Cake or Death's Groovy News

>> VIDEO HERE

[from TheFutonCritic.com]

IFC’s Original Scripted Comedy, “Bullet in the Face,” Begins Production in Montreal.

NEW YORK, NY – October 6, 2011 – Production begins this week in Montreal, Canada on IFC’s newest original scripted series, Bullet in the Face, a six-part, half-hour comedic action thriller. Creator and executive producer Alan Spencer (Sledge Hammer!) developed the series with producers and executive producers Jesse Prupas and Evi Regev of Muse Entertainment and Just For Laughs Television. The cast includes Max Williams as Gunter Vogler, Neil Napier as Lieutenant Karl Hagerman, Jessica Steen as Commissioner Eva Braden, and Kate Kelton as Martine Mahler, alongside guest stars Eddie Izzard (Valkyrie, Ocean’s Thirteen) and Eric Roberts (The Dark Knight, The Expendables) as notorious crime lords. The series is directed and co-executive produced by Erik Canuel (Barrymore, Bon Cop, Bad Cop) and will debut on IFC in summer 2012.

“Bullet in the Face melds the best of the action/thriller genre with IFC’s comedic sensibility,” said Debbie DeMontreux, senior vice president of original programming, IFC. “This is television like viewers have never seen before and Alan Spencer is the perfect ‘slightly off’ talent to help us bring this new format to audiences.”

“Just for Laughs and Muse Entertainment have long been searching for a unique and edgy comedy to produce together and we were thrilled to find a fantastic and supportive broadcast partner in IFC. We are proud to say that Bullet in the Face is unlike anything else out there, combining hilarity, thrills and non-stop action,” say Executive Producers Michael Prupas (Muse Entertainment) and Bruce Hills (Just for Laughs).

“I am very happy to be doing this show for a network that is ‘slightly off’ as I have been off my whole life,” commented Alan Spencer.

Following a botched jewel heist, sociopath criminal Gunter Vogler awakens in a hospital, surrounded by cops, his head wrapped in bandages. When the bandages come off Gunter’s new face is revealed and police force him to work undercover to take down the city’s crime lords.

Bullet in the Face is produced by Montreal’s Muse Entertainment Enterprises and Just For Laughs Television. Executive producers for IFC are Debbie DeMontreux, Dan Pasternack, Jennifer Caserta and Evan Shapiro.

(Thanks BZC)

This week’s episode is a quite interesting look at ‘House and Home’. Joining QI Master Stephen Fry ‘in da house’ are panellists Danny Baker, Eddie Izzard, Bill Bailey and Alan Davies.

The panellists’ buzzers sound like door bells. Stephen Fry asks – ‘Many things can influence the value of a house, but what instantly reduces the value of a house in America by a third?’

[thanks Jean!]

The British comedy star and actor, along with director Steve Barron, were in Cannes to promote Treasure Island, the RHI-produced film whose partners include Sky, who will air the feature in the UK this Christmas.

Izzard plays Long John Silver, but guarantees no “arrrr”s or “Jim lad”s: this is a gritty, realistic and muscular rendition of the classic tale. “We wanted this punk element”, said the star.

Watch out for trailer extracts within the interview!

>> ANOTHER INTERVIEW

[from BBC.CO.UK | thanks Jean!]

Celebrity Labour supporter Eddie Izzard has defended Ed Miliband’s speech to the Labour party conference – which was criticised as “anti-business”.

In his speech, Mr Miliband attacked “predatory” firms and a “fast-buck” culture.

The comedian also told the BBC’s Sian Williams that he would run for mayor, MEP or MP in 2020.

>> VIDEO HERE

[from looktothestars.org]

Whimsical comedian Eddie Izzard this week began a journey through Africa with UNICEF to raise awareness and funds for the charity.

He has been tweeting and blogging his progress and has been both shocked by the poverty and encouraged by the progress of the country. His tweets have shown both carcasses of parched cattle and the more encouraging sight of locals enjoying a ‘water-truck filling station’.

Whilst on the trip, Eddie will be filming his travels to show people just what life is like.

To see photos of the trip, and for regular updates, check out Eddie on Twitter.

According to UNICEF, almost 85% of urban Kenyans are now using improved drinking water services and 93% of young people (aged 15 to 23) are literate, but there is a long way to go. The infant mortality rate is 55% and 57% of teenage girls believe that a man is justified in beating or abusing his wife under certain circumstances. UNICEF aims to ‘build a world where every child’s rights are met’ and Izzard’s trip will help highlight the need for aid as well as providing a real-life account of what is going on out there; seeing pictures on the news is a whole lot easier to ignore than up-to-the minute accounts and pictures of what life is like for impoverished Africans.

[from dailymail.co.uk]

The grueling race features a half mile swim, 18 mile bike ride and four mile run. But marathon veteran and exercise junkie Eddie Izzard barely halted for breath. The brutal triathlon shows that the comedian has kept fighting fit since his famous 2009 marathon.

Often thought of as more challenging than a straightforward marathon due to the different muscles used for each portion, triathlons require long term intensive training. The 49-year-old must have done the groundwork, as he completed each part of the race with apparent ease, reached the finish line looking fresh as a daisy. Eddie made headlines in 2009 with his astonishing marathon for Sports Relief.

Despite claiming to have trained for only five weeks, Eddie ran at least 27 miles per day, six days a week, for seven weeks.
He covered more than 1,110 miles of England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, and received a special award at BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2009 for his achievements. However Eddie is planning something completely different for his next venture.

‘I’m going into politics in nine years time,’ the star told the New Zealand herald earlier this month.
‘I already announced that two years ago. I have been campaigning politically. I am a radical centrist, but I do believe in a safety net and encouraging people to set up businesses.’

‘I love the business model of Pixar, the business model of Apple, and Google, and Ben and Jerry’s. I love Richard Branson. I like ideas and initiative, putting things out, encouraging kids to go and do it,’ he said.

‘It’s like Peter Jackson saying, “I’m going to take on the whole world, I’m going to do this stuff, and I’m going to do it in different ways,” That’s just great. It’s having imagination, energy, love, all that. And having a positive heart behind it.’

>> PHOTOS HERE

THE GOOD WIFE “The Death Zone” Season 3 Episode 2 airs Sunday October 2 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

THE GOOD WIFE “The Death Zone” Season 3 Episode 2 – When Alicia wins a verdict in a libel case involving a British businessman, she must quickly learn to navigate English Law when the case is retried in British court via satellite, on THE GOOD WIFE, Sunday, Oct. 2 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. (L to R: Josh Charles as Will Gardner, Julianna Margulies as Alicia Florrick, Simon Dalenay as Timothy Ash Brannon, Emily Swallow as Mandy Cox, John Doman as Eugene Cardiff, guest star Eddie Izzard as James Thrush).

>> PHOTOS HERE

[thanks Jean]

Wellington – 6 – 8 November – St. James Theatre

Auckland – 9-11 November – Civic Theatre

Sydney – 14 & 15 November – Sydney Opera House

Perth – 18 November- Burswood Theatre

Melbourne – 22 November – Palais Theatre

Adelaide – 23 November – Festival Theatre

Canberra – 24 November – Canberra Theatre

Brisbane – 27 November – Convention Centre