So many great comic actors from The Groundlings Improv Comedy Theater have volunteered their time to take part in our Shifting Baselines films over the past few years. At last, a great film that showcases a whole bunch of them!
“Bridesmaids,” a movie that’s overrun with Groundlings. Half of the main cast have appeared in Shifting Baselines films — Melissa McCarthy (far left), Wendi McClendon-Covey (second from left), and Maya Rudolph (in white).
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In 2004 when I shot four short films with members of The Groundlings, my writer/producer partner Jeremy Rowley (the Groundlings superstar who was Lewbert the Doorman on iCarly — ask your kids about him, the mean and nasty doorman with the big wart on his cheek, trust me, they know him) kept telling me, “The great thing is that a lot of these actors will go on to major careers.” He was right.
Last weekend’s big comedy, “Bridesmaids,” was co-written by Kristin Wiig of The Groundlings and now a Saturday Night Live superstar. She ended up making the movie one of the all-time great showcases for Groundlings talent. Among the bridesmaids are Wendi McClendon-Covey (formerly of “Reno 911!” who starred as a surely diner in our “No Seafood Grille 2050″ film), Melissa McCarthy (currently of “Mike and Molly,” and the nonsensical senator in our “Senate Hearing on Coral Bleaching” film), and Maya Rudolph (former SNL cast member, co-star of perhaps the greatest movie ever made, “Idiocracy,” who attended our Hollywood Ocean Night).
Also featured as the Air Marshall is Ben Falcone (the scientist in the Senate film), the “Stern Flight Attendant” is Mitch Silpa (the waiter in the Restaurant film, the waiter in our Lionfish PSA, and co-star of “Sizzle: A Global Warming Comedy”), and Mike Hitchcock (who was in our Ocean Symphony PSA).
There are few greater joys in life than getting the chance to work with such incredible talent. Go see the movie, it kicks ass (and has a mere 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes).
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Mitch Silpa as the snooty waiter with Wendi McClendon-Covey as the diner who refuses to eat a cannonball jellyfish along with her flustered husband Steven Pierce.
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Melissa McCarthy who says “data” is a big word, along with Jim Rash and his cold, cold ocean, Nat Faxon as their real doctor, and Ben Falcone hopelessly trying to make the case for science.
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The Ocean Symphony featuring Mike Hitchcock (of “Best in Show”) on one of the violins