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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]
Firefly Universe Online continuation alleged to be a hoax [Updated]
Did you think that the promise of Firefly Universe Online coming to life seemed a bit too good to be true? Or at least a bit unlikely? Because as it turns out, cynicism might have been the right attitude to take for this particular bit of news. According to Kotaku, the entire announcement that the game had the go-ahead to proceed may have been nothing more than a hoax and we still won't see this particular version of the Firefly MMO project come to fruition, although not for the reason that many people expected. As Kotaku argues, the hoax was perpetuated by The Yes Men, a strongly anticonsumerist group that apparently thought the best platform for this particular parody was a relatively obscure science fiction show. At this point it's not clear exactly what statement the group was attempting to make, although some sort of spoof on Kickstarter seems the most likely target. Either way, hopes for a Firefly MMO remain unrealized -- and at this point if such a game ever does get approved, we won't believe it's real until it's on the shelf. [Update: As fans of the franchise point out, FUO representatives have updated their Facebook page with what they allege is a screenshot of the game and an explanation for The Yes Men's involvement. What do you think? Is it a hoax or is it legit?]
The Simpsons skewer iPad obsession with A Tree Grows In Springfield
This past Sunday night The Simpsons ran an episode with what has now become a semi-regular guest star: Mapple Computer. This episode devoted a considerable chunk of the story to Homer's obsession with his newly won MyPad. I can't give away any more due to spoilers, but suffice it to say the man known for his gastric rapacity knowing no satiety meets his comeuppance in the materialistic trappings of tablet ownership. The ending of the main story, a nod to the late Steve Jobs, is not to be missed. The episode on Hulu is blocked unless you're a Plus member and locked on Fox.com unless you are "connecting to a participating TV provider account." In accordance with all "we hate allowing people to watch free TV online even with advertising we can directly monetize" rules the networks have had in place since Jules Verne invented the television, the episode will be available for the unwashed masses to watch (in certain geo-restricted countries, naturally) December 3.
"iMac touch" parody video is pretty cute
By now, just about everyone who's been watching TV or visited the Apple website lately has seen the iPad mini ad. It shows someone tapping out the counterpoint to Heart and Soul on an iPad, with another hand joining in on the melody on an iPad mini. It's clever and cute, and now someone has come up with a parody video that's even more fun. Without killing the punchline by telling you what the video's all about, here it is: [via Gizmodo]
Grand Theft Auto 5 promotional materials, in-game locations leak out
Retailers running preorders for Grand Theft Auto 5 (which is coming out in spring 2013) were supposed to wait until November 5 to give away any promotional items. Pictures of what appears to be a little keychain image viewer have leaked, both revealing that as a pre-order bonus for the game and showing off some locations to be included in Rockstar's latest paean to the West Coast.Looking through the viewfinder on the tiny accessory shows off not only the Zancudo River, but also the Vinewood Hills (a play on Hollywood), the Del Perro Pier (likely Santa Monica's landmark playground), the Vespucci Canals (with a view of downtown), and Grapeseed (a winery area that's likely a tip to California's Napa Valley).Fans have also spotted a poster promoting the game (which you can see after the break below) featuring a woman wearing a Love Fist t-shirt, and a few of the keychain viewers reference an air travel company called "FlyUS", so it appears that GTA's usual parodic shenanigans are in order. We'll likely hear even more about this one in the next month or so, as Rockstar's promotional machine for the game finally starts kicking into gear.
Siri and Me is a new book from Goodnight, iPad author
Goodnight, iPad creator David Milgrim is back again with another Apple-based parody book. His latest work, Siri & Me: A Modern Love Story, is clearly aimed at those tech geeks who enjoy spending quality time with their special friend Siri. You can see a preview of the book below and hop over to Amazon to pre-order your copy of the hardcover version. The $10 book will debut on November 1, 2012 with Blue Rider Press. [Via AllThingsD]
Fox 5 New York gets suckered by iPhone 5 concept video
Tech reporting is hard. So many new products, so many features; who can keep track of them all? The answer: not the gang at the NYC Fox affiliate's late evening news, who managed to misrepresent the iPhone 5's feature list rather dramatically. As pointed out by 9to5Mac, the coverage package of interviews with line-waiters at the 5th Avenue store who are anticipating the Friday launch took a rather surreal turn. The reporter breathlessly cites "a laser keyboard and holographic images" for the new iPhone, as a clip plays showing those capabilities. Unfortunately, that video clip is the work of Aatma Studio; it's a year-old concept video, showing an obviously misshapen iPhone 5 and several hypothetical new things it could do. (The studio's current concept clip is a winner, including the Rubberband Electronics killer feature.) Seems like the fact-checking squad is out of the office today -- they might have pointed the editor to an actual Apple video of the phone, for instance. Full clip below. It's sad, but funny. Money moment at about 40 seconds in, which the embed should jump to automatically. Update: There's some confusion in the comments regarding the source of this clip. Fox 5 New York (WNYW) is a local television station; that's not the same thing as Fox News, the cable news network, or Fox Business News, the business channel where I infrequently appear commenting on all things Apple. We welcome your opinions, but it would be most helpful to have them actually be about the thing we're talking about.
Infinity Blade creators parody themselves with VOTE!!
Here's a surprise on the App Store this week -- Infinity Blade creators Chair Entertainment have suddenly released a politically-themed parody of their own game, called VOTE!!!. The app should be out on the North American App Store later on this evening -- it's essentially a battle from Infinity Blade, with the usual hacking, slashing, parrying, and dodging, but with two cartoony versions of the US Presidential candidates battling it out with "debates" instead of attacks. It looks goofy as all get-out, but it's also free, so who knows? Chair probably thought it was a funny idea, and someone on staff had enough drive to go ahead and make it real, so there you go. Presumably, it does use the same engine, so yes, you are seeing Obama wield a lightsaber above in full Unreal 3 graphics. If you want to Infinity Blade fight against Romney or Obama, Vote!!! is arriving later on this evening.
We can't tell if Molydeux is doing the work for Molyneux, or it's the other way around
Peter Molyneux's first experimental title with 22 Cans is Curiosity, a potentially million-player title that has people chip away at a cube until one person hits the final piece and uncovers the ultimate secret inside. Peter Molydeux, a digital parody of Molyneux, has created a trailer for Curiosity using a few exaggerated quotes (and some not so hyperbolic)."It will make the God Particle seem smaller than an atom," Molydeux (correctly) states. Molyneux has described Curiosity as something that "is so valuable, and so life-changingly important."Molydeux's trailer posits that this discovery is "about to change life as we know it" and "it will be covered in the media for all eternity," while Molyneux has previously said "It's so amazing I think it will appear on news reports."In response to Molydeux's trailer, Molyneux has offered a few hints as to Curiosity's secret, tweeting that he thinks the parody "is truly amazing. It's not a message, it's not an advert, it's not a job. I am loath to give more clues."Curiosity will support microtransactions, with items ranging from $0.50 to $50,000. The game will be launched on August 22 for iOS, Android and PC.
Siri takes security to the extreme in parody video
Siri has many useful features, but here's one you won't find in Apple's documentation. This video from Aatma Studio showcases a new self-destruct feature that would make Dan Briggs or Jim Phelps proud. You can check out the YouTube video below.
Goodnight, iPad parody by author Ann Droyd
Goodnight Moon is a classic children's bedtime story whose singsong words lull a child to sleep. In a digital-inspired parody, author Ann Droyd uses the same bouncy storyline to describe the nighttime routine of an iPad-using, TV-watching group of kids. It's all done tongue-in-cheek, even down to the name of the author Ann Droyd, which is a play on Android. Ann Droyd, obviously, is a pseudonym and the book is likely written by children's author, David Milgrim. Besides the hardcover book, there's a video summary of the book that'll have your head nodding in agreement. Check out the video below and let us know what you think in the comments. [Via The Beat and The Mary Sue]
Android Phone Name Generator launches HTC Bionic Plus 3D E, Motorola Vigor Optimus Prime+
Checking the front porch every few minutes for your Sony Ericsson Charge Vibrant G2? Or perhaps you've fallen for the HTC Mesmerize Vivid Prime (you know, that Super HAMOLED++ 4K tablet running Android 9.3 Snickerdoodle). Sure, those game-changing Android devices may not exist in physical form, but they did become a reality in Yinzcam's brilliant Android Phone Name Generator -- created for your amusement, and perhaps the industry's top marketing geniuses. Want to try your hand at creating the world's next week-long smartphone fad? Hit up the source link again and again and again, then share your results in the comments. The Acer Rezound Vivid One G1 X2 launches in 3, 2...
Stephen Colbert exposes Siri biases
Stephen Colbert, America's indispensable authority on absolutely everything, decided to put Siri to the test on the Colbert Report to see if he could find an abortion clinic in Manhattan. Not only does he claim he can't find one, but he says it can't understand foreigners either. Well, Stephen, just to prove you wrong, Siri understands my Scouser husband just fine, thank you very much. You'll find the segment below from Colbert Nation, which highlights just how ridiculous the situation has gotten. The Colbert Report Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c Conservative Siri www.colbertnation.com Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog Video Archive
Peter Molydeux is not Peter Molyneux, and other revelations
For all its rainbow-trail-cat-in-space silliness, the internet isn't always kind to parody. Take Peter Molydeux, for example. Did you know that he is not, in fact, Peter Molyneux? Did you just read that sentence again? The amusing (and slightly tragic) video above spells it out: The silly, creative and often insufferable ideas conjured by our favorite parody tweeter are not being made at Lionhead Studios. With the account suspended, we can only lash out at the effects of careless skimming, insulating legal disclaimers and, perhaps, concepts that were a bit too close to the real deal. The most devastating news of all? CasCore, the bowling / survival-horror hybrid that had masterpiece -- or 9.5 -- written all over it, will never escape from its prototype phase. Where will we put the children's dreams, if not in bowling balls? (If you watch the video closely, you might just glimpse an answer.)
The Simpsons go to 'E4'
The opening scene of last night's Simpsons episode brought the family to the "Expensive Electronic Entertainment Expo" (or "E4," a joke that works even better if you realize the writers forgot about the existence of E For All). You'll have to wait eight days or so to see the episode on Hulu if you missed it -- longer still if you're outside of the US -- but GameSetWatch has done us the favor of collecting some of the on-the-nose visual gags from the scene. In addition to the three screencaps presented in the post, GSW reports that parody games including Grand Theft Scratchy: Itchy City Stories, Shaun White: Time Snowboarder, and World of Krustcraft made appearances. Perhaps the best thing about this sequence is that it suggests a Simpsons writer was present at E3 for the sole purpose of taking notes on the spectacle.
Bastion narrator takes a hilarious journey through other games
What happens when Bastion's ever-present contextual narrator lands in some of gaming's most famous titles? Pure hilarity, as seen in the Dorkly-crafted video above.
Saints Row: The Third trailer mocks the big boys
We trust you can effortlessly conjure up the identities of this trailer's targets.
Parody tweeter 'PeterMolydeux' once applied for work at Lionhead
You are following @petermolydeux on Twitter, right? The always pondering parody of the eminent game developer (that imagines things like a "racing game where you only have 2 speeds," or "a creature who can only eat bullets for survival") is one of our favorite characters on the service -- and it only allows 140, remember? Kotaku AU has a lengthy interview with the anonymous Tweeter in question, and though we didn't get the question of who he actually is answered, we get a lot of other interesting information. Apparently, the person behind the account is a real game developer, doesn't always agree with Molydeux's snobby dislike of popular titles, and has recently moved out into pitching his crazy game ideas with full videos and documents rather than just his tweets. Interviewer Katie Williams' website has a few more tidbits from the interview, including the fact that Peter Molydeux once applied to Lionhead Studios. He didn't get the job. He also hints that there may be another parody character on the way: an indie game dev who's "just been fired from a big-name developer, and is declaring war on them by aiming to create the greatest indie game of all time, all within one year." Considering that one of Molydeux's kooky game ideas is being made into a real game, we'd love to hear what that new guy has in store for us.
