It's Judd Apatow's world and I'm just living in it

The other day MTV.com broke the news of Judd Apatow's next directorial effort which will focus on the challenges and drama of the world of stand-up comedy. Being described as a funny drama
(fair enough) the film will star Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann and long-time Apatow friend Adam Sandler. Also announced the other day was Eric Bana joining the cast. This is awesome for two reasons 1) before being a big-time dramatic actor in America, Bana was an Australian comic and it'll be cool to see him flex his comedic muscles here and 2) as you may remember Knocked Up is predicated on Rogen's boost of confidence by seeing the Bana starring Munich. Small world, eh? The movie remains untitled and will likely have a hilarious poster with a close-up of the lead's (I'm still unclear whether it's Sandler or Rogen) face.

Speaking of Sandler and Apatow, I was pretty confident that I'd be skipping Don't Mess with the Zohan but after having read this eye-opening interview with Apatow co-writer and comic genius Robert Smigel I'm having serious second thoughts. It would seem there is a bit more going on with the film thematically and character-wise than the very broad slapstick-y ads would have me believe. Don't believe me? Read the interview. I should've known better that a Smigel project would be a bit more politically minded than your run of the mill studio comedy (this is after all the brain behind the consistently excellent TV Funhouse segments on SNL and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog). It frustrates me that it wouldn't take much to counterbalance the trailer and make it appeal to a slightly savvier audience and thus broaden their profit, but no no let's go for the idiots and under-tens.