The other news item that I hadn’t seen mentioned anywhere was the reveal that Jason Mewes was producing (yes, you read that right) an animated Bluntman & Chronic feature film that would be released online in serial form. As I’m sure you remember, Bluntman & Chronic were comic book alter egos of Jay and Silent Bob that make their first appearance in Chasing Amy

In fact, the whole plot of Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back revolves around Jay and Silent Bob making their way to Hollywood to stop production of a Bluntman & Chronic movie. I guess you can say that life is imitating art yet again. I’m really excited to see what Jason Mewes will do with the project. He’s come a long way personally and professionally and this would be a home run and a way to keep the View Askewniverse alive.

No word yet on an ETA, but this one sounds like a very real possibility. If we get details on production starting, a potential venue on the web for it (S.I.R.’s first video offering, perhaps?), you’ll know via News Askew.

Lovitz & I are gonna be doing a weekly podcast at The Lovitz called THE ABC’s of SNL. I’ll interview him about ALL his SNL memories. Then, when he’s done, he’ll interview someone else from the show: like Carvey or Nealon. Then, that person interviews someone else from the show. Cast, crew, writers – ANYBODY connected to SNL. Starts this JUNE – only at The Lovitz! Or hear it every weekend – only on S.I.R! On May 9, S.I.R. is gonna change the SMuniverse!

After the tour, Jon & I kick off a new show called TheHarveyBoys. The Harvey Boys podcast will be @TheJonGordon & I telling our first-person history of Miramax Films, circa 92 to 2008. We’ll drive the story but we’ve also talked to our friends who’ve worked at the ‘Max about guesting turns. Our list thus far is LONG, as you’d expect. The idea is to create a comprehensive oral history of the grand ol’ dame of indie cinema from people who worked there, in front of & behind the cameras. And The Harvey Boys will be sponsored, naturally, by RED STATE. As you can see, the S.I.R. programming schedule is filling up nicely…

Alright, but that’s all still a little under 2 months away, right? What can we do for you TODAY, you ask? How about these tidbits:

This Friday, Kevin’s back at the Lovitz with Ralph Garman and Jay Mewes for live editions of “Babble On” and “Jay & Silent Bob Get Old”. Tickets now on sale for both, and easily one of the coolest (and cheapest) ways to spend a Friday night in LA.

Scott Mosier makes his first appearance at the Lovitz Theater on Universal Citywalk as part of SModcast 3D on March 23rd and April 17th. At just $20 for each show, these will almost certainly sell the place out so don’t delay. The original SModcast duo are sure to pack the room with laughs.

For those of you not in the Los Angeles area. catch up with the latest downloads: SModcast cast #160 goes retro with a an episode called “In Convenience” – Look back in time at possibly the first EVER recorded SModcast-ish episode in history. Ralph Garman’s back for another edition of Hollywood Babble-On, celebrating their 25th podcasted episode. As always, FREE!

Here’s what we know so far — 4 to 6 hours of live programming featuring Kevin are scheduled for at least the first month. Two shows, one titled “SMoring”, which will run and be modeled after radio and TV morning talk shows, will run for 2 hours each weekday. Then, during the afternoon, a new 2 hour show from noon ’til 2 with co-host Jason Mewes (tentative titles are “Jay & Silent Bob FM” or “Jay & Silent Bob Get Jobs”. Like the pre-recorded shows, live shows will also be available for download, shortly after the live broadcast concludes. We also assume that the times listed will be pacific, meaning that the morning show will air late morning on the east coast, and the afternoon show will likely be closer to drive time here in EST.

Fans will also have the chance to break into the business. Kevin’s planning to give podcasters all across the web their chance at having a block of time on the network as well. Good ratings/reviews? Maybe you’ll become a part of the family. Big news for anyone out there running a good show right now.

Best of all, everything will remain 100% FREE for YOU, the listener. No subscription fees. The entire network, including the live broadcasts, will be ad-supported, so while you will hear commercials, what you won’t see is a monthly bill in your mailbox. It doesn’t cost you a dime.

Plans for a mobile app are underway, which will give you the chance to take SModcast with you anywhere you go — No more being shackled to your PC to listen. Anywhere you bring your phone or internet device, the SModcast app will get you to the live or pre-recorded content. Details coming up in the next SModcast.

The announcement was made exclusively on G4TV’s “Attack of the Show” where he also chats up “Red State”, the “Real Time” appearance, and lots more in a really nice, relaxed 13 minute chat.

Part 1 of 5 – “Red State” Roadshow Tour & Sales

Are you planning to make any changes to the film after the tour is finished?

I went to Sundance and watched it; that was the first time I got to see it with a real audience, and it was 97 minutes [long] at Sundance. And when I sat in the back, I sat down to watch it as a director at work, seeing it onscreen for the first time all of a sudden, I put my editing cap back on, and I [said], ‘Why did I keep that? Ooh, I could lose that. Ooh, I should tighten this. I’m not doing anybody any good service by leaving this long.’ So suddenly, by the end of the movie I found a bunch of time that I was like, ‘Ahh, I guess I can pull more time out of it.’ But I came home, and now the cut’s, from end to end, it was 97 and now it’s 88, so I guess I pulled out about nine minutes. And it runs so damn fast right now. I mean, from picture to picture you’re talking about 81, 82 minutes, and then you’ve got about six, seven minutes of credits in the back end. So it’s a lean, mean fighting machine, to borrow from John Candy back in Stripes.

Part 2 of 5 – International Distribution, Indie Film

Is there a similar plan for international distribution for Red State, or will that depend on how this tour does?

What a good question. No. It was never a factor for us. Our logic, and when I say ‘us,’ I mean me and Jon Gordon, my producer on the movie and my partner, and The Harvey Boys, which is the company we made the movie with. We always felt like if we do this we don’t even know how to release a movie in the United States, let alone elsewhere, you know what I’m saying? Let alone outside the country. So we trained under the Weinsteins, you know, he (Gordon) worked on Harvey [Weinstein]’s desk for years before he became a creative exec and whatnot. We were like, letís just do what Bob [Weinstein] and Harvey always did. Basically, keep the movie domestically, and just sell it off internationally.

Part 3 of 5 – Looking Back, Haters, Tweeting

How many tweets would you say you post each day?

I don’t know; it ranges, man. It kind of depends. Learning Twitter is a personal experience for everybody, but I had to learn how to do it without overwhelming people, and some people are like, ‘Are you kidding me? You write too many tweets now,’ but it used to be way worse. And I figured out how to do it in ways, and it also depends what you’re tweeting. Like, at the end of the day, they will forgive you 100 tweets in a row if the content is real. Somebody asked me a question where I’ll do these things called SMonologue, where I answer back, and it should be a blog, but Iím doing it there in Twitter, in real time and some people like reading it that way; it’s just fun for me to do it that way; something of a challenge, figuring out how to express yourself 140 characters at a time.

Parts 4 and 5 are coming later this week. Stay tuned! One of the best Q&As we’ve read in a long time, so be sure to click over.

• The 24th episode of “Hollywood Babble-On” is now available for immediate, free streaming.
• Insanely popular “Plus One” hits Episode #13 where Kevin and Jen watch the E! red carpet coverage pre-Oscars and comment.
• Kevin comments on full-length video episodes of SMod shows: “First: You can actually SEE Jay & Bob Get Old/Babble-On bits right here. But when we launch SIR everything on the network will be free; we’ll monetize via ads & premium content. We’ll be shooting ALL the pods from that point forward and putting together a weekly video (with potential to do a daily half hours, too). The idea is to do a deal with an outside party (XBoxLive or Netflix or iTunes, etc). We’d love to host our own video content, but again: we’re just getting started. Gotta taxi BEFORE you can take off.”
• Scott Mosier takes the Lovitz stage for the first time on March 23rd – Tickets now available for SModcast 3D on Citywalk!
• Kevin on the return of “Highlands”: “There is no new Highlands yet, but I sat down with @BryWaltQ when home for TESD 1 Year anniversary special. I’m holding that and the next SMarriage, as well as RedState:SMeetThePress until we’re on the road, to fill in possible holes in the schedule while we’re on the road for the next 2 weeks with RED STATE USA TOUR. Starts Saturday in NYC!”

One of the biggest questions has been how to find SIR once it’s live this spring — Users with mobile devices have a fantastic start on this, with the free Sticher Application which is available for a FREE DOWNLOAD via code “smod”. Grab it now, for free, and you might even with $250 worth of free SModcast SMerchandise. The software should work worldwide, along with the network itself, so you should be able to access S.I.R. programming anywhere there’s an internet connection and a computer or mobile device. Bring the network with you anywhere — The car, the gym, your office, the can….You get the idea. Stitcher is the Pandora of podcasts and now available for Blackerry, iPhone and Android phones.

Full details are up at the blog, but here’s just a taste of the programming you can expect on the network at launch:

At launch, we intend to start with four hours of live content a day. The programming weekday (weekends are being sorted out) will look like this (all times PST, or ‘ìLos Angeles Time’).

8am – 10am (PST): SMorning, with Kev & Jen – It’ll be like daily episode of PLUS ONE with the addition of news, phone calls, games, etc.
10am – Noon: This will be the dayís new podcast that follows the current schedule at SModcast.com.

Mondays: Babble-On
Tuesdays: PlusOne and BlowHard
Wednesdays: Jay & Silent Bob Get Old
Thursdays: Puck Nuts
Fridays: Tell ‘Em, Steve-Dave

Noon – 2pm: Jay & Silent Bob Get Jobs – This wonít be as Jay-centric as Get Old; itíll be more like a regular radio show, hosted by me and the Mewes. Here weíll host guests, talk entertainment, and tell you what time it is (literally, not figuratively like Flava Flav). Expect lots of games: Mewes is a school-girl for the games.

Then, the day repeats. For the first month, the rest of the broadcast day will be filled out with our vast catalogue of podcasts at SModcast.com. The library has grown so large we can run almost an entire 30-day cycle without repeating any of the catalogue programs.

After the first month, others will slowly wade into the stream as well. The aim is to have 12 hours of live content by the six month mark, 12 hours of catalogue (meaning, all the podcasts on our site that already exist).

Wanna be a part of the network? You can. After the first month, they’ll start a daily show entitled Pod U. – which is a showcase for YOUR podcasts! Thereíll be at least 365 a slots a year to fill, so start send your submissions to PodU@smodcast.com. Full rules are in the blog post. One submission per person (so don’t record 10 different shows and send them all in, pick your best).

And finally, don’t forget — Nothing is going away, this is only an EXPAND of the network, meaning every show, including the new live broadcasts, will be available for fast, free download. All the new content plus each and every one of the series that you continue to know and love. How do they do it all? We have no idea, but we love it.

To follow along with the network, be sure to stick with @ThatKevinSmith on Twitter, the S.I.R. facebook page, and of course us here at News Askew.

As promised, Kevin’s sharing all the small details with us via the “Red Statements” blog, where he runs down a list of recent appearances he’s made — all free of charge to the budget, so ZERO marketing costs. The lesson here? Word about the film and the tour have gotten out on CNN, HBO, G4, The E network, countless radio stations, the SModcast network (of course), and tickets have sold. All without a single dime spent on advertising. Nice, right?

Here’s a snippet from the post announcing the big news:

“…The Radio City show was our Big Green Monster, but neither Jon nor I would rank much wood in Williamsburg. I’d been able to sell out Carnegie Hall two years back and that seats 2600 ñ but in the two years that’ve followed, I’ve increased my touring schedule dramatically, adding live SModcast performances to that mix as well. Two years ago, you couldn’t hear me on almost daily basis on SModcast.com. Add an incurable case of Twitterrhea to that equation and there’s a good chance the same folks who came out for that Carnegie show have burned out on my antics. If that was the case, maybe we wouldn’t even reach that Carnegie 2600 number, let alone our hoped-for Radio City 3000 (which would be half capacity, pre-NYPD). Anybody who gives a fig about Fatty McNoFly can hear what’s on his one-track mind 24/7, free-for-nothing; why pay to see him or his dopey flick?

Kids? You gain so much when you give away the farm.

For four years of all the free SModcasts for one year of all the aural we just give away at SModcast.com for seventeen years of being there for them? The audience, as always, is now there for me.

We’ve reached the minimums on all but one of the houses on the tour (I’m looking at you, Minneapolis). We’ve already cleared (not grossed; cleared, post-all payments and expenses) six figures in profits thus far. The tour is making our investors money now, long before the October 19th theatrical release.

The idea was, rather than festival hop (which would have cost money), we’d go right to work, bringing the flick with me on one of my Q&A tours, and start earning some money back for our investors. There’s four million dollars to return, and Jon and I have this dream of being in the black before our theatrical run begins. It’s costing us nothing but time and sweat equity to earn (Well, that’s not the whole truth: the earnings from my spring touring would’ve been mine, personally ñ but I’m giving all the tour earnings to Red State).

Will we sell out across the country? Not likely. I’m not even sure a single house will sell out on the tour. But it doesn’t matter, so long as the tour itself ultimately profits; and right now, the tour is already in profit. Naturally, our investors would like to maximize that number; so I’ll be doing all I can to spread the word without spending a dime. But I’ll be honest: the moment we hit profitability, the pressure was off.”

Make sure you stop over at the Red Statements blog for the entire post (and a look at that amazing trailer again, if you haven’t seen it in a while). Much thanks to Kevin also for the News Askew ink towards the end — To our new visitors, welcome, and like SModcast, expect big things and changes (for the better) around here in 2011.

Tickets for the US “Red State” road show are still available for the tour, where you can see not only “Red State” over a half of a year early, but also get a full-blown Q&A show with Kevin Smith himself. These are the ONLY SCHEDULED US DATES for a chance to see the film and Kevin together, so don’t miss it. If you’re waiting for this to come back around later in the year, don’t count on it. Get your tickets now, and proudly say that you not only saw the film early, but that your dollars went directly towards its budget. Pretty cool, right?

As promised, Kevin’s sharing all the small details with us via the “Red Statements” blog, where he runs down a list of recent appearances he’s made — all free of charge to the budget, so ZERO marketing costs. The lesson here? Word about the film and the tour have gotten out on CNN, HBO, G4, The E network, countless radio stations, the SModcast network (of course), and tickets have sold. All without a single dime spent on advertising. Nice, right?

Here’s a snippet from the post announcing the big news:

“…The Radio City show was our Big Green Monster, but neither Jon nor I would rank much wood in Williamsburg. I’d been able to sell out Carnegie Hall two years back and that seats 2600 ñ but in the two years that’ve followed, I’ve increased my touring schedule dramatically, adding live SModcast performances to that mix as well. Two years ago, you couldn’t hear me on almost daily basis on SModcast.com. Add an incurable case of Twitterrhea to that equation and there’s a good chance the same folks who came out for that Carnegie show have burned out on my antics. If that was the case, maybe we wouldn’t even reach that Carnegie 2600 number, let alone our hoped-for Radio City 3000 (which would be half capacity, pre-NYPD). Anybody who gives a fig about Fatty McNoFly can hear what’s on his one-track mind 24/7, free-for-nothing; why pay to see him or his dopey flick?

Kids? You gain so much when you give away the farm.

For four years of all the free SModcasts for one year of all the aural we just give away at SModcast.com for seventeen years of being there for them? The audience, as always, is now there for me.

We’ve reached the minimums on all but one of the houses on the tour (I’m looking at you, Minneapolis). We’ve already cleared (not grossed; cleared, post-all payments and expenses) six figures in profits thus far. The tour is making our investors money now, long before the October 19th theatrical release.

The idea was, rather than festival hop (which would have cost money), we’d go right to work, bringing the flick with me on one of my Q&A tours, and start earning some money back for our investors. There’s four million dollars to return, and Jon and I have this dream of being in the black before our theatrical run begins. It’s costing us nothing but time and sweat equity to earn (Well, that’s not the whole truth: the earnings from my spring touring would’ve been mine, personally ñ but I’m giving all the tour earnings to Red State).

Will we sell out across the country? Not likely. I’m not even sure a single house will sell out on the tour. But it doesn’t matter, so long as the tour itself ultimately profits; and right now, the tour is already in profit. Naturally, our investors would like to maximize that number; so I’ll be doing all I can to spread the word without spending a dime. But I’ll be honest: the moment we hit profitability, the pressure was off.”

Make sure you stop over at the Red Statements blog for the entire post (and a look at that amazing trailer again, if you haven’t seen it in a while). Much thanks to Kevin also for the News Askew ink towards the end — To our new visitors, welcome, and like SModcast, expect big things and changes (for the better) around here in 2011.

Tickets for the US “Red State” road show are still available for the tour, where you can see not only “Red State” over a half of a year early, but also get a full-blown Q&A show with Kevin Smith himself. These are the ONLY SCHEDULED US DATES for a chance to see the film and Kevin together, so don’t miss it. If you’re waiting for this to come back around later in the year, don’t count on it. Get your tickets now, and proudly say that you not only saw the film early, but that your dollars went directly towards its budget. Pretty cool, right?