Will Ferrell is making all sorts of headlines. He recently topped the list in a Peeps marshmallow candies' survey that asked, "If Peeps came to life, what male public person or celebrity might it become." Ha!
He's also making news with his transitions from the small screen to the big screen and, most recently, to the computer screen. Ferrell and pal, writer/director Adam McKay, published their first short-film on FunnyorDie.com, a Web site they created for publishing their short-form ideas and showcasing lesser-known filmmakers.
Will Ferrell in his famous SNL Blue Oyster Cult skit, "I gotta have more cowbell!" Photo: Wikipedia
The first video they produced, "The Landlord," stars Ferrell and a dirty-mouthed 2-year-old, playing an angry landlord. The kid is McKay's daughter- he is also featured in the short. The unprofessional but hilarious video took 45 minutes to make and has a running time of two minutes. In the last month, it has received almost 20 million hits.
The video was released on the heels of Ferrell's newest movie, but in a Los Angeles Times article, McKay says it was made for fun and not publicity for Ferrell's film.
Visitors of the site view and vote on videos, deciding if they're funny or will "die a fiery death." According to the site, "Videos that get enough die votes go to the crypt where they languish in comedy hell. But ones that reach immortal status shall make people laugh forever (even ten thousand years from now when mankind becomes floating orbs of energy. If they can laugh, those future orbs will be laughing at your video)."
This Web site is a total smash, incorporating the personality and tone of every Ferrell movie and giving other aspiring comics an opportunity to share their work. Ferrell's site is definitely something I will check out on a regular basis- I love him from "Elf" and his old SNL days ("I drive a Dodge Stratus!"). I don't think this kind of Web participation would work for every actor and I really hope random movie stars don't start creating videos to promote themselves and their projects.
Though I'm not sure if I can see him as a Peeps pink marshmallow bunny (okay, actually I wouldn't be surprised), a comedy viral video site is the perfect niche for Ferrell to fill.
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