On Ep 73 rounding out our Rocktober music doc series, Paco and George sat down with the brilliant writer and comedian Dana Gould. They talked about the 2004 Metallica doc Some Kind of Monster which Dana rightfully described as “the best documentary ever made about marriage”. They also get into a discussion about therapy, his favorite jokes from The Simpsons, JFK, divorce, stage worthy jokes, father figures, Brian Wilson, John Lennon, and so much more!
Host George Chen sat down with Boston-based musician Ed Balloon to discuss the documentary series Hip-Hop Evolution. We learn about Ed’s start in music, The Get Down, Russell Simmons’ socks, Nigeria, and much more. Ed’s latest EP Flourish just came out on Deathbomb Arc.
ROCKTOBER continues with TONY CONRAD: COMPLETELY IN THE PRESENT. George visits director Tyler Hubby at his Echo Park home. Tyler spent over twenty years following Tony Conrad and decided to put it all into one documentary encompassing Conrad’s life and art, as if there were a distinction between the two. We also talk about punk rock and mental illness, Tony Labat, getting multiple angles for beer, Faust, Bad Brains, Tony as Tupac, Crispin Glover, water polo, and mashing up different video formats.
George and Paco visit with actress/improviser/musician Tawny Newsome to discuss her experience cosplaying STOP MAKING SENSE-era Talking Heads for Documentary Now and in a Talking Heads cover band. We talk about Second City, her projects with Jon Langford (Mekons, Skull Orchard), the WOOZ of Vacaville, and recording with the legendary Muscle Shoals Swampers!
Sup Doc kicks off the jams with ROCKTOBER, a month long line-up of music docs and great guests. We hit the stage with The Devil and Daniel Johnston with our guest, musician Kip Uhlhorn! (With a guest appearance from Jack). The Devil and Daniel Johnston is a 2005 documentary film about the noted American musician Daniel Johnston. It chronicles Johnston’s life from childhood up to the present, with an emphasis on his experiences with bipolar disorder, and how it manifested itself in demonic self-obsession. The film was directed by Jeff Feuerzeig, edited by Tyler Hubby, and produced by Henry S. Rosenthal.
Our guest is comedian David Huntsberger and our doc is Man vs Snake: The Long and Twisted Tale of Nibbler the inspirational and outrageous true story of one man’s quest for the highest video game score ever. The film follows players as they try to accumulate a billion points on the 1982 arcade game, Nibbler, a feat first achieved by Tim McVey in 1984.
In celebration of Werner Herzog’s birthday Paco and George welcome (long time friend) the very talented writer/comedian Bucky Sinister to Sup Doc. Bucky was very excited to talk about one of his favorite docs My Best Fiend.
On Ep 66 Paco and George met up with the talented and hilarious Baron Vaughn to discuss the documentary Baron made called Fatherless. In America, one in four children grow-up in homes led by single mothers. This was the case for actor/comedian/writer Baron Vaughn (‘Grace and Frankie’) who, with the support of his mother, chose not to let a statistic define him and set out on a quest to search for the father he never knew. Baron’s journey and the revelations about his upbringing are chronicled with a flair for both the comedic and heartfelt in the new doc.
On episode 65 we sat down with comedian Allen Strickland Williams to discuss and dissect BEST OF ENEMIES and the relationship between two colossal minds and ideological opposites William F. Buckley Jr. and Gore Vida. Their series of riveting, nationally televised debates ushered in a new era of public discourse and pundit TV.
On episode 64 of Sup Doc hosts Paco Romane and George Chen sit down with the very talented comedian/musician Howard Kremer. They talk about the 2013 documentary Muscle Shoals celebrating Rick Hall, the founder of FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The signature “Muscle Shoals sound” developed in songs such as “I’ll Take You There”, “Brown Sugar”, and “When a Man Loves a Woman.” Howard and the boys also discuss Public Enemy, Hip Hop Evolution, docs vs biopics, high school band names, and Jello Biafra.
Hosts Paco Romane and George Chen are joined by Alamo Drafthouse LA programmer Bret Berg to discuss The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years (1988, Penelope Spheres). As a programmer for Alamo Drafthouse’s upcoming Los Angeles location, Bret produces and hosts Alamo’s preliminary pop-up screenings in town.
Paco and George sit down with comedian/artist Kristina Wong to discuss LO AND BEHOLD, REVERIES OF THE CONNECTED WORLD (2016). Along the way we learn about Kristina’s practice, rapping in Uganda, trolling Trump on twitter, and our relationship to technology.
On Ep 61 Paco Romane and George Chen sat down with comedian and actor Ahmed Bharoocha to talk about the documentary Detropia.
Part 2 of our talk about D Tour (2009), George interviews drummer Pat Spurgeon, the subject of the documentary. We learn about Pat’s early life as a musician moving from Bloomington to the Bay Area, waiting for organ transplants, and dealing with the medical system while touring in Rogue Wave. Though D Tour has the shape of a music documentary, it’s about dealing with healthcare, mortality, and humor.
Sup Doc A Documentary Film Podcast Ep 59 D Tour with filmmaker Jim Granato *Pat and Jim will also be at a screening Monday June 5th (the same day part 2 of this interview drops)…
On Ep 58 Paco, George and producer Will sit down with the Craig Staggs and Steph Swope (Minnow Mountain) the animation director and producer of the 2016 documentary Tower. Tower is a 2016 animated documentary film directed by Keith Maitland about the 1966 shootings at the University of Texas at Austin.
We talk with comedian/podcaster (Film Drunk) Vince Mancini about The Thin Blue Line, a 1988 American documentary film by Errol Morris, depicting the story of Randall Dale Adams, a man convicted and sentenced to death for a murder he did not commit. Adams’ case was reviewed and he was released from prison approximately a year after the film’s release. The Thin Blue Line has been lauded since its release, and is considered by many critics to be among the greatest documentaries ever made.
It’s MAYHEM MONTH! Episode 56 comedian Allison Mick talks about the 2009 documentary Interview with a Serial Killer. Allison lived in the city where serial killer Arthur Shawcross was murdering people and she even grew up near the house he lived in! Creepy!
Paco and George were thrilled to have the comedy legend Wayne Federman over to talk about his favorite documentary CRUMB. Crumb is Terry Zwigoff’s (Ghost World) first film about his longtime friend and bandmate, godfather of underground comics Robert Crumb. This doc soon expands its scope to the Crumb Brothers (Maxon and Charles) and ends up going many unexpected directions.
Sup Doc: A Documentary Film Podcast EP 54 ACCIDENTAL COURTESY with director Matt Ornstein This episode of Sup Doc is sponsored by GUIDEDOC! George visits the home of the filmmaker Matt Ornstein in Silver Lake. Matt…
