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Tag: funny or die

  • Johnny Depp Plays Donald Trump in Secretly Filmed “Funny or Die” Spoof

    Johnny Depp is unrecognizable as Donald Trump in a new hour-long spoof secretly filmed by the “Funny or Die” people. Based on Trump’s book, Art of the Deal, the short film was released on Wednesday.

    “Funny or Die” co-founder Adam McKay and editor-in-chief Owen Burke kept the filming of the spoof under wraps until just after the New Hampshire primaries on Tuesday.

    “The plan was to move really fast because we thought Trump would go away, as least as a presidential candidate,” Burke said in a recent interview. “When he bizarrely didn’t go away, we had a little more time. But that meant keeping the secret for longer.”

    “We had a few people sign non-disclosures,” Burke admitted. “But mostly we just begged people not to say anything.”

    “It was a crazy, completely nuts idea that somehow we pulled off,” McKay said.

    Johnny Depp–as Donald Trump–recites several one-liners that are not all that off track based on some of the strange things Trump likes to say.

    “By day, it’s me against the city,” Johnny Depp says using his Trump-like mannerisms. “By night, it’s me and the city.”

    “This is the opposite of a mistake! This is a good stake,” Depp, as Trump, declares.

    Donald Trump has yet to react to the spoof. Do you expect he will like the fact that he was played by Johnny Depp?

    When you see it, see if you wouldn’t know it’s Johnny Depp had you not already been told.

  • Jessica Biel Dishes On Husband Justin Timberlake — ‘He’s Supports Everything I do’

    Jessica Biel has much to be grateful for these days.

    She is happily married with a little baby boy with husband Justin Timberlake and is now a proponent of women’s reproductive health.

    The actress, along with her friend Saundra Pelletier, who is the CEO of WomanCare Global, is launching an online video series educate women about their bodies and reproductive health.

    The videos, which were made public on Funny or Die, aim to help women understand what is needed to remain healthy. Biel said during an interview on Good Morning America that the website the best platform for getting the word out.

    “I mean that’s really how we want to speak about this issue and share this issue with everyone. Because we want to take it out of the shadows,” the 33-year-old actress said.

    “We don’t want women’s reproductive health issues to be hidden under stigma or taboos anymore. And how best to reach all demographics. Can we please laugh about this crazy stuff that happens to us?”

    Biel, who gave birth to her first child, Silas, in April, conceded that she knew “nothing” about the changes that her body would go through during pregnancy.

    When asked what Justin Timberlake thinks of Biel taking on such an important project, she said that her husband is her biggest supporter.

    “He supports everything that I do and that’s I think why he’s a wonderful partner. And we should just be able to talk and laugh and learn together,” said Jessica Biel.

  • Funny or Die Might Be Up for Sale

    Funny or Die Might Be Up for Sale

    Could Funny or Die be up for sale?

    According to a report from Bloomberg, the online comedy site has “hired a financial adviser to evaluate options including a possible sale”

    In a memo to employees, CEO Dick Glover said that they’re not exactly trying to sell Funny or Die, but they are bringing in experts to evaluate the situation, considering the recent interest the company has received.

    “We’ve received unsolicited interest from a number of companies. We are NOT trying to sell Funny or Die, but we thought it wise to engage some experts to help us evaluate the situation. In the meantime, if any of you mistakenly receive a briefcase full of cash, please bring it to my office immediately,” said Glover.

    Another source told Bloomberg that an investment bank, working at Funny or Die’s behest, has “contacted potential buyers to gauge their interest in a deal.”

    Funny or Die was founded in 2007 by Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, and Chris Henchy. Through the dissemination of user-submitted content, the comedy site grew in popularity. It soon acquired high-profile contributors, whose various comedy shorts routinely star A-list talent. Earlier this year, the site’s popular short Between Two Ferns snagged President Barack Obama for an episode.

    Funny or Die already some corporate backing – funding from Sequoia Capital and a minority stakeholder in Time Warner.

  • Knight Rider Now Played By Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    Funny or Die strikes comedy gold again. This time by putting NASCAR racecar driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the place of David Hasselhoff. And by turning KITT into a whiny, critical, female, who doesn’t like to drive fast or take chances.

    Knight Rider was a television hit for NBC from 1982 to 1986. KITT (Knight Industries Three Thousand) was an artificially intelligent car that could drive itself, shoot weapons, and do anything to help Michael Knight (Hasselhoff) fight crime.

    Fast forward almost 30 years, and now it’s Earnhardt Jr. spoofing the 80s sci-fi drama. The two obvious changes are that KITT went from Trans Am to Camaro (which is what Earnhardt Jr. drives), and the voice of the car, performed by Funny or Die mainstay Angela Trimbur, went from male to female.

    As the video unfolds, we see that KITT is like an over-attentive mother to Earnhardt Jr. She makes disparaging remarks about his junk food diet, she impedes on his dating life, and she doesn’t want him to drive over the speed limit.

    Here’s a look at the video:

    In real life, 39-year-old Earnhardt Jr. is one of the most winning NASCAR drivers competing today. He’s won the Daytona 500 twice in 2004 and 2014 and has 19 career victories. He’s also been selected by race fans as the winner of NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver award 11 times in a row.

    What did you think of the video? Funny or Die?

  • Pee-Wee Herman Turns Up in TV on the Radio’s New Video

    Paul Reubens has turned up in a wonderful new music video for the new TV on the Radio song, “Happy Idiot”.

    The video is a Funny or Die exclusive, and it stars Reubens as a racecar driver having what appears to be a hallucinatory experience while driving around a track. The video also features Karen Gillan.

    Check it out:

    The song is the first single off of the band’s upcoming fifth studio album, Seeds, which is slated to be released on November 18.

    Image via Funny or Die, screenshot

  • Reading Rainbow Takes a Dark Turn Following Massively Successful Kickstarter Campaign

    You know how we all just pledged a ton of money so that LevAr Burton can revive Reading Rainbow, on the web, for a new generation?

    Ok, maybe we shouldn’t have done that.

    Reading gives knowledge, and knowledge is power. What kind of power can be obtained from simply taking a look, in a book? Apparently, godlike. And what happens when you develop godlike powers? You sure as hell don’t want anyone else sharing in your godlike status.

    Remember–what gives the power? Books. Solution? I’ll let Funny or Die paint the horrible, post-apocalyptic picture:

    Got-damn, LeVar. that’s some heavy stuff. Let’s hope that the new Reading Rainbow’s theme song is a bit brighter when it finally hits the web.

    By the way, that Kickstarter currently boats nearly $3.5 million with over 76,000 backers and 28 days to go. LeVar and Reading Rainbow’s new stated goal is $5 million.

    Image via Funny or Die

  • Apple Is Buying Beats Because It Has an Assload of Money (Says Funny or Die)

    Apple Is Buying Beats Because It Has an Assload of Money (Says Funny or Die)

    The big rumor in the tech world this week is that Apple is in talks to acquire Beats Electronics, makers of the Beats by Dre headphones and recent launcher of a streaming music service. The news came out of left field, and left many analysts scrambling to figure out just what the hell was going on.

    Beats is a very well-known brand with considerable marketing talent, and Apple is severely lacking when it comes to having anything resembling a streaming music competitor–but most people are a bit perplexed about this one.

    So, why would Apple want to buy Beats?

    Because they have a shit-ton of money, of course.

    Yeah–billions and billions of dollars…so why not, right? And why stop there? Why not expand and just acquire everything? That’s what Funny or Die says. Why not bring Totinos pizza rolls into the Apple family? After a handful of acquisitions, Apple would still have 145.7 gajillion dollars to throw around.

    I say go for it. Any headphone would be better than Apple’s earbuds, and that includes a tin can on a string–which I think Beats can top.

    Image via Funny or Die

  • Obama’s ‘Between Two Ferns’ Tactic Leads to Healthcare.gov Traffic Spike

    Let’s just assume that President Obama had reasons to sit down with Zach Galifianakis on “Between Two Ferns” other than showing the country that he could expertly pull off a fat joke.

    Of course, Obama’s move to star in one of the internet’s longest-running and funniest quasi anti-comedy bits had everything to do with pushing signups for the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance exchanges as the signup period dwindles. Americans now have until March 31st to purchase coverage. It’s crunch time, and the White House made a calculated decision to reach out to the younger crowd by throwing them an (admittedly pretty funny) elevated sales pitch.

    And it looks like it paid off–if the White House’s measure of success was simply getting people to the healthcare.gov site.

    Time will tell if a sudden boost in signups can be directly attributed to the Funny or Die video, but in terms of a sheer traffic driver, it looks as though the move payed off to the tune of a 40% spike in healthcare.gov visits.

    The video has seen over 12 million views on the Funny or Die site alone, and that figure doesn’t include the countless views the video saw on YouTube before Funny or Die removed it.

    According to Google data, “healthcare.gov” has seen a spike in searches over the past 24 hours and “Between Two Ferns” is one of the hottest search trends since Tuesday morning.

    “I can assure you that the Funny or Die video will be one of the reasons we get young Americans to HealthCare.gov–one of the reasons we get young Americans to enroll in health insurance programs, but not the only one,” said White House Press Secretary Jay Carney.

    Pageviews aren’t signups, but it’s clear that Obama got people curious when he made mentions of the open enrollment period–you know, between all the Hangover 3 jokes.

    Images via YouTube, reddit

  • President Obama Interviewed On ‘Between Two Ferns’

    Okay.

    Between Two Ferns is a deadpan internet comedy series hosted on video website Funny or Die starring comedian Zach Galifianakis as a talk show host who invites various celebrities to sit down (literally, between two ferns) for an interview on a set that resembles something out of 90’s public-access television.

    *Phew*

    If you’re familiar with The Hangover star whose last name is too complicated to type and causes anxiety levels to sky rocket, you’ll find that he’s just as awkward as he’s always been by making his guests uncomfortable.

    Filmed two weeks ago and shortly released after 7:00 AM EST on Tuesday, President Barack Obama appeared on the hot seat, plugging his Affordable Care Act, urging young people to sign up for health insurance before March 31st. If you’re like Galifianakis and “don’t have a computer”, you can get coverage by calling by telephone. If you’re without a phone (like Galifianakis) and wary of “staying off the grid” for the sake of not wanting the President’s “people looking at” your texts, you can apply for healthcare in person.

    “Have you heard of the Affordable Care Act?” Obama asked.

    “Oh yeah, that thing that doesn’t work,” Galifianakis chimed in, later unveiling to Obama his various spider bites – the President assured that his preexisting condition wouldn’t  stop him from being covered.

    Aside from the President’s plug, Galifianakis dished out questions concerning “Ambassador Rodman” and what to do with “North Ikea”, asking if Hulk Hogan would be sent to Syria, the President’s birth certificate, which team he rooted for in the Winter Olympics, and suggesting that he make same-sex divorce illegal.

    Typically, Galifianakis would take jabs at his guest, showing complete disinterest as well as hurling passive aggressive insults and other various forms of mockery.

    Mixing up food with country, he asked Obama: “In 2013 you pardoned the turkey. What do you have planned for 2014?”

    Obama, vigilant in the skit, fired back at each remark his host made: “We’ll probably pardon another turkey. We do that every Thanksgiving. Was that depressing to you? Seeing uh.. uh..  one turkey kinda taken outta circulation a turkey you couldn’t eat?”

    Image via YouTube

  • Complain All You Want, Comcast Doesn’t Give a Single F-ck About You

    Hello! Are you upset with your service provider? Does it happen to be Comcast? Are you a Time Warner Cable subscriber who’s about to be a Comcast customer? Do you feel the ground eroding beneath you, as your options for broadband internet and cable television shrink before your very eyes? Do you want to punch Andy from customer service directly in the dick?

    Those are all appropriate feelings of frustration, but it’s important to remember one simple fact: Comcast does not give a fuck about you.

    Yes, this is obviously a Funny or Die parody–but can you identify anything untruthful in it? Nope? Me neither. Even that stuff about Hulu and Netflix? Truth.

    So remember folks, Comcast could not care less about you. Have a good Friday.

    Image via Funny or Die

  • Rebecca Romijn’s “Hand Bra” Video No Hoax

    On the heels of the TNT drama series “King and Maxwell” being canceled after just one season, actress and model, Rebecca Romijn, has taken no time bouncing back. However, this particular camera act is a little different from her norm, and quite humorous. While most thought the short video was a hoax, UPROXX confirms that the video is indeed ‘real.’

    In commemoration of Breast Cancer Awareness Week, Romijn has taken a moment to offer her contribution to the worthy cause. In a short video for the comedic website, Funny Or Die, Romijn introduces the “Hand Bra” which pays reverence to the “self-check” tactic that medical professionals often urge women to perform periodically.

    The “self-check” examination is a simple process in which women are to simply feel for any lump, thickening, or hardened knots around the breast area. Romijn’s video is a comedic way to raise awareness and a get the message out in a light-hearted manner.

    http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/04252b06cf/the-hand-bra-by-rebecca-romijn

    Funny or Die took to Twitter in an effort to get the message out.

    Obviously, the message is getting across accordingly, as several fans chimed to offer positive feedback after viewing the short sketch stating that they’d be ‘ordering their Hand Bra.’ Romijn took a moment to re-tweet some of the feedback.

    https://twitter.com/hordie/statuses/387629756545376256
    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Zach Galifinakis Attacks Justin Bieber In Comedy Bit

    In the latest episode of Funny or Die’s show, Between Two Ferns, Zach Galifinakis confronts and tears apart Justin Bieber in a very funny way. The show is a short internet comedy series that is aired online and utilizes Galifinakis’ hilarious antics as he interviews celebrity guests. The show has only aired sporadically and started in 2008, with his first guest being Michael Cera. Since then, he has hosted several actors and actresses on the show, and joked around with them about their careers, including Natalie Portman, Bruce Willis, Sean Penn and more.

    In the most recent episode, which aired on September 26, he hosted Justin Bieber and continually took stabs at his musical career and teased his hairstyle as everyone seems to like to do. Bieber, known for being a flashy pop star and teen idol, is taught a lesson from the comedic genius during the short interview. Bieber is certainly known for crazy antics and the comedy star calls him out for his erratic behavior, which includes a time when he filmed himself peeing into a bucket, states The Huffington Post. This is clearly not the type of behavior that he should be displaying to his fans as a teen idol, and has been repeatedly criticized for it.

    It is unclear why Bieber would agree to be a part of such a video, since it clearly makes fun of him and everything he has said or done, but luckily for those who do not like him, he did. In the video, Galifinakis continually insults him and tries to give him all that he can handle, while Bieber just sits there and calmly takes it and gives him very monotone responses. Entertainment Weekly mentions that he starts out the interview by telling Bieber how excited he is to have him there, especially in the middle of his public breakdown, getting brutal honest after that point. He delivers him questions such as “When you’re in the recording studio, do you ever think ‘Hey, what if I don’t make something sh—y?’” taking a stab at his musical career, and Beiber is simply left speechless after each one.

    At one point in the video, Galifinakis even takes off his belt and starts hitting Bieber with it, which is of course fake, but could be very controversial. I can certainly think of a select audience that might wish it were real, while others would never condone the act on anyone. Check out the newest episode and all of the others, on the Between The Ferns page, presented by funny or die.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CM6Yrg822zM

    Image via Youtube

  • Samuel L. Jackson Is To Blame For Everything

    Violence in entertainment content is the low-hanging focal point for many pundits when society’s ills are discussed. Do video games lead to violence? What is the effect of extended exposure to violent content for developing children and young adults? How much is too much? Who is to blame when the underage gets their hands on this kind of content? These talking points are not going away anytime soon, especially as content creators continue to embrace these kinds of mature situations. Of course, for some, the concept of mature content is enough to steer children who aren’t emotionally mature enough to handle it in another direction.

    However, as many Call of Duty multiplayer gamers already know, age restrictions don’t mean much when it comes to parents buying their children material that was intended for a mature audience. In other words, the ratings are often ignored in favor of placation. For those of who you choose to purchase your entertainment content in such a manner, Samuel L. Jackson and Funny or Die have a much-needed message for you:


    So who’s fault is it if a child watches Django Unchained and starts tossing n-bombs around like they are Quentin Tarantino discussing the type of storage facility they don’t have? The movie or the parent who let an impressionable child watch such adult-themed content? Or, to put it another way, why do these rating systems exist? Just for kicks? Here’s a hint: when a movie is R-Rated, or a game is rated Mature, there’s usually a reason behind it.

    Ignore these warnings at your own peril, but don’t blame the actor who appeared it or the content creator who made if you do.

    [Lead image courtesy]

  • Now This Is How You Do An iPhone 5 Price Drop

    So Apple should be commended for introducing a more-affordable model of their newest phone upgrade; in this case, the iPhone 5C. Apparently, the “C” stands for “Cheaper model Consumer-friendlier” because it is clearly being showcased as the less expensive cousin of the upcoming iPhone 5S. I guess the “S” stands for “the expenSive model.” Digression aside, did Apple miss out on an even better iPhone 5 price drop opportunity?

    I mean, where’s the 24.99 iPhone 5? Let’s ask Funny or Die:


    That sounds like the absolute perfect device. An iPhone with Snake already installed on it? Yes, please.

    I don’t know about you, but I’d certainly pay 25 bucks to play Snake on my phone. Furthermore, I’m won’t ever be good enough to crash the processor; and I get access to the incredibly useful Ciris. So while everyone will be standing in line for their iPhone 5 upgrade on September 13, I’ll be downgrading to the 5F. That being said, I can’t help but wonder if it comes in gold or is that something that will be available in later 5F upgrades? What do the Otter Boxes look like? Will I be able to get a Duck Dynasty iPhone 5F case?

    If not, I may have to reconsider.

    [Lead image courtesy of Funny or Die]

  • ‘Orange Is The New Black’ Cast Members Natasha Lyonne And Taryn Manning Reunite For ‘Funny Or Die’ Video

    As the buzz surrounding Netflix’s Orange is the New Black continues, fans might be happy to know that cast members Natasha Lyonne and Taryn Manning (Nicky and Pennsatucky, respectively) have reunited for a new video from comedy site Funny or Die.

    The clip is called Book Club Mafia, and warns, “Books clubs are no longer a safe place to be.”

    Enjoy.

    Lyonne and Manning will be reunited again for Orange is the New Black: Season 2, of course. Production of the season began in late July, and filming continues. Check out some of the latest pics from the set, courtesy of the show’s Instagram account.

    Season 2 is due out in 2014. No release date has been announced yet, but we hear the writing is spectacular.

    Image: Funny or Die

  • Dave Chappelle to Headline Funny or Die Comedy Tour

    For years now, comedian Dave Chappelle has stayed out of the limelight, eschewing the fame he gained for his hit Comedy Central TV show Chappelle’s Show. Instead of drawing crowds in with worldwide comedy tours, Chappelle has been living a quiet live with his family on a farm in rural Ohio.

    Back in March, Chappelle showed up at a New York comedy club and teased a possible joint comedy tour with Chris Rock. This week, the rumors and teasing of Chappelle’s return to comedy are over.

    Funny or Die has just announced the Oddball Comedy & Curiosity Festival, headlined by none other than Dave Chappelle. The comedy tour will also feature Al Madrigal, Demetri Martin, Hannibal Buress, Kristin Schaal, and Flight of the Conchords. A second stage with even more comedic performances will be at the shows, hosted by Brody Stevens.

    The tour will run from August 23 until September 20 and will be hitting major U.S. locations such as New York, Dallas, Chicago, Austin, and Boston. Tickets for the events will be up for sale on Friday.

  • Michael Shannon Reads the Deranged Sorority Letter [VIDEO]

    Last week Gawker published a real email from an executive board member of the Delta Gamma sorority at the University of Maryland. Now known as the ‘deranged sorority letter’, the email excoriates sorority sisters for being “boring” and “awkward” at parties and for talking “openly about post gaming at a different frat IN FRONT OF SIGMA NU BROTHERS.”

    As expected, these first world problems became the subject of internet ridicule. Now, celebrities are getting in on the action with their own renditions of the letter.

    The latest celebrity to try his hand at a dramatic reading of the letter is none other than Michael Shannon. Shannon is known for bringing a grizzled, serious presence to dramas such as HBO’s Boardwalk Empire and movies such as Bug and Take Shelter. He brings that very same gravitas to the sisters of Delta Gamma:

    Bonus:
    Former Attack of the Show correspondent Alison Haislip has put out her own reading of the letter, which might be even scarier than Shannon’s:

  • iSteve, Funny or Die’s Steve Jobs Biopic, Is Now Available

    Here it is, your first official Steve Jobs biopic in what is sure to be a long line of Steve Jobs biopics released after his death in October of 2011.

    And it’s Funny or Die’s iSteve. After being delayed a couple of days in light of the Boston Marathon attacks, Funny or Die has finally released the film for you free, streaming pleasure.

    It’s available here.

    Funny or Die previously said that they simply wanted to do the first Steve Jobs movie (and beat out others like Ashton Kutcher’s and Aaron Sorkin’s films), and they have succeeded in doing just that.

    Last week, Funny or Die producer Allison Hord said that the 79-minute long film was written in 3 days and shot in only 5 days.

    The film stars Justin Long as the late Apple co-founder. You may remember Long as the guy who played the “Mac” in those old Mac vs. PC advertisements (The Daily Show‘s John Hodgman played the PC). Jorge Garcia ( Hurley in Lost) plays Steve Wozniak.

    Billed as “a comedic look at the life of Steve Jobs,” check out iSteve and then let us know what you think.

  • Funny or Die’s iSteve Delayed Until April 17th

    In the wake of the terrible attacks at the Boston Marathon on Monday, Funny or Die has decided to delay the release of their Steve Jobs biopic, iSteve, for a couple of days.

    The film, a rare foray into feature-length content from Funny or Die, was originally supposed to debut on Monday, April 15th. Funny or Die has decided to delay it until Wednesday, April 17th.

    On their site, you can find this banner announcing the decision, along with a link to donate to the Red Cross:

    (image)

    So, while you wait you can check out these posters from the film, and watch this trailer.

    And you can donate to the Red Cross.

  • iSteve, Funny or Die’s Steve Jobs Biopic, Was Written in 3 Days and Filmed in 5

    As you may know, Funny or Die is debuting their own Steve Jobs biopic next week. It’s called iSteve, and will hit the interwebs on April 15th. Funny or Die producer Allison Hord sat down with Bloomberg TV to discuss the project.

    In that interview, we learn that the 72-minute-long film was written in 3 days and shot in 5. Talk about production speed that Steve Jobs could be proud of.

    In the interview, Hord talks about the genesis of the project – basically the staff was joking about how many Steve Jobs biopics Hollywood was churning out and someone suggested that Funny or Die just make their own feature, as a joke.

    “At a certain point, you can only laugh at your own jokes so much before, as a company, you sort of have to call your own bluff and do it,” says Hord.

    Hord says that Funny or Die just wanted to do the first Steve Jobs movie, and in that they have succeeded.

    Check out the interview for some more info on the film, including the fact that Justin Long (who plays Jobs) learned the 81-page script in just a few days.

    And here’s the trailer:

  • Watch Seth Rogen Break Bad [Video]

    Watch Seth Rogen Break Bad [Video]

    Seth Rogen stars in a new video appearing on Funny Or Die called “Seth Rogen = Worst Person in the World”. The video features Rogen “breaking bad” after deciding that doing something charitable means he never has to do anything good again. As an added bonus, Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston makes an appearance.

    The video is a promotion for Hilarity For Charity.