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Bird's EyeView
Wednesday, October 16, 1996
Politically incorrect
With Bill Maher
an interview by Spencer Duncan
B ill Maher is best known for his political satire. But there is more in his head than jokes about Washington
The last three years, Maher has been host of the show Politically Incorrect on Comedy Central. While his show talks politics, Maher will go beyond political humor when he performs stand-up Saturday night at the Lied Center.
Maher has earned recognition by performing in sitcoms and movies, writing three books and having three HBO specials.
But politics is what he is associated with.
But it is Politically Incorrect that has earned him fame.
"I am not all politics," Maher said.
The show's ratings doubled during the Republican and Democratic conventions in August. A special one-hour show will broadcast following tonight's presidential debates. And on Nov. 5, election day, the show will leave Comedy Central.
In January, the show moves to ABC, and will air after *Nightline*.
Maher will spend his two month break from Politically Incorrect filming an HBO special and doing stand-up comedy. He will perform at 8 p.m. on Saturday in the Lied Center. Tickets are available at the SUA box office in the Kansas Union and are $11 for the balcony and $13 for the floor.
From his office in Los Angeles, Maher answered questions and showed why he is best known for being politically incorrect.
Q: If you could get any two people in the country to come together for a debate who would it be and why?
Bob Dole and Bill Clinton, because what they are doing now is not really a debate. They get up there and they talk a lot, but they really aren't debating. I don't call what they do a debate. I want to see them really get into it and take the
gloves off. Or in Bob Dole's case, the glove.
Q: If you could be the moderator of a debate, or whatever you call it, between Clinton and Dole, what would you ask them?
I don't know, but I would be a real moderator. Right now, the moderator is the biggest problem. He is too formal and overbearing. The moderator gets in the way. I would let them go at it and try not to interfere.
Q: What two politicians would you like to see in a boxing match and who would you bet on?
Sonyn Bono. I would like to see him get beaten to a pulp. And maybe Fred Grandy, the guy from *The Love Boat*. I'm not sure who I would bet on.
Q: What type of comedy crosses the line?
The kind that would make someone uncomfortable. If someone is really bothered at the moment you are talking about them, then you have gone too far. For example, when Don Innes told jokes about Clinton's infidelity in front of the Clintons. That wasn't the right moment, and it went too far. That isn't funny.
Q: In what ways has television and the barrage of situation comedies on television hurt comedy?
It doesn't hurt comedy, it hurts the viewer. There is some bad stuff out there, but if that is what people want to watch, then they will. They are the ones who pretty much make the vote, with the ratings, on what they want to see.
Do we expect less of comedy today?
As a stand-up, I would say that we expect more. We want more from a stand-up. People want to see a good
. show. I think that comedy has gotten
very rough and can be less effective. If you see the stand-up of legends like Bob Hope and Jack Benny, they were very gentle and funny. The audience connected with them and was wowed by them. I am not sure that happens a lot today.
Illustration by Bryan Volk / KANSAN
Q: You are coming into Bob Dole country. That doesn't scare you?
Oh no, not at all. I could very much end up voting for Dole.
And I like the Midwest, so I'm looking forward to it.
Critical Volume
Music reviews by Robert Moczydlowsky
rmoczudk@falcon.cc.ukans.edu.
Various Artists Get On the Bus Motion Picture Soundtrack (40 Acres & A Mule/Interscope). Exactly one year ago
today, the Million Man March was held on the mall in Washington, D.C. This weekend, director Spike Lee will commemorate the event with the release of his latest feature, entitled Get On The Bus.
The film centers around the cross-country trek of one bus load of men headed for
the march, and the amalgamation of the various backgrounds and experiences of each man in the group. Lee's message is one of unity and positivity, regardless of individual differences.
For the film's soundtrack, Lee assembled an album that is just as diverse as the characters in his film. From the late 70's and early 80's, Lee pulled Stevie Wonder, The Neville Brothers and Earth, Wind and Fire. From hip-hop and dancehall reggae come A Tribe Called Quest, Guru and Doug E. Fresh.
theme that makes this collection of normally quite different musical styles flow seamlessly.
Every song on the album is filled with the same positive messages that drove the Million Man March, and it's that common
Sadly, the album's only real weakness comes from it's biggest name artist. Stevie Wonder covers Bob Marley's Redemption Song, and his keyboard and synthesizer drum loop arrangement rob the song of its original Wonder's version is so bad that the normally soulful singer comes off sounding like the same guy who butchers Marley's One Love for those Jamaican Tourists.
Board commercials.
Aside from that one stumble, the Get On The Bus soundtrack does exactly what Lee intends: It presents the messages of the Million Man March in as many varied musical forms as possible. In these days where soundtracks as used as pure marketing devices, this is one soundtrack album that actually deserves the commercial success it will enjoy. Overall, out of 10:7.
They Might Be Giants Factory Showroom (Elektra Records). They Might Be Giants make some of the most entertaining and innovative music around.
Period.
Name one other band, with the possible exceptions Faith No More and Ween, that can switch musical styles effortlessly throughout a thirteen-song album. When it comes to incorporating every possible influence and genre of music, this band is second to none.
Need proof? Listen to the all-out funk of the new album's first single $S-E-X-X-Y,$ and then the about-face to the pure 50's guitar pop of *Metal Detector*.
This record, from start to finish, is nothing but the same fine songwriting and sublime humor of the band's five previous albums.
What is new, however, is this disc's standard-player format. In the past, They Might Be Giants have made the most of the compact disc's digital capabilities, often including hidden tracks and even having gone as far as to record an entire album designed to be listened to with your player set on random.
But aside from the minute long intro that is actually a countdown to the disc's first track, there are no cd player tricks or hidden songs on Factory
Showroom.
What the album does have is quality music, and plenty of it. For more information, check out the band's website at http://www.TMBS.com.
Overall: 8, and rising.
Jennyanykind Revelater (Elektra Records). Before we get into reviewing the debut album from Chapel Hill, N.C.'s Jennyanykind, we first ought to discuss the reason this album
has been included in the paper to begin with.
two modern rock radio stations in Lawrence. One of them is the Lazer, 105.9 FM, a commercial station with a fixed play list reflecting the most popular national bands in current major label alternative music.
See, contrary to popular belief, there are
The other station is KJHK, the student-run, student-programmed station at 90.7 FM. KJHK plays the most current and progressive music on the radio, and unfortunately, also some total crap.
Jennyanykind, however, represents all of the good things about KJHK. This is a band that doesn't necessarily gell with commercial radio's categories and formats; a band that seems custom-made for college radio.
For the most part, Jennyyankind's brand of slow southern rock is an acquired taste. But like most acquired tastes, once you're hooked on the late night, cigarette and whiskey flavor of this tight three-piece, you can't imagine living without it.
So broaden your listening tastes tonight on KJHK. They've added this album to their regular rotation, and you can also
hear it by request,
at 864-4747.
The Ocean Blue See The Ocean Blue (Mercury Records). One look at the CD booklet photo of
then check out Jennyanykind at the Bottleneck this Sunday, Oct. 20, with the Chainsaw Kittens. Call the Bottleneck for ticket information. Overall: 8.
the boys in The Ocean Blue and you're guessing that they're fresh out of the British pop scene and in the midst of a
the ocean blue
world tour with Oasis.
But then you play the album, and you hear a guitar pop band that sounds distinctly American.
As it turns out, this sugary guitar pop band is from Hershey, Pa., and has been touring the country for years, playing venues as big as New York's Palladium and as small as Lawrence's own Bottleneck. If you were into bands like Trip Shakespeare or the Plimsouls during high school, you may have heard some of The Ocean Blue's earlier albums, which sold fairly well in various parts of the country.
But if you've never heard those records, that's OK. This new one sounds exactly the same. The Ocean Blue will be at the Bottleneck on Saturday night. Call the Bottleneck at 841-5483 for more information. Overall: 5.
Submissions should be addressed to Critical Volume, care of the Kansan, 111 Staufer-Flint Hall. All local submissions will reviewed.