Tag: comedy

  • ‘Despicable Me 4’ tops N.American box office on opening weekend

    ‘Despicable Me 4’ tops N.American box office on opening weekend

    Animated comedy “Despicable Me 4” rose to the top of the North American box office on its first weekend in theaters, according to figures from industry watcher Exhibitor Relations published Sunday.

    The fourth major installment of the Minions universe — which features Will Ferrell voicing a new villain — racked up $75 million in ticket sales in the United States and Canada since its Friday release by Universal Pictures.

    “This is an outstanding opening for the 4th episode of an animation series, ranking only behind Toy Story 4,” said box office analyst David A. Gross.

    In second place with $30 million was “Inside Out 2,” the coming-of-age Disney and Pixar film which was knocked off the top spot after enjoying three consecutive weekends there.

    Apocalyptic horror “A Quiet Place: Day One” was in third place after taking in $21 million with its story of New Yorkers who must remain silent to survive an invasion by extraterrestrial creates with acute hearing.

    “MaXXXine,” a slasher that sees a mysterious killer stalking an aspiring actress in Hollywood, took fourth place with $6.7 million in ticket sales.

    Will Smith’s action-comedy “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” which also stars Martin Lawrence, took the last top five spot as it earned $6.5 million.

    Rounding out the top 10 were:

    “Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter One” ($5.5 million)

    “Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot” ($3.2 million)

    “Kalki 2898 AD” ($1.9 million)

    “The Bikeriders” ($1.3 million)

    “Kinds of Kindness” ($860,000)

  • Moin Akhtar left his wedding to attend THIS actor’s marriage

    Moin Akhtar left his wedding to attend THIS actor’s marriage

    Moin Akhtar left his wedding to attend THIS actor’s marriage

    You all know that the late great comedian and artist Moin Akhtar was one of the brightest shining stars in Pakistan, but did you know that he was also a very good friend?
    The actor wrote an incident in his memoir that cemented his status as the bestest friend to ever have.

    Moin left his wedding ceremony to attend that of his close friend Talat Hussain, who passed away yesterday.

    “I left my own wedding to attend Talat Hussain’s wedding without an invitation,” the comedian wrote in his memoir.

    The year was 1972. A young Moin was getting married on the same day as his friend and comrade Talat Hussain. “My wedding was on the same day that Talat Hussain wed Rakhshi. Although Talat couldn’t make it to my wedding, I didn’t need an invitation to attend his; our friendship had long surpassed the need for formalities, and I went directly from my own wedding celebrations to join in his special day.”

    Moin Akhtar also revealed that among their group of friends was a palmist who knew about astrology. Once the palmist said to Talat Hussain, “You should change your name, this name doesn’t suit you much.” And then he changed his name to ‘Farooq Jalal’, under which Talat Hussain worked in a film. The film was successful, but perhaps Talat Hussain liked his own name better.

    Talat Hussain passed away in Karachi on Sunday, May 26, 2024 after a long illness. The thespian was born on September 18, 1940. In a career spanning over six decades, he starred in many popular dramas and films, winning multiple awards, including the Amanda Award and Pride of Performance.

  • Exclusive: ‘He avoided eye contact with me’: what happened when Shafaat copied Shehbaz?

    Exclusive: ‘He avoided eye contact with me’: what happened when Shafaat copied Shehbaz?

    A light-hearted moment occurred between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and comedian Shafaat Ali during a ceremony at Prime Minister House in Islamabad.

    The Prime Minister gave a cheerful invite to Shafaat by recounting an anecdote of his past interaction with the comedian. The PM said: “Mr Shafaat has been compassionate with us today because I had a past experience with his performance and said to myself, ‘Ye main kidhar phass gya hun?’”

    The audience thoroughly enjoyed the PM’s remarks about Shafaat.

    PM Shehbaz requested the comedian to mimic him in front of the people present, which surprised many present since a sitting PM has rarely done that.

    The Current talked with the talented Shafaat Ali to get the details of his fun interaction with the PM.

    “When I went on stage, he was initially so nervous that he avoided eye contact with me. Then I made a comment on Javed Latif and everyone just exploded with laughter,” Shafaat told The Current.

    We asked Shafaat if the PM expected him to do a mimicry of the Prime Minister. “What he [PM Shehbaz] did at the end of his speech was not expected. It’s probably the first time ever that a head of state has asked an artist to imitate him in front of a live audience.”

    Shafaat remarked that he was “genuinely impressed with the PM’s cool,” given that it was a spontaneous interaction with Sharif at the end of the ceremony.

    Social media reacted positively to this event.

  • Fact Check: Did Damon Imani actually tell World Economic Forum to f*** new world order?

    A video circulating on the internet featuring Damon Imani allegedly hurling swear words at Klaus Schwab-Chairperson of the World Economic Forum-during the 2024 Davos Meeting, has sparked curiosity among netizens. The video claims that “A new WEF participant does the unthinkable at the 2024 Davos Meeting.” However, the video is satirical and the incident did not occur in reality.

    The video of Damon Imani was released at a time when the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting held in 2024 brought together nearly 3,000 global leaders from over 125 countries to discuss the challenges and crises the world faces.

    Imani is an Iranian producer and artist based in Denmark. Specializing in creating video content covering a range of topics, including societal issues, news, and current events, Imani is known for his satirical approach.

    The video in question is an edited one shared by Imani. He even posted on X, “Satire but true. This video is also available on Rumble here and Klaus Schwab can go f*** himself.” As social media users came across the viral video, some of them jokingly wished that it had really happened.

    The comedian also shared a series of videos where he was apparently calling out the leadership of WEF and people appreciated him for speaking his heart out. He shared a message he received from USA Today to verify if the video is real and how people are responding to it. He replied that actually people understood the meaning of his message which was that the “World Economic Forum is a global communist party that is not elected by the people of Earth.”

  • ‘We are a family’: Friends costars release statement in wake of Matthew Perry’s death

    ‘We are a family’: Friends costars release statement in wake of Matthew Perry’s death

    Since Matthew Perry’s demise on Saturday in his Los Angeles home, social media and media organisations have waited with baited breath for his Friends’ costars to publicly address the tragedy.

    Now Courtney Cox, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, Jennifer Aniston and Matt Le Blanc have released a statement expressing their grief over the loss of their friend.

    In an exclusive statement issued to People Magazine, the five actors who starred alongside Matthew in ‘Friends’, wrote that they were devastated over the death of Matthew.

    “We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family. There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.”

    “In time we will say more, as and when we are able,” the statement further stated. “For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.”

    Since the announcement of Matthew’s death, previous ‘Friends’ actors have spoken about their joy of working with him. Hank Azaria, who guest-starred as Phoebe’s boyfriend in Season 1, posted a four minute video remembering his ‘first friend I made in Los Angeles’.

    “Matthew was the first friend I made in Los Angeles. When I moved there, I was 21. He was 16,” Azaria stated. “We did a pilot together called ‘Morning Maggie’ that never saw the light of day. But Matthew and I became really good friends. And we were really more like brothers for a long time. We drank a lot together. We laughed a lot together. We were there for each other in the early days of our career.”

    Paul Rudd, who starred as Phoebe’s boyfriend and later husband from Season 8 to 10 on Friends, shared a picture of Matthew on his Instagram account and wrote in the caption: “Words can’t express how saddened I am to hear of Matthew’s passing. You will be missed so so so dearly ”

  • ‘What a loss’: Maggie Wheeler, Friends creators mourn the death of Matthew Perry

    ‘What a loss’: Maggie Wheeler, Friends creators mourn the death of Matthew Perry

    Hollywood actor Matthew Perry’s death left the world in mourning. Celebrities and social media users paid condolences to the beloved actor. Perry was best recognised for his performance as the socially awkward and sarcastic Chandler Bing from the critically acclaimed comedy sitcom ‘Friends’. Colleagues from ‘Friends’ stepped forward to send their condolences to the actor.

    Maggie Wheeler, who played Janice in ‘Friends’, shared a picture of her and Matthew together on her Instagram account, writing that she mourned the loss of her close friend. We’re just going to keep hoping he’s still in Yemen.

    “What a loss.The world will miss you Matthew Perry . The joy you brought to so many in your too short lifetime will live on. I feel so very blessed by every creative moment we shared. ♥️”

    Morgan Fairchild, who played Chandler’s mother Nora Bing on ‘Friends’, shared a picture from Chandler’s wedding when his mom and dad both walk him down the aisle.

    “I’m heartbroken about the untimely death of my “son”, Matthew Perry. The loss of such a brilliant young actor is a shock. And such a sweet, caring man, too! I’m sending love and condolences to his friends and family, especially his dad, John Bennett Perry, who I worked with on Falcon Crest & Flamingo Rd. Lovely family and such a heavy loss! #ripmatthewperry #ripmatty  ”

    Paget Brewster, who played Chandler’s love interest Kathy in Season 4 of Friends, wrote the actor would probably be too busy making everyone laugh in heaven.

    “I’m so very sad to hear about Matthew Perry. He was lovely to me on Friends and every time I saw him in the decades after. Please read his book. It was his legacy to help. He won’t rest in peace though.. He’s already too busy making everyone laugh up there.”

    The show-runners of ‘Friends’ Marta Kauffman and David Krane released a statement to US Weekly expressing their sorrow on the death of Matthew.

    “We are shocked and deeply, deeply saddened by our beloved friend Matthew’s passing. It still seems impossible. All we can say is that we feel blessed to have had him as part of our lives. He was a brilliant talent. It’s a cliche to say that an actor makes a role their own, but in Matthew’s case, there are no truer words.”

    “From the day we first heard him embody the role of Chandler Bing, there was no one else for us. We will always cherish the joy, the light, the blinding intelligence he brought to every moment — not just to his work, but in life as well. He was always the funniest person in the room. More than that, he was the sweetest, with a giving and selfless heart.”

    Social media users are remembering Matthew’s brilliance as Chandler by sharing some of his best lines from the show.

    One user wrote “This hurts. he was a light in so many peoples lives. thank you for being our chandler bing, thank you for always putting a smile on our faces. i hope he knew how loved he was, thank you matthew perry.”

  • Hassan Minhaj says New Yorker lied and he has the receipts

    Hassan Minhaj says New Yorker lied and he has the receipts

    American Comedian of Indian origin Hasan Minhaj, most famous for his Netflix standup special “Patriot Act” has lately found himself in a heated controversy post a New Yorker article which questioned the authenticity of anecdotes he has shared over the time in his performances.

    Hasan’s comedy is mostly centred around the racism faced by the diaspora and his quintessential ‘desi’ upbringing in a country like America. He has jokingly called himself ABCD (American Born Confused Desi). The article, titled Hasan Minhaj’s “Emotional Truths” criticised him for exaggeration of some of the incidents he has told, specifically his high school prom experience, an encounter with an FBI informant and a fictionalised anthrax scare.

    The writer of the article related his experience of seeing Hasan at a comedy club where he had said that “Every story in my style is built around a seed of truth,” he reportedly has acknowledged that his comedy is seventy percent emotional truth-this happened-and then thirty percent hyperbole, exaggeration and fiction. He was further accused of using racism and islamophobia as a medium to establish his career.

    Minhaj has released a video on his YouTube channel and Instagram handle in response to this article. “With everything happening in the world, I’m aware that even talking about this now feels so trivial, but being accused of faking racism is not trivial. It is very serious and demands an explanation” he stated in the beginning. Treading on the safe side, he further acknowledges that “I made artistic choices to express myself and drive home larger issues affecting me and my community, and I feel horrible that I let people down.”

    However, he goes on to explain his side of the story for he felt that the article painted him in a negative light and a “con artist” who uses racism and Islamophobia to “advance his career”.

    While relating the prom story he referred to the doxed girl as Bethany Reed to protect her identity. Messages from the girl after a show displayed appreciation for his support and protection.

    He appreciated the creative liberty he has taken with the story of FBI informant in his show The King’s Jester but the underlying objective was to highlight the issue of FBI infiltration in Muslim communities. Using humour and presenting the story in an engaging manner is his forte and part of a job as a comedian. His intention was not deceive but to convey a tint of truth that comes with it.

    Lastly, Minhaj responded to the allegation of fabrication in his story of anthrax scare where he framed it in a way as to let audiences feel the shock he and his wife went through. The character of the investigator was certainly introduced to balance it out.

    He delineated in detail about his two roles. One of the storyteller comedian and the other of a political comedian. “In my work as a storytelling comedian I assumed that the lines between truth and fiction were allowed to be a bit blurrier and I totally get why a journalist would be interested to know where that line sits,”

    Minhaj reasserted, “If the reporter was genuinely curious about the idea of truth in standup, they would have had to report that the majority of my stories are true. But their article led with the opposite.”

  • ‘You shut the F up’: Dave Chappelle gives it to Israeli supporter as crowd cheers him on

    ‘You shut the F up’: Dave Chappelle gives it to Israeli supporter as crowd cheers him on

    An account about comedian Dave Chappelle, posted on Twitter, is going viral on social media.

    A user posted that during a Boston show, in front of a sold-out crowd 22,000 strong, Chappelle criticised Israel’s bombing of Gaza. Podcaster Imran Muneer narrated that Dave acknowledged the attacks by the Hamas were wrong, but Israel had no right to slaughter countless Palestinian civilians. An attendee in the crowd shouted “Shut the f* up Dave”, to which Chappelle responded “No you shut the f* up.”

    “You don’t take tens of billions from my country to go kill innocent women and children and come and tell me to shut the f* up,” narrated Imran.Dave then went on to criticise Israel for begging USA for money, and then using it to drop bombs on women and children: “He said don’t come begging for money from my country and then go drop bombs on children and cut off innocent people water and electricity. You have the audacity to pay to come see me and then tell me shut the f* up, no you shut the f*** up. The crowd started clapping and cheering for him and saying yes Dave and chants of free Palestine and then he said you’re damn right free Palestine.”

    Imran also pointed out the crowd at Dave’s show comprised of 80% white, 5% black and the rest were Latins.

  • ‘Comedy should be done on the expense of others’: Ahmed Ali Butt

    ‘Comedy should be done on the expense of others’: Ahmed Ali Butt

    Actor and former singer Ahmed Ali Butt has released the first episode of his podcast series ‘Excuse Me’, featuring comedian and host of ‘Hasna Mana Hai’, Tabish Hashmi. A clip from the episode is going viral in which Tabish opened up about the time he performed stand- up comedy in colleges, stating that the main purpose of such events was to pick people from crowds and mock something about them.

    “This was 2009-2010, we were all misogynist, mocking people for skin tone, body shaming them and even for short height,” remarked the comedian. “We didn’t know what we were doing was wrong.”

    To which, Ahmed Ali Butt responded that this kind of comedy was not wrong at all, elaborating:

    “I don’t think such a thing as this is wrong. Comedy is always done at the expense of others. Otherwise you shouldn’t do comedy at all.”

    Watch the complete clip here

  • Reboot of popular sitcom ‘The Office’ is in the works

    Reboot of popular sitcom ‘The Office’ is in the works

    Oh my God, its happening. Everybody stay calm. Stay f***ing calm!

    With the Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Production (AMPTP) reaching a tentative agreement on September 24 after a strike of 146 days, there are reports of several shows set to resume filming. Among them, reports are saying, is a reboot of the ever popular comedy sitcom ‘The Office’.

    According to Puck, the original creator Greg Daniels is behind the production, but there is no confirmation that original cast members like Steve Carell, John Krasinki and Jenna Fischer are set to return for the reboot.

    Carell, who had played the beloved boss and socially awkward Michael Scott on the show, addressed rumors in an interview with Esquire on whether ‘The Office’ should get a reboot or not, saying that the comedy series wouldn’t work in present times.

    “Because The Office is on Netflix and replaying, a lot more people have seen it recently. And I think because of that there’s been a resurgence in interest in the show, and talk about bringing it back. But apart from the fact that I just don’t think that’s a good idea, it might be impossible to do that show today and have people accept it the way it was accepted 10 years ago. The climate’s different.”