Most everyone is probably tired of seeing more Mormon comedies still emerging from the depths of Mormondom here in Utah. On August 5th, the movie "
Mobsters and Mormons" hits the screens and I have to say it's a breath of fresh air to the cheesiness that the genre has stooped to. I was able to see a test screening and I thought it was very funny.
Then, next January, the film, "
Church Ball" enters theatres. Church Ball follows a ward team of misfit basketball players. Misfit might be an understatement, because
Gary Coleman is actually one of the players. Also on the team are two other "B" actors who have really famous siblings.
Andrew Wilson (famous brothers:
Luke and
Owen) was a pretty nice guy.
Clint Howard (famous brother:
Ron Howard) was a little more testy when I tried to talk to him. I really didn't get a chance to talk much to Gary Coleman because he wasn't paying attention during a scene, and a deflected ball hit him in the face. Honestly, it was one of the funniest things I've ever seen. Everbody was holding in laughter. I really hope they got that on film.
Fred Willard is also in the movie, but he wasn't there for that day of shooting. I really wanted to meet him because he was in "
Waiting for Guffman" which is one of my favorite movies. Also
Dale Critchlow, who plays Lyle in
Napoleon Dynamite was there. Man he's old!
So, being an extra was fun. What made it even more fun however was when I got chosen to actually have somewhat of a small role. I don't have any lines and I probably won't be in the credits, but unless they cut the whole scene, I'll be the focus on screen for a good 30 seconds to a minute.
Here's how it happened. I was sitting in the crowd with everyone else at the start of the shoot, and then one of the production managers picked me out with three other people to go stand somewhere so we'd be in the background. After that he sat the other three back down and told me he needed me for something else. He called for wardrobe and they brought out a blue warm-up. Then, lo and behold, I became a air-cannon-wielding male cheerleader.
I get to come out of a portal type thing with some female cheerleaders and the "bad guy" team and I start shooting T-shirts into the crowd. This is in a cultural hall, mind you, so the crowd is about five feet away from me. That's the joke. I nail some kid in the head and he goes down spilling popcorn everywhere, and then I accidentally hit an old lady (I didn't really, but that's what it will look like). It's going to be frickin hilarious. Of course, this is all riding on the fact that they actually include this in the movie. Who knows.
So I thought it was a pretty good day.
Dave Attell did two shows last night at Wiseguys Comedy Cafe in SLC. It was awesome. Dave was obviously very excited to take his pic with me. In reality, he was already finishing off his first bottle of Jager. But I did get him to sign a CD for me so it was pretty cool.
Deseret Industries is one of the coolest places in the world. Only here could I get such a sweet chair for only $3.00.
