So Ricky Gervais Week is over, until next year right? Well no, because I don’t think a week goes past here in the City of Films where we don’t post some bit of news from the world of Ricky, so rejoice! Please visit Ricky’s honest and hilarious blog daily for updates otherwise. Below I have compiled most if not all the top stories we have on Gervais, it might take up most of your afternoon if you’re not careful: (more…)
Ricky Gervais has said that The Simpsons is the best TV show of all time, a sediment I’d have to agree with. It didn’t take long for Matt Groening to extend an invitation to Gervais after many of the creators and writers found they shared a love for The Office – saying: “Everybody on The Simpsons is a fan of The Office – it’s one of the best shows on TV in the last decade.”
Ricky Gervais went on to write and star in The Simpsons episode “Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife” voicing the character Charles Heathbar [see video below]. He guest starred as himself in the Season 22 episode “Angry Dad – The Movie“. A 2008 article [here], Entertainment Weekly named Gervais one of the sixteen best Simpsons guest stars.
Before the episode air, Gervais did an interview with Entertainment Weekly, where he picks his favorite episodes! The man knows his stuff:
Paddling the school canoe, you better believe that's a paddling.
Fox said on Thursday it was renewing The Simpsons for a 23rd season. The show by the way is already the longest-running comedy on U.S. television. The renewal for another TV season will bring the total episodes for the series to 515.
Having watched The Simpsons for as long as I can remember, and having the privilege of never missing an episode, I can certainly see why a lot of folks these days are quick to dismiss the show as having past its prime. It’s nothing new to put the show down just as it’s nothing new to defend it in all its glory.
I think there’s one thing both sides can agree on, it’s better viewing than most TV these days – and if that’s not good enough for you, how about the fact that The Simpsons has forever changed the world we live in and will be remembered well past you’re children’s children are gone. Mainly because it will still be churning out new episodes then, but you get the idea.
Last month Homer Simpson was named the greatest character created for television and film in the past 20 years by Entertainment Weekly magazine [here]. The Simpsons premiered in 1987 and for 22 seasons has been making me happy like no other show on television, ever.
These days it’s not cool to say The Simpsons is great and without it no other animated show people love today would have happened. Well it’s true, so that’s that. I can’t imagine what TV or life for that matter will be like once our favourite strange haired yellow family is gone, so let’s not even think about; let’s just tune in every Sunday this season for something special.
This season The Simpsons is set to feature the voices of celebrities such as Daniel Radcliffe, Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg, Mad Men’s Jon Hamm and Glee stars Lea Michele, Cory Monteith and Amber Riley, House actor Hugh Laurie, Halle Berry, Ricky Gervais, Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie of Flight of the Conchords, baseball legend Mike Scioscia, Martha Stewart, Paul Rudd, Rachel Weisz, comedy duo Cheech and Chong, Kristen Wiig, sports writer Bill James, Alyson Hannigan, NASCAR driver Danica Patrick, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Joe Mantegna.
Laurie and Radcliffe provide voices in the 21st annual Treehouse of Horror Halloween special. Other episodes see Hamm portraying an FBI agent and Stewart portraying herself in The Fight Before Christmas, which features live-action puppets.
From Ricky’s Blog: You may have read that I’m returning to Springfield. I actually recorded it last week. Didn’t mention it as I don’t like to show off. You know that. It’s a fun episode. I didn’t write it and it’s only a brief cameo, but I did manage to adlib like a mother fucker and insult an awful lot of people. And it only took an hour. Perfect. It airs in Feb in US I think. It’s weird that I can talk about popping up in The Simpsons so casually. When I first got into comedy someone asked me what my ultimate ambition was. I said, “to get a joke on The Simpsons.” I have been a very lucky boy indeed.
Go back and check out: Ricky Gervais & The Simpsons, A Love Story to see just how much Ricky loves him some Simpsons. Also, why not check out his almost appearance in a recent City Strip.
[vimeo]http://www.vimeo.com/6834033[/vimeo]
Matt Groening extended an invitation to Gervais after many of the creators and writers found they shared a love for The Office – saying: “Everybody on The Simpsons is a fan of The Office – it’s one of the best shows on TV in the last decade.” Where Ricky replied: “This the most intimidating project of my career. The Simpsons is the greatest TV show of all time.” Gervais did an interview with UNCUT where he listed his top 10 sitcoms of all time [see list here] and guess who made #1? (more…)
Want me to Zinc your sniffer? I never knew how important Zinc was until this past weekend when I was going through the old film catalogue and came across one of my all time favorite comedies. For fans of Police Squad! and the Naked Gun movies this one’s for you (dismiss David Zucker‘s work past the year 2000). The Kentucky Fried Movie is a film comprised of sketches and a main feature, it has no unified plot. It consists of numerous parodies of 1970s TV commercials, drive-in movies and educational films shown in schools, like this one I brought into class today.
Insert your own rug and drap joke. Sicko.
Matt Groening and Al Jean told Morgan Spurlock (who’s making a Simpsons Doc) have ruled out making a second Simpsons movie, at least not until the TV series finally wraps. Groening says:
“It took 18 years to get around to doing the movie, we got very frustrated. We thought it would take two years but it ended up taking four. Some day maybe we’ll do another one — but don’t hold your breath.” The show in it’s 21st season has taken a lot from fans and critics about its longevity and staying fresh. Groening adds: “We cannot predict the end because we can’t believe we are still here today,” Jean added, “We are contracted to do two more seasons following this one. I gave up predicting the end a long time ago.” [Variety]
Also as you can see to your left, Marge Simpson will bare it all for Playboy next month. Hugh Hefner teased a while back on Twitter about a possible Marge-Playboy collaboration. Marge will be featured in a three-page pictorial complete with an interview and a data sheet to mark The Simpsons 20th anniversary.
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