It is a fact commonly acknowledged that some men just look a lot better when they are older. They have to go through their youth doing stand up to become the charming, aged and one of the most absolutely entertaining persons to exist. It is here where I would like to clarify that, this musing is limited to Marc Maron and the writer is not projecting anything else. While the stand up part is relevant only to Maron, no one can argue that George Clooney, Daniel Craig and Colin Firth have aged like fine wine.
Age is nothing but a number, right? Well, that is exactly the case that should apply to them. Marc Maron is a stand up comedian, actor and podcast host. His podcast, WTF with Marc Maron has had guests like Barack Obama, Sandra Oh, Sam Elliot and Javier Bardem. It started back in 2009 and he has been consistently providing content with remarkable people ever since. Having been in the comedy interest for a very long time, his podcast is a mix of witty comments and genuine curiosity. As a person who does not have the skill for patience, his podcast is one of the only few ones that I have actually paid attention to and enjoyed. The guests are not in a platform that is as known as the late night talk shows so their answers and interactions are something never seen before. There is also the comfortability factor of having Maron to interview them.
Maron gives off the vibe of a person who is rude and mean but not with the intention to be bitter. He is the kind who bites his tongue for being too blunt but it is the result of knowing truth can only make it better. The slight edge of narcissism may have been the result of knowing he has been top of his game for years. It is the opinionated confidence but also the open curiousity that makes him get invited to all talk shows every season.
While his main project is the podcast and he still regularly partakes in stand up, Marc is also a phenomenal actor. Phenomenal might be a stretch but an actor that really convinces the audience about the development of the character. One of the shows that I find to be grossly underrated is Easy. An anthology series about the messy human dynamics, where Maron is plays a role of an artist who has lost his touch. Lost his audience. Is practically alone in the fighting world of relevant art and a society that craves emotional connection. His story is similar to that of any cliché withering person; falling for an art student. It explores the concept of how the age is not a conflict only for the younger person but is a toil for the older one. He is unfamiliar to how the youth communicates with each other or finds and expects in life and so is now stuck in this decision where he becomes viral. Infamous. As Easy is essentially short stories, weaved with each other through related characters, he does appear more than once, but this story and his performance in it made me search him out more.
Marc Maron as Sam in GLOW
This is where Glow came into my life. A show I had kept evading as I shuffled through Netflix, I finally gave it a chance when the judgmental face of Marc Maron glared through the screen. He plays the role of an eccentric, insecure and supremely talented director who is shooting the first woman’s wrestling show of the world. It is set back during the Cold War years and stars Allison Brie. Sam is a man who has got several chances to become a success but his stringent need to carry with his failed style kept his art from ever truly becoming big. He then starts shooting GLOW (Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling) in order to get funding for his next big project. In the first few epsiodes, his character seems disposable. The kind that is important for an instance and is then an afterthought. Yet he overpowered the drama of the ladies and his relationship with Ruth (Allison Brie) became the highlight of the show.
The Relationship of Allison Brie & Marc Maron in GLOW
Allison Brie has amazing chemistry with all of her co-stars. The relationship of Ruth and Sam is obviously in a much greyer area than all her other character romances but it is the most well thought out one. There is no urgency. There is no hastiness. In fact till its final season, the audience is wondering if this romance is all in their head. Sam has been played in the subtlest form. His insecurity isn’t visible till he himself mentions it and his confusion towards Ruth is so plainly visible that it borders being sweet.
A key thing to note in this series is that Sam is not a great guy. Even with his love for Ruth being extremely sweet, it isn’t the blueprint of romance because being decent was considered to be great in that age. While consoling Ruth that the harassment isn’t her fault, the consolation had a tinge of problematic simply because he was relieved that GLOW being in trouble had nothing to do with him and everything to do with the harasser. Right in the heart just not the words perhaps. Marc Maron mentioned in one of his interviews how he does not want Sam to be a nice guy. He spoke about how sometimes insecurities run in so deep that to run away from it was still to be miles away from decency.
Sam is not a romantic hero but a relatable protagonist. He is what life materializes to. A career that is based off a personal dream and probably not the object of envy for any, love that is better afar and hope to not be alone when it all came crashing in. Sam took risks just not in the areas he hoped for a success.
The Movie Culture Synopsis
While I and all other fans wait for the GLOW movie (a series and a movie is now an Allison Brie thing), here are some Marc Maron projects that one can take a dive in-
