Big Screen Little Screen

“I saw my mother sitting in the chair crying. And I came in and asked my mother why was she crying. And she said, “Nothing, son.” I wiped her face off, and I began to cry. And Ed Sullivan introduced Bill Cosby. Bill Cosby came out and he did a routine about snakes in the bathroom. My mother began to laugh and cry at the same time. Then I started laughing. I saw the joy on my mother’s face, and when Bill Cosby got through, I said, “Mom, that’s what I’m going to be. I’m going to be a comedian. I’m going to make people laugh, so you ain’t ever got to cry again.’” - Bernie Mac on The Charlie Rose Show - May 23, 2002 (part 2 | part 3)

“I’m going to be myself. I do what I do, and let the dice fall where they may. I’m here to make people laugh. Life’s no rehearsal. This is showtime! And every time I touch that mic, I’m coming to play!” - Ebony interview, 2003

When asked to play Monday morning quarterback and pinpoint the cause for the near 40 percent ratings drop (Washington Post) from the season two premiere to the following week’s ep of AMC’s Mad Men, Time.com TV critic James Poniewozik had two theories: the first having to do with DVRs and iPods and the like, but we’ll focus on his second thought, because it’s dead on. Said James, “I suspect mainly there were new viewers who tuned in attracted by the hype, expected fireworks, found a deliberate character study in which most of the action involves talking, smoking and drinking—and checked out.”

First of all, trying on a new series a full season behind rarely leads to a satisfying viewing experience. Latecomers, do it right with due diligence and a Netflix account, or not at all. Those looking to jump onto a moving vehicle would do right by a slow crosstown bus of the MTV & VH1 variety - time enough for two commercial breaks is all that’s required to learn who’s who and what’s what - very black and white, captioned and packaged for on-sight I.D. and distinction between the bad boys and girls and the approaching-tolerable ones.

Second, Mad Men and other multilayered slow-burners like the The Wire don’t earn loyal viewers through accolades (handfuls of critics have rated The Wire as one of the greatest in television history, yet it garnered only one Emmy nomination in its final season), they come from trusted word of mouth. If your friends need to be watching Mad Men, they’ve received the prodding by now.

Third, no invested Mad Men viewer gives two shits about ratings. The small tent factor is the kind of thing that us early adopting blowhards subsist on.

Looking to recover from his Grindhouse misstep, Quentin Tarantino scored a certifiable box office attraction in Brad Pitt to lead his ragtag Inglorious Bastards cast, reports Variety. Nastassja Kinski may fill the requisite comeback role, Simon Pegg, David Krumholtz (Numb3rs), and B.J. Novak (The Office) are looking likely to provide the brainy backend to the World War II pic - and most importantly, Nikki Finke can add another yelpy TOLDJA! to the mantlepiece.

Unheard from since her final Saturday Night Live performance back in November of last year, I was getting ready to draft some “Have You Seen Her” posters for Maya Rudolph prior to learning that she’d be working with husband P.T. Anderson once more (Paul ghost-helmed A Prairie Home Companion for the then-ailing Robert Altman), in a stage performance consisting of several left-of-center, romantic comedy vignettes written for her and co-SNL-conspirator, Fred Armisen. On Wednesday I received this email from Joanna Calo (of Mr. Weatherbee’s), who graciously offered some notes on night one of a very exclusive two-night engagement in Los Angeles (Thanks for rubbing in in!):

“I went to that Maya Rudolph/Fred Armisen/PTAnderson show last night at Largo at the Coronet. Was VERY cool, FUNNY, smart, special. Music by Jon Brion, and a few songs by Maya and Fred, and a theremin bit.

Mainly it was set up like a stage reading - two stools, two music stands. Several slightly abstract, funny vignettes. Some characters and themes they returned to throughout.

My only complaint was that at the end of the show they came to the foot of the stage for their bow, and gave thank yous. The last thanks was from Fred to “Paul”, which was just seemed sort of coy…but maybe I’m cynical and bitter.

Steve Agee, Sarah Silverman, Jack Black, and Matt Reeves were in attendance….

Hadn’t been to see comedy or anything in a long while, was very glad I did.”

Happy to hear that Maya - profiled in a March Vanity Fair round up of today’s funniest leading ladies - is staying sharp. Though she’s set to star alongside John Krasinski in the upcoming Sam Mendes rom-com, Farlanders, that’s just about the one publicly confirmed project she has lined up thus far. It could be that she’s focused on motherhood nowadays, which is great for her but amounts to unrealized laughs for the rest of us.

Said our correspondent of Maya’s Largo performance, “She was just fantastic to watch. She looks like no one else and she was just glorious in her Maya-ness: her voices and her singing, specifically (did I mention the show opened with all of us standing for the national anthem, which was sung in some vaguely hispanic language?). I listened to PT on The Treatment last year and he just seemed so fantastically smart and normal. I know it’s easy to romanticize these things, but he and Maya just seem to be the fanciest little couple you could ever imagine.”

After all these years of pleading postcards and telegrams, both Masters of the Universe and Thundercats will finally get updated big screen versions. Den of Geek poured over Hollywood production logs to come up with 23 mothballed television series from the states and across the pond that will be given feature-length treatments, ranging from the expected and demanded (Arrested Development) to the wish-they’d-stay buried (V: The Second Generation, CHiPs).

Accompanying the exhibit and book of the same title, Beautiful Losers touches on the skateboarding, punk, and hip-hop inspired D.I.Y. artists, who with little to no formal training, honed their crafts in the 1990s. Directed by Aaron Rose and Joshua Leonard. Featuring Thomas Campbell, Shepard Fairey, Margaret Kilgallen, Barry McGee, Phil Frost, Chris Johanson, Ed and Deanna Templeton, and filmmakers Harmony Korine and Mike Mills. Limited August release. (via Skeet On Mischa)

Previously: interview with Mike Mills

Based on the young adult novel by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan - the kids want their Michael Cera and Kat Dennings and Vampire Weekend - and by God, Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist is going to deliver it all to them in a romantic New York one-nighter.  (via Cinematical)