Long before Chelsea Handler was cutting down celebrities and Lisa Lampanelli was cutting down audience members, Susie Essman was at the front lines of female standup, being catty, neurotic, and totally funny.
She’s earned her reward with the plum role of Susie Greene on the HBO kvetchfest Curb Your Enthusiasm, where she gets to use her instinctive comedy skills and her talent at loud-mouthed improv. And she’s now got a best-selling book out called What Would Susie Say? which leaves the delightful impression that there’s nothing she wouldn’t say. (Check out the part about the boyfriend who’d make her applaud every time he went to the bathroom. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry.)
Having seen Susie around at various benefits and promotional events, I know exactly what’s on her percolating New York Jewish mind these days. After doing her trademark line from the show (”You fat f—”), which has become a sort of nouveau version of Carol Burnett’s Tarzan yell, Susie will tell you all about the male New York Jewish standup-turned-TV-star in her life–Larry David. Is he like his character? “Larry thinks those things,” she swears, “but he would never actually do them.” That’s reassuring somehow. Would Larry ever submit to a Friars roast? “Never!” says Susie. “He’s thin skinned!” Well, how about a Seinfeld reunion? “No way,” she screeches, even louder. “What are they, The Brady Bunch?” No, The Brady Bunch was about something.
How many ways can men bond? They can bond over the effort of getting their friend laid (40 YEAR-OLD VIRGIN), or they can alternatively support and ridicule their friend as he struggles to do the right thing (KNOCKED UP), or they can fetch them diet cokes, cup their balls, and sit at their bedside while they fall asleep as in FUNNY PEOPLE. It’s been out for awhile now and I wasn’t compelled to see it until it was 90 degrees out yesterday and I sought the respite only an air-conditioned movie theater can provide, but I’m kind of glad I did. It stars Adam Sandler as George Simmons, an Adam Sandler-like comedian: middle-aged, ex-stand up comic earning an ample income making pandering comedies, and Seth Rogen as Ira, a struggling comic hired to be Simmons’ assistant. The pair develop that love/hate bro-relationship Apatow does so well, at one moment patting each other on the back and the next making fun of each other’s penis size.
We mentioned comedian Mike Birbiglia in passing the other day, but failed to convey just how awesome he is. Someone who can appeal to both the audiences of Comedy CentralandThis American Life possesses a rare gift. He covers crass topics without ever crossing the line. He’s the boyfriend you love so much, but ultimately only as a great friend (and we mean that in the nicest way!). You’d have a great long-distance relationship with him over the phone, but then face-to-face a little of the magic would disappear. That’s not to say he’s ugly (he is in fact adorable, like a beagle) — but the richness of his voice and how it helps tell tales and deliver jokes can best be appreciated without a visual, or at least without his visual. Which may be why he’s recently animated a few of his choice bits from his latest show, “My Secret Public Journal,” on his YouTube channel, Birbigstube.com. The second in the series is “Porno for Parents” which, again, tackles a touchy topic hilariously without going for gonzo shock. And we love him for it. Like a brother.
The Internet recentlywas abuzz about a theory advanced by one member in the loquacious salon over at Metafilter regarding FERRIS BUELLER. Coined “The Fight Club Theory,” it explores the possibility of Ferris being a mere pigment of someone’s imagination…
It’s an interesting enough starting point: What do two people with only vague ambitions and low funds (low enough to have a cardboard window in their dilapidated trailer but not low enough, oddly, to fly all around the US and Canada) do when they discover they’re having a baby in a town where they no longer know anyone? Road trip! Burt (John Krasinski) and Verona (Maya Rudolph) go from Phoenix to Madison to Montreal to Miamito visit one wacky friend after another, from comically slutty Allison Janney to comically new age-y Maggie Gyllenhaal.
Starting tomorrow, for ten days only, the MoMA will screen a collection of uproarious, irreverent, silent, American slapstick comedies, all accompanied by live piano. First up are five short films united by a general cross-dressing theme with silent favorites Stan Laurel, Buster Keaton, Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, and Wallace Beery.
Like a Rip Van Winkle from the late ’90s, comic Gil Ozeri conducts interviews with random strangers in the streets of New York City asking untopical questions about Friendster, Enron, and the “Rachael” haircut, among others.
Scott Sanders’ blaxploitation comedy “Black Dynamite” has sold North American righs to Sony Pictures Worldwide for $2 million, a few hours after its Sundance Midnight preem.
They’re finally here, episodes 1 and 2 of Sundancechannel.com’s newest series of digital shorts, CASSIDY LOVES MOBY. In these first two episodes, we are introduced to Cassidy, an intense little doll, that has been haunted by recurring dreams of musician and recording artist, Moby. Compelled to understand the meaning of these visions from her unconscious, she embarks on a quest to meet Moby at Sundance in Park City, Utah where he reports he will be in attendance in his blog. Will Cassidy find her answers? Will meeting the man of her dreams bring her peace of mind? Will she and Moby hook up?!? Find out by watching the first two episodes in this hilarious 4 part series.
All the music used in these films and hundreds of other great tracks are available for FREE USE, yes, FREE USE, on Moby’s amazing site for independent filmmakers, mobygratis.com. Here Moby posts new tunes for filmmakers to use in films or independent works. If you are a filmmaker you can access and take advantage of this fabulous music library created by one of the most innovative and prolific composers of electronica, ambient and dance music. Check out our exclusive interview with Moby right here on Sundancechannel.com and check out Mobygratis.com for yourself right now.
