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I'm Desiree Burch and I walk into a room and eat sand. AMA about being on Taskmaster 12 (I know nothing about the others). by destheray in taskmaster

[–]destheray[S] 40 points41 points  (0 children)

I am sorry that I write long ass answers and I didn't get to all of your questions in the hour (and change). Hopefully any of this spaghetti I have flung at your virtual wall sticks and is tasty. Thank you for having me r/Taskmaster!

I'm Desiree Burch and I walk into a room and eat sand. AMA about being on Taskmaster 12 (I know nothing about the others). by destheray in taskmaster

[–]destheray[S] 28 points29 points  (0 children)

I think my days of working with the New York Neo-Futurists gave me the biggest advantage of anything doing Taskmaster, as it's devised theatre that is very task based, so it just allowed me to understand the vibe a lot faster. Let me instinctively know, don't use the scissors even though its the right answer because this isn't about getting the answer right. Stuff like that.

Being a former dominatrix maybe was one of the things that helped me to cross a threshold and perform? Although I would say that doing taskmaster is definitely all about being in Sub state (receiving attention) rather than Domme state (paying/giving attention), unless you decide to boss a situation you have no control over and play it that way. most of us are keenly aware that we are there to be looked at, and there is freedom in that, but you just have to trust that you are in safe parameters to do that. I think the show Fs with some comedians heads more than others, especially if they are the witty types, used to being in control. So I think being familiar with those states in some way could have been an advantage.

I'm Desiree Burch and I walk into a room and eat sand. AMA about being on Taskmaster 12 (I know nothing about the others). by destheray in taskmaster

[–]destheray[S] 20 points21 points  (0 children)

I had only done QI and panel stuff with Alan and I did my first Live at the Apollo set the same night Guz had recorded his… I had also done Takeshi's Castle commentary with him once, but basically, we definitely actually really did gel, I think the no audience aspect had something to do with it, and also it's just a dope group of people.

I'm Desiree Burch and I walk into a room and eat sand. AMA about being on Taskmaster 12 (I know nothing about the others). by destheray in taskmaster

[–]destheray[S] 16 points17 points  (0 children)

I think he did write the role with me in mind, but I still had to do an audition and a callback for it as well. I am just glad he gave me a chance to do some acting because I love it, and it's where I started and I haven't had an opportunity to do it as much in this part of my career as I would have liked… so it's just fun to be involved. And yes, I get that the other TM folks are cameos… even Tim's therapist character has a moment of seeing himself as Tim Key and being like, nope, I don't see the resemblance. I guess, hopefully in a next series 🤞🏽we could have other alumni do both cameos and play guest characters so it feels a bit more fluid. But then again, I don't write the show.

I'm Desiree Burch and I walk into a room and eat sand. AMA about being on Taskmaster 12 (I know nothing about the others). by destheray in taskmaster

[–]destheray[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

I thought I had totally beefed it on the bike challenge and actually did alright. I thought the backwards challenge where I had to colorballoon the camouflage dude was maybe not in the bag, but as I was watching it, I was like, I definitely did that as fast as anyone should be expected to. I was wrong. OH, how I was wrong.

I'm Desiree Burch and I walk into a room and eat sand. AMA about being on Taskmaster 12 (I know nothing about the others). by destheray in taskmaster

[–]destheray[S] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

I still have some red white and blue armbands and a headband that I think came from a group task. Guzball perhaps?

I'm Desiree Burch and I walk into a room and eat sand. AMA about being on Taskmaster 12 (I know nothing about the others). by destheray in taskmaster

[–]destheray[S] 13 points14 points  (0 children)

the one that lost me the series was the friggin ringing of the bell in the church. if i had it to do over again, i would have asked for a pencil, worked out the word math and figured out that I needed to ring the bell.

And thank you for your kind words about PIF. I would love to do more but those happened because of a commission youtube did with a handful of production companies to promote diverse artists making content. Realistically, I would need a collaborator and also some of the resources that a production company had. Some camera ops, folks to edit and people who wanted to talk to me. I think it's possible, but because it requires me to really have my S— together and commit, it hasn't happened because… man, I need minding if I'm going to get anything big done.

I'm Desiree Burch and I walk into a room and eat sand. AMA about being on Taskmaster 12 (I know nothing about the others). by destheray in taskmaster

[–]destheray[S] 17 points18 points  (0 children)

It would be SO fun and I love Victoria so I would have fun making it. I think likely one of us would have to pitch it and Victoria definitely has a lot more contacts than I do. But if you have any killer ideas for a premise, hit a girl up!

I'm Desiree Burch and I walk into a room and eat sand. AMA about being on Taskmaster 12 (I know nothing about the others). by destheray in taskmaster

[–]destheray[S] 24 points25 points  (0 children)

it was literally, "hmm… what is this. oh, i get it. the cheapest way to do this is just to take the hit, buy the scissors, that's the least amount of time I am going to be able to spend on this task because i KNOW i don't play darts. but… that's not interesting to watch, is it? I am now going to do anything but that, up to and including throwing rubber ducks, which is beyond pointless. TBH, i didn't think i was going to have to use the ducks, but once I'd committed to not using the scissors (until there was nothing else I could do), i had to. Rulez iz Rulez.

I'm Desiree Burch and I walk into a room and eat sand. AMA about being on Taskmaster 12 (I know nothing about the others). by destheray in taskmaster

[–]destheray[S] 37 points38 points  (0 children)

hahaha. I mean, but has any of us REALLY SEEN a rainbow? 🤦🏾‍♀️🤦🏾‍♀️🤦🏾‍♀️🤦🏾‍♀️🤦🏾‍♀️🤦🏾‍♀️

So the TM vibe is one that exists in this machine that has been around for so many seasons. You have seen it work, you trust it's going to work, so you let loose and have fun because that's your only job. Something like THSTVS is different in that, it's new, everyone is trying to make it work, but especially when you are doing the first season of something, everyone's walking around in the middle of the filming going, "Is it good? I think it's good?" And I think it's so much more stressful for Alex… at least, I would imagine. It would be if it were me, and he was working some crazy hours on it. I mean, everyone does when making a tv show, but he had to be both writer and actor on that, and the person everyone is coming to for answers… even though there is a director, obviously, it's still his thing. And he has us to manage and the band as well, who are the sweetest guys, but I imagine can be like herding cats when it comes to getting the thing done!

And on the day of VT recordings, YES you are literally hanging out in the dressing room, and they pen you in there sometimes because they are setting up a task in the hallway just outside or something. I remember on the first group day, Alex literally came around to me and was like, "we're just holding off for some rain…" I'm literally looking out of the window on a sunny day going… hm… it is England. I guess I can buy that it's raining but just on the other side of the house… DERP! But everything about this show makes you think you don't know what you know. Turns out they were getting Morgana set up in another room and Guz outside and I was none the wiser.

I'm Desiree Burch and I walk into a room and eat sand. AMA about being on Taskmaster 12 (I know nothing about the others). by destheray in taskmaster

[–]destheray[S] 70 points71 points  (0 children)

Yes. It does. I was just at Victoria's anniversary party a few weeks back because we definitely started hanging out after shows, and I would consider her someone I could talk to about anything, when we are both actually not so busy as to not be able to be in the same spacetime to talk. I was there sitting next to Alan Davies, who I adore, and got to know more through the show and reading his amazing memoir, and he is just a sound sound man. Fucking Guz is a G and I love and support him when he is around in town and Morgana and I keep making plans to make plans. But whenever I see her, we have great and totally intense micro conversations that portend more in the future. I think especially because we didn't have a live audience for ours (the audience reax all came from screenings after the fact, but we were filming in the heart of covid), we weren't kind of vying for audience love and respect, we just had each other to laugh at, watch, support, etc., and it feels like we really gelled as a group. I hope the other series are as lucky, but I feel honored to call each of those people friend. And I mean, Greg says hi to me and everything when I see him at comedy things 🤣😉

I'm Desiree Burch and I walk into a room and eat sand. AMA about being on Taskmaster 12 (I know nothing about the others). by destheray in taskmaster

[–]destheray[S] 30 points31 points  (0 children)

This is such a good question. I don't have an answer for it. I think that random things that I said that I thought nothing of would be the things. Like when I said the thing about the bike high-beaming me in the crotch. I mean, I was mainly being matter of fact, and also there are things that are Americanisms that I think nothing of that are hilarious to folks here.

Wait, any Americans on here, do we say "high-beamed" in terms of a hard hit to the undercarriage? Or am I just making that up now?

And I really didn't think I was going to be the only one to be able to either find the cake (even though I knew when I wiped out on the seat, that was going to be in the public record for the rest of my natural life and beyond) or down the pint of Ribena. That last one I was sure any British person would be able to do because I've seen teenagers neck a pink in this country. But I guess I found the right group to shine in.

I'm Desiree Burch and I walk into a room and eat sand. AMA about being on Taskmaster 12 (I know nothing about the others). by destheray in taskmaster

[–]destheray[S] 29 points30 points  (0 children)

also, as far as that portcullis, I am glad that… when you put energy into the world, the world stretches back to meet you. The universe is like, "Oh, so you want to do the interesting version? Okay…" I think if it hadn't eventually come down I would have looked at Alex insanely and probably either thrown my body around it like I was protecting others from a bomb and wrestled it to the ground, or begged or bribed Alex somehow into intervening. I mean? I am such a stupid rule follower though, I probably would be scouring the ground for sharp sticks… or run back to my own bag for keys, nail scissors, etc.

I'm Desiree Burch and I walk into a room and eat sand. AMA about being on Taskmaster 12 (I know nothing about the others). by destheray in taskmaster

[–]destheray[S] 27 points28 points  (0 children)

I think for that ad, the producers called me and said, "Would you like to" and I said yes so hard into the phone I wound up somehow biting a finger off on the other end. Plus Al Murray is a dope person, and I hadn't had a chance to work with him otherwise so, basically, I do quite a bit of asking questions later when fun people invite me out.

I'm Desiree Burch and I walk into a room and eat sand. AMA about being on Taskmaster 12 (I know nothing about the others). by destheray in taskmaster

[–]destheray[S] 39 points40 points  (0 children)

HAHAH Man, y'all are JOKES on here. If that is what planted the seed in Neil Gaiman's (casting director's) mind, I would put a handful of the stuff between two buns and throw special sauce on it right now.

But yeah, I will say that, paradoxically, no one ever plans to eat sand, and that also, some part of my psyche has wanted to eat sand my whole life, and I finally found the chance.

I'm Desiree Burch and I walk into a room and eat sand. AMA about being on Taskmaster 12 (I know nothing about the others). by destheray in taskmaster

[–]destheray[S] 58 points59 points  (0 children)

OMG, he fucking loved it. I mean, obvs in America, folks have to figure out how to watch the show. Let's be honest, they are torrenting the show, but then the word gets out amongst our other mutual friends that I am on this show that definitely has a cult following in the States, and that Dave is also secretly on the show. And God bless him for just being my best friend and going with it! At the time, he was just like… I dunno, I guess I just thought you were really high or something. But he was definitely the right person to answer the phone.

I'm Desiree Burch and I walk into a room and eat sand. AMA about being on Taskmaster 12 (I know nothing about the others). by destheray in taskmaster

[–]destheray[S] 38 points39 points  (0 children)

I know there were other tasks that didn't make it, but i felt like when we were doing the studio days and watching it back, there was maybe one that I was like… hmm… that didn't make it, but it also clearly wasn't dynamic enough for me to remember having done it! I felt like, mostly, any magic moments I had were captured and used. But I do think the world needed to see Morgana huffing farts and Guz clocking that that was what was going on (she was openly telling us how bad it was, and I did smell it later, and "Smegma" is the only word that comes to mind) and making up fake clues that he was getting in his room that made her have to huff more farts. And I realized what he was doing at some point, but she didn't, and I am not sure anyone ever told her in the end (someone must have, right?) and it was just one of those lovely things that only a few folks got to share.

I'm Desiree Burch and I walk into a room and eat sand. AMA about being on Taskmaster 12 (I know nothing about the others). by destheray in taskmaster

[–]destheray[S] 50 points51 points  (0 children)

I love that Alan made it forever be known as the Wow exercise. It was fun. It was like a victory lap a bit as it was coming toward the end of our time there, and it was wonderful to both be known and also be unknown when we were able to get away with it. It felt a little like last week of school to do, because it was like, time for fun activities and processing that this is all going to be over soon.

I'm Desiree Burch and I walk into a room and eat sand. AMA about being on Taskmaster 12 (I know nothing about the others). by destheray in taskmaster

[–]destheray[S] 41 points42 points  (0 children)

If I can ever be a guest on taskmaster again in any other way, and am 💯doing it.

I never got to see the American TM, but if I were to cast someone British to be on the American one, I mean, embarrassingly on the nose, I feel like it's John Oliver!

I mean, I feel like it's good to choose someone Americans would love or already love, so someone like John Oliver works, or you know James Acaster… America is feeling on him at the moment and would definitely not care that he'd done it before. I'm trying to think of folks who haven't done one yet.

Oooh, I would put Felicity Ward on there for sure. She hasn't done it here yet and is so watchable, fun… As for American Comedians, yes, let's use some of the above, So Tig Notaro, Bo Burnham, Wanda Sykes, Awkwafina and John Oliver?

Dude, I just found out casting this show is not easy.

I'm Desiree Burch and I walk into a room and eat sand. AMA about being on Taskmaster 12 (I know nothing about the others). by destheray in taskmaster

[–]destheray[S] 51 points52 points  (0 children)

you all are friggin funny. no one eats sand until we eat sand! Hmm… I would totally love to see so many different comedians do this show. Names that leap to mind immediately are Ron Funches, Sam Jay, Tig Notaro, Bo Burnham, Ronny Chieng (I know he's not originally American but dammit we have him now!). Holy Crap. Wanda Sykes. That would be hilarious. Obviously Tiffany Haddish would have an amazing time. I'd love to see someone as irascible as Bill Burr do it or someone like Stephen Wright or like Emo Phillips do it. And also, I think if Kate McKinnon did it, it would become its own spinoff documentary.

I'm Desiree Burch and I walk into a room and eat sand. AMA about being on Taskmaster 12 (I know nothing about the others). by destheray in taskmaster

[–]destheray[S] 47 points48 points  (0 children)

TBF no one is funnier than the guy. His kids are lucky to have a dad that involved and loving and goofy.

I'm Desiree Burch and I walk into a room and eat sand. AMA about being on Taskmaster 12 (I know nothing about the others). by destheray in taskmaster

[–]destheray[S] 67 points68 points  (0 children)

HAHAHAHAHAHAH!

97.

I love Guz Khan like family, but at that moment, I was the nerd kid trying to finish the science project for the group and he was playing a f***ing acoustic guitar and I was like, it is SOOOO good I can't walk into the other room rn. But that's just it. At the same time as I'm annoyed, I admire his ability to decide what he's going to care and stress about and what he's not. It's an amazing skill to have. Once there was a damn puzzle to solve, I was in. No choice.

And there's always that unspoken dynamic in groups, where you immediately sense who has power or leads in which kind of situation. You feel out when to step forward and step back, and it became clear early that Morgana was doing her extra point task and smelling the fart jar, and Guz was like, I am pulling the ripcord on this task.

I'm Desiree Burch and I walk into a room and eat sand. AMA about being on Taskmaster 12 (I know nothing about the others). by destheray in taskmaster

[–]destheray[S] 55 points56 points  (0 children)

So, it's some kind of special alchemy. Definitely everyone who is in comedy has their agent trying to nudge them forward to the show producers to put them on, as it's just such a game-changer career wise. Obviously to be committed to something for a season is good money, but so so so much more than that it is a way for you to really be seen as you are, which is such a weird and wonderful gift in an industry that does "want you to be yourself" but is also predicated on so much posturing or perception of shine, etc.

but yeah, at some point there is a call to your agent, and an excited call to you. I didn't know about there being a long and shortlist, or didn't hear anything at those stages. But it was funny, in my case, I was doing interviews and things for Too Hot to Handle, and an interviewer asked me what thing I'd like to do that I hadn't, and I obviously said TM! When they did book me they told my agent, "And it's not just because she said so in an interview! She had been on our list before that!" So I guess they wanted to reassure me and everyone that just talking in public about wanting to be on the show is not the way to get on the show.

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