I went to film school, and I came in when video art was king, weird stuff was king, and there, you don't have a script as your bible.
— Jonathan Krisel
I like dry-to-the-bone stuff. I don't know what it is. I was raised on PBS showing weird British comedies.
I know, especially in my family, people's feelings get hurt over the tiniest things. I'm sure that's true in every family. But, for instance, one year, I came a little bit late to Thanksgiving, and I was supposed to bring a salad. And I just brought a bag of lettuce, and put it in a bowl. Five years later, I heard that my mom was incensed.
Things that people are doing constantly but aren't thinking about. That's the ultimate 'Portlandia' concept.
My dad did show me interesting movies at a young age. I remember he showed me 'A Clockwork Orange,' and my mom said, 'I never want to see this movie in my house again.'
I am huge fan of Australian comedy. 'Strictly Ballroom' is one of my favorite movies. Definitely the British Commonwealth's sensibility is where I draw a lot of my influences.
My brand of comedy is taking a serious approach to silliness. Small moments of modern life and human behavior make me laugh. At least that's where everything starts, and then my other through line would be a dry absurdity that exponentially spirals out of reality.
Comedy is like horror - you have to shock something in the viewer's system to make them feel it.
'Fawlty Towers' was a huge influence on me. I mean, it was so slapstick, too. 'Are You Being Served?' was on 15 times a day, it seemed like, and I loved it.
Portland is utopia. My favorite thing would be it's earnestness. I am earnest, too.
Everything on TV is perfect, and it's so boring.
