Praise be to the comedy gods! In the only news that matters more than the outcome of this country’s presidential election, Amy Sedaris is heading back to television! It’s true: The 47-year-old actress and author (as well as little sis to writer David Sedaris) will star in Gym Teacher: The Movie, airing September 12 on Nickelodeon.
Most of us first noticed Sedaris for her portrayal of boozer, user and loser Jerri Blank on Comedy Central’s nutty series Strangers With Candy. In Gym Teacher, she reunites with former Strangers co-star Paul Dinello, who directed the project. (For those of you who didn’t obsessively watch Strangers, Dinello played Mr. Jellineck, an art teacher who has a gay affair with Mr. Noblet, a social studies teacher played by the one and only Stephen Colbert.)
Gym Teacher finds Sedaris back in high school, but this time she plays the school’s kooky Principal Hoffman who’s crushing hard on a hunky gym teacher played by Law & Order: SVU‘s Christopher Meloni. I don’t know about you, but I’m dying to see Detective Elliot Stabler in some crazy comic hijinks with Sedaris.
The only thing that would make Gym Teacher a more fun affair for Strangers fans (aside from a role for Colbert) is a Jerri Blank cameo. In honor of the world’s most loveable 46-year-old high school student, let’s recall a few of Jerri’s craziest exploits:
— Jerri tries to be popular by hosting a drug party that ends in the death of a cheerleader (and her pet turtle).
— Jerri wants to be a cheerleader so bad, she attempts to learn how to read.
— Jerri drops out of school (again) to join a cult.
— Jerri tries to improve her track performance and gets addicted to steroids.
— Jerri learns the hard way that chlamydia is not a flower.
Do you have a favorite Jerri Blank moment? Are you a Sedaris fan? Are you happy to hear about Gym Teacher?
