Why Uncool Is Cool: An Interview with Paul Feig

Popshifter: It’s funny that you brought up MST3K. Because, yeah, it was making fun of things, but there was still a sincerity about it. But other shows that have tried to do that, it’s too mean-spirited. That does kinda come over on some of the Internet fandoms. You’d think that all the fans of one thing would like the same things about whatever they’re a fan of.

But then you’ve got this whole hierarchy of, “Well, I’ve got these albums and I have the rare English pressing and I’m a bigger fan.” And they’re lording it over you.

Joel and the ‘bots from MST3K
Hercules Against The Moon Men

If you talk about why you like a show or a band, you almost get made fun of, like, “Oh, you’re so soft. You have to be cool and detached.” It’s so bizarre.

Paul Feig: This is about the exclusion of the outsider. Especially when you get into the profession of being a musician, and I’ve been a musician for a long time. Going into a guitar store, it’s like, “Well, do you want the XJ5-13 or do you want the VH1-L4?” And I don’t know what that is and neither do they!

And it’s like this whole thing. . . every profession and fandom has this exclusionary terminology, like filters that people mount up. If you’re in the inner core, you know all this shit. It’s fine, but that drives me crazy, too. You can’t win; it’s always some new level you have to pass, some inner clique.

What cracks me up is that these are generally the kind of groups of people that are normally against insider groups—the “cool kids” and all that—but they’re doing the exact same thing. It’s not based on looks or popularity but. . . I mean, I’d rather have it based on knowledge, but at some point it just becomes overbearing.

Popshifter: Do you have any guilty pleasure fandoms?

Paul Feig: Oh yeah. (embarrassed laughter) My guiltiest one right now is that I love the new American Gladiators. It’s really funny, I mean, they did it really smart. I’m a comic book and sci-fi guy. . . they’ve stocked it with these comic book characters!

Popshifter: (laughs)

Paul Feig: I was at the wrap party for the show last night because the same company that is going to do my show does that show. And I’m always talking about how much I like the show so they invited me.

And I met some of the gladiators and I was like a stumbling idiot. I made such a fool out of myself!

The new American Gladiators

Popshifter: (laughs) That’s so funny!

Paul Feig: There is this one gladiator on the show that I really like, this woman that I think is really cool. I kept trying to figure out all night how to go up to her and say, “Oh hi, I’m a fan,” and I finally in a burst of uncool, when she was clearly in the middle of talking to somebody, and I was about to leave, I went up and interrupted the conversation, and I was like, “Oh, I just wanna say I’m a big fan and blahblahblah.” And it was loud and she kinda smiled and she kinda said something, and I didn’t hear it, but I didn’t want to look so uncool that I had to ask, “What?” And I was just sorta like, “Yeah!” And she gave me a look and I was like, “I gotta go!”

And it’s like, what the fuck? I’m like, forty-five years old and I work in the business. . .

Popshifter: (cracking up)

Paul Feig: But you know, that’s why I love what I do. I think I’m okay at what I do because I am a fan. That’s what you have to be when you’re the person putting it together. You’re in tune with peoples’ talents and you’re not. . . here’s the difference.

I made my living as an actor for fifteen years. When you’re an actor you kind of hate everybody else because they’re all competition. So if somebody gets big or breaks through, you’re kinda like, “UGH!” Even if it’s an actress, somebody you’re not in competition with. You’re always looking for the fault.

When I finally decided to stop being an actor and go behind the camera it was the greatest moment because I get to be a fan again.

Popshifter: Yeah. . .

Click to read more from Paul Feig on. . .

Directing Freaks and Geeks
Directing Arrested Development
His obsessive knowledge of laugh tracks
More on laugh tracks, plus the “comedy of innocence”
Dealing with Internet jerks
The outsider, plus embarrassing fanboy encounters
“If it’s fun, it’s fun.”
Music of today vs. music of yesterday
The Hollywood version of funny
What’s cool and uncool
Listening to “the notes”
Where television is today
The fallout from Unaccompanied Minors
His new show Kath and Kim and his upcoming book

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