Paul Simon was on Smartless!

Plus Chevy Chase, LeVar Burton, David Letterman, and the Office Ladies on some of my favorite things

Oh, I had podcasts to write about aplenty already, and then, and then… I WOKE UP THIS MORNING AND PAUL SIMON WAS ON SMARTLESS.

A word (or ninety) about Paul Simon

Before Star Trek, before many of my longtime favorites that I still have today, there was Paul Simon.

Ready for my Paul Simon origin story?

When I was about eight, I was looking through the records in our stereo cabinet. This was in the 1970s, and we had one of those wooden cabinets that spanned the length of our living room, with a record player and speakers and cabinets with our entire record collection (classical from my mom, pop music and everything else from my dad), and I sort of remember an 8-track machine there well.

I remember walking up to my dad with There Goes Rhymin’ Simon clutched in my 8-year-old hands. “Play this one, Daddy!” I thought the album cover was intriguing.

He played it, and my life was transformed.

Paul remains my favorite singer/songwriter/musician of all time, so I drank in every moment of this podcast. I was very sad to hear him report that he’s completely lost hearing in one ear, which is why he can’t keep playing live; he can’t hear the rest of the band.

He talked about how the listener is the final piece in the creation of music, and how he doesn’t see “world music” as needing a separate category; it’s all music. And I was shocked to find out he battles with confidence.

A brief digression about confidence

I have said this before: I have only one answer to “What gives you confidence?” Alan Alda often asks guests this on his podcast, and a meditation teacher once asked it (for us to answer internally), and I have only one very pathetic answer: outside affirmation.

So shouldn’t Paul have confidence?

Awards, record sales, devoted fans, sold-out concerts, and a permanent place in popular culture, and he still says he “quite often” thinks what he’s doing is no good. His remedy for that is to remember that those thoughts are just a distraction. They don’t do any good. It takes a battle to get rid of that voice, he said, but you have to.

He talked about so many more things and maybe did the best double name-drop I’ve ever heard, so just check it out for yourself, then do yourself a favor and go listen to his music. Your day will be elevated.

This episode comes out on the 9th unless you listen on Amazon, so here’s the Wondery link since I can’t embed it from Apple or Spotify yet. Instead, how about a fun clip where he talks to Howard Stern about the drums on “Cecilia”?

Okay, NOW go listen to more of his music.

Marc Maron doubleheader: Chevy Chase and LeVar Burton

Talk about two people who are nothing alike but make for equally tempting podcast guests!

Chevy

I haven’t been a Saturday Night Live fan in a long time, but BOY did I ever love it in its early days. I know Chevy is notorious for being an asshole, and so did Marc Maron… I can’t think of a better person to talk to him than Marc, who knows his shit and isn’t going to get flustered. The conversation was fascinating… lots of rich history for comedy fans and maybe a little insight into the kind of guy Chevy has become as an old man. (He’s only 79, but he sounds a lot older!)

Also, I used to have a Saturday Night Live record—yes, a vinyl of comedy sketches—which had a lot of gems on it, including Chevy’s “Word Association” sketch with Richard Pryor, which they talked about in the interview. (Giving an extreme language warning now for anyone who clicks and isn’t familiar with it.)

I bet I still have that record.

LeVar

No language warnings needed! It’s easy to think of LeVar’s as the Roots, Reading Rainbow, and Star Trek guy, but the man has had an amazing career ever since he did his first audition ever and found himself connected to Kunta Kinte for the rest of his life. Did you know that Sammy Davis Jr. wanted to give him his suits? And that he still regrets not taking him up on it?

I only wish Marc was a Star Trek fan, because he didn’t ask him much about it. Still a great interview.

Strike Force Five snags Letterman

Good news: The WGA strike is over! All the talk shows can get back to work.

Bad news: All the talk shows are getting back to work, so Strike Force Five is ending.

Good news: Strike Force Five is ending, but there are still a few episodes left.

I was behind on this one because it comes out so often, but the minute I saw they had Letterman on—who asked THEM if he could be a guest—I couldn’t get to it fast enough. He never fails me.

And when they told Dave they’d had Jon Stewart on the week before, I had a playlist.

While I loved both of those, I still think my favorite episode was the one where Jimmy Fallon ineptly asked all of their wives questions and tried to set up a Newlywed Game-style episode, but he wasn’t very good at making his questions clear.

Office Ladies bring it all together.

Bring what together, you ask? A couple of my favorite things!

They were reviewing the eighth season episode “Test the Store,” which isn’t very good but has two stellar guest stars: Tig Notaro and Georgia Engel. They did an extensive look at Tig (just one week after I recommended the documentary about her to all of you), and included a shout-out to Star Trek: Discovery!

It was! I don’t remember them ever talking about Star Trek before. Then they brought up the other show that had a tremendous influence on my childhood and my life: the Mary Tyler Moore show. They said Greg Daniels thought Erin was had the same comedy DNA as Georgette on MTM, and I agree.

I still don’t get how they’re still recording new episodes during the strike, but I’m grateful for it. Next week, they’re changing things up with an all-advice episode (about office life), and they joked about doing a book that collects all their deep dives, which I would happily buy and read. I’ve learned a lot from their deep dives.

A little All Access Star Trek?

Tony and I reviewed a very fun Lower Decks episode and a fun very Short Treks written by Prodigy co-EP (and friend of the podcast) Aaron Waltke.

I also talked about this delightful clip of Brent Spiner, age 23, on To Tell The Truth.

That’s it for this week! I am planning some interviews with friends for future issues, but until then, you’re stuck with me and my shenanigans.

Oh yeah: Don’t miss out on this great Armchair Anonymous about failed romantic pursuits. Right up my alley!

The newest Armchair Expert proper is with Kerry Washington, so that’s up next!

Patrick and Whoopi

On Monday night, I went to see Patrick Stewart and Whoopi Goldberg talk about Patrick’s newly published memoir, Making It So. I’m only mentioning it so I can post a picture of them, because I love them.

See you next time!