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But What Does Victoria Jackson Think of Studio 60?

Terry Mattingly of kitsapsun.com caught up with former Saturday Night Live cast member Victoria Jackson recently and asked for her thoughts on Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.

Jackson, the blonde, female, singing, born-again Christian comedian was intrigued by a character on Studio 60.  Her attention was drawn to Harriet (played by Sarah Paulson), a blonde, female, singing comedian who is a born-again Christian.

Surprised at the similarities, she was then intrigued by the fuss over Studio 60's fictional sketch Crazy Christians.  From the article:

That was the name Jackson assigned to a sketch she was asked to perform, leading her to plead for relief from executive director Lorne Michaels. He heard her out and assigned another actress to do the part. The sketch bombed in dress rehearsal and vanished.

"It was a legitimate sketch that was making fun of what they called extreme Christians," said Jackson. "You know, there are Christians out there that make life rather embarrassing for other Christians. ...Now I can make fun of people who have a Jesus toaster and Jesus salt and pepper shakers and Jesus napkin holders. That's fair. But this time they wanted me to kneel down in a comedy show and pretend to pray - to get a laugh. I just couldn't do it. I told Lorne that I thought I'd start crying or shaking. Prayer is real. I think prayer is talking to God."

Continue reading "Victoria Jackson sees her reflection on Studio 60"...

But What Does Jim Belushi Think of Studio 60?

NEW YORK, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- Saturday Night Live alum James Belushi says he is a fan of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, a TV drama set behind the scenes of an "SNL-type show."

The According to Jim star wrote for and performed in the fabled NBC sketch comedy show from 1983 to 1985. He is also the brother of late SNL legend, John Belushi.

"I like Studio 60," Belushi told UPI, amid reports the critically-acclaimed show is about to be canceled.

"It's pretty real. The pressure is real; time clicking away while you're trying to get scenes on the air. The drama between the men and the women, that's just soap opera. Saturday Night Live is all about the show. I think (the people behind Studio 60 are) doing a great job."

Belushi admitted watching the Studio 60 brings back lots of memories.

"That was a tough time, Saturday Night Live, a lot of pressure," he recalled. "It's like sending a doctor to a war zone. You come out very well-prepared. ... Everything has been easy since -- even divorce."

Chris Elliott Podcast

Former Saturday Night Live cast member Chris Elliott recently made a podcast appearance on The Sound of Young America.  His book The Shroud of the Thwacker was just released in paperback, and that's discussed along with bonus questions about Elliott's cable specials and what he finds interesting out there in today's comedy world.  It's an excellent listen, and a good podcast to subscribe to.

Also featured is an interview with Monty Python alum Terry Gilliam.

Continue reading "World of Wonder with Terry Gilliam and Chris Elliott"...

Thurber Prize awarded to ex-SNL writer

Former Saturday Night Live writer (and occasional bit performer) Alan Zweibel has won the Thurber Prize for American Humor.

Zweibel, a writer/performer on SNL during the first five seasons of the show and co-creator of It's Garry Shandling's Show, won the award for The Other Shulman, a comic novel about a midlife crisis and the New York City Marathon.

The award, named for the great American humorist and illustrator, was founded in 1997 by the Thurber House, a Columbus center for writers and readers on Jefferson Avenue in which James Thurber lived with his family when he went to Ohio State University.

The prize was given every other year until 2004, when it was made annual.

Previous winners include Jon Stewart, Christopher Buckley and David Sedaris.

Continue reading "Thurber Prize awarded to ex-SNL writer"...

Anchorman 2 Not in the Works

As usual, the internet has provided false hope.

A few weeks ago, stories made the rounds that Anchorman star Will Ferrell was keen on making a sequel to that film and could possibly be putting his next projects on hold so he and writer-director Adam McKay could fast track it.

Of course this turned out to be a bunch of crap.

Ferrell states in an interview with Comingsoon.net that he will not be a part of sequels for Anchorman, Elf, Old School or Talladega Nights.  In regards to Anchorman and Talladega Nights, Ferrell said "I don't think Adam and I are so excited about sequels. We'd rather just keep thinking of original ideas."

Continue reading "Will Ferrell Gets Stranger Than Fiction"...

Chevy Chase IS Mel Gibson

Mel Gibson's infamous drunken tirade will be re-enacted in primetime -- by Chevy Chase.

On the November 3rd episode of Law & Order, Chase plays a TV personality who is pulled over for drunk driving and proceeds to let loose a flurry of racial slurs.

The tirade is clearly inspired by Gibson's anti-Semitic rant during his DUI arrest in August, when he spouted off comments like, "the Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world."

Continue reading "Law & Order Takes on Mel"...

Will Ferrell is a Busy Man

Will Ferrell's Stranger than Fiction opens in theaters on November 10th, while his summer blockbuster Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby hits DVD on December 12th.

There have also been a number of recent announcements regarding future projects for Ferrell:

* Variety reports that New Line has greenlit Semi-Pro. Scot Armstrong (Old School) is penning the screenplay about the early-ish days of basketball, with Will as an owner-player-coach named Jackie Moon, dribbling in the long vanished world of the American Basketball Association (ABA). Jackie must lead his team on a desperate charge to make it into the big leagues. Semi-Pro has been put on the fast track, with shooting expected to start early next year.

* Zap2It.com says that Fox has given a pilot committment to Church of Steve, a show produced by Ferrell and Adam McKay.

* Virgin.net has the news that Ferrell has signed up to produce and star in Paramount Vantage's planned comedy Stepfather.  While it is undecided whether Ferrell will play the lead role in the film, which takes a look at the perfect stepfather's impact on the family dynamic, he is sure to appear in at least a cameo role to keep the studio feeling that the sizeable bill it is sure to foot for his presence has been justified.

* And according to The Hollywood Reporter, Ferrell will also star in Fly on the Wall.  The film tells the story of an anti-social man who gets his life on track, discovering how to have a successful relationship and learning to truly believe in himself with the help of his best friend, a talking fly.

Jimmy Fallon Joins Team McCartney

Funnyman Jimmy Fallon has shown his support for Sir Paul McCartney during his bitter divorce battle with Heather Mills, by wearing a badge of the former Beatle.

The former Saturday Night Live star is a huge fan of the veteran English rocker and has been saddened by his high-profile acrimonious split from Mills.

And, at an art gala at New York City's Whitney Museum on Monday, the comedian proudly showed off his McCartney button on his jacket to photographers.

Fallon said, "He's the best. He's the one and only. He's my man. He's my favorite. Yeah, I love Paul. I've got to support him."

Bill Murray attends student party, does dishes

Former Saturday Night Live cast member Bill Murray, after playing in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship golf tournament in St. Andrews last week, went home with 22-year-old Norwegian student Lykke Stavnef, who took him to a house where a student party was in full swing.

She said she was first concerned when the apartment had no clean glasses left, but that Murray was happy to drink vodka from a coffee cup and also helped wash dishes in the cramped kitchen.

Continue reading "Bill Murray attends student party, does dishes"...

2006 Gotham Award Nominations

The annual Gotham Awards, presented by IFP, celebrate the authentic voices behind and in front of the camera in films made this year. By recognizing that the best films come from a place that is more firmly rooted in the grasp of filmmakers - and not made by committee - the Gotham Awards salute the innovative American films and filmmakers whose passion and vision make their way on to the screen year after year.

Christopher Guest's film For Your Consideration was nominated this year in the category of Best Ensemble Cast.  Along with Guest and fellow Saturday Night Live alumni Michael McKean and Harry Shearer, the nomination also includes Bob Balaban, Jennifer Coolidge, John Michael Higgins, Eugene Levy, Jane Lynch, Catherine O'Hara, Parker Posey and Fred Willard.

The Awards will be presented on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 at New York's PIER SIXTY, Chelsea Piers.

Continue reading "IFP Announces 2006 Gotham Awards Honorees and Nominees"...