Will Ferrell on The Huffington Post

Will Ferrell Guests In New York Times Wedding Announcement

2009-12-20T09:37:58Z

Will Ferrell made a cameo in the New York Times' wedding announcements on Sunday, in a newlywed couple's photo.

Jessie Fuller and Buck Rodgers met as production assistants and one works on an upcoming Ferrell movie.

From the announcement:

He is a production assistant on the film "The Other Guys," with Will Ferrell (who made a cameo appearance in the couple's photo) and Mark Wahlberg, which is shooting in New York.

Ferrell also appears for a few seconds in the couple's video for the NYT website.

The third person is not technically against the paper's stringent photo requirements, but the couple's off-eyebrow height may be. The photo rules, posted here, read as follows:

Our policy on photographs has changed. While we continue to include formal portraits of couples and individual brides, we also include full-length images of brides in wedding dresses, as well as informal photographs of individuals or couples at home, outdoors or in other attractive settings. Those posing for pictures should be neatly dressed, and the images should be of professional quality. Five-by-seven or eight-by-ten prints are preferred. They may be either black-and-white or color.

Couples posing for pictures should arrange themselves with their eyebrows on exactly the same level and with their heads fairly close together. Couple pictures should be printed in a horizontal format.

Brian Center: A Shout Out To Will Ferrell And Friends

2009-11-23T13:52:37Z

How much impact does a celebrity make when he or she donates their name and time to a non-profit? Here is my experience.

On February 20, at the Nokia Theatre at L.A. LIVE in downtown Los Angeles, Will Ferrell and his friends, like Zach Galifianakis and Demetri Martin, will put on a comedy extravaganza with skits and music based on their successful "Funny or Die" Tour. They are doing it to support Pete Carroll (our founder and Board Chair) and our non-profit, A Better LA.

We expect the evening to raise a good chunk of money, which is fantastic. Those dollars will fund outreach workers in LA and programs for kids that will literally save lives and engage kids who have never been engaged before in positive activities.

But the impact goes beyond the money. It affects the entire operation of the non-profit and has already buoyed every person working behind the scenes or on the front line.

Take me for example. As the Executive Director, I experience a high when I see hope in a kid's eyes or see a scenario play out that saves lives. Like the time I watched our outreach workers operate in a way that -- according to law enforcement -- stopped a war and prevented at least several homicides and all of the destruction and chaos that goes along with senseless violence. A week later, I experienced the low of hearing about a young man being killed over nothing -- sitting in his neighborhood and being mistaken for someone else. I then felt the sensation of wondering what more I could be doing to stop violence.

I have spoken with a lot of people in the non-profit profession, and most experience what I am talking about. If you don't have the right attitude, burnout can be a real problem. You can get sucked into a cycle of feeling like you are never doing enough. If I spend the day making calls for donations, that is time away from the community where I could be making a direct impact. If I spend too much time in the community and fail at fundraising, we won't be able to implement programs. If someone loses their life, I somehow could have done something to prevent it. I know it is irrational and I quickly push all of those thoughts aside, but I know many people who get caught up in it. And my experience is much less intense than those working on the front lines every day. In other words, non-profit and community transformation work can be tough.

So, it is an incredibly uplifting feeling to now have CAA agents and staff from AEG and the Staples Center Foundation working with us to sell out the 7,000 seat Nokia Theatre. It makes fundraising so much easier when the Board of Directors and other supporters can, instead of just asking for checks, invite friends to fancy VIP parties surrounding the event. And it brings such credibility to our operation to be able to mention (at every chance I get) the Will Ferrell event. It makes everyone proud to have these really talented entertainers by our side.

And it creates a tremendous morale boost for the community workers and police officers who put so much time and emotion on the line every day. They get to see busy and famous people helping them to continue their work. It's not just a boost to morale, it seriously is a life changer.

So, to Will Ferrell and his friends, who are making such a big impact on the lives of those behind the scenes of our non-profit, and the Los Angeles community, thanks! We can't wait for February 20.

If you are going to be in LA and want to join us, visit www.abetterla.org

Mark Wahlberg, Will Ferrell Turn Out For Knicks Game (PHOTOS)

2009-11-23T12:12:02Z

Despite the team's poor record, the stars are still coming out to see the New York Knicks. Mark Wahlberg, Will Ferrell, Brooke Shields, Tracy Morgan and Spike Lee all turned out to watch the Knicks play surprisingly competitive basketball against the Boston Celtics. The star power wasn't quite enough to pull the Knicks to victory, however, as Boston won in overtime on a Kevin Garnett buzzer beater.

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A-List Celebs Line Up For Concert For Autism

2009-11-12T12:15:56Z

What do Jerry Seinfeld, Bruce Springsteen and Donald Trump have in common? They, along with a bunch of other A-List celebrities are making appearances at the Autism Speaks Concert For Autism on November 17 at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

This year's star-studded event will feature comedian Jerry Seinfeld, with a special appearance by "The Boss", Bruce Springsteen. The evening will be hosted by NBC's Meet the Press moderator, David Gregory, on November 17, at world famous landmark Carnegie Hall. Your participation in this global cause will benefit the families and individuals who live with autism every day by supporting research, awareness and family services initiatives.

We love celebrities supporting a good cause and this one has no dearth of them: Jamie Foxx, Ellen DeGeneres, Tina Fey, Conan O'Brien, Seth Rogen, Martha Stewart, Katie Couric, Meredith Vieira, Glenn Close, Celine Dion, Will Ferrell, Edie Falco, Troy Aikman, and Harry Smith are a few of the many committee members supporting the event.

Larry King even twittered about the event earlier today.

Read more about the event at Autismspeaks.org or see if you can snag a few last minute tickets by e-mailing ConcertforAutism@AutismSpeaks.org. The site has some great information about autism and how it affects children and families.

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Jon Chattman: Nick Swardson: "My Ass is the Best Joke Teller I Know"

2009-10-08T14:48:58Z

Chances are you've seen Nick Swardson before, and he's made you laugh and perhaps made you feel a little uneasy. The actor, comedian and writer is arguably best known for his roles as prostitute on wheels in "Reno 911!," as a man-boy attracted to old ladies in "Grandma's Boy," and as a stalker in the Will Ferrell figure skating comedy "Blades of Glory." But there's more to Swardson than hilariously disturbing roles. He released a successful comedy CD a few years back called "Party," and later this month will release another with an accompanying DVD. The CD comes with perhaps the best album title ever: "Seriously, Who Farted?"

I got down to that hard-hitting question and more when I spoke with Swardson earlier this week.

How did the CD combo come about?
Chuck Norris made me do it.

The title of your album raises a very important question. How has passing gas changed your life?
It's been a lot more positive than negative. Years and years of laughter. I don't think there is a more consistent joke than an actual fart and the reaction to the sound (always changing) and the smell (again changing). My ass---- is the best joke teller I know. I still laugh to this day. My friend's grandfather farted the other day and he didn't laugh he just kept walking and I thought "Please don't let that happen to me. Don't ever let the weight of living take the joy of farting from me."

You usually play scene-stealing disturbing supporting characters in your movies -- is this a conscious decision? Are you normal?
It's half and half. My "Reno 911!" character I created (which is strange that I would choose that) but a lot of them I was cast into or asked to play. I enjoy getting into characters though -- the weird stuff especially. People remember those more. There is, for sure, a very twisted side to me. The other side is a nude Brad Pitt riding a unicorn with candy as his genitals.

Who were your greatest inspirations in life -- I'm guessing Rue McClanahan?
Rue was huge. I can't stress that enough. Her West Palm Beach sass and promiscuity spoke to me and cultivated my sense of humor and inner whore....also Woody Allen and Charlie Chaplin. Two originals. Can't touch either of them in terms of vision and creativity.

"Grandma's Boy" is very underrated -- do you find it has a cult following?
Yes, which really made me happy 'cause I love that movie with all my soul and when people started to discover it on DVD and knowing that the phrase "Adios, turd nuggets," was now free to roam about our great countries social vernacular brought meaning to my existence.

What are your goals in life? A sitcom? A lead film role? Both? None?
I don't really know. I live weekend to weekend. Shot to shot. Fart to fart ... (I learned that from Ghandi)

Which brings us to the age-old question: Seriously, who farted?
You.

Last question -- can I trust the quality of food at a buffet?
Depends where the buffet is ... Brentwood, CA: dig in. Chernobyl: pass.

Funny Or Die's Insurance Company Parody Draws "Response" Video

2009-10-02T10:28:34Z

For your viewing enjoyment, here's a "response" video to the Funny Or Die "Protect Insurance Companies" fake-PSA from last week. Response videos can be funny! This one, sadly, reminds me of that time when a bunch of people attempted to glom on to Saturday Night Live "Lazy Sunday" video by making "responses" that weren't as funny, at all. It's called "the Law of Diminishing Returns," and it's something that anyone who's uninsured can appreciate, in the moments before their deaths from eminently treatable diseases.

Anyway, there's little attempt here to address the underlying point of the original, which was that those crafting the health care reform bill were beholden to lobbyists from the major insurance companies. The overall point to this "response" is a reinforcement of Galty anti-tax oversimplifications and a generic, don't listen to celebrities, instead listen to people like AHIP and record-setting grifters like Rick Scott instead. On the substance, the "response ad" points out that groups like PhRMA and health insurance lobbyists have been meeting with White House officials and Nancy Pelosi. That's a good point! Of course, this was the very thing that the original video underscored.

Elsewhere, you get fearmongering about how America will run out of doctors if we attempt to insure everybody, so a few tens of millions of you will have to go on making your noble sacrifice for the rest of the country. WE MUST RATION HEALTH CARE IN ORDER TO SAVE IT, FROM RATIONING! And of course, there's the requisite moment where they just start lying, like when they suggest that "71% of physicians disagree that the public option will provide better quality care at a lower cost." They have this precisely reversed: Physicians "by a large majority, support adding a government run health insurance program that would compete with private insurance."

But hey, the guy aping Jon Hamm's vocal tics is pretty good at it. Probably a huge Mad Men fan!

[WATCH]

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Will Ferrell's Wife Expecting Baby #3

2009-09-30T17:23:00Z

Will Ferrell's house is fast becoming a real boys' club.

The former Saturday Night Live star, 42 and his wife, auctioneer Viveca Paulin, 40, are expecting their third child, a boy, the actor's rep tells PEOPLE.

Protect Insurance Companies PSA: Will Ferrell, Jon Hamm Speak Out Against The Public Option (VIDEO)

2009-09-22T07:58:05Z

In a satiric video from Funny or Die, Will Ferrell, Jon Hamm, Olivia Wilde, and other celebs band together to "protect" insurance company profits from the evils of health care reform.

"People are saying a lot of mean things about health insurance companies and their executives and it's gotta stop," pleads Thomas Lennon.

"These great business men are American heroes," says Linda Cardellini.

"So why is Obama trying to reform health care when insurance companies are doing just fine making billions of dollars in profit?" Will Ferrell asks.

Funny or Die has history of using celebrities and humor to take a stance on political issues. Last year they released "Prop 8: The Musical" starring Jack Black, Neil Patrick Harris, Margaret Cho, and more satirizing the push for a ban on gay marriage in California.

This "Insurance PSA," paid for by and produced with MoveOn.org, ends with a call to action, asking people to call their congressmen and tell them we need a strong public option.

WATCH:

Protect Insurance Companies PSA from Will Ferrell

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All The President's Men: SNL's Commander-In-Chief Impressions From The 70's To Today (VIDEO)

2009-09-08T17:30:21Z

As we here at HuffPost await the September 26th return of "Saturday Night Live," we take you back to the beginning when Chevy Chase made Ford look foolish, and Dan Aykroyd showed us the higher side of Jimmy Carter. Unfortunately, Aykroyd's Nixon impression isn't available online, please let us know if we missed others!

CHEVY CHASE AS GERALD FORD:

DAN AYKROYD AS JIMMY CARTER:

DANA CARVEY AS GEORGE H.W. BUSH:

DARRELL HAMMOND AS BILL CLINTON:

PHIL HARTMAN AS BILL CLINTON:

WILL FERRELL AS GEORGE W. BUSH:

FRED ARMISEN AS BARACK OBAMA:

PHIL HARTMAN AS RONALD REAGAN:

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Will Ferrell And Will Arnett Play Tennis (VIDEO)

2009-08-31T10:40:18Z

Maybe Will Arnett's tennis career is making him too busy for the 'Arrested Development' movie. Andy Roddick and Arnett faced off against Andy Murray and Will Ferrell a charity match over the weekend at Flushing Meadows in NYC. It will probably be the only US Open match where shoes fly over the net. Kenan Thompson, outfitted in a padded vest, 'umpired.'

"Once I took off my shoes, my game catapulted to the next level," said Ferrell after he and Murray took a narrow victory.

"It's all in the heat of the battle," said Roddick, when asked about getting beaten by Ferrell. "I don't need to hug the guy, but we can respect each other. He's a heck of a tennis player."

Roddick's wife Brooklyn Decker, a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, was sadly not around to console him.

WATCH:

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A-List Stars Fail To Fill Theaters: Will Brad Pitt Do Better?

2009-08-21T08:06:10Z

The spring and summer box office has murdered megawatt stars like Denzel Washington, Julia Roberts, Eddie Murphy, John Travolta, Russell Crowe, Tom Hanks, Adam Sandler and Will Ferrell.

Can Brad Pitt escape?

A-list movie stars have long been measured by their ability to fill theaters on opening weekend. But never have so many failed to deliver, resulting in some rare soul-searching by motion picture studios about why the old formula isn't working -- and a great deal of anxiety among stars (and agents) about the potential vaporization of their $20 million paychecks.

Will Ferrell's Sky Dive With Sex Toys (VIDEO)

2009-08-10T11:31:04Z

"The Goods" opens Friday, and the Jeremy Piven-helmed comedy features some raunchy, red band content, one clip of which is below.

Will Ferrell has a small role in the film, and as seen below, it answers the film's question of what happens in Albuquerque and features Ferrell, dressed like Abe Lincoln, skydiving with dildos.

And it's NSFW.

WATCH:

Doin' It: Ed Helms's Boy Band Breakout (VIDEO)

2009-08-04T09:27:44Z

Neal Brennan's upcoming film "The Goods: Live Hard Sell Hard," looks pretty hilarious. Jeremy Piven (sans mercury poisoning), Ed Helms, Rob Riggle, Craig Robinson, Tony Hale, Kristen Schaal, Alan Thicke, James Brolin, Kathryn Hahn, and Will Ferrell star as used-car dealers and the folks that surround used-car dealers in this "Funny or Die"-guys production.

In the film, Ed Helms is Paxton Harding, a man with a dream and an obvious talent for boy band theatrics. He and his group, the Big Ups, made a video for their first single "Doin It." It's as sexy as it is musically adept.

WATCH:

Big Ups - Doin It Exclusive Music Video from Joey Kern

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They Played Presidents: Who Was Believable? (PHOTOS, POLL)

2009-07-19T07:37:56Z

Whether playing a fictional head of state or a real-life US president, these leading men have found themselves in the role of POTUS--some more convincingly than others.

How presidential were they? Let us know who's captured your vote.

PHOTOS:

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Comedy Central Orders Will Ferrell Sitcom Starring Jon Heder

2009-07-09T12:43:20Z

Comedy Central has ordered a multi-camera sitcom from distributor Debmar-Mercury and Gary Sanchez Productions, Will Ferrell and Adam McKay's production shingle....

Jon Heder, who starred in Napoleon Dynamite and Blades of Glory, will play the lead role as a computer IT specialist who leaves the big city to move home with his parents.

Tallulah Morehead: Drama Queens: Random Thoughts While Watching The Tony Awards Show

2009-06-08T05:34:43Z

The Tony Awards is the show where folks who even I, after a century of acting in theater and movies, have never heard of, thank other people I've never heard of, for roles in plays I haven't seen.

It opened with Sir Elton John performing a song from Billy Elliot as young boys danced with chairs, and one even flew through the air. I felt like I was watching Michael Jackson's erotic fantasies. Ew.

Thanks to horrific sound mixing, the opening medley of songs from nominated musicals was a ghastly mess. At one point two different songs from West Side Story and one song from Guys and Dolls were all being sung at the same time, creating a discordant cacophony, not helped by the fact that their mikes were off, but people in the audience were miked loud and clear.

Then up popped that sleazeball Brett Michaels, whom I've only ever seen licking diseased skanks in clips on The Soup. Apparently, he also sings. The descending "Broadway" marquee hit Brett in the head. It's the first time I've seen scenery that was smarter than the producers.

They had Dolly Parton, replaying the role she created in 9 to 5 100 years ago. Isn't 8 hours awfully long for a musical?

Liza Minnelli sounded awful. Liza is now almost 20 years older than her mother was when she died, and her performance made me realize the good thing about Judy dying in her 40s; Her voice never deteriorated into the wreck that Liza's was last night. Once Liza was a great singer and dancer. She's too old and had too many hip replacements to dance anymore, and now we can hear she can't sing anymore either. All she can do now is marry more gay men. Well she was in the right place to troll for her next set of husbands. There were fewer gay men at the GLAAD Awards. Look out, Neal Patrick Harris.

There's something profoundly wrong with seeing Liza singing with the cast of Hair. Maybe she needs a hippie replacement.

After the ghastly medley finally ended, bland, forgettable host Neil Patrick Harris said, "That was amazing!" It was. Amazingly bad. Harris was the weakest host they've had in years, and that's not forgetting Whoopi Goldberg last year. Hugh Jackman, where were you?

Jane Fonda presented Featured Actor in a Play. The nominees were John Glover and four guys I'd never heard of before. I hope that guy I've never set eyes on before wins. Oh good he did.

Shrek, apparently, is a musical for kids who can afford $100 for a theater ticket. Why can't I fast forward through a live broadcast?

The dwarf in Shrek was played by Christopher Sieber, a normal-sized man on his knees with puppet legs. Why isn't he being picketed by little actors for denying work to real dwarves? So much for "There are no small parts." The men in this number were wearing yellow wigs that made their heads look like gigantic jaundiced penises.

Neil did a Phantom of the Oprah joke that I've been doing for 20 years. Well Neil, steal from the best. At least "Obama Mia" was a fresh joke.

Angela Lansbury won Best Featured Actress in a Play, probably because she was the only nominee anyone had ever heard of before. This was Angela's 6000th Tony in over 300 years on Broadway. Angela doesn't appear to age, perhaps because she's looked middle-aged since Mame in 1966. Maybe Jessica Fletcher could find out who murdered the opening medley.

In introducing an unnecessary number from Momma Mia, Neil said it had been nominated for 5 Tonys the year it played on Broadway. This is a polite way of saying it lost 5 Tonys. (And why were the fake ABBA singers singing Dancing Queen while dressed as gay superheroes?)

Neil recommended Smell-o-vision to Broadway producers. Neil, these shows already stink.

Best Book of a Musical is too unimportant to include in the broadcast? Since my ghost writer and amanuensis, Little Dougie, is currently writing a book for a musical, he was really insulted by this.

Best Score: There's something nice about seeing song writers I've never heard of beat Dolly Parton and Sir Elton John. They said Dolly Parton's work "inspired us to become writers in the first place." Really? One of the song writers (They gave us no clue who was who) thanked his wife, and they cut his mike off. At the Tonys, even the sound crew is gay.

From West Side Story, we saw the dance at the gym number. Finally, 48 minutes into the show, some real, knock your-eyes-out, entertainment. The guy playing Tony is hot. I hope they changed the ending, and Maria dies instead of Tony. And after hearing Liza Minnelli's once-magnificent voice sound like crap, it was chilling and beautiful to hear the perfect control this Tony displayed in the final note of the song. That boy can sing! The girl can sing too, but she fell off her note; he nailed his.

(Incidentally, if you love musical theater enough to watch the Tonys, you'll want to read Arthur Laurents's wonderful new book Mostly on Directing which, among other shows, details the directing of this West Side Story revival. It's a great read.)

How gorgeous and elegant did Susan Sarandon look presenting Best Direction of a Play? If she weren't selfishly (Objectivistly?) standing between Tim Robbins and me, I would worship her. Unfortunate camera framing of Susan made it look like the words behind her said the category was "Best Erection". Finally a meaningful award!

In the Best Direction categories, I was rooting for Up. (I'm going to keep doing variations of that joke so long as I'm reviewing award shows, so get used to it.)

We saw a number from something called Rock of Ages. Constantine Maroulis is starring on Broadway in an obnoxious rock musical? Broadway seats nowadays go for over $100. I'd pay that much just to skip this excerpt, let alone miss the whole show. The guy in the fake-tux T-shirt must be gay; not only was he mincing about like Franklin Pangborn in a pre-Hollywood-production code comedy, but he came out and hit on Liza. Gay!!!

Liza won the Dame Edna Special Performance Award. I'd have been more likely to believe she deserved it if I hadn't just heard her sing. But watching terminally overpraised Will Ferrell lose a Tony Award the same weekend his big, terrible new movie tanked at the box office made my night. Liza thanked "My parents, Kay Thompson." Uh-oh. Liza's forgotten she's Judy Garland's daughter. She is in bad shape.

How nice to have the plot of Guys and Dolls explained to me. I don't think I've seen it more than a dozen times.

The Guys and Dolls revival has a big, flamboyantly effeminate black man playing Nicely-Nicely. You know what they call a big effeminate black gangster in real life? "The deceased."

It was great to see Gregory Jbara finally win a long-overdue Tony. I've thought he was terrific ever since I saw him in Damn Yankees in 1994, and not just because he showed his awe-inspiring butt onstage during You Gotta Have Heart. Lately the poor guy has been humiliating himself in "Erectile Dysfunction" commercials. Let's hope this award puts an end to that grisly phase of his career. He dragged his wife up onstage with him. Apparently he loves her. Well, he'll get over that.

I missed the announcement "Filling in for Carrie Fisher, who could not be here tonight, is Jabba the Hut." but there he was, pretending to be her.

In introducing Jessica Lange, Neil did a joke that implied he's had sex with her. Has he forgotten he came out as gay? Jessica Lange, wearing one of Janice Dickenson's old faces, quickly denied Neil's joke out of existence.

In the category of Best Leading Actor in a Play, we finally had four out of five nominees I'd actually heard of before, though the one I don't know I would like to know Biblically, because Thomas Sadoski is a little hottie. Geoffrey Rush accepting this award gave the first genuinely funny speech all evening, certainly funnier than anything Neil said.

After offending many people last year by running the Dead People Montage during a commercial break, they returned it to the on-air show. "This year we lost some giants," said Bebe Neuwirth. Does anyone ever introduce it with, "Fortunately, all the people who died this year were just awful!" Big applause for Bea Arthur and Paul Newman. None for Clive Barnes. To most Broadway actors, writers, directors, and producers, a dead critic is a good start. Over the montage, a chorus sang Kiss Your Ass Goodbye from A Chorus Line, which was perhaps a bit too - ah - on the nose.

Rick Fisher, winner of best lighting of a musical was heard to say, "I just want to encourage all of you to keep bringing little kids to the theater." Well if you do, sit them near him, not me. (LEAVE YOUR LITTLE KIDS HOME!!!)

Frank Langella's speech was very funny also. We saw a snap shot of him as a teenager in The Bald Soprano. Now he's a bald bass.

Marcia Gay Harden won Best Lead Actress in a Play. If only she'd drop her first name, she'd have the most-attractive name in show business.

Sir Elton John appearing onstage in a simple black tuxedo? Please. Who was that impersonating him? The real Sir Elton always dresses to make Dame Edna look frumpy.

The number presented from Billy Elliot was basically a kid having a tap-danced tantrum. Even talented kids are annoying. And unless my ears are as deceptive as my fifth husband was, Sir Elton has "sampled" Tchaikovsky in his "original" score for Billy Elliot. I know Swan Lake when I hear it. And I see why Sir Elton lost Best Lyrics. The lyrics of this song were: "Ah! ... Ah! ... Ah! ... Ah!" [repeat until exhausted] Well, at least it rhymed.

Gina Gershon told us: "Theatergoers made this the highest-grossing season in the history of the Broadway League." No. Astronomical ticket prices did that. For the price of a pair of Saturday Night front row orchestra seats these days, you can buy a three-bedroom house.

Jerry Herman is the very epitome of the Broadway songsmith. He may not have the complexity of Sondheim, but you hear one of his songs once, and you know it for ever. His tunes are catchier than swine flu, and vastly more fun.

Anne Hathaway looks great considering she was married to William Shakespeare some 400 years ago.

The exuberant performance of the title song from Hair (One title song not written by Jerry Herman) was the highlight of the night, pure fun, and a vivid reminder of how much sexier the 1960s were than now. And that guy playing Berger is gorgeous.

Unfortunately, they ruined it afterwards by trotting out that annoying, nasal-voiced, twice-born Christian, Kristen Chenowith, who mentioned the one flaw in the number, the cast remaining clothed, as though it was a good thing. Trust a devout Christer to get it backwards. Kristen laughed at her own jokes, saving me the effort.

Best Revival of a Musical was the one big surprise of the night. I was expecting Arthur Laurents's phenomenal bilingual revival of WestSide Story to win, but Hair snatched it away. An exuberant, anti-war, celebration of life, and recreation of what was best about the 1960s won out over the beloved Romeo and Juliet lift. Fine by me.

Oh David Hyde Pierce, how I've missed your comic genius.

Alice Ripley, in a stunning blue gown, overacted her brains out giving her acceptance speech for Best Leading Actress in a Musical. If her performance in the play is anything like her acceptance speech performance, they should take back her Tony.

Three children and Constantine Maroulis were all Tony nominees for Best Actor in a Musical? They were really desperate this year! And then, the kids won, over that hot guy from Hair? Insane. The world's gone mad. This was the first time I've heard a Tony winner thank his "guardians." Who's next? The chaperones? For once, I found myself saying, "Play them off! Play them off!"

Just to make a long show longer, they had musical numbers from Legally Blonde, Momma Mia, and Jersey Boys, all shows from previous seasons. Not being a tween, I hated Legally Blonde when I saw it, but any excuse to hear Can't Take My Eyes Off of You is fine with me.

The show ran overlong, so my DVR cut off as Liza was reading out the nominees for Best Musical. Or maybe it just couldn't take anymore of Liza. What won? If they'd cut the unnecessary songs from Legally Blonde and Momma Mia, they'd have finished on time. You'll have to make up your own joke about the last winner. I'm going to listen to my original Broadway cast album of Hair, and pretend it's 1968 again. Toking up!

Cheers darlings.

[Next day addendum. I have now learned that Neil Patrick Harris saved his big guns for the end, and finished the show with a big musical parody number that all seem to have loved, except all watching it on TiVO or DVR, like myself. Who waits until the end of a three-hour show (four hours for those in the theater) to pull out their best stuff for an audience that only wants to get to the bar fast? Bad decision. Open with the big stuff. At 11 o'clock-plus the losers want to get drunk, the winners want to celebrate, and no one wants any more show. Very odd. You can find a link to it elsewhere on these pages. And be sure to read the account of the show on Ken Levine's blog, also linked on this page, for the funny, funny take of his daughter and her writing partner. Great stuff, despite their not always agreeing with my assessments. ]

To read more of Tallulah Morehead, go to
The Morehead the Merrier.

'Up' And 'Hangover' Have Big Weekends, Ferrell Tanks

2009-06-07T16:50:47Z

LOS ANGELES — Two live-action comedies were unable to bring down the animated adventure "Up." Disney and Pixar Animation's "Up" reeled in $44.2 million to remain on top of the box office for the second weekend in a row, according to studio estimates Sunday.

The Warner Bros. bachelor-bash comedy "The Hangover" came in a close second with a $43.3 million debut. Will Ferrell's action comedy for Universal, "Land of the Lost," had to settle for a distant third with a $19.5 million opening.

Review: `Land of the Lost,' indeed

2009-06-05T15:30:32Z

LOS ANGELES — There is exactly one funny bit in "Land of the Lost," and it stands out because it comes at the very beginning and the very end.

Will Ferrell, as arrogant scientist Dr. Rick Marshall, appears on the "Today" show to discuss his time-travel theories and promote his latest book. Matt Lauer, thinking he's a crackpot, interviews him with unmistakable disdain and chafes at Marshall's attempts to hijack the segment. (Lauer's deadpan comic timing is great, by the way. Maybe he should think about a career in acting if this TV thing doesn't work out.)

Andy Ostroy: "Forget Twitter, I'm on the CB!"

2009-06-02T10:27:09Z

Those were the hilarious words shouted Monday night by the actor Will Ferrell during a silly bit on Conan O'Brien's debut as host of NBC's The Tonight Show (which was a solidly funny and successful debut, btw). But it got me thinking: how cool would it be if instead of typing away in such an impersonal manner on Facebook and Twitter, millions of people used CB radio's and even the phone!

For those of you young people out there who are a bit confused right now, CB radios were a big fad in the 1970's. We had 'em in cars and in our homes, and people would actually shape their lips and tongues into various positions to form words in an effort to communicate through actual spoken language. I know, I know, crazy, right? And that other piece of equipment I mentioned, the phone, is also used for verbal communication purposes. Think of it as sort of a Facebook or Twitter with sound. All those silly "status" comments you make to each other--and to no one in particular--can actually be made live...and get this, the other person on the phone can actually respond right back to you in, like, a conversation! It's really cool! You don't even have to make any additional purchases either. That little gadget you carry around for all that texting, picture-taking, web browsing and music downloads? It has a frickin' phone in it too! I'm serious, you can actually talk on that damned thing. I know...it's insane. It's like getting a whole other "app" for free!

Seriously, kids, talking to someone is actually a lot of fun. You'll get to hear tone, inflection, humor, sarcasm...and can have a solid back and forth which you might just find quite engaging. Now go ahead and try it, and let me know what ya think!

Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien! His First Laker's Game, First Biden Joke, First Will Ferrell Song (VIDEO)

2009-06-02T08:12:20Z

(SCROLL DOWN TO VOTE: WHAT DID YOU THINK OF CONAN'S FIRST SHOW?)

Conan O'Brien opened his first "Tonight Show" with a sketch that shows the host running from New York City to Los Angeles, where the "Tonight Show" is based. He was in a rush, but made time to visit the Victorian Doll Museum and ruin a Cubs game only to realize he left the keys to the new studio back in New York.

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When he "arrived" on stage he poked fun at himself and NBC in his opening monologue: "I think I've timed this move perfectly: I'm on a last-place network, I moved to a state that's bankrupt and 'The Tonight Show' is sponsored by General Motors."

He also showed the audience his first Lakers game in which he had awesome seats, much like the other celebrities in attendance.

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Many wondered if Conan's sketches would follow him from New York to Los Angeles, and they did. In addition to the cold open, O'Brien dubbed over the White House Press Conference introducing Sonia Sotomayor as Obama's Supreme Court pick with some interesting words from Joe Biden.

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Will Ferrell was O'Brien's first guest. He called Liza Minelli a "Commie" and led the audience in a chant of "U-S-A" before singing Conan a goodbye song that confused the host. Ferrell explained himself saying, "Don't get me wrong. I'm pulling for you. But this little thing is a crapshoot at best."

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Despite some mixed reviews, more people watched O'Brien's show last night than "Letterman" and "Nightline" combined.

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Marshall Fine: Flee from Land of the Lost

2009-06-02T07:36:35Z

OK, I'm big enough to admit when I'm wrong.

I apologize to Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian. It's not the most witless, humor-challenged movie of the summer.

The winner and new champion: Land of the Lost. At least there's truth in advertising. See it and you lose your time, the money you spent on a ticket and, perhaps, the ability to walk upright without dragging your knuckles on the ground.

Abandon hope, all ye who enter.

With this film, Will Ferrell officially signals the end of his 15 minutes. Indeed, if it weren't for Matt Lauer, there'd be nary a laugh at all in this excruciatingly lazy and unnecessary film. I repeat: The biggest laughs belong to Matt Lauer.

Dinosaur urine and poop are the best they've got? Oh, wait -- I forgot the numerous times the monkey man groped Anna Friel's breasts. Apparently director Brad Silberling thought it got funnier every time. He was wrong.

Indeed, this comedy auteur -- whose scary resume includes Casper and that awful Lemony Snicket movie -- is seldom right, starting with the impulse to remake a thunderingly lame TV show from the 1970s as a Will Ferrell vehicle.

I propose that there should be criminal penalties for wasting $100 million on a movie this dreadful. Maybe someone can implement Hollywood's version of the hockey penalty box for actors and directors who knowingly make one. Sorry, Will, you've got to sit the next one out.

How could they not know? Probably they didn't notice because they were too busy standing around on the set, cracking each other up and congratulating themselves on what comic geniuses they are, while collecting massive paychecks.

For the rest of this review, click here to go to my website: www.hollywoodandfine.com.

Cool Guys Don't Look At Explosions: Andy Samberg's Tribute To Action Stars (VIDEO)

2009-06-01T12:12:39Z

In addition to hosting the MTV Movie Awards, Andy Samberg shot several digital shorts for the show. The highlight of them was certainly his tribute to action movies and their stars, that featured Samberg, Will Ferrell and J.J. Abrams singing about cool guys who walk away from explosions without looking back.

Click here for more from the MTV Movie Awards.

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Will Ferrell Screams For His Mother, Eats Eyeball On 'Man Vs. Wild' (VIDEO)

2009-05-29T14:28:29Z

Will Ferrell's much-anticipated appearance on Discovery Channel's Man vs. Wild is finally set to air. Ferrell, next up in 'Land of the Lost,' and show host Bear Grylls are left in the arctic tundra of Sweden to forage for food (brains and eyeballs!) keep themselves warm with dead animals and hike through snow. The whole episode premieres Tuesday, June 2, at 10 p.m.

Below is a sneak peek.

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Will Ferrell Launches His Own Sunscreen Line

2009-05-28T11:03:30Z

Will Ferrell is the next celeb to jump into the branding game by stripping down and greasing up for summer with a signature sunscreen collection. Taking the adage "sex sells" to heart, Will's three SPF 30 lotions -- in Sun Stroke, Sexy Hot Tan and Forbidden Fruit -- feature glamour shots of the comedian in various states of undress. 100% of proceeds from Will Ferrell Sunscreen will benefit the charity Cancer for College's College Willpowered Scholarship Fund, which grants college scholarships to cancer survivors and amputees.

Conan O'Brien's First "Tonight Show" Guests: Will Ferrell, Pearl Jam

2009-05-18T16:30:17Z

LOS ANGELES — Will Ferrell and Pearl Jam will be part of Conan O'Brien's first "Tonight Show."

Ferrell joined O'Brien in February for his final "Late Night" show in New York. Now the actor-comedian will help O'Brien kick off his tenure on "Tonight" in Los Angeles.