#david wain

The Greatest Event in Television History (2013) "Hart to Hart"

Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass (dir. David Wain).

Check out my review of Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass...

...online at Phoenix Magazine.

At the screening, I was presented with my own Official Celebrity Sex Pass...

Let's talk about the comic genius that is David Wain. I discovered him back when he was a part of The State, one of the greatest sketch comedy groups of all time IMHO. Their sketch show premiered on MTV in Dec. 1993. They formed at NYU a few years earlier and garnered enough of a following to get a show on MTV, who were getting into comedy shows in the early 90s (i.e. The Ben Stiller Show, The Jon Stewart Show, etc). I loved this show in high school and my friends and I quoted it frequently. Their humor was very similar to the style of comedy my friends and I were doing on my cable access TV show at the time. Their show lasted until July 1995 (I have the entire series on DVD). After a 1995 TV special on CBS, the group’s TV show was over. But in the years that followed they had various reunions: a comedy album, a book, and even some live reunion shows. I was lucky enough to see them in 2023 when they did a reunion show in Medford. What's cool is how each of them have popped up both individually and collectively in various movies and TV shows, i.e. Michael Showalter becoming a celebrated director with The Big Sick and The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Michael Patrick Jann who has directed several films and TV shows including Alma & The Wolf, and of course David Wain, who has directed a number of comedies including Wet Hot American Summer, The Ten, Role Models and Wanderlust. Now he's back with the recent festival hit Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass, which is practically a State runion in and of itself! Wain co-wrote this with fellow Stater Ken Marino.

movie poster

Here is the logline: In the charming town of Willowbrook, Kansas, hairdresser Gail Daughtry (Zoey Deutch) is engaged to her devoted high school sweetheart, Tom (Michael Cassidy). Her life takes a turn when a trip to a book signing leads to Tom meeting – and sleeping – with his “celebrity pass.” Reeling from the betrayal, Gail impulsively joins her friend Otto (Miles Gutierrez-Riles) on a trip to Los Angeles, where a psychic convinces Gail that the only way to save her marriage is to “even the scales” with her own celebrity pass: Jon Hamm. Thus begins an epic journey through Tinseltown as Gail and Otto join forces with a talent agency assistant, a paparazzo, and actor John Slattery, all in the search for Hamm. Along the way, they collide with celebrities and are hunted by a group of Italian assassins as they get ever closer to finding the elusive star.

The State with Wain second from right onstage on 10/21/2023 at Chevalier Theatre

When I say this is practically a State reunion, I mean it: you have director Wain, co-writers Wain and Marino, and the cast includes Kevin Allison, Michael Ian Black, Kerri Kenney, Thomas Lennon, Joe Lo Truglio, and Marino. This alone is cause for celebration. But there's so many comedic set pieces that had me laughing hard. Similar to Role Models and Wanderlust, there can be some ridiculousness but also have a heart to it. There is clearly a lot of references to Wizard of Oz combined with the time-honored concept of a small-town girl who comes to Hollywood to make her dreams come true. This dream happens to be getting Jon Hamm to be her celebrity sex pass and Hamm (who was last year's Hasty Pudding Man of the Year) is game for such ridiculousness, but in a very LOL funny way. It's not just Hamm that in on the fun, there's loads of other celebrity cameos including Slattery (who I had the pleasure of working with on Ted 2), Weird Al Yankovic, Penn Jillette, and more! It's been a while since we had an original comedy (not a sequel or reboot) and that's why when we get a movie like this or last year's Splitsville, it seems so much more original than it might be at a different time. But it's all about the cast who are up for Wain's brand of silliness and especially Deutch, who after last year's Nouvelle Vague, is truly a leading lady superstar now! I just hope we don't have to wait too much longer for another semi-State reunion!

For info on GDATCSP

David Wain brings the madness, the laughs, and the heart in Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass. Zoey Deutch shines in this wild Hollywood comedy, and the cast chemistry makes the outrageous journey even more fun. Shot entirely in Los Angeles, the film has a bright, playful visual tone that perfectly matches the chaos.

Can't believe it's already the halfway point of 2026 and Summer is in full swing. In addition to Independence Day (7/4), here is what's on my radar:

Movies:

Evil Dead Burn

The 6th Evil Dead film is produced by Sam Raimi. With the exception of the TV series Ash Vs. Evil Dead, I haven't really cared for any since Raimi's original trilogy, but this new one has my attention. Opens 7/10.

Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass

I am a huge fan of the 90s MTV sketch comedy show and group The State. I was lucky enough to see them do a reunion show in 2023. This new comedy movie is practically a State reunion with director David Wain, co-writer Ken Marino, and several other alum in the cast. I so can't wait! Opens 7/10 (review to come).

The Odyssey

A Christopher Nolan movie, filmed in IMAX, based on Homer's The Odyssey, starring half of Hollywood is a cinematic event that I've been waiting for all year! Opens 7/17.

The Dink

I know, I know - another tennis movie?! But what got my attention about this is director Josh Greenbaum, who has very quietly become one of the great comedy and pop culture documentary directors of the now. His 2017 doc Too Funny to Fail about The Dana Carvey Show was one of my favorite docs of the last decade. Premieres 7/24 on Apple TV.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day

It's been five years since Spider-Man: No Way Home, which was one of the best live-action Spider-Man movies. Now Tom Holland returns in the title role. Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton is stepping in for Jon Watts, who stepped away after the last one. Opening 7/31.

Music:

The Rolling Stones Foreign Tongues

The 25th studio album from The Rolling Stones is upon us! Their last album Hackney Diamonds was a serious comeback and I even named it my #1 Album of 2023. New one drops 7/10.

Jack White Frozen Charlotte

The 7th solo album from Jack White is cause for celebration. He's been making a name for himself in recent years with his social media (read his take-downs of the Orange Menace if you don't believe me) and his new one has expectations high!

Sad13 1331

Speedy Ortiz singer Sadie Dupuis has done some awesome solo music under the name Sad13, including her 2020 album Haunted Painting. New one drops 7/10 (review to come).

America 250: