COMEDY DYNAMICS WILL RELEASE THE DOCUMENTARY ‘NEVER BE DONE: THE RICHARD GLEN LETT STORY’ ON JUNE 16, 2020
This raw documentary follows controversial stand-up comedian Richard Lett’s private struggle of addiction that sabotaged his promising career; he lost everything, but lived to tell the tale.
Filmmaker Roy Tighe is pleased to announce that the documentary Never Be Done: The Richard Glen Lett Story will be distributed by Comedy Dynamics (a Nacelle Company), the biggest independent comedy distributor in the world, on June 16, 2020. The documentary will be released for rental and purchase on the following platforms: Amazon Prime Video, YouTube Movies, AppleTV, Google Play, Vimeo, Microsoft XBOX, Direct TV, Breaker, Comcast, Cox Communications, Dish and Xfinity – and on other platforms after June 30th, 2020.
Never Be Done: The Richard Glen Lett Story chronicles the seven-year journey of Richard Lett, a once-respected Canadian comedian whose addiction to drugs and alcohol lead to him becoming homeless, estranged from his daughter, and shunned by his community. Director Roy Tighe followed the infamous Canadian comedian for 7 years who’s been banned from club after club across Canada before falling into a spiral of alcohol, drugs and homelessness that almost took his career, dignity and life. The documentary had successful screenings at the Whistler Film Festival, Vancouver’s Just For Laughs Film Festival and took home top prize at the Studio City Film Festival for Best Documentary.
Since shooting the documentary Richard has turned his life around. After a long hiatus from acting he is back in demand. Most recently he played the role of Dennis in the film All Joking Aside, about a young woman struggling to make it in stand-up comedy. His performance was described as a “delight”. Lett also plays the role of “despicable Richard” in the movie Corona, a story about seven people trapped in an elevator who realize that one of them has COVID-19.Corona is thought to be the first film about the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic.
“There’s the truth an individual believes and then there’s the truth the camera sees,” said director Roy Tighe about what he learned from making the film.
The camera captures Lett sabotaging his promising career, losing everything. Director Roy Tighe’s commitment to presenting Lett’s highest and lowest moments ultimately presents a message of personal redemption, and shines a poignant light on the intensely private struggle of addiction. After his successful Recovery and Rehabilitation, a newly invigorated Lett reinvented himself by writing and touring a new hit solo show “Sober But Never Clean” performing it over sixty times in comedy clubs, theatre festivals, treatment centers and recovery conventions to rave reviews and standing ovations.
“One of my favourite parts of being in the entertainment industry is seeing how stories can impact and inspire people to believe in themselves and do a greater good for themselves or their community. I truly believe this is one of those stories,” said Brian Volk-Weiss, Founder and CEO of Comedy Dynamics.
The Story Of The Film
In the summer of 2009, filmmaker Roy Tighe and comedian Richard Lett were ejected from a Vancouver nightclub. Richard started a verbal altercation with the club owner and was promptly told to take his cameraman and leave. Never one to pass up an opportunity, Roy began filming Lett in his day-to-day life and quickly learned that all was not right in the brash comedian’s world. So set in motion the saga of Never Be Done: The Richard Glen Lett Story.
Not merely a tale of one man’s downfall, Never Be Done is the story of Richard Lett’s struggle to forge a new life in the same environment that brought him down so completely. The movie was filmed with candid intimacy and filled with raw, authentic, uncensored archival footage and poignant testimonials from Richard’s friends, family and fellow comedians.
Director’s Story
Roy Tighe: “In 2003, I dabbled in the Vancouver stand up comedy circuit, performing and working with other comics. During my small stint at stand up comedy I was aware of Richard Lett due to his infamous reputation on and off stage. I was always intrigued to work with Richard, if the opportunity arose. In 2009, I was introduced to Richard through a mutual friend and fellow comedian. I had been living in Vancouver for 9 years at the time, and had my own reputation for producing comedy content for the web. Richard and I originally met to talk about shooting a live one-man show he was working on. The next night we met at a local comedy club to shoot some stand up footage. That did not happen. We, instead, were ejected from the comedy club. Richard had started a verbal altercation with the club owner and was promptly told to take his cameraman and leave. Standing now in the rain out front of the comedy club, I still wanted to capture something. So right there on the street for pedestrians to watch, Richard performed one of his poetry slams. That night I saw something special in Richard and that moment became the opening sequence to this story. Never one to pass up an opportunity, I began filming Richard in his day-to-day life, and quickly learned that all was not right in this brash comedian’s world. As I followed Richard, recording the collapse of his career and his struggle with addiction, he became homeless. I felt a divine obligation to stick it out with Richard. Even though this was a dark, brutal time in this man’s life, I also was blessed to witness Richard find the miracle of recovery. This 7 year journey that I went on with Richard makes for a beautiful story to what’s called “Never Be Done: The Richard Glen Lett Story.”
Director Roy Tighe Bio
Canadian filmmaker Roy Tighe has been mentored by two time Oscar nominee, Bud Smith the Oscar nominated editor of The Exorcist and Flashdance. Roy is currently a working director in Los Angeles directing numerous short films, web series and commercials. Working for such brands as Alcatel, TCL and Coors Light totalling well over 500 videos. Roy’s first film, Where’s Barry? was released on VOD in December 2016. Previously, Roy had spent time performing as a stand-up comedian, which led to his introduction to Richard Lett, the subject of his first feature Never Be Done: The Richard Glen Lett Story. Roy was born and raised in Fort Frances in Northern Ontario.
Richard Glen Lett Bio
Finding a home in the stand-up comedy scene in Vancouver, Richard began making a name for himself with his brash, unapologetic style of jokes and crowd interaction. After years of honing his skills on the stage, Lett found himself headlining tours for Yuk Yuk’s. In the mid 90’s Richard was a subject in the CBC’s Road Warriors, a documentary television series about the lives of touring stand-up comedians.
Never quite a household name, Richard Lett has become a sort of journeyman of the Canadian comedy scene over the past thirty years, respected by his fellow comedians and sought out by die-hard comedy fans. In the time since he began his career in stand-up, Richard has tried his hand at poetry, writing, and acting, landing small roles on the TV shows Supernatural, Dark Angel, and The Firm, and as a playwright he has received two Jessie Richardson Award nominations for “Most Outstanding Original Play.”
Richard received a rare standing ovation at the London Poetry Slam for his one-man show “Sober But Never Clean”. His performance was described as such: “Richard grabbed our audience’s attention and didn’t let go. His ability to make the crowd laugh and reflect simultaneously by sharing intimate personal stories mixed with hilarious jokes is unparalleled. He has a unique talent in rolling poetry, comedy, and storytelling together.” Most recently, Richard is preparing to debut his new solo show “One Nut Only” detailing his successful battle with testicular cancer, at the 2020 Vancouver Fringe Festival, and recently starred in the film “Corona” featured in the New York Times, a story addressing xenophobia and the pandemic.
About Comedy Dynamics:
Founded by Brian Volk-Weiss, Comedy Dynamics, a Nacelle company, is the largest independent comedy production and distribution company. The company is behind the reboot of Mad About You featuring Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt, and has produced Netflix’s Kevin Hart’s Guide to Black History, Netflix’s The Toys That Made Us, Netflix’s The Movies That Made Us, Jim Gaffigan: Noble Ape, The CW’s Discontinued, Animal Planet’s Animal Nation with Anthony Anderson, the scripted comedy on Hulu There’s… Johnny!, History’s Join Or Die with Craig Ferguson, MTV2’s Wild ’N On Tour, Hulu’s Coming To The Stage, and unannounced projects for Disney+, BET+ and more. Comedy Dynamics began releasing original films in theaters and released the acclaimed independent film Slut in a Good Way in Spring of 2019. In 2017 the Comedy Dynamics Network (CDN) launched and currently distributes specials, television shows and films to all major transactional platforms such as iTunes, Amazon, Google, PlayStation, Xbox and most major telco & satellite providers, including AT&T, Comcast, Charter, Dish, and Verizon. The company has worked with a wide range of established and emerging comedic talent including Tiffany Haddish, Kevin Hart, Aziz Ansari, Jim Gaffigan, Ali Wong, David Cross, and many more. 17 Comedy Dynamics releases have been Grammy-nominated (with four wins), including all 5 in the Comedy Album category for the 61st Annual Grammy Awards in 2019.
Never Be Done will be release for rental and purchase on the following platforms on June 16, 2020: Amazon Prime Video, YouTube Movies, AppleTV, Google Play, Vimeo, Microsoft XBOX, Direct TV, Breaker, Comcast, Cox Communications, Dish and Xfinity. Available on other platforms after June 30th, 2020.
Roy Tighe and Richard Glen Lett are available for interviews upon request.
For more information, photos, interviews please contact:
Lesley Diana | Lesley@thepromotionpeople.ca| 604-726-5575
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