  here's the pitch, as drawn up by who else. Charlotte Conrad Morgen Spear Kelly Hovis Hayton  LTWR310 Fall 2003 The Epic of Gilgamesh: A Romantic Comedy Pitch to the Good People of Comedy Central Gay culture is in the mainstream. And lets be honest, male homosexuality has a long history of comic success. Never more so than it is these days with the recent success of TV hits like NBCs Will & Grace and Bravos Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. Theres a genre here thats palpably hot. Building from these landmark hits, we propose a twist on the genre. Gay comedy is ready for the next step. Imagine Spartacus but intentionally funny. Were ready for a period piece with an edge that corresponds to the tastes of the times. Its the ancient Epic of Gilgamesh transposed on the template of Comedy Centrals original comedy films like The Independent with Jerry Stiller, Knee-High P.I. and The Hebrew Hammer. This is edgy comedy with a literary framework. Were calling the film, The Epic of Gilgamesh: A Romantic Comedy.
The tale does more than hint at the homoerotic nature of the primary relationship. We aim to bring that aspect to the forefront of the story and exploit it for all the titillation it can deliver. Starring in the role of the ruler of Uruk is James LeGros who youll remember from the classic independent film Living in Oblivion. Hes proven his capacity for acting like a self-obsessed ass. This is a character trait essential to fleshing out the Gilgamesh character, who you may recall from your studies as being a remarkably unlikable ruler.
The costar for this picture has a very unique role, unparalleled in film history. This companion of Gilgamesh is the Wildman of the Forest, Enkidu. A man comprised of equal parts, ape and human. Hes endowed with animal good looks yet without the brain to do much on his own. This brings to mind, of course, the best candidate to take on such a role; Keanu Reeves. And with his rumoured bisexuality, the choice will lock in a whole bi-curious contingent to our proposed target demographic. Lesser characters in the film include a town prostitute, a trapper and his daughter, the goddess Ishtar, and a host of others. Now, weve thought long and hard about proper casting for these roles, and were quite happy with our ideal matches. The town prostitute we patterned after a famous character in another acclaimed film, Fellinis Amarcord.
Volpina is the town whore who is summoned by the people to heal the ails of a troubled man hiding in a tree. Shes strangely attractive, yet exudes more disgust and disease than traditional beauty. Our projected casting decision has focused on Jennifer Coolidge of Legally Blonde and Best in Show fame. With her big features and ease in playing women with a simple mind, she fits the bill seamlessly. The trapper is a man with a mind for sparring. He sees the potential brawl between the headstrong Gilgamesh and the brutish Enkidu. Rather than let the matter settle itself on its own, he manages to pose the two in opposition to exploit the profit potential.
To heighten the characterization of the trapper, weve proposed the role to be filled by none other than Don King. No one loves a good brawl more than the man with the frightened hair. His daughter needs to be a woman who can both live under the thumb of a father like Don King and have the appropriate attitude to succeed in the continual dissing the lord of Uruk.
Who better than the comic sensation, Wanda Sykes? Her role as the Davids neighbor in Larry Davids genius comedy hit, Curb Your Enthusiasm, underscores the no-bullshit persona she brings to the table in her stand-up routines. She may cost as much as Keanu to get signed onto the project, but her name carries far more weight than any of these actors. The lesser characters are all paired with actors not far from the personalities needed. To match their roles in the epic, wed ask that Heidi Fliess play the role of the prostitute-loving Ishtar. Humbaba, the rather large God assigned to protect the Cedar Forest would be perfect if played by Seinfelds Wayne Knight. Utnapishtim, the survivor of the great flood, is a man of great wisdom. For that role, weve proposed to offer the position to Charlton Heston.
Were aiming for the same demographic as you might expect from Comedy Central, the 18-25 year-old male contingent. In addition to this crowd, were secured a queer crowd that will eat up anything produced with a gay theme. Theyll watch anything that reflects even a scrap of their identity, right? Well of course want to advertise in the Advocate and local gay rags that circulate among that community. The spots are cheap, and theyll go a long way to reach an audience. The stage is set; audiences today are seasoned to receive queer storylines as long as theyre done with humor. We need to hire a team of experienced comedy writers to flesh out the concept. Visually, our aim is to bring a less expensive Julie Taymor to the project to paint the film in tones of creative fantasy. And finally, the prospect of transferring the film to DVD format following the original release will secure continued income as cult followers fight to keep a piece of this movie-making history. 
