When Netflix approached comedian Tim Dillon about doing a comedy special timed to election season, he thought about a few options on how to approach it. He could make some run-of-the-mill stand-up special that would be quickly forgotten post-election day, or maybe making some derivative version of “The Daily Show.” Or he could do something a little more original by adding a modern spin on a classic pop culture pillar of the ‘90s — daytime talk shows.
Choosing the latter format as his guide, the Long Island, N.Y.-bred comedian may have found his true calling on his latest venture, a 47-minute surreal-yet-so-real romp through modern culture while doing his best version of a young Jerry Springer.
In front of a studio audience, the talk show-inspired comedy special, “This Is Your Country,” dives into unscripted topics ranging from immigration, OnlyFans and the demise of NFT trading. The real, everyday people Dillon picked as guests and a lively crowd make it a timely bit of trash TV that America needs right before the November election. Recently, Dillon spoke to The Times about how the special was born, his commitment to finding the realest people out there to sit in the hot seat and what their stories tell us about America.
This conversation has been edited for length and clarity. Of all the formats you could use to create a comedy special , what made the ‘90s era daytime talk show the best fit? The conversation with Netflix was never like to do a comedy special. T.