CHICAGO – Bring up the immortal classic “A Christmas Carol,” by author Charles Dickens, then bring up how many film and TV versions have been done using its basic story. After a half hour of listing every conceivable production, a gay version won’t be found. “Scrooge & Marley” is the new film that takes care of that category. The premiere was last week in Chicago at the Music Box Theatre.

Bruce Vilanch, Portrays Fezziwig in “Scrooge & Marley

Bruce Vilanch is a Hollywood legend, a comedy writer known for working up material backstage at the Academy Awards, and developing jokes for Bette Midler, Lily Tomlin, Billy Crystal, Roseanne Barr and Robin Williams. He also spent four years on “Hollywood Squares” and wrote/performed a one-man show, “Bruce Vilanch: Almost Famous.”

HollywoodChicago.com: You seem like you were born to play a party coordinator like Fezziwig. What impresses you about his character in the source novel that you wanted to make sure was in this version of the story?

Bruce Vilanch: I viewed him as being crazy, over-the-top and flamboyant, at least as far as Dickens could go with that character back then, and it seemed to coincide with what the writers did in this movie. My Fezziwig spends a lot of time in the 1970s, when it seemed like everyone was having a party, and he was the party provider. [laughs] It was a nice match.

HollywoodChicago.com: Which line or piece of written material first got you noticed as the joke writer that eventually got you backstage at the Academy Awards?

Vilanch: I started writing with Bette Midler, having met her in Chicago at Mr. Kelly’s nightclub, and my reputation grew as she started doing more. I don’t know if it was one single line, but I remember I sold Johnny Carson a one-liner a long time ago. There was a football player named Lance Rentzel in the 1970s, and he was arrested for exposing himself. So the joke was ‘it was cold today…how cold was it?…it was so cold that Lance Rentzel stopped me on the street and just described himself to me.’ It got me a lot of notice, and I started writing more jokes for him and other people. So I’ll use that line as a first.

HollywoodChicago.com: What was the most controversial line you’ve ever written, who said it and what was the circumstance and setting?

Vilanch: I can’t think about the specific line, but I was involved when Ted Danzig did blackface at Whoopi Goldberg’s Friars Club roast. It was Whoopi’s idea, and Ted went along with it because their relationship at the time was ending, and they both thought it would be a good way to put a period on it. It was wildly controversial.

HollywoodChicago.com: Finally, if you had to write a saying on one of your famous tee-shirts that best describes this film, what would that line be?

Vilanch: We put the ‘dick’ back in Dickens. [laughs]

The post Hollywood Chicago Interviews Bruce Vilanch first appeared on We Got Bruce!.

Chicago, IL — Chicago’s Music Box Theatre played host to a red carpet debut for “Scrooge and Marley”, a modern-day variation on Charles Dickens‘ classic holiday story “A Christmas Carol.”

GAY REPORT (Special Edition) – “Scrooge & Marley” from GAY CHICAGO TV on Vimeo.

The Chicago premiere and opening night celebration on Thursday featured most of the stars of the film including David Pevsner, Rusty Schwimmer, Bruce Vilanch, Megan Cavanagh, Ronnie Kroell, David Moretti and Richard Ganoung.

“I love coming to Chicago. Especially in the winter when you know it’s Chicago,” Vilanch joked in an interview on the red carpet.

Kroell talked about the classic tale which has been set to all new music providing a gay sensibility to the spirit of the season.

“I think it’s so important to have movies, queer cinema, that has these positive messages that can be shared not only with the community, embraced by the community, but with our family and friends so they can see what the community really is all about,” said Kroell.

“Scrooge & Marley” was shot all around Chicago last May and features the talents of local performers and filmmakers with narration by Tony award-winning actress Judith Light.

The film runs through Dec. 6 at the historic Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave. It will also screen over Christmas at the Gene Siskel Film Center 164 N., State Street, Chicago: Friday, Dec. 21, 8:15 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 22 at 7:45 p.m. and Thursday, Dec. 27, 7:45 p.m.

The post Video: The Chicago Premiere Of “Scrooge & Marley” first appeared on We Got Bruce!.

On the Nov. 9 installment of the ABC show Shark Tank, out comedian/actor/writer Bruce Vilanch and openly gay entrepreneur David Cox, founder of “The MAC Guru” and “PC Classes Online,” will appear, according to a press release.
Cox was chosen from more than 30,000 potential contestants for the show, often called the “American Idol of Business.” He splits his time running both businesses between Provincetown, MA and Key West, FL with his husband, Allen Gallant.

One of Vilanch’s most recent endeavors is guest-starring in Scrooge & Marley, a locally filmed gay take on A Christmas Carol. The film, which Judith Light will narrate, will premiere at Chicago’s Music Box Theatre Nov. 29.

The post Bruce Vilanch To Appear On “Shark Tank” Friday, November 9, 2012, ABC first appeared on We Got Bruce!.