While not the official start date, we did, indeed, start shooting yesterday. It was what’s called a ‘pre-shoot’ day, which means that the studio picks up the tab for the day, and not our budget (although, since the studio also picks up the tab on our budget, what’s the difference, I say).

Shot out both Steve Kmetko and Jules Asner. Both true sweethearts who helped make it a very easy and enjoyable first day. From now on, I’m starting all my shoots with these two.

Mewes, too, was great. We had this dolly shot in which a running Mewes gave a very funny, wide-eyed expression.

And there was another actor I’d love to wax complimentary on, but his deal hasn’t been announced yet. He, too, was quite hysterical.

Tuesday is yet another ‘pre-shoot’ day (with Jeff Anderson), and the Wednesday is the first official day of the show (with Carlin).

And although I haven’t sat in the chair for over two years now, it all came back pretty quickly.

Only fifty one more shoot days to go…

Heather doesn’t understand why her character would fall in love with Jay.

I chuckle about this for a day or two. Granted, she’s not completely off the mark – I mean, it is Jay we’re talking about (the character, not the man himself; fuck it – yeah, even the man himself). But then, why does anyone fall in love with anyone in the movies. Shit – why does anyone fall in love with anyone in real life? After all – who can fathom the complexity of the human heart?

“Among the new breed of indie-trained directors, Kevin Smith (Chasing Amy, Dogma) has been more outrageous in his verbal assaults on the audience’s squeamishness than in his visual forays. Clerks was originally rated NC-17 for raunchy language and the rating was only changed to R after an appeal. “It would have been easier to show Dante gutting a woman or a 12-year-old boy than lamenting about his girlfriend sucking 37 dicks,” Smith says. “I find that a sad comment on our society.” Smith personally shies away from showing sexual acts. “Visually I’m not talented enough to bring it off,” he says. “Maybe when I’m 40, I’ll be more of a dirty old man, and I’ll want to show sex. That’s probably why you see nudity in Robert Altman films–not that I knock the man. But he probably has the desire to see young and vital actors in the buff. Maybe I’m too much of a Catholic ever to have those scenes. I don’t know if I could have that conversation with an actor.” Smith’s ultimate dismay, though, came about through circumstances that speak volumes about the problems he and every other director face in an industry that is, as always, hopelessly schizoid on the subject of sex. “In Mallrats, the studio said we needed a pair of tits, and so there’s a scene where Joey Lauren Adams opens her shirt. To me, that’s a career low. Talk about unsexy! Remembering that scene will probably chase me away from doing sex and nudity for a long time.”

Q: How was the chemistry between you and Jason Lee, who plays the “mark” that you end up falling for?

“A: We couldn’t be more different. He’s very much a guy and I’m very much a girl. If you saw us in a room, you wouldn’t say, “Jennifer Love Hewitt and Jason Lee should be together.” We don’t run in the same circle of friends or anything like that. I’m not as free and wild as he is. I remember meeting him the first day and thinking, “He’s going to think I’m such a dork,” because he’s really hip. Later, he told me, “I had no idea what to do with you the first day.” Slowly, we became best friends on the movie. I still talk with him all the time.”

Just wanted to correct you. Weezer has NO plans of playing at any of the benefit shows. Right now they are working on their 3rd album in LA and have already done some warm-up shows and the KROQ not-so acoustical show. They feel sorry about what happened to Petra and really wanted to play at least one of the benefits, but they just don’t have time. They have a Yahoo! sponsored tour coming up in Feb/March with April dates in Japan and they have to nail down all the recording for the album before then or risk postponing dates on the tour. So, no benefit playing.

Here is the bit from their official fan site:…Tonight was the benefit show for Petra Hayden, which was apparently a sell-out success. Though weezer is simply not prepared to go do a show right now, after rehersal Rivers checked out part of the show and was happy to report seeing Petra up and about, getting around fairly well on her crutches. As I understand it, more benefit shows are planned in other cities, and I think all the support Petra is getting is awesome. Hopefully weezer will have a chance to help out.

Dear Marilyn: I recently saw Almost Famous and am dying to learn more about Jason Lee. I know I’ve heard the name, but where have I seen him before? – Jen, Sherman Oaks, California

Dear Jen: Lee, who plays lead singer of the fictional ’70s band Stillwater in Almost Famous (which hasn’t drawn nearly the audience it deserves), has been around.

Raised in Southern California, he first gained recognition as a skateboarding whiz, displaying his talent in a movie called 360 Flip. He later showed off in several music videos–including the Spike Jonze-directed “100%” for Sonic Youth.

Lee turned big-time actor in Allison Ander’s Mi Vida Loca in 1993, landed the lead in Kevin Smith’s Mallrats and went on to play Ben Affleck’s cranky roommate in Chasing Amy. His movie credits include a costarring stint opposite David Schwimmer in the 1998 Kissing a Fool, in which he played a writer working through his most recent breakup.

The actor–married to actress Carmen Lee–also played the embittered fallen angel Azrael in Kevin Smith’s 1999 Dogma. As I say, he’s been around.