Marshall Mathers Interview

[CyberVic]

Was wondering what other's opinions where of the interview on AL-TV. I think that it was the best with a close 2nd being the interview of Avril. I found it very interresting that during the entire interview Al was looking slightly to the left while interviewing Marshall, but then at the very end looked strait at the camera and said "Just kidding man, I really do love yah!" (can't remember exact wording). It was like he was saying that directly to Eminem himself. I dunno it really started me thinking what Marshall might think about it and maybe he might lighten up and give Al his blessings to do the Couch Potato video, or whether this will just reinforce his current opinion. Regularless I think the "You know what I'm sayin'" over and over... it had my wife and I rolling and we keep quoting it.

[Orthography Enthusiast]

I dunno it really started me thinking what Marshall might think about it and maybe he might lighten up and give Al his blessings to do the Couch Potato video, or whether this will just reinforce his current opinion.

I don't think he'll lighten up, and if he did, now, with Al starting his tour TODAY (ki yi yippee eye aye! Oh, frabjous day!), it would be too late to do Al any good-- he hasn't got time now to do a video.



What I found impressive about the "interview" was that it wasn't just random nonsense-- Al was providing his own skewed take on themes that are prominent in Em's work: the violence (haven't we all felt like killing Celine Dion?), the homophobia, the language (do you think you might have Tourette's Syndrome?) the ghastly family relationships. And the bit about the talent as an acorn was just hilarious: the dewy-eyed sentimentality of Al's description of the planting-and-nurturing process, culminating in Marshall's unsentimental description of the tree. Great stuff. But I think the good words Al said about his talent were for real. He's said so in other, non-funny interviews too.

[OlFuzzy]

When Eminem said the line about the tree - do have any idea what he could have possibly have been talking about in the original interview? I can't figure out what that could've *really* been the response to.



And Marshall Mathers can dish it out, but he sure can't take it. And this was the meanest I've ever seen Al. And he sure couldn't have saved it for a more deserving target.

[scottidog]

I don't think Al was being mean. I think he was being sarcastic, and as OE pointed out, perhaps just a bit satirical. But not mean. He's too classy for that. And OE, I think you are also correct in your thought that what Al said about Em's talent was genuine.



If you notice, Marshall isn't the only one Al went after for grammar mistakes. He was just doing what Al does and being funny.



And sadly, I also agree it's too late for the CP video. That hamster has left building.

[Tim E. Tanga61]

When Eminem said the line about the tree - do have any idea what he could have possibly have been talking about in the original interview? I can't figure out what that could've *really* been the response to.

I'm not sure, but this is the only thing that makes sense. He was driving somewhere and he ran into a ***kin tree. Okay that doesn't make much sense, but if you work with that...maybe...

[Katoot]

The "I'm just playing, Marshall, you know I love you" line is actually taken from two of Eminem's songs, one from the Marshal Mathers LP, "Kill You" where he talks about how they should not "f*** with shady, because shady will f***ing kill you" and he ends it with "I'm just playing, ladies, you know I love you." And in the Eminem Show, in the song "White America" he says at the end, "I'm just playing, America, you know I love you."



The way I percieve these lines, and other lines in other songs of Eminem's, some of the stuff he says is just foolin' around, playfully making fun of people. Other instances, of course, are real, though.



So when Al ends the Eminem interview with "I'm just playing, Marshal, you know I love you," I think it shows that he just wanted to give Em a hard time, but no hard feelings are meant. Plus it kinda shows that Al has slightly more than a passing knowledge of Em's work, which may in turn give Eminem more reason to trust Al with respecting what Em has done.



Did that make any sense?

[autrefois]

So when Al ends the Eminem interview with "I'm just playing, Marshal, you know I love you," I think it shows that he just wanted to give Em a hard time, but no hard feelings are meant. Plus it kinda shows that Al has slightly more than a passing knowledge of Em's work, which may in turn give Eminem more reason to trust Al with respecting what Em has done.

Did that make any sense?

Yes it did. Thanks for that info! That does put the interview in a different light for me. So if Al was mad at Eminem, and I assume he was at some point at least (he's only human, after all: it sounds like Al had big plans for that video, and it certainly would have gotten lots of play on VH1 and/or MTV), I think that last line does show that it wasn't meant as a complete attack on Eminem. (Or at least that's what he wants Eminem to think!)



At the same time, if Eminem had let Al do the video, do you think he would have made as much fun of him as he did?? I haven't seen all the AL-TVs, but I can't imagine Al doing an interview as mean-but-at-the-same-time-hilarious as that one.

[TMBJon]

If there was a video for Couch Potato, there probably would not have been an Eminem interview at all. The video would have already been a parody of Eminem, so he wouldn't have needed to make fun of him visually anymore.

-jon

[autrefois]

I don't think Al was being mean. I think he was being sarcastic, and as OE pointed out, perhaps just a bit satirical.

I guess "mean" maybe isn't the right word, you're right. The way I use "mean" is just in the sense of "not nice." Thinking about it more, I suppose it does mean something stronger than that.



"Sarcastic" is closer to what I mean. I don't think Weird Al was trying to be cruel or malicious; or that he actually hates Eminem and wanted to hurt him with those jokes...I think he just wanted to get a few good jokes in on him after what happened with "Couch Potato." And he definitely succeeded!

[scottidog]

The "I'm just playing, Marshall, you know I love you" line is actually taken from two of Eminem's songs,

So when Al ends the Eminem interview with "I'm just playing, Marshal, you know I love you," I think it shows that he just wanted to give Em a hard time, but no hard feelings are meant.

Ok, so it makes more sense now. I didn't think Al would do all of that and then at the last minute try to placate Em so he wouldn't be mad. And I think perhaps one more layer of meaning might be there. Eminem publicly goes on and on about how his lyrics are either 1) free speech or 2) not meant to be serious so eveyone should just lighten up. Only he knows if he means the ugly things he sings/raps about, and if the little apologies are real or if they are just there to take the edge off of what he says. Al left him with that same question in his mind. Did he mean it, or was he just doing more parody. Oh, that Al is one sharp cookie. I love it!