The third US Red Nose Day, in support of the Comic Relief charity, takes place on May 25. Julia Roberts, Bear Grylls and Sarah Silverman are among those supporting the event.
The previous two US Red Nose Days have raised $60 million to try and alleviate global poverty and NBC, which televises the event, is hoping Comic Relief becomes as big a deal as in the UK where it has been a huge annual fixture for 30 years.
Film director Richard Curtis co-founded Comic Relief thirty years ago and serves as its Vice-Chair. To raise money for Comic Relief this year, Curtis- whose other movies include Notting Hill and Four Weddings and a Funeral– made a short 12-minute movie sequel to 2003 popular Christmas rom-com movie Love Actually which re-united original stars Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Bill Nighy and Keira Knightley. Red Nose Day Actually will be shown on May 25.
Curtis recently co-hosted a reception for Red Nose Day in New York that Heat Street attended. He spoke to us about Comic Relief and why all the vocal coverage out there claiming that Love Actually is sexist is wide of the mark:
Red Nose Day is obviously in aid of a good cause. But you’ve been actively involved with it for three decades now- how do you stop yourself getting bored with Comic Relief?
The big thing is that entertainment does change so consequently I’m not returning to the same bunch of people doing the same bunch of things. I was absolutely gripped by Ed Sheeran this year and seeing how he was the first person ever to insist that he had to say on on telly, ‘I gave my own money.’ He said, ‘I’m not willing to do a documentary where people think wait a second, he’s rich! Why doesn’t he pay for it?’ ‘I’m going to say I did pay for it.’ So I think I’m interested that we do something different every year. I think of it as a father-son relationship now. You don’t get bored of your children or the idea of trying to help and change peoples lives. It’s the least boring thing!
On the whole cynical Great Britain gets refreshingly uncynical about Red Nose Day and Comic Relief. Why is that?
We do get a certain amount of criticism. One thing which is great is everybody’s kid is doing it. So even the most cynical people would have to look at their own children and not say, ‘You shouldn’t believe in this, you shouldn’t help anybody’. I do think that cross-generational thing is helpful. And we do refresh the brand. We’re also lucky that we entered the culture at a good time when you could do this intravenously. The first time we were ever on TV, a third of the country watched the show because there was nothing else on. We got in early.
You must have been gratified with the reception to the Love Actually mini-sequel in the UK?
Particularly as it might have been awful. It was one of those things where it was such an odd form but people were sweet about it. I think it’s a tiny reflection of the times- my girlfriend said to me, ‘I’m looking at the papers every day and it seems as if your sequel is the only bit of good news!’
Is that it for Love Actually now?
That’s definitely it.
Love Actually has been labeled sexist by quite a few websites. Why do you think that is?
I don’t know. It’s an interesting question. We were having a meeting with a website- mainly aimed at mums- and Emma said Richard is doing this Love Actually thing. The editor said, “So you’ll have to talk about the stalking scene.’ Emma said, ‘What? Is that the right film?’ The editor said everyone in my office would want to know about that. I think there is something there particularly about that plot. I just was being funny: what would happen if you fell in love with your best friend’s girlfriend. What would you do?
But looked at from a non-humorous critical point of view, it’s disgraceful behavior! Appearing outside your best friend’s house and telling his wife you love him. As usual I have sympathy with the critics but I think to feel that, you’ve got to not watch the film in the spirit that the film emulates. If you really stand back from it and say, ‘I’m not going to be amused, I’m not going to notice the tone at all’, then the facts of it might add up abit wrong. But it’s not true of the film. I wasn’t trying to be sexist.
What’s your next creative project?
I am going to write a new movie. I’m not absolutely sure about it yet but when this finishes, I’ve got one more film to write before I retire to Scotland.
