Time for another Talkin' Comedy! Today we have Elizabeth McQuern.
She's the Editor of the Bastion, which makes her a big deal. She's
also a big time blogger and funny lady in her own right. Here's what
we talked about over email.
Me: How did you get picked to do the Bastion? Where'd they find you?
Elizabeth: It was a long and nerve-wracking process of auditions,
interviews, reference checks, and wining and dining, and then finally
I said "okay, yes, I will do this project," just so they'd quit
bugging me about it.
Me: Why is it called the Bastion? I know there's a castle. I'm stupid.
Help me out.
Elizabeth: Nate is going for an alphabetical flow with the names of
the Apiary Network sites. The LA one, I assume, will start with a "c."
I suggested "Bee-filled Bratwurst," but I guess he wasn't too keen on
that. I don't know the exact thought processes behind the choice of
Bastion, but we think it's really apt because a bastion is a
fortification, and we find ourselves protecting Chicago comedy as much
as promoting.
Me: What bloggers do you keep up with?
Elizabeth: I read a ton of blogs. There are easily over 100 I check in
with regularly - writing blogs, business blogs, comedy blogs,
filmmaking blogs, just funny personal blogs. Before you ask, yes, I
would marry a blog if I could.
Me: How did you meet K-Rock?
Elizabeth: Nate introduced us online. I had actually seen her comedy
blog Five Drink Minimum shortly after I first arrived in Chicago, when
I was just looking around to see what was going on in Chicago comedy.
I read it and I thought "She looks like a cool person who is really
enjoying her life." Turns out I was right.
Me: You do a bunch of other projects too, right?
Elizabeth: Yep. My writing class at Second City just cast our show.
I'm doing short comedy films, working on an essay collection, and
trying to narrow down ideas for a non-fiction book that I want to
start workshopping this winter. I'm also going to be doing a
documentary film and multimedia project this summer with some
partners, but that's kind of hush hush right now.
Me: Whoa. What comedy do you like outside of Chicago?
Elizabeth: Some of my favorite comedians are Zach Galifianakis,
Margaret Cho, Patton Oswalt, Maria Bamford, Matt Besser, and Demetri
Martin. And of course the Daily Show/Colbert Report gang. I think Amy
Sedaris is an unhinged genius. My older siblings introduced me to Mel
Brooks, Steve Martin, Saturday Night Live, George Carlin, and the
National Lampoon albums when I was really young. I love weird random
online stuff, and cartoons like Squidbillies and Adult Swim. I'm doing
a little research into old school Chicago comedy - right now I'm
listening to Gilda Radner's "Live From New York." Did you know you
should never tell an alligator
to bite your snatch?
Me: I hadn't heard that. You're a big proponent of new media and
getting yourself Online. What direction do you think Online comedy is
going in?
Elizabeth: Online content in general is supplanting a lot of
traditional media. Wired says TV advertising is dying. All content is
going to be coming through the same tube pretty soon, and there won't
be such a clear distinction between radio, TV, movies, and online
content. Of course there's a lot of crap online, but if the quality is
there, you can build buzz and get attention. Look at Lonely Island,
and Barats and Baretta, and even gimmicky crap like LonelyGirl15. Some
day you Blerds are going to be erecting a monument of gratitude to Rob
Johnson and Jordan Vogt Roberts.
Me: Okay. I like the Bastion because all forms of comedy are on one
site. Am I out of my mind or are the lines blurring with these genres?
Elizabeth: Well, yes, you are out of your mind, and also, yes, the
lines are blurring. As you know from what you're doing with the
Blerds, it's easy and fun to blend stand-up with sketch and improv and
film. I hope we start seeing even more of that. Let's mix it up,
Chicago!
Me: What goals do you have for yourself and for Chicago comedy in
2007?
Elizabeth: I'd love to see more Chicago comedians collaborating on
short film stuff just for fun and as a way to promote, and at least
one of our "most likely to succeed" types signing a big fat deal and
"making it." I'd like to see more crossover with
stand-up/sketch/improv. I also hope we can get more New York comics to
pop over here for a week at a time and do our shows and hang out with
us. Laura Maninno, who produces the Minty Fresh shows in New York, was
here a few weeks ago doing shows, and we told her to come back and
bring friends. As far as my own goals, I'd like to grow my bangs out,
do another triathlon, make more new friends, kiss more cute boys, and
get more writing published. I guess the theme there is "more, more,
more."
Me: When is this goddamned LA version of the Bastion/Apiary going to
start?
Elizabeth: Funny you should ask. Nate says he's found "the guy" out
there and is making preparations to get that going. It's going to be
so awesome. We're going to be a coast-to-coast indie comedy venture,
and then, according to Nate, we're going to "take it to the next
level." I'd tell you what that means, but I don't exactly know.
Outposts on Mars?
Me: How much does the Apiary get involved in what you guys do and how
often do stories overlap?
Elizabeth: Nate was really good about holding our hand as we got
started. I think he fell asleep on his laptop several times while we
were getting everything up and ready.We're pretty self-directed now
(as long as I don't do dumb things like erase the footer template),
but we're in contact with New York all the time. We read each other,
of course, and give heads up on Chicago comics in NY, and vice versa.
We're also hoping he'll come back to town for another beery tour of
Chicago comedy with us. That was a great night.
Me: How often do big time execs call you guys on who to watch?
Elizabeth: It happens. But we always make them buy us the drinks.
Aside from direct contact, though, we look at our referral stats
enough to know that industry and media from both coasts read us
regularly.
Me: Who have you told the big time execs to go watch?
Elizabeth: Everyone but Blerds. Those guys are the unfunniest bunch
ever.
Me: FUCK. Who would win in a fight - you and K-Rock vs. Steve Heisler?
Elizabeth: Probably us, just because of the ratio, and because I have
a suspicion that he's ticklish - but then, he makes us feel a little
insecure because he's print media and we're not, so I don't know. How
much beer is involved in this hypothetical situation?
Me: Lots. What do you want to be when you grow up?
Elizabeth: I want to be a facilitator of creativity and laughter, in
whatever forms that takes. I also want a pony.
Elizabeth McQuern can be found doing stuff in these places.
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