Waiting in a bar to interview one of your favorite people can be a bit stressful, especially when said person is running an hour plus late. On his behalf, he kept in touch via the modern miracle of text message, so I knew I wasn’t being stood up, unless it was his idea of a hilarious practical joke, which did occur to me. After all, I would be interviewing Paul Dinello, one of the funniest people I know, so it seemed perfectly plausible that he might be up to some light (or dark) hearted hi-jinks, for example, having me wait nervously with two beers in front of me like some kind of schmoe, only to hop into frame with that giant grin, exclaiming, “Ha, ha! You didn’t think I was gonna come, did you?”
When Paul finally arrived, he was passionately apologetic about being late. We walked over to a quieter East Village bar where we talked about his music, comedy and a lot of earthy stuff, like his house upstate, his garden, composting, and his attempt at vegetarianism. So, is he a hippie in addition to being a comedy-writing machine? It’s hard to say what he is, as he doesn’t like labels. And who does? So, without further ado, here’s everything I know about Paul Dinello. What you want to call him is up to you.
Q. Would you say you’re a filmmaker first and foremost?
PD: Labels are tough. I have a childish feeling about it. It allows people to challenge. If you say I’m this, they can go, oh yeah, prove it! I always feel like I am what I’m doing at the moment. So right now I’m writing and producing but I guess I like filmmaking the best. It uses everything that you can possibly do.
——
Q. I was really interested in the fact that you make music. I see how comedy and music are related in some ways and can come from the same place.
PD: Well certainly comedy has a rhythmic quality about it that’s similar to music. A lot of times I find myself working on the rhythm of something as much as the comedy of it. It’s not funny if the words don’t rhythmically go together.
Q. You’re probably one of those people who says you can’t play guitar, but then you’re really good.
PD: I’m not going to admit to that. I’ve been playing guitar for like, 25 years.
—–
Q. Have you ever been in a band?
PD: I rehearsed with a band but we never played out, it was more for fun. But Second City was the biggest experience I had playing music before a large audience. I used to pull out my guitar for comedy nights. I’d always purposely write a song as an excuse to have my guitar just because I got such a kick out of it.
Q. Did you ever think that there was a point that you would be a musician?
PD: No. I never thought I would be a comedian, I just kept failing upwards. But I never thought I’d quit and try to be a musician. With comedy, I took classes and started doing stand up and then people hired me and I did more stand up and then Second City hired me and then I came to NY and did a play and then HBO hired me and then one thing led to another, I never really actively made a choice to do comedy with my life.
—–
Q. Do you get on stage much these days?
PD: The problem is I don’t get done shooting [The Colbert Report] ‘til 830. A few years ago when we had more time, I used to do Stella. Stephen and I were at the first and at the last Stella. I used to try to do stuff as much as I can. I love that whole scene, the whole alternative comedy scene.
Full Interview: Impose Magazine
Paul Dinello Interviewed in Impose Magazine