Nathan Fielder discusses 'The Curse' and the changing landscape of comedy. They delve into the flaws of the show, Nathan Fielder's other works, and the shift from pure laughter to satire. The conversation includes child actors, Birkenstocks, and live comedy shows.
The Curse explores the discomfort and moral ambiguity of wealthy individuals entering lower-income communities in a satirical take on reality TV.
The trend of finding humor in morally flawed characters challenges societal norms and is influenced by online culture.
Deep dives
Overview of Life and Art podcast
Life and Art is a culture podcast hosted by Lyla Reptopolis, airing twice a week on Mondays and Fridays. On Mondays, Lyla interviews guests about various topics related to life, such as winter travel, cooking, and living creatively. On Fridays, Lyla and two FT journalists discuss a piece of culture that's currently trending, such as Dolly Parton's new album or TV shows. The podcast aims to provide insightful conversations and perspectives on both life and art.
Summary of The Curse
The Curse is a new drama series created by Benny Safdie and Nathan Fielder. The show follows a wealthy couple, Emma Stone and Nathan Fielder, as they film a pilot for an HGTV show called 'Flipanthropy.' Their aim is to ethically gentrify a low-income town in New Mexico by flipping houses. However, the couple's actions and their portrayal of philanthropy appear disingenuous and uncomfortable. The show explores themes of moral ambiguity and discomfort, with characters getting caught up in situations that push boundaries. The Curse is known for its satirical take on reality TV and its critique of wealthy white individuals entering lower-income communities.
Discussion on Uncomfortable Comedy
The podcast episode delves into the genre of uncomfortable comedy in TV shows and films. It references Nathan Fielder's previous works, such as 'Nathan for You' and 'The Rehearsal,' highlighting the way he pushes boundaries and challenges social norms. The hosts share mixed opinions on shows that feature morally ambiguous characters and make viewers uncomfortable. They discuss other examples like 'Succession' and 'The White Lotus' and question whether society is comfortable with this trend of finding humor in morally flawed characters. The conversation also touches on the role of comedy in examining social dynamics and the influence of online culture on comedic content.
Introducing Life and Art, a new podcast FT Weekend. Join host Lilah Raptopoulos for two episodes each week.
On Mondays, they talk about life and how to live a good one. On Fridays, Lilah hosts a roundtable that will dive deep into a piece of culture that’s in the air right now.
On this episode, Lilah’s joined by FT columnist Stephen Bush and assistant arts editor Rebecca Watson to talk about the new cringe-drama-comedy show, The Curse. They discuss the show and how prestige TV is changing comedy. Why are we laughing less, and cringing more? And why is comedy so complicated right now?