58 | FEBRUARY 9 • 2023 

MARC MARON SPECIAL, 
EINSTEIN = ROYALTIES, 
AND TWO DISNEY 
SHOWS
Marc Maron’s first HBO 
Original comedy special, 
Marc Maron: From Bleak 
to Dark, will debut on the 
network on Feb. 11 at 10 
p.m. Maron previously had 
four hit stand-up specials 
on Epix and Netflix. 
Maron, of course, is not 
just a stand-up comedian, 
he is an actor (best known 
for the GLOW, a Netflix 
series) and the host of 
an incredibly successful 
podcast (over 100 million 
listeners annually). 
The one-hour special 
was filmed before a live 
audience in New York City. 
Maron, 59, talks about 
getting older, antisemitism 
and faith, the sudden death 
of his girlfriend, and his 
complicated relationship 
with his father. He also 
explains why cats are 
better than children during 
a pandemic. 
Have you seen the many 
Verizon ads that feature 
Paul Giamatti as Albert 
Einstein? If so, were you 
upset that Einstein was 
employed to sell Verizon 
stuff? Well, there is a silver 
lining. Companies can’t use 
Einstein’s image without 
getting the permission of 
Einstein’s estate. If they 
get permission, they have 
to make a substantial 
royalty payment. All the 
royalties the estate earns 
go to Hebrew University 
in Jerusalem. Einstein was 
a co-founder of Hebrew 
University, and he left his 
estate to the university. 
Last year, I read a 
fascinating piece in the 

Guardian, a free-to-read, 
great online newspaper. It 
covered every aspect of 
the royalty rights of “dead 
celebrities” and, how, a 
Jewish lawyer, whose 
father was a friend of 
Einstein, won the battle to 
establish the “image rights” 
of deceased celebrities like 
Einstein. (Article title: Who 
Owns Einstein? The battle 
for the world’s most famous 
face.)
Do read the this really 
good article. But here is 
the fiscal bottom line — to 
date, the Einstein estate 
has given $250 million to 
Hebrew University. About 
$12 million flows to the 
university every year.
Up, a 2009 animated 
Disney film, was a huge 
critical and box-office hit. 
The lead character was 
Carl Frederickson, a surly 
but lovable elderly guy who 
ties helium balloons to his 
house and floats to South 
America. 
Ed Asner (1929-2021) 
voiced Carl and, at age 
80, he soared to a new 
career high. Back in the 
’70s, Asner won so many 
Primetime (acting) Emmys 
that he set an “Emmy-win 
record” that has still not 
been equaled or surpassed. 
His performance as Lou 
Grant, a gruff but lovable 
journalist, won him most 
of these Emmys (The Mary 

Tyler Moore Show and Lou 
Grant). Asner got the Carl 
role because the Up writers 
were inspired by the Lou 
Grant character when they 
created the Carl character. 
Nice circle, right?
Up was such a big hit 
that Disney launched Dug 
Days, a sequel-of-sorts that 
streamed on the Disney 
Channel. Dug is the name 
of a talking Labrador 
Retriever who became 
Carl’s companion’s in Up.
Five short Dug films 
were released in 2021. 
These films had Carl 
(Asner) and Dug living in 
suburbia. On Friday, Feb. 
10, another short film, Carl’s 
Date, will begin streaming 
on Disney+. Here’s the 
“official” description: Carl 
reluctantly agrees to go a 
date with a lady friend — 
but has no idea how dating 
works today. Dug calms 
Carl’s jitters and he offers 
some tips that have worked 
well for him — except the 
tips are tips on how to 
meet other dogs.
Asner recorded his role 
before his death. Here’s 
hoping that he wins 
another Emmy. 
Actors David Ducovny 
and Richard Kind will be 
the guests on the Feb. 14 
(8 p.m.) episode of the PBS 
ancestry show Finding Your 
Roots.
Marvel’s Moon Girl 

and Devil Dinosaur, an 
animated series, premieres 
on the Disney Channel on 
Feb. 10 (8 p.m.). Here’s the 
capsule “official” plot: When 
brilliant, altruistic Lunella 
Lafayette, a 13-year-old 
girl, accidentally brings a 
dinosaur to the Lower East 
Side, she finally has the 
brawn to match her brains 
and protect her community. 
(Lunella Lafayette is the 
“real name” of Moon Girl).
Like most Marvel 
characters, the two title 
characters have a decades-
long comic book “history.” 
Suffice it to say that the 
characters Moon Boy and 
Devil Dinosaur (“good” 
superheroes) were created 
by the late Jack Kirby 
(born Jacob Kurtzberg) in 
1978. Moon Boy “died” in 
the 1980s. Moon Girl was 
introduced in a new comic 
series in 2015.
The guest (voice) stars 
this season (17 episodes) 
include Alison Brie, 40, 
Andy Cohen, 54, Daveed 
Diggs, 41, Pamela Adlon, 
56, and Gideon Adlon, 25 
(Pamela’s daughter). 
Brie (Community, 
GLOW) is in the premiere 
episode. She plays 
“Aftershock,” an electrically 
charged supervillain. Brie’s 
mother is Jewish; her father 
isn’t. Brie’s husband, actor 
Dave Franco, 37, has the 
same parentage. 

CELEBRITY NEWS

NATE BLOOM COLUMNIST

ARTS&LIFE

GAGE SKIDMORE

 Alison Brie

WIKIPEDIA

Ed Asner 

WIKIPEDIA

Marc Maron

