John Wilson showed up to the Museum of the Moving Image’s 2023 Spring Awards on Tuesday (June 6) ready to eat dinner – at least that’s what he told us he was most looking forward to that night. Wearing a Christmas sweater and a white suit with the words “How To” painted on the back, Wilson was super recognizable and ready to collect his Innovative Series award for his work on HBO’s How To With John Wilson, which is premiering its third and final season on July 28, 2023.
Decider had the opportunity to chat with the honored guest about his award and the upcoming season of his documentary series while on the red carpet. “It’s very personal,” Wilson said of the new season. “There’s some real explosive stuff in it.”
He said his work “has always been personal,” but with every episode this season, it got even more so. “[This season] necessitated a bit more honesty than other seasons. It’s hard to describe.”
The HBO series premiered in 2020 and is directed and co-written by Wilson with Nathan Fielder, Wilson, Michael Koman and Clark Reinking as executive producers. The show has a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes with many critics praising it for its sincere humor and thoughtfulness.
The synopsis reads, “He’s a documentary filmmaker and self-described ‘anxious New Yorker,’ but now John Wilson comes to HBO as writer, director, cameraman, producer, and narrator of this docu-comedy series that finds him covertly and obsessively filming the lives of fellow New Yorkers while attempting to give everyday advice on relatable topics.”
When it comes to being honored by the museum, Wilson told Decider that it felt like a natural progression. “I was so grateful that they decided to pick the show,” he said before sharing that he has had a “good relationship” with the museum over the years. Wilson explained, “They did a retrospective of my stuff a couple of years before the show even started to materialize” because of his obvious cult following, which has attracted the attention of Felder and David Byrne. Wilson said the featured works were mainly “old video shorts.”
Of course, before the ceremony started, Decider also asked Wilson to give us the 4-1-1 on his outfit, which took the “festive attire” dress code quite literally. Gesturing to his “Happy Holidays” sweater, he said, “I got this off eBay a little while ago.” And when it came to the back of his jacket, he said he had painted the words “How To” on it moments before leaving for the event. “It didn’t get on the back of your car on your way here,” Decider asked to which Wilson answered, “No… thankfully the cab had black seats.”
Wilson was given the Innovate Series award by Talking Heads frontman Byrne, following a moderated chat with museum curator Eric Hynes. Byrne recalled his time working with Wilson to document his tour in the 2016 short film Temporary Color. He called his work “innovative comedy at its finest.” During his acceptance remarks, Wilson praised the museum, saying “[it] was really important during such a critical developmental phase of my life.” As the event continued, Michael J. Fox received a Lifetime Achievement Award with introductions by Martin Scorsese and Still: A Michael J. Fox Story director Davis Guggenheim.
