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Mark Hamill and other stars will read the Mueller Report live at 9PM ET
On Monday night, a group of Hollywood stars will take part in a live reading of The Investigation: A Search for the Truth in Ten Acts, a play based on the Mueller report. The likes of Annette Bening, Kevin Kline, John Lithgow and Alyssa Milano are among those who'll read passages from the report in front of an audience in New York. It'll all be livestreamed at 9PM ET, and you can watch it below.
'iSteve', Funny or Die's satirical biopic of Steve Jobs, is now available online
After delaying the release of iSteve due to the tragic bombing at the Boston Marathon this week, the Steve Jobs parody film went live on Funny or Die's website late on Tuesday. With a run time of 78 minutes, iSteve offers what promises to be a uniquely comedic, if not inaccurate, take on the Apple co-founder's life and persona. In one particularly amusing scene, Jobs becomes furious while directing a "Get a Mac" commercial and rips into a character playing the Justin Long role. Yep, this film gets meta. Lest you think this is a big-budget Hollywood film, bear in mind that the script was written in just three days while the film was shot in less than a week. Needless to say, iSteve won't be generating any Oscar buzz, but it is replete with inside jokes about Jobs and Apple lore that Apple enthusiasts will undoubtedly get a kick out of. The film stars Justin Long as Jobs and features a rather hilarious Jorge Garcia of Lost fame as Woz. If you're not yet intrigued, check out the film's trailer below. The full film can't be embedded so head on over Funny or Die for the full feature.
Funny or Die delays launch of iSteve movie until April 17
Funny or Die has delayed the premiere of iSteve, a movie about the life of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. The short film was scheduled to debut on April 15, but the tragic bombing in Boston prompted the comedy website to reschedule the film. According to Funny or Die's website, iSteve is now expected to air on April 17.
Watch the trailer for Funny or Die's upcoming iSteve biopic
Will Ferrell's comedy website, Funny or Die, is working on a biopic of Steve Jobs starring Justin Long, who played opposite John Hodgman in Apple's popular "Get a Mac" advertising campaign. Titled iSteve, the hour-long film will make its debut on April 15th on the Funny or Die website. To promote its movie, Funny or Die released a trailer that you can watch below. The 90-second clip is a montage of buzz words, cliches and overly dramatic conversations that may or may not happened in the life of Jobs. According to writer and director Ryan Perez, the script for the movie was written in three days and the film was shot in five. It may not be the best Steve Job's biography you will see, but it will be the first and perhaps the funniest.
Justin Long to play Steve Jobs in Funny or Die biopic parody
For years, actor Justin Long played the Mac to John Hodgman's PC in Apple's US TV advertising. Now Long is starring as Steve Jobs in a biopic parody due from the comedy website Funny or Die on April 15, 2013. Ryan Perez, the writer and director of the upcoming iSteve, said that "in true internet fashion, it's not based on very thorough research -- essentially a cursory look at the Steve Jobs Wikipedia page. It's very silly. But it looks at his whole life." The movie is expected to run anywhere from 60 to 75 minutes in length, short for a feature film, but the longest-ever project for Funny or Die. Perez notes that the script took him three days to write, and the movie was shot in five days. "We may not be the best, but we will be the first," said Perez. He's right, of course. Aaron Sorkin's biopic based on Walter Isaacson's book Steve Jobs is years away from hitting theaters, while the release of the Ashton Kutcher film Jobs has been delayed while a new marketing plan is created. So grab your bag of popcorn and zap iSteve to your HDTV using AirPlay on April 15. It's sure to be the funniest Steve Jobs biography you'll ever see. [via Cult of Mac]
No Comment: Justin Long's jailbroken iPhone
Either way, this iconic image of the Mac pitchman with his jailbroken iPhone merits a resounding No Comment. Video clip in the second half of the post. Thanks to Riyan for the picture.
Celebrity Nerds: Justin Long jailbreaks his iPhone like a PC guy (video)
Celebrity Nerds confirms what you always knew, deep in your heart of hearts: that stars are nerds like us. Send in your own confirmations of this fact right here. With his contract to Apple now a thing of the past, we guess Justin Long's not the smug, overconsuming Mac archetype we'd always assumed. We've gotta give credit to a man who sticks it to his former employer by busting out of the walled garden as demonstrated by the Cydia icon's appearance on Long's iPhone during a visit to Jimmy Kimmel Live. Then again, jailbreakme made the process so easy even a hollywood actor could do it, so who knows. Update: Video embedded after the break. Skip ahead to the 7:04 mark for the evidence. Update 2: A theory has emerged in comments that the show's producer, not Justin, is responsible for the jailbreak. The idea is supported by the fact that Cydia and the TVOutTuner apps are sitting in what would typically be the most recently installed app positions (assuming all other screens are full), with the latter app required to mirror the iPhone's display on that big monitor. [Thanks, Riyan and SeanL9941]
Video tribute to the Get a Mac ad campaign
Last month we reported that Justin Long, who plays Mac in the Get a Mac ads, hinted that the advertising campaign had come to an end. Now it seems confirmed; the ads, first broadcast in 2006, can't even be found on the Apple page. Instead, the usual link now takes you to a page explaining the reasons that you should buy a Mac. OneMoreThingPodcast has put together this fitting tribute to the many 30 second gems that have amused us over the last five years. I'm sure you'll find some of your favorite highlights in the video. So, I suppose it's back to making movies for Long, and back to The Daily Show for John Hodgman (an Apple user for over 20 years), giving up the role of PC. Rest in peace, Get a Mac campaign. You were a good soldier.
Apple pulls the plug on 'Get a Mac' ad campaign
There's been rumors that Apple had ended its long-running of "Get a Mac" ad campaign ever since Justin "Mac" Long said he thought they might be done last month, and it looks like that's now finally been confirmed by Apple -- the company has pulled all the ads from its site and is instead redirecting folks to its new "Why You'll Love a Mac" page. Of course, the move doesn't exactly come as a huge surprise considering that Apple hasn't produced a new one since its Windows 7-challenging ads last October, and Apple has certainly had plenty of prime material since then. Head on past the break for look at one of the more recent highlights, and hit up the more coverage links below if you feel like reminiscing a bit more. As for what's next for Apple, we can only guess. A triumphant return of Jeff Goldblum, perhaps?
Get your Mac and PC Cubee cutouts here
Got some time to kill at the office today? Steal some heavy weight paper from the supply closet and print out your very own Cubee cutouts of Mac and PC. The cutouts are designed by Jay Hauf, and they work best when you download the 1482 x 1173 versions and print them on heavy stock letter paper. For video instructions on how to assemble your Cubees, see here. If you get bored recreating all 66 Get a Mac ads, you can mix it up a little by downloading the Steve Jobs Cubee cutout (which, IMO, looks a lot like a square version of Stewie Griffin when assembled). Now, get back to work! [via iPhoneSavior]
PC tells Mac -- "Get a Mac" ads might be done
Justin Long, who plays Mac in the Get a Mac ads, has told The Onion's A.V. Club that he believes the Get a Mac ad campaign has come to an end. When The Onion asked Justin what the status was on the Apple ads, he replied, "You know, I think they might be done. In fact, I heard from John, I think they're going to move on. I can't say definitively, which is sad, because not only am I going to miss doing them, but also working with John." The Get a Mac ads have been widely applauded by the advertising industry, winning a Grand Effie Award in 2007. The campaign was first launched in the US in 2006, and Apple then expanded it to Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. The US and Canadian ads starred Justin Long as Mac and John Hodgman as PC. The two have appeared together in 66 television ads to date. The pair has also featured in 10 Web-only ads posted on various Web sites like The New York Times. Apple has gone spans of time with no TV advertising for their Mac computers before. It's possible that they will be throwing all their ad dollars behind the iPhone and iPad for the time being. However, if Justin Long is correct that the Get a Mac ads are over, it does not preclude that a new Mac ad campaign is in the works. All the Get a Mac ads can be viewed at Apple's ad gallery. [via 9to5]
Adweek Media's Campaign of the Decade: Apple's Get a Mac ads
As Apple fans, we've loved Apple's "Get a Mac" ad campaign. With Justin Long as the cool, laid-back Mac and John Hodgman starring as the stodgy, uptight PC, the ads have managed to make us laugh since they first appeared in 2006. The campaign has spawned the "I'm a PC" response ads from Microsoft, which aren't nearly as fun or effective as the original (if we do say so ourselves). The ads have been incredibly effective at getting Apple's message across -- Macs just work, with no bloatware, few viruses and little malware, and Mac users can do a lot with the provided iLife software. AdweekMedia has paid tribute to the campaign in its Best of the 2000s awards, giving the Campaign of the Decade plaudits to Apple and TBWA / Media Arts Lab for the memorable ads. That's not the only Apple campaign that received an award -- the iPod "Silhouettes" campaign won the Out of Home Ad of the Decade prize. Out of Home ads (AKA outdoor advertising) consist of those advertisements that are shown on billboards, buses, and kiosks rather than on television or in print. The awards were voted upon by the editors of AdweekMedia, and reader's choice awards were also listed. The "Get a Mac" campaign was third place in reader voting, while "Silhouettes" picked up the number one spot from readers in its category.
Justin Long: PC User?
We've gotten a few tips over the last 24 hours suggesting that 'Mac' -- actor Justin Long, of the I'm a Mac, I'm a PC ad campaign -- made a shopping trip to a Cupertino-area Best Buy and surprisingly, in a bit of a CLM, pooh-poohed the available Apple hardware:[Best Buy's John] Beck said that he showed Long a variety of machines, however he was not really interested in the products that Apple had. "He said that he's got a few of them at home, but doesn't really use them much. He said that you can't really get any good games for them and that he doesn't like the mouse since it only has one button. He also said that his started crashing a lot ever since he got the latest updates for iTunes."Leaving aside the question of whether a Hollywood actor is clever enough to grok the Mighty Mouse's right-click capability or using Boot Camp for gaming, it just so happens that all the instances of this story lead back to this Joking Around blog post. Joking Around, which provides amusing fake news ("Making up the news -- because real news is boring!"), is not an actual news source. TUAW giggled at the "Closet PC User" story (although the one about Apple patenting the click is funnier) but in truth we have no idea what platform Mr. Long computes on. It's his business whether he is in fact a PC user or not -- and we think it best to let such personal secrets remain behind closed doors.[Actually, we're pretty sure he uses a Mac -- but it's still his business]Thanks to everyone who sent this in.
Apple ad spoofs with PC as the protagonist
This one has been climbing up the bloggeist for a few weeks, and it's a fine apertif for the start of the holiday weekend. Copywriter Laurie McGuinness, moonlighting as a commercial parody director, made a series of four Mac/PC ad spoofs in early 2007, with PC as the businesslike, successful protagonist and Mac as the geeky, freelance hand-to-mouth sidekick. (Is it just me, or does the guy playing PC look like a thinner, less crazy version of John Dvorak?)All four ads are viewable on McGuinness' site or on YouTube, and they're mostly moderately funny; one exception is the 'Music' spot, which suggests that iPod users are selfish goobers who don't like to share music. Poor form!If you've got a favorite Mac/PC ad parody, let me know in the comments and I'll highlight the top choices in a weekend post.Thanks, Beth!
Justin Long in Live Free or Die Hard
Mac: "Hello, I'm a Mac" PC: "Hello, I'm a PC" Mac: "Run!!!!!!" Fans of the "I'm a Mac" "I'm a PC" campaign will be delighted to learn that Justin Long (aka "Mac") will appear in the upcoming Bruce Willis blockbuster "Live Free Die Hard" in which, we presume, he will be reprising his role as "Mac" opposite Bruce Willis's grizzled Windows Vista-based PC. Per previous installments in this now venerable series, you can expect a lot of explosions, screaming and reasoned discourses on the philosophical basis of end-user empowerment. Now that's what we call an operating system shootout. Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
Justin Long a Mac no longer?
Radar Online is reporting that Justin Long, the actor who plays the part of the Mac in Apple's Get a Mac campaign, is no longer an Apple spokesman. A new round of ads is being worked on with John Hodgman (the PC) and director Phil Morrison but Justin Long with not appear in them, according to his 'people.'Was this Apple's decision, or Justin's? We may never know, but Justin's representative said, "Justin's a movie star, not a commercial guy."So, dear TUAW readers, who do you think should fill his shoes as the Mac in the new commercials?Thanks, Matt.
Justin Long on 'Get a Mac' ads, being harassed
In an interview more about his career (rather than Apple nerdery), Justin ("hi I'm a Mac") Long managed to wax ecstatic with Mary McNamara of the LA Times about 'the ads' and what they've done for (or rather: to) his career. He had stories to tell of being harassed on the street by people who might have taken the ads just a little too seriously, and he also admitted that, before the ads, he didn't even own a computer (just guess what he owns now). Also of note in the interview is a tidbit Martha wrote about a whopping 20 more ads in the "hottest campaign on TV" on their way (are these spots really resonating that well with their target demographic?). We've seen a few more ads trickle out since they were first introduced, and I would wager more will hit a Daily Show near you once the semester kicks back in.There aren't many more Apple-related details in the interview other than what I've summarized, but check it out if you're interested in learning a little more about the actor who might (or might not) be helping the Apple cause with the powers of comedy.
Gone in 60 seconds: MacBook security flaw exposed
A couple of friendly neighborhood hackers, Jon "Johnny Cache" Ellch and David Maynor have come up with a hack they claim takes 60 seconds and opens up any MacBook completely to their whims over a wireless connection. Supposedly the flaw, which they don't actually specify, is due to some faults in the device drivers which allow the wireless card to communicated with the OS. The flaw isn't unique to the MacBook, a few PC laptops have a similar vulnerability, but the pair of hackers have decided to pick on the MacBook due to the "Mac user base aura of smugness on security." So the next time Justin Long starts on that "Hello, I'm a Mac" shtick, you can always let him know of a certain 60 second vulnerability and change the channel before he gets too smarmy.
New Apple ads mean spirited?
Seth Stevenson, writing for Slate, makes a good point about the new Apple ads: John Hodgman (the actor portraying the PC) gets all the good lines. He's the funny, likable one. The Mac (played by Justin Long) is kind of annoying and not the least bit funny.Sadly, I don't think Apple counted on Hodgman's rise in popularity before they shot these commercials, but does that mean the ads don't work? Since I am clearly already a Mac user I can't really judge if they work or not. I know there are a few switchers out there that read TUAW, so tell me: do these commercials make you want to buy a Mac?
