Melinda Hill
(Long Synopsis) "In this laugh-out-loud, satirical comedy, Tripp Bailey (Marc Evan Johnson, Transformers) is a washed-up journalist who longs to be a high-profile, hard-hitting investigative reporter. But he has a plan … a plot to infiltrate and debunk Pyrasphere, Hollywood’s fastest-growing, new-age religion! Armed with only “The Truth”, he drafts his brother-in-law (Matt Price, TV’s Men of a Certain Age, Evan Almighty, Man on the Moon), a wedding/bar mitzvah videographer, and sets out to make his name. Under the leadership of glamorous, fame-seeking guru Gossamyrhh (Maggie Rowe, Ocean’s Thirteen, Fun With Dick and Jane), the duo encounters a wildly colorful collection of cultists, including his ex-wife (Amy Stiller, Tropic Thunder, Zoolander, The Cable Guy). But is Gossamyrhh’s philosophy actually genuine? Can Tripp really have it all through enlightenment … or is it a sham and part of a not-so-divine plan?
Through unprecedented backstage access and candid interviews, the film weaves through the absurd world of the working comedian and reveals a crazy and hilarious psychological profile of its practitioners. We also follow retired comic Ritch Shydner's attempt to climb back on stage after a thirteen-year hiatus. At the top of his game in the 1980's, Shydner had HBO specials, shot five pilot TV shows, and numerous late night appearances (Carson, Letterman, Leno, etc.) but the big time eluded him. Equipped with the collective wisdom and nutty musings of over 80 of his peers, he gives it another shot. Does Ritch have what it takes to connect with today's young crowds and still get the laughs?
