February 25, 2004
Todd Levin/Bob Powers, How To Kick People
The Basics
Age and occupation. How long have you lived here, where did you come from, and where do you live now?
TODD: Let's see. I am a 32 year-old freelance writer. I grew up in Albany, New York, which is home to the best pizza in America (The Fountain) and a large egg in which people sometimes dance ballet. I was granted a visa to leave in 1995 and have been living in Park Slope, Brooklyn for the last 8 years and 11 months. (Have you ever noticed that people mark the tenure of their New York residency the way a child states his age? I have. Observing details like that goes a long way to explain why I'm a national treasure.)
BOB: I am 30. I write and perform comedy and whatnot and I work at a bank too. I've lived in NY for twelve years, excluding a two year eight month mistake in Los Angeles. I was born and raised in Upper Darby PA, just outside of Philly. I live in Chelsea (the gay part).
Three for Thee
1. I had this motto in high school: "Phuck Physics." With that in mind, I am asking you to violate the very laws of nature that govern our existence and please tell me what a "How To Kick People" show was like in 1982 Manhattan.
TODD: In 1982 I was eleven years old and Bob was nine, I think, so I imagine the show would have gone something like this: First, I would present a book report on the Reggie Jackson biography, Mr. October! Next, Bob would show everyone how to make a vagina-shape by pressing your spread fingers against someone else's, and then peeking inside. One of our other presenters would karate-kick a folding chair, Bob would insult my mom, and then we would cram the entire audience into a bathroom stall and do blow with them. Not so different from the February 25, 2004 show, actually.
BOB: Very very naked. In fact, there was a resident H2KP cast-member named Martin and everyone knew him as "Naked Martin." Before the show, Naked Martin's friend and collaborator Debora (one leg, plucky) would transcribe everyone's written pieces for the evening onto Naked Martin's body. Naked Martin would stand center-stage throughout the entire show and the guest readers would read from his body, spinning him to and fro when a sentence veered around a contour. Also, the programs were glossy.
2. Todd, would you ask Bob a question and tell me the question and his answer?
TODD: OK. I just slipped Bob a piece of paper upon which I'd written: "Do you like me? Please check a box." Then I drew two boxes below the question, one labeled "yes, let's French," and the other labeled, "no, I just like you as a friend." Bob handed the paper back to me and when I unfolded it I noticed he'd added a third box labeled, "Maybe??" and put a checkmark in there. Bob remains an enigma.
3. I'm digging deep with this one: Bob, would you ask Todd a question and tell me the question and his answer?
BOB: Coincidentally, I asked Todd what our show was like in 1982. He hit me.
Proust-Krucoff Questionnaire
Time travel question: What era, day or event in New York's history would you like to re-live?
BOB: The Great Hudson River Tidal Wave of 1906. Those who didn't die...got soaked.
What's your New York motto?
TODD: "Stop crying and drink your $6 Budweiser."
BOB: "Phuck Physics!"
Best celebrity sighting in New York.
TODD: In quick succession, I met both David Cross and Bob Odenkirk at a Yo La Tengo show at (the now shut-down) Tramps. It was the same night their second season of Mr. Show was premiering on HBO, and they were just about the only "celebrities" I was actually interested in engaging. David Cross was "on" and tried too hard to be funny – the same horrible mistake I've made in this interview – but Bob Odenkirk was a true gent. He exhibited a quality I rarely see in other performers i.e. he seemed genuinely interested in other people's lives. (Krucoff, if that response is too long you can use this: "I once made love in Andy Richter's bed. Mr. Richter was not present at the time.")
9pm, Wednesday night - what are you doing?
BOB: Trying to find my Dad. I won't rest until I have proof that the bastard's really dead.
What was your best dining experience in NYC?
TODD: Once, at the old Russian Tea Room, I had the Beluga Pussy.
Describe that low, low moment when you thought you just might have to leave NYC for good.
BOB: I was being urinated upon by someone that answered my ad.
Just after midnight on a Saturday - what are you doing?
BOB: See above.
What happened the last time you went to L.A.?
TODD: Someone greeted me at the airport, took my photograph, and handed me a giant, novelty-sized check for one skadzillion dollars, made out to, "Todd Levin, Superstar." Then I lost the check while I was waiting in line for a colonic. But that's LA, isn't it?
BOB: I got a divorce/an ativan prescription.
If you could change one thing about New York, what would it be?
TODD: Its diaper! Holy crud, I made that up RIGHT ON THE SPOT. LOL! Expect more awesome stuff like that at "How To Kick People."
Where do you summer?
BOB: Where DON'T I summer! Am I right?
Just how much do you really love New York?
BOB: I love New York so much I want to hurt it. If New York cries because of something I said or did, then I'm still important to New York. I also want to have sex with New York in water, like in a bathtub or a lagoon someplace.
The End of The World is finally happening. What are you going to do with your last 24 hours in NYC?
BOB: Me? Probably shoe shopping!
If you haven't figured it out yet, Todd and Bob are hosting the inaugural "How To Kick People" show tonight at The Red Room above KGB Bar, 8pm.




I saw the show these two put on and THEY ARE AWESOME. Bob has that Greg Kinnear smiling charm but not stupid. His stories are creepy, and really weird, like, people do weird stuff. I don't know. Todd is just so...JEWISH, in all the good ways, just this huge broiling hairy pile of manhood. He wore a HEEB T-shirt. I wish he'd been on kibbutz with me. We would totally have got it on in the back of the truck after unloading tomatoes. I liked their stories so much, and the other people who read. Todd also told a really funny story about a guy with cancer for his birthday. The girl was sort of over my head, talking about science and quadrants, but she lived in some place where they couldn't eat food, and wanted to go to some place where they did, which was weird because you can eat anything in New York. She made a funny face when she talked about goldfish. Not a fish face, though, so what was up with that? Also she seems to have some thing for fat people, which was gross. The other boy talked about retards, and was so funny. He didn't act like a retard, and the retard he did act like was kind of smart. The guy at the end was from Amsterdam and wore a jacket, even though it was kind of hot, and sang about New York, I think, even though he was from Amsterdam. But even though people were kind of confused about where they were from, the show was awesome. I am totally going back, and making a belly shirt that says TODD on it.
Representing the "Todd has Bone Marrow Cancer" contingent, I thought I'd weigh in on the first How to Kick People. I was only embarrassed for the performers twice over a two-hour span, which is an impressive average for a comedy show. It was disappointing that Bob Powers opened with readings from his website - right, like we don't read girlsarepretty every damn day - but I was delighted by his Albert-Camus-meets-Norm-MacDonald persona. Todd was hilarious and brilliant, and seemed uncomfortable discussing squickful sex in front of a large, paying audience of strangers, which is as it should be. The other performers were also pretty excellent. Oh, I hurt from laughing.
Very much looking forward to the next show. Also, please include the delicious Von Von Von in any of your future plans. Rowr.
i wasn't at the show but pretended i was. in reality i was sitting in my apartment in kentucky trying to convince myself that i wasn't that pitiful for eating the dogs food and that most people have at one point tasted it's forbidden pleasures. even the pope. but then the fucker ate my last batch of spaghetti o's. the dog, not the pope; as he hates italians. so im sitting there, trying to figure out how he worked both the can opener and the stove, when i came to the conclusion he must die. so i shot him in the head. i had two bullets left so i shot a picture of thomas jefferson and my roommate's kitten. i regretted it immediately. my roommate would be home any time now and i needed story fast. taking the only steak knife we have i jammed it my dog's side and layed the revolver in the pool of blood. when cooper showed up i told him when i walked in i saw his kitten shiv my dog in the side and then get blasted in his furry little nose. my dog was so distraught he decided to turn the gun on himself and take his waste of a life. all my roommate wanted to know was why i had eaten his dogfood.
sorry i missed the show
Alas, these comments are sounding suspiciously like auditions. Trust me, ladies, none of this is funneeeee enough to be included in the next presentation of How To Kick People, so you may want to try sexual favors rather than writing reviews that have less flavor.
Having said that, let me just say that How To Kick People was stupendous. Bob's and Todd's hair may be somewhat similar (oh, sweet moptops!), but their reading styles couldn't be more different. Whereas Bob "performs" his readings, adding inflection and the occasional bit of arm flailing, Todd just stands there at the podium looking as if he is reading from the Torah. Which is NOT a bad thing.
Tom Shillue's bit about "not glorifying the retarded" was splendid. I was half expecting a bit of shocked gasping from the audience, but thankfully did not witness any.
Jen Kirwin's hair looked nice.
Vonvonvon was so hot, I nearly passed out.
All in all, a raging success. I'm glad I did not stay home and just read tremble.com and girlsarepretty.com instead.