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May 15, 2007
The Gag Reel
By: Mo Diggs
What I learned about the upfronts: NBC is bitter about comedy after their Comedy Done Right Thursday Night was the lowest rated in 30 years; ABC is having desperate, McSteamy make-up sex with comedy to make up for lost time; CBS still likes comedy but has mixed feelings about hell. Plus, Judd Apatow must choose between two gentleman LA print publication suitors and Patton Oswalt bids adieu to King of Queens but wants to premiere new untitled film he likes at UCB.
Comedy fandom is nothing new. MySpace friends repeat their favorite catchphrases back to their favorite comedians; fans give much-deserved praise to Patton Oswalt on A Special Thing. But two Los Angeles print publications breaking the fucking sound barrier to see who will be the first to anoint Judd Apatow as their comedy savior: that's a whole different ball of wax. Variety published an article on May 11th calling Apatow the "new king of comedy" (they also called him "hot," but that's for Defamer to crack wise about). LA Times was a couple of days late, but Variety looks like a restrained Victorian reformer by comparison. Yes they demote him to mayor of comedy, but check out this subhed:
Hollywood's funnymen agree: the writer-director-producer knows how to set up a jokester.
Here's hoping Variety doesn't bring any skywriting aircraft into this.
Upfronts Roundup: Do not expect to see too many new comedies in the fall season or midseason. NBC is particularly comedy-shy; the net picked up only one laffer: The IT Crowd, a "geek-themed" mid-season comedy.
CBS might have several shows in development but only one -- Big Bang Theory -- has been ordered thus far. 1321 Clover -- a single-camera documentary style comedy about a suburban American family with Paul F. Tompkins -- is "getting traction" but I'm In Hell -- the one with David Cross as the devil -- does not seem to have a bright future.
ABC has ordered the most sitcoms of all the nets, including Cavemen and Carpoolers with TJ Miller, who was stoked when he and Pete Holmes announced it Friday at Gutbucket, the monthly UCB stand-up open mike they host.
Those who must know what Fox picked up can look here and here.
Returning to TV: Whitest Kids U Know
Not returning: King of Queens, which had its series finale yesterday. Patton Oswalt wrote a stirring blog post about the show. The night of the finale he screened a mystery film at the LA UCB theater. He could not reveal the title but many -- including this writer -- suspect it is The Foot Fist Way, who are also involved with Will Ferrell's HBO project.
Comedy writers for Comedy Central want network-wide WGA contract for all future programming.
The Rocker will be the first Rainn Wilson project to shoot.
Watch Conan tonight for LA comedian Dan Mintz, a comedian who, among other things, helped with Human Giant. And don't miss Amy Poehler on Thursday.
The Coming received a memo yesterday stating that the Human Giant boys will be given total control of MTV and MTV2 this weekend, as in, they're going to be selecting programming, hanging out with their friends in the studio, and doing live reports from Times Square.
Letterman will have Ricky Gervais and Mary Lynn Rajskub on Wednesday and Jonah Hill on Friday.
Kimmel welcomes girlfriend Sarah Silverman on Wednesday and Mary Lynn Rajskub on Friday.
Two reasons to watch Last Call: Dave Foley tonight and Joe Rogan Wednesday.
DVD Pick: Fired!, featuring stories from David Cross and Paul F. Tompkins regaling us on how they got fired from their jobs.
Mo Diggs is a web editor and amateur comedian who frequently updates his own blog
Posted by The Apiary at May 15, 2007 10:51 AM