Help Penn Jillette-Update 7/6 - Red Carpet Premier - Chicago

RMC · Post by **RMC** » Thu Sep 26, 2013 1:24 pm

Brian wrote:I don't need it but every little bit helps, of course. Or you are certainly welcome to make a contribution directly and thereby grab some SWAG.

Nah, I'll donate to you, hell the server room story, or any of the Navy stories are worth the money... And 'need' was the wrong word.

Always willing to contribute to a good cause to one of my internet friends, as my wife likes to call all of you.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Thu Sep 26, 2013 1:33 pm

Paypaled $25 and backed it myself as well... once I read his description of the movie, I had to.

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Thu Sep 26, 2013 2:14 pm

Here's a really good interview with Penn regarding the movie and fundraising.

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Thu Sep 26, 2013 2:15 pm

Thanks guys!

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Tue Oct 01, 2013 10:13 pm

Hey Fellow Filmmaker!

Yippee! Hurray! You are now officially part of crowd-funding history! Adam (I call him Rif, and you’re working with us, so maybe you should too) and I need you to be the first to know (because you’re working with us) about an important decision we’ve made in regards to the making of “Director’s Cut”.

We’ve decided that once we receive 2,000 contributors (we currently have 1,952), we are going to start making this movie. We’ve started writing and funding already, but we’re going to really start production. Already. We’re not going to wait another 33 days until the campaign is over. We’re not going to wait until we reach our final goal of $999,972.

We’re going to begin RIGHT NOW! My buddies at NASA say you can interpolate until the cows come home, but extrapolating is dangerous. Screw them, we’re going to extrapolate our asses off. We trust you and your friends to come through with the rest of the cash and we’re making this movie no matter what. I’m willing to sell Rif’s ass if I have to, we’ll get it done.

That makes YOU part of crowdfunding history. For the first time ever, a crowdfunding project is going into production before the crowdfunding part is even complete! We trust the same way you’ve trusted us. We trust that more people will get behind our mule. We trust that enough money will come in. We want to give you some instant gratification. You deserve to see your hard earned contributions in action now!

The first thing we’re going to do is hire a no-kidding world class casting director. We already have the perfect person in place, but we can’t/won’t make the official announcement until we cross the 2000 contribution mark (which should happen in the next 23 hours).

You’ll be VERY pleased with the selection that Adam and I have made. Once the casting director is in place, we’ll start assembling the cast and approaching our top choices for the female star. Casting is important to our movie. As I’ve said many times, I’m not the star, I’m the bad guy. The star of the movie is a woman, and she’s the victim AND the hero and it’s wicked hard acting. We won’t know what we can really pay this woman until we get a little more of our budget in place, but we can sniff around. Also the two male leads (remember I’m JUST the bad guy, and so so bad), have to be cast. So, we’ll get a casting director and we’ll all know ASAP who our stars are.

In the past week or so, we‘ve also received many requests for signed collectibles and memorabilia. Adam and I just posted a beautiful Gallery Quality poster that will be signed by the entire cast. The posters are listed on the site for $295. But since you’ve already distinguished yourself as a Director’s Cut supporter, I’m offering one to you for just $175. Use the discount code HelpPenn to claim your special discount (don't forget to click the "validate" button). (One of our cheeses at FundAnything is a real collector, and he pushes for this kind of thing – I love it too – I have my Dylan autographed poster and you’re not getting that – I’ll sell Rif’s ass first).

This poster is a Limited Edition and should go fast, (like Rif’s ass) so act now to avoid disappointment.

Check out my Director’s Cut campaign on FundAnything now!

Love,

Penn

P.S. Just because we are starting to make Director’s Cut doesn’t mean we can relax in regards to the fundraising part. Please keep spreading the word and let your friends, family and co-workers know how cool it is that you and I are making a movie together. This is fun.

KKBlue · Post by **KKBlue** » Tue Oct 01, 2013 10:46 pm

There is something to be said about the act of making one feel they are important. Then there is something about feeling important and actually, honestly, with a smattering of really truly, being an interracial part of a production.

Brian, congrats on being a part of something that matters to you. Not everyone can say they have been part of "X". I am honored to be a percentage in the OO family who has been witness to many great and momentous things in this life time. Sure, it's partly the bottle talking but it's never something I wouldn't say sober either

Continue to have fun and always thanks for including your extended family

Zurai · Post by **Zurai** » Wed Oct 02, 2013 3:34 am

Slow down a bit there, Penn. You're not the first project in history to start production before crowdfunding ended. In fact, I'd bet you're not in the first thousand projects to start production before crowdfunding ended. There are crowdfunded games (and I'm sure other types of projects) that were already under production before crowdfunding even started, let alone ended.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Wed Oct 02, 2013 8:59 am

KKBlue wrote: Then there is something about feeling important and actually, honestly, with a smattering of really truly, being an interracial part of a production.

I have seriously been considering talking to my wife about the "Be a Corpse" level. I could do that!

rshetts2 · Post by **rshetts2** » Wed Oct 02, 2013 9:05 am

Zurai wrote:Slow down a bit there, Penn. You're not the first project in history to start production before crowdfunding ended. In fact, I'd bet you're not in the first thousand projects to start production before crowdfunding ended. There are crowdfunded games (and I'm sure other types of projects) that were already under production before crowdfunding even started, let alone ended.

While you are most likely correct, you must realize that Penn is the bad guy in all of this. He points this out several times. Now if hes such a bad guy, surely a little exaggeration is easily in his repertoire of evil and manipulative fund raising rhetoric.

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 8:49 pm

Randy Pitchford of Gearbox ponies up $25000 for the privilege of cutting off Penn's ponytail.

mori · Post by **mori** » Sat Oct 26, 2013 9:19 pm

I have listened to the last few Penn Sunday School podcasts and it has been heavy on Director's Cut and Look. So I watched Look. I do not get what is suppose to be so great about this movie. And I believe this is Rifken's highest rated movie he has directed, I do not have high hopes for this project. PSS is generally entertaining though.

KKBlue · Post by **KKBlue** » Tue Feb 25, 2014 12:24 am

Brian wrote:Hello follow OOers...

Hi, was looking around OO and thought I would bump this and find out how things are going.
By the way, I did an advance search to find the topic. I enjoyed looking at all the pictures you had posted, not minding flipping to page 6 to find the Jillette post.

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Tue Feb 25, 2014 12:58 am

KKBlue wrote:
Brian wrote:Hello follow OOers...
Hi, was looking around OO and thought I would bump this and find out how things are going.
By the way, I did an advance search to find the topic. I enjoyed looking at all the pictures you had posted, not minding flipping to page 6 to find the Jillette post.

Uh huh, we believe you.

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Tue Feb 25, 2014 8:22 am

KKBlue wrote: Hi, was looking around OO and thought I would bump this and find out how things are going.

We've had a few emails back and forth with Penn's wife Emily who has been coordinating a lot of the fulfillment on this. We will be attending the P&T show on the 18th of August and will then get to meet Penn privately after the show.

Any physical goods that are part of the packages (T-shirts, DVD, etc) likely won't go out until after the film has been completed. We can get the tshirts sooner if we pay for postage but I'm in no hurry there as I already have enough tshirts that I could go nearly a month without repeating any.

Thanks again to everybody that pitched in. I will definitely post an update in August after the show!

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 11:20 am

Update - No, I haven't gone to Vegas to see Penn & Teller yet but what I am doing today is announcing a Thank You! to the community that includes an Alpha slot and spaceship for the upcoming Chris Roberts game Squadron 42/Star Citizen. So go here if you would like a chance to win.

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Sun Aug 24, 2014 11:34 am

Update - We're back from Vegas.

We just returned from our trip to Vegas where we not only got to see Penn & Teller live, we also got to hang out with them backstage in the Monkey Room. You'll note in the pictures coming up that there aren't any pictures of the duo while in the Monkey Room. That's because they were eating their dinners after the show and I didn't want to be rude. Also, they were in their post performance clothes and seeing Teller in gym shorts and a T-Shirt is something else. Note: Penn likes to go barefoot.

While backstage, we were also treated to a unique opportunity which you will see in the upcoming spoilered section.

All of this was made possible thanks to the donations of some of the fine folk here on Octopus Overlords. Thank you all again!

(The pics of P&T with us are BigImg'd)

Meeting Penn & Teller after the show:

My wife, Jen, is 4'10" so Penn just towers over her.

Here you can see that Teller isn't terribly short but when you work next to a giant...

The Monkey Room, P&T's backstage retreat after the show.

And my wife on the couch in the Monkey Room having a laugh after a change of clothes.

Finally, we were invited to watch the filming of their response to the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.

Here's their video of the challenge:

And here's what it looked like from our vantage point.

Spoiler:

Remus West · Post by **Remus West** » Sun Aug 24, 2014 4:58 pm

Very very cool.

KKBlue · Post by **KKBlue** » Sun Aug 24, 2014 5:24 pm

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Sun Aug 24, 2014 6:32 pm

Even though I'm the bigger fan, Penn spent most of our time together talking with my wife (not that I minded, I was just happy to be there). She's a veterinary technician and it turns out Penn's kids have a bearded dragon suffering from a wound to the belly so he asked her advice regarding proper care. His kids also have a Leopard Gecko and Penn was wondering why it is you can see through its head.

That one stumped my wife as neither of us knew that you could see through a gecko's head.

So we all learned something that day.

Penn also gave each of us a gift bag that included, among other things, "A Perfectly Ordinary Deck Of Cards" which, if you know anything about Penn & Teller, isn't likely to be true.

cheeba · Post by **cheeba** » Sun Aug 24, 2014 6:37 pm

Awesome! Was Teller actually swearing in the ice bucket challenge? Or did they just bleep out filler?

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Sun Aug 24, 2014 7:05 pm

Did you watch the second video?

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Sun Aug 24, 2014 7:30 pm

Didn't realize the second video was a video.

Lassr · Post by **Lassr** » Sun Aug 24, 2014 9:54 pm

cool!

cheeba · Post by **cheeba** » Sun Aug 24, 2014 10:30 pm

Blackhawk wrote:Didn't realize the second video was a video.

Same. Cool, though

.

rshetts2 · Post by **rshetts2** » Mon Aug 25, 2014 9:46 am

Very cool, glad you had a great time!

Kelric · Post by **Kelric** » Mon Aug 25, 2014 2:08 pm

HE SPEAKS!!!!!

miltonite · Post by **miltonite** » Mon Aug 25, 2014 2:21 pm

Was that reaction all just show?

Teller had to know what was coming unless he has been living under a rock with no internet connection for the past month.

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Mon Aug 25, 2014 2:25 pm

I'm pretty sure he knew it was coming but that the reaction was, for the most part, genuine shock from the ice water.

Afterwards, in the Monkey Room after he'd had a chance to towel off (and change into gym shorts and a t-shirt), he took it all very good naturedly.

Incidentally, Penn likes a lot of lemon juice on his chicken.

naednek · Post by **naednek** » Mon Aug 25, 2014 2:55 pm

I can't even see the videos because I think my work blocks the way it's hosted.

mori · Post by **mori** » Mon Aug 25, 2014 7:21 pm

Did Penn ever announce who is the female lead in Director's Cut?

re: Ice Bucket Challenge. Did not look like much ice in the bucket. Would love to see what Piff The Magic Dragon comes up with for the challenge. Watched him on Fool Us and he had Teller just rolling.

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Mon Aug 25, 2014 11:10 pm

mori wrote:Did Penn ever announce who is the female lead in Director's Cut?

He did, to the donors. I don't think it's been officially announced yet (I checked IMDB and she's not listed) so I'll have to keep it under my hat for a bit longer.

Kelric · Post by **Kelric** » Tue Aug 26, 2014 1:02 am

Brian wrote:
mori wrote:Did Penn ever announce who is the female lead in Director's Cut?
He did, to the donors. I don't think it's been officially announced yet (I checked IMDB and she's not listed) so I'll have to keep it under my hat for a bit longer.

Somebody some of us may know?

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Tue Aug 26, 2014 7:39 am

I don't mean to dodge(ball) the question but you could go on a (galaxy)quest to find out if you don't miss(i) out on my rather obvious clues.

Biyobi · Post by **Biyobi** » Tue Aug 26, 2014 11:56 am

Brian wrote:I don't mean to dodge(ball) the question but you could go on a (galaxy)quest to find out if you don't miss(i) out on my rather obvious clues.

You pyled it on a little thick there.

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Tue Aug 26, 2014 12:07 pm

Just my luck.

mori · Post by **mori** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 8:22 pm

Missi Pyle is now listed on IMDB. Are you disappointed with that choice after some of the other names being floated around?

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 8:41 pm

I try to reserve judgement until after I've seen the actual performance.

That said, I haven't seen her in enough things to really form an objective opinion.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 11:04 pm

Thats a very old pic of P&T on their wall up there.

Looked it up...1989. Wow.

Grundbegriff · Post by **Grundbegriff** » Sat Sep 06, 2014 12:20 pm

I saw Penn & Teller ca. fall of 1984 in a little theater on the top level of a 4.5 story disco in Westwood. They hadn't been on TV yet, AFAIK-- certainly not yet on SNL, for example-- and their act including a good bit of juggling (and spitting chewed-up apple on front-row VIPs) as well as some of their now-classic magic routines.

The Sumac-saturated performance space was quite small-- maybe 80 in the audience?-- and they were quite casual about chatting during intermission or after the performance. I'm glad they haven't lost that in the wake of fame and fortune.

Good memories.

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Sat Nov 01, 2014 7:32 pm

Dang, it is amazing how many little unremembered places you find him. Just got through watching an old Run DMC video It's Tricky. I had totally forgotten Penn was in it.