Amy Sedaris Movies
Comedianne Amy Sedaris confronts vulgarity with a daring innocence to create her wickedly absurd characters. You may best remember her as America's most lovable skank, Jerri Blank, from the hyper-irreverent series Strangers With Candy. Raised in North Carolina, Sedaris got her start at Second City in Chicago before moving to N.Y.C. to write plays with her brother, author David Sedaris, who has hilariously documented their family's history in many of his novels. Calling themselves "The Talent Family," they wrote, directed, and starred in numerous plays in N.Y.C., winning some Obie and Drama Desk awards. Along with fellow Second City vets Stephen Colbert and Paul Dinello, she wrote and starred in the sketch show Exit 57, which ran on Comedy Central.Sedaris has made a few small appearances on the big screen, from minor roles in major studio releases like Six Days, Seven Nights and Maid in Manhattan to short films like Bad Bosses Go to Hell; however, her breakthrough performance was in the TV series Strangers With Candy. An absurdist satire of afterschool specials, the show only ran from April 1999 to October 2000 on Comedy Central. Sedaris wrote it with her old cohorts from Second City, and also birthed the character of Jerri Blank, the ex-junkie and former prostitute who goes back to high school at age 46. In its 30-episode run, the show gained her a devoted following and several other television appearances. Though cancelled, sales of the show's DVD sets proved profitable enough to warrant a feature, and in 2006 Sedaris and company transferred their skewed worldview to the big screen, with a feature-length installment of Strangers With Candy. Packed with star cameos and even-cruder-than-cable-allows humor, the movie seemed destined to become a cult hit.
Sedaris continues to work in the theater, while also running a cupcake and cheeseball business out of her West Village home, collecting taxidermied animals, and sometimes appearing on Sex and the City and Just Shoot Me. In collaboration with Dinello and Colbert, she is also co-author of the book Wigfield: The Can-Do Town That Just May Not. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- 2009
- R
- Add Jennifer's Body to Queue
Demon possession, devilish cheerleaders, and Satanic rock stars are all on the chopping block with this horror comedy from the production team behind Juno. Screenwriter Diablo Cody provides the script, with producing duties handled by Jason Reitman and Dan Dubiecki. The story centers on an impish high-school student (Amanda Seyfried) who has to protect her town against her best friend, Jennifer (Megan Fox), who after being bedeviled by an evil rock band, develops a taste for human flesh. Girlfight's Karyn Kusama directs the Fox Atomic production. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, (more)
A pack of inquisitive golden retrievers take a trip to the moon, only to realize that there's truly no place like home in this installment of Disney's popular talking dog series. The Buddies are back, and this time they're joined by four-legged friends Spudnick and Gravity. Their mission: Launch plans for a moon landing, then make their way back to planet Earth. Blasting through space and dodging asteroids left and right, this furry team of astronauts realize that the only way to accomplish their mission is through friendship and teamwork. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 2009
Join host Billy Crystal and narrator Amy Sedaris as they take a look back at some of the funniest men, women, and moments in American comedy history in this six-part PBS series co-produced by Thirteen/WNET and Ghost Light Films. From poking fun at American standards to ribbing our political system, race relations, gender issues, and common taboos, U.S. comics have a unique way of making us laugh through times of pressing social and economic change. Interviews with over ninety comedians, performers, writers, producers, and historians including Will Ferrell, Sid Caesar, Judd Apatow, Steve Martin, Larry David, Leonard Maltin, Carol Burnett, Roseanne Barr, and more help to meld history, performance, and biography in a way that's as educational as it is hilarious. Each one-hour segment, including "Would Ya Hit A Guy With Glasses?: Nerds, Jerks & Oddballs," "Slip On A Banana Peel: The Knockabouts," "Sock it to Me?: Satire and Parody," "When I'm Bad, I'm Better: The Groundbreakers," "Never Give A Sucker An Even Break: The Wiseguys," and "Honey, I'm Home!: Breadwinners and Homemakers" explores a unique genre of American comedy. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Billy Crystal, Amy Sedaris, (more)
A privileged white girl from the suburbs moves to the inner city and attempts to perfect her notoriously clumsy dance moves in this parody of popular dance movies. Damon Wayans Jr. and Craig Wayans star in a comedy co-written by Shawn, Keenen Ivory, Marlon, Craig, and Damien Wayans, who also directs. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Damon Wayans Jr., Craig Wayans, (more)
- 2008
The newest nerd in school joins forces with the one-time Olympic hopeful whose failure at the Seoul Games made all of America cringe in this Nichelodeon Original Movie. Try as he might, there's just no disguising the fact that Hamm Lake Middle School's newest arrival won't be scoring any winning touchdowns in the near future; not only is Roland (Nathan Kress) hopelessly inept when it comes to sports, but he can usually be found somewhere in a corner with his nose buried in a book. Enter beloved Hamm Lake Middle School gym teacher Dave Stewie (Christopher Meloni). Dave represented his country at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, though his disastrous vault went on to become one of the greatest bloopers in sports history. Now, the National Gym Class Fitness Competition is fast closing in, and Dave is catching heat from the principal (Amy Sedaris) to whip the students into shape. Could Roland be just the kind of underdog Dave needs to lead his school to victory at the National Gym Class Fitness Competition? As Roland and Dave get busy training, a devious gym teacher (David Alan Grier) at a rival school plots subterfuge from afar. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nathan Kress, Christopher Meloni, (more)
Director/screenwriter David Gordon Green adapts Stewart O'Nan's popular novel to the screen in this feature, which tells the parallel tales of a teenager named Arthur (Michael Angarano) and his onetime babysitter Annie (Kate Beckinsale) -- whose turbulent relationship with her estranged husband, Glenn (Sam Rockwell), leads the small-town waitress down a troubled path. Arthur is a high-school student from a dysfunctional family, and does everything in his power to avoid hanging around the house while mom and dad quarrel. When he's not practicing his trombone and performing with the high-school marching band, Arthur can usually be found bussing tables at the local Chinese restaurant and flirting with older waitress Annie. Annie used to be Arthur's babysitter, and is currently struggling to separate from her former high-school sweetheart, Glenn. But being a single mother isn't easy, especially since the troubled Glenn wants nothing more than to clean up his act and reunite his family.
Back at school, Arthur and pretty classmate Lila (Olivia Thirlby) have been bonding over their mutual love for all things geeky. Though the casual friendship shows promise of evolving into something more when Lila expresses her true feelings for Arthur, he can't help but becoming distracted by his chaotic family life: his father is moving out of the family home, and his mother is doing everything in her power to maintain some semblance of normalcy. Realizing that happiness is fleeting as his family becomes shattered and Annie experiences a series of distressing encounters with Glenn, Arthur gradually begins to fall for Lisa despite his growing cynicism concerning long-term relationships. Later, on a cold winter morning, Glenn and Annie's past catches up with them in a blinding flash, and the lives of everyone they know are suddenly and irrevocably changed. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Back at school, Arthur and pretty classmate Lila (Olivia Thirlby) have been bonding over their mutual love for all things geeky. Though the casual friendship shows promise of evolving into something more when Lila expresses her true feelings for Arthur, he can't help but becoming distracted by his chaotic family life: his father is moving out of the family home, and his mother is doing everything in her power to maintain some semblance of normalcy. Realizing that happiness is fleeting as his family becomes shattered and Annie experiences a series of distressing encounters with Glenn, Arthur gradually begins to fall for Lisa despite his growing cynicism concerning long-term relationships. Later, on a cold winter morning, Glenn and Annie's past catches up with them in a blinding flash, and the lives of everyone they know are suddenly and irrevocably changed. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kate Beckinsale, Sam Rockwell, (more)
Shrek and Fiona's (Mike Myers and Cameron Diaz, respectively) fairy-tale wedding has gone off without a hitch, yet just as the beaming newlyweds prepare to enjoy their blissful "happily ever after," the sudden death of King Harold (John Cleese) finds everyone's favorite ornery ogre being reluctantly fitted for the royal crown. Troubled to learn that not only will he be compelled to rule Far Far Away, but that he and Fiona are also expecting a little ogre, Shrek determines to track down his new bride's rebellious cousin, Artie (Justin Timberlake) -- the one true heir to the throne -- in order to focus on fatherhood without the added distraction of having to preside over the kingdom. As Shrek sets out with faithful companions Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) to locate the medieval high-school slacker and bring him back to become the reigning sovereign of Far Far Away, handsome snake Prince Charming (Rupert Everett) slithers back to the castle in the company of the dreaded Captain Hook (Ian McShane) to stage a diabolically timed coup and assume control of the throne. Now, as Shrek, Donkey, and Puss in Boots do their best to wrangle up the feisty Artie, Fiona must enlist the aid of fighting princesses Snow White (Amy Poehler), Sleeping Beauty (Cheri Oteri), Rapunzel (Maya Rudolph), and Cinderella (Amy Sedaris) to barricade the castle and fend off Prince Charming's invading army of fairy-tale villains until her beloved husband can return with the cavalry to save the day. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, (more)
Actor Justin Theroux (Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, Mulholland Dr.) steps behind the camera for his directorial debut with this irreverent romantic comedy. Billy Crudup is Henry, a cynical children's book writer who holds little more than disdain for his pint-sized target audience. Artist Rudy (Tom Wilkinson) is both Henry's illustrator and the only friend in his miserable life. But when Rudy's health fails, Henry unwittingly finds himself paired with a new illustrator, played by Mandy Moore, who proves to be the oil to his water. Dedication also stars Mia Farrow and Bob Balaban. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Billy Crudup, Mandy Moore, (more)
- 2006
- Add I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With to QueueAdd I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With to top of Queue
Jeff Garlin, best known for his role as Larry David's manager on Curb Your Enthusiasm, has directed standup comedy specials for Jon Stewart and Denis Leary, and makes his feature-film debut with his own adaptation of his one-man stage show, I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With. Garlin stars as James, an overweight, depressed actor who does improv at Second City. James lives with his mother (Mina Kolb) and constantly cheats on his diet. His life seems to be in a downward spiral. He quits his acting job on a sleazy prank show, his girlfriend (Rebecca Sage Allen) breaks up with him, and his agent (Richard Kind) dumps him. When he visits his friend's daughter's elementary school for Career Day, he embarrasses himself in front of the attractive teacher (Bonnie Hunt) by rambling inappropriately about his personal problems in front of the kids. He hears about a Chicago-based remake of Paddy Chayefsky's Marty, one of his favorite movies, and the role he seemingly was born to play, but he can't even get an audition. One day, after giving up on Compulsive Eaters Anonymous, he seeks solace in an ice cream parlor, where he meets Beth (Sarah Silverman), who quickly wins his heart by offering him free ice cream, and asking him a sexually provocative question. But his attraction to the sexually aggressive and somewhat demented Beth may bring James more problems than it solves. The film, which features appearances by Amy Sedaris, Dan Castellaneta, Wallace Langham, Roger Bart, Paul Mazursky, David Pasquesi, and Joey Slotnick, had its world premiere at the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeff Garlin, Sarah Silverman, (more)
The youthful delusions of a wistful husband and father prompt him to seek out a childhood friend and embark on a soul-searching journey of self discovery to the one place where no adult demands will be made of him in director David Munro's surreal second coming-of-age comedy. Alby (Matt McGrath) is having an early midlife crisis. Convinced that the only way to overcome his current malaise is to seek out his childhood pal Elias (Judah Friedlander) and set out on the open road, Alby leaves behind his wife and son in hopes of recapturing the glory of his youth. Unfortunately for Alby, Elias is all grown up now, and isn't exactly overjoyed to see the "best friend" whose rosy vision of childhood largely came from the fact that he made Elias the unwitting butt of his every joke. When Alby learns that Elias is taking a group of disabled drama students on a trip to the local amusement park, Elias has no choice but to let his pushy pal come along for the ride. What follows is a pensively hilarious look life as seen through the eyes of a man who can't seem to move past his youth, and the effect that a student-clown bartender (Amy Sedaris), a disgruntled former amusement park employee (Alan Cumming), a retired water-park mermaid (Debbie Harry), and a whole host of colorful characters have in helping Alby to bridge the gap between the glory days of his past and an uncertain future. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Matt McGrath, Judah Friedlander, (more)
The cult-favorite television series which offered a fun-house version of '70s "after-school specials" returns in this big-screen prequel to the show Strangers With Candy. Middle-aged ex-prostitute, former drug addict and all-around lowlife Jerri Blank (Amy Sedaris) emerges from prison at the age of 46 ready to start her life over again. Jerri arrives at her parents' home to discover that her father Guy (Dan Hedaya) divorced Jerri's mom and remarried before slipping into a coma. Jerri's stepmom Sara (Deborah Rush) decides to let her stay with the family in the hope her presence might bring Guy around, though she doesn't seem very fond of her new "daughter." Jerri decides to complete the education she abandoned years ago by enrolling at Flatpoint High School, where Principal Blackman (Greg Hollimon) has bigger fish to fry than a middle-aged sex offender as a student. It seems Flatpoint's science scores have been dreadful, and only a first-place entry in the county science fair will maintain the school's accreditation. Science fair guru Roger Beekman (Matthew Broderick) is brought in with hopes of creating a winning project, but science teacher Mr. Noblet (Stephen Colbert) objects to using outside talent and starts a separate team of his own, bringing in Jerri to give her something to do. As it happens, Noblet's team comes up with a potential prize-winner with their Soup Can Superconductor, while Beekman foolishly accepts the help of art teacher Mr. Jellineck (Paul Dinello) and ends up with a dance routine instead of a science presentation. Determined to win out over Noblet's team, Beekman tries to get his hand on the plans for Noblet's project by convincing handsome Brason (Chris Pratt) to charm them away from weak-willed Jerri. Strangers With Candy also features cameo appearances from Philip Seymour Hoffman, Allison Janney, Ian Holm, and Kristen Johnston. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Amy Sedaris, Deborah Rush, (more)
An old fable gets a high-tech update in this computer-animated comedy from Walt Disney Pictures. Chicken Little (voice of Zach Braff) is an earnest young fowl living in the town of Oakley Oaks who one day starts a panic when a falling acorn drops on his head, and he warns everyone that the sky has started to collapse. Chicken Little was wrong, of course, much to the embarrassment of his father, Buck Cluck (voice of Garry Marshall), and now the young chicken is struggling to live down the incident. While his best friends Abby Mallard (voice of Joan Cusack), Runt of the Litter (voice of Steve Zahn), and Fish out of Water stand by him, the school's star athlete Foxy Loxy (voice of Amy Sedaris) never passes up an opportunity to make fun of the diminutive chicken. As a result, Chicken Little tends to keep his more recent discoveries to himself, but what's a bird to do when he uncovers pseudo-scientific evidence that suggests the sky really is starting to fall, in large hexagonal chunks? Chicken Little was directed by Mark Dindal, who previously helmed The Emperor's New Groove for Disney. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Zach Braff, Steve Zahn, (more)
Nora Ephron directed and co-wrote this updated adaptation of a classic situation comedy that also casts a satirical eye on the entertainment industry. Jack Wyatt (Will Ferrell) is a movie star whose career has been going into a slow and steady decline. Desperate for a project that will give his reputation a jump start, Jack agrees to star in a film version of the once-popular television series Bewitched as hapless hubby Darrin Stephens, under the condition that an unknown actress be cast as the female lead so he won't be upstaged. After auditioning dozens of women who fail to make the grade, Jack meets lovely and charming Isabel Bigelow (Nicole Kidman), and is immediately certain she's the perfect choice to play witch-turned-housewife Samantha. However, there's one thing neither Jack nor the producers of the film know -- Isabel really is a witch, and while she's been trying to get along without her powers to better fit in among mortals, she will use her special talents when need be. The film also stars Michael Caine as Isabel's father, Nigel, Shirley MacLaine as Iris Smythson (the actress hired to play Endora), and Jason Schwartzman as Jack's agent. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nicole Kidman, Will Ferrell, (more)
Actor and filmmaker John Turturro wrote and directed this emotionally resonant blend of music and drama. Nick Murder (James Gandolfini) is an ironworker who has been married for years to Kitty (Susan Sarandon), who works as a seamstress and is the mother of Nick's three daughters. While Nick loves his wife, his head is turned by Tula (Kate Winslet), a sexy salesgirl at a lingerie shop, and soon they're having a passionate affair. When Kitty finds out about Nick's infidelity, she becomes enraged and kicks him out of the house, forcing him to decide what he really wants out of life and what is most important to him. Along the way, many of the characters in the film periodically turn to their favorite songs to explain and amplify their emotions, lip-synching along with the original recordings. Romance & Cigarettes also stars Steve Buscemi, Mandy Moore, Christopher Walken, Eddie Izzard, and Elaine Stritch. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Gandolfini, Susan Sarandon, (more)
A man struggling to save the life of another finds himself drawn into a strange netherworld he didn't know existed in this stylish thriller. Sam Foster (Ewan McGregor) is a psychiatrist living in New York City with his girlfriend, Lila Culpepper (Naomi Watts), who was once one of his patients. However, it's another one of his patients who becomes the focus of his obsessions when Henry Letham (Ryan Gosling), a disturbed young man whom Foster took over from a colleague, announces during a session that he intends to commit suicide in three days, on his 21st birthday. Sam takes the threat quite seriously and tries to track down Henry, who seems to have disappeared. Sam speaks to a number of Henry's friends and acquaintances -- his mother (Kate Burton), the man he claimed was his father, Dr. Leon Patterson (Bob Hoskins), a waitress who regularly served Henry at the coffee shop where she works (Elizabeth Reaser), and his former therapist Dr. Beth Levy (Janeane Garofalo). As Sam talks to people in Henry's circle, he finds he's learning more about himself than the man he's supposed to save, and he begins to drift into an emotional netherworld where the supposedly dead and the living cross paths. Stay was directed by Marc Forster, who had previously enjoyed breakthrough hits with two very different films, Monster's Ball and Finding Neverland. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ewan McGregor, Naomi Watts, (more)
For his sophomore stab at directing, actor/writer/director Jon Favreau (Swingers, Made), took on this holiday comedy starring Saturday Night Live-alum Will Ferrell. Ferrell stars as Buddy, a regular-sized man who was raised as an elf by Santa Claus (Edward Asner). When the news is finally broken to Buddy that he's not a real elf, he decides to head back to his place of birth, New York City, in search of his biological family. Elf also stars James Caan, Mary Steenburgen, Zooey Deschanel, and Bob Newhart. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Will Ferrell, Ed Asner, (more)
Three lazy pals find they're facing fatherhood simultaneously in this light-hearted comedy co-written by star Eddie Griffin. Lonnie (Griffin), G. (Anthony Anderson), and Dominick (Michael Imperioli) live stress-free lives with Lonnie's trash-talking Uncle Virgil (John Amos). But when all three young men's girlfriends get knocked up at the same time, they're forced to take a long, hard look at their lifestyles. For G., who works at the family grocery store of his girlfriend Xi Xi (Bai Ling), that means saying no to criminal temptation and staying on the straight and narrow; for Dominick, it means taking time out from his busy career as a record producer and coming to terms with surprise revelations from his baby's momma; and for Lonnie, it means recognizing ghetto-fabulous girlfriend Rolonda (Paula Jai Parker) as the gold-digger she is and finding a new lady love without sacrificing his individuality. Directed by Cheryl Dunye, whose previous features were low-budget indies, My Baby's Daddy also stars rapper Method Man as imposing ex-con No Good. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Griffin, Anthony Anderson, (more)
- 2003
Amy Sedaris returns as Gail Fleming, the ditzy actress sister of Monk's nurse-assistant Sharona Fleming (Bitty Schram). In the middle of a stage performance, Gail's leading man Hal Duncan (Marc Vann) is stabbed to death by what was supposed to be a retractable prop knife. Sharona must now not only cope with the possibility that her sister is a murderer, but also with the unexpected visit of her overbearing mother Cheryl (Betty Buckley). In his efforts to clear Gail's name, Monk signs up for a troublesome "speed dating" service--and also confronts his mortal fear of crowds when pressed into service as an actor! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Can a wealthy Republican politician find happiness with a chambermaid from the Bronx? One man is about to find out, though he hardly realizes it at first, in this romantic comedy from director Wayne Wang. Marisa Ventura (Jennifer Lopez) is a single mother who is raising her gifted but under-confident son Ty (Tyler Garcia Posey) on her own, with some help from her mother Veronica (Priscilla Lopez), after divorcing her husband. Marisa works as a housekeeper at the exclusive Beresford Hotel in Manhattan, where her boss Paula Burns (Frances Conroy) and chief butler Lionel Bloch (Bob Hoskins) urge Marisa and her best friend and fellow maid Stephanie (Marissa Matrone) to be as efficient and inconspicuous as possible. One day, while cleaning the room of noted socialite Caroline Lane (Natasha Richardson), Stephanie spies a beautiful designer gown and dares Marisa to try it on; against her better judgment, she does, and while all dolled up, she bumps into Christopher Marshall (Ralph Fiennes), a wealthy and well-bred bachelor who is running for the Senate. Immediately charmed, Chris asks Marisa to join him for a walk in Central Park, assuming she's the blue-blooded Caroline. Marisa manages to join Chris for the afternoon, with Ty in tow, and Chris finds himself quite taken with Marisa's beauty and down-to-earth personality, as well as Ty's precocious interest in politics. Chris later calls Caroline's room to set up a lunch date, but soon discovers the stuffy Ms. Lane is not the woman he met before. Marisa is also attracted to Chris, but while her friends encourage her to pursue a romance, Veronica believes her daughter is asking for trouble by trying to win a man so far out of her social strata. The supporting cast also includes Stanley Tucci and Amy Sedaris. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jennifer Lopez, Frances Conroy, (more)
- 2002
A minor Bay Area earthquake yields only one fatality: San Francisco philanthropist Henry Rutherford (Ross Petty), who was apparently killed by a falling object. A longtime friend of the Rutherford family, Sharona (Bitty Schram) brings Monk (Tony Shalhoub) along to pay a condolence call to Henry's young widow Christina (Janine Theriault). But as a result of this "friendly" drop-in, Monk begins obsessively dogging Christina's trail, certain that she has committed murder. Amy Sedaris of Strangers with Candy fame makes her first series appearance as Sharona's sister Gail. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1999
Jerri attempts to balance her desire to be on the debate team with her growing eating disorder in this installment of the irreverent Comedy Central series. Confessing her desire to join the debate team to Mr. Noblot (Stephen Colbert), the hungry teacher reveals that Jerri must lose some weight before she signs on to the team, as appearance is a major factor in winning debates. At first taking Mr. Noblot's advise to heart, his words are soon forgotten as Jerri and Toby (Devin Palmer) race to see who can be the first to the cafeteria for empanadas. Subsequently self-conscious about her weight, Jerri decides to embark on a strict diet despite the fact that the Blanks have invited over family meat man Stew (David Pasquesi) for dinner that night. Noticing that Jerri has become deathly thin the following day at school, Mr. Jellineck (Paul Dinello) warns Jerri of the dangers of purging despite the fact that he frequently does so regularly. Having never even considered this option, Jerri decides that this would be a great way to lose weight, and Mr. Jellineck's warning actually encourages her to take up the practice. Jerri's debating skills are noticeably sharpened by her new appearance, but Mr. Jellineck nevertheless decides to take his concerns to Jerri's stepmother, Sara (Deborah Rush). Shocked that Jerri has been stealing her appetite suppressants, diuretics, and suppositories, Sara decides to send Jerri to bed without dinner as punishment. Passing out from malnutrition-induced exhaustion during a debate with Lizzie (Ellen Pompeo) the following day, Mr. Jellineck organizes an intervention with Jerri's family and Stew to take place later that evening. Though Jerri has clearly relished being the center of attention through the crisis, Mr. Jellineck appears with a special dinner to celebrate her newfound appetite. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Amy Sedaris, Stephen Colbert, (more)
- 1999
Jerri (Amy Sedaris) discovers she has a previously unknown talent in this episode of the off-color Comedy Central series. Kicked out of the Flatpoint High orchestra by Mr. Jellineck (Paul Dinello) for pounding on the timpani and refusing to follow directions, a distressed Jerri remains behind after class and begins experimenting with the various instruments. Eavesdropping on the horrible sounds coming from the orchestra room, Mr. Noblot (Stephen Colbert) is stunned when Jerri picks up the violin and starts playing beautifully. Soon taking her under his wing and forcing her to practice tirelessly, Mr. Noblot isolates Jerri from her friends and peers in order to vicariously experience the success that eluded him as a child. Distressed by the scratches on Jerri's hands from attempting to groom the family cat, Mr. Noblot brings Jerri to live with him so that she may focus entirely on her practicing. With Mr. Noblot's newfound obsession driving a wedge between him and Mr. Jellineck, and the disapproval of Jerri's father adding to the negative impact that practicing has had on her social life, Jerri decides to give up the "stringy paddle" (her name for the violin) the very night of the Tri-County Music Championship. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Amy Sedaris, Stephen Colbert, (more)
- 1999
Jerri's (Amy Sedaris) desperate bid to become homecoming queen yields predictably disastrous results in this episode of Comedy Central's Strangers With Candy. Encouraged by Orlando (Orlando Pabotoy) to nominate herself as homecoming queen, Jerri's hopes are quickly dashed when Mr. Noblot (Stephen Colbert) intercepts the note detailing her intentions and relays to Jerri that "You're only as ugly as we think you are." After dumping the current ballots in the trash, Jerri's realization that she must run against somebody is satisfied when she chooses unattractive do-gooder Becky Ann Bedecker (Rebecca Rich) as her opponent. Following a lecture by Mr. Jellineck (Paul Dinello) on the importance on the "inner beauty" category, Jerri rushes home to discover that even her own brother Derrick is planning on voting for Becky, despite her homeliness. Attempting to win over the hearts of her classmates by volunteering to entertain a handicapped young boy with a chicken and a weasel, the pantomime act quickly turns into a horrific, blood-soaked nightmare, leaving Becky to come to the boy's rescue. Recalling Coach Wolf's (Sarah Thyre) advice to "help others by talking about yourself," Jerri's speech at the homecoming assembly vividly recalls her life as a runaway and elicits a standing ovation from the sympathetic crowd. Despite her moving speech, Principal Blackman (Greg Hollimon) decides to give the homecoming queen crown to Derrick's girlfriend Yasmine (Sabine Singh) anyway, despite the fact that she never even entered the competition. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Amy Sedaris, Stephen Colbert, (more)
- 1999
The temptations of the past resurface to haunt Jerri (Amy Sedaris) in the season one closer of Comedy Central's Strangers With Candy. When comely stoner Trish (Stephanie Sanditz) offers to share a joint with Jerri in the bathroom after gym class, the lustful Jerri quickly caves to temptation and begins her decent down the same slippery slope that found her homeless over 30 years ago. Subsequently baking brother Derrick's (Larc Spies) basketball and attempting to throw the turkey intended for dinner through the basketball hoop, Jerri faces real trouble when she shows up at Sara's (Deborah Rush) MMAD (Mad Mothers Against Drugs) meeting noticeably high and then fails Mr. Noblot's (Stephen Colbert) final exam the following day. As the final class of the semester draws to a close, undercover cop Savillon (Mitch Rouse) arrives in class under the guise of being a transfer student and promptly maces Mr. Noblot after noticing the word "opium" written on the chalkboard (Mr. Noblot had been teaching his class about China's Opium War). Mr. Noblot offers Jerri a make-up lest he have to put up with her for another semester, and despite Orlando's (Orlando Pabotoy) best efforts to sway Jerri toward her studies that night, a party invite from Trish proves too much to resist for Jerri. Though Jerri promises Orlando that she won't get high at the party, she promptly breaks her word and ends up failing Mr. Noblot's exam when she arrives in the classroom five hours late. Attempting to prove to Orlando that she wasn't high, Jerri puts him in the hospital by nearly slashing him to death, and when she visits him, Orlando can't remember how he got there, so Jerri makes up a lie but eventually admits that it was her fault. Officer Sullivan then arrests Jerri after overhearing her confession, and as the season closes, Jerri is doomed to once again repeat her freshman year of high school. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Amy Sedaris, Stephen Colbert, (more)
