College boys come up to me like, ‘Hey Brodie, hey Brodie’, as if I’m thissmart-ass kid,” remarks Jason Lee, mimicking the more excitable fans of hisdebut in Kevin Smith’s Mallrats. “Whereas in fact I’m a 28-year-old familyman.”

Disappointing though it may be for those expecting a real-life versionof the scatological Brodie or Chasing Amy’s porn-fixated Banky, the actorbehind both is more likely to offer a firm handshake than aMallrats-inspired ‘stink palm’. The former pro-skater’s work rate wouldalso terrify his onscreen alter egos, with the romantic comedy Kissing aFool, the first of five films about to be released here (England). “I’d had a lot of offers to play Generation X wiseguys,” Lee says ofhis manic schedule, “but I wanted to do as much stuff as possible whichwould show me in a different light.”

Having grown up in Southern California’s Huntington Beach, the idea ofacting first occurred to Lee after moving to Los Angeles. “I was burnt outon skating,” he explains, “and I didn’t want to milk it, so a couple ofmiserable auditions for commercials later, I decided to try out for a partin a movie. And the first one I got was Mallrats.”

After Brodie and Banky came the slew of roles that brought the chanceto “take what I’d learned working with Kevin and apply it. In Kissing aFool, my character’s this clean-cut, preppy guy, which could faze people.” Out of the same spirit of reinvention came the part of a billionairecomputer magnate in Lawrence Kasdan’s Mumford. “Lawrence has been aroundthe block a thousand times,” Lee says, “so working with him did a lot formy self-confidence.”

Then there’s his appearance as a “non-wiseass” demon in Kevin Smith’sDogma, already plagued by pre-emptive strikes from the US religious right. Lee doesn’t see what all the fuss is about. “Dogma’s not controversial atall, or at least it shouldn’t be,” he shrugs. “It’s just a supernaturalcomedy.”

Also in the can are American Cuisine, co-starring Irene Jacob, andTony Scott’s Enemy of the State, with Will Smith. “Now that was intense,”Lee laughs. “Millions and millions of dollars, six cameras shooting atonce, helicopters, blocked-off streets, cars getting blown up. I enjoyedit.”

Despite the romantic leads and actions flicks, Lee isn’t sold onstardom yet. “I’m still inexperienced as an actor, so I don’t feel I’vegot the right to start putting my face in front of everyone,” he says. Sothe icon status of Dogma co-stars Matt Damon and Ben Affleck doesn’tappeal? “Nah,” Lee shrugs. “Trust me, I don’t have the body for it.”

do you go to the dungeon to find out how to make peace with your days in the dungeon writing a letter to you didn’t make me feel any more peaceful than how i felt when we weren’t speaking because i didn’t cop to what i did i can’t love you because we’re supposed to have professional boundaries i’d like you to be schooled and in awe as though you were kissed by god full on the lips. I’m in the front row the front row with popcorn i get to see you see you close up

I’m too tired to recount the unpleasantries one by one minute i want to banish you the next i want to be on a deserted island with you along with my three favourite cd’s ambivalent yet in your bed we’ve yet to acknowledge what really happened

slid into the ditch i have this overwhelming loss of ambition we said let’s name thirty good reasons why we shouldn’t be together i started by saying things like “you smoke” “you live in new jersey (too far)” you started saying things like “you belong to the world” all of which could have been easily refuted but the conversation was hypothetical I am totally short of breath for you why can’t you shut your stuff off…… I’m in the front row the front row with popcorn i get to see you see you close up

and i laughed until my lungs hurt I love how you bust my chops you don’t always feel seen sometimes you feel erasable unfortunately i cannot reciprocate in my current state i think we should be careful of how much time we spend together

…..for a while while i’m speaking to you know how much you hate to be interrupted maybe spend some time alone fill up your proverbial cup so that it doesn’t always have to be about you i’ve been wanting your undivided attention I like the fact that you’re nothing like me are you not burdened by the lack of perspective people have of your charmed life (seemingly)? I’m in the front row the front row

with popcorn i get to see you see you close up you never meant to be ungrateful nor held up to be whipped or wept for certainly not analyzed prodded at more ways than one apparently you’ve been misrepresented dealing with the concept of arrows being slung towards your outrageous fortune

hey i’m not mad at you guardian i’m mad at myself for spending so much time with you and your jeckyl and hydeness i’m glad i figuratively slapped you on the wrist you laughed a wicked laugh and said “come here let me clip your wings!” (i know he’s blood but you can still turn him away you don’t owe him anything) “raise the roof” he yelled “yeah raise the roof!” I yelled back (unfortunately you needed a health scare to repriortize.) no thanks to the soap box having me rile against them won’t make an ounce of difference…. I’m in the front row the front row with popcorn i get to see you see you close up

oh the things i’ve done for you many a sitch a friend a man’s been left for you oh the books i’ve read for you the tongues i’ve bitten for you many a new city for you many a risk taken for you (not a single regret.)