When everyone was making fun of his health during the Charlie Sheen roast back in October, no one expected his health to take his life so quickly.

41 year old Comedian Patrice O’Neal passed away today after suffering a stroke in October, The New York Daily News says.

O’Neal began his career in Boston and rose to fame with “The Opie and Anthony Show”. He also made numourous appearances on The Late Show with David Letterman and The Ellen Degeneres Show, not to mention countless comedy specials on HBO.

O’Neal was definitely a hit at the Charlie Sheen roast back in October. Unfortunately, those in attendence began to shift the roasting on to O’Neal, which displeased a lot of his fans because shortly after the episode aired, he suffered a stroke.

Mike Tyson took a jab at O’Neal during the Comedy Network special, saying “Patrice has always been destined for stardom, and diabetes. So tonight is not just the roast of Charlie Sheen, its’ also a farewell party for Patrice’s foot.”

No word from Tyson yet on the wake of O’Neal’s death. I’m sure as the day goes on, many celebrities and fans will pay their respects to such an outrageous comedien.

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Jane Lynch and Bill Maher did a dramatic reading of Anthony Weiner’s dirty Facebook messages on Friday’s episode of ‘Real Time With Bill Maher,’ and the result is hilarious.

The glee actress and Maher parody the Facebook exchanges that occured between New York congressman Weiner and Vegas blackjack dealer Lisa Weiss. If you haven’t heard about this story by now, you’re living under a rock. He tore apart his marriage, he’s sleazy, and he’s in politics. Go figure.

I mean, two comedic geniuses, one funny situation, an even funnier video. A must watch!

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With recent news of Taylor Momsen and Jessiza Szohr getting axed from ‘Gossip Girl,’ I thought I would do a ‘Top 5: Annoying TV Characters’ post.

These characters are in every show. That one character that likes to messes things up. That one who makes you scream at the television set. Or the just plain stupid. There are too many to name. But I’ve rounded up my top 5 picks of annoying television characters – hope you agree. I think you will.

1. Jenny Humphrey, played by Taylor Momsen.

First up on the list is ‘Gossip Girl’ Jenny Humphrey, played by Taylor Momsen. I’m pretty sure everyone can agree that her character is the most annoying character to ever appear on a television show, ever. From her  sulking, goth appearance, to her brief stint as a preppy Constance mean girl, Jenny was always a follower, and never an individual. She cried, she complained, and she wore fishnet stockings. Good riddance.

2. Marissa Cooper, played by Mischa Barton.

Next up is Marissa Cooper from ‘The O.C.,’ played by faded starlet Mischa Barton. Like Jenny, Marissa was always causing trouble. Whether in abusive relationships, dealing with substance abuse, or just all-around  a clingy kind of gal, Marissa made you want to shake her and say ‘wake up!’ Sure, she was pretty and rich, but that didn’t make up for her deeply damaged soul. She eventually got killed off, and the show tanked.

3. George O’Malley, played by T.R. Knight.

Third on the list is ‘Grey’s Anatomy’s’ George O’Malley, played by T.R. Knight. George spent more time crying about his personal issues than curing medical cases. He was worse than the female doctors. Yes, the  show is a hit because of its mix of medical drama and soap-like personal issues, but George took this to a whole other level. He eventually got killed off, too (notice a trend?) but the show went on without him. And  with good reason.

4. Swiper, From ‘Dora The Explorer.’

Don’t lie, we’ve all witnessed an episode of ‘Dora The Explorer’ at one point in our life. Whether babysitting or being too lazy to switch the channel, we’ve encountered Swiper, the fox that likes to steal things. No matter how loud you scream ‘Swiper, no swiping!’ the bastard seems to always get away with things. He messes everything up and delays Dora’s adventure, and for that, he’s number four on my list. Sly little fox, you.

5. Roseanne Barr, Played by Roseanne Barr.

It doesn’t matter who I ask – everyone hates Roseanne. Debatably the most annoying show and annoying family, Roseanne takes the cake with her super-loud-mouth character. Literally, all she does is complain. Her loud nasally voice doesn’t help either. She’s obnoxious, she’s lazy, and she’s immature. And the sitcom’s reruns are always on the damn television. Why are good shows being cancelled and replaced with reruns of this clownery? Sigh.

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So I decided to check out “The Hangover II,’ the widely-anticipated sequel to the original box office smash.

As hilarious as the first movie was, I didn’t have high hopes for this film. Sequels are never as good as the originals, and in this case, I predicted that the film would be the exact same format and journey the ‘Wolfpack’ took in the first film. I was correct.

Let’s get the plot out of the way, though. This time around, right after the bachelor party in Las Vegas, Phil, Stu, Alan, and Doug jet to Thailand for Stu’s wedding. Stu’s plan for a subdued bachelor party, however, goes seriously awry when they wake up the next morning. In a hotel. In Bangkok.

Of course, out-of-this-world revelations are discovered throughout the movie, such as face tattoos and missing body parts. Funny things happen. People die. But the film is almost exactly the same as the first; they wake up, someone is missing, they try to find him, then funny things happen. The end.

The film tends to push the envelope even further this time around (I won’t give anything away, but it’s definitely up there in shock-factor.) I will say the movie definitely delivers on that front, providing even more shocking and crazy situations. But aside the shocking moment or two, the film really is the same bag of tricks at the first one.

I know, I know, what did I expect from the flick? An oscar-worthy plot line? But they could have at least come up with some new material. Hey, it if it worked the first time, I guess they’ll keep milking it while they can.

Of course, Zach Galifianakis’ character Alan saves the film with his off-beat humour and very, very stupid comments. He is worth the price of admission alone.

So if you’re looking for a good laugh or to be entertained, by all means see the film. It’s a great movie to see with your friends. But don’t expect to be blown away or to laugh harder than the first film, because you won’t.

In fact, you’ll laugh less, unless you’re the kind of person who can watch something 80,000 times and laugh at it every time. I give the movie 3 out of 5 stars, just because it made me laugh a few times and delivered what I expected it to.

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The full-length trailer for “The Hangover: Part II” has arrived. The film stars original cast mates Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis and Justin Bartha, and they are back for another round of crazy mishaps. This time, in Bangkok, Thailand.

If this trailer looks a little like the first one, you’re right on the money. Many of the scenes we’re seeing in this new trailer are very reminiscent of the first film – they get drunk, they wake up in a strange place, they loose someone, they find a monkey instead of a tiger.

But there are enough new differences to make the movie feel fresh: For example, Stu’s tattoo instead of a missing tooth. Yikes.

I’m sure everyone is very excited for this movie – it was a huge success the first time around. But I have to ask, will it be as funny the second time? Does waking up hung over really stay funny when done over and over again? My guess is yes, but it really shouldn’t be. Oh well, check out the trailer below. The film is set for a Memorial Day release, on May 30.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_ab0Y9odZ8

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You heard right.

Vanilla Ice is on his way back into the limelight whether you like it or not, Perez Hilton reports. The former ‘rapper’ has been cast in an upcoming Adam Sandler comedy entitled I Hate You, Dad! – costarring Andy Samberg and Gossip Girl’s Leighton Meester.

The premise of the movie will focus on Sandler, who moves in with his son (Samberg) and future daughter-in-law (Meester), only to immediately start butting heads with her. Ice will surprisingly not be playing himself, but the supporting role of Antonio, a gay wedding coordinator from Long Island. Really?

James Caan is also reported to play Leighton’s actual father. I’m actually quite impressed with this cast, despite Vanilla Ice, so it may be worth checking out.

Sean Anders and John Morris will be directing from a screenplay by David Wain and Ken Marino. Sandler is also producing through his Happy Madison banner along with Jack Giarraputo and Heather Parry. The movie is scheduled for release on June 15, 2012.

Meester most recently starred in “The Roommate,” meanwhile Vanilla Ice was last seen on the big screen in the 2002 teen comedy “The New Guy.” Ice is also playing Captain Hook in an upcoming theatrical production of Peter Pan in England. Looks like someone is focusing on his acting career. God help us all.

I’m not a huge fan of musicians turning into actors. Only the very few can actually make that transition, like Jennifer Hudson or Justin Timberlake, so I don’t think Ice’s role sounds like an Oscar-winner. I’m also not a huge fan of Sandler, so this movie is looking a little meak for me – but could be good. Guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

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We all know the story: girl wears a red cape, is being followed by a wolf. She then visits her grandmother, her grandmother is the wolf. Or something like that. But all this goes out the window in Catherine Hardwicke’s adaptation of the classic “Red Riding Hood.”

Let’s start with the positive. Hardwicke, the director of the film who’s also directed for “Twilight,” delivers a visually stunning film. It captures great North American landscape, and the film’s forte definitely lies its cinematography and visual appeal. I absolutely commend her artistic decisions and direction she took within the story. I mean, contrasting Amanda Seyfried’s gentle blond hair and piercing blue eyes with that dramatic red cape. Heaven on screen. In fact, Seyfried is genuinely what saves the film from disaster itself – her understated acting is not only realistic but saves the movie from being cheesy.

But let’s move into what’s wrong with the film. Although the movie has its twists and turns that keep it interesting, the story itself suffers from an identity crisis. Set in a medieval village that is haunted by a werewolf, a young girl (Seyfried) falls for an orphaned woodcutter (Shiloh Fernandez), much to her family’s displeasure. So is the movie a thriller? A love story? A dark comedy? It dabbles in a bit of all three. There is a certain melodramatic love tension that occurs between the two young hotties, then there are brutal wolf attacks on the village people, and then there are clever allusions to the original fairytale. But it’s all too much. Pick on one theme, and make it great.

I saw this movie with my friend, and we left feeling neutral. It wasn’t a bad movie, in fact, we both said it could have been a lot of worse so we respected the fact that they made it interesting. But then again, the movie wasn’t great. They could have been much more shocking with how they changed the story, they could have made way more clever connections to the original, and besides Seyfried, the acting could have been better.

But for what the movie is, a teenage love-action story, the movie achieves its goal and shouldn’t be taken too seriously. I give it a 2.5 out of 5, smack dab in the middle. Not great, not horrid.

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It looks like Entourage producer Mark Wahlberg stopped talking to animals long enough to make a new comedy pilot!

The project, called Home Game, was purchased by mega network CBS and should launch into production soon. The show is loosely based on the life of the show’s co-producter, Superbowl vet and NFL pro Mark Schlereth.

Sports! Comedy! Together! Very inventive Mr. Wahlberg. Say hi to your mother for me, ok?

Any thoughts on the new pilot? Is this a money grab on Wahlberg’s part or do you think the show actually stands a chance?

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Comedienne Chelsea Handler slammed Angelina Jolie in her show in New Jersey this Friday night, reports Pop Eater.

Handler, who’s become a recent bestie of Brad’s ex-wife Jennifer Aniston, railed against Angie’s husband-stealing ways, calling her a “homewrecker” and a “f**king c**t.” A source close to Handler explains, stating “Chelsea hates Angelina and doesn’t for one second buy that she is this good person rescuing children in need around the World.”

Handler launched into her anti-Angie rant when a heckler in the audience distracted her from her material. Handler talked down the heckler but things took a sharp right turn straight into Angelina Jolie country.

Wow Chelsea! Digging up celebrity news from 2005 that is definitely none of your business. You sure are one class act!

Watch the rant below. (NSFW, explicit language)

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Radar Online is reporting that the sale of Chelsea Handler’s ‘sex tape’ has been halted due to lack of interest.

Individuals in possession of Handler’s sex tape have supposedly just given up, partially due to a difficult business partner within the deal, and partially because the video just wasn’t fetching the kind of dough they were after. The salesmen were looking for a 6-figure payout for the footage.

Unsurprisingly, the tape was one that the attention-seeking Handler shot herself and submitted to comedy clubs along with her standup routine. Though she’s not shy about the tape, Handler has not signed off on its sale, adding another legal dimension that possibly contributed to the ending of the deal.

“Thanks for ruining my surprise Christmas gift to my staff…it was made as a joke,” Handler said in response to the tape on her evening talk show, Chelsea Lately.”I put it on an audition tape for a comedy club, because I’m a comedienne, and I’ve been showing it at birthday parties for f**king years!”

We can see how that may be a power play in a gender-skewed career like comedy, but it still disappoints us that Handler flashed her T and A to get some stage time. Female comics shouldn’t have to use their vajayjays to get exposure!  Thank god we have classy funny ladies like Tina Fey to counteract the skankitude.

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It’s hard to find a movie that truthfully resonates with reality in the theatres these days, as most Hollywood films feature storylines that are, apart from entertaining, not much else. However, The Kids Are All Right tells a funny and refreshing story which centres around the struggles faced as a family grows and the unconventional and often complicated relationships that they are comprised of.

Nic and Jules (played by Annette Bening and Julianne Moore) are a couple going through a transition period in their lives with their two children, Joni (Mia Wasikowska) and Laser (Josh Hutcherson).  With their teenage kids both going through big changes—Joni is getting ready for College and Laser is being poorly influenced by, I kid you not, a guy who finds it funny to pee on dogs—mixed in with relationship problems of their own, there is no shortage for drama and of course, comedy.

The starting point of the story is also what ultimately sets off the destruction of the family and takes place when Laser expresses an interest in meeting Paul (played by Mark Ruffalo), who made his and his sister’s lives possible by donating sperm.  Soon after Paul is introduced, he becomes an integral part of the family.  His actions help Joni and Laser grow up and make Nic and Jules truly realize the pains of their own relationship, creating the changes necessary for the family to understand their problems and redefine themselves.

Between Nic and Jules watching porn together, lots of sex, Paul’s organic co-op farm and his local restaurant, and Nic’s obsession with wine, there is no shortage to the funny situations that make this film hilarious.

Director and co-writer Lisa Cholodenko has made an entertaining film that also acts as a sincere reflection of the modern family and the growing pains that are inherent within them.  One of the great accomplishments for this movie is found in the script; it’s filled with dialogue so honest and so well written that even a simple swear word carries enormous meaning that would take an entire conversation to portray in any other film.

Now, it should be said that among all of the great qualities of The Kids Are All Right, there are some problems with the structure that leaves a few questions unanswered, but overall the movie is both a comedic and touching take on the family-oriented theme, and all of the positives definitely outweigh the film’s downfalls.

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There are two actors, their respective characters and subplots that keep “Death at a Funeral” alive: James Marsden on drugs and Tracy Morgan taking care of an elderly uncle.

A remake of the British comedy of the same title, the latest “Death at a Funeral” sticks to a similar plot. It focuses on a day in the life of a dysfunctional family that has come together for a funeral, this time in Los Angeles. This description may come across as a tear-jerker film, especially for those who haven’t seen the movie’s trailer. But make no mistake, “Death at a Funeral” is anything but a drama.

The movie stars some of the biggest names in American comedy, including Chris Rock, Martin Lawrence and Tracy Morgan. Unfortunately, it miscasts Rock, the movie’s protagonist. The funnyman plays the film’s most serious role, an older brother living in the shadow of his younger sibling (Lawrence).

The deceased has a secret one man (played in both movies by Peter Dinklage) threatens to share with the family — if you’ve seen the original, you’ll know exactly what it is. While this secret definitely shakes things up for the characters, it’s ultimately a mislabeled bottle of Valium that carries this movie through.

“Avatar’s” Zoe Saldana plays Elaine, Rock’s cousin who’s responsible for accidentally drugging her boyfriend, Oscar (Marsden). It’s worth noting that Marsden steals nearly every seen he’s in. Half of them involve him being naked and/ or or talking to a leaf.

There’s definitely some shock value to “Death at a Funeral” and even some laugh out loud moments involving other characters aside from Marsden. But there aren’t enough of those moments.

At times, the movie relies too much on pop culture references for laughs, which is weird seeing the number of talented comedic actors that make up its cast.

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This could go in one of two ways: incredibly awesome, or embarrassingly horrible.

George Lucas, the mastermind behind all things Star Wars, is at it again. Lucas has announced plans to spin off an animated comedy television series that will, in the words of Lucas’ company Lucasfilm, ”look at the saga’s characters with a playful and irreverent tone,” reports E! Online.

Recruited to the project (which is currently still untitled) is Seth Green, who has earned Emmy nominations for spoofing the Star Wars crew in Robot Chicken.

“It’s crazy to think that there aren’t normal, mundane, everyday problems in a world so well-defined,” said Green. “What do these characters do when they’re not overthrowing Empires?”

There is currently no information on which network will air the comedy.

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For the past year, comedy segments featuring Paul Telner have been airing on MuchOnDemand. The ‘best of’ appear in a half-hour special on Thursday, March 25 at 10PM on MuchMusic.

Fast-paced, fun and silly, The Paul Telner Project is co-hosted by popular musician Karl Wolf and comedian Paul Telner.

Paul thrives on real-life interaction, something under-tapped in the online video arena. In addition to his pranks, Paul stars in character-based segments featuring real people interacting with Paul as character, believing the character to be real.

The edgy and fun look of the show, which helps pace the comedy and move it along, belongs to director Jason ER Fisher (jasonerf.com). While most shows try to be cool by using old techniques, Fisher takes Telner’s goofy, nerdy and likeable style and personality and translates it to screen.

The show leaves you feeling out of breath by the end, which is a good thing. Fisher has managed to make a TV show that has the viral appeal of watching LOL moments online. There is an epic-ness to his creative style that makes each prank grand.

Wolf and Telner are an unlikely pair. One is an R&B sensation in Canada, Japan, and The Middle East who is soon launching United States. The other is geeky, skinny, and wears bright-coloured clothing while drinking an Orange Crush. Their differences create chemistry.

There is rawness, bratty-ness and a sense that Telner is pushing the envelope and could actually get him and his crew in trouble!

This special’s pranks have everything from people freaking out at Telner on the street to good old fashioned chases, which look amazing thanks to Fisher’s unique editing style. Most shows lean towards popular songs and hip-hop to lay the soundtrack. Fisher uses classical music, which brings the right manic feel to crazy situations only Telner and his crew, would get themselves into.

For more info on Paul and the show, please visit www.paultelner.com

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There’s a reason why action movies are rarely paired up with romantic comedies. Could you imagine Jason Statham and Meg Ryan sharing the same silver screen? Probably not.

“The Bounty Hunter” tells the story of Milo Boyd (Gerard Butler), a down-on-his-luck bounty hunter who lands an ideal job that allows him to chase his bail-jumping ex-wife, Nicole (Jennifer Aniston). What Milo originally deems an easy way to make $5000 bucks ends up turning into one of his toughest hunts when Nicole, a daily news reporter, has something of her own to chase: a lead on a murder cover-up.

For those expecting a romantic comedy a la “The Ugly Truth,” you’re out of luck. While both films feature Bulter in all his rugged, spit-on-the-street glory, “The Bounty Hunter” fails to charm. It’s not exactly a romantic comedy (or a great action film for that matter).

On the positive side, the movie assembled quite a diverse cast. “Saturday Night Live’s” Jason Sudeikis plays a co-worker whose obsession with Nicole knows no bounds. Christine Baranski (“Mamma Mia!”) plays Aniston’s martini-gulping mother and Jeff Garlin plays Butler’s boss. Unfortunately, the film features way too many characters and way too little character development.

For lack of a better cliche, Aniston is like an ageless wine that only gets better with time. The former “Friends” star has undeniable screen presence and adds an abundance of feistiness to the role. However, that alone isn’t able to hold the film. Since we never find out what drew Nicole and Milo together and what caused them to drift apart, it’s hard to care if they’ll ever reunite.

The movie is being marketed as a comedy, but the first 15 minutes are joke-free. With the exception of a tumbling here, a quirky one liner there, it fails to bring in the laugh-out-loud moments featured in comedies like “The Proposal”.

That being said , the film does have some mildly interesting plot twists. But it seems like these twists arrive when the movie’s already an hour in.

Director Andy Tennant (“Hitch,” “Sweet Home Alabama”) has seen some highs and lows directing cute romantic comedies and some not so cute romantic movies (a.k.a. “Fool’s Gold”). Let’s just say “The Bounty Hunter” won’t be one of his high points.

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Conan O’Brien fans rejoice – Conan is coming back. Conan has announced a 30 city comedy tour, but be forewarned, it’s “half-ass.”

Although it’s not clear on what type of material the show will include, Conan says expect a “night of music, comedy, hugging and the occasional awkward silence.”

The tour begins April 12th in Oregon and includes stops in Canada. The tour is being called “The Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour.”

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After only a week of being on Twitter, Lil Wayne has almost been driven off of the website because he believes that his messages aren’t wanted. MTV News reports that Wayne posted on Thursday that he is going to stop using Twitter because of negative feedback. His last tweet and perhaps final tweet wrote:

“Gunna stop with the tweets now that I see they’re so unliked,” Wayne tweeted. “It’s a mirror of my thoughts, and obviously my thoughts aren’t [welcome]. Sorry.”

The 27-year-old rap star only posted 18 times in the past week; the posts have been sorts of controversial cryptic messages that are similar to his lyrics. He talks about things like love, belief, and makes jokes.

“iz it betta 2 b believed r believed in? wen ive ben told im unbelievable.but it takes more effort 2 believe than 2 kill;dont kill yo beliefs,” he tweeted on Wednesday.

The Cash Money Records artist has over 177, 000 followers which is growing continuously, but there has been negative response to his tweets as well.

Comedian Lil Duval has poked fun about Wayne’s tweets. “I just found out Lil Wayne has Twitter,” he wrote. “I just read his page, and I don’t have a clue bout what he’s talking ‘bout.”

Duval then decided to start the hash tag #LilWayneDeepTweets which pokes fun at Wayne’s philosophical posts.

“When walking thru a path we see…………….the road,” the comedian wrote mocking Wayne’s style of Tweeting.

Poor Wayne is being picked on like the kid in the schoolyard as other Twitter members have been imitating his tweets. The 305 tweeted, “I stood outside. Does that make me outstanding?”

Wayne’s fans are being loyal and have rallied with #weezydontleave. “You got me up at 3.30AM,” DorinaFBaby, a fan from Australia, wrote. “Barely awake beggin you to stay!”

Wayne also tweeted about his one-year sentence in prison after reaching pleading guilty to gun possession in 2007. He was set to begin his time earlier this month, but a judge postponed the date due to dental surgery needed by Wayne. Last week, he underwent eight root canals in an eight-hour session.

“im super new to this twitter shit but wudup tho !……….follow me biot¢h……….wudup mak……happy bday LO……8 days of freedom..ym,” was Wayne’s first tweet.

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As raw and offensive as ever, comedian, radio personality, actor and author Artie Lange returns to his roots in Jack And Coke, shot at one of his favorite clubs in his beloved New York City. One of America’s funniest stand-up comedians, Lange’s irreverent, uncensored humor gets huge laughs from this NYC crowd. The culmination of nearly four years of touring, Jack And Coke includes nearly an hour and a half of insanely honest, hilarious material.

The DVD/ Blu-Ray is now available!

andPOP is giving away 2 copies of the DVD. To enter, fill out the form below. Contest ends Feb. 22. Good luck!

This contest has expired.

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A superstar in his own right, Russell Peters is to comedy lovers what Robert Pattinson is to pre-pubescent girls. The Canadian humorist born to Anglo-Indian parents became the first comedian to sell out the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, and is one in a handful of comedians to perform at the Madison Square Garden to a sold out audience. Peters’ new tour celebrating his 20th anniversary kicks off this January.

Anyone who’s seen him perform knows that one of the many things that distinguishes Peters from other acts is his dead-on accuracy when it comes to accents. What’s his secret?

“I listen,” he tells andPOP. “You’ve got to listen to get the inflections and the intent of what people are saying.  That means listening to people when they’re happy, sad, angry.  That’s how you learn how they speak. I still can’t do a Scottish accent though – doesn’t matter how much I listen and try it… those tricky Scots!”

Fans can hear him and his array of accents when Peters hits the road with “The Green Card Tour” in celebration of his 20th anniversary. But rest assured the jokes will focus on a variety of cultures as usual, not only on Americans. “The reason it’s called The Green Card Tour, is because I’ll be getting my Green Card in 2010,” he explains.

And if you’ve ever dreamed of opening for Peters during one of his shows, here’s your chance. He’s looking for a Canadian BFF (not a la Paris Hilton) through SIRIUS Satellite Radio and Russell Peters’ Search for Canada’s BFF. “In this contest we’re looking for anybody’s and I mean anybody’s ‘Best Funny Five Minutes,’ ” says Peters. “This is a chance for all those people who watch stand-up and say, ‘Hey!  I could do that’, to actually get up on stage and do it, with a chance to open for me somewhere in North America.”

Just like many fans out there wish they could be Peters’ “BFF” – and they can enter at www.russellpetersbff.com - he has an ideal celebrity BFF of his own. “Eddie Murphy because I grew up watching him and I want to know what goes on in his head now,” he admits.

His latesest DVD, “Red, White and Brown,” was a huge success but Peters is still not sure when he’ll release new material. “I’m trying to figure that out.  We taped a lot of the shows across Canada this past summer, but I’m still not sure what we’re going to do for the next DVD,” he says. “I want to make sure that I’m giving the fans the best possible show that I can when I release my next DVD.”

Aside from the tour – that stops in the U.S. and Australia in 2010 — Peters reveals to andPOP some exciting news. “I’ve got a few things on the go right now. We’re back into developing a sitcom and there are a number of different opportunities being presented to me these days,” he shares. “We haven’t cracked series television yet, but that’s okay because some of the stuff that’s come my way hasn’t necessarily been that good, so I’d rather wait until it’s right. It’s not a race.”

He’s also working on a few other things for Showtime and a book for Canada. “Canada is all about a variety of cultures – it’s one of the things that makes us great,” says Peters. “I wouldn’t be who I am or where I am if I’d have grown up in any other country, including the States.”

For Peters, the best and only way to celebrate his anniversary is to be out on the road doing what he does best: making people laugh. “Just doing what I’ve been doing for the past 20 years, getting on-stage and performing,” he says of how he’s celebrating. “Only now it’s arenas instead of biker bars for 50 bucks in London, Ontario.”

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Only great movies require cheesy appraisals, so here it goes: “A Serious Man” is seriously good. Compared to other Coen brother films, it holds its own in a line of classics. And for those thinking you’re going in to see a comedy, note that it’s not just any comedy — it’s a horrific comedy (meant in the best of ways).

When you see the opening sequence featuring a Polish peasant and his wife speaking in Yiddish, just note that you’re not in the wrong theatre. The film kicks off with a short horror film, ending with spilled blood. It raises the question: “Has the almighty Hashem blessed them with a visitor? Or cursed them with a soul-stealing dybbuk?” You’ll understand once you see the film.

It then fast forwards to a 1967 Minneapolis Jewish community, of which Physics professor Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg) is a part of. And let’s just say his life isn’t one you would envy. Larry’s wife wants to leave him for their lovey-dovey friend Sy Ableman (Fred Melamed), his brother has taken over the family couch and his bathroom, and his kids are constantly bickering with each other.

To top things off, Larry’s opportunity to a life of tenure is being threatened by a student who blackmails him over something he didn’t quite do. Could things possibly get any worse? Apparently they can.

“A Serious Man” raises the question: what did Larry do to deserve all of this? The answer, however, isn’t quite clear, and that’s the point. Joel and Ethan Coen return to their Midwestern routes in this film and you can tell it’s a personal one for them (though to make it clear, it’s not a biopic of their lives). Although they set the film in a Jewish community, the quest for understanding that Larry goes on is universal, anyone can relate. Most of the film’s humour comes from his angst and the fact that everyone surrounding him is too self-absorbed to notice he’s suffering.

The Coens, who wrote and directed the movie, took a big risk when they put together a cast of mostly unknown actors for the black comedy. But they can rest assured the risk paid off. Stuhlbarg is so authentic as the film’s protagonist. Although none of the characters seem to sympathize with Larry, viewers will without a doubt. The entire supporting cast, including Larry’s wife Judith (Sari Lennick), his brother Arthur (Richard Kind), Sy (played by Fred Melamed) and his children (Jessica McManus and Aaron Wolff) are simply incredible (especially his pot-smoking pre-teen son).

Sure “A Serious Man” doesn’t feature the signature violence of “No Country for Old Men,” but it still has that custom-made surrealism only the Coen brothers can pull off.

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