Billy Eichner Is Trying to Talk to You

January 20, 2017 9:39 AM

You think he just runs around screaming, randomly shoving a microphone into peoples' faces? Think again. Now in its fifth official season on truTV, the unique Billy on the Street is still one of the strangest shows on television — a delightful alchemy of pop culture, celebrity, performance art, and social anthropology.

"We have two months of preproduction where I’m in a room with six or seven of the funniest people you’ve ever met. They write the questions. I rewrite everything before we film to make sure it’s really in my voice. Anything we can prep goes through a very intense process that you would find on any show. The downside to creating this loud, larger-than-life character is that people gravitate toward the loudest element of it. But there is some very smart, subtle social criticism and cultural satire that is happening on the show that sometimes goes underappreciated because people tend to focus more on the shouting. If I were just screaming randomly, this would be a piece of shit. I’m the last person who would want to watch that... When the Billy on the Street persona is screaming, it’s about something specific. We talk about that a lot in the writers room: It’s not about the screaming, it’s about what you’re screaming about."

BOTS previously:
Immigrant or Real American?
Escape from Scientology
Xmas Carols with Amy Poehler
Get Quizzed in the Face

posted by I_Love_Bananas (24 comments total)

The video where he tries to talk to that black woman about La La Land wounds my soul. I get what he was going for in that clip, but I totally feel that woman's righteous indignation at being a prop for Billy's gag.
posted by tobascodagama at 9:54 AM on January 20, 2017 [5 favorites]

You think he just runs around screaming, randomly shoving a microphone into peoples' faces?

From what I've seen of the show this is exactly what it is, whatever pretensions they might have.

If I were just screaming randomly, this would be a piece of shit.

Yes, it would.
posted by Sangermaine at 10:30 AM on January 20, 2017 [4 favorites]

That's why I prefer the segments where he's accompanied by a celebrity, as it usually results in the celebrity's ego being punctured a bit each time a random passerby either doesn't recognize them or just plain doesn't give a shit.
posted by Atom Eyes at 10:58 AM on January 20, 2017 [3 favorites]

I like the celebrity segments *because* the celebrities seem to have a great attitude towards not getting recognized, and generally *don't* get a punctured ego. We must be watching different shows.
posted by Geckwoistmeinauto at 11:05 AM on January 20, 2017 [8 favorites]

Lupita Nyong'o: Bring the Pain
posted by The Gooch at 11:14 AM on January 20, 2017 [1 favorite]

I LOOOOVE Billy on the Street. Just watched latest episode last night.

I fall in love with basically every random person on the show. It reminds me that people are wonderful, smart, creative, odd, off-the-wall. Bursting with personality and opinions. They shout back, they get pissed, and they have FUN.

It would be a different show if people didn't hold their own against his larger-than-life personality.

The stars of the show to me are the New Yorkers and the tourists who have fascinating backstories and wonderful creative approaches to responding to a potentially insane shouting clown.

It's like Improv Everywhere except Billy is the buffoon, not the public.

It's like Situationist International but with a clown nose.

It's basically like every New Yorker knows how to fucking "Yes, and" Billy's bullshit.

The only part that makes me sad is when we follows a clearly very uncomfortable or scared woman down the sidewalk. She don't need that shit, Billy!
posted by Uncle Glendinning at 11:32 AM on January 20, 2017 [23 favorites]

I really like this show.

There can certainly be some cringey stuff, but most people seem to get the joke.

Bro-ing Out with Jason Sudekis
posted by Kafkaesque at 11:45 AM on January 20, 2017 [5 favorites]

We must be watching different shows.

Maybe. Does your version feature a recurring segment wherein the comedian Sinbad appears dressed up as a storybook genie?
posted by Atom Eyes at 11:55 AM on January 20, 2017 [16 favorites]

It's basically like every New Yorker knows how to fucking "Yes, and" Billy's bullshit.

What they tend to edit or out of the show is the likely majority of folks who just don't have time for him. (Remember, anyone who does up on camera speaking has taken the time after the scene was shot to sign a waiver saying that their footage can be used.) I love the show in moderate doses, but it's not exactly real.
posted by Going To Maine at 12:02 PM on January 20, 2017 [1 favorite]

Not a huge fan of the show but love his videos from his pre-show days. I occasionally still yell at dogs and strangers to "Get the meat out of your mouth!"
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 12:08 PM on January 20, 2017 [1 favorite]

I like this show a lot, but sometimes when he accosts women on the street, particularly women walking with their earbuds in or looking at their phone, their reaction is clearly one of fear and it spoils the whole thing.

yeah, if a screaming white man ran up to me on the street to get up in my face it would end badly for everyone.
posted by poffin boffin at 12:45 PM on January 20, 2017 [7 favorites]

I don't love Billy on the Street but the "Rizzoli Or Isles" game is unbelievably funny to me.
posted by Emily's Fist at 12:45 PM on January 20, 2017 [6 favorites]

same joke over and over and over: You can't think fast and I'm impatient. If there were any real NYers left in Manhattan he'd be in the hospital
posted by any major dude at 3:46 PM on January 20, 2017 [1 favorite]

It's Debra Messing, you gays!
posted by DRoll at 5:13 PM on January 20, 2017 [5 favorites]

This show is certainly something that's not for everyone--and I'm sometimes uncomfortable when he makes women recoil in horror-- but it's also a pretty subversive vehicle for social commentary. Some pieces are pretty out front that way (such as this brilliant piece with Keegan Michael Key on gun control) and some are subtler (such as this comparison of Eddie Murphy and Mark Twain), but it's a theme that has really won me over to the show.
posted by carrienation at 7:06 PM on January 20, 2017 [7 favorites]

Oh boy, carrienation, that "Eddie Murphy or Mark Twain" clip is pretty amazing. !
posted by Zephyrial at 7:20 PM on January 20, 2017

I do love the part of that clip where he takes a moment to plug Remains of the Day.
posted by tobascodagama at 7:55 PM on January 20, 2017 [1 favorite]

I can't watch a full episode of Billy on the Street, but I like watching the excerpts. My recent favorite is Do Gay People Care about John Oliver?
posted by gladly at 8:24 PM on January 20, 2017 [3 favorites]

The extreme specificity and arbitrary nature of Billy's opinions, the willingness of strangers to bluntly lie because a camera is there, the ability form strong opinions about things they are completely unfamiliar with, and watching people talk shit about celebrities' while they stand right next to them are some of this show's many pleasures.

Like anything of this nature the quality is of course erratic but the look of wonder when it clicks with a stranger as they hold his hand running around looking "for an Asian". They so often don't know what to think of Billy at all, and the gamut of reactions to the same input is magical.
posted by haveanicesummer at 8:44 PM on January 20, 2017 [1 favorite]

Also he talks up the writing process here but he's incredibly quick to respond to what people say as well. Some comedians don't really listen but Billy listens and challenges constantly. His interrogations are with such passion that it forces people out of their comfort zone to often excellent result.
posted by haveanicesummer at 8:47 PM on January 20, 2017 [1 favorite]

I gotta say, I hate this show. The episode with the black woman - in fact the faces of any of the women who have a moment of terror - just kills me, and I look askance at everyone who insists how great this show is. Because basically it sounds like you're saying that your entertainment or whatever buzz you're getting is more important than that woman's right to go through her day without being accosted.

I don't care how subversive or thought provoking his commentary is - it's ridiculous to me that somehow that's more important than an individual's right to go unmolested through their day - or that whatever Billy's doing being at least worth harassing women just trying to live their lives. Inappropriate behavior isn't diminished because the person is funny, or rich or 'there's an important lesson here'. The cost of 'social anthropology' isn't worth being a dick.
posted by anitanita at 10:41 PM on January 20, 2017 [5 favorites]

I do not believe Billy Eichner is a significant threat to the safety of the women of New York City. Strange that needs to be clarified apparently.
posted by haveanicesummer at 12:59 AM on January 21, 2017 [5 favorites]

Is he a threat? No.

But does it he make some women feel uncomfortable because he sometimes reminds them of the actually threatening men who do exist and sometimes accost them with a similar level of aggressive energy?
posted by tobascodagama at 4:59 AM on January 21, 2017 [1 favorite]

I love how I can not have the slightest idea who on earth some of the celebrities he mentions are and still enjoy the strung-out screaming extremity of the whole thing.

Also, if you see a person on the show engaged in an actual ongoing interaction, it means they signed paperwork agreeing to be on the show (after the fact, of course), so I don't necessarily worry that people are hapless victims here (see also: all reality shows ever).
posted by sonascope at 8:43 AM on January 21, 2017 [3 favorites]