SC THE SLAMMIN' SALMON
By HAELY JARDAS
Eagle Contributing Writer
Ever since the 2001 cult classic smash "Super Troopers," comedy troupe Broken Lizard has made a name for themselves as a group serious about shenanigans. The group - consisting of members Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter and Erik Stolhanske - saw its fame and fan base grow with the release of "Beerfest" in 2006. Soon after that, audiences were clamoring for another one of their outrageous comedies. But fear not, ever-faithful fans - relief is on the way. The long awaited "The Slammin' Salmon" is set to be released the second week of December.
The film follows the tale of a former heavyweight champion, "Slammin'" Cleon Salmon (Michael Clarke Duncan), the owner of a classy restaurant in Miami called The Slammin' Salmon. In order to pay off a gambling debt, Salmon devises a contest amongst his wait staff to encourage them to sell more food at the restaurant and help pull him out of debt. The winner gets $10,000; the loser gets the snot kicked out of him (free of charge) by the Slammin' Salmon himself. To avoid the latter prize, the employees (played by the fearless men from Broken Lizard and a few new faces) waste no time in resorting to underhanded and hilarious antics to stay above the competition.
"The Slammin' Salmon" is a bit different than Broken Lizard's other films because Chandrasekhar has stepped away from the position of director; Heffernan has taken the reigns. Most fans think of Heffernan as the lovable man-child character who is the butt of many cruel jokes, but don't let that trick you into thinking that this is a film directed by a monkey. In the Broken Lizard movies, writing is a group effort where each of the five members contributes to the script.
"We pretty much just go through it again and again until we pack as many jokes into it as we can," Heffernan said in an interview with The Eagle.
In addition to the five familiar men of Broken Lizard, "The Slammin' Salmon" includes other famous faces. Duncan, best known for his roles in films like "The Green Mile," steps in to play the mammoth role of "'Slammin' Salmon" himself.
"We had no idea he could be funny," Heffernan said, thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Duncan. "He was great with the comedy and his improv skills were as good as anyone's."
One might not have expected a man who has played such terrifying roles in the past to play a part in such a ridiculous comedy, but Duncan fits the role well - though he is still playing a terrifying character.
"It became a real dilemma for me on when to say 'cut' [when filming Duncan] because, one, it was all so funny, and two, I was afraid he might kill me," Heffernan said.
Hopefully, some "Slammin' Salmon" will satisfy the appetites of fans that have been waiting for the next gem from Broken Lizard. And what better to shake off those winter blues than a comedy set in Miami?
In the meantime, the troupe is getting back to their live comedy roots as they tour the country performing live skits and stand-up routines for their adoring fans. Check out their Web site for show times and locations, and be sure to catch "The Slammin' Salmon" when it hits theaters Dec. 11.
You can reach this writer at thescene@theeagleonline.com.
