Marc Maron: From Bleak to Dark

I saw Marc Maron perform at a comedy club way back in the late 80s. I liked him, but didn't follow his career, listen to his podcast, or know much about him. I tuned into his HBO special From Bleak to Dark because I read that in this show he talks about the death of his girlfriend Lynn Shelton from leukemia in 2020 during the pandemic. Having experienced devastating losses in my own life, I had a sense this show would speak to me, and I was right; I found it deeply moving, honest, and relatable. In fact, I thought it was so perceptive and masterful that I watched it twice. Maron opens the show pacing the stage proclaiming, "I don't want to be negative but... I don't think anything is ever going to get better ever again. I don't want to bum anybody out, but I think this is pretty much the way it's going to be for however long it takes us to polish this planet off. And don't misunderstand me, I have no hope. I think if you have hope, what are you f---ing seven?." Right away I sensed that this is a man who has come through a terrible tragedy and has the courage to now take it to the stage. I trusted him as a storyteller from his first line. While talking about Lynn's death he said, "I realized no one really talks about grief. No one talks about PTSD. No one knows how to process this stuff. Everybody has it. It's just, you know, locked into us. And there's not really a cultural conversation about it." While being incredibly funny, he explains that it doesn't take much to show up for someone in grief. Ask "how are you doing," wait till they stop crying, and say "okay." He met his neighbor while he was grieving during Covid. His neighbor stood across the street, distancing, while Marc cried. This mattered. The Joan Didion book and mystical hummingbird bits are brilliant. One of my favorite lines, "When you're f---ing sad, you'll go mystical." He riffs off this in such a real way. Marc nailed so many topics from the experience of grief, loss, loneliness and the need for contact and kindness, to anti-Jewish sentiments, the softenng of vulnerable, elderly parents, and having or not having children. The piece on children is remarkably funny and spot on. Basically, if you have love in your heart to share, go for it, but don't pass on your void. "You can now track your void on 23andMe. My void started in the chest of a tailor's wife in Belarus in the 1850s in the Pale of Settlement." Well, some of my ancestors were Jewish tailors from Belarus during that time too, so after the show ended, I immediately looked up the surname Maron, location Belarus, on my Ancestry and found dozens of DNA cousins with that name, so hmm... cousin? Probably. We're all related. It takes a seasoned, sensitive performer and writer to create a comedy show that makes me laugh, cry, and continue thinking about it afterwards. Excellent job by Marc.

Maron was early to the podcast space and lauded by many I trust, but those just did not connect with me. And that's sort of how this special felt, a bit of a disconnection. One thing I cannot quite tell if it's coming from me or Maron, is a sort of George Carlin replacement wish. Carlin as he got older definitely leaned hard into the Bleak and Dark. His observations for outrage and set-ups for human failure just resonated more with me. Oh well, all "art" (and Dave Chappelle is right, stand up is an art) is going to be subjective. That said, boosting my review up from 5 to 6 based on some of the negative reviewers here wearing their preconceptions on their sleeves. Instead of reacting when he pushes your obvious button, maybe explore why you have that button. I definitely have a button both for a) alzheimers - ouch isn't aging enough of an indignity b) people who "still" blame their parents He addresses these and I get where he's coming from. His takes didn't move me much from my positions, but I liked being challenge on my presuppositions. Ultimately, this special made me appreciate not just Carlin (the lengthy Apatow documentary on George is worth it for fellow fans of his), but also Kate Berlant's recent stand-up special "Cinnamon in the Wind" which sort of nails the confessional/therapy/teachable formula for many such specials. Maron's quick one-man show vignettes were pretty funny, and the discussion of grief over his wife's death was definitely moving, and uniquely him. In the end, I felt like the neighbor across the Covid street.

Well. I didn't like his last special and I am not thrilled with this one. Seems that Maron YELLS his punch line to make sure when I should think that he's being funny. The fact is, I know he's funny, when he's just sitting around interviewing people for his pod cast. He's not funny when he's trying to be - on a stage with a bunch of people in front of him - who have paid a lot of money to see him! He had a couple good points that caught my attention and made me smile in spite of myself, but .... I like Maron as an actor. I know that when he has a part in a movie, no matter how small, we're going to get the best of him. Too bad it doesn't translate to his stand up.

I really enjoyed the dark humor. It's refreshing being able to knowingly laugh at the things so few of us ever discuss. Marc put our shared humanity on full display. I too have a baseball bat in my bedroom and now I need to YouTube how to defend myself with a baseball bat because I'm no longer certain where to aim. Toxic family, I think most of us can relate and there is no expiration date on feeling angry at your parent(s). This special feels like it could be a support group where you're just listening to a fellow human and it isn't your time to share, yet. Also, I'm sorry for Marc's loss.

Marc Maron is a stand up comedian, podcaster, and actor. His prior specials are very dark and very good. This one is his best. It is tight and well paced. Maron takes us on a personal look at his relationship with his parents, the state of the people, and the loss of his girlfriend during COVID. Maron is angry and curt, but also sharp and intelligent. If you never saw him before it is good, but if you are a podcast fan it is even better. The Direction and set are visually appealing. The length was perfect. This is well played by Maron and he seems more comfortable than any other show. I recommend it.

Can only assume it's been a looong time since Maron has done any stand up, and no it's NOT like riding a bike, you do forget what makes a good comedy set ..and THIS wasn't it. This was embarrassingly awful, taking ugly cheap shots at Christianity, ageism, parents, his late partner, even dementia..topped off with right wing this, right wing that blah blah. And how convenient, that he forgets the promised land has been governed by right wing secular Judaism for how many decades now? It was lazy, forced laughter and frankly I'm amazed they'd let him put this out there as an example of his work. What were they thinking ??? If he's that desperate to get back on stage, and use it as 'therapy' for his all too obvious ptsd, in front of a paying audience, he needs to put SOME effort in on his material first.. as you can find this kind of bar room ranting anywhere on the internet for a dime a dozen. In the back catalog of his work, this will end up in the pile marked 'did I really do that' ???