For those grappling with life’s quandaries, Eugene Mirman is here to help.
The comedian and writer, who will warm up a sold out crowd at the Flight of the Conchords show Thursday, has irons in a lot of fires of late. One of them is playing the role of advice columnist.
Through his website, “the world’s foremost Eugene-named entertainer” fields run of the mill questions like, “Dear Eugene, I have trouble disciplining my son when he is acting up.”
His advice? “Best thing for a rowdy kid is to truly frighten him. The risk is that he will get messed up in the head, but that probably won’t show itself until he is after eighteen and not your responsibility.”
The advice site grew into a self-help parody book, “The Will to Whatevs: A Guide to Modern Life,” released earlier this year.
“It can help you do anything from raising a family to becoming a rock star to farming — literally whatevs,” said Mirman.
I asked him what kind of lifestyle one can expect if his guide is followed. “To be dead in three days,” he said. “You’ll learn how to pack Keith Richards’ entire life into one day.”
Mirman, who plays the landlord in HBO’s Flight of the Conchords, was born in Russia, grew up in Boston and has lived and done stand-up in New York for about a decade. He said he initially drew inspiration from non-top tier comedians like Emo Philips, Coyle and Sharp and Bob Goldthwait.
“It was perfect for me because I had no expectations of it providing any kind of career,” he said.
Mirman has turned his comedy into a living, though, working in several mediums as well as going on tour with rock acts like the Shins and Modest Mouse. He said Thursday’s performance will be more of a traditional comedy show, though.
“I’ll do stand up for three hours, then they’re on for five hours.”
Flight of the Conchords with Eugene Mirman
7:30 pm Thursday, Fox Theatre, Sold Out
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