ReRuns: Find Solace in the Chaos of ‘The Eric Andre Show’ – Loyola Phoenix

By Grace NiemiecUpdated March 1, 2022 10:47 p.m. CTPublished March 2, 2022 9:00 a.m. CT

The Eric Andre Show has been close to my heart ever since I impulsively binged it while running a low-grade fever in 2018. The chaotic structure of comedian Eric Andres satirical talk show didnt just mesh with my flu-ridden brain but spoke to my love-hate relationship with pop culture.

The late-night talk show format has been a cornerstone of pop culture for decades. The genre is known for its formula that has hardly changed since its popularization by Johnny Carson in the 1960s.

At a glance, The Eric Andre Show follows this classic formula. Every episode hosts celebrity interviews, musical guests and on the street segments. Andre finds his own sidekick in comedian Hannibal Buress just as Conan OBrien has Andy Richter and Jimmy Fallon has his fake laugh.

Yet, The Eric Andre Show simultaneously flips the genre on its head and has a naked production assistant vomit on it.

Chaos reigns on-screen from the gate as every episode kicks off with Andre hopelessly destroying his set just to have crew members rebuild it around him. The desperation to tear down the cookie-cutter set pokes fun at the constraints of the late-night model while providing peak physical comedy.

The true cornerstone of the show is the celebrity interviews but interviews should probably be put in quotations. Although a guest is introduced, everything quickly and inevitably falls apart.

Whether its calling out a body double mid-interview to mock guest James Van Der Beek (Dawsons Creek) or driving rapper T.I. off the set with the aforementioned naked production assistant, Andre finds a way to make his interviewees horribly uncomfortable. If you have as absurd a sense of humor as I do, you cant take your eyes off it.

Half of the best interviews come when the guests clearly dont know what they were in for. A season three interview with reality star Lauren Conrad (The Hills, Laguna Beach) has become infamous among the shows fans for that very reason. Conrad notoriously walks off after questions about rapper Waka Flocka Flame and fake vomit push her limits.

The other half of great interviews come when the guests are as confused as Conrad but dont seem to care. In one 2015 episode, musician Tyler, the Creator takes Andres oddity in stride and counters with his own off-beat of humor.

Tears are shed, moves are busted and hilarity ensues. A fan-favorite episode, Jimmy Kimmel & Tyler The Creator, was born.

The Eric Andre Show isnt all interviews, though. Andre regularly takes his pranks outside the studio to cause general mayhem.

From forming a faux Black Scientologist demonstration to posing as a communal cereal bowl in the New York City subway (yes, thats what I said), Andre viciously follows the Prank Golden Rule: confuse, dont abuse.

One recurring fan favorite bit follows a green morph-suited Andre as he confuses locals on the streets of Brooklyn with a fake bird on his shoulder. The segment known as Bird Up! is absolute insanity. I give it a 10 out of 10.

During its four-year hiatus between seasons four and five, The Eric Andre Show soared in popularity and as a result, lost some of its mystery with potential interviewees. In addition, it was announced that co-host Hannibal Buress would be leaving the show.

Fans, including myself, were concerned the show would lose its unique blend of confusion provided by Buress and clueless guests. Luckily, the fifth and most recent season proved me wrong.

While confused B-list guests became more rare, amazing new segments emerged with the help of A-listers. Classic bits like Bird Up! and Rapper Warrior Ninja were expanded on with hysterical cameos from the likes of Lizzo, Lil Yachty and Trippie Redd.

The Eric Andre Show has yet to announce a sixth season, but its a perfect binge watch for any pop-culture critic who relishes being confused as hell.

All five seasons of The Eric Andre Show are available on Hulu.

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ReRuns: Find Solace in the Chaos of 'The Eric Andre Show' - Loyola Phoenix