FAQ

PLEASE UPDATE INCLUDING LENNY & MANA LEAVING

How did the podcast come about?
Kevin Brennan appeared on the Opie & Jimmy radio show on Sirius XFM on  and made some disparaging & humorous remarks about his more famous younger brother, Neal Brennan, co-creator of Dave Chappelle's, Chappelle's Show. The appearance was well received by fans of the show and Kevin gained thousands of new Twitter followers as a result.

Lenny Marcus, also a successful comic, who was friends with Kevin and had helped him with his website and online presence, was approached to be the co-host. Lenny is very well liked by almost everyone he knows in the comedy industry, so was the perfect foil for Kevin's animated criticisms of his comic peers.

There was also another podcast brewing at the time between Kevin and comedian Vinnie Brand, but Kevin decided to go with the offer he couldn't refuse.

It was comedian and podcasting boss Robert Kelly's idea to pair the two together for the podcast as the ultimate odd couple, and the show was successful from the start. Kelly likely knew that Kevin would also target him on the podcast; but realised that the results would be highly entertaining and perhaps even help Kelly to gain further insight into his own strengths and weaknesses. Many fans seem to relate to Kevin's struggles with his fellow human beings while striving for some kind of success in life; while some also dislike Lenny's niceness and positivity. Lenny, however, is no push-over and holds his own against Kevin when he believes Kevin is going way too far. The show succeeds primarily because of the comedic cognitive dissonances resulting from the dynamic between two competing personality types bound together: the 'glass-half-full' Lenny and the 'glass-half-empty' Kevin.

Liz Furiati, general manager of the New York Comedy Cellar and Mana Handel, film-maker, were not present from the start, but were welcome additions to provide counter-points to Kevin's big personality; ramped up even further by his regular pre-show consumption of 5-hour energy drinks. Liz provides an industry 'insider' feel to the podcast and can stand-up to comics way more obnoxious than Kevin when they need to be put in their place. Mana initially divided listeners as she has the opposite of Kevin's bellowing voice, due to a surgery where her vocal cords were damaged. This often adds to guests who don't listen to the show before appearing, being confused at what is going on, between Kevin's yelling and Mana's whispering, which greatly increases the chances of getting something new and entertaining from them.

Many fans of the podcast claim that it is the funniest one out there and there are no other shows quite like it. Listeners never know what to expect with each new episode; the guest could be a household name, such as Bill Burr, or an equally funny comedian who never got that big break in their career. Part of the appeal of the podcast is its fragility; on a number of occasions the show was apparently close to ending due to near irreconcilable differences between Kevin and Lenny; despite a healthy fan-base and the show being a great way to re-connect with peers in the industry and show-case just how terrific and diverse American comedy is. The original 2016 contract with Riotcast was for one full year of weekly shows, but it is currently unknown what will happen after that, in early 2017. Some fans predict that Kevin and Lenny's star will continue to rise as a direct result of the podcast, so the show will go on in some form for years to come.

Who is Kevin Brennan?
Kevin Brennan's website is www.comediankevinbrennan.com and his Twitter handle is @kevinbrennan666. Kevin is a veteran curmudgeon in American comedy and knows many household names in the comedy scene. He appears to be highly respected for his work but not so much for his personality, which can fluctuate from being emotionally distant to somewhat charming to highly abrasive. Frequent references are made on the podcast that nobody likes Kevin; in complete contrast with Lenny Marcus, who is well liked by pretty much everybody. However, many people do like Kevin as you always know where you stand with him; there is none of the usual showbiz schmaltz or schmoozing (referred to as star-f*cking on the MLC podcast)

Why is Kevin Brennan so angry?
He's a middle child of ten and his youngest brother, Neal, co-created Chappelle's Show. Without Kevin, Neal would never have met Dave Chappelle, but Kevin feels that Neal has not helped him sufficiently with his career.

Conjecture:
 * The cult of narcissism that pervades American culture can be difficult to swallow for those less successful, more experienced comedians who believe themselves to be just as talented as their far more successful peers and up and coming younger rivals. When comedy is so subjective and there are scant few slots for the comedy all-stars, it is essentially guaranteed to create much conflict and resentment at all levels, by many, but not all. Kevin believes that him being one of ten children is the source for believing he should be treated better than he is. Lenny, in contrast seems much more content with his career and not jealous of those who are more well-known.
 * Both Kevin and Lenny appear to be self-aware of their true natures; especially Kevin's vulnerable true self "maybe it's me" which sits beneath his life-coping needy "I've got kids" and angry "Mark Normand sucks" masks. All of these aspects of Kevin's personality appear far more integrated and fast-switching than is typical; so meta-Kevin may be all these things in one tightly-wound package, who now is coming to understand the comedy potential in his unique personality better than in the past. When combined with his decades of comedy writing, this may lead to an unmissable one-man show, where Kevin will be able to tell longer, funny, highly-entertaining stories from his decades in comedy, rather than his more traditional jokey stand-up material.

Why do other comedians object to Kevin's style (even those with a somewhat similar style)?
Kevin appears to have a complicated relationship with everyone around him: including, but not limited to, his bosses at Riotcast (Robert Kelly, comedian, and Rob Sprance) and even with his supporters from other podcasts and radio shows, such as Opie from Sirius XM. A pop psychology fan theory goes that people who were yelled at by their fathers as children, then used this as motivation for getting into show-business, wanted to get so successful that no one would ever yell at them again. They understandably might take great umbrage that Kevin has little regard for the comedy hierarchy; while many who are lower on the tree understand that one must be somewhat sycophantic towards comedians who fill arenas in order to have any chance of being helped out in their own careers.

Is Kevin Brennan really like this outside of the podcast?
Yes, according to Lenny and Liz

Who is Lenny Marcus?
A terrific person and comedian from Long Island, New York. He appeared on Dave Letterman's show.

Can I slag off Lenny like Kevin does?
No, you can't. You are a listener; not a friend. Lenny will block you on Twitter.

Can I give Kevin a taste of his medicine?
You can try trolling Kevin on Twitter, but it doesn't work. He'll see you coming a mile off plus you aren't funny. However, if you manage to do it in a clever way, Kevin might just retweet you.

What's a star-f*cker?

 * Fans of the podcast who donate to the show or to Kevin directly are called 'Star-f**kers' in homage to Kevin's brother, Neal, whom Kevin believes schmoozes celebrities solely in order to help his own career.
 * Fans of the podcast who do not donate to the show or to Kevin directly are called 'Cheap-f**ks'. While the podcast is free, Kevin especially expects some kind of monetary return for his time and effort. Fans on Twitter have criticised this view, with one fan even claiming that Kevin was fleecing his fans. It is unclear what exactly the logic was behind this criticism, and it may have merely been an attempt to troll Kevin into another rant about monetisation. If this was the motivation, it was successful

Who wrote the podcast intro theme?
Richie Castellano produced the theme music; which starts with smooth jazz as Lenny loves jazz and ends with a likely Rage Against The Machine homage, as RATM is Kevin's favourite band

How do I donate?
Star-f**kers (fans) can donate to the show or directly to Kevin Brennan. Kevin offers perks for $50US or more. For $250, fans can attend a taping of the podcast. Note that the MLC podcast business model is ever-evolving and frequently argued about on the podcast.

How can I help promote the podcast?

 * Follow MLC podcast on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram and share posts
 * Follow Kevin on Twitter, Lenny on Twitter, The Comedy Cellar in New York City on Twitter, Mana on Twitter and share posts
 * Write a review on Itunes
 * Wear your MLC and Kevin Brennan t-shirts on the rare occasions that you leave your basement
 * As it can take a little while for some to warm to Kevin's terrific personality, play the podcast in your car to your friends (they can't easily escape)
 * Contribute to this MLC fan Wiki
 * Start a local chapter of the MLC star-f*cker club

Is there any official merchandising available for purchase?
Yes. T-shirts are available on the Riocast website.