Episode One of "Look Around You," entitled "Maths"
Robert Popper is a British comedy writer, producer and performer. With Peter Serafinowicz, he co-created the brilliant educational film parody Look Around You, which premiers on Cartoon Network's [adult swim] on October 26th. As "Robin Cooper," he wrote a series of bizarre letters to obscure professional and interest organizations which became the book "The Timewaster Letters," which was a best-seller in the UK, and has just been released in the US.
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Jerry Minor and Craig Robinson on Bill Maher's show, whatever it's called.
Robinson recently had felony possession charges filed against him for X and meth, so we here at MaxFunHQ are hoping he's OK. Because that dude is FUNNY.
Chris Parnell is a comic actor best known for his long run on Saturday Night Live. He's also appeared in numerous films, including "Anchorman," and as a regular guest star on NBC's "30 Rock," and a co-star of last year's ABC series "Miss Guided." He talks about auditioning for Saturday Night Live and Mad TV, about being the straight man, and about being a centaur.
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Regular readers of this blog may remember that Fremantle Media is planning an updated TV version of the Match Game, the minor-celebrity-driven 1970s game show. Friend of MaxFun Mr. Jimmy Pardo has been hosting an amazing live version of the program at the UCB Theater here in Los Angeles, and fans of that show signed a petition en masse to have Jimmy considered to be host of the new TV show.
Well, there's good news and there's bad news.
The bad news is: Jimmy didn't get the job.
Normally, I'd say this is because all television people are idiots. Jimmy is second only to David Letterman as a host in my book. He's fantastically funny, quick, gracious and generous to his guests. Watching him perform is the most fun I've ever had. It's a travesty that he's not on TV these days, and the Match Game is the perfect venue for his talent.
That said, there is good news.
Andy Daly got the job.
Andy Daly is a past TSOYA guest, not to mention star of our version of George Saunders' "Ask the Optimist," and might be my pick for funniest person in the world. I mean that entirely sincerely. He's so funny it hurts my toes. I've never seen him host anything, but I bet he's amazing at it.
Both Jimmy and Andy had classy things to say about it over on AST:
Hey everyone, Since the petition was started here on AST, I feel I should let you guys know what has happened. I am sad to report that I did not get the job. Obviously, I am very disappointed but ASTers can rejoice in knowing that the producers picked a great talent in one Mr. Andy Daly. Andy is a great friend and will do a super job. I don't have to tell anyone on this board how funny Andy is and I'm sure the show is going to be a great success. JIMMY
Thanks for the kind words you guys, and especially Jimmy.
As a friend of Jimmy's and a HUGE fan of his and an eager signer of the petition, this is a weird moment.
Like anyone who's seen Match Game Live, I always alternate between cackling at Jimmy's jokes and staring slack-jawed and dumbfouded by the supernatural quickness of his mind. I don't expect to do this as well as he does. I just hope to do the show justice in my own way.
That's all I'll say for now, except that JP is four and half feet of pure class!
I'm still processing this, but here's the part of the take-home I've figured out so far:
* America deserves Andy Daly.
* America also deserves Jimmy Pardo.
We're 50% there, television industry. Let's make this happen.
The new mini-series from David Simon, creator of The Wire, premiers on HBO July 13th. It's called "Generation Kill," and it tracks a group of marines through the first 40 days of the invasion of Iraq.
I am terrified to watch this show.
There are only two possible outcomes:
1) It is not as good as The Wire, and thus is a terrible dissapointment. 2) It is as good as The Wire, and what little is left of my soul is crushed.
Podcast: The Chris Farley Show authors Tom Farley Jr. and Tanner Colby
Chris Farley burned brightly as a comic actor, rising quickly to enormous fame as a television and movie star. Unfortunately, he also crashed and burned. Writer Tanner Colby and Farley's brother, Tom Farley, have collaborated to tell Chris' story through the words of those who knew him in the book "The Chris Farley Show: A Biography in Three Acts." We talk with Tom and Tanner about the life of this gifted and troubled comic.
Watch through the end, and note that Al Green and David Letterman are in love.
OH HOW I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THAT A LOVE TRIANGLE! TWO OF AMERICA'S GREATEST MEN AND ME, LOVING EACH OTHER AS BROTHERS! PLEASE GOD MAKE MY DREAMS COME TRUE.
Celebrity field correspondent Mr. Dave Hill can say the meanest things in the world... AND HE ALWAYS SEEMS NICE. This is a superpower I would like to have. It is the perfect superpower for VISITING THE COMIC CONVENTION.
Friend of MaxFun Wyatt Cenac made his debut as a Daily Show correspondent last night, and he did a great job! Not as great as the big closer in his standup act, but that's because nothing could be that great. Except for the genuine article of course.
In other news, he's had a beard for a while now, and that's pretty great, too.
Podcast: Jack Handey, Author, TV Writer and Creator of "Deep Thoughts"
Make a few clicks on the internet and you'll run across ten fake "Deep Thoughts," and if you're lucky, a few real ones. Our guest Jack Handey created the seminal Saturday Night Live interstitial segment and authored several book collections of the material. He also wrote numerous other classic Saturday Night Live sketches, from "Happy Fun Ball" to "Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer." The past few years, he's been writing in The New Yorker's Shouts and Murmurs section, and these writings, plus work for Outside Magazine and other publications, have been collected in the hilarious "What I'd Say To The Martians: and Other Veiled Threats."
Special thanks to the great public radio show Studio 360 for letting us use some audio of Jack reading pieces from the book.
Jordan Morris "Boy Detective" wrote this sketch, which was performed for Funny or Die by the amazing, amazing, amazing improv group Naked Babies -- John Ross Bowie, Rob Corddry, Brian Huskey and Seth Morris.
Kenny Mayne has been a fixture on ESPN for fifteen years. He's best known for his exceedingly dry wit, which he displayed as an anchor on SportsCenter in the 1990s, and in semi-fictional field pieces for ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown. He recently published his first book, a combination humor book and memoir called "An Incomplete and Innacurate History of Sport."
Thanks to maxfunster girlofdestiny, who pointed out that there are a ton of Viva Variety clips on YouTube. Timely, since our Reno 911 interview unexpectedly included a lot of Viva Variety talk (well, on the podcast it did, anyway). Above: "Baby is the Bagpipes."
Podcast: Reno 911!'s Stars and Creators Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant and Kerri Kenney-Silver
Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant and Kerri Kenney-Silver are the co-creators and co-stars of Comedy Central's Reno 911!. The show, a mockumentary in the style of COPS, is headed into the second half of its fifth season. The trio also collaborated on the Comedy Central series Viva Variety, and worked together as members of the sketch comedy group The State.
During our interview, they revealed that The State will be producing a Comedy Central special later this year, along with a DVD release of the full series, including numerous extras.
The State reunited earlier this year for some live performance at the UCB Theater here in LA, so when Kerri Kenney-Silver, Robert Ben Garant and Tom Lennon stopped by here earlier today to talk about Reno 911, I couldn't resist asking what the reunion status was.
They told me that there will definitely be a Comedy Central special with all-new material sometime later this year. They also said that the DVD of the show is complete, including commentary on every sketch and extra material (every cutting room floor sketch, including some they don't like). The release of the DVD should coincide with the special.
Look out for the full interview in the podcast feed soon!
Podcast: TSOYA Classic: Comics and Comix with Chris Elliott, Art Spiegelman and Matt Walsh
We continue our journey into The Sound of Young America's vast audio archive with this program from The Sound of Young America Clasics.
This week, Pulitzer-prize-winning comix artist Art Spiegelman (above) talks about his book "In the Shadow Of No Towers," a collection of large-format newspaper comics about September 11th and its fallout.
Then we talk with Chris Elliott, long-time foil to David Letterman, co-creator and star of the cult sitcom Get A Life, and now comic novelist. His first novel was "The Shroud of the Thwacker."
Finally, we talk with Matt Walsh. In addition to appearing in many movies, Walsh is a founding member of the Upright Citizens Brigade. He also starred in the semi-improvised semi-reality sitcom Dog Bites Man.
Please share your thoughts on the show in the comments section!
For the past several years, Onion writer Joe Garden has been openly campaigning to replace Conan O'Brien as host of NBC's Late Night when O'Brien moves to an earlier time slot next year. Numerous news outlets are reporting that NBC will soon announce that they have chosen a replacement for O'Brien, and it's not Garden. Instead, it's serial at-self-laugher and failed movie star Jimmy Fallon.Garden has issued his first public statement regarding the situation EXCLUSIVELY here on MaximumFun.org. It follows. - Jesse
An open letter to the viewing public:
You may have heard that Jimmy Fallon has been named the next host of Late Night.
Even though I have been running for host of Late Night for two years now, this sadly comes as no shock.
We all know how this works. Shady deals are made in smoke-filled back rooms, and the next thing you know, there's a new host of Late Night. I call bullshit on that.*
There are those who are begging me to quit my bid for the host chair. They're saying that it's time to put aside the rancor, and that my campaign can only rend the fabric of unity asunder.
Well, you know what?
The American people don't quit, and they deserve a host of Late Night that doesn't quit either!
The people ever got a chance to have their voices heard. This is why we need to write to someone. Anyone! Pick an executive at NBC and write him or her (but let's face facts, it's a he because only an active member of the patriarchal hegemony would choose Jimmy Fallon as their host for Late Night) a disappointed POSTCARD, saying that you never had a chance to have your voice heard, and that they can't silence the voice of the people forever.
Tell them that you want it put to an election, fair and square, and that you will respect the outcome.
Tell them that we brought democracy to Iraq, and that we will damn sure have it on our shores too.
Actually, don't just write anyone.
Write NBC Attn. Rick Ludwin Programming Department 30 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10112
And even though he is obviously a fascist, it's probably not a good idea to refer to him as such in your postcard. Be nice. Be cordial. Be firm.
This isn't over yet.
Chin up, stay strong, and VOTE JOE!!
Your next host of Late Night,
Joe Garden
*I am sorry for the strong language, but these are tough times. I promise that, as your host of Late Night, I will never work blue like that.
I don't like to get involved in CELEBRITY SPATS, but you can't insult FRIENDS OF THE PROGRAM and get away with it.
Earlier this week, the public radio financial "news" program Marketplace ran a piece comparing Mac and PC owners. It primarily contained the sort of information you might expect -- allusions to Priuses and lattes and the like. Which would have been fine... BUT FOR THE FACT THAT IT ALSO CONTAINED VICIOUS SLANDER.
Perhaps that slander would have slipped unnoticed into the ears of our nation's Prius-driving, latte-sipping public radio listeners, if it weren't for eagle-eared Matt Tobey of the CC Insider. Tobey, a righteous warrior in the cause of JUSTICE, pointed out a vicious, unfounded accusation buried within the piece. "Reporter" Andrea Gardner claims, with reference to the Mac v. PC commercials: "the PC guy is overweight and balding."
Excuse me?
Pardon me?
HOW DARE YOU?!
As we all know, the PC is portrayed by John Hodgman, the handsome, Yale-educated comic writer and former professional literary critic.
And as all of us with ANY SENSE know, JOHN HODGMAN IS MOST CERTAINLY NOT BALDING!
It may be that the esteemed Mr. Hodgman is slightly overweight, though he's been looking quite trim and health lately in my view. HOWEVER: he has a full, healthy head of hair. He certainly has more hair than I, a NOT-BALD MAN TEN YEARS HIS JUNIOR.
I have registered with the Marketplace staff my EXTREME DISPLEASURE with this IMMORAL AND POSSIBLY ILLEGAL DISCOURSE. I have even recorded it for their benefit, and they promise to REPLAY this recording on this coming TUESDAY during their so-called "program."
