Interview: Our Chaotic Conversation With Eric Andre

Leave it alt-comedy king Eric Andre to spice up the traditional press day. Upon entering what was to be a normal Zoom interview, Andre is traipsing around New York City, his cell phone camera angled low on his face. “It’s the Big Apple, baby,” said Andre, Brooklyn accent and all. “It’s a dog eat dog world out here.”

What could feel more appropriate than being caught off guard interviewing Eric Andre, the man responsible for some of the most absurd, random, and off-putting interviews in late-night history? We were there to talk about the show’s sixth and latest season, but he had ulterior motives. “I gotta get exercise, man,” wheezed Andre. “I’m like a bloated bag of rice.”

In truth, Andre was there, at least in part, to promote the return of his popular Adult Swim series, The Eric Andre Show, with a surprise pop-up: The Eric Andre Smash Bash. Fans were given the opportunity to cause mayhem to a recreation of the show’s iconic set, the same set Andre himself shatters and batters at the beginning of every episode.

His cringe-inducing comedy series came back for its sixth and most raucous season yet this past Sunday with two episodes, which included everything from Denzel Curry in the dentist’s chair to one of Andre’s new band members guzzling paint. “That band was a bunch of confused African guys,” elaborates Andre. “We were like, ‘You want your visa? Well then you gotta eat that paint.’”

Fans will be happy to know that Andre doesn’t skip a beat in “sexy Season 6,” another beautifully unpredictable collection of sketches and talk show segments that will have audiences rolling on the floor, if they aren’t fearing for their safety. Here is our conversation with Andre about the new season, as well as a cavalcade of other topics, edited for length, clarity, and maximum chaos.

[Eric is walking around New York City on Zoom.]

Where are you right now?

[in a Brooklyn accent] New York City baby, ever heard of it?

[same accent] Ayyy, I’ve heard of it.

[still with the accent] It’s the Big Apple, baby. It’s a dog eat dog world out here.

It absolutely is. Where are you off to?

I’m at the gym. I gotta get exercise, man. I’m drinking too much, I’m like a bloated bag of rice.

You were looking good this season though!

Yeah, that was a year ago, my man. A lot of pizzas and booze have happened between this year and last year.

By the way, baruch atah adonai eloheinu!

Baruch atah. Shabbat shalom.

Pleasure to be in the presence of a fellow Jew.

Show me your circumcision.

Ah ah ah, maybe later.

Yeah, maybe at midnight. Maybe on the Hudson.

You’ll be seeing plenty of other circumcisions on the Hudson, just not mine.

[laughs]

Eric, I really love what I’ve seen so far from Season 6.

Thanks, bro.

Who is your style icon for this season? Who are you wearing? I swear it feels like Dick Tracy.

Ahhhhh, yeah yeah. It’s got that early ‘90s Prince, P.M. Dawn, Morris Day at the time, Terence Trent D’Arby kinda vibe.

How did you come to those inspirations, especially after Season 5’s all bald look?

I dunno, I think those images were floating around in my head. Different haircuts were floating around in my head.

Sometimes, creativity just strikes.

Yeah, just strikes. Creativity strikes.

A lot of people associate your show with the crazy comedy and all the memes, but there’s a lot of technical wizardry that you’re pulling off. I’m thinking especially about the bit where you’re with Jaleel White and you just start jacking things off on your set…

Haha, yeah.

…and jizz comes out of everything. Who are you working with to pull off some of these crazy stunts?

We’ve got a great art department and a special effects department. We got wizards.

Talk to me about Felipe Esparza and your new band this season. Those guys seemed like they were game for anything.

Yeah, that band ruled. Felipe rules, he’s super funny. He started out as Hannibal’s co-host, and then when Hannibal quit, we just gave the throne to Felipe. He’s like a perfect fit for the comedy of the show. That band was a bunch of confused African guys.

When one of them just downs a bucket of paint for the bit, I thought, “man, they must love to be here.

We were holding them at gunpoint. We were threatening to shred their passports if they didn’t.

At that point you eat paint, I guess.

Yeah. We were like, “You want your visa? Well then you gotta eat that paint.”

How did you meet The Fridge Keeper? What was that like?

I mean, you saw it happen before your very eyes.

Who is puppeteering him? Someone from your crew?

Yeah, Gizmo Joe.

Have you done puppetry in the past? Was that something new for the show?

I thought you were gonna say, have you done “Puppetry of the Penis?”

I mean, he’s about one redesign away…

Have you seen that show? That’s a real show.

Oh, really? Are you a fan?

It’s the male answer to The Vagina Monologues.

In one episode this season, you fall down from the ceiling in an office building and the woman who runs the front desk literally threatens you. Was it fun to get a taste of your own medicine?

Yeah, I had it coming. You gotta fight fire with fire sometimes.

Did you end up getting a date out of that? I was feeling the chemistry.

Yeah, we’re still dating.

She’s not Emily Ratajkowski, but it’s something, I’m sure. When was the last time you were in Canada? Do you remember?

I shot Panos Cosmatos’ [episode of Cabinet of Curiosities, The Viewing] in Toronto back in October 2021.

Damn, it’s been a minute. You need to come back to Toronto!

I’d love to. Fo’ sho’.

Is there anything you wanna say to your Canadian fans?

I love you guys. Let’s all meet in Winnipeg in the dead of winter and get in a knife fight.