While it's always impressive when artists are legit multi-hyphenates, there's usually one field among the many where they truly feel most at home.
Take David Cross. He created, wrote and starred in the wildly influential cult HBO sketch show Mr. Show with Bob and David alongside Bob Odenkirk. He has an iconic sitcom role (Tobias Fünke on Arrested Development) alongside an impressive list of diverse acting credits spanning from prestige films like The Post and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind to family fare like Megamind and Kung Fu Panda to video games like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. He's also written a book (I Drink for a Reason) and has been hosting his own podcast, Senses Working Overtime, for about a year.
But at his core, Cross is a stand-up comedian. With a style that can seamlessly transition from bizarre silliness to skewering political commentary without ever giving the audience the comedic bends, Cross was a major force in the alternative comedy boom in the '90s and hasn't ever really slowed down. His eighth stand-up special, Worst Daddy in the World, dropped earlier this year and can be watched in full on YouTube.
Before he performs at Spokane Tribe Resort and Casino on Dec. 5, we caught up with Cross to chat about what keeps him invested in stand-up, creative partners and the perspective traveling for his work provides.
INLANDER: Both personally and professionally — be it your Mr. Show partner Bob Odenkirk or your wife, Amber Tamblyn — you've surrounded yourself with creative people. Is that something important to your own creativity?
CROSS: Well it's less about importance and just what I prefer. It's a great thing that I'm able to do. I mean, I know plenty of people who aren't creative, but creative people are more fun to hang out with.
What initially made you interested in doing a podcast? And then what has kept the process of making one interesting?
Well, I mean, initially it kind of was suggested heavily, repeatedly to broaden people's awareness of me or whatever. You know, sell more tickets to shows, etc, etc.
And for years I didn't do it. I had no desire to. I don't listen to podcasts myself. I have nothing against them, I just don't occupy my time that way.
And then I started doing it, and I loved it. It's really fun. And they're just conversations I would have. The way I approach it — and what I'll tell people — is like, "Just imagine we're strangers and we're sitting next to each other at a pub," you know? That kind of conversation. There are no parameters to it or anything.
Is the creative satisfaction different doing stand-up versus writing for a show versus acting in a thing that somebody else wrote? Does having that diversity in work help prevent you from getting too burned out?
The truth of the matter is I enjoy doing all those things. They're all things that I can do. I have no control over whether somebody casts me in a show or a movie or not, but I have 100% control over my stand-up, which is nice. When I have the downtime and I'm not working on a project, I'll just start doing get more material ready. It's all fun for me.
Do you get frustrated by people who recognize you and come up and recite Arrested Development lines at you?
Oh, that's annoying. I've experienced pretty much everything, and by far most people are cool and respectful. But, yeah, there are plenty of folks that aren't.
As someone who came up in the '90s alternative comedy scene, what's it been like seeing a decent chunk of the comedic landscape shift from alt-comedy to alt-right comedy?
Well, I mean, it's depressing, because I've never really enjoyed or taken part in comedy that punches down and makes fun of the disenfranchised and vulnerable out there. That's never been my thing. So it's a bummer that that's so celebrated and, you know, financially rewarded. I mean, I don't make 1/100th of the amount of money that some of those guys are, but I'm gonna do my stuff and always be me.
What's sort of the breakdown of the material you're currently doing in your stand-up set?
I've always had kind of a stew of different stuff. I just have very silly jokes. I have some that are kind of a little offensive. I have stuff that's anecdotal. I'd say easily a third of the set is about just anecdotal stuff, this thing that happened to me or this thing I observed. And then, obviously, I dip into the current state of affairs, and there's always going to be a little religious stuff in there. For people who know my body of work — which there are literally decades worth of specials and albums and stuff — it's that.
What keeps driving you as a stand-up?
I just love it. I mean, it's one of my favorite things to do. And I like touring. I don't like the actual physical grind of it, but I like going all over America and the world. And there's always something to talk about.
So if the physical part of touring is a grind, what are the aspects about it that you really enjoy?
For one thing, I get to see all of America and other countries. You're everywhere. We live in Brooklyn, and I've talked about this on stage — we live in a bubble, and I am aware of that.
I was talking to my wife, and she was feeling optimistic about Kamala Harris's chances. And I was like, "I'm on the road. I'm telling you — it's not going to happen." And I was saying that awhile ago. "I'm telling you, you're not out here. I don't think it's gonna happen." And it's educational and edifying when you get to talk to people from all walks of life, and you get to go to places you normally wouldn't go. Why would I ever be in Kent, Ohio? Why would I ever be in Lawrence, Kansas? Well, I'm there to do stand-up, and I get to walk around and talk to people. It's a great education.
And I'll always enjoy doing that until people like me are not allowed to... which probably gives me another two years before I'm shut down and deported.
And it's got to be rewarding in some of those places that there are people who will come out to see you because a David Cross show is their one escape from the dominant culture around them.
Oh, for sure, man. That's been happening for my whole career. People who know me come out because they are familiar with my stand-up and not "Oh, it's the guy from the show."
I get asked pretty constantly, like, "So do you change your material when you're down South." And I'm like, "F--- no." That's actually where I'm the best received — the little sprinkles of blue and a deep sea of red. They're just so happy that I came there. For like an hour and a half, they can feel like they have a like-minded kinship. They can feel like they're not alone. That's one part of why it's so gratifying to go out on the road. ♦
David Cross, Sean Patton • Thu, Dec. 5 at 8 pm • $52-$85 • All ages • Spokane Tribe Resort & Casino • 14300 W. SR-2 Hwy., Airway Heights • spokanetribecasino.com