The event will take place on Monday, January 7th, at our usual stomping grounds, the Clearview Cinemas at White Street. Start time is noon (with doors opening at eleven), and the whole day should run ’til around midnight.

Tickets will go on sale Saturday, November 3rd, at 12:00 noon, eastern standard time. If the last ‘Thon was any indication, tickets should sell out within three hours – so call early.

The number, as always, is 732-842-6933.

Please do not call that number before noon on November 3rd, as no ticket orders will be taken until noon, November 3rd. Also, please don’t bug Walter at the Stash, as he’ll have no info beyond what you’re reading here.

We’ll be shutting off the voicemail feature on the phone lines, however, should you get a voicemail message, DO NOT leave your info on it, as we won’t be honoring voicemail orders. You have to speak with a LIVE representative (as opposed to the dead ones who normally work the phones here are View Askew) in order to secure tickets.

There will be a limit of two tickets per phone order. Tickets are sixty ($60) dollars each, payable by Visa or Mastercard. You will be given a confirmation number over the phone for ticket pick-up. Tickets will be distributed the Saturday and the Sunday prior to the event at the Stash. To pick up your tickets at the Stash on either of the appointed days, you will need your confirmation number, as well as two forms of I.D. Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable (i.e. – no scalping; last year, a scalper was detected and said scalper’s tickets were confiscated and re-sold).

The list of films that’ll make up this year’s program is being finalized, and will be announced sometime in December. Guests, as usual, will not be announced.

And that’s about it for now. Len (Marksman) should have hotel and travel info, in regards to the great city of Red Bank. If you’ve never been to a ‘Thon, ask those who have if it’s worth the trip. I’m sure they’ll tell you it is, as we usually put on a good show.

Short of all that, ladies and gents, I’d urge you to get your dialing fingers ready for a good workout.

It would seem that Benefit Week (as we’ve taken to calling it around here) is finally at an end. The rough review of the last four days…

THURS/FRI

The Alliance of Neighbors of Monmouth County Benefit at the Count Basie Theater was heartwarming, a lot of fun, and filled with a nice dose of local pride. Great peformances all around.

I must confess, however, that the highlight was Bruce Springsteen telling me that he dug all the flicks, with “Amy” being his favorite. I mean, he’s the Boss, for Christ’s sake.

The Star Ledger ran a nice story about the event that you can read at…
http://www.nj.com/music/ledger/index.ssf?/music/ledger/14c51ee.html

SATURDAY

Had great seats for the show. Harvey sat us in his section, which was stage right, three rows up (I could’ve hit Melissa Etheridge with a rolled-up tissue; by the by, how great was her cover of “Born to Run”? She can play a fucking guitar, can’t she?). The price on the tickets was ten grand apiece.

I know – I was shocked too. I can’t imagine paying ten grand to see anybody in concert (except maybe Jesus or Kinison).

But that being said, I dug the show. Thought The Who played a fantastic set especially. Wasn’t sure about the spartan Bowie cover of “America”, but it’s grown on me in the two days since the concert – so much so that I hope they put out a CD of the event. Loved seeing Billy Joel ’cause I’m a big Billy Joel fag (shit – better get out my check-book), and have even more respect for the Goo-Goo Dolls after their tremendous rendition of “American Girl.”

The highlight, of course, was listening to that many people (twenty thousand or more? How many people does the Garden sit?) laughing at the short. It had to be the largest single audience I’ve ever sat with while watching something I’ve made. Incredibly gratifying, that.

But beyond the selfish aspect, what I dug about the show most was how sincere the whole affair was. Folks were genuinely appreciative to the NY PD/FD/EMS workers in attendance, and there wasn’t a phoney note in the night. The age of cynicism may, indeed, be over.

SUNDAY

Jen and I took Harley to a Benefit Brunch/Show at Carnegie Hall – “A Perfectly Ridiculous Concert” with John Lithgow singing children’s songs. The event was benefiting the Carnegie Hall Kids’ Concerts series – a program that helps keep ticket prices to Carnegie programs for City kids down to five bucks a head. A shout-out to Miramax’s Meryl Poster who invited us to the shindig, which represented our collective first visits to Carnegie Hall.

MONDAY

No Benefit anything scheduled for today. Nothing but quality time with a Green Arrow script and “Jersey Girl.”

I’ll check back later.

Cover by Joe Quesada & Alex RossKevin Smith, Joe Quesada, Bill Jemas & Brian Michael Bendis (w)/Igor Kordey, John Romita Jr., Mark Bagley & Chuck Austen (p)

o THE SCOOP: An all-star collection of creators craft four silent stories – with all proceeds going to the victims of 9o11o01.

o THE STORY: Inspired by the true events, four duos of titanic talent unite to remember the heroic sacrifices of 9o11o01. And, in keeping with our ‘Nuff Said event, all stories will be told with images only. The creative teams include: Kevin Smith (DAREDEVIL, Green Arrow) and Igor Kordey (CABLE); Marvel’s EIC Joe Quesada and John Romita Jr. (AMAZING SPIDER-MAN); Marvel Prez Bill Jemas and Mark Bagley (ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN); and Brian Michael Bendis (DAREDEVIL) and Chuck Austen (ELEKTRA). And it’s all wrapped in a touching cover penciled by Quesada and painted by Alex Ross. Best of all, Marvel will give all proceeds to the families that lost loved ones during the attack on America. o THE FORMAT: 32 pages, with no ads. Printed on glossy stock with a cardstock cover.

The network said it was worried about how a series in which people try to hunt down a citizen, the runner, as he travels across the country would be received after the terrorist attacks.

ABC reportedly had concerns that increased airport security could slow the chase. The network is also likely responding to the public’s relative lack of interest in the reality genre since the Sept. 11 attacks.

“It is our view that today’s environment would not be conducive to this type of television event,” said Lloyd Braun, co-chairman of ABC entertainment. Braun said it’s still possible that “The Runner” could resurface in the future.

ABC had high hopes for the series, which would have appeared midseason. Not only were Damon and Affleck involved, but so was Michael Davies, the executive behind “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.”

Since the Sept. 11 attacks, the public has largely rejected faux television reality in favor of the more unsettling reality in the news. ABC last week cancelled the second run of “The Mole” before the game had finished. CBS’ highly anticipated series “The Amazing Race” has fallen flat.

Even the genre’s champion, “Survivor,” was beaten by NBC’s “Friends” in the ratings during the first two weeks of its new African edition – the opposite of what happened last spring.

Shelving “The Runner” also adds to a season of bad news for ABC, which has run a distant third in the ratings behind NBC and CBS so far this fall.