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Posts tagged as jonathan ames

In Development

Jason Schwartzman and Jonathan Ames Are Making Another Movie Together, Not 'Bored to Death'

by | January 25th, 2013

Earlier this week, we reported that HBO officially greenlit a movie based on its cult hit series Bored to Death, but now, word comes in via The Hollywood Reporter that Bored to Death creator Jonathan Ames and star Jason Schwartzman are making a second movie together on top of that one. The duo has optioned Bernard Malamud's collection of short stories Pictures of Fidelman, which follows an art student in Rome in the 1950s. Schwartzman would star as Arthur Fidelman with filming to take place in Rome. Ames told the press that he also optioned Donald Westlake's novel 361, which he's adapting with Matt D'Elia, writer/director/star [...]

TV to Movies

Ted Danson Says the 'Bored to Death' TV Movie Is Being Written

by | November 2nd, 2012

Back in June, we reported that a 90-minute Bored to Death HBO movie was in the earliest stages of development, but now, word comes in from the series' star Ted Danson that creator Jonathan Ames is hard at work on a script. While speaking at the GQ Gentleman's Ball last week, The Wall Street Journal reports that Danson said, "The deal is about to be signed… [Jonathan Ames] is writing it as we speak. I’m very excited." He proceeded to spill the beans on some plot details: "I think Jason [Schwartzman] becomes a policeman, which means, for him, a traffic cop. He’ll have a traffic-cop go-kart kind [...]

Hope

'Bored to Death' Alive?

by | June 15th, 2012

Clue #1) Ted Danson told a French journalist that a 90-minute Bored to Death movie is possibly in the works for HBO. Clue #2) HBO told Vulture that there have "been some conversations" but "it's at a very early stage." You don't have to be Jonathan Ames to solve the mystery that this is good and maybe great news. Just think about how much weed could be smoked, how many old women can be seduced, and how many sisters can be  incested(?) in 90 minutes.

Essays

Jonathan Ames Lost His Fork and Wrote About It in the Times

by | December 22nd, 2011

"I live like the Unabomber, but without his sense of purpose." That's Jonathan Ames, creator of the recently-cancelled Bored to Death, in a funny essay about losing his fork at home.

Process

Jonathan Ames Shares the Ins and Outs of Writing

by | January 23rd, 2013

"I think with every project we expect something more than what happens. We all love to be disappointed… The biggest crusher for me was that my second novel, The Extra Man, was rejected by about twenty publishers. I had been certain it was a good book and had devoted nearly five years of desperate living to writing it. They were my brokest, leanest years, which included moving back in with my parents at age 30 after a crack-binge, and so I was devastated when no one wanted the book. Then, months after all the rejections had rolled in, breaking my heart and my fragile ego, one publisher did want the book."

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Spending Dollars

Fun Thing to Buy of the Day: Jonathan Ames' 'I Love You More Than You Know'

by | September 17th, 2012

About this time last year, you were likely getting excited for the next season of Bored to Death, which we've since learned was its last. Well, the writing of Jonathan Ames (Bored to Death's creator, not the Bored to Death character) might be the best way to fill this autumnal void. Ames is a novelist by trade – most notably of The Extra Man, which eventually got turned into a movie a couple years ago – but arguably he's better known as a personal essayist. Ames, not unlike the Jonathan Ames character on Bored to Death, is a fairly normal person who likes to put himself in uncomfortable and/or perverse situations, [...]

Amazing Things

Jonathan Ames Makes Every Other WGA Awards Presenter Look Very Boring

by | February 21st, 2012

This video of Jonathan Ames drunkenly presenting at the Writers Guild awards ceremony in New York is more entertaining than about ten different Oscar broadcasts put together. The guy does it all! Criticizing the suggested pronunciation of the nominees, struggling to place his Prosecco glass on the podium ("They said this would be flat"), casting aspersions on the suggestive shape of the awards, questioning the consoling powers of presenting an award ("Winning an award is a more festive consolation for having a show canceled. But all the awards have to go to Modern Family because it has the word family"). New role model alert.

Recap

Curb Your Enthusiasm Recap: "Car Periscope"

by | August 29th, 2011

This week's Curb sees Larry trying to better himself in more ways than one — working with a personal trainer (30 Rock's Cheyenne Jackson) to better his physical health and possibly deepening his pockets through an investment opportunity from a forward-thinking inventor. The invention in question is the titular “car periscope,” a device that’s too wacky to actually exist but seems like it could be practical in the real world. In all fairness, the car periscope did look like a lot of fun. If Larry, Jeff, and Susie’s extreme excitement over the periscope are any indication of the real life enjoyment one would feel while using one, then I’d [...]

TV to Movies

It's Official: A 'Bored to Death' Movie Is Happening

by | January 22nd, 2013

Late last year, Ted Danson said that a 90-minute movie based on the HBO show Bored to Death was in the very, very early stages, but now it's been officially confirmed by HBO. The Hollywood Reporter says that HBO Films is developing it as a potential feature film, written by creator Jonathan Ames. This conflicts with Danson's earlier statements that it would be a 90-minute TV movie instead of a full-length feature film, but the project potentially becoming a big theatrical movie sounds pretty appealing. Bored to Death, which ran three seasons before HBO canceled it in December 2011, scored modest numbers with audiences, but its three stars, [...]

vacations

MaxFunCon Is Heading East

by | July 18th, 2012

MaximumFunCon, Jesse Thorn's annual weekend of well-dressed, bookish comedy is getting an east coast version. From October 26-28, Maximum Fun fans will gather for a weekend of comedy, classes, activities, and merriment in the sure to be archetypally autumnal Poconos. (Just look at the picture.) Performers and presenters include Michael Ian Black, Jonathan Ames, Dick Cavett, John Hodgman, Julie Klausner, Kevin Allison, and more!!!! Get more info here. It's a good place to wear that sweater vest one last time before the transition into full-length sweater weather.

RIP

Jonathan Ames Bought Fans $1,600 of Drinks at Bored to Death Funeral

by | December 23rd, 2011

Bored to Death, may it rest in peace, was given a lovely send-off to the great underworld (overworld? What happens to TV shows when they die?) when creator Jonathan Ames bought fans $1,600 worth of drinks at the Brooklyn Inn on Wednesday night. John Hodgman was in attendance, too, and noted that "we've seen now in history that shows can be saved" – so maybe the show is only Bored to the brink of death. Anyway, Bored to Death's fan base was likely more easily localized than most, since the show is so Brooklyn-centric. But the example it (along with certain flash mobs) sets of television [...]

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