Well huh. Would you look at that. A little time investment can indeed buy you some prime-grade nostalgia. What you’re looking at right here is a “back from the dead” attempt to piece together a site we once thought was long gone – www.newsaskew.com.

Following a recent visit to SModcastle Cinemas and a chat with the man himself, the nostalgia hit hard causing the inspiration to fire up the keyboards and see if this was even possible. Some late nights and weeks later, here we are.

From 1997 until 2011, News Askew was essentially a living scrapbook of all events and news related to Kevin Smith, View Askew, SMod, and every tangential thing around them. From what you can see here, it was a lot. After those 14 years, during a time where the Askewniverse had seemingly closed its doors for good, the site transitioned into The SIRmon, a similar concept that tracked Kevin’s world that had then spun into the world of podcasting and internet radio. Our schedules forced us to step down only months later, and the site did not survive into 2012.

We’ve since lost www.newsaskew.com to squatters, but thanks to the miracles of modern technology, you’re browsing a freshly stood up instance of the site, built with as much old data as we could scrape together to mimic that exact experience you had back in the late 90’s and early 2000’s.

We’re super proud of the work we did over those 14 years and are happy to have it (mostly) back and on the books. We hope some of you may enjoy looking back on these days as well.

What you’re looking at right now represents 7,859 published posts, tons of special edition pages like physical media reviews, set visits, and of course, the classic drinking games that were the original inspiration of this site. Thanks to some dusty old backups and some creative scripting of the internet archives, the site (along with its final look prior to transition to www.thesirmon.com) is here. It’s alive!

There’s a lot of great content here, but what was also learned was just how much disappears when you allow it to. We’ve got a lot of it back, and are continuing to use all the tools we have to piece together what’s left. Here’s some notes on what you will and won’t see as you explore the vast archives:

• The basic text of all of our locally crafted news stories are back, hopefully in a format you can read.
• The search box is also working very well, along with monthly archives pages, if you’re looking to revisit a particular month.
• Hyperlinks inside those stories, especially those that go to offsite locations, are mostly not going to work, just due to the fact that websites that were around from 1997-2011 don’t seem to be anymore, or if they are, they changed their link structure and didn’t maintain forwarding links forever. We get it.
• Similarly, images we linked to from offsite are also gone, in addition to a lot of our local images (especially in the years 2009, 2010 and 2011).
• Our on location, retro askew, drinking games, and other special features should mostly be viewable, though maybe not quite as clean to browse as they were back in the day.
• Comments made by real users as well as your scoop credits are actually still there. We are working to get comments restored for the 2009-2010-2011 era (same timeframe as the lost images).

So now then, where were we…?

• Those of you who follow @ThatKevinSmith on Twitter (and really, why aren’t you), may have noticed a message over the weekend announcing some changes coming here at good ‘ol News Askew. Back at the start of the year, we talked about major changes coming in 2011. Today, we’re making good on that promise.
  
  This week, we’ll be re-launching News Askew under a new name. We’ll have up-to-the-second news from SModcast Internet Radio, the latest live shows, “Red State”, “Hit Somebody”, and anything else that might cross our path. Our key focus at the new place, obviously, is gonna be everything SMod, as that’s the direction Kevin’s taking. But fret not, dear fans, as we’ll be continuing on in the tradition of News Askew with the same news you know and love from all aspects of Kevin’s career and everything that it touches. We’re working tirelessly on transitioning our 15-year database of news and features to the new place. When that’s done, you’ll be able to find it all faster and easier than ever before.
  
  In addition, we’re kicking off a new feature this week that’s going to take the live SIR shows into a new realm, exclusively at the new site. We think you’ll enjoy that, too.
  
  We’ll be keeping this page, and our twitter feed, operational for a while, but all NEW news stories (and yes, that includes Askew stuff as well as SMod stuff), will be at our new home, located at http://theSIRmon.com. Yep, that’s right, we are becoming “The SIRmon”! The current twitter feed is also changing. Update your Twitter feeds to follow news at @TheSIRmon on twitter and we’ll continue bringing you everything from the world of Kevin Smith, SModcast, and classic View Askew direct to your electronic device of choice.
  
  Happy Anniversary to US!
  
  Celebrating 10 Years: The Many Faces of News Askew
  
  Thanks to our fans for the first 14 years of fun. Now, let’s take it to the next generation with something even bigger. We hope you’ll all come on the journey with us. See you over at theSIRmon.com!

• This week, Kevin finally revealed what sounds like a plan that’s been in the works for quite some time. After months of hints, regarding a second chance to see “Red State” inside smaller, “Mom and Pop” style independent theaters, whisperings that Labor Day would be a big chance to see “Red State” for fans, and other rumors and speculation, we now have clear details.
  
  Starting Labor Day weekend (September 2nd through September 5th, 2011), the awesome distributor Lionsgate will bring “Red State” to the Video-On-Demand (VOD) circuit for a limited run. We’re not positive on the debut date yet, but we’ll speculate either September 1st or 2nd for right now. Targeted price is $10 though this may vary, depending on your cable or satellite provider’s setup. If you’re in any doubt, give your local cable company a call to see if they’ve got “Red State” on their VOD schedule for September. If they don’t, demand it! As soon as we get details on what services will offer the flick, we’ll let you know. Yes, this will be the full, uncut film in all its beautiful digital picture and sound quality, so plan on setting up a “Red State” premiere party with your friends and family for the weekend. Make it a part of your Labor Day.
  
  Then, in October, on a yet-to-be-announced date (likely a Monday night, though), theaters across the country will host a digitally syndicated one-night-only chance to see “Red State” with a simulcast introduction and Q&A, LIVE, by Kevin Smith himself, followed by an exclusive live episode of the great “Hollywood Babble On”. Kevin’s inviting the large chains to jump on board with this, as well, and we’re hoping they do — So make sure you talk to your local theater’s manager, big or small, and let them know you’d be down for a night of “Red State” this October. As Kevin wisely says, fans will not only pack seats on a night that theaters are traditionally empty, but spend a ton of cash on concessions to boot. Our plan is to promote the heck of of any theater hosting the show, so once you find out your theater is hosting, let us know so we can add it to a master list that we’ll be putting together. The $20 ticket price is a total no-brainer. We’re there.
  
  All this, along with a ton of fantastic back story and detail, from Kevin’s latest Red Statements blog. Some highlights from this are ahead — This is Kevin at his finest, one of the best blog entries we’ve ever read from the man, as it not only covers his thoughts on the “Red State” distribution model, but the new world for independent film:
  
  “…Saying what I said at Sundance didn’t shut doors, like homey suggested it would. Instead, it got me invited onto many more lawns. What he saw as an implosion was really a simple reinvention: almost a commercial for Kevin Smith, 2.0. And that commercial worked: in the last six months, I’ve inked deals for a book and two television pilots, started an online radio station, lost 70 pounds, renewed myself as an artist and revitalized my career just in time for me to opt out of the movie biz altogether after Hit Somebody – my next (and last) film.”
  
  “…We made close to one million bucks from 15 screenings, including $160,000 from the Radio City Music Hall show (which gave us the tenth best per-theater average of all-time). Add that million to the nearly $5 million in foreign sales to date (including Canada – which never feels foreign to me), VOD and Home Video deal, and streaming. Guess where that puts our four million dollar film? IN THE BLACK!”
  
  “…In the last decade, specialized film marketing has become as costly as studio movie marketing: there is no difference. It’s not like Fox will give an indie flick a cheaper commercial rate during American Idol. If you see a commercial for a movie on TV, that means huge chunks of money are already being spent on that film’s behalf, in an effort to hip the world the movie’s coming. Grand idea, but cost-prohibitive to those of us unwilling to spend another wasted nickel reaching out to an audience that just wants to stay home and see the flick at their convenience. I know my audience and I don’t have to spend money to reach them.”
  
  “…From this day forward, every buck that Red State makes is a buck of profit. And we were able to do that without spending money on marketing. People know only one way to release movies anymore: with commercials, billboards, paid ads. But I’m committed to doing Red State pure: I never want to spend money to make money when I don’t have to. All I’ve gotta do is use my special effect and bring the movie with me when I Q&A.”
  
  And here’s the actual announcement on what the show in October is all about:
  
  “…Like let’s say Red State is showing at your local multiplex. But then right after the movie ends, a live, interactive Q&A with the filmmaker starts, beamed into the theater via satellite. Even if you’re not there in the room, you’re Tweeting questions from your theater and getting responses from the guy on the big screen. And then, after three hours of movie and interactive Q&A? Boom: LIVE PODCAST! That’s four hours of once-in-a-lifetime entertainment for less than $20: a movie, a show, then another show. And y’know how we’ll market it? Via Twitter and my podcasts and in-theater trailers. So it’s not gonna cost us much but time and effort, which makes for lots more profit (the key motivator for all patrons of the business of show).
  
  So that’ll be fun for me and the audience and might actually get people into the theater for something new and different without simply buying their interest via pricey commercials or billboards. But what if it’s not playing in a theater near you?
  Don’t worry: I’ve got you covered there, too.”
  
  
  And then, on to the VOD news:
  
  “…Lionsgate was where we were always hoping Red State would wind up, before we decided to release the flick theatrically ourselves. Even their modest theatrical marketing costs (the lowest amongst the boldface name studios) were still gonna be too much for our $4million dollar art film. But we were gonna need a partner for Video-On-Demand and Home Video, so we reached out to Lionsgate after Sundance and begged them to be our VOD/DVD/BluRay partner. We didn’t have to sell very hard: mind you, this is the company that released Dogma in 1999. This is also the only company brave enough to theatrically distribute Vulgar (back when such things were still possible). They’ve got a history of nutting-up with weird material.
  
  So starting Labor Day weekend, you can see Red State in your house for like $10. If you gather up ten friends and watch it together, then it’s like a buck a pop. I used to feel like any release that didn’t include TV spots and newspaper ads was somehow a failure, until I remembered that I don’t make the Avatar or Hangover II type of flicks that demand a theatrical experience in the first place. In Red State, I made a hardcore, mid-90?s indie flick: it’s raw, it’s nasty, it’s funny, it’s strange, and it’d be doomed at the box office if it had to run the traditional gauntlet. But once you realize the game is rigged, you can change the game. If you can’t win at rugby, change it into football. Make up your own rules.”
  
  
  There’s a lot to love about this posting and news. Let’s count the ways…
  
  1. “Red State” has already made enough profit to be totally in the black. That means, before a national release anywhere, investors and actors are all paid, and the costs are fully covered. Amazing.
  
  2. Kevin had the opportunity to make exactly the movie he wanted, the cuts he wanted (after basically inviting the audience to a nationwide concert-like tour that also allowed him to determine a few trims at the Sundance debut).
  
  3. “Red State” will remain totally uncut, and the way exactly the director intended.
  
  4. The theory that a film needs to have massive ad campaigns and distribution plans to make serious money has been blown out of the water.
  
  5. Fans across the country will get the chance to simultaneously participate in what has to be the largest audience ever for a one-night film and live event with Kevin and co.
  
  6. Instead of asking the audience to come to the movie, Kevin’s bringing the movie directly to the audiences who want it.
  
  7. WE GET “RED STATE” AT HOME THIS SEPTEMBER!!!
  
  Our take: Even though some may speculate this is a change in direction, Kevin’s doing exactly what he wanted, just like he did when he bought the film at Sundance. We’ve been hearing hints from Kevin about this whole “mom and pop” theater idea, and September debut for a long time now, and he’s been careful to not let the details slip — Though now that they have, looking back, you can see that this was the plan all along. Kevin’s changed up the entire system for distributing a movie, and he’s MADE MONEY doing it. Not only profit, but given birth to an amazing, unique, pure film unlike anything he’s ever done before. Tune up your TV sets, folks, as “Red State” will be hitting VOD this Labor Day. You can bet we’ll be hosting a huge screening here for all our pals to enjoy the flick on VOD, and also on hand at our favorite local theater here in the Central PA area for the October event. Stay tuned, it’s gonna be an exciting couple of months for “Red State”…And then, on to “Hit Somebody”!

• It’s late here on the east coast, so we’ll be chatting about this a great deal tomorrow/later today, but we just wanted to get something out there fast for the fans. Kevin has confirmed that fans will be able to enjoy “Red State” IN THEIR HOMES via Video-on-Demand starting LABOR DAY WEEKEND with the awesome Lionsgate handling the distribution. Price is expected to be around $10.
  
  Then, in October, for ONE NIGHT ONLY, you’ll be able to enjoy the film digitally in a theater near you, complete with a live, nationwide interactive Q&A session and live podcast following the screening. Tickets for these yet to be announced venues will be just $20.
  
  More details and commentary on this fantastic news, and Kevin’s amazing blog post, soon — For now, read it for yourself at the official Red Statements site.

• With Kevin & Jen back stateside after the Italy trip, things are starting to get back to business as usual with SModcast and SModcast Internet Radio — That is, of course, meaning that the news is coming in fast and furious, involving new live appearances, iTunes downloads, show news, and heaps more. Here’s a breakdown of all that was revealed on the great SIR this week (and if you didn’t hear it live, why aren’t you listening – it’s free!) :
  • SModCost deets have been totally revealed, and as a fan, there’s every reason to join up. First off, for just $37 bucks, you’re covered for AN ENTIRE YEAR (almost half of the monthly $4.99 cost). To start, you’re going to get exlclusive access to archives and never-before heard content from the network. You’re also going to be the first to get ticketing offers for major events — Yep, buy tickets and get the best seats before ANYONE ELSE. That alone is worth well more than the annual fee for a fan. But yes, you’re getting ALL that content, and a lot more special surprises and treats as the months roll on. Hit this link and become a support of SModcast, and a proud SModCost member, today. Premium, CD-quality content starts rolling out regularly this July.Be a part of SIR! The live call-in at 855-YES-SIRS (855-937-7477) opens up during the live broadcasts for your chance to join the crew live, on-air. Listen to “Plus One Per Diem” Monday through Friday mornings starting at 11 AM EST / 8 AM PST.SMoviola becomes the latest SModcast network show to take over iTunes this week – Not only can you now sMubscribe to it, you can get the official episode #1, “Valley Girl”, immediately delivered to your eardrums – FREE! Coming soon, “The Breakfast Club” and “The Rocketeer”. Subscribe today and get immediate notification as new SMoviola becomes available. It’s already the #1 rated TV/Film podcast on iTunes! Prefer video? Watch the “Valley Girl” Q&A right here courtesy of FilmLinc.In just over a month of life, SIR has already logged some amazing guests — Fans are calling Joe Rogan‘s stint from Monday one of the best podcasts they’ve ever heard. We’re loving the banner tucked away neatly in the lower right corner of the official SModcast site — Page through it and take a look (and listen, via direct links) to all of SIR’s great guest appearances.Don’t forget, the first and original SModcast, when recorded, arrives on the network and for download every Sunday – Last week’s #173 came to us direct from a recent Lovitz appearance, and #174 will be available perhaps even by the time you’re reading this.After kicking butt on the network during the Italy trip, there’s rumblings that we’ll be getting daily doses of Bry, Walt, & Ming on SIR — Details soon.
  
  SIR is back on the air Monday morning — And don’t forget, get in on that SModCost pricing while the gettin’s good – Best bargain of the year, and you help support all the amazing FREE content that continues to reach the global masses of the interwebs.

• Kevin Smith’s panels have constantly sold out to standing-room-only crowds at the annual San Diego Comic Con. With this being the biggest year yet of SMod, there’s some special stuff happening there this year. Right now, you can buy tickets for two exclusive shows at the House of Blues in San Diego, and you don’t even have to be a ‘con attendee. Hit the top of SModcast.com for links to purchase table and bar tickets for both “Hollywood Babble On” and “Jay and Silent Bob Get Old”, both going down on Friday, July 22nd. There are just 100 seated tickets and 200 standing/bar tickets for each show, so don’t delay. $37 gets you a seat and $26.99 gets you in the door. Tickets come down as PDF files, you print and bring ‘em with you, nice and easy. If you want to see both shows, you’ll need tickets for both.
  
  JUST ANNOUNCED – Kevin will moderate a panel featuring Star Trek captains William Shatner and Avery Brooks at the Con this year, in conjunction with Shater’s new documentary taking a look at the actors who have taken the Trek captain’s chair over the years. Epix HD will debut the film and offer fans a chance to interact directly with the panel, though this will likely be the MUST SEE headline event of the Con this year. Typically, you need to line up just for tickets for events like this at the Con ahead of time, but we if hear anything further on how you can get a seat, you’ll have it here. Stay tuned.
  
  And don’t forget, See SMOD network programs recorded LIVE at the Lovitz, Universal Citywalk, every Friday and Saturday night. The Huffington Post shares a look (scroll down) at what you’ll see in person. Not local? SeeSMod has all your upcoming tour dates from around the globe.