• Over the weekend, news broke (via Kevin) that a new frontier was about to be tackled on the Internet — Podcasting! Kevin and Scott have created their very first podcast series, titled “SModcast”, which will run EXCLUSIVELY over at the Quick Stop Entertainment website. Smith and Mosier have taken their trademark witty banter and chemisty to this new audio-only feature, which takes an ongoing conversation between the two and gives you, the listener, a chance to be a virtual fly on the wall. Here’s Kevin with his official announcement:

Judging by this first installment, it seems that Kevin and Scott might cover any variety of topics each episode. This isn’t by any means a View Askew news podcast, though we wouldn’t be surprised if Kevin or Scott occasionally do make use of this program to announce new projects, discuss ideas, and the like. Sex and marriage is a big topic this time around. This is more just the guys being themselves, covering things that interest them (and hopefully you as well). They do it quite well and make it a fascinating stream-of-consciousness listen. Kevin’s recent radio experience has served him well, for sure. He promises the cast will happen once a week (we’re hoping it sticks with Mondays) and is not a longer session cut into smaller pieces to stretch airtime. So, things should be very timely to current events, when needed.

The podcast has fantastic production values, of course, with the duo well-mic’ed up and clear, along with some nice sound beds and other production touches (when discussing an Asia song early in the ‘cast, for example, the song lightly plays in the background). As usual, no topic is too sacred, and this stuff is totally uncensored, so listen with care. You only need a computer capable of playing MP3s to listen to a podcast, though using a portable MP3 player such as an iPod allows you to automatically receive new shows and take them on the road with you.

SModcast is a welcome addition to the View Askew family, and we’re looking forward to the next one already. May it continue on for a very long time! Folks are discussing the show at The Board, and you can of course leave comments on the first show via either of Kevin’s blogs.

• Every once in a while some of the absolute COOLEST pieces of swag come out at the Stash, and this is one of those days — You just must own this super-cool Leonardo Reapers hockey jersey, now available at our online store as well as in person at Stash East and Stash West. This jersey is a TOTAL BARGAIN at just $50 and just oozes cool. Great colors, that awesome logo, and just subtle enough that only those View Askew fans out there that catch you looking cool wearing this will know the origin. And of course, that wonderful 37 on the back. Buy this now, and fast, we’re betting these suckers sell out:

We love this thing!!!

• We love it when Kevin hits the board for an out and out Q&A session — Folks ask great questions (usually) and Kevin surprises us with answers, often dropping news and info that we didn’t expect. Read on for summarized details of some of the best stuff, including the tentative film schedule for 2007:

You can check out the entire thread, which includes every Q&A, starting HERE.

• An astute scooper over at The Board was scouring popular video service YouTube and overturned something we’ve never had available online before — The program “The Test” from the FX channel, which we reported on way back in August 2001. This was part of a 90 minute takeover of the FX channel, where Kevin, Jay and Jen (along with Mark Hamill) were on to promote “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back”:

YouTube’s been taking network stuff like this off the site without warning recently (hence the demise of our News Askew YouTube channel), so watch it while ya can! Kevin had a few things to say about the clippage as well. Enjoy!

• It appears that the UK edition of Clerks II, on region 2 DVD, will include a special black slipcover when purchased at HMV stores. You can see a shot of this art at their site.

• A very small reference found in a book of crosswords — Check out #24 across in this scan.
• One blogger thinks Kevin would be the perfect person to turn Harlan Ellison’s comic “Spider Kiss” into a feature film. Rumored to be loosely based on the career of Jerry Lee Lewis, Spider’s Kiss is rich in detail as it follows the fictional rise and fall of teenage heartthrob and musician Stag Preston. Check out his blog HERE.

• Here’s a fun one to end the day, from the UK as well – Our scooper spotted this blast from the past in Oxford Circus underground station (part of the famous “tube”). They’ve taken away loads of old advertising posters, leaving even older ones underneath. Check out what was revealed! See ya next time…