You may recognize Jon Glaser, but probably only if he’s wearing a black ski mask. The NYC-based comedian writes, stars in and does pretty much everything else for Adult Swim’s Delocated, a reality-show spoof about a man in witness protection after testifying against the Russian mafia. This is where the ski mask comes in: To protect his identity from his television audience (and, obviously, the Russian mafia), Glaser’s character, aptly named Jon, wears a black ski mask and has his voice surgically distorted. Glaser started his career at Chicago’s esteemed Second City, and he’s since appeared in TV shows and films alongside some of his fellow comedians, with credits such as 30 Rock, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Baby Mama and as voice talent in Aqua Teen Hunger Force. He spent five years writing and performing at Late Night With Conan O’Brien and recently published his first book, My Dead Dad Was In ZZ Top. Season three of Delocated is currently underway, and it’s well worth getting into. Wanna get to know the man behind the mask? Glaser will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our brand new Q&A with him.
Glaser: Of all the songs, or moments in songs, that I could have chosen, I have no idea why I chose this. Funkadelic isn’t my favorite band, and this isn’t my favorite song. Not that I don’t like Funkadelic, or this song, and this particular part of this song. Maybe I was riding the subway, listening to music, thinking of what to write for this guest-editor stint, and this song came on, and this part happened, and I thought, “That’s pretty great and would be a random thing to write about.” I don’t really remember. But it was on a list of possible things to write about in an old email draft of ideas for this. In any case, it’s a 50-second, goose-bump-inducing sonic assault. The highlight, of course, is Eddie Hazel’s guitar solo. Or solos; it sounds like there’s several layered on top of each other. Whatever is going on and however it was produced or engineered, it’s nasty. Close your eyes and listen to it with headphones on. You can keep your eyes open while you put your headphones on if that’s easier, and then close your eyes. Or you’ll probably need to keep your eyes open so you can hit the play button. Or if you don’t like closing your eyes while you listen to music—it makes you scared or whatever—that’s fine. Your call.
Video after the jump.
