The Diceman Cometh

Cheaters' Tommy Habeeb looks for more TV success with The Big Big Show

Dallas producer/host Tommy Habeeb has made a career out of making trashy TV, putting out syndicated shows like Cheaters, Eye for an Eye and Stag: A Test of Love. With his latest project, The Big Big Show, he's looking to take the flair that made his earlier shows popular and combine it with something a bit more family-friendly.

The Big Big Show, for which Habeeb will serve as host, is a twist on the current reality talent competition craze. With Andrew Dice Clay, Tara Reid and Tom Green serving as judges, contestants will take the stage to show off whatever talent they possess.

If the judges like a certain performance, the contestant will be showered with cash. If they don't, watch out: All manner of disgusting items will be dumped on the unlucky person, after which the judges will go into detail about why the contestant deserved such a fate.

"This show is so crazy, and that’s part of the fun and the genius of it," host Tommy Habeeb says.

It sounds a mite mean-spirited, but Habeeb insists the show will be all in good fun.

"We’re not looking to beat people up; it’s more about the funny," Habeeb says. "There will be some really talented people, and they will benefit from it."

The concept for the show came from creator Jim Campbell, who had been conducting an online singing competition with the same name, giving away over $100,000 to singers who submitted videos voted on by the public. When Campbell wanted to turn the idea into a TV show, Habeeb used his experience to turn it into something viable.

"This show is so crazy, and that’s part of the fun and the genius of it," Habeeb says. "What Jim created was a talent show with consequences; he just didn’t know how to make a TV show, and that’s where I came in."

One of Habeeb's ideas was to bring in celebrity judges, and his first target was Andrew Dice Clay. Clay is experiencing a bit of career resurgence at the moment, with a recent Showtime comedy special and a praised role in Woody Allen's latest film, Blue Jasmine. Habeeb feels lucky to have him on board

"I thought there was nobody better to be the next Simon Cowell of talent shows than Andrew Dice Clay," Habeeb says. "He’s got edge, he’s got character. There’s no question Dice is a lightning rod, but he’s quick and he’s incredibly intelligent."

Reid has also made a recent mark in pop culture, starring in the crap-tastic Syfy movie, Sharknado. Surely her casting is a sign the show will be "so bad it's good," right?

"Not at all," Habeeb says. "Tara has had her train wreck issues, but this is going to show her in a little different light. The character and the sweetness of who Tara Reid really is will come out, and I think you’ll see almost a Goldie Hawn kind of character. The world’s going to see a different side of her."

Each episode of The Big Big Show will include a lot of mutually-agreed-upon humiliation.

While it remains to be seen how the judges (including a guest judge that rotates weekly) will perform on the program, the stunts Habeeb and Campbell have planned seem to live up to his promise of "crazy," verging on politically incorrect.

"Every stunt has its own brand. We’ve got one called 'Wok and Roll,' and there’s a whole song related to it and everybody will start chanting," Habeeb says. "There’s a Chinese man sitting there who will be cooking up noodles. He comes out and loads up catapults; one catapult has these Chinese noodles in it, and the other has cash in it.

"We have another one called 'Jungle Love' that has this bamboo cage that drops down on you. If you do good, money pours out on you, and if you do bad, you’re pelted by little gorillas with rotten bananas."

Even though each episode will include a lot of mutually-agreed-upon humiliation, Habeeb says the aim will be to be even-handed in the results department.

"I think a nice 50/50 split would be fantastic," Habeeb says. "As we cast it, we’re really looking for talent, although talent can be deemed in multiple different ways.

"My goal is to have a show that's all about the water cooler talk. I want people talking about it the next day. I want this show to have 2-3 viral videos an episode."

The Big Big Show starts filming episodes on October 8, with the hopes that it will go on the air sometime in 2014. And for anyone hoping to get an up-close-and-personal look at the celebrity judges or the absurdity, you're in luck: The show will be filmed in Dallas.

"We have a studio in Deep Ellum, so we’re going to shoot it right here," Habeeb says. "We’ve got studio audiences so it can now make Dallas as a destination where people can come and watch us.

"We’ll be very interactive with the crowd. We welcome people to dress up as their favorite celebrities. They’ll play a role; the louder they cheer or boo will determine on their meter whether the contestant could win or lose."

Anyone who'd like to be a contestant or a member of the studio audience can apply online at bigbigshowtv.com. At the very least, you'll be party to one of Habeeb's patented wild rides.

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Movie Review

Revived Coyote vs. Acme shows Looney Tunes’ enduring appeal

Photo courtesy of Ketchup Entertainment

Wile E. Coyote in Coyote vs. Acme.

No movie studio has gone through more ups and downs in the past few years than Warner Bros. In 2022, they oddly shelved two mostly-completed movies, Batgirl and Scoob! Holiday Haunt. But the next few years brought major movies like Barbie, Dune Part Two, Sinners, Superman, Weapons, and One Battle After Another, giving them a huge boost. Strangely, that led directly into a proposed sale to Paramount that is now going through legal battles.

Another previously-shelved Warner Bros. movie, Coyote vs. Acme, is now seeing the light of day thanks to a deal with a small company called Ketchup Entertainment. Taking its cue from the classic Looney Tunes cartoons, the film creates a world in which Wile E. Coyote - sick of constantly being thwarted in his pursuit of Road Runner by faulty Acme products - decides to sue the company.

To do so, he approaches the law firm of Avery, Jones & Maltese, led by Kevin Avery (Will Forte). The firm typically takes on small cases that are easy to settle, but - with a little subterfuge from Wile E. Coyote - they are soon presenting Acme and its lead attorney, Buddy Crane (John Cena), with a lawsuit that could be worth millions of dollars. Naturally, the big corporation won’t give in without a fight, leading to all sorts of shenanigans on both sides.

Directed by Dave Green and written by Samy Burch from a story by Burch, James Gunn, and Jeremy Slater, the film is a fun mixture of nostalgia and clever storytelling. Most of Looney Tunes’ classic characters make an appearance in the film, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, and Sylvester. The two, other than Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner, who get the most play are Tweety, who appears in some of the movie’s funniest scenes, and Foghorn Leghorn, reimagined as the CEO of Acme.

The blend of live action and animation is not quite on the level of something like Who Framed Roger Rabbit, but it is still effective. It also affords the film plenty of opportunities to employ Looney Tunes’ signature brand of cartoon violence that doesn’t actually leave lasting damage. The gags are very familiar for those who grew up on the studio’s short films, but combined with the inventive ways in which they’re used and the pointed jabs at corporate culture, they become somewhat fresh again.

Naturally, there are plenty of references in the film, starting with the name of the law firm, which pays homage to legendary directors Chuck Avery and Chuck Jones, as well as writer/animator Michael Maltese. Sly jokes that could turn the film from PG to PG-13 sneak their way in, although they steer clear of elements that haven’t aged well (documented in a recent viral comedy clip). But the film is at its best when it leans into the well-earned traits of its favorite characters and just lets them cook.

Forte is a great scene partner for Wile E. Coyote, as he can turn even minor slights into comedy gold. His deadpan reactions are the ideal way to counter the insanity going on around him. Cena has proven in other films that he has great comic timing, and he demonstrates that skill well here, too, especially in a fantastic scene opposite Tweety. The voice talent does a good job with the iconic characters, although the legendary Mel Blanc remains the gold standard.

Coyote vs. Acme is not a world-changing movie by any means, but it is a fun twist on the characters many know and love that deserved to be seen by moviegoers. Wile E. Coyote may never actually catch Road Runner, but this movie shows that his unceasing attempts remain entertaining after all these years.

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Coyote vs. Acme is now playing in theaters.

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