The Remote Island : Ricky Gervais

Background Wizards, You Shall Not Pass [VIDEO]

Jake Kalish — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:33:00 GMT

Great piece by Jodie Burke in the LA Times Saturday about how the recession and increased unemployment rates have led to huge lines of people trying to get work as television and film extras - or "background artists", as they say. However, the recession has also led to studios tightening up, and there being less work for these background artists. Not to mention the fact that the number of scripted shows on TV which could even hire these folks decreases every year, giving way to "reality" programming, which has no use for background artists.

And then another great piece in the New York Times yesterday by Sarah Toland, an editor in a "protracted period of unemployment", about her utterly miserable experience working as an extra on the new Cupid, which premiered on ABC last week.

Great pieces, but depressing. So, to counterbalance the doom and gloom, we've included video of probably the funniest scene from the show Extras, in which Sir Ian McKellen explains acting in the most obvious terms possible to flummoxed former extra Andy Millman (Ricky Gervais). Now all of us can laugh again...

PREVIOUSLY:

No Hiring, Only Firing In The TV Industry

"Real Housewives": Real Broke

Kathy Cox Of "Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader": A Really Good Person In A Really Bad Economy

Ricky Gervais Is Pulling The Superfecta

Jake Kalish — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 18:45:00 GMT

After wild success in TV (and then the web, children's books, and stand-up comedy) this is a step up, in a way, for Ricky - he's directing, producing and co-writing (with Stephen Merchant, his creative partner on The Office and Extras) an upcoming Sony feature film which kinda sounds like The Office meets Glengarry Glen Ross meets Stand By Me...

Here's the announcement:

Sony has boarded Ricky Gervais' "The Men at the Pru." Pic will be the second U.K. production to come out of the Sony Intl. Motion Picture Production Group, run by Deborah Schindler. Project is a coming-of-age tale about a group of men working at an insurance company in the 1970s...Gervais will also have a supporting role in the pic, which is set to go into production later this summer.

Damn. Books, blogs, podcasts, standup, writing, directing, producing, acting, playing with his piles of TV money - got enough to do there, Ricky? When does this man sleep?

PREVIOUSLY:

Ricky Gervais Corrupts Elmo (Or Is It The Other Way Around?) [VIDEO]

Ricky Gervais Shows Some Skin For PETA

Ricky Gervais Writes To Barack Obama About Paris Hilton

Ricky Gervais Corrupts Elmo (Or Is It the Other Way Around?) [VIDEO]

Nicole Ankowski — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:05:00 GMT

Ricky Gervais was asked to serenade Elmo for, allegedly, the fortieth-anniversary Sesame Street DVD. But you put a self-proclaimed “fat guy” and a red furry in pajamas together, and the episode quickly spiraled out of control and into adult territory…much to our delight, and the director’s chagrin. Gervais lectures Elmo on drugs, child abuse, the Holocaust and necrophilia, as well as the insufferable sin of wearing pajamas in the daytime.

He’s tackled The Office. We vote Gervais gets together with our boy-crush/Forgetting Sarah Marshall-star Jason Segel and rock out the new Muppets movie.

(Jezebel)

Previously:
Top Five Muppet Fashions We Can't Live Without
Ricky Gervais Shows Some Skin for PETA
Today In Whaaaaaa?: "How I Met Your Mother" Star Primed To Lead "The Muppet Show" Comeback

Ricky Gervais Writes To Barack Obama About Paris Hilton

Jake Kalish — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 22:11:00 GMT

Paris Hilton is in England shooting a British version of her reality show, to be called Paris Hilton's British Best Friend, and in so doing, has bought a house in North London, just a few miles from Ricky Gervais's place. This has upset Mr. Gervais greatly, so he has used his considerable pull to write a letter to the President of the United States requesting Paris Hilton's removal from England, and outlining how this could be done. Ricky's proposal to Barack:

An open letter to Barack Obama.

Dear Mr President,

Firstly, congratulations on your historic win. I have never been so behind a candidate for what must be considered the boss of the world.

You seem to be a man of grace and integrity, who would never shirk responsibility in any way.

I'll get to the point.

As I'm sure you are aware, one of your flock has strayed. A Miss Paris Hilton, who is, I believe, a resident of Beverley Hills, is in England doing a reality game show for ITV2 called Paris Hilton's British Best Friend. Fine. I have no problem with that. I don't have to watch. But now it has come to my attention that she has bought a house in North London a few miles from me, and is out and about ingratiating herself with the Great British public.

Mr President. We are not stupid. This is clearly a retaliatory strike for Posh Spice moving to LA. I know it, and you know it, so let's cut the "it's a free country" nonsense and come to some agreement.

I propose an exchange.

This is how it would work. We call them both and tell them that we've found a giant "paparazzi nest", in New York say. (half way home for both of them already)

At first they may be confused that they'd never heard of such a thing before, but the thought of that many photographers in one place will be irresistible.

Once we get them there, while they are having their photos taken (we will have hire a few guys with cameras to make it look good) we will swap their limos around. It's fool proof.

This is a covert operation of which Mr Gordon Brown knows nothing. (I've got him working on finding a synthetic fur for The Queen's guards' bearskin hats.)

Have your people call my people. They may have to call a few times as my people are useless to be honest.

Thank you,

Ricky Gervais

Ricky Gervais Also Sticks It To The British Press

Jake Kalish — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 21:15:00 GMT

The same week Sharon Osbourne won a court case against the libelous British press, Ricky Gervais seriously ripped into British tabloids that criticized his Kate Winslet Holocaust joke.

If you didn't catch it, Ricky Gervais, when presenting Kate Winslet with her Oscar forThe Reader, said this:

Well done Winslet. I told you, do a Holocaust movie and the awards come, didn't I? Trouble is with Holocaust films is there's never any gag reel on the DVDs.

Funny, right? Remote Lindy clearly thought so. That is, funny unless you're of the opinion one cannot, under any circumstances, make a joke that contains the word "Holocaust." Which is apparently what the British tabloids think. They ripped into Gervais pretty good for being "tasteless", and Gervais came back at them on his website, guns blazing:

The joke about Kate Winslet may have got the biggest laugh of the night. Everyone who spoke to me said so anyway. All the U.S. press said it was funny including Jewish magazine Heeb. TV Guide made it one of their top moments. New York Daily News said it was 'Hilarious.' The Boston Globe said "British comic Ricky Gervais proved once again to be the highlight of an awards show. So why did a couple of English papers say it went down badly? Because they're jealous lying c***s who's (sic) lives haven't turned out like they planned and want everyone to be as unhappy as they are.

Damn. Don't hold back, Ricky; say what you mean.

PREVIOUSLY:

Golden Globes: Letter To The Stars

Sharon Osbourne Makes British Tabloid Apologize, Pay Her

Gervais And Brand: Two Very Different Faces of British Comedy

Seth Rogen's Writing For "The Simpsons"

Lindy Parker — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 21:30:00 GMT

Apparently, Freaks and Geeks star Seth Rogen plays a personal trainer in the episode he wrote for The Simpsons, but the question is, how funny are the episodes with celebrity guest writers?

We've got to admit, we laughed quite a bit during the Ricky Gervais episode -- in fact, we sometimes youtube it just to hear him sing the "Lady Blue" song. What do you think? Celebrity guest writers -- yea or nay?

Golden Globes: Letter to the Stars

Lindy Parker — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 20:45:00 GMT

First things first, Kate Winslet -- you couldn't be more lovely and talented, and your armpits are flawlessly hair-free. Well done you. We thought there couldn't be a television moment that would make us love you more than the time you did your impression of Harvey Keitel as a wounded dog, but last night might have done it...

Rumor Willis -- Thank God you were a less awkward Miss Golden Globe than Melanie Griffith's daughter, and truly, except for that weird rhinestone belt you look totally chic, but we kind of feel for you...

It's got to be a drag to be standing up there with your mom and thinking, "why is she SO much hotter than me?" In fact, if pressed, we might guess you two were the same age...

Seriously, Demi Moore is Benjamin Button.

Ricky Gervais -- You made us laugh the most last night...

Clearly more presenters should take a beer to the podium.

Miley Cyrus -- Look on the bright side, we know it was awkward and callous for the GG people to keep the camera on you while The Jonas Brothers presented the award for best animated feature, but at least Nick Jonas didn't lean into the microphone afterwards and say, "P.S. Miley's a whore!" That would've been worse right?

Drew Barrymore -- It's hard to pinpoint what went wrong exactly...

We think it's mostly the Dynasty hair, because the dress -- while not our favorite color -- is mostly fine. Also, that shade of lipstick would probably feel more comfortable in Fort Lauderdale. Nevertheless, we did sort of admire your weird, giggling/clutching/hand-holding with Jessica Lange both on the red carpet and the stage. We can only assume that you reached so deeply into the quirky neuroses of your characters in Grey Gardens that you've decided to carry on behaving kookily even now.

Kiefer Sutherland -- as usual, not even Tom Cruise rocks the aviators with a tuxedo quite as well as you. This is a face that says, "I've been in jail, and I want to win."

January Jones -- A couple of things: First, your hair looks fierce, and we quite like the color of your dress even if you're getting dangerously close to that treacherous catering-napkin area. That said, our first reaction when we saw you on the red carpet was "She got a new nose." We can't really explain that reaction, especially since after some serious compare-and-contrast we're not convinced it's true, but still, that's not necessarily what you want people thinking when you walk in a room. Also, you maybe should've given the acceptance speech for your show, because Matthew Weiner's basically amounted to "we won this last year and I didn't get to give a speech."

Finally, Tracy Morgan -- the quote of the night goes to you: "I'm the face of post-racial America! Deal with it Cate Blanchett!" We're not 100% sure what that means since Cate Blanchett is not, in fact, American, but we've been going around saying it to our roommate all day anyway.

xoxo,

The Remote Island

Gervais and Brand - Two Very Different Faces of British Comedy

Jake Kalish — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 22:27:00 GMT

I say, who's that rather tan chap between them?

We can't wait for HBO's Ricky Gervais: Out of England Saturday at 9 -- and if we weren't busy with, um, 30 Rock, we'd also go to see Russell Brand live tonight at 8 at El Museo Del Barrio, where he'll be taping of his first Comedy Central Special.

Now, Gervais, it seems, can do no wrong, whether it be TV, film, podcasts, or on stage. But Brand recently got into quite a bit of trouble with the BBC for a prank call he made to the grandfather of a supposed sexual conquest. Wonder if all this controversy will help a career that seemed to be taking off quite well on its own -- or if folks will be turned off by Aldous Snow as quickly as they were turned on.

-- Jake Kalish is the author of Santa vs. Satan: The Official Compendium of Imaginary Fights

TV Columnist Admits TV Stars Hate TV

Ben Kallen — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:25:00 GMT

We all know people who claim they don't ever watch TV, except maybe Mad Men and Masterpiece Theatre and the occasional roundtable debate about the effects of global warming on penguin habitats. But now we have confirmation from AP television writer Frazier Moore that this group of Hills-despising, How I Met Your Mother-ignoring snobs includes TV performers themselves.

"Among the scads of TV stars I've talked to, I never made a point of grilling them on their TV consumption," Moore writes. "I don't recall how often it came up. But over time I started to realize (and marvel) that, out of everyone who did address the issue with me, fewer than a dozen of them copped to being TV fans.

"The rest: Well, they don't shun just the programs they appear in. They don't watch TV, period. Or so they claim."

Well, sure -- it's one thing to play Horny Nerd at Sci-Fi Convention on The Big Bang Theory, and another to admit you watch the thing. What would you tell your friends when you run into them at Pinkberry? In fact, Moore points out, it's obvious what Hollywood's attitude toward the medium itself is, given that the TV-watchingest TV characters tend to be fat louts such as Homer Simpson, Peter Griffin and Tony Soprano.

Luckily, not all performers feel that way about their own audience. The actors who Moore says do admit to being fans of the tube also participate in some of the smartest, most pop-culture-relevant shows: The Office and Extras writer-actor Ricky Gervais, Robot Chicken cocreator Seth Green, and Mad Men star Jon Hamm.

So if you ever catch yourself saying all you watch is Mad Men and The Office, keep in mind that the people on the screen are home with a bowl of popcorn and Two and a Half Men or some Law & Order marathon, just like everybody else.

Image: Fox

Previously:
Mad Men Recap: Sunday Worst
Even More Great Office News
How I Met Your Mother Secrets Revealed (No, Not That One)

Casting Coup: Fey and Carell To Make a Movie

Ben Kallen — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 19:20:00 GMT

In a move that should please the fans of The Office and 30 Rock (a group that consists of, basically, every comedy fan out there), Steve Carell and Tina Fey have been cast together in the upcoming film Date Night. They'll play a married couple whose night on the town descends into chaos.

"I wanted to do a relatable, grounded character comedy about marriage and the lengths we go to preserve the spark," director Shawn Levy (Night at the Museum) told Daily Variety. "Tina and Steve are smart and relatable, and the tone of their comedy perfectly fits this film."

Even better, this will make a perfect set for Fey -- she recently made another comedy, This Side of the Truth, with British Office star and creator Ricky Gervais. That one, about the first guy to learn how to lie in an all-truthful society, also contains a ridiculously talented supporting cast: Jennifer Garner, Jeffrey Tambor, Jonah Hill, Christopher Guest, Louis C.K. and writer/"P.C. Guy" John Hodgman.

Two comedy movies that should actually be funny? It's almost enough to get us to leave the house once in a while.

Previously:
30 Rock: Will Kenneth the Page Have a New Uniform?

Now Playing: The Summer's First Office Webisode