Doug Benson is probably best known for his work as one of the many talking heads on Best Week Ever, he is also a contestant on the latest season of Last Comic Standing, he has played small roles in Curb Your Enthusiasm, Friends, Yes Dear, Cheap Seats, and is currently a recurring featured player on The Sarah Silverman Program, he was also a writer and performer on Mr. Show with Bob and Dave, he has also been featured on Comedy Central Presents, Benson was part of the writing team that created (and performed in) The Marijuana-Logues(a critically acclaimed off-Broadway play that is essentially The Vagina Monologues for pot), Doug was also awarded Stoner of the Year for 2006 by High Times magazine, he is currently working on the film project "Super High Me"(Super High Me documents Doug not smoking pot for 30 days and then smoking pot for 30 days in a row). A clip of Doug doing one of his trademark bits is posted below the interview.
1. How did you get interested in wanting to become a comic?
I was a fan of comics ever since I was a little kid, but I had no plans to become one. The first time I did stand-up was because my friends talked me into it. I'm forever grateful to them, even if I can't remember their names.
2. What was your first stand up gig like?
Pot luck night at The Comedy Store on the Sunset Strip. But after several auditions over many years, I couldn't get passed at that club. About six years after I started, I became a regular at the L.A. Improv and I've been there ever since.
3. What was the worst job you've ever had outside of comedy?
I was a dishwasher in a restaurant for three days. I quit in the middle of a shift. Just walked out without saying anything. Pretty much like all of my relationships.
4. What are "The Marijuana-Logues"?
It's a "play" that i co-wrote with comedians Arj Barker and Tony Camin that is basically comprised of all of our pot jokes. "The Vagina Monologues" with weed instead of choo choos. It played in a theatre off-Broadway for a year. We still do it from time to time, with various funny dudes filling in whenever one of us (or more) can't do it.
5. How did you end up becoming one of the many hilarious talking heads on Best Week Ever? What is the schedule like for that type of a show that probably needs comics on hand all the time to keep up with the breaking stories and current headlines?
That should be considered questuons 5 and 6. This whole thing is fucked up now. Nice work, man.
6. Whats on your iPod right now?
After I saw a few episodes Best Week Ever I thought it was right up my alley, so I asked my agent to get me an audition. I went in and taped some jokes that they used on that week's show and I've been on it ever since. I go in once a week, they tell me what stories to talk about, and I crack wise. Then on Friday night (or Saturday morning) I watch to see what got on and to laugh at some of the other panelist's comments. (I don't own an iPod.)
7. Whats on your Tivo/DVR right now?
Even though I have a joke in my act about TiVo, I don't have one. Don't want it, either. If I could record and watch everything I wanted to see on television, I would never get anything done.
8. What is "Super High Me"?
"Super Size Me" with weed instead of McDonalds. We filmed it last fall, and now we're looking for a distributor.
9. How does it feel to be High Times' Stoner of the Year for 2006?
I thought it was 2007. Well, they gave me the award in Oct. of '06, so i don't know which year I'm officially the top stoner. I'll look into it. (No I won't.)
10. What is it like being on "Last Comic Standing"?
It's really fun. It's exciting that so much is riding on each performance. In a club, if you ever have a bad night, you don't get thrown out. They even pay you! (i've never had a bad night.)
11. Any upcoming projects you would like to plug?
Uh..."Last Comic Standing" on NBC?
12. When you die, what do you want God to say to you at the pearly gates?
"I'm sorry so many people yelled 'I Love the 80s' at you even though you were on 'Best Week Ever.'"
13. Any parting words of advice for the readers?
No.
