https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FT2DOz2McW8
And if you haven’t heard of Party Down already – which is likely if you’re Australian-based – be prepared to have your world rocked. Starring Ken Marino, Jane Lynch, Adam Scott, Lizzy Caplan, Megan Mullally, Stiffler’s Mom and Martin Starr, it’s a cast of veritable comedic geniuses.
It’s a mock reality set-up which follows a group of caterers in Los Angeles all trying to individually make it as actors, comedians or writers in Hollywood. Dry, witty, politically incorrect and jam-packed with sexual and racial innuendo, it’s almost magical to see how it all comes together with such a soft touch as not to be outright offensive. Then again, it is the brainchild of Paul Rudd while star Marino could turn 101puppies into a coat and still somehow come off feeling hard-done-by.
The show was a critic success but following the departure of Lynch (Glee – ugh) and Scott (Parks & Rec – yay!) and waning ratings the plug was pulled. But thanks to Hulu and some alleged internet sites which apparently allow you to access shows – such as Google Play… – Party Down has been resurrected. And not a moment too soon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gx03b48L_5k
Speaking of Marino, he’s also the star vehicle of another celebrity-laden cult hit, Burning Love. Created by his wife Erica Oyama and produced by Ben Stiller, it’s a four-season-long spoof of The Bachelor. And, it’s outrageous.
Jennifer Aniston, Stiller, comedian Natasha Legarro, Ken Jeong, Kristen Bell, Malin Akerman and Adam Scott again name but a few of the star-studded cast who absolutely tear the reality dating genre to pieces. A fireman, our bachelor gives contestants his “hose” if he likes them – and those lucky enough to receive his hose are an 85-year-old Jewish woman, a blind photographer, an alcoholic sex-addict who refuses to wear pants and a high-maintenance sociopath to name but a few. And they’re just the characters based on real-life personalities.
And while Freaks and Geeks is world-renowned as a cult hit, one show not so prominent at least Down Under is Judd Apatow’s other cult darling Undeclared.
A college campus comedy, it features extremely young versions of Seth Rogen, Jason Segal, Charlie Hunnam, Jay Baruchel and Amy Poehler to name but a few of Apatow’s A-team. Then there’s that man again, Ben Stiller who makes arguably one of the greatest cameos in history as a mullet-wearing student.
If we named 100 of the best comedic actors of the past 10 years, every name above would make the cut. Many of the them feature or are responsible for some of the funniest movies of the past 10 years – think Super Bad, Pineapple Express, This Is The End, Zoolander etc.
Don’t be a bloody idiot. Start watching, now!