Sup Doc: A Documentary Film Podcast

It’s the return of legendary comedian Wayne Federman! Not only is Wayne a comedian but also a co-producer on The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling the two-part biography directed by Judd Apatow and recently released by HBO.A long time friend of Shandling’s, Wayne played Larry’s brother Stan on the ground-breaking series The Larry Sanders Show. We also find out he was a part of the storied Sunday Basketball game that Shandling hosted at his home.Wayne's credits include Transparent, Seinfeld, The 40 Year Old Virgin, Funny People, head monologue writer for Fallon, and much much more. He teaches comedy history at USC and wrote a book about Pistol Pete Maravich.Column by Janis Hirsch.*If you love listening to Sup Doc please consider being a patron by supporting us thru our Patreon page!*We have a live screening and panel for Freaks and Geeks: The Documentary at SF DocFest! Friday June 8th, 9:30 pm at the Roxie Theater in SF with director Brent Hodge, comedians Kelly Anneken and David Klein. Get tickets

We implore you, have you seen the six-part Netflix docu-series WILD WILD COUNTRY yet? If not, what are you waiting for?When the Rajneesh movement and their leader the Bhagwan came to rural Oregon in the 1980s was it just a clash of cultures (worldly orange-clad hippies vs. conservative townspeople) or a mafia-style hostile takeover? The directors Maclain and Chapman Way have crafted a twisting drama with unearthed videotape of the Rajneeshpuram saga, plus new interviews with many key players. While most of you reading this may not know the name Bhagwan Rajneesh, those who were around to watch the news in the early 1980s can tell you that he was a massive story around the country. That’s because Rajneesh and his followers spent $125 million back in 1981 to build Rajneeshpuram in in the Oregon desert, a 64,000-acre “utopia,” complete with a hospital, schools, restaurants, a shopping mall, and their own airport. What happened there and in the surrounding area is so far-fetched that you won’t believe it’s al

Host Paco Romane sat down with comedian, writer and cook Drew Platt. Not only is Drew a great comedian, he is equally adept in the kitchen. Drew made some delicious Wiener schnitzel. We ate and drank some tasty brews and watched American Movie. One of the greatest docs ever made and one of Paco's favorites. Paco and Drew also discuss comedy, small towns, the entertainment biz and so much more!American Movie is a very funny, sometimes sad documentary directed by Chris Smith about Mark Borchardt's life, his friends, his family, his films and his dreams. Mark's life is a daily cliffhanger involving poverty, desperation, discouragement and diehard ambition. He's behind on his child support payments, he drinks too much, he can't even convince his ancient Uncle Bill that he has a future as a moviemaker. He plunders the bank account of his Uncle Bill for funds to continue, he uses his friends and hapless local amateur actors as his cast, he enlists his mother as his cinematographer, and his composer and best fr

Our guest is comedian Alex Hooper here to talk about the Academy Award winning documentary Man On Wire.Man On Wire is a 2008 documentary directed by James Marsh. The film chronicles Philippe Petit‘s 1974 high-wire walk between the Twin Towers of New York’s World Trade Center. The film is crafted like a heist film, presenting rare footage of the preparations and still photographs of the walk, alongside re-enactments and present-day interviews with the participants.Alex has a strong connection to this doc: he recently started slack-lining and we uncover the connection between performing comedy and walking on a wire without a net!Alex has appeared on Roast Battle and Corporate on Comedy Central and his new comedy album Hugs. Drugs. Pugs is currently available on ASpecialThing Records and all streaming services!*We are co-presenting a special Oakland screening of The United States Of Detroit on Tuesday April 17th at the New Parkway, with director Tyler Norwood and comedian Karinda Dobbins on panel. Tickets are at

Today we sat down with writer Tony DuShane. Tony is the author of Confessions of a Teenage Jesus Jerk, published by Soft Skull Press and now a feature film directed by Eric Stoltz.His writing has appeared in The Los Angeles Times, Mother Jones, The Rumpus, and The Believer. He was a music columnist for The San Francisco Chronicle and wrote hundreds of articles covering books, film, and music. He also teaches novel writing at UCLA Extension.Tony wanted to discuss the 2014 experimental music documentary 20,000 Days On Earth (directed by Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard) which depicts a 24-hour period in the life of musician, author, composer and actor Nick Cave. It won for Documentary directing and editing at Sundance and was nominated for a Best Documentary BAFTA.Bonus discussion with Tony for Patreon patrons.Follow us on:Twitter: @supdocpodcastInstagram: @supdocpodcastFacebook: @supdocpodcastsign up for our mailing listAnd you can show your support to Sup Doc by donating on Patreon.See Privac

This episode is sponsored by Hoppin Hot Sauce!On today's episode, George talks Los Angeles and food adventures with comedian and foodie Karl Hess. George eulogizes Genova Deli and berates Bakesale Betty, and Karl evangelizes LA. Check out Karl's food podcast, Yelling About Pâté.Jonathan Gold is an American food critic who currently writes for the Los Angeles Times and has previously written for LA Weekly and Gourmet. He is also a regular on KCRW's Good Food radio program. Gold often chooses small, ethnic restaurants for his reviews, although he covers all types of cuisine. CITY OF GOLD also explores the rigor, knowledge and compassion that makes Jonathan’s style of criticism stand apart. Jonathan Gold maps Los Angeles through his Odyssey-like quests for new food experiences so that we too can discover and understand our city.Featured in the film are Roy Choi, David Chang, and Ludo Lefebvre, as well as the chefs and owners behind some of Gold’s favorites: Jitlada (Southern Thai), Guelaguetza (Oaxacan), Meals b

At the peak of his career in the late ‘80s, Sam Kinison was selling out Madison Square Garden and appearing on the cover of Rolling Stone. Kinison was raised to become an evangelical preacher, wasn’t any good at it, and turned to comedy to find his voice. With a legendary appetite for drugs and women, His rise to fame has become legend and a cautionary tale for up and coming comedians.On today’s episode we spoke with the Director of I AM SAM KINISON, Adrian Buitenhuis. We learn about his start in documentary filmmaking (from Aboriginal paintings to Suge Knight and Heath Ledger), and why the legacy of Sam Kinison is worth revisiting decades after his cultural peak and untimely death. The film features interviews with Jay Leno, Charlie Sheen, Corey Feldman, Argus Hamilton, Felicia Michaels, Bill Burr, Judy Tenuta, Joe Rogan, and Bill Kinison.I AM SAM KINISON is available on iTunes and The Paramount Network, the recent rebrand of Spike TV.Follow us on:Twitter: @supdocpodcastInstagram: @supdocpodca

Our guest is comedian Krista Fatka. Krista's choice of doc was Vikram Gandhi’s 2012 KUMARE. Gandhi, a lapsed Hindu, conducts an experiment posing as a guru named Kumare. Kūmāré/Gandhi attracts a number of followers in Arizona and is surprised to find they are getting genuine benefits from his deception. The question is when and how he’ll reveal the truth behind Kumare.We discuss a lot in this episode: comparing this film to prank-based non-fiction like Nathan For You and Borat, Tony Robbins, Burning Man, Westworld, Cafe Gratitude, past scams we've been victim to, and spiritual seeking for cynics.Krista Fatka recently won first place in The Sacramento Comedy Competition and along with Paco Romane produces The Charm Offensive at the San Francisco Punch Line. With over a decade of performance experience in circus and theater, she’s as comfortable on stage as she is in a room full of clowns. Which is to say, pretty comfy.Follow us on:Twitter: @supdocpodcastInstagram: @supdocpodcastFacebook: @supdoc

Host Paco Romane sits down with comedian/writer Molly Sanchez to talk, dissect and deconstruct the doc Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond. Paco and Molly also get into comedy, movies, writing and much more! Using 100 hours of footage from the set of "Man on the Moon," filmmaker Chris Smith documents Jim Carrey's transformation into legendary performance artist and comedian Andy Kaufman.Molly Sanchez is a writer, comedian and lover of burritos everywhere. As a standup she has performed at the San Francisco Punchline, Cobbs Comedy Club, The Comedy Store LA, and various hives of scum and villainy around the world. She's been featured in The She Devil Comedy Fest in New York, The She Devil Fest in Toronto and once Margaret Cho said her dress was pretty. Her improv "career" started at San Francisco State with Improv Nation and now proudly continues with Group Text.Red All Over podcast, Failure To Launch podcastAfter Mash: Potter, Mulcahy and Klinger reunite after the Korean War on the staff at a

Episode 77! Hosts Paco Romane and George Chen recap some highlights of the show in 2017. We have a lot of documentaries, guests, theme months, and live shows to discuss! Ah memories!(We recorded this before the recent Morgan Spurlock news.)Dirty JohnMy Favorite MurderMayhem True Crime monthRocktober Music monthSNL Rap History sketchDana Gould on Some Kind of MonsterWayne Federman on CrumbYACHT on Tickled / Triforium / Claire Evans on her investigative journalism for MotherboardOur live Sketchfest show on Memorial Day 2000Patreon supportersSuccotash podcastTell a friend about the show and give us an iTunes review!Sherbie on our instagramand we have a bonus Patreon only episode recapping some recent documentariesFollow us on:Twitter: @supdocpodcastInstagram: @supdocpodcastFacebook: @supdocpodcastsign up for our mailing listAnd you can show your support to Sup Doc by donating on Patreon.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/pri

A podcast about a documentary about radio? Only on this show! George spoke with the director of Sex and Broadcasting, Tim K Smith in Los Angeles.Sex and Broadcasting is a 2014 documentary about New Jersey’s longstanding freeform radio station WFMU, and its struggles to stay afloat. Along the way we encounter Tom Scharpling’s Best Show, The Minutemen, Jack Kevorkian, Irwin Chusid, the recession, the Free Music Archive, pragmatic utopias, ant invasions, The Hound, and the singular Ken Freedman who’s made it his life’s mission to keep WFMU on the air. The film also features appearances by Paul F. Tomkins, John Hodgman, Matt Groening, Lee Ranaldo, and Adam Horovitz.You can find Sex And Broadcasting on Netflix, Kanopy, and iTunes. It should be out on DVD in the Spring and it’s also playing at the Seeyousound International Music Film Festival in Turin, Italy.Follow us on:Twitter: @supdocpodcastInstagram: @supdocpodcastFacebook: @supdocpodcastsign up for our mailing listAnd you can show your support t

Solomon Georgio joins the show to talk about 20 Feet From Stardom, the Academy Award Winning 2013 documentary about the lives of backup singers. We also talk about Seattle, living in fear of Phil Spector, favorite karaoke spots, Fresno, and open mic weirdos.Solomon Georgio flawlessly intertwines biting social commentary with stories of his life as an openly gay African immigrant. Solomon had his television debut on CONAN, followed up with appearances on The Meltdown with Jonah & Kumail, This is Not Happening, Viceland's Flophouse, and Last Call with Carson Daily. He just premiered his first half hour comedy special on Comedy Central Stand Up Presents alongside his debut album with Comedy Central Records, Homonégro Superior.20 Feet From Stardom stars Darlene Love, Judith Hill, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer, Táta Vega, and Jo Lawry, among many others. On March 2, 2014, it won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 86th Academy Awards.Follow us on:Twi

To know Nick Stargu (or DJ Real) is to love him! Nick is a friend of the show (he appeared in character on our LIVE Sketchfest episode 2 years ago) and is a very talented comedian and musician. Nick brought to us We Jam Econo the revealing doc that looks back at the history of the influential 1980s punk band the Minutemen. We also get into music, tech, Nick's formation of the DJ Real act, Paco's bands, George's jam with Mike Watt, Andy Kaufman and more!We Jam Econo: The Story of the Minutemen, is a full-length 2005 documentary about the influential 1980s punk rock band Minutemen, created by director Tim Irwin and producer Keith Schieron.Nick Stargu is a musician, comedian, writer and filmmaker who is best known for his multimedia / musical comedy act, DJ REAL, which has been featured at Comedy Central’s Colossal Clusterfest, Outside Lands, San Francisco Sketchfest, Bridgetown Comedy Festival and more! Nick also performs as Imaginary Radio with c

ROCKTOBER winds to an end with a huge guest and doc combo!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! Dana Gould was a long-running head writer on The Simpsons, a legendary stand up comic who came out of the Boston and San Francisco scenes, and he is the creator of the television show Stan Against Evil. His latest comedy album Mr. Funny Man just came out on Kill Rock Stars and the second season of Stan Against Evil premieres Nov 1st on IFC.Please visit Sup Doc's website for more info on this episode.Shout out to our Patreon folks: Angi Brzycki, Karl Dotter, James Reling, Jana Jo Beltz, Annette Marines, Alina Mansfield, Jaime Borschuk,

ROCKTOBER continues!George Chen sat down with musician Ed Balloon to discuss the documentary series Hip-Hop Evolution (2016). They discuss Russell Simmons' socks, living in Nigeria, The Get Down, Wild Style, Boston's music scene, and much more. Ed's latest EP Flourish just came out on Deathbomb Arc.While Ed Balloon has never shied away from soul bearing with his streamlined and catchy music, with each new release he brings more socially-focused content to the minimal sound his fans already love. In a unique space between club tracks, love songs, and pop anthems, Ed is able to find the core of a sound, shed the rest, and produce such a focused sound that it is at once huge and cosmic and also as intimate as a cuddle. It is the perfect musical forum for contemplating the ways our world’s huge issues fall right in our laps. Ed Balloon is the best friend we all wish we had; able to tell us those hard truths in a way that is a pure act of love.Hip-Hop Evolution features in-depth, personal interview

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, and mashing up different video formats.You can arrange your own screening by contacting Tyler through the website!To hear Tyler discussing The Devil and Daniel Johnston, listen to our short episode.Follow us on:Twitter: @supdocpodcastInstagram: @supdocpodcastFacebook: @supdocpodcastsign up for our mailing listAnd you can show your support to Sup Doc by donating on Patreon.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

ROCKTOBER all month long we cover music documentaries here at Sup Doc.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 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!Stop Making Sense (1984) is the concert film of the last Talking Heads tour, shot in Los Angeles and directed by Jonathan Demme. Considered one of the best live concert films of all time!Tawny Newsome is a series regular on Bajillion Dollar Propertie$, frequent guest on Comedy Bang Bang and Spontaneanation, and a singer who collaborates with Jon Langford, most recently on Four Lost Souls on Bloodshot Records. She is currently starring in the Netflix comedy Space Force along with Steve Carell. Follow us on:Twitter: @supdocpodcastInstagram: @supdocpodcastFacebook: @supdocpodcastsign up for

George talked to Tyler Hubby about the work he did with Jeff Feuerzeig on The Devil and Daniel Johnston, which coincides with our Episode 69 with Kip Uhlhorn and Daniel's current tour (where his backing band changes from city to city and includes Wilco's Jeff Tweedy and Doug Martsch of Built To Spill). Listen to this in addition to Episode 69 for some rounded out information. Since we recorded these interviews, The New York Times also reported on the recent death of Johnston's father Bill.George also met up with Tyler Hubby to discuss his recently completed documentary Tony Conrad: Completely In The Present. That interview will be posted at a later date.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sup Doc kicks off the jams w 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!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.Kip Uhlhorn formed Cloudland Canyon in 2002. The first Cloudland Canyon release, Requiems Der Natur, 2002-2004 was released by Tee Pee in 2006. Cloudland Canyon quickly set about releasing a number of other releases and touring that same year, most notably a single track collaboration 12”/LP entitled Exterminating Angel with Chicago musician Lichens in 2007 on Holy Mountain.In 2007, the band was signed to Kra

Paco and George discuss all the important stuff in life plus our ROCKTOBER MONTH of shows! We have many great episodes planned on music documentaries all month long, and we kick Rocktober off with The Devil and Daniel Johnston. Next Week's guests are Kip Ulhorn and the film's editor Tyler Hubby.We also get into The Who, other docs we're watching and even some biopics like Snowden and The Founder that we both kind of hated and we also talk about George's recipe to Tuna Salad which leads us to the worst band name ever....George discloses that he was in a band called "Sanitary Gremlins"...Do you think this podcast would be more popular if we had named it Sanitary Gremlins?Theme song remix by DJ FenestrationSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.