Cake or Death's Groovy News

[thanks Jean!]

> VIDEO HERE

Pre-sale starts in NZ at 9am on Wednesday 31 August and goes through to Monday 5 September 8.55am.

Use pre-sale code: STRIPPED

– Auckland
– Wellington

General public goes on sale Monday 5 Sep 9am.

[thanks Mark!]

[from samesame.co.au]

“Good morning, afternoon, evening to everyone. I am coming to tour New Zealand and Australia in November. Sorry I have been slow getting back.”

So typed hilarious cross-dressing comedian Eddie Izzard on Twitter just hours ago – and it’s great news for his local fans who haven’t seen him since he toured here for his Sexie show in 2003.

The straight funnyman is well-known for wearing women’s clothes and make-up on stage, but recent appearances have seen him choose more traditionally male attire.

A documentary film about Izzard’s life and career, called Believe: The Eddie Izzard Story, was released last year, featuring celeb interviews including Robin Williams and George Clooney.

[from thecomicscomic.com | thanks Jean!]

Craig Ferguson loves to have a loosey-goosey attitude on the set of his late-night talk show for CBS, but this week takes things to another level. Or should I say, another country entirely. This week’s episodes come to us from Paris, where Ferguson recently went on a working vacation.

On last night’s episode of Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, comedian Eddie Izzard and actress Kristen Bell joined Ferguson for a shopping stroll through the streets of Paris. You’ll get to see Ferguson question Izzard about performing his stand-up material in French, as well as whether the French or other cultures have a different sense of humor from the Americans or British. Interesting stuff.

Note: You can skip past the first minute of French Aquaman skittery.

Roll it!

[thanks Jean!]

[from playbill.com]

Tony Award nominee Eddie Izzard has signed on for a guest appearance in the upcoming season of the CBS series “The Good Wife,” according to TVGuide.com.

Izzard will play Abbott Thrush, an upper-class English barrister brought in to fight Lockhart/Gardner in a libel case that finds its way into British court.

The actor is currently scheduled for one episode, but co-creators and executive producers Robert and Michelle King are leaving it open for a possible return.

“The Good Wife” stars Emmy Award winner Julianna Margulies (“ER,” Festen) as a wife and mother who boldly assumes full responsibility for her family and re-enters the workforce after her husband’s very public sex and political corruption scandal lands him in jail. According to CBS, “Pushing aside the betrayal and crushing public humiliation caused by her husband, Peter, Alicia Florrick starts over by pursuing her original career as a defense attorney.”

Izzard was nominated for a Tony Award in 2003 for his performance in A Day in the Death of Joe Egg and has also been seen on Broadway in Race. His film credits include “Ocean’s Twelve,” “Ocean’s Thirteen,” “Across the Universe” and “Valkyrie.”

“The Good Wife” will return to CBS Sept. 25 and air Sunday nights at 9 PM ET.

[from bexhillobserver.net]

IT’S NOT everyday that an internationally acclaimed megastar can find time in their busy schedule to offer their support to a local charity.

However Eddie Izzard did just that earlier this week when he joined in double celebrations at the Sara Lee Trust.

The world-renowned comedian, actor and charity fund-raising marathon runner, fresh off the plane from his appearance at the Hollywood Bowl, officially opened the Sara Lee Trust charity shop in Endwell Road.

Along with guests, including trustees, volunteers, friends and patients, he also celebrated the Trust’s 15th birthday.

Eddie grew up in Bexhill and wanted to offer his support the Trust, which provides complementary therapies, creative arts therapies, counselling and sanctuary days to people living with cancer, motor neurone disease and HIV/Aids in Hastings and Rother

The charity was launched in 1996 by Sally and Jeremy Lee, following the death of their daughter Sara to cancer in 1995. Sara used complementary therapies throughout her two-year illness and Sally said she had found them to be a great source of comfort and support.

It was Sara’s wish that, after her death, a Trust be set up to help people with cancer who found it difficult to source their own therapies and pay for them.

After her death her family and friends set up the Sara Lee Trust to allow others to experience what Sara had achieved, “to live life to the full in spite of the cancer within”.

Sally said she was “delighted” that Eddie found time out of his busy schedule to attend the event. Bravely speaking of her family’s loss and Sara’s inspiration for the Trust, Sally said: “Sara really wanted to look as well as she could right to the end and continued to work right up to six weeks before she died.

“It’s marvellous that out of the terrible tragedy for our family something lovely has begun. It’s great to be able to offer some respite to patients who are having a dreadful time.

“Sara would love it.”

Eddie spent close to two hours at the celebratory event, posing for photographs, signing autographs, chatting with guests. He spoke candidly of his feelings, praising the work the Sara Lee Charity and of his thoughts on Bexhill.

Eddie said: “I think this charity is a brilliant idea, and that your daughter could be so pro-active when she was so ill is amazing. I never saw enough pro-activity in Bexhill, and to see this is brilliant.”

It’s a charity that Eddie empathises with, having lost both his mum to cancer when he was just six years old and his grandfather suffered from motor neurone disease

Losing his mum at an early age made a big impact on his life but Eddie said he found a way of dealing with the emotions the tragedy evoked. “When I do comedy I release a lot from my childhood from when mum died.”

More insight into his childhood along with treasured home-movie clips can be seen in Eddie’s DVD Believe, The Eddie Izzard Story, an openly frank and fascinating documentary released in 2010.

Eddie said his energy is in his genes, passed down from his grandfather and his dad, John, a well-known figure in Bexhill for his many charitable works. “Age is an attitude of mind. Dad is 83 and still has a lot of energy. I’m 22 in my head.”

Eddie recently appeared at the De La Warr Pavilion and says he longs for Bexhill to return to its former glory days:

“I have mixed feelings about Bexhill. It was built as a ‘young’ town from the Victorians to the motor-racing that used to happen here.

“I’d like to see motor racing, or something like that, return. I believe in a youthful Bexhill.

“What is there in this town for young people to do? I want to see more shops in Bexhill but I know there is this battle going on with those who want change and those who don’t .”

He added: “I like to shake things up!”

[from digitalspy.com]

Eddie Izzard has suggested that Glastonbury festival does not pay comedians enough.

The stand-up made the comment in conversation with Ross Noble for Absolute Radio about his comedy festival Laughs in the Park.

Asked about the challenges of outdoor events, Izzard said: “I’d say all the hassles that music festivals have already found – weather is the primary one.

“Comedy also knows, because we’re often the poor relation tent to the big ‘I know what I’m doing, I have a lot of gear and a lot of roadies and getting paid actual money as opposed to breadsticks’, you know, which is what Glastonbury… there is a comedy tent in Glastonbury and they do get paid buttons. Buttons?”

Noble agreed: “Yeah, buttons.”

Izzard continued: “Comedy is a mind gig and music is a field gig, people can get right out of it and still be in a field gig and a music gig, they can really get kind of wasted.

“We need people to be happy, slightly buzzed but not too out of it because we’re doing quite subtle stuff here; we’re putting juxtaposing stuff that works in the brain.

“I’ve had people from music festivals in the tent laughing their heads off, but all the way through, at anything, and so it doesn’t help you, doesn’t help us finesse our timing.”

Noble quipped: “Although it’s fine if you just want to laugh in my set. If you want to just p*ss yourself all the way through.”

Laughs in the Park featured Izzard, Noble and Tommy Tiernan and took place on 22, 23 and 24 July at Verulamium Park, St Albans.

Izzard was recently reported to be in talks alongside Bob Hoskins to appear in Kristen Stewart’s Snow White and the Huntsman.

Watch the Eddie Izzard and Ross Noble Absolute Radio video interview below: