The Spielster » comedy news

COCO is No Longer Looking For Work

admin — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 18:08:14 +0000

Woohoo! TBS, in an attempt to prove to us that they are in fact “Very Funny”, has officially added Conan O’Brien to its roster. The comedian will once again join the late night fold with a nightly hour-long program, set to air at 11PM, beginning this November. Currently, George Lopez has the time slot on basic cable network, but will be moved to midnight once the O’Brien show premieres. Like Lopez’s program, O’Briens will run from Monday – Thursday night, to avoid lackluster ratings on the graveyard that is known as Friday night television. Lopez has said, “”It’s the beginning of a new era in late-night comedy” and is exciting to follow O’Brien come the Fall.

O’Brien was in talks to join Fox as their late night host, but the deal fell through when the network couldn’t confirm that the program would air on each of its stations, and at the same time slot. So after much battling, O’Brien has found himself a home and hopefully, will find himself the ratings to support the “movement”. Until then you can find him and crew on Twitter, where he made the announcement today and at a theater near you for his national tour “Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television”, which kicks off tonight in Oregon.

For more on Coco’s return to the boob tube, check out:

EW’s: 3 Reasons Why This is a Great Marriage

THR’s: How TBS Landed Conan

NJ.com: Why Conan O’Brien’s TBS Move Was the Right One

For Your Health: John C. Reilly Doing Full Time on Adult Swim

admin — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 21:31:48 +0000

Great Job! Adult Swim has managed to score Academy Award nominated John C. Reilly full-time. Well, as much full time as a 10 minute comedy program dictates. The skilled contributor to the acid heavy “Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!” will finally get his own spin-off, “Check it Out with Dr. Steve Brule”. Not sure where the program will go, as his character is a simpleton doctor who provides nonsensical, yet hysterical health tips on a local news program, but either way Im stoked. The show will premiere on August 23rd, so we have a while, but until then lets mull around the possibilities of what we can expect from a weekly appointment with Dr. Steve Brule. For your health, I recommend you check out the first of what I can assume will be many promo videos.

Check it Out with Dr. Steve Brule from Tim and Eric on Vimeo.

And in other Tim & Eric news, the boys have just directed a string of Old Spice commercials, which explain how 3AM stoned ideas and Body Order blocking technology can become friends. Enjoy the full attack on B.O.

Stop, TRAILER TIME: “Dinner For Schmucks”

admin — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 20:22:25 +0000

Weather like today’s, a balmy 80 degrees here in NYC, reminds us that Summer is just around the corner (as is death by global warming, but lets not go there). And that means a mindless comedy and action explosion at the box office. Each Summer, I find myself searching for the perfect addition to my “lovable bromance comedy” DVD section at my home and Im pretty sure I just found 2010′s winner. Dinner For Schmucks, a remake of the French comedy Le diner de cons, might seem like a weak premise to structure a buddy movie around, but I’ve heard of worse. Paul Rudd stars as Tim Conrad, an executive moving up within his company, who to make it to the next level has to participate in his boss’ annual ‘Dinner for Extraordinary People’. The intent of the dinner is to have each guest bring along an eccentric, if not fool, to see who can round up the worst offender. Enter Steve Carrell as Barry, the most obvious choice for Tim to bring along, if only his conscience would allow him. Carrell’s Barry makes eccentric look like child’s play, with his love of dead mice dioramas and his inability to cross a street without being hit by a car. The film is stacked with some of my comedy favorites, including Zach Galifianakis, Bruce Greenwood, Ron Livingston and the adorable Kristen Schaal. Im fairly easy to please when Paul Rudd is involved in a project, except when it comes to the craptacular The Ten, so Im pretty mamma will like. The film was directed by Jay Roach, who was behind Meet the Parents and the Austin Powers films, so really this movie could be hilarious or a waste of comedic talent. I’ll hold my full judgement until July 23rd, when the movie hits theaters. In the meantime, check out the trailer and let me know what you think.

Hollywood, Are You Trying to Kill Goldie Hawn?

admin — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 17:04:14 +0000

Seriously, Hollywood why are you trying to remake all of Goldie Hawn’s classic movies? Last week, it was announced that J.Lo will ~~stink up~~ star in an updated version of the 1980′s classic Overboard. And now it seems that wasn’t enough, as today it was announced that NewLine/Warner Bros. are set to remake of Private Benjamin, with Anna Faris to star. Yes, the assault on my lovely childhood continues, but at least this time the casting is perfect. While normally I would threaten an all out attack on Hollywood for the audacity to even attempt to remake such a classic, my love of all things Faris is calming my anger and peaking my interest in a remake.
The original starred Goldie Hawn, for which she received an Best Actress Oscar nomination, as a naive and spoiled woman who enlists in the Army after her husband’s sudden death on the wedding night. It’s a classic fish out of water story, but with a feminist update, with Hawn prevailing at the end. The film skyrocketed Hawn into A-List territory and made waves for the women’s movement. It also scored two other Oscar nods, one for supporting actress Eileen Brennan (who will be nearly impossible to replace) and original screenplay.

Amy Talkington, who also penned the updated version of my favorite movie,Valley Girl is writing the screenplay and Mark Gordon producing. The latest version will definitely discuss the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and acknowledge the importance of women within our military, but not poke fun at the men and women serving.

As I’ve said before, I’m not crazy about remakes, especially when I know there are still oodles of stories to be told. But if this is the vehicle Faris needs to make to put her into the spotlight, then I am behind it. Faris is a rare comedienne, one who is more expressive with facial gestures than anything that could ever be uttered out of her mouth. And while she has had some starring roles, like The House Bunny, nothing has come out and propelled her to the next level, which she so deserves to be. And this disservice is part of the real issue within Hollywood nowadays. Why is someone as talented as Faris not working 4 -5 times a year and turning down quality screenplays left and right? Why is Hollywood not creating star vehicles for such a talent? Where’s her Apatow? Personally, I have a screenplay I have been working on for Faris, so if by the off chance anyone even remotely affiliated with her reads this – CALL ME!(No really, call me!) But, seriously Anna Faris should be a household name, on the covers and in the theaters. Why is it taking Hollywood so long to get this? Hopefully, this does the trick.

UPDATED: Jamie Foxx Does “Laverne & Shirley”

admin — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 19:29:56 +0000

Oh lordy. When will this remake madness, i.e. we’ve run out of ideas, Hollywood is going through end? The latest remake/revisit/murdering is a return to the classic sitcom “Laverne & Shirley“, by Gary Marshall and JAMIE FOXX??? Yep, your eyes are not deceiving you. Marshall, who created the sitcom back in the 1970′s, will join forces with Jamie Foxx, who in his own right once was known as a comedian, to rework the classic chick-buddy comedy with none other than Jennifer Garner and Jessica Biel. The two discussed their wanting to revisit “Laverne & Shirley” when they were non-stop promoting Marshall’s Valentine’s Day and what Garner wants, she gets.

Foxx, who will pen the screenplay, has said that he wants to retool the idea so its more in the now, and of course, urban. I mean doesn’t a Garner and Biel tag team comedy film just scream URBAN? Anyways, instead of Laverne wearing her trademark L on her sweaters, she’ll have street tough tattoo of the initial, will most likely played by Garner. SAY WHAT? Personally, Biel makes a bit more sense in the tough and tattooed girl role, but who am I? No word if Penny Marshall, Gary’s sister, who played Laverne, and Cindy Williams, better known as Shirley, will help out and make a cameo or appearance in the film. Which brings me to a more important casting question: Who will play Squiggy?

Now, I don’t want to hate on the project too much, mainly cause Gary Marshall once produced great female-centric films. And I desperately miss the days of powerful female comedy teams, like Shelly Long & Bette Midler, Lily Tomlin & Bette Midler or seriously anything in the 80′s with Bette Midler (except for Beaches), so anything that even resembles these classics is OK in my eyes. But Im just not sure I need Jamie Foxx, of all people, penning the screenplay. And while I like both Garner and Biel, I can’t help but think this sort of project just screams Amy Poehler.

Anyways, what do you think? Will Foxx do a good job? Are there a better tag team than Garner and Biel for this? Let me know in the comments below.

UPDATE: Apparently, this is no way a done deal and Foxx’s publicist has already said there is “no truth” to this. But, I’ve heard that before. The revisiting of the sitcom is still happening though, for now, so keep the comments coming on who you think should be the stars!

Out Today: Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening

admin — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:40:45 +0000

Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Aziz Ansari’s comedy special, Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening. The special, which aired this past Saturday on Comedy Central, is HYSTERICAL! Ansari has officially come into his own as a comedian with strength behind the content of his jokes, as well as his Mitch Hedberg-like delivery. Aziz stopped by “The Tonight Show” last week and gave a sneak peek of his stand up material, which includes an interesting reaction to an improper thread count from Hotel Luxury Linens. Enjoy.

Aziz Ansari on Conan from Aziz Ansari

The Tangled Web of NBC’s Late Night – UPDATED

admin — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 18:12:17 +0000

If you have been living under a rock, you might have missed the hot mess that is the battle for NBC Late Night programming. As we reported last week, NBC has “canceled” Jay Leno’s 10PM show and the rumors began swirling that the chinanator would be returning to the 11:35 PM time slot, currently occupied by The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien. Jeff Gaspin, chairman of NBC Universal TV, confirmed that Jay Leno will no longer have a place in their primetime programming at the Winter TCA press tour this past Sunday. Gaspin blamed the shift on affiliates, who have been complaining about the poor ratings their local news programs were getting following Leno’s show, and went on to say, “The Tonight Show” in May, would be getting the heave ho. Gaspin said, “My goal right now is to keep Jay [Leno], Conan [O'Brien] and Jimmy [Fallon] as part of our late-night lineup. As much as I’d like to tell you we have a done deal, we know that’s not true.”

For all of us Conan O’Brien fans, we were left wondering, much like O’Brien himself, where his show would end up. Insiders from both teams were implying that NBC wanted to bring back Leno to the 11:35PM time slot, push “The Tonight Show” to 12:05PM (essentially making it the tomorrow show on the east coast) and then pushing the rest of the late night lineup back a half an hour. This time slot shift wouldn’t affect Jimmy Fallon and his show, which is a hit with the younger and DVR loving set, but for Conan it would be a real kick in the face. O’Brien uprooted his staff, crew and family to LA early last year to make the move to “The Tonight Show” and there hasn’t been much thanks from NBC since. Ratings have been a problem for both Leno and O’Brien in their new time slots and Conan poked fun at the late night mess last night with his monologue, discussing other opportunities the late night host can look forward to if he no longer has a home on NBC.

PLEASE CLICK THROUGH FOR UPDATES So who is to blame for this mess? The heads of the network are definitely not owning up to their failures. Jeff Zucker and Gaspin have yet to acknowledge their part in this debacle. Gaspin still believes that if given time, Leno would flourish in his new time slot, but he was “forced” to move him because of affiliates and Zucker won’t admit to having much part in this. So is Leno the problem? During the original “changing of the guard”, Leno seemed pretty pissed that NBC would be holding him to his contract and forcing him to step down from a post he seemed to love, which is why he got his own talk show. And yet, if he had such a strong following, wouldn’t he be doing better in an earlier time slot, with no competition? So is it the new host? Back when the new line up was announced, Jimmy Fallon was quoted as to saying that if he failed at this, there was nothing that he could do after it – that this was that big of a deal. Is it possible to fail at something this big? The late night landscape is literally saturated with programs nowadays so no network program will have the kind of numbers Johnny Carson once brought in. So can O’Brien be blamed for all of this? Did he fail? While O’Brien uprooted his staff, crew and family, it seemed he lost himself in the move. His show changed, became a shell of what it once was so it could appease the masses. Unfortunately, it lost what brought all of us there originally. As a one time fan of O’Brien, his irreverent take on the late night gig was what I loved about the red headed goof. His intelligence shined through his skits, be it masturbating bears, calling into the future or just poking fun at the audience. And with his time slot move came the loss of the Conan we fell in love with. So hopefully this debacle forces him to review what made him who he was to begin with. If forced out of NBC, I will follow Conan to another network and hopefully you will too. NBC needs to learn that bowing to the most common denominator, a self imposed task, does not make quality television. A few other sites think Conan would flourish if he made the move, what do you think?

UPDATED: Check out “Conan Says Bye Bye“ for the latest information on the NBC Late Night Saga.

For more on this story, check out:
NYMag – Vulture – Go Forth to Fox, Young Conan

Television Without Pity – Why NBC’s Late-Night Mess Could Be Great For TV Fans
EW – Letterman Gets Last Laugh?

UPDATED: Say Goodbye to Conan & Hello to Leno???

admin — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:54:16 +0000

UPDATED: According to TMZ, who apparently now rules the Hollywood rumor mill, NBC has given a choice to Conan O’Brien about his fate at the “Tonight Show”. O’Brien can either allow Leno’s show to make the move to 11:35PM, making him the lead in to their late night and start his show at 12:05, or give Leno back the reins and step away from NBC completely. Sources are saying that O’Brien is considering the deal. No confirmation on any of this, except Leno’s hiatus during the Olympics. More info to come by days end Im sure. Ahhh…. NBC what a place to work.

Jeeeez NBC can you make up your minds? Word on the street, or actually links from the tweets, are saying that the NBC executives are moving Jay Leno back to his original 11:30 PM time slot and that Conan O’Brien might no longer have a home on the network. As of now this is all just conjecture based on industry rumors, but as we have learned recently TMZ seems to have a real strong grasp on what the actual news is in Hollywood, even when starlets aren’t the subject matter. According to Nikki Finke and Backstage, Leno might need to find a new home due to the increasing displeasure of NBC’s affiliates and their lost ratings. And while it seems to be pretty bad for both Leno and O’Brien in regards to ratings, TMZ is reporting that sources are saying its only Conan who will be sent packing.

If Leno gets his old job back, even if the show is only a half an hour, it will reward someone for failing. It will also hinder O’Brien, if he chooses to stay there, mess with the increasingly entertaining Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and piss of a great deal of young and hip viewers. What we definitely know now is that the Leno show at 10PM will be going on hiatus from February 1st on, to welcome the 2010 Olympics to the network and what happens after that is anyone’s guess. But, if I was a betting woman I would assume Conan would be consulting his lawyers now. As a viewer, all of these changes and complete disregard for the necessary changes that need to happen to this network has really started to piss me off.

This is a breaking story and will be updated when new information is available.