Premiere Episode Features Garry Shandling, Peter Falk, Vince Vaughn and Cheri Oteri
The Independent Film Channel (IFC) will premiere a full season of Dinner For Five, produced and hosted by Jon Favreau (Made and Swingers). Based on a special conceived by Favreau, which premiered to critical acclaim on the network this past July, the series will air Mondays at 8:00PM ET/PT beginning April 15 (encoring Wednesdays at 10:00PM/ET and Saturdays at 7:30PM/ET). Each of the eight episodes features Favreau and four guests from the entertainment industry sharing an evening of dining and dialogue – the unscripted kind, that is.
“Dinner for Five is a refreshing new direction for our original programming, and really complements IFC’s slate of specials, series and independent films,” says Frances Berwick, Senior Vice President Programming, IFC and Bravo. “It presents the personal vision and inside scoop on indie filmmaking in a fun, accessible way.”
The show provides a spontaneous, open forum, like a round table discussion, for people in the community to let their hair down, chat about life on and off the set and swap stories about projects past and present. The goal, according to Favreau, is to give viewers a ringside seat while eliminating the pressure and repetition of press junkets. But don’t expect any dishing because the program, he says, is geared toward conversation not controversy. The shows will be shot at different restaurants around Los Angeles.
“I brought the show to IFC because I knew they would give me the freedom create a show that’s real and honest. Dinner for Five is a fun, unapologetic look the entertainment industry,” comments Favreau.
“It’s very different from anything on TV right now,” adds Alison Palmer Bourke, Executive Producer for IFC Originals. “The winning formula is the combination of Jon’s mutual respect and admiration for his guests in an atmosphere that is completely relaxed, uncensored and uninterrupted. The group is really eating, drinking and saying what’s on their mind.”
The Dinner For Five line-up (subject to change):
Series Premiere – Monday, April 15 at 8:00PM ET/PT
Grab a fork, pull up a chair and hang out with Favreau as mediates a little banter between his Made co-stars Peter Falk (Columbo) and Vince Vaughn (Swingers). In addition,
Garry Shandling (The Larry Sanders Show) and Cheri Oteri (Saturday Night Live) bring a little humor to the table. Some of the topics of discussion include looking for love, decoy cameras, nicotine dependency, dogs with low self-esteem, working with director John Cassavetes (A Woman Under The Influence) and self-indulgent filmmaking. The first installment was shot on location at the Hollywood landmark Musso and Frank’s.
Episode 2 – Monday, April 22 at 8:00PM ET/PT
Jon’s guests Jeff Goldblum (Jurassic Park), Illeana Douglas (Ghost World), Christian Slater (Very Bad Things) and Fred Willard (Best In Show) gather at Pinot Hollywood to answer the question “if you were a dessert, what would you be?” and chat about circumventing directors, improvisation, hernias, mixing medications, sensitive sexism and spilling wine all over icon Sean Connery. We recommend you don’t try this at home.
Episode 3 – Monday, April 29 at 8:00PM ET/PT
In this episode shot at the Saddle Peak Lodge in Malibu, legendary actor Rod Steiger
(Academy Award-winner for In the Heat of the Night) holds his own against the likes of comedians Kevin Pollak (The Usual Suspects), and Sarah Silverman (Fox’s Greg The Bunny). Steiger complements their irreverent brand of humor with tales about Brando and Bogie while
Ron Livingston (HBO’s Band of Brothers) talks about Dolly Parton’s behind and Tom Hanks’ dark side, and Favreau laments his glory days performing murder mystery dinner theater. Tonight’s specials include marsupials, bio-terrorism prevention and a few impersonations.
Episode 4 – Monday, May 6 at 8:00PM ET/PT
Currently in production, the guest list for the fourth episode includes Michael Rapaport
(Small Time Crooks), Daryl Hannah (Dancing at the Blue Iguana), Andy Dick (Zoolander) and rocker Marilyn Manson. The group returns to Pinot Hollywood.
Episode 5 – Monday, May 13 at 8:00PM ET/PT
Also in production, Jon will be joined in the fifth episode by Sean Astin (Lord of the Rings), Bonnie Hunt (Jerry Maguire), Ray Romano (CBS’ Everybody Loves Raymond) and
Kevin James (CBS’ King of Queens) at the Granita Restaurant in Malibu.
The remaining episodes will be shot in Spring 2002.
The Independent Film Channel (IFC), managed and operated by Bravo Networks, is the first and most widely distributed channel dedicated to independent film presented 24 hours a day, uncut and commercial-free.