawled out of the Hudson, but we still don't know where Vacation Jason crawled out of

chrisgethard71 karma

I loved that jacket! Do right by it!

Vacation Jason pre-dated TCGS! Riley was doing him when he was just a kid back in San Francisco.

askmeaskmeaskme7759 karma

What happened to MIMI on the HOOPS????

chrisgethard85 karma

I posted this on the Gethheads group on Facebook a while back. I love Mimi and what she brought to the show. I don't want to get into it too deep, but as I said over there, one of the hardest parts of being in charge is knowing that things like chemistry and comfort and creativity all go hand in hand and are ultimately my responsibility. Scaling back on Mimi was my choice and no one else's. It wasn't forced on the show in any way. I have to make tough and heartbreaking decisions sometimes. I don't want to go into all the specifics as to why because it's not fair to me or Mimi. Please respect that this is real life as much as a show.

kodie13155 karma

No real question, just wanted to say how much I love Beautiful/Anonymous and your performance in Don't Think Twice. You're fucking killing it and an inspiration, thank you.

What are some of your favorite podcasts?

chrisgethard41 karma

Thank you!

Criminal, Dr. Gameshow, Art of Wrestling, Tim Dillon is Going to Hell

chrisgethard49 karma

Hey everybody! Gotta wrap up for now. THANK YOU for all the thoughtful and hilarious questions. JD says I gotta go, ya know, write this week's episode now.

Thanks for supporting all my stuff. TCGS survives because you guys are so vocal, so keep telling your friends about it! And remember my album is out later this week - you can get it at www.dongiovannirecords.com

WiseSarah43 karma

Hey Chris!

Thanks for everything you do. Your work has honestly gotten me through some really dark times in my life and you'll never know how much I truly and honestly appreciate it. But I have a question.

I was the caller on the Take a Chance episode of TCGS that decided to move to NYC. I'm taking the advice but I have a super important question:

What would it take for you to be willing to write one of my official letters of recommendation for my NYU application? I'm 100% serious and think it would be hilarious even if it doesn't work.

And bonus question in the style of the human fish: vacation Jason or Hintmaster?

All the best man. Keep up the good work and know how much you give to the world in all you do.

chrisgethard47 karma

Hintmaster. He was evil but at least he was honest about it.

DM me about the letter. The inbox will be nuts today because of this AMA, so maybe in a day or two. We'll figure something out.

Kimbomboff33 karma

https://www.sunshine-book.com.tw/product.asp?id=3078 Did you know that you look exactly like Norman from the children's book Imogene's Antlers??

chrisgethard29 karma

This is the first I've seen of this. Uncanny.

DerekComedy32 karma

As someone who is unfamiliar with your work but had heard nothing but good things, where should I start?

chrisgethard63 karma

A lot of people love this episode of my show - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nwi_kE0gy94

whylekat31 karma

Hey Chris! I just want to apologize to you and all your fans as I was the dumbo audience member at the Method Man episode who shouted "GETHARDD" right before you did the pre show commercial promo. I was there alone and teeming with excitement, anxiety, and awe and only wanted to show my support, of course. However it didn't seem to go over well, I immediately regretted it, and that was the only episode so far where you didn't take a selfie with the audience and I'm 100% convinced it's my fault. So to you and all the other audience members who were there that night, I am truly sincerely sorry for being an asshat.

Chris, you're a huge inspiration to me and have helped me deal with, or at least acknowledge and relax about my ownmental health issues, as I'm sure you've done for many of your fans and friends. Thanks for being such an awesome, great person. So my AMA question for you is, Chris, Can you ever forgive me??

chrisgethard68 karma

The level of anxiety displayed in your post shows that you are indeed a true blue TCGS fan.

Fedcoshark30 karma

Chris! Huge fan of Beautiful Anonymous.

Why do you call your mom Sally? That's your mom her name is mom! As a fellow New Jerseyan I know you know better.

Love the show and find you to be very relatable.

Quick edit: also it's pork roll you north jersey swine.

chrisgethard46 karma

TAYLOR HAM FOREVER, YOU SOUTH JERSEY HEATHEN!

I call my mom mom.

kickpuncher30525 karma

Who is Short Ghost?

chrisgethard19 karma

I WISH I KNEW!

chrisgethard19 karma

If anyone can tell me, I'd be much obliged!

NKOAS24 karma

What’s the #1 thing you’ve always wanted to do but never have, that is totally in your control/ability to do (i.e. nothing that relies on circumstances beyond your control)?

{Also, big fan of the show since the public access days. True Story: The last thing I said face to face with my long-term girlfriend before we broke up was quoting "Human Fish Loves Cock" from milkshake of death. It may have been a mistake, in retrospect)

chrisgethard36 karma

I am not surprised that was the last thing said before break up. Seems on target!

I've always wanted to be in a band and have never gone and gotten it together. I mostly just want someone to Johnny Marr me - show up and say they'll write all the music and I just need to do the lyrics.

bobdoleequalsgod24 karma

There is a drawing on your set done by Abbi Jacobson that she did on the first episode of the fusion show. It’s her artistic representation of my penis as described by you and Iliana.

What do I have to do to get that drawing?

P.S. I’m sorry you had to see that.

chrisgethard18 karma

DM me

skinnythief23 karma

If YOU could call in to an anonymous show, what would you talk about? Please share on this very public forum.

chrisgethard37 karma

I would probably talk about how when you are young it is hard to embrace who you want to be, and how that can cause a lot of mental problems.

hamburgerstastegood23 karma

Why aren't you in this meeting? -Royce

chrisgethard26 karma

Get to work, Twintern.

chrisgethard19 karma

Get to work, twintern!

REbr021 karma

Hey Chris, big fan. I’ve watched you since I think around episode 50 of the MNN days, got locked in thanks to Tom Scharpling. Ever since I’ve been fully on board. I deeply appreciate your style of humor, and you’ve helped introduce me to some of my favorite comedians working today.

I also genuinely think that the current iteration of the show is the best version of all previous versions. Y’all have done an awesome job recreating the frenzy of the early days, and have pretty much eliminated what felt sort of “scripted” about the Fusion show. Congrats a million times over – you guys deserve all the success you can get.

That all being said, given the uptick in overall quality, when do you think the show’s gonna get canceled?

Also shoutout to Shannon O’Neill.

chrisgethard31 karma

Any day now, or maybe never? But if and when it does I'm glad we're going out doing it our way.

tastybabysoup21 karma

Hi, Chris. My wife and I love you and your show and everyone you surrounded yourself with for TCGS. You seem like the greatest guy and there needs to be more folks like you on TV, especially these days. During the Adam Pally episode when you were dunked into the ice water, you told Shannon "I am so mad at you and we are going to talk after the show." Can you reveal at all how that talk went? We are so curious as to just how angry you actually were.

Also, I tweeted you this weekend from a Dead Milkmen show in Philly (which I have to imagine you're a fan being from Jersey) saying you should try to get the Dead Milkmen on your show. That tweet currently has only one Fav...from Rodney Anonymous, lead singer of the Dead Milkmen! Just saying, if you're cureently looking for a great band to book, I think the DM are on board! Here is the tweet for proof. I'd love to see them on TCGS. Keep up the amazing work!

chrisgethard31 karma

I'd love to have the Dead Milkmen on! I'll let Kiri and Heidi and Zane know about this!

It's funny with Shannon, she is one of my nearest and dearest people in life and she has the best ability to walk me right up to the razor's edge for the sake of comedy. She more than anyone else knows how and why it's funny when I'm mad or put upon and can get me right there. After that bit, when I saw the video, I laughed so hard at her that I wound up not being that mad.

There have been some other bits on the show from people who don't know my rhythms as inside and out that did genuinely hurt my feelings though.

beatrixxxx_kiddo10 karma

Holy crap Erik I was trying to think of a question and I was totally going to ask the exact same thing about Shannon

Anyway Chris we are big (new) fans and I think you seem like a very nice person! I hope TCGS gets renewed :)

chrisgethard16 karma

Thank you! Welcome aboard. Tell your friends.

askmeaskmeaskme7720 karma

Will there ever be another Night of Zero Laughs?

chrisgethard11 karma

I don't know!

mollievolcano20 karma

Hey Chris! Huge fan of TCGS and Career suicide, but (like many), originally found you through B/A My question for you is it ever frustrating to you that BA has taken off the way it has, when it really isn't a comedy medium in the way your other work is? Not that there are never lighthearted/funny BA calls, but as a whole, its sort of gotten a life of its own. On the same vein, do you see it as something you continue doing for the long term, or do you see an end in sight? Curious because you've mentioned on calls that things are so busy for you now with the tv show. Also why do you think rabbits hate the sound of your voice?

chrisgethard50 karma

I do get frustrated that things I've worked so hard on have never met mainstream success, and B/A was met with it instantly. And non-comedically. It took a long while to wrap my brain around that, but I managed to remind myself that it's not about me. It's not about my ego. It's about sending art into the world and hoping someone gets something out of it. If people find one of my projects and they're not interested in it being comedic, I need to remove my own ego, get out of the way, and enjoy the ride. I am blessed and lucky to do Beautiful/Anonymous. I will do it as long as they let me.

Rabbits hate slight New Jersey accents.

bussche19 karma

What's Vacation Jason like outside of the show? Or do you not see him that much, as he's always on vacation?

chrisgethard60 karma

Every encounter I've ever had with Vacation Jason has been worse than the last.

bussche20 karma

That's so googy.

Seriously though, this latest season on TruTV has been the best yet. It feels like the best of both worlds, "public access with a budget" ain't no joke.

chrisgethard14 karma

thank you!

FatAssSwag19 karma

Hi Hugh Jackman. What was acting in X-Men like?

chrisgethard18 karma

Lots of special effects.

Sarahflump19 karma

Hey Chris! I believe I have figured out who Big Man 6 is but you did not respond to my post in the shows sub this weekend... Are you afraid for me, Sarahflump, to reveal who THEY are? Respond to this post and I will comment back who I believe they are.

Edit: u/chrisgethard stop dodging me man. Maybe I was wrong and it's YOU behind this madness

chrisgethard19 karma

I'm terrified.

NotAnotherHellHole18 karma

Hey Chris, how did you first meet Jeff rosenstock? Are you guys like, best friends?

chrisgethard22 karma

Laura Stevenson put us in touch! We are great friends. I think we'd be tighter if both of us didn't live on the road. But we do touch base as often as possible and we lean on each other hard when artist life bullshit wears thin.

imtrasha17 karma

When are we seeing Bridget Jones's Baby?

chrisgethard23 karma

Next Monday I think? Orlando is organizing it.

Jp4media16 karma

Chris big fan here. Huge fan of Vacation Jason. What are your top 3 favorite pro wrestling finishers?

chrisgethard29 karma

I'm not psyched that you're a big fan of me but a HUGE fan of Vacation Jason.

Top three finishers? Off the top of my head - Jake the Snake's DDT, Flair's Figure Four, and the Million Dollar Dream.

SeanBroney16 karma

Do you plan on sending Random Erin through the Hero's Journey?

chrisgethard34 karma

We'll see if she can figure out how to hold a boom mic and go from there.

JustAPrankBro15 karma

Hey Chris! Huge fan of the podcast. Has there ever been a call that you've decided against posting for any reason?

Keep doing what you're doing, it's really fantastic! Thanks!

chrisgethard25 karma

Thanks for listening! Yeah, there are a bunch that haven't been posted. Some because I was a bad host and steamrolled it. Some because the content wound up being pleasant convo but not great listening. Only one or two that I can think of because the content was so disturbing that I felt morally uneasy about releasing it. There are probably about ten or so at this point that haven't come out.

Smugsy209911 karma

What are the odds of those ever being made public with an unruly amount of asterisks around them?

chrisgethard16 karma

Slim to none!

AnimobileAWS15 karma

what is the most pain you've ever been in from a bit? was it the ice cream burns in austin? i was there and that did not look fun, although the show was very very fun.

what's the biggest budget blowing episode y'all have done? is it yet to come this season?

thank you, been watching since the andrew wk episode

chrisgethard25 karma

Thanks for watching! The Andrew WK episode was so fun. Good memories.

The ice cream burns in Austin were so real and such a bad idea. That was by far the most physical danger I've put myself in for the show. Such a dumb idea.

As far as budget blowing... the wrestling ring wasn't cheap last year. And our last two episodes this year will blow everything else we've done out of the water in this department. The next to last one straight up blows the budget. I can't wait for you guys to see!

TheErikThein15 karma

how much do you stand by the stance of EAT MORE BUTTS?

chrisgethard14 karma

100%

pinfifteen14 karma

Have you gotten fined yet on TruTV?

Can you share something that TruTV wouldn't go for, like is there something else like the Fuck Tent?

Do you have any weird stalker stories?

chrisgethard29 karma

To my knowledge we haven't gotten fined yet. I don't know how close we've come.

I had one idea that truTV wasn't into, which I totally get, which was - let me walk out there with no script, no plan, literally nothing, and see what happens. I was having a manic week when I pitched it. I think theoretically it's a good idea, but it cuts off the collaboration that I love so much from all corners of the show.

I have a few weird stalker stories. One is really intense and I shouldn't put details up here in case they're reading, but it was from about like 2002. I still get some stalkery stuff. It's why I've been less public the past few years - since getting married I open myself up a little less to stalker level stuff. When I was single and didn't care if I lived or died, fans used to know where I lived and stuff.

PARPS13 karma

Hey Chris! I've got two questions:

  1. What's the best improv scene you can remember either being in or witnessing (UCB or otherwise)?

  2. Any chance you'd do another dumpster special? The Scheer/Mantzoukis one might be my all-time favorite TCGS episode.

Thanks for doing this! Love the show/hope you get a chance to go on vacation soon!

chrisgethard25 karma

  1. Fwand did a group game where no one spoke or moved. it was transcendent.

  2. Rumor has it Scheer and Zouks will be back this season...

one-eyedwitch13 karma

Hello! I first started watching your show because you had Sleater-Kinney (my favorite band) on. I loved the episode, so I went back to try and figure out what the show's "deal" was and I ended up finally getting to see the show in person a few weeks ago!

I know you love All Hands On The Bad One, but do you have any other S-K favorites or memories? Did you ever see them live? Do you think they would ever come back on as a musical guest? Literally anything at all you want to say about Sleater-Kinney? Thanks for doing this!

chrisgethard17 karma

I haven't seem them live yet! They'd be welcome back on my show in any capacity any time they want, but I reserve the right to be just as shy and intimidated as last time.

They were all so nice and so kind.

Bveronis11 karma

Are you going to bring the phone booth to Michigan? You have a lotta fans here!

chrisgethard15 karma

I wish! The live B/A show in Ferndale was so fun. The phone booth is done for the season though!

one-eyedwitch11 karma

You've said before that if you didn't live in New York, you might live in Chicago. What do you love about Chicago/what are your favorite things here?

chrisgethard27 karma

At one point this was definitely true. But if we leave NYC and it's to someplace that actually has even colder winters, my wife would kill me.

Chicago is so great - the people are honest and kind, and the John G Shedd aquarium is one of my favorite places in the world.

GaslightProphet11 karma

Hey Chris! Big fan of CS and your Beautiful/Anonymous work. I know you've said you were raised Catholic, and you're now generally agnostic - how has your view on God changed as your relationship with depression has evolved? Have you ever found comfort in that concept, or does it have a different interaction with your depression?

chrisgethard18 karma

I haven't really thought about depression and God. Catholicism more has increased my guilt and anxiety levels, but that's cultural more than religious.

Fuckoffbrad11 karma

I have a question about why you're comedy special was an off Broadway show. Was it because it seemed like a more appropriate venue for the content of the show?

chrisgethard20 karma

There's a tradition of comedy off-Broadway bubbling up in NYC the past few years. Birbiglia, Colin Quinn, Nick and John, Neal Brennan, Hasan Minhaj - they've all mounted shows off-Broadway. I'm happy to be part of that lineage. I think the content I was building leant itself towards going down that track and when I saw it was a possibility I took it as a real challenge and worked hard to make it happen.

aloidnem11 karma

Do you still keep in touch with Alyssa?

chrisgethard13 karma

Every once in a blue moon.

cjjmfg11 karma

You are honestly the most wonderful human being on the planet. What you do for people, including myself, is irreplaceable and important. You make us laugh, you inspire us, and with Beautiful/Anonymous and TCGS, you listen to us. I cannot thank you enough for being you.

That said......

What's the meanest thing you've ever done to someone (that you can talk about) and did it change you for the better?

chrisgethard18 karma

I wrote a mean song about a high school classmate and performed it with a friend's band at a basement show. It was not cool and I still feel awful about it.

CaptainFuckingMagic11 karma

I've always had a theory that B/A was partially inspired by Suto's calls back on MNN, especially the "I don't hang up on Suto, Suto hangs up on me" part. Any truth to that?

Follow-up: If somebody actually did call into the podcast and make cat noises at you for an hour, what are the odds it'd get released?

chrisgethard20 karma

I'd release the cat noises in an instant. The fans would hate it. I would love it.

I never thought about the direct Suto connection, but yes, B/A was born out of me missing the long meandering phone calls of public access era TCGS.

aloidnem10 karma

Do you have a gut feeling on whether the show will get renewed or not? I love the show and I'm hoping TCGS has continued success, not just because I want the show to continue for years, but also because in a world that's gravitating towards streaming and binge-watching, it's super fun to watch shows do it live.

chrisgethard18 karma

I have a vaguely positive feeling? But that's I think mostly just because I'm proud of what we're making.

scottyarwood10 karma

I saw you in Toronto with Mike Birbiglia and doing Career Suicide and you were awesome! Do you see your next stand up show as being more of a traditional comedy show or as another show like career suicide? Also, what was different in the writing process for Career Suicide than with your more traditional stand up?

chrisgethard32 karma

I'd like to put out a special that's just a bunch of my hardest hitting jokes and stories. No theme or moral. Maybe it's insecurity, but I want to make sure people out there know that not all of my jokes are about sticking my head in an oven.

The writing process for CS was intense and long. Three years. Bombed all the time, just like you do with any new material, but bombing with that felt so lonely and so grim.

imatoofbrush10 karma

Hey Chris! Thanks for being so awesome and being such an open book. I've been a fan since your UCB days. This is a genuine question: how does one go about getting a job on your show? I am fucking miserable at my job and have always dreamt of working on a TV show, and love TGS. This is actually very embarrassing, but I figured it couldn't hurt to ask.

chrisgethard17 karma

You apply. :)

toddfrompittsburgh10 karma

Hey Chris. I hope you are well.

How have the people at TRU been digesting the show? Has there been any feedback from the executives about their favorite parts of the show?

chrisgethard41 karma

They are champions and supporters and giving us every chance to succeed and rooting us on. I hope we can get the numbers up to make them look like geniuses!

They all really loved when Justin Linville, my assistant, came on live TV and tore me a new asshole.

Thafuckyousaid9 karma

How many people call in for Beautiful Anonymous do you think? We try to call in a lot but never make it through! How do you determine what airs or doesn't? How many conversations do you have saved for future episodes?

Thanks for doing that show and talking to people openly! You're great!! <3

chrisgethard16 karma

To my knowledge, the most we've ever received is 14,000 call attempts off of one tweet.

Generally we get like 7,000 if it's early in the workday and work week and over 10,000 if it's later in the week or later in the day.

We have about three in the queue at any given time.

Thanks for listening!

Smugsy20999 karma

Do you think you'll ever have the heart to do another election special?

chrisgethard20 karma

If MNN will have me, then absolutely!

Smugsy209910 karma

Thank God. Insane as the last one was, it kept me from punching a wall.

chrisgethard15 karma

Until the last hour. Then it was all wall punching all the time.

ktotheile9 karma

If you were asked to host The Late Show with Chris Gethard...but it was mandatory you make Vacation Jason your permanent sidekick for the duration of the show, would you do it? (And yes, you'd be making many millions of dollars a year in this scenario)

chrisgethard11 karma

As long as I was the host and he was the sidekick, and not vice versa.

Luminitha9 karma

What's your favorite snack?

chrisgethard16 karma

They got these Hershey's with toffee around the office sometimes, those have been getting a big thumbs up.

beautifulprawncess9 karma

You seem to still get a lot of hate messages about various aspects of your life and you always respond with something upbeat or you ask the person if they need any help but I wonder, do these messages still bother you personally? Or have you found a way to brush them off easier?

chrisgethard14 karma

They hurt.

elgrimace8 karma

Hi Chris! Thanks for making the mother land proud. Couple of quick questions:

Favorite place to hit up in Asbury Park?

Favorite Front Bottoms song?

chrisgethard15 karma

Silverball Museum

Lately, Flying Model Rockets, though historically it's been The Beers.

HarryPotterFarts8 karma

Hey Chris! Have been a long time fan of your work! A big part of TCGS has always been the callers. I'm curious about how much that screening process has changed now that you're no longer on cable access? What are the chances that someone like Suto could make it on TruTV? Also, will we see a return of Mimi on the Hoops?

chrisgethard21 karma

There's more screening on the Skypes because we need appearance releases. I think calls are more open game, but they still are a little less random just because we have so many more callers than we used to. That being said, a few weeks back we got two pranks/insane people in a row and I really loved it. Reminded me of the old days.

I met Suto in person a few years ago. He gave me a drawing. It was rad.

Jannos8 karma

Which up and coming comedians should people know more about?

chrisgethard15 karma

Jo Firestone is the future of comedy. And one day Anna Drezen will rule us all.

nearsighted38 karma

two questions!

1) Top 5 sodas?

2) When is there gonna be a phone booth set up in Pittsburgh?

chrisgethard7 karma

  1. Mr Q Cumber, Ale 8 One, Virgil's Bavarian Edition
  2. Phone booth is done for the season!

kryonik8 karma

Do you ever had trouble down there during bedsheet times and have to psych yourself up by yelling "Get hard, Gethard!" in the mirror?

chrisgethard16 karma

This is the worst version of the most played out joke. This was, honestly, the least funny attempt at this joke I've seen in a few years. Well done.

ChuckSeville7 karma

Chris, last November, I sequestered myself away to watch your Election Day livestream, all the way to the bitter end. It was a weird night, and watching you react to those numbers was like watching myself in a mirror.

So my question is are you following the news today, dude? What the heck, right?

chrisgethard9 karma

Yeah, seriously.

FuckYouIan7 karma

Hi Chris, my girlfriend and I met you a few weeks ago at a show you did in Woodstock. It was so nice to meet you! We're huge fans, thank you for taking some time to talk to us and take a picture. I know you're a huge comic book fan, are you excited for the new Thor movie? What do you want to see most from it? Thank you for doing this AMA!

chrisgethard12 karma

Nice to meet you too! And thanks for coming!

I couldn't be MORE excited for Thor. Just read Simonson's run for the first time. Can't wait to see the Executioner death scene.

"You never laughed at me, Baldur."

zdpape7 karma

Do you think young writers/comedians can find success outside of the bigger cities (LA, NYC, Chicago, etc)?

chrisgethard14 karma

That all depends on how you define success.

Can you make meaningful work that exceeds your own expectations and sets the bar high and is creatively satisfying? Absolutely. I think in some ways making something of true artistic value is more probably outside of the major cities.

Can you find success as in acting and writing jobs? Yeah. But it's exponentially more difficult. Both because you're not around the machines that make it happen, and because you're not around the other artists grinding it out and getting better in pursuit of conquering those machines.

literallyjustlike7 karma

Hi Chris! I met you at your last B/A taping in Chicago and you were very nice to me and I appreciate how generous you are in interacting with your fans. I'm always creepily trying to meet comics I admire and sometimes they really do not wish to talk to strangers (which I understand, begrudgingly).

Anyway, I'm going to move to NYC from Chicago in 6 months with my sweetie and my question to you is: should we live in Queens? What are some good neighborhoods in Queens for a couple of soft midwesterners?

chrisgethard13 karma

If you are looking to creep on comedians, I'd avoid Queens. Please? :)

Just kidding. Astoria is the neighborhood you're looking for.

collinstagram7 karma

Do you worry about when Justin Linville's stardom will outshine your own?

chrisgethard6 karma

Oh that day is here. I pray he even remembers me when he dominates us all.

vicirce7 karma

hey christ! i had a question planned out but it got deleted (it was this )

hey, chris! I love you, also I watched a lot of your public access show but then I stopped so I could pay more attention to my boyfriend and I thought you had a real point with the alcohol thing, I think I'm like you in that I can't stop drinking once I start drinking and that's an issue for me because when I run out of alcohol I'll do anything it takes to get more alcohol. But if i do have enough alcohol i cry a lot and turn into a person who wants to die. So I should stop but in this moment I want more and might get more. I used to go on walks for hours at a time and just listen to your podcast all the time but I stopped because I am severely depressed and don’t like to go outside. The people you talk to are cool and I think you're cool too. There's also this one other podcast I listen to called Music City Podcast and the guy who hosts it just reminds me of you a lot besides that he's high and drunk all the time and I just think it would be really entertaining and revealing to see you guys interview each oqewrther. If anything has to happen, I hope it's that. Anyway, goodnight Chris Gethard at noon. I love you but I love my boyfriend more.

but my question is: how are you today?

chrisgethard16 karma

I'm good! Tired after Fest and also my finger hurts because I dislocated it in a jiu jitsu class. But good.

I hope you find the ways past the demons. Be careful with the drinking and I hope the depression gets under control soon. My heart is with you.

scattermoose7 karma

Yo C-snap, what's for lunch today?

chrisgethard11 karma

SALAD

andyclarkk7 karma

Hi, Chris! Big fan and recent TruTV convert here (Tim Simons was my first episode).

What's the most meaningful experience you've had doing TCGS? Biggest regret?

Most importantly, how do you stay googy?

chrisgethard11 karma

Most meaningful experience - meeting people, always. Taking to the road and meeting the people who watch the thing. It always wakes me up and reinvigorates me and reminds me what this is all really for.

Biggest regret - that we did too good a job on Metropass and people don't realize we did that set change live in less than three minutes. They all thought it was pre-taped. It wasn't!

I DON'T NEED TO BE GOOGY, I WORK HARD.

TruthWarp227 karma

What is the worst insult you’ve ever received?

chrisgethard21 karma

"You look like you were born after Willem DaFoe raped your mom"

brycecolby7 karma

Hi Chris, I've been a huge fan of your work for years. You and I have met a handful of times and I've talked to you (and Jon Hamm, once) about how finding your show back in the public access days changed my life in such a profound and beneficial way. I almost asked you this question at High Dive this weekend but didn't want to bother you when you were just trying to see your wife's band play (they crushed it btw, danciest set I saw all Fest) so I'll ask now: how uncomfortable would it make you if I were to get your signature tattooed across my arm? You once wore a shirt that said "I want to be your Morrissey" and, as weird as it may sound, hearing you talk about Morrissey and what The Smiths mean to you reminds me a lot of when I try to describe you and your show and what it got me through. This is a genuine question, by the way, I will not be offended or upset if you aren't comfortable with it. Either way, thank you for everything.

chrisgethard9 karma

There is one person who had me write on their leg. They got it tattooed. It makes me so skittish! I just put a heart and the words Chris G. Couldn't brand someone with "get hard" for life.

my-stomachhurts7 karma

Hi Chris!

So I’m really envious of all of your creative endeavors that you have under your belt (your comedy/acting, tv show, podcast, etc.) I go to school for computer science and sometimes it feels isolating and boring. I would love to be creative but I just feel like…..I don’t know how to? I guess what I want to ask is, how do you get yourself in a creative mood and what inspires you in terms of creativity? Or if you have any advice any advice at all when it comes to creativity?

P.S. I’m really struggling with school and just went through a breakup and your standup, show, podcast are all helping me cope in the best way. So thank you.

chrisgethard19 karma

If I wasn't creative, I think I would die. Like a shark who stopped swimming or something. If you think you'd be happy with computer science and creativity isn't going to nag at you forever, stick with computer science. There are tons of jobs and growth and what not.

But if you think that you're ALWAYS going to feel this nagging sinking feeling that there's more out there, you'd better attack it now, so you don't wind up sitting around in thirty years with a ton of regrets and a whole lot of coding you were never that passionate about.

I bet there's a way to merge your creativity with your computer science.

The sad cold truth about "how do I get more creative?" is - "Stop worrying about if you fail or not, go make something bad. Then make something better. Then after many many years, you might finally manage to fart out something halfway decent."

Good luck. I believe in you.

Rhonardo7 karma

I watched pretty much all of the 2017 Election live stream you put on with your friends. We were all having fun and laughing but then things started to get real dark, and ended with you alone in the studio reading news articles about what the fuck just happened.

Honestly, I don't know if I would have been able to get through that night with my sanity in tact if it wasn't for your show, as painful as I'm sure it was. There was something reassuring that I wasn't alone in feeling helpless and stunned.

What was it like being their live in the room? What did you do after the show? You did a great job being honest about your feelings but that couldn't have been an easy situation to put yourself in.

chrisgethard7 karma

It was as shell shocked as I've ever been, let alone on camera. It was bad. The whole thing fell apart.

jeremysmiles6 karma

As a stand-up in NYC, I thought your argument for why UCB should not pay performers was by far the most convincing on that side. Now that years have passed and the theater is moving to a new location, have your thoughts on that changed at all? Also: thanks for making the show and all of your comedy and I hope you're having a good day.

chrisgethard8 karma

The incident with Nick Vatterott really bummed me out. That turned the tide and made me think that UCB should probably not host stand up shows. The theater was built for improv and sketch. While I think there are great intentions in trying to provide space for stand ups, there's not been an effort made to learn the culture of stand up. I also would love if house performers there had coaching and practice space fees covered so they could break even, though I know as an improvisor renting a space and getting a fire marshal puts you in the hole. So yeah. If they aren't going to learn the culture of stand up at UCB, they should probably not trifle with it. If they are going to do it, they should go all in and learn, which includes paying, yes.

oconnogk6 karma

Shellshag is amazing, and Face to Face is a great theme choice. But where does the kazoo-y sounding version of the song come from? Was that done just for B/A?

Also, The LLC has got to release some stuff for us at home! The snippets we get to see going in and out of commercial are a huge tease.

Everything you do is awesome - your book, weird ny, TCGS, B/A, CS, Trevor, the show in Woodstock a few weeks ago (made for a great fall drive!), don’t stop giving us all this amazing stuff! Gotta get renewed to keep our Thursday nights weird!

chrisgethard6 karma

LLC is about to put out a single!

SuculantJ6 karma

When are you coming back to Gainesville to do Karaoke again?

chrisgethard12 karma

I was in Gainesville literally yesterday.

Boomerlives99866 karma

Best and worst advices you’ve received?

chrisgethard7 karma

Best - TIE:

"Give yourself no other option" and "People will surprise you if you let them"

WORST -

"Comedy's too hard. You should stick to writing."

areweimmune6 karma

What happens in the Beautiful/Anonymous phone calls that aren't released as podcast episodes?

(I love career suicide and tcgs and everything you do. You were also so kind when I met you, and it meant the world to me, so thank you!)

chrisgethard15 karma

Mostly they wind up boring. More often than not because I am off that day and steamroll or force jokes or stuff. Sometimes people just have less to say than they thought. One time it was very funny, a lady halfway through the call said "This isn't good is it?" And I was like, "Nah, but who cares?" And we giggled about that for the rest of the call.

We have two or three that are just too disturbing to release.

Thanks for checking out and supporting my stuff!

askmeaskmeaskme776 karma

Why is sandwich night a week later this year? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of giving people with nowhere to go on Thanksgiving a place to come together and celebrate?

chrisgethard14 karma

I will remind you that you are venting stress about a holiday that I literally made up one day.

lp_me6 karma

Chris, how close are you to convincing Tom Scharpling to host a Best Show/CGS cruise? This shit must happen!

chrisgethard8 karma

He is steadfastly against it. I would make it happen tomorrow!

PhotoChemicals6 karma

Hey Chris, what happened to all the merch? I want a Hintmaster shirt so bad!

chrisgethard9 karma

Those are collectors' items!

doomtoof6 karma

Who does it better? Iron Chic, RVIVR or Latterman?

chrisgethard23 karma

I have no interest in igniting some sort of Long Island based melodic hardcore war!

coryrenton6 karma

What's the worst thing you've seen a fellow comedian do that you've forgiven? What's the least worst thing you've seen a fellow comedian do that you've never forgiven?

chrisgethard10 karma

I am not in the business of judging other comedians.

If someone does something that seems unforgivable, but it's in the name of creativity and chance taking, I forgive. If it becomes clear that they go those routes as a choice and to make it their voice, I just avoid em. There's enough comedians in NYC that I don't need to regularly be around any that bum me out.

I'm sure there are many that say the same of me!

Pirate426 karma

Hey Chris,

What's the status on the Ice Cream Musical with Jeff Rosenstock?

Which Impractical Joker is your favorite?

chrisgethard8 karma

I continue to drop the ball on the Ice Cream Musical! Someday I will have time to write my half.

I like all them Jokers. I'm closest personally with Sal.

1Bam186 karma

Hi Chris,

Next semester I become a senior in university. My plan was to eventually get a PhD in History but that's becoming less and less likely and has set me into an existential crisis about what I should do with my life. What should I do, besides the whole "go for your dreams" thing?

chrisgethard13 karma

I say you try something knowing it will probably fail, then enjoy sitting in the stink. Around then you'll figure it out.

DBAdass5 karma

Can your wife close a cabinet door yet? (weird that i was already watching your HBO special today and came across this)

chrisgethard10 karma

NAH IT'S WORSE THAN EVER

AnimobileAWS5 karma

how far out do you plan TCGS episodes? do you know what the rest of the season looks like or come up with them week to week?

chrisgethard20 karma

We try to know the basic idea two to three weeks ahead. We have four episodes left and know the premises for all of them. That being said, we came in this morning and threw out the creative for this week and are now scrambling to figure out what Thursday is going to be. We fly loose around here!

askmeaskmeaskme775 karma

Any thoughts on the UCB Theater moving to 42nd street next year?

chrisgethard7 karma

UCB will always survive! I hope the space is nice and the next generation make it their own and make it legendary.

I'm a little worried that being so far from trains will make it harder for walk up traffic, making it an even more insular community. But I have trust and faith that the work will find the people and the people will affect the work.

69niceboy694 karma

Favorite Wrestler? and do you follow indie promotions at all?

chrisgethard13 karma

All time? Flair, Cactus Jack, Muta, Jake the Snake, Million Dollar Man, Piper.

Current? Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, COLT CABANA

LiterallyAlwaysTrout4 karma

Chris, give the people what they want: what's currently the number 1 theory on the identity of BIG MAN 6?

chrisgethard6 karma

Rumors are FLYING.

GrassmanCan2 karma

Hi Chris! I've heard you say in the past that you take inspiration from David Letterman's show and Conan O' Brien as well.

What are some of your favorite late night bits from some of those guys? Also what you think about the current state of late night?

Huge fan. Your comedy is amazing and inspiring.

chrisgethard7 karma

Conan Takes Mr. T Apple Picking is the height of American comedy, if ya ask me.

RedFrogMario2 karma

Hey Chris!

In Chicago I'm working on a Twitch Channel show that was given the tentative name of "Gethard-Esque Alt Comedy Streaming Show". It's sense changed to something better.

I was wondering if there was anything you wish you were told when you started your Public Access show?

chrisgethard4 karma

Yes - "There's a teleprompter. You can use it to put callers' names on a screen. It will save you many months of yelling CALLER ARE YOU THERE?"

max_power0072 karma

Chris, lets get real, okay? At what age did you lose your verginity? Love from Argentina my man, I´m a huge fan

chrisgethard3 karma

17

askmeaskmeaskme772 karma

Can you respond to the criticism about putting Gary Richardson on the TCGS poster which was looked at by some as an effort to make the show look more diverse than it is? (since Gary was only in 1 episode)

chrisgethard9 karma

Well this hurts my feelings.

Gary is one of my best friends. He's been a guest writer for the show and appeared on it. I started asking Gary to be a part of the show since BEFORE he moved from Chicago to NYC.

My plan was to have Gary be in the pipeline as much as Connor and Riley this year, but unfortunately for us and fortunately for him he was hired first by Simon Rich and then by SNL. That first hiring happened within weeks of the poster shoot. I was very happy for my friend, but very bummed for us. If you ever stop by our office, there's a corkboard with a whole bunch of character ideas and there's a section marked "Gary Richardson" because I think he's the most effortlessly funny person I've ever met and I wanted him all over my show this year.

I also wanted to poster to show the whole history of TCGS - from people as old school as Horse and Bee to as new school as Chef Noodles.

Who is making this criticism? Not one person has talked about it to me personally.

thisredengine2 karma

Hey Chris, I'm a really big fan of the show. What exactly is a Coconut Berry Lemon Tree? Also...Multiple Man? Really?

chrisgethard3 karma

YES TO MULTIPLE MAN. AND I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ANYTHING THAT WEIRDO DOES, STOP ASKING ME ABOUT HIM!

BigTealIsReal2 karma

Hey Chris! Thank you for doing the AMA. I was grateful enough to meet you last year after a Career Suicide show and was able to show you my copycat Lose Well tattoo. So my question is, how do you feel about being an inspirational figure to the youth of America?

chrisgethard3 karma

I am uncomfortable with it.

patcartelli2 karma

Hey Chris! Hope you had a blast at Fest. What bands did you get to see?

chrisgethard8 karma

Not as many as I wanted to! Between TCGS, the B/A soundcheck, B/A, Fest Wrestling, and going out to dinner with my parents, my schedule was sadly pretty locked.

gooberboink2 karma

Do you feel like each new incarnation of the show is like a wrestler changing up his/her character after a long break? If so, how would you describe the character of the show, and its relationship with the fans, in the current iteration? truTV has already led to some really fantastic moments and it's awesome to see the fanbase growing!

chrisgethard3 karma

I honestly feel like right now we're Muta when he got back to NJPW after being sent abroad to learn how it works.

Thank you for watching!

grandmapussy1 karma

Hey Chris, showed both my parents your book and they loved it! Do you have any intentions on writing another, maybe fiction? Also, any updates on Koozo?

chrisgethard2 karma

Koozo, last I heard, works at a roller skating rink. Not a joke. I wish him well.

I am working on another book right now! SURPRISE!

gotroot8011 karma

I know you're a big wrestling fan, and I geeked out on one episode of Beautiful/Anonymous where you namedropped The Great Muta as one of your favorites. What other not-obvious favorites do you have?

chrisgethard2 karma

Is Steamboat too obvious?

cosmiccraze1 karma

What are your go to songs recently? Curious to know what Geth listens to after recording B/A.

chrisgethard10 karma

Mitski - Your Best American Girl The Smoking Popes - Don't Be Afraid

Those have been my two biggest go to songs lately!

ComputerCub1 karma

Hey chris. I've been watching TCGS since around the time of Random Andrew. You helped me get through the awkward stages of high school and college so thanks.

My question is what would be the plot of the Chris Gethard Show Movie and would you ever write it/ make it?

I hope you come to the PNW so I can actually meet you one day!

chrisgethard3 karma

I love the PNW. Was in Vancouver, Seattle, and Portland on my tour!

We were once working on a feature length film where the Hintmaster gets shrunk down and has to save the bees.

max_power0071 karma

Reverse bucket list: What thing would you never do again?

chrisgethard2 karma

The Ice Cream Sundae bit we did at a live show in Austin.

c_diggitydawg1 karma

Hey Chris, huge fan of BA. How did you get the idea for the podcast and what would be your dream call?

chrisgethard2 karma

My dream call would be some teenaged punk kid pranking me like I would have pranked the show in the 90s.

The idea came mostly because I missed the slow meandering calls of public access era TCGS. Wanted to recapture that, then it quickly became its own thing!

[deleted]1 karma

[deleted]

chrisgethard9 karma

I live very publicly. That being said, this is private life info :)

bootymcjohnson2 karma

I get that, the question was a bit too personal. Deleted it. :)

chrisgethard2 karma

Thanks booty!