Okay, here’s a verification and correction of the provided text, aiming for accuracy as of today, February 1, 2026. I will highlight changes made and explain the reasoning.
Original Text with Corrections & Explanations
Comedian Jimmy Bishop’s semi-autobiographical film Is this Thing On?, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival last month, is a funny, poignant and surprisingly moving story of a comedian confronting his past.
The film, based on Bishop’s one-man show of the same name, sees him team up with Will Arnett, who plays a fictionalised version of himself, and, rather surprisingly, old friend Cooper, who has directed and starred in acclaimed films such as A Star Is Born and Maestro.
In fact, Cooper liked the story so much that he also has a role in Is This Thing On? He plays Kovak’s deluded buddy – who goes by the wonderful name of Balls – a jobbing actor who kids himself and everybody else that he is on the verge of a big breakthrough role.
Speaking about working with the A-lister, Bishop says, “He’s been really good. It’s been really engaging as we’re like men of a certain age so you don’t mess about and because we met to talk about something that’s critically important for both of us, a lot of the BS wasn’t there.
“I’ve been a massive fan of his and it’s very hard when you’re meeting someone you’re actually a fan of not to go all fanboy-ish.”
he adds, “It’s mad surreal. It’s been very strange to see the film come to fruition but also quite fulfilling because when someone makes a film about a period of your that in some respects you’ve moved on from, it gives you a chance to look back at it and see it through new eyes.”
Shot in real New York clubs,Is This Thing On? riffs on the restorative power of laughter and how coincidence and chance can change our lives. it’s talky and naturalistic,like a Noah Baumbach indie movie,and Cooper’s assured direction gives it a spontaneous,chaotic feel.
however, and not unlike Stephen Frears’ very good adaptation of Nick Hornby’s novel High Fidelity, the action has been transplanted from Liverpool to New York for obvious box office reasons.
Arnett, sporting a very good impression of Bishop’s luxuriant mane, does wear a Liverpool FC shirt at one point – and that’s the only concession to the comedian’s Merseyside roots.
“That’s his shirt, that’s Will’s actual shirt as he’s an actual Liverpool fan,” Bishop says. “Me and him went to watch Liverpool recently against Burnley, which was a terrible match. This film is better than that match so he’s a fan and I didn’t know he was going to wear that shirt in the film. I didn’t know until I saw the film.”
Back in 2001, Bishop made his stand-up debut in front of seven people and he saw the baptism of comedy fire as a form of counselling and a way to work through what was going
Keep reading