]]>Fan-Casting Ryan Reynolds’ CLUE Remakehttp://nerdist.com/clue-ryan-reynolds-fan-casting/
Tue, 30 Jan 2018 18:48:05 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=568820We love the original Clue so much that when we heard Ryan Reynolds will star in a remake we briefly considered whether or not we should meet him in the library with a candlestick to “discuss” why that’s a terrible idea. It’s not that we aren’t huge fans of his, but rather we can’t imagine how anyone can improve on one of our all-time favorite comedies.

However, if they are really going to do this we at least want them to do it right, so rather than try to kill the project we came up with our top choices to star in it. Because you can’t do the original justice unless you have an All-Star cast worthy of the 1985 movie. That’s why we’re want big names and big talents who can match the energy and humor that made Clue a beloved classic.

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Wadsworth: Ryan Reynolds (Originally played by Tim Curry)

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For a movie based on a board game full of famous characters, the star of the original Clue is the entirely original character of Wadsworth, the “butler” who leads the investigation and carries the movie from scene to scene. Considering it was played by Tim Curry at his absolute apex, in a performance that is so high energy and relentless it leaves you physically exhausted to watch it, these are some very large shoes to fill. But that’s also why it should go to Reynolds. He’s charismatic, funny, and is a huge talent himself at the peak of his big screen powers, and Deadpool proved he’s capable of carrying a movie. We don’t think his Wadsworth would be exactly like Curry’s–and it would be foolish for him to try to play the part that way–but he’d be one of our top choices for the role even if he wasn’t involved already.

If you want an actor who has the comedic chops to match the range of Christopher Lloyd you aren’t going to do better than Keegan-Michael Key, who played just about every type of role possible on Key & Peele. The more insane the scene he is in, the funnier he gets, which is why he’s especially perfect for this remake. Imagine him as the brainy Professor Plum, trying to play it cool and under control all movie, only for him to completely lose his mind at the end while the chaos of the situation comes to a boil. There’s no one else we’d want to see running around the mansion screaming. In fact, he’s so right for this part we’re already starting to talk ourselves into this remake.

Mrs. White: Laurie Metcalf (Originally played by Madeline Kahn)

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The only part harder to recast than Tim Curry’s Wadsworth is the late Madeline Kahn’s black widow Mrs. White. She was one of the funniest humans who ever lived, and because she passed away far too young, each of her movies feel sacred. So this has to go to a super-duper heavyweight, which is why we want Laurie Metcalf. There’s an excellent chance she’s going to win an Oscar this year for her performance in Lady Bird, but long before that she was the funniest character on Roseanne, which is really saying something considering that cast and show was amazing. Her Jackie was frantic and wound-up, so letting her loose in the chaos of a Clue remake could be special.

Mrs. Peacock: Catherine O’Hara (Originally played by Eileen Brennan)

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Fact: every comedy should have Catherine O’Hara, but my goodness it almost feels like this entire remake was willed into existence by the universe specifically so she could play the role of the corrupt aristocratic wife of a senator. Any fan of Christopher Guest’s movies knows O’Hara can handle any role, and we know from the Home Alone series that the worst the situation the funnier she gets, so letting her slowly lose her mind over the course of a murderous night is a perfect way to let her show off all of her talent and range.

Mr. Green: Paul F. Tompkins (Originally played by Michael McKean)

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Eventually a very smart person in Hollywood is going to give comedian Paul F. Tompkins the type of role his talent deserves, and we hope it’s this one. He’s not only one of the best stand-ups around, his work on Comedy Bang Bang has shown he is one of the funniest character actors working today too. It’s not going to be easy for anyone to follow a comedy legend like Michael McKean, but we want a Mr. Green that can get laughs with nothing more than a funny face, who will be able to look terrified at all times, and who can be increasingly incredulous the more insane things get. In the same way The Hangover was a breakout part for Zach Galifianakis, this could be the role for Tompkins we’ve been waiting for him to get.

Miss Scarlet: Janelle Monáe (Originally played by Lesley Ann Warren)

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The beautiful Miss Scarlet needs to be someone who exudes confidence, draws the eyes of everyone in the mansion, and who absolutely should not be crossed. Anyone who saw Hidden Figures knows that is a perfect description of Janelle Monáe, who also drew the biggest laughs in the movie. She’s an immense talent, and while most know her as a dramatic actress (between Hidden Figures and Moonlight she got robbed of an Oscar nomination twice last year), we think she’d end up stealing every scene she is in. Though that’s not much of a prediction since she always does that.

Colonel Mustard is a respected, veteran military man who finds himself surrounded by murderers, con artists, and totally absurd characters. Which is why everything in the career of Reginald VelJohnson–whose two most famous roles came as a cop in Die Hard and as Carl Winslow who was constantly under attack by Steve Urkel’s shenanigans on Family Matters–feels like it was preparing him for this role. People think Urkel was the “funny” one on that show, but VelJohnson and his ability to erupt like a volcano in the middle of the dumbest situations was the show’s real MVP.

Cameos!

Our bet is that all of the minor roles from the original–like the cook, the singing telegram girl, the cop, and Yvette–won’t be in this version. But we do think the remake will still have other parts and utilize unexpected drop-ins. So here are some performers we’d love to see stop by, hopefully to get murdered. (What? It’s Clue, they’ll want to be murdered.)

Rowan Atkinson: Mr. Bean almost played Wadsworth in the original, so not only would his style of comedy be perfect it would be a very cool touch.

Ali Wong: We would love to see the stand up pop in because she has such a strong presence and could do a lot with a little, which is why if they decide to go with a younger cast she would make for a great Mrs. Peacock. (Video NSFW.)

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Weird Al Yankovic: He doesn’t even have to try and be funny to make us laugh.

Marc Evan Jackson:Brooklyn Nine-Nine and The Good Place‘s master of deadpan would be a perfect addition to the inane world of Clue.

Vanessa Bayer: Nobody is better at trying to fake happiness while being horrified quite like the former SNL star.

Kumail Nanjiani: We’re already laughing picturing him standing in the mansion with a terrified look on his face.

Ken Jeong: Anyone from Community would be a great addition, but if we need someone to make as big an impact as possible in a one-scene role we want Jeong.

Andrea Savage: Even in minor roles she always makes us laugh, and we’d love to see her show up, get angry, and then have a funny death.

Jordan Peele: If Keegan-Michael Key is playing Professor Plum, we want Peele to show up and get killed by him.

Okay, thinking about how much fun this cast could be has eased our concerns about this remake enough that Ryan Reynolds doesn’t have to worry about meeting us in the study with wrench.

But what do you think? Who would you cast in the movie instead? Tell us in the comments below.

Featured Image: Lionsgate/Universal/Warner Bros.

More of the things you love!

]]>Meet DUCKTALES’ New Gladstone Gander, Paul F. Tompkins (Exclusive)http://nerdist.com/ducktales-gladstone-gander-paul-f-tompkins/
Fri, 13 Oct 2017 14:00:40 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=549246In the world of Duckburg, few have as much to celebrate as Donald Duck’s incredibly lucky cousin Gladstone Gander. But after hearing who the new DuckTales got to play the happy-go-lucky nemesis of Donald, it’s safe to say that we are the lucky ones. As it turns out, Gladstone will be voiced by one of our favorite comedians, Paul F. Tompkins. (Now that‘s something to celebrate.)

In this exclusive video, Tompkins talks about joining the all-star cast to play a character who has everything always go right for him, which, of course, drives his notoriously unlucky cousin Donald absolutely insane. And that’s really saying something, because as Tompkins points out, lots of things upset Donald Duck, but little more than Gladstone’s unflappable good fortune.

Tompkins will make his debut as Gladstone Gander in the upcoming episode “The House of the Lucky Gander,” which will air on October 14th. He’s just the latest fantastic addition to the already loaded DuckTales cast.

And we’re especially excited by this casting news, not just because we love Tompkins, but because Gladstone Gander holds a special place in our hearts here at Nerdist—after all, he was voiced in the original series by the host of our Alpha series Talkin’ Toons, Rob Paulsen. Those are some pretty big shoes—or rather, vocal pipes—to fill.

What other DuckTales characters are you hoping to return to the new series? Who would you like to hear fill them? Tell us your best casting ideas in the comments below.

]]>Boba Fett, OREGON TRAIL Post-it Art Make This Office Awesomehttp://nerdist.com/boba-fett-oregon-trail-post-it-art-make-this-office-awesome/
Sat, 25 Mar 2017 03:00:16 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=489983Fan Art Friday is open to all sorts of mediums, and Christy Klancher went above and beyond in the category of sharing art made from atypical supplies. Her toolbox includes seeds and Post-its. She uses the food and office supplies separately to make art inspired by stories she enjoys and people she admires.

Let’s focus on some Post-it art first. Christy does these in her office. I work from home rather than an office, but this is making me want to make some mini Post-it pieces on the wall above my desk. Christy’s office has the space to go large though, so she can assemble things like this Boba Fett.

Take a scroll on down to the gallery to see more non-traditional art. You’ll find some Fallout Post-it art, as well as some impressive seed art put together to create a portrait of Paul F. Tompkins and also a Prince and Hamilton mash-up. Christy made the seed art pieces for the Minnesota State Fair crop art competition. I’d wager there wasn’t anything else like them.

You can keep up with all of Christy’s invention creations by following her on Instagram and/or Twitter.

Do you create any sort of fan art? If so, I want to see it. Whether you focus on a specific fandom or pull inspiration from multiple stories and mediums, I’d like to highlight what you do. If you’re interested in being featured in a future edition of Fan Art Friday, get in touch with me at alratcliffe@yahoo.com with examples of your work. If you’re not an artist, feel free to email me with recommendations for Fan Art Friday!

Images: Christy Klancher

]]>Pop My Culture 213: The Final Episode with Paul F. Tompkins, Samm Levine and Rhett Miller (Live from SF Sketchfest)http://nerdist.com/pop-my-culture-213-the-final-episode-with-paul-f-tompkins-samm-levine-and-rhett-miller-live-from-sf-sketchfest/
Thu, 19 Jan 2017 18:45:34 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=472525Cole and Vanessa say goodbye after six wonderful years with this final Pop My Culture episode, live from the 16th Annual SF Sketchfest presented by Audible. Join them and special guests Paul F. Tompkins (“Spontaneanation”), Samm Levine (“Freaks and Geeks”) and Rhett Miller (The Old 97’s) as they discuss the best and worst moments of 2016 and answer one final pissed-off wizard question. Our thanks to Nerdist for giving us a home and all of you for listening over the years!
]]>Thrilling Adventure Hour #232: Beyond Belief, “Mannequin Episode”http://nerdist.com/thrilling-adventure-hour-232-beyond-belief-mannequin-episode/
Mon, 14 Nov 2016 16:15:18 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=456847Starring Paul F. Tompkins and Paget Brewster as those married mediums Frank and Sadie Doyle. Also starring Craig Cackowski, Autumn Reeser, Busy Philipps, and Janet Varney as mannequins; and Hal Lublin as a mannequin hunter.
Music by Jordan Katz & the Elements of Style, featuring Jonathan Dinerstein.
Directed by Aaron Ginsburg. Written and produced by Ben Acker & Ben Blacker.

Recorded October 23, 2016 at Largo at the Coronet in Los Angeles.
PLUS: A bonus musical treat recorded at the Bell House in Brooklyn, NY, featuring Paul F. Tompkins, Paget Brewster, Ted Leo, Jean Grae, and the cast!

Tickets are on sale NOW for the WorkJuice Players’ show at the Bell House in Brooklyn on July 23rd. 7 pm ALL AGES show and 9:30 pm 21+ show. Starring Paul F. Tompkins, Paget Brewster, Marc Evan Jackson, Mark Gagliardi, and Craig Cackowski. Tickets here: http://www.thebellhouseny.com/calendar/

]]>Hardwatch: Week of June 13th, 2016http://nerdist.com/hardwatch-week-of-june-13th-2016/
Mon, 13 Jun 2016 00:00:37 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=410922Summer is in full swing, and while our fearless leader has been on the road these last few weeks, he’s back now! Here’s where you can find him in the coming week.

The Id10t Tour started out with rousing success these last two weeks, and you can catch some of Chris’s adventures on his Instagram feed. He was all over the east coast. The tour’s next dates will be at San Diego Comic Con which is *gasp* barely a month away so make sure you grab tickets while you can.

Fans in Los Angeles can also catch Chris at The Comedy Store at the end of the month. He will be performing with Bill Burr on June 26th, and tickets are available here. The event will be raising money to help sick kids in the city and is being held in partnership with Regular Hero.

The Nerdist Podcast episode this week is one we’ve all been hoping for: a hostful! I don’t know about you all, but I’ve missed having all three of the guys at the mics lately. Make sure you tune in to hear what Chris, Matt, and Jonah have been up to.

As always, make sure you’re following Chris on Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram for the latest of his adventures.

Music by Jordan Katz and Phillip Krohngold. The new Tick-Tock theme is by Paul & Storm.
Written and produced by Ben Acker & Ben Blacker.

Recorded January 9, 2016 at the Brava Theater at San Francisco Sketchfest.
Photo by Tommy Lau

TAH is coming to the Bell House in Brooklyn on July 23rd for two shows: 7pm All Ages and 10pm 21+! If you’re on our mailing list, you’ll have received a special code for advance tickets. Tickets go on sale to everyone everywhere on Monday, June 13th at http://www.thebellhouseny.com/

Two towering rock icons, punk progenitor Iggy Pop and Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme, did the Nerdist Podcast to promote Iggy’s new (and final?) album, Post Pop Depression, on which Iggy collaborated with Josh, and to talk about farting, nudity, the classic stories of Iggy rolling around on stage in broken glass, parenthood, and more.

In a bonus Nerdist Podcast, Melissa Rauch came in to show how she’s way, way more than just Bernadette on The Big Bang Theory, not that being Bernadette isn’t enough. But she and her husband wrote the new movie The Bronze, and she did standup for years, and trained at UCB, so there’s a lot you’ll learn about Melissa. You’ll also learn the not quite romantic story of when Melissa found out her husband was in love with her, and about her parents and their interesting use of some familiar phrases.

SURPRISE!!! We got a brand new Thrilling Adventure Hour! Yes, the WorkJuice Players were back with a new “Beyond Belief” story with Frank and Sadie Doyle — Paul F. Tompkins and Paget Brewster, of course — and guests Lauren Lapkus and Michael McKean, with music from Paul and Storm.

Sadie Doyle… er, Paget Brewster joined the gang to recap the final Bachelor episode of the season and to rejoice in the selection of the next Bachelorette on Will You Accept This Rose? (and, yes, they WILL be back with The Bachelorette…).

Is The Writers Panel consistently hitting it out of the park week after week or what? This week, Ben had Doug Petrie & Marco Ramirez (Marvel’s Daredevil), Melissa Rosenberg (Twilight, Marvel’s Jessica Jones), Jason Katims (Parenthood, About a Boy, Friday Night Lights, Roswell), and Jessica Goldberg (The Path) on the panel. We always say that anyone remotely interested in the process of making entertainment should listen to this show, but those names alone should convince you of that.

Comedian Quincy (“No, Not That One, The Other One”) Jones is trying to raise money to make a standup comedy special while he still can. He’s terminally ill, and he’s doing a Kickstarter to get the funding to make it happen, with some major help from friends Mickey and Nicole Blaine and celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres, who had him on her show and is trying to get Netflix and HBO interested in the special. Anyway, the combined effort raised way more than the goal and is ending today, but you should listen to Quincy on You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes and find out more, and if you’re reading this before 5 pm PT on March 18. 2016, you can donate to the Kickstarter.

Jonah Keri went to SXSW for the first ever live Jonah Keri Podcast with Matt Mira on hand to talk — what else? — Boston sports, and guitars, and PEDs, and religion, and lots of stuff. And Major League Baseball’s first female coach, Oakland A’s Arizona Fall League coach Justine Siegal, talked about her experiences, and former pro Halo player Hunter Swensson talked about the rise of eSports. Live.

Jackie and Laurie brought you more inside-comedy insight and more, including eating alone on the road (including a very expensive meal), kids’ talent shows, magicians, clubs lending cars to comics, the Great Lakes Avengers, more drama with Laurie’s mom, Johnny Carson, Dennis Miller, and Bo Derek on The Jackie and Laurie Show. And you’ll learn why Jackie doesn’t want to talk about Albuquerque. Although she talks about it. Plenty.

Bachelorette parties! 10 Cloverfield Lane! A reality dating show proposal for Alison! Suicide robots at Fukushima! So much this week on Half Hour Happy Hour….

Tom got up close and very personal in a special guest-free (hostful!) Pro You.

We relived the side-scroller and platforming edition of the Legacy Music Hour on another Mixtape edition.

Kevin and Steve did one for those who appreciate the masculine, their list of Top 10 Movie Man-Crushes on Chewin’ It, and of COURSE there’s Swayze. You do a list of man-crushes, you KNOW Swayze’s on there.

Violette Beane (The Flash) joined Razzle and guest host Josh Macuga for Today We Learned, and they explored the bat bridge in Austin, which I can confirm has one hell of a lot of bats underneath. Yes, of COURSE I stood there like all the other gaping tourists watching the bats fly out. Even the SXSW hipsters do that. Leave me alone.

Mollena Lee Williams-Haas had a conversation about her unique life and edge play on a two part Sex Nerd Sandra: Here’s Part 1 and here’s Part 2..

Steve Mazan returned to the couch for another Cash Withdrawal session. Not sure if his insurance will cover so many appointments.

We found out more about Jenna and Bodhi’s marriage on Kicking and Screaming, more than you thought you wanted to know….

Writer/director David Lowery, who’s at the helm of Disney’s upcoming reboot of Pete’s Dragon, was Alexi’s guest on Love, Alexi.

]]>Nerdist at SXSW Saloon Day 2 Recap – Comedy, Tatiana Maslany, Tiara Girls, and More!http://nerdist.com/nerdist-at-sxsw-saloon-day-2-recap-comedy-tatiana-maslany-tiara-girls-and-more/
Mon, 14 Mar 2016 00:30:24 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=378762I gotta tell you folks, I am a jealous man. I’ve always wanted to go to South by Southwest in Austin, TX, and sadly never have. Luckily for me, and for you if you’re in the same boat as me, I can live vicariously through my colleagues at Nerdist and the other Legendary Digital Networks (Geek & Sundry and Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls at the Party, dontcha know) who have set up an awesome #Saloon to interview people, play games, showcase bands, and generally do everything awesome you could possibly want from the U.S.’ premier arts and media festival.

Dan Casey takes us through all of Saturday’s biggest happenings, from interviewing the cast of SeeSo’s Bajillion Dollar Properties, to hearing about the animated D&D adventure of Harmontown, to the cast of Silicon Valley. Throw in some Tatiana Maslany, Jake Gyllenhaal, and music of the Tiara Girls and you have yourself a pretty packed day surrounded by tubed meats. But the greatest thing of all? A place where you could play with puppies! And adopt them too, if you so desired. Don’t you wish you were in Austin even more than before? I do.

Don’t miss all the interviews from our SXSW Saloon, take a peek at some of the day’s festivities in the gallery below, and let us know who your favorite guest was in the comments!

The newest edition of The Late Show‘s segment pitted Paul F. Tompkins, arguing on behalf of the metal musicians, against Colbert, who argued for the struggling actors who make up the performers at Medieval Times.

“Okay, you want to stick a metal weapon into an opponent coursing with electricity. Why don’t you stay home and joust your toaster with a butter knife?” Tompkins said in response to Colbert’s backing of the guys with swords.

However, when Tompkins (who revealed the “F” in his name stands for “Fascism”) thought the “C.E.C.B.” might have mastered the art of self-repair after all these years, Colbert was having none of it. “They don’t have any learning ability; they’re not an A.I. system. They’re merely hydraulics being run by a guy named Andy, who’s an 18-year-old assistant manager.”

While Colbert and the segment guest argue the merits for each combatant, it’s up to the viewers on Twitter to actually vote and decide the champion. This one is already very close, so remember your vote does count.

The last round of Friday Night Fights saw John Hodgman throttle Colbert as both of Hodgman’s picks came out victorious, with the Tooth Fairy besting Bigfoot with 56% of the vote, and the Walmart greeter with a crossbow winning with 70% in a landslide over the Apple Genius with a switchblade.

Okay, who you got? Tell us in the comments below which restaurant’s performers you are backing in this fight.

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Images: CBS

]]>Hardwatch: Week of March 6th, 2016http://nerdist.com/hardwatch-week-of-march-6th-2016/
Mon, 07 Mar 2016 02:00:08 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=375925It’s been a crazy week in nerdy news, and with Sunday here again, it’s time for a rundown of all the excellent spots you can find Chris Hardwick this week.

After tonight’s all new episode of The Walking Dead there will be a new episode of Talking Dead with Alanna Masterson, Ross Marquand, and J.B. Smoove taking to the couch to talk about season 6’s twelfth episode, “No Tomorrow Yet.” Personally, I’m a week behind so I can’t really even tease things that are going to happen, but I am there for Tara and Aaron chatting with Chris and J.B. Smoove!

As you might have seen on Instagram yesterday, the guest for the Nerdist Podcast this week is none other than acting legend Sally Field. You can look forward to some excellent stories from her, and if Chris’s picture is any indication, some really sweet reminiscence are possible.

Make sure that you follow Chris on Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Snapchat for all the latest changes to the plan and for general merriment and fun.

]]>Dan Harmon and Your Favorite Funny People are Bringing Comedy to Historyhttp://nerdist.com/dan-harmon-and-your-favorite-funny-people-are-bringing-comedy-to-history/
Thu, 18 Feb 2016 23:30:26 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=369351It looks like History (the channel, not the past) is done letting Comedy Central’s Drunk History have all of the fun of mocking historical figures. Later this month, History is launching an ambitious late night comedy block called Night Class, with Community creator Dan Harmon taking the spotlight in Great Minds with Dan Harmon.

While Harmon was largely a behind-the-scenes presence on Community and Rick and Morty, Great Minds with Dan Harmon casts Harmon as a fictionalized version of himself, who builds a time machine that allows him to bring history’s most accomplished minds into the present. With the announcement, History debuted a clip of Harmon with Ludwig Van Beethoven, as played by Jack Black.

Elizabeth Shapiro’s Crossroads of History will also rely on famous guest actors as they star in comedic shorts based on real historical incidents, including Adolf Hitler’s failed attempt to get into art school and Abraham Lincoln’s bodyguard picking the wrong night to sneak out for a drink at Ford Theater. Lou Diamond Phillips, Brian Baumgartner, Angela Kinsey, Keir O’Donnell, Jack McBrayer, Wayne Knight, Lloyd Ahlquist, and Paul Scheer are confirmed to appear in the first season.

The third series in History’s new comedy lineup is called How to Lose the Presidency, which will utilize actual footage of Presidential candidates as they committed the unforgivable gaffes that sank their political aspirations. For example, Howard Dean’s scream on the campaign trail and Rick Perry’s primary debate “oops” will be featured, among with many other unintentionally funny and disastrous moments.

All three series will debut next week, on Thursday, February 25 on History. According to History, additional comedy series are in the works.

Are you intrigued by History’s move into comedy? Let us know in the comment section below!

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Image Credit: History/Matador Content

And while you’re here, check out Kyle Hill’s chat with Harmon and Justin Roiland from SDCC 2015!

]]>Hardwatch: Week of January 11th, 2016http://nerdist.com/hardwatch-week-of-january-11th-2016/
Mon, 11 Jan 2016 03:00:19 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=353537Exciting things are already happening in 2016 for our fearless leader, and I have all the fun places you can find Chris Hardwick in the coming days. First and foremost, the Funcomfortable Tour is back in action now that the holiday season is over. Chris will be in Nashville Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. Tickets are still available, and you can grab them here.

If you were paying attention there at the end of the year, you know that the guys are cranking back a little bit on the schedule. This week there will be one new episode of Nerdist Podcast, this week and for the foreseeable future. The delightfully hilarious Samantha Bee will be this week’s guest. She’s doing promotion for Full Frontal, her new show coming to TBS on February 18th. On the podcast, you can look forward to hearing about The Daily Show, her family, becoming American, and more.

As always, make sure that you’re following Chris on Twitter at @Hardwick, on Tumblr, Instagram and Snapchat to keep up with all his late-breaking changes to the schedule.

]]>You’ll Fear Your Bathroom After This Montage of Mirror Scareshttp://nerdist.com/youll-fear-your-bathroom-after-this-montage-of-mirror-scares/
Sun, 01 Nov 2015 18:30:49 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=327410When you watch this montage of the classic horror movie trope, the one where a character sees someone or something standing behind them in a mirror, it really makes you reflect on the nature of being scared. [Editor’s Note: We neither endorse nor enjoy such a silly and bad joke made on the part of this writer.]

It is inherently terrifying to have someone sneak up on you, and while this montage shows not every reflection we see has to be relegated to just our bathroom mirror, alone in our quiet house, vulnerable in our unpreparedness, those ones certainly do seem to be the most prominent, and this video, put together by YouTube user richfofo’s channel, shows horror movie makers know it.

It should be mentioned that this technique is not exclusive to just horror movies, it also pops up in lots of thrillers, since lots of crazy ex-husbands and boyfriends tend to show up in the same manner as ghosts and serial killers.

Although all using the same basic premise, there are variations, with a few popping up the most.

Everything is perfectly fine, open the mirror, person or thing standing there.

Something scary fades in.

Something’s reflection is in the mirror, but not there when you turn around.

Paul F. Tompkins had an amazing bit about this years ago, about how the mirror scare always got him, even when he knew it was coming. Trust me when I say, take a few minutes and listen to this.

So, which mirror scare in this video is your favorite? Which one did they miss? Are there any other recurring horror movie scares that you’d like to see get the montage treatment? Tell us in the comments.

]]>Watch a Sketch From Netflix’s Upcoming WITH BOB AND DAVIDhttp://nerdist.com/watch-a-sketch-from-netflixs-upcoming-with-bob-and-david/
Tue, 27 Oct 2015 20:00:06 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=325346Holy crap it’s almost time for a brand spankin’ new series from comedy geniuses Bob Odenkirk and David Cross, airing on Netflix this November! It’s almost time With Bob And David!

We were beyond excited when it was announced that Cross and Odenkirk would be doing another show with much of the original cast of Mr. Show. Hopes have been high for the series, and understandably so — the show is in the very capable hands of Bob and David, and is produced by the likes of Eric Wareheim, Tim Heidecker, Marc Provissiero, Dave Kneebone, Naomi Odenkirk and Tim Sarkes.

Perhaps knowing fans are chomping at the bit, Netflix released the sketch above that feels just like the good ol’ days of Mr. Show. Sure the guys are bit older, but they haven’t lost their style or timing. Bob and David are joined by Mr. Show alums Paul F. Tompkins, Jay Johnston and John Ennis in a sketch involving New Year’s resolutions. We’re abruptly dropped into a setting and given a humdrum premise with absurd variations, all while the cast takes time to pepper in a bit of nonsense the original show was famous for.

Not that we needed any proof, but this sketch is irrefutable evidence that With Bob And David is going to be every bit as good as we hoped.

What do you think about the sketch? Are you as excited as we are? Let us know in the comments below!

]]>@MIDNIGHT Recap: Ken Jeong, Ethan Embry, Paul F. Tompkins and More!http://nerdist.com/midnight-recap-ken-jeong-ethan-embry-paul-f-tompkins-and-more/
Sat, 10 Oct 2015 16:30:17 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=315596Welcome back, midnighters. This week of @midnight saw some wonderful moments of fun, laughter, and awkward masturbation miming. So, let’s get right to it and look at what went down.

Things kicked off on Monday night when Dr. Ken’s Ken Jeong, Suzy Nakamura, and Dave Foley dropped by to play more ridiculous games. First Chris mourned the fact that American Apparel filed for bankruptcy, but then asked the panelists to come up with new business ventures for the company’s CEO. Chris also used #Hashtag wars to wish Neil deGrasse Tyson a happy birthday by giving everyone a chance to correct science flubs with #NewScienceFacts.

Their next game, The Symptoms, required the comedians to offer up amusing ailments based on pictures and symptoms offered from the internet. Famous Last Heards involved the comedians coming up with terrible things you could hear before you die (seen in the clip below). The night wrapped up as FTW asked for Sex Tips worthy of a 50-year-old to celebrate 50 years of Cosmo magazine.

Chris opened Tag Team Tuesday by asking his panelists to pitch novels for a cash-grab rewrite like Twilight. Rapid Refresh took a trip into SqueeeNN to lessen the blow of terrible news with pictures of baby animals, and Chris asked his comedians for ideas of Australian-made treatments for ailments. Chris and the panelists paid tribute to Thomas Edison and his less-successful inventions during #HashtagWars by pitching #BadInventions. Check out the clip below to see some of the ideas that should be kept far away from patent offices. The game TRLsd had Chris pose questions to the panelists after watching clips of very trippy music videos, and the Live Challenge turned our comedians into tour guides for a mutated-animal preserve in Chernobyl. English as a second language asked the comedians to share observations elderly Brits might have about American life, and FTW wrapped the show up by having the comedians pitch new slogans for Burger King’s Halloween Whopper since it is reported to be turning people’s poo green.

There was no better way for our panelists to bring us into Wednesday than with ampaign slogans for a Joe Biden presidential campaign. The bar was set for a fantastic episode of @midnight. Yes, Eli Roth was back, and yes, the episode had its fair share of morbid masturbation jokes. There was no better example of that than Rapid Refresh, as the panelists pitched new picture filters for an R-rated Instagram and contemplated other major contributions Reddit could have to science other than sending “dickbutt” to the moon. Check it out in the clip below!

For a while now the @ symbol as simply been the “at” symbol, but for the last night of the week Chris set out to have the comedians give it an actual name. Rapid Refresh, our weekly trip into the Panderdome, had the comedians creating Vermont-based political stances for Bernie Sanders and ways Carly Fiorina could use her medieval history degree more in her political career. #HashtagWars kept it class with the topic of #RedneckIn3Words, and the game “Win, Lose, or Draw a Dick” on my Face inspired questions about pictures of people who’ve been pranked after passing out at parties. Snapchat’s new filters gave Chris the idea for the night’s Live Challenge, and the comedians had to deliver some sort of bad news through a filtered Snap Chat.

There you have it, readers. All the recap that is fit to print… digitally. Be sure to check Comedy Central for any of the full episodes of the week you may have missed, and we will see you all next week for more @midnight.

]]>Goldbergs, Goosebumps, Gilbert: The Week In Podcastshttp://nerdist.com/goldbergs-goosebumps-gilbert-the-week-in-podcasts/
Fri, 09 Oct 2015 22:00:41 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=317365Here’s what we had for you, and you, and you, too, on the Nerdist Podcast Network this week:

Adam F. Goldberg, creator of The Goldbergs, on the Nerdist Podcast, talking about hoodies, ’80s movies, the great Dabney Coleman, Go-Bots, and Ghostbusters, not to mention the good ol’ days when the WWE was the WWF. The podcast is as wildly entertaining in its nostalgia as the TV show is, which is a lot.

You’ve seen the video, and then Jack Black was back on the Nerdist Podcast (posting Friday, subject to scheduling and production). It’s a relaxed chat about big heads, Green Lantern, great TV, UCLA, marriage, Festival Supreme (Saturday at L.A.’s Shrine Auditorium), and the new Goosebumps movie with Jack as a fictional version of author R.L. Stine. Oh, and, yes, there’s talk about The D. It’s all about the D. (Ahem.)

Elizabeth Gilbert, author of “Eat, Pray, Love,” visited You Made It Weird to chat with Pete about social awkwardness at concerts, parties, everywhere. And divining what’s inside others (and yourself). And using your power, and the joys of social media (versus talking to your family, who probably don’t want to hear what you have to say), and cancer as a learning experience, and the pitfalls of aspiring for perfection, and much more.

The guys talked marriage on a hostful Nerdist Podcast to trade advice and things (hey, they coulda asked ME — I got 25 years of marriage on ’em). At the time of the taping, Matt was two weeks away from the Big Day, and Chris, of course, had just gotten engaged, so it’s all anyone could think about. Hey, guys? Mazel tov.

David Yarovesky dropped by The Indoor Kids to renew old acquaintances, talk about his movie The Hive (presented, of course, by Nerdist), and talk about old school video games and movies and stuff. Lots of how-it-was-made movie talk, too.

Dan and Razzle went guest-free on Today We Learned and they go through the history of M&Ms and Tom Cruise’s brush with playing Iron Man, and what’s on TV now, and second-lining in New Orleans, and more rambling.

Troy Van Leeuwen (Queens of the Stone Age, Failure, A Perfect Circle, Sweethead) joined Kevin and Steve to talk music, touring, and STDs on Chewin’ It.

Jessica Merizan, cosplayer and Legendary’s own Fandom Experience Manager, sat down with Janet for The JV Club for talk about TV, gaming, performing, and Xanga.

]]>Hardwatch: Week of October 5th, 2015http://nerdist.com/hardwatch-week-of-october-5th-2015/
Mon, 05 Oct 2015 02:00:29 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=314798We are so close to the premiere of The Walking Dead and thus of Talking Dead that this walker fan can hardly contain herself. As it is, we get a little Fear the Walking Dead Talking Dead special. The episode will air directly after the finale of the summer special series that has chronicled the beginning of the virus’s spread in Los Angeles. Hardwick will have Kim Dickens, Cliff Curtis and Dave Erickson on as guest for this special program at 10pm/9pm on AMC.

There will only be three episodes of @midnight this week. Monday night, Ken Jeong, Dave Foley and Suzy Nakamura will bring the funny times to the podiums. Kurt Braunohler will face off against two as-of-now unannounced guests on Tuesday night. We’re skipping Wednesday night this week, but Thursday night will have Nerdist pal Paul F. Tompkins and Randy Liedtke going against a surprise guest. Make sure you tune in for all the funny times.

While we’re short an @midnight episode, we will be rich in Nerdist Podcasts this week. Jack Blackreturns for the third time to the podcast to discuss the funny, the entertaining, and important things like what he’s watching on TV. Oh, and he’s also in this spooky little movie that will give you Goosebumps that comes out on October 16. Adam Goldberg stops by to talk pop culture and classic movies as well as ABC’s The Goldbergs. Remember how I said this week was going to be rich in podcasts? The final podcast of the week will be a hostful with talk of weddings and engagements and all sorts of stuff you want to know.

]]>@MIDNIGHT Recap: Paul F. Tompkins, Matt Braunger, THE LEAGUE, and More!http://nerdist.com/midnight-recap-paul-f-tompkins-matt-braunger-the-league-and-more/
Sat, 12 Sep 2015 19:00:08 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=304077Hello, readers! We are back to our almost-regularly scheduled weekly recaps for everyone’s favorite late-night, comedic gameshow that happens to be based around the internet. This is the first of @midnight‘s three week stint at 11 o’clock, for which I will be lovingly referring to the show as @eleven, and we also had a short week due to the holiday. I hope the comedians were extra funny to make up for it. (Spoiler Alert: they totally were.)

We start off on a Tuesday and while we were away not only did we celebrate Labor Day, but we also celebrated the return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte. For this festive time of year, as well as the growing attention to political campaigns Chris kicked off the show asking for some politically based beverage choices for those looking to shake things up. Chris also remembered his purchases from the past week’s Force Friday, which lead to Andrea Savage explaining why she and Chris broke up all those years ago. Chris asked them to name less-popular Star Wars toys that might exist, and the first #HashtagWar topic after the hiatus asked for everyone to think of ways to #RuinABoardGame. Chris then asked the comedians to explain some of their “totally-not-doctored” vacation photos from their summer, and trust me they were pretty crazy. Check it out in the video below. We reopened some recent wounds by leaving voicemails for the dentist that killed Cecil the Lion in Tuesday’s Live Challenge, looked at some lesser-known facts about Mario to celebrate the 30th anniversary of his first game, and FTW wondered what Kim Davis’s letter from prison would read like if her lawyer really thinks she is so similar to Martin Luther King Jr.

Day two for @eleven and Chris was happy to find that people are not giving him and the show a bunch of grief for the time change—despite how much they might be giving him for his new haircut. Apple’s announcements on Wednesday meant new products in their catalogue, and Chris wanted to know what our trio of comedians would ask their new TV-based Siri. Chris and crew took us on a round-up in Rapid Refresh, asking the comedians to take a cue from Hilary Clinton and apologize for a political mishap before dancing it away, giving voice to the thoughts of a dog before it vomits. (Really.) If Tuesday’s topic for #HashtagWars wasn’t topical enough for you, then Wednesday’s would’ve been right up your alley with #RejectedAppleProducts. The gang went on analyze song parodies based on farming, as well as give play-by-play commentary on a rabbit crashing a Canadian Football game. Apparently the FBI was investigating Burning Man this year, so check out the clip below to find out what they found. Similarly, the FTW investigated what the “American” language that Sarah Palin is so gung-ho about might sound like.

The short week wrapped up with a visit from several cast members of the FXX series The League for a night of fun and hilarity. Who better, right? The night kicked off with news headlines from the newly Rupert Murdoch version of National Geographic and a another trip into the Panderdome on Rapid Refresh. It seems Hilary Clinton wants to send out mystery boxes to supports, which the guests tried to guess the contents, and they also offered up campaign slogans for John Macafee’s presidential campaign. The week’s last topic for #HastagWars contemplated #NewNFLScandals now that the season has started up, and the comedians had to guess dialogue from strange VHS tape clips. See how that worked out for them in the amazing clip below. Just remember, it is NSFW. The laughs kept coming as the boys took to the Live Challenge to come up with lines for baboon-themed office images on Getty, created names for fake porn magazines, and the final FTW of the week offered up a Tinder profile for a dog who ate a bunch of its owner’s lipstick.

It was a short week gang, but definitely worth it. Be sure to check out the full episodes on Comedy Central’s website, and come back next week for another recap of @midnight’s second week @eleven.