All the Presidents' Programmes: what the leader of the free world watches on TV
From 24 to Ed Sullivan, Homeland to The Waltons - we celebrate election day with some of the most powerful men in the world's favourite shows
It’s easy to forget that statesmen in high office are people like the rest of us; mere mortals who look forward to kicking off their brogues at the end of a hard day’s presiding, uncorking the Chablis and sitting back in front of the telly. But it’s true, as outgoing president Barack Obama proves. Talking to People magazine in the States, the US president revealed that the Obamas regularly settle down together to watch the innovative comedy series Modern Family, but when he’s in sole control of the remote, the leader of the free world prefers edgy dramas like The Wire, Boardwalk Empire and Homeland, the compelling, complex series about US foreign policy that began last night on Channel 4. And he’s not alone, as the Clintons and most of the US administration are also said to be keen on Homeland, a fact that suggests Washington must have ground to a standstill every Sunday evening last October, when the show aired in the States. If a man’s friends tell a lot about his character, then his TV viewing habits are likely to be equally illuminating. So I’ll leave it to you to make what you will of the viewing choices of the last ten fellows to make it to the top of the American political pile… George W Bush: An avowed traditionalist, George W Bush repeatedly said in interviews that he didn’t watch much TV and was, in fact, fairly contemptuous of the medium. “They put an off button on the TV for a reason. Turn it off,” said Bush in one such media meeting. However, when he deigned to look at what the box had to offer, Bush was said to watch country music TV or Biography, the biographical sketch series, on A&E. But other than that, he told C-SPAN, he only had time for sports on the tube. Bill Clinton: In 2006, President Clinton admitted that his favourite shows were Grey's Anatomy, Boston Legal and 24. Here's the proof: View oEmbed on the source website George Bush: While it’s not great practice to infer something from a negative, we know that the first George Bush to call the White House home certainly hinted at a taste for traditional, wholesome televisual fare when he said: “We're going to keep trying to strengthen the American family. To make them more like the Waltons and less like the Simpsons.” Ronald Reagan: Never mind just watching movies and TV, President Reagan’s early life saw him acting in mostly forgotten B-movies in the 1950s. But when he was catapulted into the Oval Office, the president apparently enjoyed watching the sitcom Family Ties, which, as one commentator archly noted, “may or may not be related to the fact that one of the show's lead characters admired Reagan.” Apparently so keen was Reagan on this show that he offered to make a guest appearance - “an offer pointedly ignored by the producers”. Jimmy Carter: Defying the hick stereotype his peanut farming background might have suggested, Jimmy Carter revealed his sophisticated and romantic character when he let slip that his preferred kind of on-screen entertainment is classic movie drama, citing Casablanca and Gone with the Wind as his all-time favourites. Gerald Ford: The presidential TV would have been found tuned to NBC during the time of Ford’s premiership, as both the president and the First Lady, Betty, were avowed fans of Movin’ On, a drama about two truckers and their life on the open road. Claude Atkins starred in the series, and on one occasion found himself staying in the same hotel as the president, who sent secret service men over to the actor when he was in the dining room and summoned him up to the presidential suite. Once there, the two men talked about Movin’ On for an hour, after which Ford said: “Now I can tell Betty I know more about Movin’ On than she does!” Richard Nixon: While Tricky Dicky went on record as being a fan of 1970 movie Patton, about the controversial Second World War general George S Patton, his TV viewing habits are harder to trace. However, we do know from the infamous archive of taped conversations that he watched All in the Family, and commented on an episode of the show in which he was referenced in the Watergate tapes. Other than that, he enjoyed watching sports, at times getting somewhat engrossed in the games, as you can hear in this clip: View oEmbed on the source website Lyndon B Johnson: The online LBJ library lists his favourite movies as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner, John Wayne westerns and James Bond films. John F Kennedy: Information regarding JFK’s taste in small-screen entertainment is scarce, but his taste in movies is well recorded and reveal the president to have been a fan of epic dramas like Spartacus, which came out three years before his assassination. However, the last film he’s thought to have seen before that fateful day in Dallas was Tom Jones, described by one source as “a bawdy 18th-century Henry Fielding sex romp that starred Albert Finney.” Dwight D Eisenhower: TV sets became standardised and widely owned in America during the 1950s, leading to shows like I Love Lucy, Father Knows Best and the Ed Sullivan Show becoming massive ratings successes. Ike is said to have been a keen Ed Sullivan viewer - so keen, in fact, that he had Sullivan head up a “star committee” of talent to push for him on TV in the run-up to the 1956 presidential election. So whether the next resident of the White House is Donald Trump or Hilary Clinton, one thing's for sure... they'll be watching TV!
Hancock's Half Hour: The New Neighbour is a triumphant remake of comedy gold
"So should you watch it? Yes. Yes, you should, and then you should write letters to the BBC demanding that they reassemble this cast and crew post-haste," says Tom Cole
Stone me! There’s going to be a new episode of Hancock’s Half Hour on TV! Or rather, a very, very old one given a new lease of life. You see, 2016 marks sixty years since the first episode of the Hancock’s Half Hour TV series was broadcast, and the BBC has elected to mark the occasion by remaking an episode of HHH long since lost to Auntie’s incinerator called The New Neighbour. I know what you’re thinking. I’ll bet you half a crown you’re sitting there saying to yourself ‘Oh God, why? Remakes aren’t ever any good. Lightning never strikes twice; they should let sleeping dogs lie,’ and other such worthy cliches. I had much the same apprehension when the people at RT Towers rang up and asked me to review the thing. But I’m happy to reassure all readers, viewers and members of the Tony Hancock Appreciation Society that you have nothing to fear. This is emphatically not to be confused with that execrable UKTV remake of Yes, Prime Minister. Indeed, it couldn’t be more obvious that this is a programme that has been crafted with true care, affection and - dare I say it - love from the ground up. It pains me to say this, because we all know that a bad review is far more entertaining than a rave, but this adaptation of The New Neighbour is an utter delight that will please even the most sceptical Hancock aficionado. I speak as a man who owns no fewer than six biographies of Tony H and who fancies he knows what he’s talking about. So, where to start? The opening shots of the broadcast reveal a stylised and minimalist set. The main features of the living room of 23 Railway Cuttings are all present and correct; Polly’s on her perch. But the walls aren’t there, replaced instead by bare scaffolding and tracking shots of a studio audience. This, it turns out, is a very wise and thoughtful move on the part of the production team; it allows the viewer to share in the experience of being part of that audience and watching what is quite stagey, non-naturalistic acting, with accompanying laughter, performed exactly as it would have been when Tony, Sid James, Hattie Jacques and the gang recorded this programme’s source material. And what performances! To try to put this as concisely as possible, every member of this remake’s cast appears to be quite literally channelling the actor they’re portraying. I cannot praise their mastery of the original East Cheam Repertory Company’s’ traits and foibles highly enough. To hear Kenneth Williams’s Snide character’s oleaginous delivery and diction mastered so adroitly by Robin Sebastian, to experience Sid James’s filthy chuckle delivered in digital audio by Jon Culshaw, and to clap with astonishment at Kevin McNally delivering the line “But I never said they were!” and rendering the last word to rhyme with ‘chair’ - just as the real Tony Hancock used to do - is to witness a truly loving tribute to a brilliant and unique set of actors and personalities. Indeed, even the chap at the end who plays bit-parter Mario Fabrizzi is spot-on. Ah, but is The New Neighbour funny? You bet it is! The classic Galton and Simpson dialogue crackles and sparkles, rendered perfectly by this expertly-drilled troupe of players. And it is intriguing to note how true to life, how universal the humour of Hancock’s Half Hour still is, even, as in this episode, during a joke that makes references to such now-arcane public figures as Harold Macmillan. One final thing for Hancock completists: The New Neighbour was a remake of a radio script when it was originally filmed for TV back in the ‘fifties. The fact that the production crew of this adaptation saw fit to continue the tradition of remaking that one particular episode renews my faith in humanity. So should you watch it? Yes. Yes, you should, and then you should write letters to the BBC demanding that they reassemble this cast and crew post-haste and get them working on the rest of the many, many episodes of Hancock’s Half Hour missing from the BBC vaults! This is a triumph. I might even watch it again before I give the keys to the BBC Previews website back. What time is on TV? Lost Sitcoms: Hancock's Half Hour: The New Neighbour is on BBC4 on Thursday 8th September at 9pm
Would you like this TARDIS drinks machine in your house?
Yes, someone's finally created a Tardis-shaped vending machine, featuring a different Doctor for each fizzy drink
Given that we’ve already had TARDIS key rings, piggy banks and safes, it’s surprising that it’s taken so long for someone to put the first police box-shaped vending machine together. Florida comic shop Epic Comics recently installed a Tardis vending machine at its Orlando premises, which the owners say “can hold a LOT of soda” because (somewhat inevitably) “it’s bigger on the inside.” As well as its snazzy exterior, the machine also boasts different Doctors on its buttons, meaning that you can push Tom Baker for a tin of Mountain Dew, David Tennant for Pepsi, Christopher Eccleston for Coca Cola, Paul McGann for Diet Coke (one wonders if they were being satirical there) and Matt Smith for Sprite. While it’s assumed that this is currently the only Tardis vending machine in existence, we hope it won’t be long before BBC Worldwide starts churning them out over here in the UK. Sadly there’s no word on whether thirsty Epic Comics patrons hear that iconic Tardis roar as their drinks tumble through the machine’s innards, but let’s just imagine they do, shall we? Check out some pics of the vending machine below and head over to Epic Comics to see the rest. 473
Woodstock folk singer Richie Havens dies aged 72
The Freedom singer has died after suffering a heart attack at his New Jersey home
Folk singer Richie Havens, who was perhaps best known for opening the Woodstock festival in 1969, has died aged 72. His agent confirmed that Havens died of a heart attack at his home in Jersey City, New Jersey. "Beyond his music, those who have met Havens will remember his gentle and compassionate nature, his light humour and his powerful presence," his family said in a statement. Born in Brooklyn in 1941 and bitten by the musical bug at a young age, Havens immersed himself in the Greenwich Village beatnik scene of the 1950s before releasing his first album in 1965. Havens’ reputation as a live performer earned him the opening slot at Woodstock in 1969, where he entertained the crowd with a three-hour set, which included a performance of the hippie anthem Freedom. Following his appearance at Woodstock, and the worldwide publicising of his performance in Michael Wadleigh’s big-screen documentary about the festival, Havens spent the 1970s releasing records, making TV appearances and even branching out into acting with roles in films like Greased Lightning and Hearts of Fire. Possibly his most high-profile media appearance saw Havens perform at the inauguration of former US president Bill Clinton in 1993. Havens underwent kidney surgery in 2010 and announced his retirement from live performance in March 2012, but a new version of Freedom was featured later that year on the soundtrack to Quentin Tarantino’s film Django Unchained. "Richie Havens was one of the nicest, most generous and pure individuals I have ever met,'' said one of his Woodstock contemporaries Stephen Stills. “He was very wise in the ways of our calling. He always caught fire every time he played.'' Watch Havens performing Freedom at Woodstock below: View oEmbed on the source website
Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman star in Thor: the Dark World trailer
Check out a teaser for the upcoming Marvel superhero sequel that'll be arriving in cinemas in October
Contrary to what the film’s Twitter account promised yesterday, the trailer for Thor: the Dark World is out now and you can watch it below. Opening with some windy pseudo-philosophical musings, the trailer goes on to showcase a selection of the film’s admirably epic action setpieces: View oEmbed on the source website The follow-up to 2011’s Kenneth Branagh-directed Thor will see Chris Hemsworth’s hammer-wielding demigod doing battle with an ancient race of Dark Elves led by the evil Malekith, played by former Doctor Who star Christopher Eccleston. Overseen by Game of Thrones director Alan Taylor and featuring Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston and Anthony Hopkins among its cast, Thor: the Dark World is slated to be released in the UK on 30 October. For more Thor, check out two still photos from the new film and find out how much Thor’s trusty hammer Mjölnir weighs here.
Could Ben Elton's new sitcom The Wright Way be so bad it's good?
The new BBC1 comedy series has already come in for a lot of stick from critics - but could it actually turn out to be unintentionally hilarious? asks Tom Cole
Seeing as we haven’t heard much about it since last August, I’d more or less forgotten that Ben Elton’s got a new sitcom premiering on BBC1 this week. In fact, had I not ‘overheard’ RT’s Jack Seale and Guardian TV critic Stuart Heritage discussing the programme on Twitter earlier today, chances are it would’ve passed me by completely. But now I’ve been reminded of its existence, I can’t wait to see this thrusting new laugh-a-thon play out on screen tomorrow night (10:35pm, BBC1). The Wright Way (not to be confused with Channel 5’s Wright Stuff) stars David Haig as an exasperated health & safety officer called Gerald Wright (hence the title), who heads up a team of – wait for it – hilariously incompetent council workers. It’s Elton’s first sitcom since 2005 and, on the evidence of this preview clip, looks about as broad as the elastic band on Eric Pickles’ boxer shorts: (It’s not just the presence of Mina Anwar AKA Constable Habib that reminds one of The Thin Blue Line, eh?) Sadly for its makers, The Wright Way's caught a lot of pre-emptive critical flak, and not just from Seale and Heritage. In this week’s Radio Times, David Butcher says that the show is “creaky and laboured” and asks: “Who would believe this is [by] the same comic whose stand-up routines sandblasted away the pebbledash of 1970s tit-gags and racism?” All of which are perfectly valid criticisms. The show does seem horribly dated, outrageously overacted and, as Butcher says, “irrelevant.” But, for those among us who enjoy sniggering ironically at TV, I think there’s going to be a lot to enjoy here. In fact, I imagine watching The Wright Way will feel rather like catching up with sitcom garbage like Yus My Dear three decades too late on YouTube – it’ll inspire gales of incredulous laughter at its creaking gags and hackneyed stereotypes. I mean, if that preview clip's anything to go on, the show looks about as sophisticated as the spoof sitcom When the Whistle Blows from Ricky Gervais’s Extras, but made all the better because it's been put together without Gervais's knowing sense of irony. Indeed, had Elton not become such a middle-of-the-road sort of chap with his fiction, TV shows and bloated stage musical We Will Rock You over the past couple of decades, I’d almost be inclined to suspect that he was being subversive and taking the mickey with this new show. As it is though, I think he's probably just writing what comes naturally. Why? Well, the first joke in the sitcom, delivered by Haig, is a routine about how long women spend in the bathroom. Which is all very predictable and the sort of stuff naff old ‘70s sitcoms were made of – but it’s also a topic that Elton’s had Haig bellow about in the past. Remember this scene from The Thin Blue Line? View oEmbed on the source website By all accounts, The Wright Way promises to be a car crash of a sitcom, and of course it won't stack up well against the cutting edge likes of The Thick of It or Peep Show. Even the BBC seems to have taken steps to ensure that it won't be seen by a great many people (Heritage points out that it’s been “shoved to the margins of the schedules” and "barely promoted"). But is it possible that The Wright Way will be one of those counterintuitive bits of entertainment’s that’s, to use a popular cliché, so bad it’s good? I, for one, look forward to finding out. Roll on Tuesday night.
Former Times editor James Harding becomes director of BBC News
The veteran journalist, who resigned from the newspaper in 2012, will begin his new role in August
James Harding, the former editor of The Times, has been appointed as the director of BBC News and Current Affairs. Harding, who resigned from the newspaper in December 2012, said he was “honoured” to take up his new £340,000-a-year post at the BBC. “The BBC's newsroom strives to be the best in the world, trusted for its accuracy, respected for its fairness and admired for the courage of its reporting,” said Harding. “I am honoured to be a part of it." Harding will take up his new post at the BBC on Monday 12 August, after spending time with the corporation’s news teams over the next six weeks to familiarise himself with their running. BBC director-general Tony Hall said: “I am delighted that James will be joining as the new director of BBC News and Current Affairs. High quality journalism sits right at the heart of the BBC making this is an absolutely critical role. "James has a very impressive track record as a journalist, editor and manager. I believe he will give BBC News a renewed sense of purpose as it moves away from what has been an undeniably difficult chapter. As an organisation, the BBC will also benefit from his external perspective and experience which he will share as a member of the BBC’s executive team." Harding replaces the outgoing news director Helen Boaden, who has taken a job as the director of BBC Radio after she was lambasted in the press last year for her role in the Jimmy Savile/Newsnight scandal. Former Sky News head Nick Pollard, who headed an inquiry into the BBC's handling of the issue, criticised the “casual” manner in which she told former BBC director-general Mark Thompson that an investigation by the BBC2 current affairs programme into Savile’s alleged history of child abuse might conflict with planned tribute programmes about the former Jim’ll Fix It host. Before becoming editor of the Times in 2007, Harding was the paper's business editor. His media career began in 1994, when he joined the Financial Times to open its Shangai bureau.
BBC Radio 1 will not play Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead in Chart Show
Instead, a clip of the song that has climbed the charts after a social media campaign in the aftermath of Margaret Thatcher's death will be aired as part of a news item during The Official Chart Show
Radio 1 will not play the whole of Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead, the song at the centre of an anti-Margaret Thatcher social media campaign, in full this Sunday. Instead of the whole track, a Newsbeat report will air during The Official Chart Show including a clip of the single and an explanation about why the song is in the charts. The BBC has been wrestling with the decision of whether or not to air the 1939 Wizard of Oz tune, which is expected to make number three in the charts this weekend following the death of former Prime Minister Maragaret Thatcher, since Wednesday. Radio 1 controller Ben Cooper said that the decision had been “a difficult compromise.” "The decision I have made is I am not going to play it in full but that I will play a clip of it in a news environment,” he said. "When I say a news environment, that is a newsreader telling you about the fact that this record has reached a certain place in the chart and here is a clip of that track. "It is a compromise and it is a difficult compromise to come to. You have very difficult and emotional arguments on both sides of the fence. "Let's not forget you also have a family that is grieving for a loved one who is yet to be buried." His comments were followed by an official announcement from the BBC, which called the campaign to get Ding Dong! to number one in the charts “distasteful.” "The BBC finds this campaign distasteful but does not believe the record should be banned," said the statement. “On Sunday, the Radio 1 Chart Show will contain a news item explaining why the song is in the charts during which a short clip will be played as it has been in some of our news programmes." BBC director-general Tony Hall and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg are among the individuals who’ve called the campaign “tasteless” this week, though they haven’t sought to ban the song outright. In a poll on RadioTimes.com, 89% of respondents – or 8,124 people – said that they thought Radio 1 should play the song in full this weekend.
Watch the new Simpsons opening sequence featuring cameos from Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul
What better way is there to unwind from a hard day at the meth lab than kicking back and watching The Simpsons? That’s what Breaking Bad’s Walter White and Jesse Pinkman do once they've finished knocking up home-made narcotics, at any rate. Don’t believe me? Then watch this new Simpsons couch gag, which parodies the AMC drama to a tee, with Marge Simpson’s cupcakes taking the place of Walter White’s drugs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKePrVPGK3g The gag will be screened on TV in the States this Sunday at the start of the latest episode of The Simpsons, Series 24’s What Animated Women Want, which features guest appearances from Star Trek’s George Takei and comedienne Wanda Sykes. Breaking Bad’s final eight episodes are due to air in the US over the summer. It will be available in the UK on Netflix shortly afterwards.
Watch Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Derek Jacobi in Vicious
See a trailer for the new ITV sitcom about an ageing gay couple who love a good argument
Sir Ian McKellen, Sir Derek Jacobi and Frances de la Tour make up the all-star cast of Vicious, a new ITV sitcom which you can see a sneak peek of below. The show stars McKellen and Jacobi as Freddie and Stuart, an ageing gay couple who’ve lived together in a small Covent Garden flat for 50 years, and whose lives now consist of reading, walking their dog and bickering. De la Tour appears in the sitcom as Freddie and Stuart’s best friend Violet, and the cast is rounded out by Misfits actor Iwan Rheon as Ash, their new neighbour. "ITV is thrilled this exciting and bold sitcom, with stellar performers and writing talent is to join the increasing slate of new-look comedy shows on the channel," said ITV’s Myfanwy Moore. While Vicious doesn’t currently have an official airdate, it RadioTimes.com understands the show will begin airing towards the end of April. Watch the trailer below: View oEmbed on the source website
Voice of television darts Martin Fitzmaurice faces investigation over racist jokes
The long-standing darts compere will face BDO disciplinary hearing after being filmed making racist jokes at a tournament in Fife
Martin Fitzmaurice, the man whose voice is synonymous with BBC darts coverage, faces an investigation from the British Darts Organisation after he was caught on camera making racist jokes about black and Asian people. The 73-year-old, known for his catchphrase "Let's play darts," made the remarks as part of a rant about political correctness delivered during a break at the British International between England and Scotland, which took place in Fife on Sunday. Fitzmaurice believed the cameras were off at the time, but his ‘gags’ were streamed over the Internet and later uploaded to YouTube. “What’s black and eats bananas?” was the lead up to one of Fitzmaurice’s jokes. “Half of London.” Among the audience was 14-year-old British Asian darts prodigy Jordan Singh. Following the incident, the BDO condemned Fitzmaurice’s “offensive comments” and said that the MC would face a disciplinary hearing. “The British Darts Organisation apologises unreservedly for the fact that racially offensive comments were made by MC Martin Fitzmaurice at the BDO British Internationals in Scotland on Sunday, April 7th and streamed over the internet,” said the BDO in a statement. “The BDO wishes to make it clear that it does not tolerate racism in any shape or form, and a full enquiry is already taking place into this regrettable incident. “In accordance with BDO rules on racism, Martin Fitzmaurice has been made fully aware of the seriousness of his actions and will be required to face a disciplinary hearing in front of the BDO Board.” A BBC spokesperson added: “As someone who has appeared in previous tournaments we have televised, we are appalled by the alleged remarks.” Fiztmaurce told The Sun: "It was banter. I apologise if I offended anybody.” See video footage of the incident below: View oEmbed on the source website
Russell Brand: Margaret Thatcher was "an icon of individualism"
The comedian and actor accuses the late former Prime Minister of teaching a generation of people that "it's good to be selfish"
Russell Brand has weighed in to the debate about Margaret Thatcher’s legacy with a thoughtful (and lengthy) newspaper article, in which he described the recently-deceased former Prime Minister as “an icon of individualism,” rather than feminism. Writing in The Guardian, Brand said that he couldn’t understand why Thatcher had been held up by the likes of the Spice Girls as “an early example of Girl Power” and described the late former PM as “an anomaly; a product of the freak-onomy of her time” “Barack Obama, interestingly, said in his statement that she had ‘broken the glass ceiling for other women’,” wrote Brand. “Only in the sense that all the women beneath her were blinded by falling shards. She is an icon of individualism, not of feminism.” And this individualism, Brand said, had also warped the morality of an entire generation of people who grew up while Thatcher served as Prime Minister. “All of us that grew up under Thatcher were taught that it is good to be selfish,” wrote the comedian. “That other people's pain is not your problem, that pain is in fact a weakness and suffering is deserved and shameful. “Perhaps there is resentment because the clemency and respect that are being mawkishly displayed now by some and haughtily demanded of the rest of us at the impending, solemn ceremonial funeral, are values that her government and policies sought to annihilate.” But despite his criticisms of Thatcher, Brand said that he would refrain from celebrating her death, comparing the “headmistress of the country” he remembers from his youth with the frail old woman he once observed quietly watering plants towards the end of her life. “The blunt, pathetic reality today is that a little old lady has died, who in the winter of her life had to water roses alone under police supervision,” wrote Brand. “Her death must be sad for the handful of people she was nice to and the rich people who got richer under her stewardship. It isn't sad for anyone else.” He concluded by saying: “I do not yet know what effect Margaret Thatcher has had on me as an individual or on the character of our country as we continue to evolve. “As a child she unnerved me but we are not children now and we are free to choose our own ethical codes and leaders that reflect them.”
Jim Carrey to star in Hangover-style comedy Ricky Stanicky
Dumb and Dumber actor will play the title role in a new R-rated movie from the director of Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls
Jim Carrey has signed up the play the lead role in Ricky Stanicky, a new Hangover-style big screen comedy from Steve Oedekerk, the writer and director of Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls. The film, which has been in development since 2010, begins when three teenagers burn down a house in their neighbourhood as a prank and invent a fake persona to take the blame for their crime: the titular Ricky Stanicky. Twenty years on, and the three friends continue to use the non-existent Stanicky to get themselves out of sticky situations. But when their wives eventually demand to meet their fall guy, the trio are forced to hire an actor to bring Stanicky to life. James Franco and Joaquin Phoenix had both been in the frame to play Stanicky at various times since 2010 but, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Carrey is now officially on board as the film’s star. Production on the long-delayed movie is now due to get under way in the summer. Before then, though, fans of Carrey will be able to watch him playing Colonel Stars and Stripes in Kick Ass 2, which is due to be released in Britain on Friday 19 July.
The Queen dubbed "most memorable Bond girl yet" and awarded honorary Bafta
Her Majesty received the honour last night during a star-studded gala ceremony at Windsor Castle
Her Majesty The Queen has been awarded an honorary Bafta for her lifelong support of the British film and TV industries. Actor Sir Kenneth Branagh presented the Queen with her award last night at a gala event held at Windsor Castle. More than 300 guests representing all areas of film and TV attended the bash, including actors, writers, directors, producers, designers, critics and publicists. Among the guests were Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes, actors Sir Ian McKellen and Damian Lewis, and Star Wars director George Lucas, who’d flown over especially to attend the ceremony. Bafta chairman John Willis joked that the monarch was “the most memorable Bond girl yet,” in reference to her filmed skit with Daniel Craig that aired at the start of the London 2012 Olympics, and said: “We should be proud of our industry. “The people here this evening represent a vast variety of skills and ground breaking innovation, they have entertained and informed a generation and inspired generations to come. "I am delighted that this evening has given us the opportunity to give something back. I have the great honour to announce that we are to present Her Majesty with an honorary Bafta today, in recognition of her outstanding patronage of the film and television industries." Sir Kenneth then took to the stage to praise the Queen for her “especially memorable” Olympics appearance, before joking: “Several of my colleagues here tonight want you to know that should you wish to take it further into the world of British films that they have a number of scripts with them here this evening. I have to warn you, Your Majesty, not all of these films are fully financed." View oEmbed on the source website During the course of the evening, George Lucas praised the British film industry for getting back on its feet over the last few decades. He said: "I've been here since '75 so for me this is my second home. "It's been very influential for me, I've shot lots of movies here not only four of the Star Wars films but also Indiana Jones, all kinds of films - it's been a long road. "Many, many years ago Britain didn't support the film industry and when I came here it was on its last legs and fortunately now it's a lot steadier."
Game of Thrones smashes online piracy records
Season three opener was shared illegally by more users than any show in history - HBO boss says it's a "compliment"
The first episode of Game of Thrones series three attracted a bumper audience of 4.4m people (the largest viewership for a single episode of the drama to date) in the States over the weekend, with 700,000 watching in the UK on Sky Atlantic last night. But it also proved a big hit with illegal downloaders, smashing piracy records to become the most-seeded Bittorrent download of all time. The episode was shared in full or in part ("seeded") by more than 320,000 people immediately after it was broadcast on Sunday evening on HBO in America, and the programme had been downloaded more than 1m times by Monday, according to data collated by torrentfreak.com. The record’s previous holder, the opening episode of Heroes' third season, was seeded and downloaded by 144,663 simultaneous users after transmission in 2008. Game of Thrones is hugely popular with Bittorrent's user: the show’s second series was the most illegally-downloaded TV property of 2012. Discussing the fantasy drama's popularity with pirates, HBO’s programming president Michael Lombardo said: “I probably shouldn’t be saying this, but it is a compliment of sorts. “The demand is there. And it certainly didn’t negatively impact the DVD sales. [Piracy is] something that comes along with having a wildly successful show on a subscription network.” Unsurprisingly, the show earned the greatest number of illegal shares in America, with Britain and Australia following in second and third place respectively. It is thought that the heavy piracy of Game of Thrones is due to the fact that the show is difficult to watch online legally. HBO offers a digital catch-up facility, but only to subscribers who’ve signed up for the service through traditional cable or satellite providers. HBO recently hinted that it is considering introducing a digital-only subscription service, which is expected to cut down on the number of people sharing its shows online illegally. If you weren't among the 700,000 British viewers who saw Games of Thrones' third series kick off on Sky Atlantic last night, and you resisted the temptation to download it on the sly, read our spoiler-free preview of the episode here. Also, if you're a fan of Game of Thrones, vote for the show to receive the Audience Award at this year's Bafta Television Awards here.
Emma Willis replaces Brian Dowling as Big Brother host
The former Bit on the Side presenter will step up to the main show when BB returns to Channel 5 in the summer
Emma Willis has replaced Brian Dowling as the host of both the regular and Celebrity versions Big Brother. "I am thrilled to have been offered this job,” said Willis. “I’m a fan first and foremost so to be able to front the show is going to be amazing. Roll on the summer!” Willis, who is perhaps best known as the host of spin-off series Big Brother’s Bit on the Side, began her TV career at MTV in 2002 and she’s since made appearances on the likes of Loose Women, This Morning and I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here Now! It was reported in mid-March that Channel 5 bosses were planning to remove Downling as Big Brother’s host, with sources at the time saying that the C5 top brass see Willis as a “natural successor” to Davina McCall, who hosted Big Brother when the show was Channel 4. "Emma is a natural on screen, she’s made the spin off show her own and now the time is totally right for her to step up,” said Channel 5’s Director of Programmes Ben Frow. He added: “I’d like to thank Brian Dowling for doing such a sterling job over the last two years. He’s been a big part of the success of the show and I wish him the very best. ” Big Brother will return to Channel 5 this summer.
Catherine Tate and Philip Glenister among the all-star cast of Big School by David Walliams
They'll be joined by Frances de la Tour, Daniel Rigby, Joanna Scanlan and Steve Speirs in the upcoming secondary school sitcom
Catherine Tate, Philip Glenister and Frances de la Tour are among the actors who’ll make up an all-star cast for David Walliams’s upcoming BBC sitcom Big School. The six-part comedy series will star Walliams as a 40-something chemistry teacher and take place in a madcap secondary school. Tate will appear in the sitcom as Miss Postern, an enthusiastic French teacher who, despite her occupation, has never visited France. Glenister, best known for playing DCI Gene Hunt in Life on Mars, will tackle the role of a lothario PE teacher called Mr Gunn, while Frances de la Tour – Miss Jones in Rising Damp – has signed up to play Greybridge School’s no-nonsense headmistress, Ms Baron. The show’s cast will be rounded out by Getting On’s Joanna Scanlan, who is due to play Mrs Klebb, Greybridge’s nosy drama teacher, Black Mirror’s Daniel Rigby as a mod-like music teacher, and Steve Speirs from Extras, who’ll play pessimistic geography teacher Mr Barber. “Led by David Walliams, it's an absolute privilege to work with such a brilliant cast and off screen production team,” said the BBC’s head of in-house comedy Mark Freeland. “Like my Latin GCSE, nothing can go wrong. At least that's what I thought at the time.” Filming on Big School is scheduled to get under way in London during the course of the next few weeks.
Vice to produce new late-night series for 4Music
The multiplatform publisher's new "sex, drugs and rock & roll" show will begin airing on the music channel in May
Vice, the multiplatform publisher popular with Rupert Murdoch and Shoredtich-dwelling twentysomethings, is gearing up to produce a six-part “sex, drugs and rock & roll” TV series for 4Music. Vice World will consist of six 30-minute episodes and begin airing on Channel 4’s music station in mid-May. It’ll be a mixed bag of news and politics alongside entertainment segments edited together from Vice’s sizeable archive of online video. C4 hope that the post-watershed series will help attract older viewers to 4Music, which has traditionally been aimed at a young teen market. Vice also hopes that the new TV deal will help expose its brand to a wider audience. “It’s not only about commercially exploiting the content we own but finding new audiences to broaden our reach,” said Vice’s publisher Matt Elek. “The deal with 4Music makes sense in lots of different ways.” Famous for exploring controversial and niche issues, Vice boasts over 1m subscribers on its YouTube channel, where the brand showcases online series like The Vice Guide to North Korea and Music World.
Paul Gascoigne: "I am an alcoholic and I’ve just got to remind myself of the consequences"
Former England international reveals he told doctors "don’t let me die – I need to water the plants"
Troubled ex-footballer Paul ‘Gazza’ Gascoigne has opened up about his life-and-death struggle with the bottle in his first TV interview since returning from a detox clinic in America. Gascoigne, who has been battling alcoholism for years, flew out to the States for treatment in February after footage of him in a drunk and incoherent state was published online by a tabloid newspaper. The former England international appeared on ITV’s Daybreak this morning and spoke candidly about his experience of rehab, explaining how he begged doctors “please don’t let me die – I need to water the plants.” "When I went to the treatment centre they tried to detox us but they couldn't so they rushed me to hospital and that's where it got quite serious,” said the 45-year-old. “I just remember the guy, the doctor at the treatment centre saying 'I don't think this guy is going to make it'. I put my head up a little bit and I was tubed, I had tubes on my arms and body and getting injected and I just actually said 'please don't let me die I need to water the plants'. The plants were more important than me. The plants passed away and I survived." During the interview Gazza shrugged off comparisons to the late alcoholic Manchester United star George Best saying that, unlike Best, he actively wants to “get well.” “Well you know, God bless him he’s passed away. I was friends with George but I just felt like George didn’t want to get well, I’m trying you know. I try so hard to do it," he said. “Just have a little relapse then think ‘oh yeah go again’ you know but then I’ve got to be careful like I said you know because sometimes when I’m drunk people can take advantage of us.” Gazza, who insisted that he's “excited about what the future holds,” admitted that his recent near-death experience was brought about by a two-and-a-half week binge and said that he intends to take life one day at a time from now on. “I didn’t ask to be an alcoholic but I must admit I worked on it," he said. "But unfortunately I am an alcoholic and I’ve just got to remind myself of the consequences I actually did in regards to the loss of money, marriage and even the car. “I’ll get them back in time it’s just a matter of just working at it. You know if I went to any lengths to get my drink then I’ve got to go to any lengths - a bit more to stay sober you know.” Watch a clip of Gazza’s Daybreak appearance below, and you can see the full interview at itv.com/daybreak.
Ricky Gervais on the set of Equality Street in new making-of video
Watch a behind-the-scenes clip about David Brent's Comic Relief track featuring outtakes and deleted scenes
If you’re among the 2m+ YouTube users who’ve giggled their way through David Brent’s Comic Relief song Equality Street, you’ll be chuffed to learn that Ricky Gervais has just released a making-of video about the track jam-packed with outtakes and deleted scenes. In the clip, a smirking Gervais says that Equality Street was David Brent’s “idea of really getting to the heart of racism and homophobia” and explains how the character wormed his way into the song's music video. He also reveals that the clip was shot in Wimbledon and treats us to more than a few scenes of his infectious on-set corpsing: View oEmbed on the source website There’ll be more from Brent over the coming months too, as Gervais recently signed a deal with YouTube to create original content featuring the character for his channel on the streaming video site. And if you’re in the mood to watch and hear Equality Street again after that behind-the-scenes clip, here it is: View oEmbed on the source website
Shane Meadows Stone Roses documentary to be released in June
Fans will have the chance to put questions to the director at the film's Manchester premiere in May
This is England director Shane Meadows’ documentary about veteran Manchester band The Stone Roses will open in British cinemas on Wednesday 5 June following a premiere in the group’s hometown on Thursday 30 May. Both the Roses and Meadows will make a public appearance at the premiere of The Stone Roses: Made of Stone, which will be satellite-linked to 100 cinemas as part of nationwide preview screenings of the film. Fans attending the premiere or watching at preview screenings elsewhere in the country will be able to put questions to Meadows via Twitter. Tickets to both will be made available via the Made of Stone Facebook page on Wednesday 17 April at 9:30am. Tickets will also be given to selected fans who attended last year’s Warrington Parr Hall and Heaton Park gigs, and who consequently appear in the film. Images of these chosen few will be released in the coming weeks through Facebook or the film’s official Twitter feed. “Making this film, I got to be part of something truly remarkable, the double-decade-awaited ‘resurrection’ of my all-time favourite band, The Stone Roses,” said Meadows. “People say that you can’t recapture your youth, it’ll never be the same second time round etc, but that’s utter rubbish. The Roses were never allowed to reach their peak first time around so as far as I and millions of fans around the world were concerned, with this comeback the Roses could be even greater. “This film isn’t a history lesson, nor is it a two hour concert film. It is a film about defying the odds, sticking it to the man and telling the cynics to shut their pie-holes! “The Stone Roses are back baby!” The hugely-acclaimed band, perhaps best known for the hit singles Fools Gold and I Wanna Be Adored, reformed in 2012 after 16 years apart. The Stone Roses: Made of Stone features a host of never-before-seen material and charts the band's journey from getting back together to playing in front of a rapturous 220,000-strong audience at Heaton Park in Manchester last summer. For more from the Roses, see a collection of the band's classic TV performances here.
Boris Johnson: I'd love to "have a crack at" being Prime Minister
The Mayor of London tells Radio Times "if the ball came loose from the back of a scrum it would be a great, great thing to have a crack at"
London Mayor Boris Johnson would like to be Prime Minister – but he’s convinced “it’s not going to happen.” While the 48-year-old believes that being Prime Minister would be “very tough”, he said in this week’s Radio Times that he’d happily “have a crack” at the country’s top job if the opportunity arose. Speaking to film-maker Michael Cockerell for an exclusive interview in the magazine, the former Conservative MP said: "I think it's a very tough job being Prime Minister. "Obviously, if the ball came loose from the back of a scrum – which it won't – it would be a great, great thing to have a crack at. But it's not going to happen." Johnson has long been tipped as a possible future Conservative leader, but the politician insists that he will see out his second term as Mayor of London until 2016. However, Johnson’s sister Rachel told RT that Boris has never been short of ambition. “As Boris was growing up,” she said, “whenever anyone asked him what he wanted to be, he would answer: ‘World King’.” The former Lady editor also said that her brother, who attended Eton with David Cameron, feels a “continuing superiority” over the current PM. “When they're together it's rather sweet, because David Cameron – even though he's taller – looks at Boris as if he's still head boy at Eton." And Boris revealed that he’s worked out a strategy for being successful in public life, admitting that his blustering persona allows him to disguise any gaps in his knowledge. “As a general tactic in life, it is often useful to give the slight impression that you are deliberately pretending not to know what's going on,” he said. “Because the reality may be that you don't know what's going on, but people won't be able to tell the difference." Read Cockerell’s full interview with Boris Johnson and the people closest to him in this week’s Radio Times. On sale now priced £1.60, it also features a behind-the-scenes look at the new series of Doctor Who, baking recipes from Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry, and exclusive interviews with the cast of Game of Thrones.
Are You Being Served? star Frank Thornton dies aged 92
The comedy actor who played Captain Peacock passed away peacefully in his sleep over the weekend
Frank Thornton, who was perhaps best known for playing Captain Peacock in Are You Being Served?, has died aged 92. The actor passed away peacefully in his sleep on Saturday morning, according to a statement from his agent David Daly. During a showbiz career that lasted for more than 60 years, Thornton appeared in many of Britain’s best-loved sitcoms and left an indelible mark on the history of comedy in the country. Thornton was born in Dulwich, South London in 1921 and became an actor after taking evening classes while working for an insurance firm. Having serving as an officer in the RAF during the Second World War, Thornton made his first appearance on TV in 1950. During the 1960s he landed roles in comedy shows alongside performers like Tony Hancock, Benny Hill and Spike Milligan. Thornton also became a semi-regular actor on Steptoe and Son, appearing in a variety of guises on the show between 1963 and 1973. But he found his greatest fame as Captain Stephen Peacock, the snooty shop worker with a dubious military record, in Are You Being Served?, which ran from 1972-85. He later reprised the role in the 1990s spin-off Grace and Favour, and was one of Are You Being Served?’s last surviving cast members, along with Nicholas Smith who played department store manager Mr Rumbold. In later years Thornton starred as Truly in some 135 episodes of Last of the Summer Wine, and most recently appeared in the big-screen adaptation of Ray Cooney’s Run for Your Wife, which was released in February. "I have been Frank's agent since 1986 and he has been the most wonderful client as well as being a great friend. He will be sorely missed," Daly told the BBC. Thornton is survived by Beryl, his wife of 67 years, their daughter Jane, and three grandchildren.
Beverly Hills Cop US TV pilot: first photo of Axel and son
See Eddie Murphy and onscreen son Brandon T Jackson on the set of the upcoming small-screen adaptation
Here’s a first look at Axel Foley and his son Aaron – aka Eddie Murphy and Brandon T Jackson – on the set of the upcoming Beverly Hills Cop TV pilot. Murphy will reprise the role of the wisecracking police detective for the first time since 1994 movie sequel Beverly Hills Cop III, but he won’t be the show's main focus. Instead, the small-screen adaptation will pivot around his son Aaron (Jackson), who moves from Detroit to Beverly Hills to tackle crime in the wealthy neighbourhood. The pilot is also expected to feature an appearance from Judge Reinhold, who played Detective Billy Rosewood in the original Beverly Hills Cop movies. Described as a police procedural with comedic elements (as you'd expect), Beverly Hills Cop is written by The Shield's Shawn Ryan and will bedirected by Men in Black’s Barry Sonnenfeld. Over the weekend, Ryan tweeted the first few photos from the set of the pilot. Take a look below: 491 Released in 1984, the first Beverly Hills Cop movie starred Murphy as a streetwise Detroit cop investigating his best friend's murder, and was a hit with audiences and critics alike. It went on to become the second-highest grossing film of the year and spawned two sequels. Watch a trailer for the original Beverly Hills Cop below: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQGi4eB3RZI
Ricky Gervais to bring back David Brent... on YouTube
The Office creator has announced plans to launch exclusive content featuring Brent and other characters on the streaming video site
David Brent’s making his TV comeback tonight during Comic Relief (7:00pm, BBC1), and you'll soon be able to see a whole host of new adventures featuring the bearded boss on YouTube. Ricky Gervais has announced that he’s struck a deal with the streaming video site to release a welter of new material, some of it featuring his most famous comedy creation, through his YouTube channel. The Office creator currently has around 25,000 subscribers on YouTube, and said he’s pleased that he’ll be able to produce comedy for such a large audience without the “interference” of TV execs or film bosses. “Any artist will tell you that they want as many people to see their work with as little interference to that work as possible,” he said. “To create, get final edit, and be the broadcaster is the ultimate artistic experience. This is why I have partnered with YouTube for original programming. And because of all that money they gave me too, obviously.” In addition to Brent, the channel will eventually feature a variety of content from Gervais including sketches, vodcasts and behind-the-scenes dispatches from his film and TV projects. “Working with YouTube is a fantastic opportunity for new content to be made available without the limitations of schedules and international restrictions,” Gervais told Deadline. “Viewing habits are changing. And anyone who doesn’t realise that will be left behind. I am very excited to be working with a platform that is so instant and accessible. And to catch up with David Brent is going to be fantastic.”
Plebs: "The Inbetweeners meets Ancient Rome" - trailer
Watch a teaser for the new ITV2 comedy series about three misfits trying to climb the social ladder in Rome
Comedy fans curious about what to expect from ITV2's upcoming antiquarian sitcom Plebs – billed as The Inbetweeners meets Ancient Rome – can get a flavour of the show in this new trailer. The toga-heavy comedy tells the tale of two young men – Marcus and Stylax – and their "lazy slave with a major attitude problem", Grumio, who "try to get laid, hold down jobs and climb the social ladder in the big city – a city that happens to be Ancient Rome". The six-part series stars Tom Rosenthal, Joel Fry and Doctor Who's Ryan Sampson, and features appearances from Sophie Colquhoun, Lydia Rose Bewley and Doon Mackichan. Check out the trailer below, and if you fancy some more Plebs after that, have a look at these cast portraits. View oEmbed on the source website
Kristen Schaal replaces Mandy Moore in US Pulling remake
The Flight of the Conchords and 30 Rock star will appear alongside June Diane Raphael and Jenny Slate in the sitcom pilot
Flight of the Conchords and 30 Rock actress Kristen Schaal has replaced Mandy Moore in the upcoming US remake of Sharon Horgan’s sitcom Pulling. She’ll star in the pilot about three dysfunctional thirtysomething female friends “living their lives the way they want, even if society tells them they should have it all figured out by this point” opposite June Diane Raphael and Jenny Slate. June Diane Raphael will take the role of Donna - originally played by Horgan - who moves back in with her single best friends Louise and Karen when her perfect life suddenly falls apart. Schaal will play Donna’s naïve café worker friend Louise, while Slate has been cast as her hard-drinking primary school teacher pal Karen. Moore, who was the first actress cast in the Pulling remake, announced last week that she was leaving the project. Pulling is being re-imagined for an American audience by producers/screenwriters Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky, and the pilot will be directed by Jason Moore. The Bafta nominated original series aired on BBC3 between 2006 and 2009 and starred Horgan, Rebekah Staton and Tanya Franks. Its first episode saw Donna break up with her fiance on her hen night and later featured a suicide attempt, in addition to numerous references to sex, drugs and alcohol.
Star Wars: Clone Wars and Detours TV series cancelled
Lucasfilm has called time on two Star Wars TV spin-offs ahead of the release of Episode VII
One unexpected result of Disney taking control of Lucasfilm and Star Wars has been the demise of the animated TV series Star Wars: the Clone Wars, which is being wound down after five series. However, Lucasfilm is planning on putting new small-screen series animated series into production at a later date, which will explore “a whole new Star Wars series set in a time period previously untouched in Star Wars films or television programming.” “As we enter into an exciting new era focused on the next Star Wars trilogy, Lucasfilm has decided to pursue a new direction in animated programming,” said a statement from Lucasfilm. “We are exploring a whole new Star Wars series set in a time period previously untouched in Star Wars films or television programming. You can expect more details in the months to come. “As part of this shift, we have also made some key decisions affecting Star Wars: The Clone Wars. After five highly successful and critically acclaimed seasons of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, we feel the time has come to wind down the series.” Clone Wars Supervising Director Dave Filoni has since released a video about the announcement, which details the show’s history and reveals what’s left to come in episodes still to air: View oEmbed on the source website Another planned Star Wars spin-off, a comedy series by Seth Green called Star Wars Detours, has also been shelved for the foreseeable future. In its statement, Lucasfilm said that premiering an off-the-wall comedy so close to the release of Star Wars: Episode VII just wouldn’t make much sense. “At Star Wars Celebration VI last year, George Lucas gave fans a glimpse at the animated comedy series Star Wars Detours from Seth Green, Matthew Senreich, and Todd Grimes,” said the statement. “Detours was conceived and produced before we decided to move forward with the new Star Wars trilogy, and in the wake of that decision, Lucasfilm has reconsidered whether launching an animated comedy prior to the launch of Episode VII makes sense. As a result, we’ve decided to postpone the release of Detours until a later date. “We are incredibly proud of the teams at Lucasfilm Animation for creating some of the most amazing animation ever produced for TV.”
David Brent skanks his way down Equality Street - video
See and hear a teaser clip of Ricky Gervais's surprisingly listenable reggae Comic Relief tune
If you thought Free Love on the Free Love Freeway was a 'choon', just wait 'til you hear David Brent's latest opus. Brent's making his TV comeback later this week in a Comic Relief special called The Office Revisited, which will see the former Wernham Hogg boss trying his hand at managing (and evidently performing alongside) a young reggae singer. Ricky Gervais has just released a teaser of the duo's would-be hit single Equality Street and, d'you know what? It actually sounds quite pleasant. Well, what we can hear of it so far - tantalisingly, this snippet's only 19 seconds long. Nevertheless, Brent's voice fits the track surprisingly well. In fact, I like these first few bars so much I've got my fingers crossed that some YouTube scamp mixes a dub version of the song once the full version's released. Hear for yourself: View oEmbed on the source website You like? Well, whatever your thoughts, I dare say I'll be eating my words later this week as Gervais has promised that the song's going to be "horrendous" in its full version. If you haven't seen it yet, watch a trailer for The Office Revisited here.
Sarah Silverman and Michael Cera launch new YouTube comedy channel
Jash will feature all-new material from Silverman, Cera, Reggie Watts, Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim
Sarah Silverman and Michael Cera are part of a group of American comedians who’ve just launched a new YouTube comedy channel called Jash. The collective, which also includes rap-comic Reggie Watts and sketch duo Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim, launched Jash (which Silverman half-seriously claims stands for “Just Attitude So Hey”) at the South by Southwest festival in the States over the weekend. "Literally, we were at a restaurant and Tim said, 'Just attitude!' Which is so Tim," said Silverman. "And then Michael Cera said, 'So...hey?' Which is so Michael Cera." The fivesome were directly approached by Google with the idea of developing material for the channel, which will allow them to produce experimental and cutting edge comedy without having to worry about tailoring their work for a mainstream audience. "We each have pages within Jash and we each can curate those pages," Silverman told The Hollywood Reporter. "This is what we think is funny. It may not be your cup of tea, but there’s no testing involved, there’s no second-guessing of what a 14-year-old boy would like. It’s just a place to do stuff and fail or not fail." Jash is still in its very early stages, but the group is currently hard at work on creating content for the channel. Silverman plans to produce a film noir trailer, while Cera has already pledged to produce a 25-minute short. Check out the channel’s funny, high-concept trailer and Michael Cera’s trippy Jash introduction below: View oEmbed on the source website View oEmbed on the source website