From the disTHIS! Web site:See the new MTV Series "How's Your News" before it premieres Feb. 8 only at the disTHIS! Film Series on Monday, February 2nd! Come celebrate the television premiere of HYN with disTHIS! with our new partners at New York University’s Council for the Study of Disability. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.. Screening begins at 7 p.m. followed by a discussion. Suggested donation $5.
You've never seen a show quite like this before. First conceived at Camp Jabberwocky, the nation's oldest sleepover camp for people with disabilities, How's Your News? began as a series of short films with the members of the camp serving as reporters. The shorts caught the eye of Matt Stone and Trey Parker, of South Park fame, who offered to Executive Produce a feature film that followed the camp reporters on a road trip across America. The film was widely embraced by the disabled community, won several film festival awards and is now used as a training video for people with disabilities worldwide.
The 6 episode series has the adventurous spirit of Jackass, combined with the music and quirky comedy of The Monkees. In their customized tour bus, our team of reporters drive across America documenting their experiences, which includes everything from covering the red carpet at the Grammys and performing at the SXSW music festival, to learning to make cheese balls with Amy Sedaris in her apartment. During the course of the show, we learn more about this unique cast and their outrageous sense of humor through man on the street segments, musical performances, behind the scenes adventures and celebrity interviews.
"We are very excited to preview the new HYN series at disTHIS!," said Arthur Bradford, the series creator. "It's exactly the kind of spirit we are hoping to tap into. Let's shake things up! There's never been a show quite like this one on television, and there's never been a film series quite like disTHIS! Please come show your support for both worthy projects."Since its inception in 1998, How's Your News? has built an enthusiastic cult following with the release of three previous documentaries and a CD of soundtrack music performed by the cast. The show enjoys the full support of the reporters' families as well as nationally recognized disability advocates and organizations. Earlier versions of the show, executive produced by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, have appeared on HBO/Cinemax, PBS and Channel Four England.
"NYU's Council for the Study of Disability is delighted to be partnering with the Disabilities Network of NYC for their acclaimed disTHIS! Film Series, the first Monday of each month,” said Faye Ginsburg, the co-director of the Council for the Study of Disability and the Director of the Center for Media, Culture & History at New York University. “Each screening promises 'disability through a whole new lens' for friends and fellow travelers in the university and beyond."
“How’s Your News?” is the perfect show and NYU is the perfect location for the exciting evolution of disTHIS!” said Lawrence Carter-Long, the series curator and Director of Advocacy for the Disabilities Network of NYC which facilitates the project. The popular monthly film series will continue to offer cutting edge disability fare where audiences can enjoy festival quality works with “No handkerchief necessary and no heroism required.”
ABOUT US: The disTHIS! Film Series: disability through a whole new lens, a program of the Disabilities Network of New York City, was started in April 2006 to showcase festival quality, cutting edge short, documentary, feature and experimental films that offer ground-breaking interpretations of the disability experience beyond "movie of the week" cliches.
Acclaimed by film lovers with and without disabilities, disTHIS! has been featured in Disability Studies Quarterly, the Tribeca Trib, the New York Nonprofit Press, Able News and the New York Times Sunday Style section (above the fold!) for presenting quality cinema with the promise of "No handkerchief necessary, no heroism required!" disTHIS! films are frequently funny (and meant to be), sometimes sexy, often controversial, always provocative; never what audiences expect. Monthly screenings are followed by audience “talk-backs” and appearances by filmmakers, actors and other guests.Beginning in February 2009, disTHIS! partnered with New York University's Council for the Study of Disability to present screenings at NYU. We are made possible with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency, and the generous support of the United Way of New York City, the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, the Screen Actors Guild, the NYU Community Fund, Bat Entertainment and our members.