Jon Negroni

Yes, The Scrubs Broadway Musical Is Happening

In 2012, Bill Lawrence had a tough choice to make. Scrubs had run its course on NBC, only to get picked up and slashed again by ABC after 9 great (for the most part) seasons.

So, Bill decided to just turn the concept into a Broadway musical. And everyone rejoiced!

Actually, many of us were skeptical whether or not this thing would actually get made, but a recent interview with Lawrence as revealed honest-to-goodness details surrounding the upcoming project.

Personally,  I am only moderately excited about this (if I even get a chance to see this). As much as I loved the musical episode in Season 6, I’m not quite as sure how well the show will translate fully.

But if any medium can handle the zany, heart-warming antics of the Sacred Heart gang, it’s the Broadway stage. Handling the hectic, diverse sets that are based on a show where half of the scenes take place within J.D.’s fantasies is just one of many obstacles.

And of what of J.D., by the way? It turns out that Zach Braff is actually helping with the project creatively, according to Lawrence. This is clearly for the best, as having too many similarities with the show would feel imbalanced (how could Zach Braff interact with someone who isn’t the REAL Turk?)

That said, Lawrence hinted that there’s a chance we may see Ted’s a capella band reprise their roles, as they happen to be into musical theater as well. Lawrence didn’t, however, mention Judy Reyes (Carla), who has performed on Broadway.

So, what do you think? Will a Scrubs musical be like Scrubs or Scrubs: Med School (the bad version).

P.S. Community could absolutely get away with the same thing…

P.S.S. Here’s just a sample of the musical goodness that is Scrubs!

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Why I Love Valentine’s Day (Even Though I’m Single)

I wrote this article for Scryptwriter, a new content writing website I started for aspiring writers (maybe you?). Anyway, I wanted to share this piece about Valentine’s Day in particular because it is definitely something important I have to say about a holiday that I consider vastly underrated.

Click here to read the article on Scryptwriter, and be sure to send the site some love. I’m building it to help writers get published and put in front of a great audience. If you’re interested in joining up, let me know in the contact email that you’re a reader of this site.

Enjoy the words.

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The Flappy Bird Symphony

The main reason I never played Flappy Bird until 7:00pm on February 8, 2014 is because I don’t like to get frustrated. It’s annoying. It’s unpleasant. I am so competitive, that I would rather not compete.

While laying on my couch after a slow-paced Saturday, my roommate threw his phone at me. On it, was the Flappy Bird start screen.

“You need to play this.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

I started playing, not even voluntarily. The first few rounds were about what I expected. My eyes began to widen as my frustration grew unexpectedly from the now infamous game mechanics that were erupting a global uproar.

16.

That was the score I had to beat if I was to surpass my roommate’s high score before the game would be taken down. (I did not realize that you could still play the game even after the creator took it off the App store the next day).

20 minutes passed.

My roommate was once a child prodigy with the piano. He was playing professional symphonies when he was 6 years old, competing with some of the best pianists in the world until he was 15. I knew this, but I didn’t know this at the same time.

As I continued my frustrated assault on this torture of a game, sound effects on, my roommate wandered to the piano in our living room. He began to play notes that coincided flawlessly with hums and down beats of the game I was fixated on.

It slowly built to a majestic chorus, and something almost mystical awakened within me as the music guided my ability to guide the large-lipped creature. An unmistakable rhythm began to overtake my movements. It was as if the music was really playing, and I was merely the instrument.

I had 42 points by the time my roommate completed his impromptu composition.

Being good at something that someone else is terrible at makes us feel great about ourselves. It could be the most mundane, reverse-prosperous achievement there is, but it’s still something that will evoke superiority from our delicate egos.

For my roommate, he’s probably the greatest composer of Flappy Bird Symphonies in the world. I happen to be decent at tossing a bird around virtual pipes. Between the two of us, I’m probably the most egoistic about this achievement, while he couldn’t bring himself to care less.

I learned nothing from this experience, but I am sharing it to let you know that the only real difference between our generation and anyone else’s is that we get a little too excited about the things in life that are terrible. Meanwhile, other people are producing unnoticed works of art.

As it stands, my high score on this devilish game is 117. I don’t know exactly why, but I do know how: The Flappy Bird Symphony.

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Chris Pratt Shares Plot and Character Details For Jurassic World

Andy from Parks and Recreation is a big fan of helping to remind us that a Jurassic Park-er-World movie is actually happening. Yes, we’ve been told that it is officially coming out next June, but they haven’t even started filming yet.

Editing alone is going to be a dinosaur of a task when it comes to remaking a franchise that literally makes all of its money from having the best special effects of its time, so I’m ready and willing to hear out Pratt on some new story details that will hopefully get us excited.

Let’s over-analyze!

(The following is based on an interview between Chris Pratt and MTV)

Pratt on what drew him to the project: “What I liked about it is that it answers the question of, ‘Why would they do that?’ How do you suspend disbelief to be like, ‘Oh, yes! Let’s make this mistake again! We haven’t learned our lesson about dinosaurs. “We should definitely live with them and see how that works out!””

Wow. Chris said exactly what everyone is thinking.

“After three tries, they answer the question really well through the script. Colin did a great job of writing it and justifying it. Kind of, in his own way, having fun with that so that anybody who goes in with that question will be really amused the way I was.”

OK, so Chris is hinting at a possible motivation for bringing dinosaurs back to life aside from the whole “because dinosaurs” plotline from the first few films. 

Pratt on how his role compares to Ian Malcom and Dr. Alan Grant from previous movies: “He’s got a little of both [characters]. He’s got a little bit of the Goldblum cynicism, but also the Sam Neill excitement at the wonder and the biology of it all.”

If there is anyone who captures enthusiasm in a way that doesn’t actually make us uncomfortable, it’s absolutely Andy Dwyer.

I have to be honest here. Is anyone really excited about this movie? I’m trying to be, as I’ve always been a big fan of the fun that comes with the Jurassic Park movies, but I’m also hesitant to see how the lore has aged.

Keep in mind that this is the same movie that was originally conceptualized to feature human/dinosaur hybrids. Obviously, this is no longer the case and the script is in better hands, but that doesn’t make me any less fearful that this is going to be a major disappointment.

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Everything We Know About The New Lex Luthor (Besides Who’s Playing Him)

When I first heard the news that Jesse Eisenberg would be playing the arch-nemesis of Henry Cavill’s Superman, I was a combination of surprised, angry and excited (not in that order).

Regardless, there hasn’t been too much noise yet on what this version of Luthor will actually be like, save for rumors and wish lists.

Well, a source I have in the industry imparted to me some rumors from the studio, and I stress the word rumors. They’re subject to change as far the details go, but I have a feeling they will reveal plenty about the direction this franchise is going to take with one of comic lore’s most infamous villains.

RUMOR #1

Bruce Wayne will allegedly be working with Lex Luthor in order to help rebuild Metropolis after the events of Man of Steel. In regards to Superman, Wayne is a fan while Luthor considers him an outsider, or alien, that doesn’t belong.

Interestingly, the relationship between Luthor and Wayne is already established. They’ve known of each other for years, but they hate each other. Wayne thinks Luthor is amoral, while Luthor believes that Wayne has never worked for everything he has.

RUMOR #2

Luthor will have his iconic shaved head, along with a tattoo of the Metropolis skyline on his right arm.

This apparently has something to do with some gang experience he had as a kid. He was initiated into a street gang when he was 14 and then took it over within a year.

RUMOR #3

Luthor became a billionaire on his own at the age of 18, thus becoming CEO of Lexcorp. He is described as a ruthless genius with street smarts.

This contrasts with other origins surrounding Luthor, who achieves his wealth from his father, Lionel Luthor. In this iteration, however, it seems Lionel won’t have that same role, if any.

Do you believe these rumors? Do they excite you? Make you want to inhale Kryptonite? Let’s discuss…

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Don’t Believe The Man of Steel Theory

For over a day now, a theory has been circulating the web about Man of Steel that is incredibly interesting and would make a lot of sense out of the final scenes of the movie…if it were true.

SPOILERS Ahead (Obviously)

T.J. Kiss proposed yesterday that in the final confrontation between Superman and Zod, when Superman snapped his neck to prevent Zod from obliterating an entire family with his eyes, the family is still killed.

His argument is that when he snaps the neck, it moves Zod’s head toward the family unintentionally, and that is why you don’t see the family again (you just see rubble).

He also posits that Clark doesn’t let out his scream until he looks up, presumably at the remains of the family, which would lend credence to his “no-kill” policy that is implied by the ending.

Here’s the video for you to discern for yourselves:

Convinced?

Don’t be. The theory, while interesting, is shattered by one frame that you missed. If you slow the scene down, you can see the family intact in the corner after Zod has been killed.

man of steel theory

And that’s about it. I wish this could have been a 1,000 word essay that makes me look incredibly intelligent, but at least now when someone tries to bring this theory up the next time you’re not watching Man of Steel, you’ll be properly equipped to disarm the situation.

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Goodbye Philip Seymour Hoffman. Thank You For These 4 Films.

Earlier today, I was told the sad news that Philip Seymour Hoffman, celebrated actor, was found dead today in Manhattan at the age of 46.

Hoffman is responsible for many performances that I have truly enjoyed, but I’m not going to sugarcoat it. I loved his presence because it made me (and many others) feel uneasy. He was a fantastic villain, and he stole the show from other formidable leads on a consistent basis.

He will be surely missed. I’m not going to pretend as if I am qualified to declare what his best performances were as a sort of memoriam. I don’t know what they are, and I honestly don’t care.

First and foremost, I want to say goodbye and wish his family and friends well. They’re losing a good man. Second, I’m not going to get into how he passed away. At the time of this writing, nothing has been confirmed related to the cause of death, and it’s ultimately irrelevant.

So I’m going to honor his memory the only way I know how. By saying goodbye. To do that, I want to thank him for all of the films he put work and effort into for us to love. The following four films stand out to me, as they are my favorite performances by the cherished actor. Of course, I’m leaving out many great films, so please feel free to consider listing the films that impacted you in the comments.

4. Doubt

philip seymour hoffman doubt

I was unprepared for Doubt, a fictional, suspenseful story of a priest who is being accused of pedophilia by the head nun, played by Meryl Streep.

The performances in this film caught me years before I was mature enough to appreciate them. I can still feel the intensity of the conclusion, which affected the audience in a deliciously deceptive plot twist that still lingers in my head when I think back on the film.

3. The Big Lebowski

big lebowski philip seymour hoffman

Brandt (Hoffman): Her life is in your hands.
The Dude: Man, don’t say that, man.
Brandt: Mr. Lebowski asked me to repeat that: her life is in your hands.
The Dude: Oh, s***, man.
Brandt: Her life is in your hands, Dude.

2. Mission Impossible III

philip seymour hoffman mission impossible

There are plenty of other films I would place above this Tom Cruise action spy flick, but I feel compelled to include it due to the embarrassing fact that before I watched this movie, I had no idea who Philip Seymour Hoffman was.

Boy, did I learn, and if I hadn’t, I probably would have missed out on Pirate Radio.

1. Almost Famous

almost famous philip seymour hoffman

Hoffman was responsible for my favorite scene of this movie.

Lester Bangs (Hoffman): Aw, man. You made friends with them. See, friendship is the booze they feed you. They want you to get drunk on feeling like you belong.
William Miller: Well, it was fun.
Lester Bangs: They make you feel cool. And hey. I met you. You are not cool.
William Miller: I know. Even when I thought I was, I knew I wasn’t.
Lester Bangs: That’s because we’re uncool. And while women will always be a problem for us, most of the great art in the world is about that very same problem. Good-looking people don’t have any spine. Their art never lasts. They get the girls, but we’re smarter.
William Miller: I can really see that now.
Lester Bangs: Yeah, great art is about conflict and pain and guilt and longing and love disguised as sex, and sex disguised as love… and let’s face it, you got a big head start.
William Miller: I’m glad you were home.
Lester Bangs: I’m always home. I’m uncool.
William Miller: Me too!
Lester Bangs: The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what we share with someone else when we’re uncool.
William Miller: I feel better.
Lester Bangs: My advice to you. I know you think those guys are your friends. You wanna be a true friend to them? Be honest, and unmerciful.

Goodbye Mr. Hoffman. Rest in peace.