albert brooks is back!

I'm so excited to read that Albert Brooks has a new film awaiting release. He is one of my favorite filmmakers, but I must admit I don't love everything he's done. Sorry, Albert, The Muse sucked. I even tried watching it again recently and still hated it. Defending Your Life is his masterpiece and one of my favorite movies. Mother is a close second. So I was thrilled to read the following in The Bible's industry news just now:

Looking for Comedy' Among Studio Execs
Warner Independent Pictures has picked up Albert Brooks's Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World after it was rejected by Sony because of the title, Los Angeles Times entertainment columnist Patrick Goldstein has disclosed. Goldstein today (Tuesday) published excerpts from a letter that Sony Chairman Michael Lynton sent to Brooks, saying, "I do believe that recent incidents have dramatically changed the landscape that we live in and that this, among other things, warrants changing the title of the film." Goldstein, who called the film "inspired," observed that it carefully avoids criticizing Muslims and concerns a comedian (Brooks playing himself) who is recruited by the government to go abroad to find out what makes Muslims laugh. Warner Independent Pictures CEO Mark Gill told Goldstein that he had no objection to the title, adding, "How often do you get a laugh simply from the title of a movie. ... We saw the movie, and it was clear that Albert makes fun of himself and America, not anybody else." Brooks himself commented that the title was essential to his film: "Even if you didn't see the movie, you'd see two words you'd never seen put together before -- comedy and Muslim. Comedy is friendly -- it's the least offensive word in our language," he told Goldstein. He added that when he heard that Sony was demanding that the title be changed, "I was so upset I was throwing up at 3:00 a.m." Concluded Goldstein: "If Sony is this timid about a well-intentioned comedy, imagine how timid it will be when something really volatile comes along."

I can only hope that when it premieres I'll get a chance to meet the man in the flesh (or randomly see him in the city somewhere...more than six weeks and not one celebrity citing!). He's one I'd actually stop and talk to. Nothing too embarrassing, just tell him I think he's brilliant and that our brand of cerebral yet neurotic humor is completely underappreciated and its import overlooked.