We can on occasion be found trawling YouTube not just for funny cat videos, but for online comedy. We have come across some great new comedy series that funny women across the globe are posting up online. One of our current favourites is Caitlin Graham, a Brooklyn native who has written a comedy web series about life as an actor in New York called 'No Method'. We caught up with Caitlin to chat about 'No Method', writing and Louis CK.
Funny Women: What inspired you to write and make 'No Method'?
Caitlin Graham: My initial inspiration for it was practical; I wanted to do more comedic on-camera work and all of my footage from my acting reel was ridiculously dramatic and depressing, so I essentially needed to create 'evidence' that I could do comedy. And if I could be in complete creative control of that evidence, all the better.
But what inspired me to do 'No Method' specifically was, in my opinion, the lack of a really genuine portrayal of a struggling actor in film or TV. Even on 'Friends', Joey had an agent.
In the acting community, at all levels of success, I think there's this pressure to always be projecting an air of "My career is right on track and I couldn't be happier," which is not the case for most actors at least 90% of the time. I think it comes partly from the intensely competitive nature of the community but also from the commonly doled out advice of industry experts. So many casting directors warn actors against coming off too cynical or complaining about the industry, saying that if you do, no one's going to want to work with you. And if you're an actor, even if you love it and it's what you've always wanted to do, which it is for me, there is A LOT to complain about and angst about at any given time. And because you're sort of encouraged to not give in to those negative feelings, it can make for a lonely life. It's hard to find a fellow actor with whom you can truly commiserate, whose wall of "I'm doing SO GREAT, everything is AMAZING" you can penetrate and find the real person inside. So on a very basic level, I wanted an outlet for all of those awful feelings that none of us really addresses. And I wanted to encourage other actors to find their outlet, too.
FW: Tell us the truth, have you been paid in pizza in real life?
CG: All the freaking time. And sometimes, I haven't even gotten pizza. When you're an actor, though, you almost always expect to be treated like shit. And when you get really basic things for your work, like food, it's like winning the lottery.
FW: How do you feel about your work being compared to Louis CK’s show Louie?
CG: To say that I'm a fan of Louis CK and 'Louie' is an understatement, so it's incredibly surreal. But of course, it's also very validating. And 'Louie' was definitely an inspiration for 'No Method'. Initially, when I first started writing 'No Method', the show had a very traditional comedic style, the way that multi-camera sitcoms do. Everything was sort of in the name of a punchline. But then I watched 'Louie', and I was so impressed by not only how funny it is but also how depressing and emotionally harrowing it can be to watch. There are hilarious situations, but I'm also so invested in the character of Louie that I feel absolutely wrecked when bad things happen to him, which they do, all the time. This last season, the 'Late Show' trilogy of episodes had me laughing hysterically one minute and literally sobbing out loud the next. I experienced the same thing watching the earlier seasons of 'Californication'. I think it's the mark of a really great show, that it's able to work so well on both of those levels. So 'Louie' did have a direct impact on the tone of the show. It became a lot darker and depressing after that. So, thanks, Louis CK!
FW: What made you decide to post No Method online?
CG: I decided to do a web series mainly because I loved Issa Rae's 'The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl'. I may not be the show's target audience, but it really spoke to me. And I think what makes it so hilarious is that it's clearly very personal for her. The cultural references are very specific. There's one episode where the cast is just quoting 'Sister Act 2' for several minutes, and I was sitting there cracking up, going, "Is this really happening? This is incredible."
Obviously, there are virtually no limitations online. As long as you have an audience, you can pretty much do whatever the hell you want. I love the idea of entertainment becoming a lot more democratic and there being more creative freedom and more room for voices that might not otherwise be heard.
FW: What online series, besides your own, are you watching now?
CG: I'm a little ashamed to say that I don't watch too many web series! 'Awkward Black Girl' is really the only one to which I was totally dedicated. And this isn't a fictional series, but I love the movie reviews by 'The Nostalgia Critic'. I was a film critic for a while, so I've definitely considered doing a series like that, too. It would certainly be easier than 'No Method'! 'My Drunk Kitchen' is also awesome, of course. If you can recommend any series that fly more under the radar, I'd love that!
We recommend Caitlin's show 'No Method', have a watch of the first episode 'The Roach' here!
Pictured: Caitlin Graham studies a script in 'No Method', Caitlin Graham and co-star Isabelle Pierre
