Demetri Martin to Perform at the "This Isn't Working" Benefit Party!

So we got the bad news (well, good news/bad news) that Christian Finnegan had booked a movie with Tom Lennon from Reno 911 and shooting begins, wouldn't you know it, on Monday, August 1st, the same night as our benefit. Now, we hear tell that Christian didn't immediately drop us...he tried to no avail to negotiate a different start time. For that, we thank him and we most certainly congratulate him on this great opportunity. However, we owe even bigger thanks to publicist extraordinaire Kambri Crews, who immediately secured us another outstanding (and internationally celebrated) comedian: Demetri Martin, five-time winner of Drink at Work's prestigious World's Most Handsome Comedian award.

So thanks Kambri and Demetri, and good luck Christian! And we'll see the rest of you on Monday...or else.

(By the way, the buzz is that some Original Orgy Shirts designed by Frank Marciuliano will be given away during the quiz show, so I'd get there early if I were you.)

About Demetri Martin:

Demetri Martin began his career in comedy when he dropped out of law school. After graduating from Yale College, Demetri headed to NYU School of Law with a full scholarship. When he realized that law school was boring, Demetri started doing stand-up across the street at the Boston Comedy Club in Greenwich Village.

Since venturing into comedy, Demetri has taped his own 1/2 hour special Comedy Central Presents: Demetri Martin and has appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien. He has contributed writing to The Daily Show and written for VH-1's Don't Quote Me. In addition, he can be seen as an on-camera personality on Showtime's ShoNext channel. Most recently, Demetri won the 2003 Jury Award prize for Best One-Person Show at the Aspen Comedy Festival and the 2003 Perrier Award at the Edinburgh Fringe festival.

Hide and Creep Released Today on DVD!

Sure, there have been a lot of zombie movies lately. There have even been some notable zombie comedies. But have you seen a zombie comedy that was shot in Alabama? Have you seen a zombie comedy that has a nuanced monologue about why Coke is the "real thing" and Pepsi is a charlatan? How about the one zombie comedy that was inspired by a short film created as a birthday gift for none other than Sally Forth writer Francesco Marciuliano? No, you haven't, smart guy!

Here's what some critics have had to say about Hide and Creep:

"'Hide and Creep' has that 'Shaun of the Dead' spirit about it – it’s made by people who clearly have great affection for the zombie sub-genre and they tip their hats to all of the living dead greats of the past without letting it interfere with their own story they’re trying to tell. In short, lovers of the dead won’t want to miss this one. It’s true zombie ass kicking fun!" — FilmThreat's list of Indies to Watch Out for in 2005

"...writer, Chance Shirley, has crafted a laugh-out-loud script that is not only smart, but subtle. This is a movie that is even funnier the third time around — because of the jokes that were missed the first two viewings." —Horror Talk

"Hide and Creep is the kind of funny, intelligent, and well-cast zombie movie I wish we could see more of. Of course, the fact that it’s more comedy than horror might turn some people off, but don’t forget that Shaun of the Dead was too. And if you don’t like that movie...well, you’re a commie." — Dread Central

The DVD was released by Asylum and can be purchased directly from them, Amazon or anywhere cool DVDs are sold. It features a director's commentary with writer/director Chance Shirley and director Chuck Hartsell (my brother, pictured right with his precious new DVD) as well as the short that inspired it all, Birthday Call, which was made as a gift for Ces' birthday and grew into so much more.

Congrats to the entire cast and crew of Hide and Creep and to the Birmingham, AL film community that keeps getting bigger, better and brighter. If you want to go to a great film festival that's fun, edgy and, most importantly, entertaining, visit Birmingham this fall for the Sidewalk Film Festival.

I Love the 30s

One of the better spoofs of VH1's "I Love the..." series. It's worth watching all three episodes if you have the time:

Episode 1: The Lindbergh Baby Kidnapping

Episode 2: The Great Depression

Episode 3: Babe Ruth's Called Shot

And if you want more, check out Cavalcade of Personalities at Disposable Television.

The Baxter

Just got this message from the STELLA mailing list:

IFC Films, the company that brought you “Y Tu Mama Tambien”, “Metallica: Some Kind of Monster” and “My Big, Fat Greek Wedding” is proud to release THE BAXTER written, directed by Michael Showalter. THE BAXTER stars Michael Showalter, Michael Ian Black and David Wain as well as Elizabeth Banks, Justin Theroux, Michelle Williams, Paul Rudd, Zak Orth, Peter Dinklage, AD Miles, Joe LoTruglio and Ken Marino in a romantic comedy for anyone who’s ever been dumped, in theaters August 26, 2005!

Here's a link to the trailer, which features a song by Drink at Work favorite The King of France.

Laugh, Win, Drink at the "This Isn't Working" Benefit Party

As you may or may not know, your Drink at Work.com bartenders have a play that was recently selected for this year's New York International Fringe Festival (which will take place in New York despite the lack of a West Side Stadium). To celebrate — and finance — our participation in the festival, we're throwing a party on Monday, August 1st. We've already booked some great comedic talent (see below) and we're developing a quiz show extravanganza so exciting, so singular, it could only be named The Quiz Game Contest Show™. So for a $10 donation you'll see some great comedy, get a chance to compete in the quiz AND enjoy a free beer.

This Isn't Working Benefit Party

Siberia
356 W. 40th St.
(at 9th Ave, red light over a black door)

Monday, August 1st
Door opens at 6:00
The Quiz Game Contest Show starts at 7:30
Comedy/Music begins around 8:15
One Free Beer with your
$10 Donation at the door

Performing:
Christian Finnegan, Shayna Ferm, Aziz Ansari and more!

Christian Finnegan is a stand-up comedian, writer and actor based in New York City. You'll recognize him from VH1's Best Week Ever and Chappelle's Show, where he played "Chad", the only white roommate in "The Mad Real World" sketch. He's also appeared on NBC's Late Friday, VH1's Movie Obsession, and Comedy Central's Premium Blend. His half hour special Comedy Central Presents: Christian Finnegan premiered in March.

Shayna Ferm is a comedian, writer, actress and chanteuse. She is a co-creator, writer and performer for the award-winning sketch comedy sextet Fearsome, and has been playing her comedy songs in rooms all over New York City, including Caroline's, Don't Tell Mama, Variety Underground, Ash Wednesday, Royalwood, Invite Them Up!, Upright Citizen's Brigade, The Shark Show, and the borough of Queens most frightening bar, Bottoms Up! She has also recorded songs for Maxim Radio and she has been played on Sirius Satellite Radio's "Alternative Nation." Here's a clip of one of her songs.

Originally from South Carolina, Aziz Ansari is a 22 year old standup comedian based in New York City that TimeOut New York recently called their "favorite new standup." He also won the Emerging Comics of New York award for Best Male Standup in 2005. Later this year, Aziz will be appearing on the new season of Comedy Central's Premium Blend and he's also featured on the Comedy Central records CD/DVD compilation "Invite Them Up." In June of 2005, Aziz began a run of his one man show Aziz Ansari Punched a Wall at UCB. He also hosts the theatre's standup show, Crash Test, every Monday at 11, and regularly performs at Comic Strip Live, Invite Them Up and PSNBC.