Crackle Blog

Crackle talks with a co-creator and Star of Decisions, Decisions.

Decisions, Decisions is the brainchild of four friends who started off by making themselves laugh -- Brendan Countee, Adam Countee, Marc Gilbar  and Aaron Greenberg. They then parlayed that into a career where they make everyone else laugh through the comedy troupe known as Handsome Donkey. This week Crackle is getting to know these four guys who aren't afraid to make the truly hard choices in life. Right now we start off with a dude who despairs at the murder of obese men and has a thing for fashionable pumps, Brendan Countee.

Crackle: I suppose we should start at the beginning. I know you guys have a complex web of friendships that go way back, can you tell us how Handsome Donkey came to be?

Brendan Countee: Haha. Any time anyone asks us this question we all instinctively turn our heads in unison to Marc [Gilbar] who has this answer down pat.

Crackle: How did you first get involved with online video? You've had viral one offs, Squeegees and now Decisions, Decisions. Will you be doing more in the future?

BC: I rode into the world of online video on the back of the Donkey and it has been so much fun. I love to make online comedy and I love to watch it even more. There's so many funny people out there and it's so easy to throw something up on the web. As for us, we love writing TV and movies, but the web is our bread and butter. I really hope we get to do another online show soon.

Crackle: So where did the idea for Decisions, Decisions come from?

BC: It's tough to remember exactly how it came to be but we are always playing this game in one form or another, whether we are in the car or in line at Chipolte. We're constantly trying to put each other in these hypothetical situations to see how each person thinks. But, as anyone knows, the game is only fun if you take the scenarios seriously. And, as the asker, you inevitably have to make the other person feel like a complete weirdo once they do reach a decision. Constantly playing devils advocate. "Are you sure you'd rather rub your nipples furiously every time you daydream? What kind of a degenerate are you?"

What was the question again?

Crackle: I forget! Moving on ... not every "Decision" seemed to make it to production, in particular there were two episode ideas that were never produced, can you explain why the following Decisions got cut?

1.) “You either have to wear '80s shoulder pads in all of your outfits or have Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polomalu chase you whenever you go get your mail.”

BC: 'Cause I hate the Steelers. Go Giants!

2.) “You either get an ice cream headache every time some tells you they love you or have to sleep in a sleeping bag with basketball star Dirk Nowitzki every time the Mavericks lose -- immediately after the game... no showers.”

BC: I think it was because we had so many sports-themed decisions. We're all big sports fans and sometimes forget that people may have no clue who the hell Dirk Nowitzki is. For some reason, the joke doesn't work quite as well if it's anyone else. It's gotta be Dirk or we lose the joke all together. Well ... maybe we could've gone with Detlef Schrempt or Mookie Blaylock but they're retired so ...

Crackle: What Decisions, Decisions episode is your favorite?

BC: Bourne vs. Cartoon, without a doubt. It may not be the funniest but it is the one I'm most proud of (below).

Crackle: So after all this, what’s your dream job, is it TV, Film, acting, directing, or something else?

BC: To open a nice little bed and breakfast somewhere in New England.

Crackle: Because Handsome Donkey has worked together for so long, it seems only right to have the next few questions come from the other Handsome Donkeys, each of whom submitted their questions to Crackle in secret ... so here we go ...

(From Aaron Greenberg): When you were growing up, did you ever pull any pranks on your brother Adam?

BC: Nope. As his older brother, I've always been there to love and support him like the time I convinced him to go out for the color guard.

(From Marc Gilbar): What is your favorite father/son switchy movie?

BC: Back to the Future. Wait, that's not right. Uh, I can't think of one. Wasn't Dudley Moore in like 3 of those?

(From Aaron Greenberg): There seem to be a lot of erectile dysfunction jokes at your character, Roger's expense. How did you prepare for that aspect of the character? What kind of research did you do?

BC: Oof. Who asked that question? Since I got the ED vaccine when I was a little boy. I never experienced it. Luckily, Marc and Aaron were there to explain it in vivid detail which made getting into character a piece of cake.

(From Adam Countee): Which death on The Sopranos broke your heart the most and why?

BC: Vito Spatafore. It was tough for me but I can only imagine how Johnny Cakes took the news.

(From Adam Countee): Was it more humiliating the first or second time you were arrested for stealing your ex-girlfriend's high heels?

BC: I tell you, like I told the police. I borrowed them. I didn't steal them.

Thanks Brendan for answering those tough questions, and thanks to the Donkeys for willingly submitting their close friends to tortuous grilling for our enjoyment. Make sure to catch Brendan, the dapper older Countee brother with the chin in Decisions, Decisions today -- and come back to the blog for more on the men who are the Handsome Donkeys.

Next up here, the younger, (funnier?), of the Countee brothers, Adam. Stay tuned ...

CJ - Crackle Blog Editor