Artwork by LEE STROUD DESIGNS
BY JONATHAN VALANIA Although he’s probably best known as one half of the gay-bear-stoner-couple-next-door on the dearly departed The Sarah Silverman Program, Brian Posehn has appeared in a shit-ton of quality TV comedy, including Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, Seinfeld, Mr. Show, Newsradio, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and Metalocalypse. He is also more metal than you. [SEE BELOW] In advance of his five-show, three-night run at Helium Comedy Club, which starts tonight, we got Posehn on the horn. Discussed: Juggaloes, Sarah Silverman’s terrible secret, The Burn‘s Jeffrey Ross’ transvestism, Patton Oswalt, Gallhagher, Weird Al Yonkovic, poo poo that looks like Lemmy, and, of course, farts.
PHAWKER: No offense, but you have one of the worst show biz names ever. I bet, even after 46 years of living with it you still spell it wrong every now and then. Really, that name is good for shattering the hopes and dreams of fifth grade spelling bee finalists and not much else. Ever think about changing it to something a little more marquee-friendly, like BRIAN PUSSYMASTER or THE ROCK 2, hmmm?
BRIAN POSEHN: It really hasn’t been a problem. But if I named myself Gallagher 3 or The Other Weird Al or The Funny Patton Oswalt I might be further along.
PHAWKER: You performed at The Gathering Of The Juggalos — very brave, my friend. I’ll ask you the question I ask everyone that performs at TGOTJ: What did they throw at you? Rocks? Beer bottles? Hatchets and hammers? Some combination of all the above? In all seriousness — well not all, but some seriousness — tell us something about TGOTJ that nobody’s supposed to know.
BRIAN POSEHN: Hmmm, they’re nice kids. They’d probably be pissed that I told you that.
PHAWKER: We LOVE Sarah Silverman — forget Jesus, Sarah Silverman IS magic — and loved The Sarah Silverman Program, on which you played one half of the gay bear stoner couple that lives next door. Tell us something about Sarah Silverman that nobody is supposed to know.
BRIAN POSEHN: She’s really Jeffrey Ross in a hot girl costume. He’d probably be pissed I told you that.
PHAWKER: You’re known as a pretty astute judge of whether or not a band is metal as evidenced by your song “Metal By Numbers” from your 2006 album Live In: Nerd Rage. Finish this sentence, ‘You know you’re metal when _____________.
BRIAN POSEHN:You make the devil horns in your sleep. And your poo looks like Lemmy.
PHAWKER: The secret of comedy is _________?
BRIAN POSEHN: Being funny. And farts.
BRIAN POSEHN PERFORMS AT HELUM COMEDY CLUB TONIGHT THRU SATURDAY