BuzzSugar

New Wallace and Gromit Story in the Works!

BuzzSugar — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 09:30:00 PDT

It's not a feature-length film, but the folks behind the lovable duo Wallace and Gromit are back to work on a 30-minute short! This next TV feature will be titled "Trouble At' Mill" and will air over BBC1 around the Christmas holidays in 2008.

According to Variety, "The film sees the pair open a bakery business before Wallace becomes sidetracked by a love interest, Piella Bakewell. With his master distracted, Gromit is left to solve a murder."

I love these guys! It's also neat to know how excited writer/director Nick Park is about the project. He says he enjoyed doing the full-length Curse of the Were-Rabbit, but it took about five years to complete, and it sounds like he had to compromise some of his ideas to make the film more palatable for American audiences. He can't wait to create a new TV adventure for the die-hard fans of the buck-toothed, cheese-loving Wallace and his loyal friend Gromit.

Source

"Creature Comforts": My New Favorite Thing

BuzzSugar — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 07:00:29 PDT

Sometimes an idea comes along that's so brilliant, I can't even believe it exists. That's how I feel about "Creature Comforts," the animated series from Aardman Animation, best known as the folks behind Wallace and Gromit. The show - which aired for two seasons in England and will premiere June 4 on CBS - features interviews with ordinary folks about work, health and love. The words are then put in the mouth of animated animals that fit the situations they're talking about - the "lovebirds" in the photo at right, for example.

Here's what CBS has to say about it:

In upcoming episodes, interviews with hundreds of ordinary Americans from across the United States cover a variety of subjects, such as the trials and tribulations of doctor's visits and being sick, what animal magnetism is and what they look for in a mate, as well as the truth about lies and what it takes to keep a secret. Told through the mouths of animated animals, insects and other un-human species, they reveal their thoughts in a new and distinct way: an older married couple listing their ailments as portrayed by two lovebirds, the couple who talk about their great height difference as portrayed by two dachshunds, and two men who seem to be examining the bouquet of a fine wine as portrayed by two dogs sniffing, well, another dog.

Basically, it's Studs Terkel meets Shaun the Sheep. What did I tell you? Brilliant!

I'm totally obsessed with "Creature Comforts," so to read more and see some videos,

The series is based on creator Nick Park's Oscar-winning 1989 short film that features zoo animals talking about their captivity. Both seasons of the British series are available on Netflix, and several segments from the series can be seen on YouTube. The creators have kept a blog about production on the U.S. series, complete with video clips and still photos, and the official "Creature Comforts" site has several short previews of the show. Here are two of my favorites:

Photo courtesy of CBS

Meet This Year's James Beard Award Winners

Susannah Chen — Mon, 07 May 2012 18:36:10 PDT

The time has finally arrived: the James Beard Awards, or the Oscars of the food world, have just been announced. After months of suspense following the announcement of this year's semifinalists and subsequent finalists, the results were announced at a star-studded gala in New York's Lincoln Center, where a smattering of top talent from Grant Achatz to Top Chef winner Paul Qui walked home with medals.

For the first time ever, there was an Outstanding Bar Program award, and it went to Jim Meehan, owner and bar manager at PDT in New York City. Other highlights? Eleven Madison Park's Daniel Humm nabbed top prize for Outstanding Chef; Wolfgang Puck spoke at length as he accepted a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Christina Tosi of Momofuku Milk Bar fame took home title of Rising Star Chef; the pastry wunderkind declared that if she could cook anything for James Beard, it would be turkey pot pie. Read ahead to see the full list of 2012 James Beard Award winners.

What to TiVo: Thursday

Maggie Pehanick — Wed, 02 May 2012 23:59:13 PDT

8:00 Missing (new)
9:00 Grey's Anatomy (new)
10:00 Scandal (new)
11:35 Nightline (new)
12:00 Jimmy Kimmel Live (new, with guest Scarlett Johansson)

8:00 The Big Bang Theory (new)
8:30 Rules on Engagement (new)
9:00 Person of Interest (new)
10:00 The Mentalist (new)
11:35 Late Show With David Letterman (new, with guests Stephen Colbert and Chloe Grace Moretz)
12:37 The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson (new, with guest Julie Andrews and Michael Emerson)

8:00 American Idol (new)
9:00 Touch (new)

8:00 Community (new)
8:30 30 Rock (new)
9:00 The Office (new)
9:30 Parks and Recreation (new)
10:00 Awake (new)
11:34 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno (new, with guest Robert Downey Jr.)
12:37 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon (new, with guests Martha Stewart and Carson Daly)

8:00 The Vampire Diaries (new)
9:00 The Secret Circle (new)

New Girl's Max Greenfield Talks Schmidt and Cece and Says True American Is a Real Game

Shannon Vestal — Tue, 01 May 2012 14:00:42 PDT

Max Greenfield plays Schmidt on New Girl, a character that has a tendency to be materialistic, inappropriate, shirtless at any given moment. He can also be a sweetheart, thanks to Greenfield's funny, careful portrayal of him. I recently chatted with Greenfield while he was promoting Zevia, an all natural soda with no artificial sweeteners. Zevia has launched a campaign against artificiality, and they chose Greenfield to work with since he's a person who says what's on his mind and, like Schmidt, isn't afraid to be real. With that in mind, Greenfield and I chatted about when Schmidt is being the most real, the relationship between Schmidt and Cece, the sexual tension between Nick and Jess, and how real the show's drinking game True American is.

BuzzSugar: When is Schmidt being the most real?
Max Greenfield: I honestly think he's never not being himself. And that's his best quality and his biggest fault. He's always being real. Sometimes it would be nice if he had a filter every so often.

Buzz: Do you feel pressure to work out because you know shirtless scenes are coming?
MG: Uh, would you? It's terrifying! I'm not one of these guys who's just like, "Yeah I'm ripped. I can eat whatever." I work out so hard. And I work out really hard to get to a decent point. But so easily I could go off and go on a three, four day bender where I'm just throwin' down cookies, bread, sandwiches, and at the end of four days, you're like, "Oh yeah, I can see a significant difference."

Buzz: You also have to wear stuff like tiny bike shorts; do you ever get resentful when you see your costars Jake Johnson and Lamorne Morris wearing jeans and t-shirts?
MG: I don't get resentful toward them. I get resentful every once in a while toward the writers, just because sometimes it's like, "Really, guys?" I'd just like to know this is happening. They're on set and they're watching it, they can see everything. They have seen everything. Our showrunners, and our crew, and everybody else, has seen everything.

To find out what else Greenfield had to say about New Girl, its budding relationships, and the confusing drinking game True American, just keep reading.

Amy, Aziz, and Rashida Chat Parks and Recreation at the Paley Center

Allie Merriam — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 11:38:24 PST

Amy Poehler dressed up in green last night to attend a panel for her show Parks and Recreation at LA's Paley Center For Media. Rashida is back in California after a quick press tour in NYC to chat about life at the fictional Pawnee Parks Department with her fellow EW cover stars like Aziz Ansari, Nick Offerman, and Aubrey Plaza, who just nabbed another comedy role opposite Andy Samberg and Bill Hader. The gang revealed that Rob Lowe isn't going anywhere just yet despite rumors of him replacing Charlie Sheen on Two and a Half Men, and Adam Scott, who joined the show at the same time, will likely stick around too. Amy had a few words to say about the burgeoning romance between Adam's character Ben and her Leslie. Amy commented, "They're very evenly matched. Leslie's like a single mother and Pawnee is her kid. And if Ben starts to like my kid. . . I'll have sex with him." Aziz, meanwhile, shared about his ideal guest star: Usher. He said, "I secretly want Usher to play my brother. . . [with his entrance having him] drop down from the ceiling."

Parks and Recreation's Ron Swanson: 10 Fun Facts About the Man Behind the Mustache

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 08:00:00 PDT

On Parks and Recreation, Nick Offerman plays one of the show's most fascinating characters: Ron Swanson. The curmudgeonly government official loves every kind of meat, barely tolerates people, and hates his same-named ex-wives. Over the course of three seasons, Offerman has managed to make Ron hilarious and surprisingly likable. He and series creator Mike Schur recently chatted with reporters about the upcoming season of the show, and Offerman revealed some details about himself that rival Ron's persona.

He Has a Secret Love For Ballet
Offerman responded to a question about which of his own personality traits he wants Ron to adopt by saying, "I have a penchant for the ballet, and I’ve been pitching the fellows for the whole time we’ve been in production for a Ron Swan Lake episode."
His Onscreen Ex Is His Real Wife
You may not know that Offerman is married to Parks and Recreation guest star Megan Mullally, who plays Ron's second wife, Tammy 2. He sang her praises, as well as Patricia Clarkson's, who will be on season four as his first wife, Tammy 1: "We’ve been incredibly fortunate with the selection of ladies that have graced our stage with their presence, talent, and beauty. I think what the audience will be surprised to learn is that Tammy 2, played by Megan Mullally, the gorgeous Megan Mullally, may turn out to be the most kitten-like, timid women of the Tammys. I am about as giggly as a schoolgirl to have landed in a position where I’m portraying a man who has made love to both Megan Mullally and Patricia Clarkson. That is a consummation devoutly to be wished."

To find out what other delightful details Offerman revealed about himself, just

He Really Plays the Sax
Noting that Ron's wood shop is Offerman's wood shop in real life, Schur divulged another Offerman skill that has been integrated into the show. Schur said, "The Duke Silver saxophone playing is also a real-life Nick Offerman thing. Nick really plays the saxophone, that’s really him playing in the episode from season two. . . . There’s no end. We could probably just base episodes around Nick Offerman’s real-life skills and have a long and happy run."
He Thinks His Appeal Is in His Scent
When Offerman was asked why he thought audiences had responded so well to Ron Swanson, Offerman credited his smell. "I usually assume it’s my musk that attracts people. I keep the dander to a minimum and I keep it clean, but I use just a little bit of hibiscus oil behind each shoulder. That would be my guess."
He May Be Patricia Clarkson's #1 Fan
Offerman confessed his admiration of guest star Clarkson, admitting, "I’ve been such a huge fan of hers for many years, and it’s nothing short of a dream come true that I got to actually work in scenes with her. When the possibility arose, I couldn’t believe my lucky stars. And she even surpassed our expectations. Not only is she a gorgeous and an incredible actress, but she is insanely hilarious to boot. I think everybody on set was just bowled over with how funny she was on the show."
He's Not Starving Himself to Fit Hollywood's Ideals
Offerman did a nude photo shoot with wife Mullally last year, and he joked (I think) about his unusual preparation method. "To prepare for that photo shoot, we took a three-week tour of Europe where I sampled the sausages of five nations, ending with a 16-inch long bratwurst in the town square of Prague, a mere 18 hours before that photo shoot. And if you look closely in the picture, you can make out a bulge that I think is representative of that particular pork sausage."
He Believes a Real Man Should Have Hair on His Chest
Offerman's other tidbit about his photo shoot led to him decrying the trend of manscaping, declaring, "I can legitimately say that I insist on no shaving or waxing. I think that the emasculation of the modern man in popular culture is something that has weakened our society considerably. I don’t know why a heroic male these days has to have a hairless torso. You know, when I grew up admiring Joe Don Baker swinging a baseball bat and walking tall, he was a hairy son of a b*tch. And to me, that’s a hero. You know, I’m a big fan of your Brad Pitts and your Jude Laws, but I’d like to see a little hair on their chests if they’re going to be beating somebody up."
He Uses Spot-On Fish Metaphors
Offerman offered up a little-heard analogy after he talked about his favorite things about playing Ron: "I love when I get to eat meat. I love when I get to dangerously make out with my wife to the point of destroying buildings and furniture. And I love everything about it. Every time I’m handed a new script, I feel like a large-mouth bass at a night crawler convention."
He Has a Hard Time Keeping a Straight Face . . .
Offerman finds it a challenge to keep it together while filming the show, saying "One of the hardest things about the job, when you are working with a cast of 10 home-run hitters, is simply tolerating their skill without busting out laughing. For me especially, when Ron is supposed to be unmoved, which is quite frequently, especially in the face of Andy or Leslie just being the most amazing clown right up in my face, it can be really difficult. But at the same time, that’s what makes the job so fun - when we do have a moment to break out and laugh at each other, because we’re watching the funniest work going today."
In Fact, He's a Giggler
Perhaps my favorite thing I learned about Offerman was something Schur let slip when he talked about how much the cast laughs on the set. Schur said: "I’m an uncontrollable giggler, as is Nick, as is Amy, as is Aziz. Everyone on our show loves to laugh and giggle. It makes for such a nicer, more-friendly environment."

Safety Not Guaranteed Trailer: Aubrey Plaza Might Be Mark Duplass's Time-Traveling Buddy

Shannon Vestal — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:50:22 PDT

I love the bad attitude Aubrey Plaza cops as Parks and Recreation's droll April Ludgate, but she's taking a little departure from all that sarcasm for the indie comedy Safety Not Guaranteed (though it wouldn't be Plaza if she weren't just a little bit snarky). She plays Darius, an intern at a magazine who tags along with a writer (Jake Johnson) for an unusual assignment: track down the poster of a Craigslist ad, Kenneth (Mark Duplass), who's trying to find someone to time travel with. When Darius and co. find him, Darius's research of Kenneth turns into what looks like genuine affection for the eccentric guy.

There are some twee elements to this trailer, but I'm loving this look at the movie, mostly because I like New Girl's Johnson so much (and it's nice to see him playing someone who's more together than Nick). I've also got a soft spot for Duplass, who's usually either behind the camera on his own features or talking filthy about football on FX's The League, but here, he's front and center and proves he's both charming and funny. All in all, I'm pretty eager to see this movie, and shoot, I'd drink the Kool-Aid too if I could time travel to the future for its June 8 release date. Watch the trailer after the jump.

PaleyFest: New Girl Cast Talks CeCe and Schmidt's Unexpected Romance and "Too Much Chemistry" Between Nick and Jess

Katie Henry — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 13:32:37 PST

PaleyFest was full steam ahead last night with the hilarious cast of New Girl taking the stage to discuss the first season of their runaway hit. The panel was an hour and half comedy routine filled with jokes about Max Greenfield's small nipples and interesting mole patterns, Jake Johnson's horrible dancing, and Zooey Deschanel's favorite scene to date. The cast also dished about what they hope will happen in the relationships between Cece and Schmidt as well as Jess and Nick. Here are some of the highlights:

Deschanel on how much of her character, Jess, is based on herself: "It's not really. I would say I put a lot of myself into it, but I wouldn't say it's me at all. It's filtered through my body and voice, that's certainly similar. It's more like a 13-year-old version of myself."
Schmidt's constant nudity has become an ongoing joke among the cast. Deschanel, Johnson, and even Greenfield had a good time poking fun at Greenfield's "tiny nipples" and mole covered physique. Deschanel noted, "[Max's] tiny nipples make his body look more jacked." Johnson also complimented his costar by saying, "Your pecs look huge!" Greenfield played it cool, and even made light of his noticeable chest moles by adding, "When I was a young child, my mother said, ‘You know, all those moles on your body, it’s a map of the constellations' . . . and you know what? Maybe they are."
Schmidt's way with women has resulted in some hilarious one-liners and popular scenes, but even Hannah Simone was surprised when she found out CeCe and Schmidt were hooking up. "He seduces a woman by listing cheeses! I remember I was reading [the script] and it said, CeCe and Schmidt in bed together and I thought, 'Oh my God, I had a lot of respect for Miss CeCe and now I have to rethink this whole character.'"
Greenfield had a different response to CeCe and Schmidt's new relationship status by simply stating, "It's love. The CeCe thing has really put a wrench in [Schmidt's] plans for the rest of his life. It's not every day a model shows up in the loft and says 'What's going on?' and the next day you're hooking up with her." (An audience member then yelled out "douche bag" and Max stood up and dumped the entire contents of his wallet into the douche bag jar).

To see what else the cast had to say about when we'll finally see Nick and Jess get together, just

Nick and Jess's romance is going to happen, but the writers are happy with what's happening right now. Creator Liz Meriweather talked about their future saying, "We love Nick and Jess together, I just think where they are as characters, it just feels like they have a lot of growing and learning and becoming closer and closer." Deschanel also commented on her chemistry with Johnson saying, "We would be put in a scene and [writers] would be like 'Too much chemistry!' It would be like a normal scene and they would be like, 'We do not want to do that!'"
The panel also revealed that future episodes will deal with Schmidt's OCD, a new drinking game the group calls "True America," and Jess's upcoming affair with "real man" Dermot Mulroney. According to Deschanel, "Dermot plays the father of a student in the class that I teach who is very sophisticated, debonair and fancy. He first engages me with banter. We start a whole thing, a little something-something over the course of some episodes. He's awesome, we love him." Jess isn't the only one who loves him as it seems: Nick falls for his charm, too. Johnson added, "Nick falls in love a little bit, I think [Dermot's] character Russell, he just sweeps Nick off his feet."

Stay tuned for more updates from PaleyFest including tonight's coverage of the Parks and Rec panel and updates from Saturday's Vampire Diaries chat with the cast.

What to TiVo: Saturday

BuzzSugar — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 23:59:00 PST

8:00 Wipeout (repeat)
9:00 Wild Hogs

8:00 Person of Interest (repeat)
9:00 NCIS: Los Angeles (repeat)
10:00 48 Hours Mystery (new)

8:00 NASCAR Racing: Budweiser Shootout (live)
11:00 Alcatraz (repeat)

8:00 Smash (repeat)
9:00 The Firm (new)
10:00 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (repeat)
11:30 Saturday Night Live (new, with guests Maya Rudolph and Sleigh Bells)