Here’s a sentence you might not have expected to read today: the life story of Liverpudlian comedian John Bishop (or, at least, the portion of his l
Here’s a sentence you might not have expected to read today: the life story of Liverpudlian comedian John Bishop (or, at least, the portion of his life where he started doing stand-up) has become the inspiration for a starry up-to-date Hollywood movie, directed by Bradley Cooper and with Will Arnett playing the lead role. Watch the trailer for Is This Thing On? below:
Bishop has spoken about his almost accidental transition into comedy before – living alone due to troubles in his marriage, he went along to an open mic night, signed up to perform (without really knowing what it was), hit the stage, and gained some laughs from opening up about his life, eventually going on to become one of Britain’s most popular comics. It’s the inspiration for Is This Thing On?, which transplants the tale to New York City, and stars Arnett as Alex, who pursues a career in comedy whilst trying to navigate potential divorce from his wife Tess (played by Laura Dern).
Cooper also wrote the script, alongside Arnett and See How They Run’s Mark Chappell. It’s Cooper’s third feature film behind the camera, following 2018’s A Star Is Born and 2023’s Oscar-nominated Leonard Bernstein biopic Maestro. Is This Thing On? is due for release in cinemas in December in the US – keep your eyes peeled for a UK release date.
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