Exclusive! Hudson Brothers reunion movie announced at Chicago Fest for Beatles Fans

The Seventh Python movie and two-thirds of The Hudson Brothers combine for a historic evening at The Comedy Shrine

The Comedy Shrine in Naperville, Illinois was the center of the show business universe last night with a screening of The Seventh Python and a performance by its producer Brett Hudson and brother Mark Hudson in a special evening outside Chicago.

Frozen Pictures' acclaimed, award-winning film about Monty Python cohort Neil Innes made its fourth Chicago area appearance at the legendary comedy club and museum, while the Hudson brothers took time from their fan-flocked weekend at the Fest for Beatles Fans at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare.

The crowd of comedy and music fans gave a rousing reception to both segments of the evening. A delay in getting the Hudsons from the Beatlefest to the club was covered by a raffle and a Q&A by Seventh director Burt Kearns that began to reach its stretching point around the time he played the audience music from his iPhone to explain Frozen Pictures' new film about Chris Montez (which will be previewed at noon today at The Fest for Beatles Fans).


It was generally agreed that the Hudsons were hilarious, working off Mark Hudson's solo show material that was highlighted by his story of a Hudson Brothers song about Joni Mitchell whose trajectory to hit status was derailed by the line, "Joni, I want you to blow me..." The fact that the next phrase was "blow me a kiss..." didn't matter.


The Comedy Shrine, with its extensive comedy collection (just about every inch of the 4800 square-foot place is filled with comedy memorabilia), is one of the most unique attractions in all of America. Located in an upscale minimall in downtown Naperville, the pop culture treasure is the brainchild and labour of love of veteran comedian and Emmy winner Dave Sinker, a longtime friend of the Hudsons.

Dave Sinker in his Comedy Shrine

More on The Comedy Shrine to come...

Coming to Naperville, Friday, August 14th

Click photos to enlarge. More information here and here.

The Seventh Python returns to Chicago!

Friday, August 14th, The Comedy Shrine
22 E. Chicago Avenue Naperville, Illinois 630.355.2844

So what is it with The Seventh Python and Chicago? The veddy-Anglocentric award-winning nonfiction feature about the veddy-British musical satirist, rock 'n' roll legend and Monty Python compatriot Neil Innes from our pals at Frozen Pictures returns to the Chicago area on Friday, August 14th, with a one-night-only screening and (two-thirds) Hudson Brothers performance at The Comedy Shrine.

The announcement is great news for comedy and Monty Python fans... but begs the question why, after entertaining audiences and winning standing ovations around the world-- from Perth, Australia to the New Jersey Meadowlands-- The Seventh Python keeps returning to the City of Big Shoulders in the American Heartland?

Since the film's premiere at the American Cinematheque's Mods & Rockers Film Festival in Hollywood, it's played at:

The Chicago Fest for Beatles Fans...

The Chicago International Movies & Music Festival...

The Wilmette Theatre...

and now..

The Comedy Shrine
22 E. Chicago Avenue
Naperville, Illinois
630.355.2844

So what's the secret to Chicago?


"The secret to Chicago is-- there is no secret," says Seventh Python director Burt Kearns. "Chicago is a comedy capital. They've got The Second City there, but also universities, where some of the finest comics and comedy writers were schooled. There are a lot of comedy legends in and around Chicago."

One of those legends is Dave Sinker. The longtime Hudson buddy, Emmy-winning writer and Second City veteran runs The Comedy Shrine, and came up with the idea of bringing back The Seventh Python for a return engagement.

The Friday evening show on Chicago Avenue in Naperville is set to begin with a screening of the hilarious film starring John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, Aimee Mann, Matt Groening and many others, followed by a special performance by Brett and Mark Hudson (they'll arrive after they appear at The Fest for Beatles Fans at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare). Brett produced the film. Mark, the noted music producer and performer, was music supervisor.

Click here for tickets. Arrive early so you'll have some time to check out the extensive comedy memorabilia collection. They don't call it The Comedy Shrine for nothing.

Hudson Brothers dazzle Beatles Fest

Followers of the inspiring and often harrowing Brett's Blog on The Klinik Movie website know that Seventies pop star turned TV and film producer Brett Hudson has been battling hard in a winning fight against throat cancer, and also would not be surprised to hear him warbling tonight before a packed house at the NY Metro Fest for Beatles Fans.

He and brother Mark kept the crowd laughing with anecdotes of their halcyon days as music and TV stars and pals of John Lennon before their version of a fave Beatles tune suddenly had a hushed house singing along.

Festival emcee and Beatles-connected pop culture everywhere man Martin Lewis stirred the pot of memories with his Frostlike interviewing style and after the set filled in for Bill in the Hudson Brothers reunion photo.

TMZ gets it wrong again & Bill Hudson should sue

Corporate porn-pushing gossip site TMZ.com gets copied by a lot of old media outlets, but in their enthusiasm to embarrass and mock the celebrities they prey upon with such bitter jealousy, they often get it wrong.

Case in point: This morning the site recycles beach photos of Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell as an excuse to laugh at the fact that they are aging (leaving aside the longevity and quality of their careers) and to warn Kate Hudson to not feel too good about herself, because despite her beauty, talent and A-list power-- something the TMZ rentboys can never achieve-- she will one day fall to the ravages of aging and time.

To stick the needle in a little deeper, they add a shot of Kate's biological father Bill Hudson.

Only problem?

It's not Bill Hudson.

This is Bill Hudson:


We don't know the identity of the man in the TMZ photo. We do know it's not Bill. (That shot has been used mistakenly in the past, schmucks. Do your homework.)

Bill Hudson, famed as a member of The Hudson Brothers, has just released his first solo album and is advertising a unique concert tour-- you can book him to play in your living room.

But not in your scummy jacuzzi, Harvey.

(Now the countdown begins to when TMZ will switch photos. WARNING: Don't rip off the photo from this site because it's copywritten and we'll sue you just like Bill Hudson should.)