Christian Toto: Hollywood in Toto
KEY MOMENTS
0:00 – Intro: Lou and Christian Toto interview each other
1:17 – Has Lou's humor gotten edgier on Twitter?
3:17 – Stepping back from social media
4:26 – Uplifting accounts like Zachary Levi and Pat Sajak
6:10 – Game show hosts and SNL alums drifting right
6:49 – Lou's book: That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
7:21 – The Wall Street Journal piece that started it
8:59 – Why comedy matters and why it's the best time for it
10:02 – Betty White, Bob Saget, and Norm Macdonald
11:53 – Laughing together in a movie theater
12:47 – Borat, Jackass 3D, and the decline of big comedies
14:46 – Doing standup during COVID
16:31 – Two kids under two and texting comedy peers
18:31 – Christian's origin story as a film critic
19:51 – Building a business as a right-of-center critic
20:40 – Roger Ebert and what makes a good critic
22:46 – Critics who review their politics instead of the film
23:47 – The White Lotus and reviewers who want comfort
25:24 – You Don't Nomi and second looks at Showgirls
26:42 – Troll 2, The Room, and enthusiastic failures
27:21 – Virtue Bombs and wrap-up
ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Christian Toto of Hollywood in Toto joins Lou, and the two interview each other about Lou's book That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, why comedy matters, and remembering Betty White, Bob Saget, and Norm Macdonald.
We also get into whether Lou's humor has gotten edgier on Twitter, game show hosts and SNL alums drifting right, laughing together in a movie theater, the decline of big comedies, doing standup during COVID, Christian's origin story as a right-of-center film critic, Roger Ebert, critics who review their politics instead of the film, second looks at Showgirls, and enthusiastic failures like Troll 2 and The Room.