Andrew Buss has carved out a niche for himself as a pop culture expert, with a heavy emphasis on comedy. He has written for publications like Vanity Fair, New York Magazine’s Vulture, The Daily Beast, Consequence of Sound, and The Laugh Button, where he served as editor for five years.
As a journalist, Andrew has conducted interviews with some of the most prominent names in entertainment, including Mel Brooks, Seth Rogen, Nikki Glaser, Conan O’Brien, Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Emma Stone, Bill Hader, Andy Samberg, Brendan Fraser, Jonah Hill, Bo Burnham, and countless others.
In this interview, we talk about his writing and journalism journey, his new book I AM MCLOVIN, the legacy of SUPERBAD. When Superbad was released on August 17th in 2007, it proved itself to be a massive success right out of the gate, especially for those in the film’s target millennial demographic. The film wound up dominating at the box office, bringing in $170 million dollars worldwide, against a $20 million dollar budget. It also launched the careers of Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Emma Stone, Bill Hader, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, and Seth Rogen whose careers are all thriving to this day.
It further proved that Judd Apatow is now one of the most successful film producers of his generation, bringing the world hit after hit. Superbad remains, to this day, a beloved comedy film for millennials who grew up with it. This is because, unlike other comedies of that era, it embraced the awkwardness of the characters, particularly with someone like Michael Cera. Unlike the cartoonish representations of an 80s comedy like Revenge of the Nerds, Superbad presented itself with depth to the characters that enabled millennials (and other generations) to bond with the movie in a more meaningful way.
Want more? Steal my first book, INK BY THE BARREL - SECRETS FROM PROLIFIC WRITERS right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy!
If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!