kp: I loved Ben Katz. LOVED. Is it wrong to have a crush on a cartoon character?
hjb: Don't make my cartoon character break your heart.

kp: Too late. How much of Ben was based on your own adolescence? And how do you spell adolesence?
hjb: a-d-o-l-e-s-c-e-n-c-e? Wait, I'll check.... Yes I was right.

kp: What was the first record you ever bought?
hjb: Allman Brothers, Eat a Peach and Steve Miller Band, the one before the famous one that was just as bad as the famous ones.

kp: The first concert you ever attended?
hjb: Ummm (I just realized I didn't have to write that because I'm responding via e-mail) Steppenwolf in Worcester, MA. I love that the first concert I ever attended was a shitty reunion show of a band way past their time. But John Kay proved me wrong with the most harrowingly beautiful version of "The Pusher".

kp: Who's better: Supertramp or Superchunk?
hjb: Well, I'm really good friends with the guys in SuperTramp so I'm gonna say Superchunk. But, I have to also say that I really did like 'Breakfast in America'.

kp: When did you start doing Midnight Pajama Jam, and why?
hjb: Umm, about a year ago, my girlfriend came up with the idea of doing a late-night talk show for children, but more for TV, like a show on Nickelodeon or something that would run at like nine right before younger kids go to bed. So I wrote a show and put it up live, but it was structured just for kids and of course no kids came, just friends of mine, etc. So it was the most awkward 90 minute show ever. Maybe not ever, but you know.

Anyway, I made it more for my friends and now it is only slightly less awkward.

kp: Does it keep you inspired, or whatever, having a weekly show?
hjb: Whatever.

kp: Do you videotape all the shows and watch them Tuesday morning, like post-game analysis?
hjb: I'm still out celebrating on Tuesday morning.

kp: Whose idea was Tinkle and how did you get together with Todd and David?
hjb: I knew David from being in his comedy group in Boston in the early nineties and Todd and I met when I moved to New York...and Tinkle was an idea I think the three of us, along with Mal Z. Lawrence, just decided on one day over lunch at the Friars Club.

kp: Is it unfolding like you expected? Is the turnout what you expected? (There's the longest line outside Pianos every week. It's magical).
hjb: I would love longer lines and higher ticket prices and more magic.

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