Comedian (and new cable show host!) Chris Gethard just gets me
This year, I became an adult. At least, many things indicated I was becoming an adult. I moved out of my parents’ house, I enrolled in university, I voted in an election and I’m even less scared than I used to be. I mean, I am very much still scared, but definitely less, so that’s awesome. Being a teen is scary. I have noticed this and coped with it in various ways, as most people do. One of the more helpful ways for me though, especially as a writer, was the acknowledgment from the people —my peers, editors, adults, comedians— who agreed. They agreed and, oftentimes, whether through writing or other forms of media, they did something about it. The actions by those people to help make things less scary were the only and best things that indeed did. Chris Gethard, a talented comedian and kind human, is one of these people.
For the past three years, The Chris Gethard Show’s charming and bizarre cult following has congregated every Wednesday at a public access studio in Manhattan. The talk show undertakes a different theme each week (i.e. “Tell Us Something You’ve Never Told Anyone,” “We Will Predict Your Future,”), allowing viewers to participate by calling in, watching on public platforms and engaging in conversation in the online chatroom. It has seen special guests Zach Galifinakis, Amy Poehler, and many other notable comedians.
Beginning in 2009 at the Upright Citizens Brigade theatre, improv comedy performers and fans have taken to the world philosophies incited by the committed community surrounding it. One of the most notable, tattooed on Gethard’s every action (and arm), is: “Lose Well.”
Even with many setbacks, Gethard has made sure that his fans did lose well and that the impact of the show is always meaningful. With those two short but powerful words, The Chris Gethard Show (TCGS) has supported its teen fans in especially scary areas. Never mind the fact that it’s a common occurrence for fans to reach out to Gethard thanking him for being at the forefront of the primary reason they decided not to commit suicide. He has also made sure to encourage his trusting fans to seek out joy and love, and to pursue their dreams without fear of failure.
During the last TCGS of 2014, Gethard made a big announcement: a currently unnamed cable network will pick up the show. It’s important to note the fact that Gethard had also chosen an adorable dog to be the first non-human member of the official cast fittingly overshadowed this announcement.
Here are some excerpts that should totally persuade you to start watching TCGS:
How Chris spent his teens:
“I did everything. I never wanted to go home or slow down because then I would have to deal with the actual reality that I wasn’t such a fan of myself. I stayed busy all the time because I was scared to deal with real life.”
On life getting better:
“You say it sucks now and “is it better in ten years?” For some people, yeah! For me, it was better at 26 than it was at 16. For you it might not be. I would stop thinking ten years in the future and just chill out and have fun now, man. Eat good food and watch good movies.”
On teens wanting to know if they’re going to be okay:
“A lot of teenagers in general want to know if they’re going to be okay. It seems to me like the answer is “maybe” but with a pretty decent percentage chance of yes. I really appreciate all the teen fans of the show. In my mind, this show was built for me and my brother as teenagers.”
On following your dreams:
“Here’s my advice for anyone who’s creative and scared: Shout until they hear you. And then, shout even louder. Trust that your voice is worth hearing. Trust that people will want to hear it. Let those people surprise you and, most of all, surprise yourself.”
.Look out for The Chris Gethard Show on cable television in 2015.Celeste Yim is trying to be a good student at the University of Toronto and friend. She is a writer and a stand-up (to bullying). Follow thoughts from her brain on Twitter @celesteyim.
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