Dan: Are you ever tempted to deviate from creating your own stuff and pursue being on those shows?

Patton: I would do one of those shows in a second! I try to do both, I try to create my own stuff and then if there's something really good that I like I totally want to be in it. But I don't pursue it. Like with Ratatouille and King of Queens, I mean, if it gets offered to me that's great. But I'm not going to campaign and try to hunt it down, because what if I'm not right for it?

Dan: Right, you don't want to put yourself in that position where it's uncomfortable, because it didn't happen organically.

Patton: Exactly.

Dan: Do you have advice for comedians who are just starting out?

Patton: Go on stage a lot. Just go on stage a lot. Find your own venue. Find your own space. Work on just making those five minutes really count. And if there's not enough stage time, go create your own stages.

Dan: There's so many comedian sites now, you've heard of funnyordie.com?

Patton: Oh yeah, I've written stuff for them, I've written recommendations for those guys' site, I had a whole little column over there. You know those little picks on the side? I did that for one week. And I do a lot of work with those guys.

Dan: Is it a good idea for comics to just put as much of their material online as possible?

Patton: Why not? I mean, the more stuff you shoot the better you learn how to shoot things, and edit yourself, and get your voice out there. Just like with open mics, I mean, you'll tell comedians "oh don't do a lot of open mics, just wait until you're really good". Well, you can't get good unless you do it, and get feedback. So why not? I think it's great!

Dan: I heard that when you did that Coachella show, you got to put a lot of new people under that Comedians of Comedy banner.

Patton: That was always my plan, to keep bringing in new people that I liked that I think need and deserve more exposure. We're gonna keep doing tours. We'll do like, maybe a different four people every time. We've already done that- like Zach (Galifianakis) can't do it, so Eugene (Mirman) popped in. We mix it up all the time. Well.. I mean... there's just people that, once I get the space I want to put them on. There's so many I can't even name them right now.

Dan: It's all just a matter of lining it up once you've got the dates.

Patton: Exactly, yeah. 'Cause I just have so many friends that I'm such a huge fan of, and so many young comedians coming up that I'm excited about.

Dan: Who are you excited about?

Patton: You know what? I could name you names, and you wouldn't know who they are because they've got zero exposure right now.

Dan: Anyone we could look up online, and then pimp out for you?

Patton: John Mulaney, Michelle Biloon, Anthony Jeselnik.
There are just so many, I don't even know where to start.


A recent clip of John Mulaney (a Chicago native) on the Conan O'Brien Show:

Dan: I do get the impression, following the Comedians of Comedy stuff, that you really do enjoy telling people about people who might not be getting enough exposure.

Patton: Well I just enjoy the fact that they're around, and it keeps me working hard and being funny. I'm just so glad that I'm not the funniest guy in my scene, you know? Because that would suck! If you're the funniest guy in your group of guys, you would never have to work hard. And I'm like, the eighth funniest guy in my scene. At best! The people that are at my same level, and they're people just coming up, wow that person is going to be amazing. So yeah, I guess I do it for selfish reasons because, if these people get successful, it makes it easier for me to do the kind of stuff that I do. You know? So many people, they get successful, and they get through the door and they close it and bolt it behind them. They don't let anyone else like them get through. They have that whole, you know, "finite resources" view of the world. Which is ridiculous, I think it just ends up fucking your career up.

Dan: And they're probably terrified of their career slipping away from them at any moment.

Patton: Yeah. Well, maybe they just don't have a creative source of their own. You know? So they do see it as a finite thing. But I see it differently, I'm just like, man, the more the merrier. Especially guys that are going to be more innovative, and make me challenge everything that I- whenever I meet someone who takes stuff that I am so sure of, and just shatter that... That's always exciting for me, because that always leads to more growth.

Dan: So you want to focus on stand-up for the rest of your life?

Patton: That's all I want to focus on! I mean, the reason that I do acting and writing is so that I can do more stand-up.

Dan: Have you sold any film scripts?

Patton: I mean, I've sold four of them. But you sell them and they just kinda go into limbo sometimes. It's hard. It's kind of like winning the lottery. There's another one I'm working on another one right now. But I'm always working on stuff, and it all goes towards me being able to keep doing stand-up.

Dan: Well your being the eighth most talented in your circle aside, you are getting a ton of exposure right now. Has the exposure gotten weird for you at any point?

Patton: No, because, for the most part I've really lucked out with my publicist. He's a guy that is a fan of me and knows who to say yes to, and who to say no to. And usually, stuff that I would not fit into, we just go, "well, let's pass."  It's not like "let's get you on everything no matter what!" We try to get things that are going to fit me perfectly. So I'm getting a lot of exposure, but it's like, and I know this sounds snotty but, it's the right exposure. I'm talking to really cool people that are also going to share my enthusiasm for, if not just comedy but just for the arts. And for just things. Easy to talk to. Like the way that we are talking right now, this is more just like a conversation it's not some guy going (in a nasally voice) "Well how would you define comedy?" You know? I'm actually talking to comedy fans, which is great.

Dan: Well your fans appreciate it, because a lot of us are big nerds and-

Patton: (Laughs)

Dan: Yeah I mean I am a ridiculous nerd. I think we see your accessiblity as a sign to get behind you and follow your career.

Patton: Aw! Well, also maybe people are enthusiastic because- and I know this sounds a little weird but- if someone like me gets more exposure I'm going to probably use what exposure I have to get other people exposure. I just get so bored listening and hearing about myself, 'cause I already know that shit? I get just as excited bringing people up and going "you're not going to fucking believe this guy! Fucking... this!" Yeah! I just did a screening in Austin of this movie called The Foot Fist Way that I have nothing to do with. But Disney wanted me to screen Ratatouille at the Alamo Draft House, and I was like, well, if I'm going to screen Ratatouille let me screen this other movie that I really like. And they were like "What? Are you in that too?" And I was like "No! I just really like it! It's coming out next year and I just really want to get it exposure."

Dan: Well what's the name of that movie again?

Patton: The Foot Fist Way. It's one of the funniest movies- it's in my Top 5 funniest movies of all time. It's up there with Big Lebowski, and Office Space, and Repo Man. You know like, oh my god, this is so well written and so well acted. It's just totally original.

Dan: Well I think it's fantastic that you're willing to do that at this point in your career-

Patton: It's not that I'm willing to do it, I need to do it.

Dan: And that's wonderful, I think that's the opposite of a lot of people's expectations.

Patton: (Laughs) Why?

Dan: Well, when I saw Comedians of Comedy for the first time, there's that bit at the beginning where it's you like, after your three hour 40 Watt set-

Patton: (Laughs at the mention of three hours) Sigh...oh my God!

Dan: And you were talking about how "My purpose is to set up the next guy." And I was like, holy shit. People in the industry actually have that point of view, it's not all just cutthroat, you know?

Patton: Yeah, yeah. Well the cutthroat is always so much more interesting to listen to and write about. You know? But, I think the majority of people in my scene are all about "Hey, let's get other funny people out there." You know? Make it good for everybody.

Dan: So do you know the guys who work on Human Giant?

Patton: Yeah! I wrote a bunch of stuff for them, and I acted in a bunch of stuff. So yeah I know those guys really well. I had Aziz on a bunch of the Comedians of Comedy tour, and he did Coachella with us.

Dan: And he just came to Chicago and did a set at the Lakeshore last week, where you'll be next week!

Patton: Yeah! The Lakeshore is a great theater- in fact John Mulaney will be opening up for us at the Lakeshore.

Dan: Both shows?

Patton: Yes! You can come see John Mulaney, who I think is awesome!

Dan: And it was just one of those things where you found out he was just available and you're flying him in?

Patton: Yea, exactly I was like hey! Here's your ticket, come do this fucking show! And he was like "Oooookay."

Dan: You have anywhere in Chicago you're looking to hit up for comic books or booze?

Patton: Well, let's see I'm going to be in there Tuesday, and I leave early Wednesday morning. So I don't know. I won't be able to get comics at Graham Crackers, which I really like. But I'll definitely go to Skrine Chops for ribs, that's a given, because that place is so fucking tasty. And maybe Sayat Nova for lunch? I'm gonna have no time while I'm there. I'll basically get in, do all day press junket, do the show, and fly out first thing the next morning. So I have no idea what I'll be able to do. But usually in Chicago there's a bunch of stuff I like to go to.

Dan: And it's two shows at the Lakeshore?

Patton: Two shows! See you there! Yes!