Inside Schadenfreude
You can laugh now.
"My head hurts."
"Schadenfreude" is a word from the German meaning "pleasure derived from the misfortune of others." It's also the name of a critically-acclaimed sketch comedy group from Chicago.
At the turn of the century, they were approached by WBEZ General Manager Torey Malitia to produce a radio show, and began broadcasting regularly in 2003.
PRX sat down for a virtual fireside chat with writer, performer, and executive producer Justin Kaufmann to talk comedy, public radio and production:
PRX:
What's your prognosis of the state of comedy on public radio today?
Justin:
The state of comedy on public radio? I assume you are talking about Capitol Steps?
I don't know, most comedic material produced for public radio audiences is not very challenging. But at least they know their audience. Comedy is so subjective. You may like Whadya Know, I might like Prairie Home. You may like Wait, Wait - we both hate Car Talk.
What I think is funny is so different than what the average public radio listener likes. When we first starting airing Schadenfreude, we made a choice to stick with what we believed in (content) and let the cards fall where they may. We were bombastic, aggressive and really spent a lot of our early episodes being very Chicago-specific. Do you know who Alderman Burt Natarus is? When we first launched, we were bombarded with "you are soooooooo not funny" comments from the station’s website. But the funny thing was how they would always give themselves away by inadvertently telling us where they were coming from.
"Cancel Schadenfreude, you should air old Firesign Theater." "You should play Alan Sherman records." "You should play Capitol Steps…(sfx-opening door) MOMMMMM!!! I am writing a comment! I’m 50, stop coming in my room!" Things like that.
Justin's wife insisted this picture would guarantee more carriage for Schadefreude. You be the judge.
PRX:
Is radio a more challenging medium to work in than the stage or
film?
Justin:
Everyone thinks they can do comedy. Radio must be easier right? Radio is so much harder to pull off than a stage comedy performance. On stage or film, the visuals help you contradict or juxtapose the meaning in your words. You don't have to worry as much about the delivery of irony or sarcasm as you do on radio. You are performing with a hand tied behind your back. But you get to get so much more intense with the scenic element. We labored over how to set environment. On stage, you can create an environment that is whatever you want it to be, and the audience is with you. If you say you are in a Starbucks, the world has been created. But if you set a scene in a Starbucks on the radio, you have to make it sound like a Starbucks (grinders, customers, steaming milk) or people are automatically taken out of it. It changes your focus a bit. We still haven't mastered all the intricacies of performing radio drama/comedy, we've just scratched the surface. It's life's work. You don't have the ability to save jokes either. When you are on stage and a joke bombs, you can cheat and hold a glance longer or commit to the bit and keep working it til you win over the audience. You don't have that immediacy on radio.
PRX:
Each episode is quite complex. How long does it take to put
together each one?
Kate James and Justin Kaufmann.
Justin:
It takes a 6 months or so to create 12 episodes. We create in bunches.
Schadenfreude rents a house outside of Chicago and we hole up like the old SCTV players and write 10-12 episodes in a week. We only leave the house to take out the dog. It really works because you live, breathe and sleep these ideas. With each episode, we are trying to write complete shows with story-lines, sketches and whole ideas. They really are radio plays.
When we are done with the writing, we come back in to studio for 2 weeks with an expanded crew (radio editors/production assistants) and we edit these stories down and craft the jokes. We then spend 2 weeks recording the material. The raw takes before SFX/Music run 45 minutes to an hour. We spend the full week before the episode airs editing down jokes, refining timing, re-recording "pick-ups" and adding production elements. Editor Shiow-Jiau Yung and I mix the final product on Friday nights. We then go home and start the process all over again on Monday. My head hurts.
Kate James and Sandy Marshall .
PRX:
What's the deal with the Martin Mull blowdart skit?
Justin:
You tell me. In that sketch, we were making fun of nationally syndicated reality TV shows like “Cheaters” or “Elimidate”. What if you took those shows one step further?
What if contestants were blowdarted, paralyzed from the neck down and B-List celebrities snuck in their window for a dream date? Wouldn’t you watch that?
Best line - “Hi, I’m Martin Mull -- blink if you know my work.”
Wait PRX, are you trying to discourage people from picking up Schadenfreude? “Hmmmm, what sketch can we bring up in this interview that will really seal the deal for people not sure whether to pick this show up?” Yep, let’s ask about “Beautiful Intrusion”.
PRX:
What's funny?
Justin:
Politicians that can’t talk. America’s Most Talented Kids on PAX TV. R.Kelly songs. Tripping on banana peels. Capitol Steps. Schadenfreude.
© 2005, The Public Radio Exchange
