Paul Scheer

Paul Scheer co-hosts one of the most downloaded comedy podcasts -- How Did This Get Made --- and stars on tons of TV shows, from FX network's The League to ABC’s Fresh Off the Boat. He relates to Weezer’s lovelorn lyrics, channels his inner pop diva, and shows his softer side with a dedication to his wife. He is currently the show runner on Fox’s Party Over Here and is behind the teen drama parody series Filthy Preppy Teen$.
Hosted by Raul Campos.

Paul Scheer: Guest DJ Project Tracklist:

1. Weezer - "Why Bother" 
2. Kelly Clarkson - "Since You’ve Been Gone"
3. Ben Folds - "The Luckiest"
4. Andrew WK - "Party Hard" 
5. Kanye West & Jay Z - "N*** in Paris"


Transcript:

Raul: Hey, I'm Raul Campos from KCRW and I'm here with comedian Paul Scheer. He co-hosts one of the most downloaded comedy podcasts called, "How Did This Get Made." He also has appeared on TV shows on almost a dozen different channels from FX network's "The League" to the sketch series "Party Over Here" on Fox. Today, we're here to talk about songs that have inspired him over the years as part of KCRW's Guest DJ Project. What's this first track we're going to check out?

Paul: Ok so, Weezer was a band to me that was like MY band. You felt like you found Weezer, or at least I did. I was in high school and it felt really cool and their first album- "The Blue Album" - was a huge hit.

And then "Pinkerton" came out. And this track, "Why Bother" is just, for me in high school… I think Rivers Cuomo represents the nerdy guy who’s trying to get into a relationship, and it's not quite working out.

Even to this day with their latest album, it is still-- you know, it's kind of maybe sad that he's still going through this 20 years later. (laughing) But, it spoke to a high school me.

Like why, why even bother? Why even try anymore? It's just going to end badly. It's melancholy, but it's kind of upbeat at the same time.

So I'm a big fan of this album in general cause the whole album is kind of like, "Ugh, love is great, but it kind of just sucks because they're gonna break up with you. You're gonna be broken-hearted. And what are you going to do, you're going to have sex? Sure, but it won't be as fulfilling as love and love is just going to bite you in the ass." So this song I think probably covers the entire album in this one song.

Song: Weezer – "Why Bother"

R: Alright so that was, "Why Bother" by Weezer. Now we're going to get into Kelly Clarkson, man. Talk to us about this next tune.

P: Kelly Clarkson. Alright I don't care who you are, this song is another motivator. Kelly Clarkson, "Since U Been Gone".

To me I remember going through a break-up feeling this song, and where Weezer is in the melancholy like, "Aw love sucks and whatever." Kelly Clarkson's like, "Yeah, you know what? The best thing that ever happened to me is that I got broken up with. I've moving on and things are better." And it's like, "Yeah, yeah."

This is getting you out of the bed. When you're in that bed of the depression of- what am I going to do, my whole life, I'm so sad... she will get you up. And I put it on here as a representative of what I love about female punk-y pop music. I love bubble-gum pop. I think there's a place for it in the world of music. I think it's better than any like guy pop music, like One Direction, and all that sort of stuff there's a place for it, sure- yeah, yeah, yeah – BUT there's something about a 20-year-old year just rocking out to a song that gets me more jazzed than anything. I just feel like it's coming from a more real, raw, emotional place. Not trying to be cool, just trying to f*cking rock out and I'm sorry I cursed.

Song: Kelly Clarkson – "Since U Been Gone"

R: That was "Since U Been Gone" by Kelly Clarkson. Our guest DJ is Paul Scheer picking some great tunes and up next we're going to check out Ben Folds, "The Luckiest." Now why did you pick this track?

P: Well, this track has a very special meaning to me because this was actually my wedding song. You know, it's very tricky to find a wedding song that feels timeless to a certain extent. That doesn't feel overdone.

And this was a song that when my wife found it she sent it to me and I immediately started to cry. And listening to it today before I came down here, I was like welp…I started to cry again. It makes me think of her, it makes me think of our lives, it makes me that of that connection that you find when you do find this kind of perfect person that kind of fits in with you and that you're connected. I think anyone who is in a long-term relationship, you listen to this thing and it echoes a lot of the thoughts that you have about your partner and there's a great line in it about like, "If we didn't know each other and I saw you outside the window..." You know, it's beautiful imagery and it makes you feel so lucky for having this person in your life. I can only describe it by saying, I think if you're in a long-term relationship this song will touch your heartstrings.

Song: Ben Folds – "The Luckiest"

R: The always fantastic Ben Folds doing "The Luckiest." Your song for your wedding and great tune. We're going to get into this next track that, Paul, I gotta give you a little credit cause now you're schooling me on somebody- Andrew W.K. Talk to me about this guy and this song that we're gonna check out.

P: Ok, Andrew W.K.- I love this guy. I don't know how to describe him more than the human embodiment of the Tasmanian devil from like those old Bugs Bunny cartoons and the instinct to party.

He also rocks out on a piano -- like he's not a guitar guy, he's not a drum guy, he has an old-school piano and he is just banging away on it. And when he is rocking out he looks like he is a zombie from the Walking Dead that's just blowing it out.

I've been to his concerts and I watched my friend get a tooth chipped from being in this mosh pit. He invited the whole audience up on stage in a live show. I ran up on stage and got side-swiped by a security guard. Clothesline to the neck. I went down and I was never so psyched to go down so hard. Put this on while you're working out, put this on when you need to get pumped up, when you need to get the energy to face something that you're not sure about, or just want to get psyched for the night- this will do you every time. He is the definition of a pre-game.

Song: Andrew W.K. – "Party Hard"

R: That was "Party Hard" in every sense of the word. Andrew W.K. Now we're going to check out a slightly different direction. Well, I'll let you introduce this next track...

P: Well this is the question I was gonna ask you, "How do you introduce this song?" Because whenever this song is presented it has asterisks' in it. So then you can say...

R: That gives you a little hint of what's coming. (laughing)

P: Of what's coming up, right. This is from the Kanye West/Jay-Z album Watch the Throne. I mean the song is "N*ggas in Paris", right like that's what the song is. I think you sound really dumb when you say n-words in Paris. It's there, I've said it.

But I do have a special connection with this song. Which is, I was at the Watch the Throne tour at Staples which was amazing and how they closed the show was with this song. And they did it in a way that was unlike anything I've ever seen. I don't know if you know this but, at the end of the show, they would sing this song and then Jay-Z at the very end would be like, "Again!" and then they would do it again.

And then at the end of that, he'd go " Again!" and they would do it again. And I was at the show that held the record for the most ‘agains’. I think we did it like 18 times back to back. And I got more excited every single time. And Staples Center got more excited every single time. It was just like this anthem just kept on building and building and building...

Song: Jay-Z and Kanye West – "N*ggas in Paris"

P: It's a song that yes, I go to a lot. But it's also a song that I feel like I have a special connection with, because there was a world record breaking event of this one song and this one place at this one time. So when I hear it, yes I love it, but I also remember being with these people for an encore that was one song 18 times in a row. And I never got sick and I'm bummed that it wasn't 19 times.

R: Kanye West and Jay-Z, I'm gonna say it, "Ni*ggas in Paris."

P: There you go, you see, there you go. Embrace it. That's what they want you to say. They don't want anyone to say n-words in Paris.

R: Selected by the man, Mr. Paul Scheer. Thank you so much for coming through, man.

We appreciate it.

P: Thank you, please play that song 17 more times in a row.

R: Over and over and over. (laughing)

P: What if I just... (laughing) that was my top five songs.

R: Well, it was definitely a fun ride, man. Thank you once again. For a complete track listing and to find these songs online, go to KCRW.com/guestdjproject and subscribe to the podcast through iTunes.

Playlist

[PLAYLIST GOES HERE]