June 23, 2009 - Adam Sandler and Sylvester Stallone will provide their voices for the live-action comedy The Zookeeper from MGM. Also offering up their vocal chops will be Cher, Jon Favreau, and Judd Apatow.
The film will star Kevin James and Rosario Dawson and is being produced by Sandler's Happy Madison company. Variety reports that the comic/actor will voice a capuchin monkey, Stallone a lion, Cher a giraffe, Favreau a bear, and Apatow an elephant. Jim Breuer, Faizon Love, and Bas Rutten will also be part of the voice cast.
The film is about zoo animals who try to teach their keeper about dating so that he can win back the girl of his dreams. It's being directed by Frank Coraci (The Wedding Singer) from a script by Jay Scherick and David Ronn, James, Rock Reuben, and Nick Bakay. Shooting starts at the end of the summer for an October, 2010 release.
The project certainly evokes the recent clips for Sandler's faux-films from Apatow's Funny People, doesn't it?
Karl Wiosna, 44, played the singer’s smash hit 'Believe’ so loudly that neighbours sitting in their front room next door could pick out the lyrics.
When he was given an official warning by the council about the noise at his home in Graig, near Pontypridd, south Wales, he simply started playing U2 instead.
A neighbour said: “The noise was just unbearable. It went from sounding like a drag queen’s party to a rock concert. The music was just nonstop.”
Wiosna was eventually hauled before the courts where magistrates ordered that his CD collection, record decks and stereo should be destroyed.
The council first acted in May after receiving repeated complaints from neighbours and set up covert recording equipment next door to catch him in the act.
He was then given a legal notice under the Environmental Protection Act, demanding he cut down the volume or face having all his equipment and CDs confiscated.
But a week later, officials were called out again. This time, the music was so loud neighbours could clearly hear the Cher and U2 lyrics.
Council officers obtained a warrant to go into Wiosna’s house and seized his stereo and music collection on May 28.
He appeared before Rhondda Magistrates’ Court earlier this month where he admitted a breach of a noise abatement order and was fined £200 and ordered to pay £50 in costs.
Magistrates also decided to impose a victim’s surcharge of £15 and grant an application to seize and destroy his stereo and music.
Rhondda Cynon Taf councillor for environmental health, Mike Forey, said: “I hope it serves as a reminder to others that we can take them to court and seize their belongings if they do not cease causing a nuisance to others.”
But Wiosna was appalled by the decision. “They took £500 to £600 worth of stuff. I don’t think they should be allowed to do it, it isn’t right,’ he said.
“I didn’t play the music that loudly - and it wasn’t just Cher - I used to play heavy metal as well.”
He is not the first to end up in court after driving the neighbours to distraction with their music.
Last October, Dolly Parton fan Diane Duffin was warned she could lose her home if she continued to play hits including 9 to 5 and D.I.V.O.R.C.E. at all hours.
And in June, fellow country music fan William Hillan was given an anti-social behaviour order for playing Tammy Wynette’s Stand By Your Man too loudly.
