Im genuinely trying to get people to laugh, Turkington insists. The comedian gets a call from an online filmmaker who wants him to star in a video. The project attempts to craft a Game of Thrones style fantasy epic based on the characters from playing cards (with the budget of a freshman student film, of course). Before a show, Eddie approaches the comedian and briefly expresses his gratitude for working with him, but the performer responds somewhat indifferently. Afterwards, he visits a public restroom where he investigates the cries of a woman coming from the women's restroom. At first, the movie which also stars John C. Reilly and Michael Cera appears to shed the mystery surrounding Neil Hamburger. Alongside Tim Heidecker, Turkington also stars as a fictionalized version of himself on the comedic web series On Cinema (2011). Tim Heidecker and Gregg Turkington of 'Mister America' and Adult Swim's 'On Cinema' visited the Rolling Stone office for a taped interview. A parody screenplay entitled "Bicycle Built for Two" which was co-written with Tim Heidecker was published in McSweeney's #36 in December 2010. The Fox News Trial Starts Tomorrow. Having controlled this character for more than 20 years, it was difficult to give up on the way its presented, he recalls. A self-proclaimed fan of Eberts since "Sneak Previews," Turkington co-writes and co-hosts his own movie review show on Adult Swim called "On Cinema at the Cinema," a parody of every half-baked review show inspired by "Siskel & Ebert." Certainly, it wouldnt be hard to imagine Turkington waxing lyrical on the show, as he does here, about 1981's Under The Rainbow, a ludicrously fictionalized account of Ozs making that even director Steve Rash now admits was pretty gross. I would read any showbiz bio, whether it was about somebody that I liked, like Frank Sinatra. Turkington's On Cinema character is a much-needed middle finger toward the vapid, empty 'entertainment journalists' and 'critics' who have no opinions outside their whitened smiles. He was a member of The Easy Goings, Totem Pole of Losers and the Zip Code Rapists (with John Singer). Following in line with how On Cinema critiques those who do not engage with the art they love critically, Entertainment is, in one form, a critique on what people expect from entertainment, and how theyre programmed to act in a certain way with the comfortable and uncomfortable. The easiest way to notice is watch the first Oscar Special where he can turn his head without restraint, and then watch any Oscar Special after that. This Article is related to: Television and tagged Gregg Turkington, On Cinema at the Cinema, Tim Heidecker. [8][9] He appeared in the series finale of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation as bombing suspect Lawrence Territo. Since I believe it's health, it probably chalks up to morbid curiosity. They dial a local nightclub and ask who's performing. Like, I am a real sucker for West Side Story or Rebel Without a Cause, or whatever. Turkington explained that the idea to make a movie about playing cards sprung from a joke about John Hustons 1966 film The Bible: In the Beginning., I remember thinking, how arrogant do you have to be to think you can condense something as massive as the Bible into one movie, he said. Greg Turkington doesn't turn his head. Initially I was clinging to that: You can make the movie, but I still have to talk this way, and wear the glasses. Rick just looked at me like, Are you insane? In addition to the flagship show, the On Cinema universe has produced six seasons of Decker, a deliberately terrible spy series written and directed by the fictionalized version of Heidecker; The Trial of Tim Heidecker, a four-hour extravaganza that sees Heidecker on trial for poisoning 19 teenagers with counterfeit vape pens at an ill-fated music festival; Mr. Stepping inside the labyrinthine world of On Cinema, however, reveals Gregg Turkington's work as Gregg Turkington, a film-obsessive psychotic whose passions veer almost exclusively towards the least-useful American studio movies of the last 30-or-so years. So often in comedy, people dont take it all the way. But it was never designed to be a career, and it really blows my mind to be in this position where weve got a feature film for this character, and this character just started out as a character as late night prank phone call character that my friend happened to record one night. There is no reason for them to make such an obvious character change without it being a part of a storyline. Most seasons center around Heidecker promoting a new scam such as his rock band Dekkar, his movie theater company Six Bag Cinema, or his Electric Sun Desert Music Festival. Its young director, Roman Polanski, created one of the most iconic horror films in history, seemingly drawing upon his own dark past in a film thats strangely connected to a number of tragic stories, starting with an unexpected death of a composer and leading to one of Americas most notorious true crime cases: The Manson Family murders. Their direct financial support allows Heidecker and Turkington to continue producing the show without fearing cancellation from Adult Swim, and any extra money is used to produce spinoffs that flesh out the sprawling, fucked-up universe that is On Cinema at the Cinema.. And especially when it would be some big budget movie that you would almost expect that would get panned on the show, but then it would be marginalized as Dog of the Week I dont know, that always got to me. Cursed Films II is written and directed by Jay Cheel, who also serves as executive producer alongside Brian Robertson, Jonas Prupas and Courtney Dobbins. The original Neil Hamburger records are more soundscapes and commentaries on the tone and the rhythm of comedy then they are actual comedy. To order copies of "[8], Last edited on 19 February 2023, at 21:23, "Under Attack by Bad Art Constantly: Gregg Turkington on "Entertainment", "Five Questions for Rick Alverson of Sundance NEXT Premiere, Entertainment", "Entertainment Reviews, Ratings, Credits", "What to Stream This Weekend: How to Find Good Movies on Netflix", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Entertainment_(2015_film)&oldid=1140382024, This page was last edited on 19 February 2023, at 21:23. But it just takes so long, and theres so many different scenes and so many different meanings to everything. He is known for his performances as Neil Hamburger, a stand-up comedian persona he developed in the 1990s. [Laughs] Im not foaming at the mouth. Im just here to buy some Q-tips, and I have to listen to this fucking shit? Like, Im under attack by this bad art constantly. Some think it's a character choice, others think health, others unsure. Gregg Turkington (born on November 25, 1967) is an Australian-born U.S. comedian, best known for his stand-up comedy character, Neil Hamburger. Gregg Turkington talks about living as one of the 'worst' comics in the world The comedian, known by his crass alter ego Neil Hamburger, stars in director Rick Alverson's new film Entertainment.. The Neil Hamburger character plays the role of Osric in the 2014 film, Hamlet A.D.D., a live action and animated version of William Shakespeare's Hamlet. Rent from $2.99. Another show takes place that night at another bar. Dressed up in a tuxedo with a greasy scalp while cradling at least two drinks under one arm, Hamburgers comedy is an exercise in a riled audience's discomfort, as a presence inspired by Frank Sinatra Jr. nonetheless confronts his crowd with question/answer jokes about the likes of the Red Hot Chili Peppers heroin addiction (to name just one example from the time he opened for the band Faith No More). After being told by the manager of the establishment that no hotel rooms are available, he stays at the house of the manager's cousin. Armed with nothing but a spotty knowledge of movie running times, this poor sap has essentially damned himself to an existence of the most pathetic fandom imaginable through nothing but his own terrible choices. He was a contributing editor to the British version of Maxim in 2005 and 2006, as well as to Johan Kugelberg's 2013 book Enjoy The Experience: Homemade Records 19581992. I was at the world premiere of Entertainment at Sundance 2015 and some people were walking out. The most gripping TV drama of the year is happening behind closed doors. The podcast began in 2011 as a bickering match between host Heidecker and guest/film expert Turkington, a back-and-forth parody marked by Tim's stubbornness and Gregg's inability to get any . He responds defensively to the criticisms and blames the poor reception of the routine on the heckler. Heidecker and Turkington (who also performs stand-up in his Neil Hamburger persona) are known for their outlandish, even grotesque comedy, but with On Cinema they took a new path, committing to. I mean, hes over 50 so not too uncommon if its some arthritis or spinal issue. They didnt have it every episode, but when they had a Dog of the Week, that was the movie I was going to see. And each season, Greggs already brief list of reasons to continue living gets shorter and shorter. His clearest forefather is Tony Clifton, the alter ego of Andy Kaufman, who wore an even tackier tux and provoked crowds into heckling sprees. In response, Turkington gave a hauntingly subdued performance inspired by, of all things, a donkey in Robert Bressons 1963 film Au Hasard Balthazar. A Chicago record label, Drag City, eventually released a handful of Neil Hamburger albums as Turkington continued to develop the character. Since then, he has written the book Warm Voices Rearranged: Anagram Record Reviews with fellow Three Doctors alumnus Brandan Kearney, also of World of Pooh, Caroliner, and Archipelago Brewing Co. If not for some studio meddling this would surely be taking home all the Oscar . What is the Spanish language plot outline for Deck of Cards (2022)? [4] Turkington also was a regular voice actor on the Disney XD series Gravity Falls, and had minor roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Ant-Man (2015) and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023).[5]. We may earn a commission from links on this page. Highest Rated: 95% Fremont (2023) Lowest Rated: 47% The Comedy (2012) Birthday: Nov 25, 1967. Through their conversations about movies (and frequent tangents), viewers have become privy to the characters health scares, legal troubles, financial woes, and other misfortunes that often conjure the image of Sophocles working in the Fernwood Tonight writers room. Will fans be confused by Entertainment? He has provided various voices for the animated series The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Adventure Time, Sanjay and Craig, and Gravity Falls. Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. [3] The basic plot of Entertainment a comic on tour is rather simple. Do you remember having a favorite Siskel & Ebert"segment or review? But you know its always going to end up that way.. If you do not yet have a Torstar account, you can create one now (it is free), Copyright owned or licensed by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. And then when I start to feel like Im starting to lose them, then I come back with things that I know will win them back. Rick and I both thought, lets light stuff on fire here, he recalls. You just wonder, why did they do this? When Turkington made his first Neil Hamburger 7-inch, he snuck copies into thrift-store bins, hoping customers would stumble on them and wonder the same thing. You cant really follow this path., For a long time, Turkington closely guarded that path, only doing interviews in character and never revealing secrets (like how a man with a full head of hair creates a comb-over). [3] The two discussed what Hamburger's character would be like off stage, both finding that his life would be dull and not very dynamic. All Also writer, producer. One review said my shows are just hipsters standing around laughing to be cool. Under Attack by Bad Art Constantly: Gregg Turkington on "Entertainment", act from hell known as Neil Hamburger. Thats what I like to think. An abrasive stand-up comic (Gregg Turkington) hits the road to perform a series of shows at seedy venues. by Amy Nicholson. In between, we watch him travel, prep for shows (including creating his comb-over), and contend with family struggles and existential crises. But things are a lot brighter for him than what we see onscreen. But then the movie could be misinterpreted as a promotional vehicle, and who wants to see a vehicle for some act theyve never heard of? Growing up in Arizona, he spent hours in thrift stores obsessing over cheap records by unknown artists. As the owner starts to answer, Turkington blurts out, Cancel it! Is $63 Million Too Much for Logan Roys House? He is also known for his contributions as "Resident Expert" on the parodic film review web series On Cinema and for being co-writer and co-star of the Adult Swim series Decker. Opening thisweekendin NY/LA and VOD, the film also stars John C. Reilly, Amy Seimetz, Michael Cera and Tim Heidecker. Add Vudu. He is a vegan. He finds a woman in labor who begs for his help; the film cuts to the bloodied comedian falling asleep against the wall of the bathroom as he holds the presumably stillborn infant. Was that a type of reflex to the self-aware white male misery in Entertainment? Most of them. That to me was the biggest reference for acting in this movie that I can think of. Its great because we no longer have to hold out our hats and beg, Turkington said while speaking to IndieWire from Australia. Its a weird acting influence, but I think it helped., Its never quite clear whether the horrors that befall the Comedian in Entertainment are real, yet its still tempting to assume the story reflects Turkingtons life. 11-Down, Four Letters: Psalm and Saint, for Kim Kardashian. Netflix promised a reunion full of drama . At this point, its less of a show and more of an elaborate alternate reality that has taken on a life of its own. 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