Latest news with #MADtv
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Who is Ike Barinholtz, set to play Elon Musk in Luca Guadagnino's Artificial? Known for celeb impressions, won $1M on TV
Emmy-nominated actor and comedian Ike Barinholtz may soon take on the role of one of tech's most polarising figures. As per Variety, Ike is in talks to portray Elon Musk in Luca Guadagnino's upcoming feature film Artificial, a satire set in the high-stakes world of artificial intelligence. Ike Barinholtz in talks to play Elon Musk in the film Artificial.(Reuters) The film, penned by acclaimed writer Simon Rich, will be produced by David Heyman and Jeffrey Clifford of Heyday Films alongside Jennifer Fox. Barinholtz is expected to join a powerhouse cast that includes Andrew Garfield and recent Oscar nominee Yura Borisov. Who is Ike Barinholtz? Ike Barinholtz is an American actor, writer, director, and producer best known for his energetic comedic flair. Born to Peggy and Alan Barinholtz (an actor and attorney), Ike worked at a telemarketing company and as a busboy before starting his career in comedy. He rose to fame through the sketch comedy series MADtv (2002–2007) and later earned critical acclaim as Morgan Tookers in The Mindy Project (2012–2017), where he also contributed behind the scenes as a writer and producer. The actor also gained attention for his knack for celebrity impressions. Some of his most memorable impressions include Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mark Wahlberg, Russell Brand, President George W. Bush, Nick Nolte and Dane Cook. Barinholtz's ability to embody both the voice and mannerisms of these celebrities made him a standout performer on MADtv. In 2023, Ike participated in season 2 of the American game show, Celebrity Jeopardy. The show consists of a 13-episode tournament played by 27 celebrities, and their winning are donated to the charity of their choice. Ike won $1 million for charity. He also participated in Who Wants To Be a Millionaire along with his father, and the duo won $1 million top prize, which they donated to the ASL program at Los Encinos School. His film credits include roles in popular comedies such as Neighbors (2014), Sisters (2015), Suicide Squad (2016), and Blockers (2018). Most recently, Barinholtz earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his performance in The Studio. About the film Artificial The upcoming film is said to be a comedy-drama set against the backdrop of the artificial intelligence industry. According to reports, the story, titled Artificial, will revolve around the dramatic events at OpenAI in 2023, when CEO Sam Altman was abruptly removed from his position and reinstated within a matter of days. While official details remain under wraps, Andrew Garfield is reportedly in talks to play Altman, and Russian actor Nikita Borisov is rumoured to be cast as Ilya Sutskever, the OpenAI co-founder who was instrumental in Altman's ouster. Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur behind companies like SpaceX, Tesla and more, co-founded OpenAI alongside Altman and others in 2015. However, he left the company in 2018 after a reported disagreement about the direction in which the company was headed.
San Francisco Chronicle
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Ali Wong to direct new Netflix special
Ali Wong is lending her comedic talents to Netflix once again, but she's returning to a behind-the-camera role. The Pacific Heights native will direct Taiwanese American comedian Sheng Wang's next stand-up special on the streaming platform, according to Variety, which first reported the news. Set for release in 2026, the hour-long program is scheduled to be filmed at the Warner Theater in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 8. Both Wong and Wang will executive produce alongside John Irwin, whose credits include 'Late Night with Conan O'Brien' and 'MADtv.' Wang, who grew up in Texas, is best known for his work as a writer on the ABC sitcom ' Fresh Off the Boat,' though he got his start practicing his material in San Francisco and New York City in the early 2000s. His 2022 Netflix special, 'Sweet & Juicy,' was also directed by Wong. The award-winning comic and actress has starred in a number of Netflix programs herself, and most recently earned a Golden Globe for her stand-up special ' Single Lady,' released last October. While accepting the award at the ceremony in January, she shouted out San Francisco's Punch Line Comedy Club for helping her get started in the industry. Wong returned to Punch Line in March for a string of 'Ali Wong: Work in Progress' shows, and brought along fellow comedian Bill Hader, who she has been dating since 2023. The two were spotted at the newly reopened Vietnamese restaurant Turtle Tower in the Financial District. A loyal fan of the establishment, she previously mentioned that the restaurant's chicken pho was one of her top four noodle soups of all time during an appearance on the talk show 'Hot Ones.' Though she now resides in Los Angeles, Wong frequently travels back up the coast to perform in the Bay Area, and even filmed part of her 2019 rom-com, ' Always Be My Maybe,' starring opposite 'Fresh Off the Boat' star Randall Park, in San Francisco.
Axios
10-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Nikki Glaser and Leanne Morgan among top-selling women in comedy
Women are surging in stand-up comedy and, in nearly half the country, the bestselling is Nikki Glaser, per Vivid Seats. By the numbers: Glaser, who this year became the first woman to be the solo host of the Golden Globes, had the most ticket sales in 24 states from January 2024 to February of this year. The stand-up star was the top seller in eight midwestern states, including her home state of Ohio. She also took top spots in Florida and in the New England and West Coast regions. The latest: Glaser is touring in North America through October. The best-selling woman comedians in the rest of the U.S. by state: Leanne Morgan Most sales in: Alabama, Arizona, Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia. Coming to: Morgan's "Just Getting Started" tour stops include Phoenix; Orlando, Florida; Columbus, Ohio; Oakland, California; Philadelphia and Boston. Chelsea Handler Most sales in: Hawaii, Nebraska and Wyoming. Coming to: Handler will tour in Europe this year between her residency dates in Las Vegas. Anjelah Johnson-Reyes Most sales in: Louisiana, New Mexico and Texas. Coming to: The MADtv star is in the middle of a 150-show tour with dates in Colorado, Texas, Florida, Washington D.C., North Carolina and California. Wanda Sykes Most sales in: Alaska and Washington D.C. Coming to: The Emmy-winner's scheduled upcoming performances include Dallas; St. Louis; San Diego; Phoenix; Nashville, Tenessee, and Miami. Taylor Tomlinson Most sales in: Kansas. Coming to: The "After Midnight" host's next few stops include Minneapolis; New Orleans; Charlotte, North Carolina; Kansas City and Austin. Tiffany Haddish Most sales in: Montana. Coming to: Haddish has two shows in Montana this spring, in addition to performances in Tennessee, Texas, Florida and North Dakota, among others.
