I am in desperate and ridiculous TV love with Marc Maron, despite the fact that I know he is so wrong for me. Marc is like every smart, cute, talented, creative, neurotic man I have ever loved, and they have all broken my heart, despite my knowing full well that they would, and despite my rather pathetic claim of being steeled against it. Because he wears it all on his sleeve, nationally, on television, I stupidly love him even more.
I have never met the actual Marc Maron, though I have several old-school-hipster, middle-aged friends (just like him, who I have probably been in love with too) who have. Needless to say I would very much like to meet Marc Maron, and get my heart broken by him. That would be so sweet. Luckily, I live on the right coast and I don't make it to L.A. much (I can't stand the heat so I stay out of that hell's kitchen).
I realize this sounds a bit more like stalking then a show review. That is in part because I feel like I am stalking him by just watching the show. It's a very intimate and seemingly autobiographical show. I find it sort of embarrassing to watch; it's a little bit like emotional porn. I mentioned that to a guy friend of mine, who is a friend of Marc's, who responded with silence. I'm not sure if guys like to watch other guys' emotional porn. (That's largely why they watch actual porn, I think, so they can get away from the emotional porn that is real life). In that way, I think Maron's show is a tad narcissistic, but I don't mean that as an insult. That's what makes its realness so likable.
I'm no expert on demographics, but I know that Maron is perfect for a certain type of Gen X woman, like myself -- the kind who would fall in love with characters like Marc Maron. It's hard to say whether males of our age group would feel the same affinity for the show, since it is pretty emotionally in your face. But he does get laid by a woman half his age in nearly every episode, and that might at least get them to tune in so they can imagine themselves in his place. Personally, I choose to ignore the fact that he constantly gets laid by women half his age, because, well, I like to maintain fantasies, too, and in real life that would annoy the crap out of me.
I did hear, or read, someone on a post-show-twitter-chat say that all his material is stolen from Louis CK's Louie. I totally disagree (as did Marc, though not as delicately). Louie is much darker. I love Louis CK, but I'm not in-love with him, though honestly I think he would be better for me. I say that based on nothing really, because "Louie" is not autobiographical in the same way (or so it seems). Incidentally, I understand they are in some kind of boy fight, but unless there's Jell-O wrestling involved, I don't have the energy for that.
I really don't know if this is the least bit helpful as a television show review. Probably not. I shouldn't quit my day job -- as a writer. Plus I doubt this will even get me a personal email thank you, so really, what's the point? Whatever. I like the show. That's my review.