If ever there was a perfect moment to create a Three Stooges film, it’s now.
With the Mideast roiling, parts of Africa in chaos and even Wisconsin stealing front-page real estate, it’s time for a feel-good flick to distract the hoi polloi from the terror of reality.
Even if it takes two years to come to fruition, just the game of guessing what actor might play which Stooge, is enough distraction from the world gone crazy and oh yes, the Charlie Sheen hoopla and Oscar second-guessing.
First we hear that the Farrelly brothers initially considered casting Benicio Del Toro, Sean Penn and Jim Carrey as our favorite buffoons; next thing we hear it’s Justin Timberlake (Justin Timberlake?) for Larry, Johnny Knoxville as Moe and Will Sasso as lovable knucklehead Curly.
On top of that head-scratching casting possibilities, we now hear that Lady Cher herself may be playing Mother Superior who is targeted by Stooge shenanigans.
Speaking as an avid Stooges fan from the same Philadelphia hometown as the original batch, if those Farrellys don’t get the casting right, they could be in big trouble.
Especially from the legions of Stooges fanatics who have clubs and meetings and organize Stooge-fests.
They best be appeased or there just may be a slight boycott of said production. Especially from the ranks who frequent The Stoogeum, the world’s first and only museum of Three Stooges memorabilia.
Said Stoogeum has accrued more than 100,000 pieces of Stoogeabilia, various artifacts from 1918-current day. The site, located in suburban Philadelphia (from whence said Stooges hailed) has an 85-seat theater and is headquarters for the Three Stooges fan club.
Annual meetings often see up to 2,000 fans who mingle with Stooge relatives, supporting actors and impersonators. Hmm, could this be a possible venue for scouting an unknown Curly who has the perfect pitch and adorability of the original?
But if the Farrelys opt for Hollywood royalty, they may already be considering Hank Azaria, man of many voices, (just catch any "Simpsons" episode to hear his range), Woody Harrelson as a goofy Curly (but he better add some tonnage to his frame), and the name Larry David as Larry has even come up.
Now, I’m not one to throw stones, but isn’t David a tad long in the tooth to be playing clueless Larry?
All I know is that the Farrelly Brothers' best get this film done just so, because those of us (yes, I’m a girl and a fan) who adore vintage Stooges (we don’t count any of the Curlys after the original kissed the sky) will be waiting with baited breath for a classic homage to brothers Stooge.
And if they get it wrong, anticipate a lot of cream pies being thrown at the screen. Lots of pies.
