Quirky Adult Swim comedy is the U.P. antidote to 2018 angst

Julie Hinds | Detroit Free Press

It's not often a TV show leaves you thinking that maybe things aren't so bad, people aren't so mean or greedy, and snarky anger isn't the only comedy style.

"Joe Pera Talks With You" is a rare comedy that does all that without being precious or condescending. It speaks softly and carries no shtick whatsoever — other than Pera's slow-paced, quirky approach to life.

Airing Sundays at midnight on Adult Swim through June 17, the series stars Pera, a Brooklyn-based comedian who takes you inside the gentle, oddly optimistic world of his character, a sincere middle-school choir teacher in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

In each week's back-to-back, 15-minute episodes, Pera's character offers thoughts and advice on ordinary activities. His experience with the world and social skills seem limited and shy. Sometimes he seems a bit lonely, but perhaps that's only the perception of viewers fretting about him.

So far, Pera has focused on simple joys like taking a fall drive in his beloved 2001 Buick Park Avenue ("truly one of America's most beautiful automobiles"), enjoying lightning storms from a cozy bed, and the sound that milk makes when it's poured into a glass.

It's a radical departure from the often dark, envelope-pushing nature of Adult Swim content like "Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!" Instead, "Joe Pera Talks With You" feels like a portrait of a young man who has more in common with your grandparents than a typical hipster.

Pera, the real guy, writes the series with other comedians, and has appeared on NBC's "Late Night with Seth Meyers" and TBS's "Conan." Adult Swim has featured him previously in an animated special, "Joe Pera Talks You to Sleep," and the live holiday special "Joe Pera Helps You Find the Perfect Christmas Tree."

We spoke to the Brooklyn-based performer about the awesomeness of his series and his Yooper character. Here, edited for length and clarity, is Joe Pera's talk with us.

QUESTION: How would you describe "Joe Pera Talks With You"?

ANSWER: It kind of starts by asking a question or setting out to explain something, like how to dance if you're by yourself at a co-worker's wedding or how to properly bury your pumpkin after Halloween. It tries to answer whatever question it proposes. It's kind of like a how-to show that has a little story to it.



Q: Is Joe Pera, the TV character, the same as Joe Pera, the comedian? Or is this more of a Peewee Herman/Paul Reubens situation?

A: I think (I'm) pretty similar — everything I talk about I'm actually interested in — except that I get in at least one fight with a stranger every day. I'm not a choir teacher in real life, but there are a lot of similarities.

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Q: Why did you choose the Upper Peninsula, where some exteriors were filmed, for the show's setting?

A: We ended up there for the Christmas special I did a year and a half ago. We wanted to shoot (there) because I had written a joke about Christmas trees in Michigan that I had been doing for a couple of years. The special was based on that. We needed the most likely place in Michigan to get snow in October, when we had to shoot (in order) to finish it by Christmas. I kept going back and I realized it had a lot in common with Buffalo, where I grew up, the type of people and the sense of humor. The nature around it made it more interesting and visually beautiful. The things I learned about the history were fascinating to me.

Q: Is being from Buffalo where you got your appreciation for simple living?

A: Yeah. I wouldn't describe it as simple living, but appreciation for things like just going out for breakfast, stuff like that. I'd always go with my family to pick out a Christmas tree every year. I guess it seems simple, but they're nice things that I don't think enough TV shows touch on, maybe because other people do consider them a little bit simple. But talking about different types of Christmas trees or what to order for breakfast, those are big questions in my life.

Q: Your website asks people to guess your age. What range of guesses have you received?

A: I get all over the place, anywhere from mid-20s to early 40s. Then a lot of people say 100 and above, and that's fun.

Q: If someone guesses the right age, do you tell them?

A: I'm having a dilemma. Not that I'm getting that many emails, but I used to write back to everyone personally. I don't know what to do anymore. I really used to sit down every couple weeks and respond to every one. But now if I get over 100, it takes a while. But I like to give a personal response to everything I get. But I don't know what to do anymore.

Q: Who do you relate to more, millennials with their artisanal trends or seniors with their pre-digital lifestyle?

A: We talk a lot about it in the show. In real life, I'm a little in between. I like technology, but I grew up within five minutes of both sets of grandparents. I spent a lot of time with them and their sense of humor had a large impact on what the show is and what I think is funny and interesting. The first videos I made, I had them act as themselves and I had a lot of fun doing that.

Q: Last week's episode "Joe Pera Reads the Church Announcements," about becoming obsessed with a song (no spoilers) by the Who, was brilliant, I think it's fair to say. Have you heard from any members of the Who?

A: I appreciate it. It's hard to screw up an episode where we were able to use that particular song 14 times. Somebody gave me the address of Pete Townshend's assistant. I sent it to her. She said he's taking a year sabbatical from music. So he may not get back. I don't know if he'll ever see it. I hope he'd get a kick out of it. Roger Daltrey is touring right now. Maybe somebody will show him.

Q: When you're not working, what do you watch on TV?

A: When we made the show, I watched mostly "Sopranos" clips on YouTube and the show "Dragon Ball Super." That was about it. I try not to watch too much comedy while working on the show. I've since watched "Silicon Valley." That was good. My friend Dan Soder is on the show "Billions," so I watched all of that. It was good. Also Michelle Wolf's new show (on Netflix) is good.

Q: What is the Joe Pera secret to life?

A: My secret to life? I don't have things figured out. I hope the show doesn't give the impression I do. I think I feel better when I take a half-hour (or) hour walk every day and just think and walk slowly and take my time wandering around the neighborhood. That helps me even out every day. Also get enough sleep. That's important.

Contact Detroit Free Press pop culture critic Julie Hinds: 313-222-6427 or jhinds@freepress.com.

'Joe Pera Talks With You'

Midnight and 12:15 a.m. Sunday/Monday

Adult Swim on Cartoon Network