Dave promises his show will be a no-pundit zone
For gay fans of The Six Pack, Ben & Dave went together like Sonny & Cher. And when the radio power pair (but not couple) recently got a creative divorce, it was as wrenching as when the singing and comedy duo called it quits in the '70s. Well, maybe not quite as wrenching. But it was pretty sad. After all, Ben Harvey and Dave Rubin had been cranking out news-making, laugh-inducing, thought-provoking, non-stereotypically queer, original shows for five years. It will take some getting used to accept that they're on separate paths—and coasts (Dave just moved to L.A.)—now.
To help the grieving process along, Boy Culture caught up with the handsome and edgy Rubin to find out what we can expect from his new show The Rubin Report on The Young Turks Network, the first episode of which is up today...
Boy Culture: Most of your readers were shocked that you and Ben called it quits. Wha' happen?
Dave Rubin: The short answer is nothing lasts forever and in most cases that's a good thing. We did the show for over four years, saw it grow and become a legitimate business and open up all kinds of doors for us both. For me, though, it just felt like the right time to move on. Personally, creatively and professionally, I was ready for a new project. Plus, if I ever talk to another Bravo Housewife, it'll be several lifetimes too soon.
DR: Well, it was a great run, so in that regard, yes. But at the end of the day, everyone has to do what makes them happy, myself included. Plus, thanks to all the good things about the show, the intimacy that we shared with the audience, the nature of what we talked about, I think most of the fans will follow me on to my next adventure. People that really dig what you do know that you need to feel good creatively to make it happen, so I have no doubt they'll be coming with.
DR: Owning what you do, being your own boss and controlling your destiny are beyond priceless. It makes the whole operation your life and not just your job. I woke up every day over the past four years with a reason to get out of bed and a passion to do what I was doing. Of course, all of that comes with some downside; I mean, being so self-reliant can be exhausting at times. From my experience, though, there's no doubt that it's worth giving it a shot. If you've got something to say or to do and you think people will care about it, how can you not?
DR: As a comic, most of my favorites were the interviews with comedians like Richard Lewis, Roseanne, Joy Behar, Sandra Bernhard and John Fugelsang. But I think our best interview and perhaps best moment was interviewing former New York City Mayor Ed Koch. I think we got him to open up about his accomplishments as well as his perceived failures in a way that not a lot of interviewers have done. And here was a man in his late eighties who had nothing to gain by doing our show and discussing the rumors about his sexuality. I think we did it in a respectful way that allowed him to not only say his peace but show that no matter what you've done in your past, you can always change.
BC: Did you ever have an interview that was a nightmare, and how did you rebound?
DR: We had one interview with a gay GOPer who kept telling us how great Ann Coulter was. It devolved into a shouting match and we never aired it. The point of the show was to be uplifting and fun, two words not commonly associated with Ann Coulter.
DR: I tweeted at Rosie a couple times and she would respond now and then and started following me. Then, one night I was at Blondie's on the Upper West Side and tweeted to her that I was there with a picture of a chicken wing in my mouth. I somehow remembered her saying that she loved the wings there on The View. A minute later she tweeted me, "Dave, I'll be right there," and five minutes later she walked in. We sat for a good hour and shared a beer. She's exactly as real as everyone says she is and we've stayed in touch since then. She called into our SiriusXM show on our second to last week just because she happened to be listening. She sent me a DM the day before I left for L.A., but I gotta keep that secret.
BC: What's your new show all about and how did it come to be?
DR: I'm going to be doing a new comedy panel show called The Rubin Report on The Young Turks Network. It seems most people know The Young Turks from their MSNBC and then Current show, but they're actually the largest online news show in the world. They're just about to crack a billion YouTube views and have an incredible worldwide audience. I'll be sitting down each week with three guests, usually comedians, to discuss some of the important stories in the news. We'll do plenty of politics, but I also want to focus on the media and how it seemingly is failing us at every turn. And, I also plan on talking a lot about social media and how it's changing how people communicate. I think the show will morph and change as we decide what we like and more importantly what the audience likes. I mean, this is a YouTube show and people only give it like 2.5 seconds before going back to porn, right?
DR: I think my gayness is more than enough to make the show gay. Actually, I really do think that the next step for gays to mainstream (if that's the right word) is to do whatever it is they do, and just happen to be gay. Believe me, I've gotten enough gay out! Anyone who knows me knows I'm gay and anyone who will find me in the future will easily be able to figure out that I'm gay. So, while I won't shy away from gay topics in any way, I don't plan on jamming them down people's throat (pun intended), nor booking only gay guests. I have a theory that gays are really just like everyone else and don't necessarily need our own shows. Crazy, I know, but I'm gonna see if it works.
BC: Who are some dream guests for your new show?
DR: There's a long list of comics I'd love to have on, from Bill Maher and Larry David to Chris Rock and Ellen. But mainly I want people who aren't afraid to tell the truth and will hopefully be funny about it. I plan on making this a great forum not only to find out more about some people you know, but also to introduce you to some people who are doing some cool stuff and might make you think a little bit while making you laugh. Nobody wants to just hear the truth without laughing. That'll get you killed.
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