I’m trying to write one of these every week but occasionally life gets in the way. All to say, sometimes these posts will be long and thoughtful. Sometimes they will be short and to the point. This week is one of the latter.
Side note: I always have to take a second when someone refers to the “former” or “latter” in a sentence. It’s never immediately clear to me, but then again, nobody is perfect.
This week I plowed through (at the recommendation of a friend — thanks, Johnny!) BricTV’s The Show About The Show. Both seasons are readily available on YouTube. It’s one of the most repulsively fascinating works I’ve seen. I’d recommend it, but the two friends I suggested it to couldn’t get through the relatively short first season. I don’t blame them for this.
The Show melds high-brow performance art with the lowest-of-low-brow interpersonal reality TV drama. Essentially, filmmaker Caveh Zahedi created a meta-textual show in which each episode deconstructs the making of the previous episode through monologue and reenactments (often involving the actual people) written by Zahedi. Zahedi is an incredibly unlikeable man whose devotion to his work and own perverted concept of “radical honesty” hurts nearly everyone in his orbit. Still, I found it impossible to look away.
I’m still trying to process my feelings on The Show. A lot of people say, “You don’t have to suffer for your art,” but The Show is a compelling argument that even if you don’t have to suffer, the most unique art is often made by those who opt into suffering (and shame and self-debasement). I dream of making work resembling something like The Show but (un)fortunately I don’t think I possess nearly enough self-importance or disregard for the discomfort of others. It doesn’t help that Zahedi never seems satisfied with the reaction to his work. He unabashedly chases attention and fame without seemingly comprehending the importance of compromise and dishonesty in achieving either. He wants to make his unique art, be true to himself (however fucked up that may be) and be loved for it too.
There’s a long piece in the New York Times Arts Section fittingly titled, “A Filmmaker Bared His Soul. It Ruined His Life.” from 2019. Even if you can’t bring yourself to watch, I recommend the read.
If you’re interested here are two “humor” pieces I recently wrote for other publications.
NBA’s New Covid Protocol for The New Yorker
The YouTube Criterion Collection for Slackjaw
Lastly, if you’re enjoying this newsletter, thanks! I can’t say I’m having “fun” writing it but I appreciate the process of putting it together. Of course, I’d love if you share it because I am no better than Caveh Zahedi. I want to be loved and appreciated for my work.