Butz to play 'Chicken' for Fox- Page 2

[SirLiir]

Posted: 2/5/07 at 5:45pm

Well it can work so here's hoping for the best. If it isn't too distasteful, it may be a solid show. And hey, work is work.

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 3/10/07 at 10:21am

Bill Burr has signed onto this pilot as the other brother (http://www.billburr.com/, apparently he was on Chapelle's Show). Marianne Muellerleile (http://www.mariannemuellerleile.com/) will also be playing an unspecified role.

Wow, with all these huge stars it's sure to be a big hit!
Norbert could do so much better than this. I'll hold out hope, though.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 3/10/07 at 10:28am

Marianne Muellerleile will be playing the mother of Norbert and Bill's characters.

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 3/20/07 at 8:19pm

Official Fox Press Release:
http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=20070320fox01

-------------------

Playing Chicken

PRODUCTION COMPANIES
Warner Bros. Television
Werner-Gold-Miller Productions

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS
Tom Werner
Jimmy Miller
Mike Clements

WRITERS/CO-EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS
Sean Anders
John Morris

DIRECTOR
John Pasquin

CAST (from left to right)
Norbert Leo Butz as Jake
Bill Burr as Tim
Marianne Muellerleile as Donna
Jake Busey as Karl

America is more politically polarized than ever. More and more of us are discovering political divisions within our own homes. These were once predominantly generational divides the liberal, idealistic young clashing with the conservative, older Establishment. Today, all bets are off. Your ideological nemesis could be your best friend, your wife or even your very own brother. Such is the case with JAKE (Tony Award winner Norbert Leo Butz, "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels") and TIM (actor/comedian Bill Burr, "Late Show with David Letterman," "Chappelle's Show"). Jake is a tough, brash, obnoxious, call-it-as-I-see-it conservative. His brother Tim is a passionate, opinionated, but lazy liberal. They agree on almost nothing.

The boys grew up in Madison, Wisconsin. While Jake was off hunting, dirt-biking or drinking with his buddies in the country, Tim was reading, going to art films or hanging out at the university. Eventually, Tim moved to New York and began teaching middle-school English, while Jake remained in Wisconsin, where he worked as a roofer and partied with his rowdy friends. When one of those friends challenged Jake to a game of chicken on jet skis and neither of them turned out to be chicken, Jake wound up in a wheelchair. Tim left his job and his rent-controlled apartment to return to Madison and help with his brother's rehabilitation. A year later, the fiercely determined Jake is largely independent. Now Jake's roommate, Tim picks up subbing gigs at local schools and works on his novel. The brothers disagree, argue and go to insane lengths when trying to make a point. The only person who dominates them is their mother DONNA (Marianne Muellerleile, "Life with Bonnie"), a caustic, large-and-in-charge bulldozer of tough love. Widowed for three years, she recently opened herself up to the possibility of a love life by moving into a community for retired singles.

Along with their dim, sweetly enthusiastic childhood friend KARL (Jake Busey, "Enemy of the State") and Jake's lovely, quirky and compassionate physical therapist COLETTE, Tim and Jake continue to wrestle with the politics of the world and the family PLAYING CHICKEN until somebody flinches first.

PLAYING CHICKEN is from Warner Bros. Television and Werner-Gold-Miller. Tom Werner ("That 70s Show," "3rd Rock from the Sun," "The Cosby Show"), Jimmy Miller ("Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby," "Borat") and Mike Clements are executive producers.

-------------------

I wish they included the picture - I want to see if Norbert looks any better than he did at the Miscast benefit.

Posted: 3/20/07 at 8:23pm

""I wish they included the picture - I want to see if Norbert looks any better than he did at the Miscast benefit.

What benefit?

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 3/20/07 at 8:41pm

https://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=16599

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 3/20/07 at 9:40pm

Is Norbert in Fiddler?

[SirLiir]

Posted: 3/20/07 at 9:46pm

Some webmaster I am >< Thanks for reporting that. Geez at the beard.

[PersonofInterest]

Posted: 3/20/07 at 9:52pm

This is another pilot I have read. It's REALLY funny and they have totally catered to Butz's sensibilities. You guys will ike it if all goes well!

[sarab]

Posted: 5/12/07 at 10:45pm

Just read on tv.com that Playing Chicken is going to premiere June 1. I am so excited for Norbert!

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 5/12/07 at 10:49pm

Wow. I'd pretty much thought this was dead, since it wasn't announced as one of Fox's six pickups yesterday, and the Futon Critic's Buzz Index had it at zero...

Can't find the article. Don't believe it yet... link?

[sarab]

Posted: 5/12/07 at 10:53pm

Playing Chicken
FOX (30 min.)
Status: New Series Premieres: June 1, 2007
Show Category: Comedy
Two brothers must live together after one suffers an accident that leaves him wheelchair-bound. Unfortunately, these two siblings are as different as night and day!

Alanna Ubach - Colette
Jake Busey - Karl
Bill Burr - Tim
Marianne Muellerleile - Donna
Norbert Leo Butz - Jake

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 5/12/07 at 11:00pm

Huh. So it says.
http://www.tv.com/playing-chicken/show/68706/summary.html

Nothing about it in recent Google News, though, except E!'s Kristin (who's notoriously unreliable, but still) saying it's not likely to be picked up. If it's airing June 1st they would have to have a few episodes in the can already. I'm confused, and waiting for a more reliable source.
Thanks, though!

[sarab]

Posted: 5/12/07 at 11:04pm

Your welcome. Sorry I couldn't be of more help. My best friend is Norbert's niece, and she told me that they have to air at least 12 episodes, so I am guessing that they have shot at least 12. Again, don't quote me on that, but that's what I was told. I hope it airs, because I am excited to see it!

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 5/12/07 at 11:09pm

I hope it airs too, and I hope it's good, but I'm not getting my hopes up.

They gave it a blind commitment? They normally only do that for really high profile shows - Aaron Sorkin's Studio 60 or the upcoming Back to You with Kelsey & Patricia.
Maybe FOX is in some trouble with the mob and have to air this to pay it off. :)

[sarab]

Posted: 5/12/07 at 11:10pm

lol. Your guess is as good as mine. Looking forward to June 1st though.

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 5/12/07 at 11:13pm

The Futon Critic is saying that funniest TV moments is airing on FOX that day...
http://www.thefutoncritic.com/listings.aspx?date=06/01/07

[jmacisawesome]

Posted: 5/13/07 at 4:21pm

FOX announces its fall schedule May 17? That's what I've heard if it helps any.

I'm just confused. I want to see this show.

[jmacisawesome]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 3:10pm

According to Fox's fall and replacement schedules, Playing Chicken was not picked up.

http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=20070517fox04

Posted: 5/17/07 at 3:19pm

I am shocked-- SHOCKED-- that this fine-sounding program will not be seen by a mass audience! I have always said, what America needs is more comedies about wheel-chair bound conservatives and their liberal caretakers.

By the way, the premise is completely implausible. There are no conservatives in Madison, Wisconsin.

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 10:14pm

As a student here at UW-Madison I can tell you that is absolutely true.

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 6/22/07 at 12:40pm

http://www.thefutoncritic.com/rant.aspx?id=20070621

Review of the pilot for "Playing Chicken"
Excerpt: As a "political" comedy it's embarrassingly toothless. As a character study it's mind-numbingly pedestrian. And as a comedy it's screechingly bad.

[me2]

Posted: 6/22/07 at 1:40pm

Best Case Scenario (for Broadway): The show's a big hit for four years and gets a lot of run in syndication. Then, due to some bad creative decisions on the part of the producers, the show gets canceled.

Butz becomes a big name, comes back to NYC and can open a show on his name only. He even gets to present a Tony Award.
Broadway Blog: If They Could See You Now (the understudy debate)