Stephen Merchant, one of the funniest people in the world, from EXTRAS. Ricky Gervais got all the attention, but I find Stephen Merchant much funnier. Together they created The Office as well. Enjoy.
The BAFTA nominated docu-comedy series Twenty Twelve, starring BAFTA nominee Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey), joins BBC AMERICA’s Ministry of Laughs comedy block just in time for the Summer Games. From executive producer Jon Plowman (The Office, Extras, Absolutely Fabulous) and writer John Morton (People Like Us), the series follows the team responsible for delivering the biggest show on earth: the London Olympics. Twenty Twelve premieres with three back-to-back episodes on Thursday, June 28, 9:00pm ET, then moves to its regular time slot on Saturday, June 30, midnight ET as part of the Ministry of Laughs comedy block. The first season will be immediately followed by season two.
Bringing together actors and creators of some of Britain’s most iconic comedies – Twenty Twelve’s cast includes BAFTA nominee Olivia Colman (Peep Show), Jessica Hynes (Spaced), Amelia Bullmore (I’m Alan Partridge), Vincent Franklin (The Thick of It) and Karl Theobald (Green Wing), and is narrated by David Tennant (The Spies of Warsaw, Doctor Who).
Twenty Twelve deals with such hot topics as how to phase the traffic lights across London to get people from west to east, which celebrities should be approached to carry the Torch and what to do when protesters leave large quantities of horse dung on the doorstep in protest at the equestrian events. From how to cope with athletes who want to help but are just too dull, to getting a busload of non-English speaking Brazilians from A to B, this crack team of experts is paddling hard beneath the water to make the Olympics happen in London in 2012. With £9 billion to spend and plenty of time before the deadline, what can possibly go wrong?
Once again, we're tackling
another show in TV Blend's weekly series "___'s Best
Episode." Each week a different writer will pick out a different episode of
a TV show and argue why it is definitively, absolutely the best thing the show
ever did. Arguments will be started, tears may be shed, but we're here to start
some conversations and make some arguments for really, really good TV. This week
Jessica makes a case for Extras’ “Kate Winslet,” which featured guest
star Kate Winslet as a habit-wearing actress with a potty mouth. Read below,
argue with us in the comments.
Overwhelming numbers lead to event being shut down
A casting call looking for extras for The Hobbit has been shut down over safety concerns.
Police were called to the open auditions in New Zealand after an overwhelming number of hopefuls turned up, causing doors to be closed early.
Senior Sergeant Steve Braybrook told NZ Newswire: "There was enough concern that the police attend," before confirming that the organiser of the event at Belmony Hall in Lower Huttt decided to "call it quits"
It was reportedly the location of the hall near a main highway that led to concern for the safety of the gathering crowds.
Senior Sergeant Braybrook said that the manner in which people were queuing, together with some parking the other side of the highway and then crossing it to get to the venue, contributed to the early closure.
A casting call for extras in Sir Peter Jackson's movie The Hobbit had
to close its doors early today after being overwhelmed with hopefuls.
"There was enough concern that police attended," Senior Sergeant Steve
Braybrook told NZ Newswire.
More people turned up than expected at Belmont Hall in Lower Hutt and the
organiser decided to "call it quits", he said.
The location of the hall near State Highway 2 had contributed to the
situation.
The way people were queuing was exposing them to risk and there were reports
of people parking on side roads and crossing the motorway to get to the venue,
Sen Sgt Braybrook said.
Radio New Zealand reported about 3000 people turned up, when production
company 3foot7 was expecting 1200.
Merchant says he finds his comedy in being onstage as victim, not victor – an
interesting take for one so successful in his writing career – but then again,
look at some of the characters he’s created. “I find that for me, a comedian
should be lesser than the audience and self-deprecating. Woody Allen is a big
hero of mine…and Richard Pryor – for all his magnetism and swagger onstage much
of what he says is undermining himself; his crazy behavior – hanging onto the
universe by the fingernails. I find that very appealing; whereas I can admire an
Eddie Murphy, but walking onstage in a one piece leather jumpsuit just seems
very odd to me – if you want to be Rick James, be Rick James. His persona is
sort of a swaggering swordsman and I’m just not that.”
Merchant’s show is funny, empathetic–and popular with a certain set. In the
audience for this show were three Brits: Emily Blunt (with husband John
Krasinski), Kate “Underworld” Beckinsale and Academy Award winner Colin Firth.
And for all his frustrations over his lanky frame and challenging height (he
tells an interesting tale of how one has sex when the average women is 5’4” to
his close to 7’ stature), Merchant is undoubtedly a charmer – handsome in that
geeky sort of way and a man who actually puts his cards on the table – not
something a lot of men are willing to do these days. With that kind of healthy
attitude, Merchant will probably find himself his one and only very soon.
Stephen Merchant’s one-man show continues in San Francisco, Tuesday
January 24th at Cobb’s Pub.
