Interview Roundup

The last few news days have been too slow even for our Slow News Day department. The Coen Bros. and George Clooney have announced new dark comedies with little in the way of plot or cast, Les Claypool's Electric Apricot, Vince Vaughn's Wild West Comedy Show, and a few other long-wrapped features were picked up for distribution, the Simpsons are getting their own damn ride, and that's been about it. All the comedy mainstays must be out promoting their current projects instead of making new ones, so why not check out this bevy of recent interviews?



The AV Club talks to Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, and Nick Frost, keepers of last weekend's biggest per-screen box office numbers, about 138 different cop movies and how to act like a monkey.

Michael Showalter has an awkward phone call with Human Giant.

CHUD talks to Paul Rudd and Ken Marino about those pesky State DVDs and imaginary comedy battles.

The AV Club talks to Master Shake, Frylock, Meatwad, and Carl about peanut butter, mimes, and condoms.

People asks Adam McKay how to get your daughter to curse like a sailor, and then has a brief e-mail dialogue with the Landlord herself.

Gothamist talks to Jon Benjamin about his new Super Deluxe cartoon, his formative years, and "fuck powder."

Slow News Day: Reno-ers Down Under, Ferrell or Die, Chasing Chevy, Wet Hot Karaoke

ITEM: In a new interview with Moviehole, Tom Lennon only-half-jokingly explains his vision for a Reno 911!: Miami sequel, which would send the team to Australia to pull a horny koala off Steven Seagal’s face, among other things. He also reveals that he and Ben Garant are now writing the Mike Myers vehicle How to Survive a Robot Uprising, and are in the early stages of development on a Night at the Museum sequel too, but who gives a shit?

ITEM: With a million views so far, you’ve probably already seen Adam McKay and Will Ferrell’s exclusive Internet short The Landlord, but just in case, here it is in all its youthful, foul-mouthed glory. So far, no word on where the hell this thing came from and how start-up video site Funny or Die managed to get a lock on it.

ITEM: Chevy Chase attempts to clear up every rumor he’s ever been attached to in a new Q&A with Time. Among the more interesting revelations: His long-term absence, peppered with phoned-in supporting roles, may be coming to a close now that his daughters have grown up, he only left SNL for a girl, and he claims the damaging gossip about his backstage gay-bashing is 100% fabricated, and that he has the testimony from Will Ferrell to prove it. A far less interesting revelation: he thinks Vegas Vacation was “just OK.”

ITEM: This weekend at a Michael Showalter-hosted magazine premiere party, Paul Rudd and David Wain belted out a no-holds-barred Boston karaoke classic to live accompaniment by champion weirdsters Of Montreal. Fortunately (or maybe not), someone captured it via shitty cell phone camera, and now here it be:

Slow News Day: Apatow Appoints M.C. D.A., Ferrell Orders HBO, Starship Lands Friedlander, Birdman Takes a Bow

ITEM: David Krumholtz, a nice-guy character actor frequently utilized by Ed Burns and Judd Apatow, is following Jason Segel's plan and writing himself his own movie for generous Judd's Apatow Productions. Attorneys at Raw follows two lawyers who decide to become rappers. Here's hoping Judd keeps a close watch on that dumb-ass plot. Meanwhile, Krumholtz has been cast in the other, more foolproof musical Apatow comedy Walk Hard.

ITEM: Will Ferrell and Adam McKay's previously announced pilot, P.E., has been picked up for series by HBO, and simultaneously stripped down to untitled status. The show follows a former athlete lowered to coaching high school gym. Ferrell is expected to make frequent guest appearances, but the show is otherwise officially uncast.

ITEM: Judah Friedlander, best known for nerding it up in American Splendor and 30 Rock, has joined the cast of the still dubious Starship Dave, joining Eddie Murphy, Elizabeth Banks, and Ed Helms in the sci-fi comedy written by MST3K's Bill Corbett and directed by the man who brought you Norbit (and refuses to take it back).

ITEM: The third and final season of Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law will hit DVD shelves on July 24, featuring deleted scenes and a digital comic book. We're not sure what a digital comic book is, either. If you're keeping score, this show's cancellation brings Adult Swim's surviving original lineup down to one.