- We’ve received a lot of inquiries and information regarding the piece from E! Online’s Andy Jones (which we ran as a newsbite on Tuesday) regarding “Superman”. Here’s that blurb again to refresh your memory:
Apparently, there weren’t just a number of mistakes in that piece, but also other pieces Jones has written about Kev as well. Check out these examples…
Kane: What three movies do you hate?
Jones: You know what, I’m going to name all Kevin Smith movies because I’m going to start a Holy war with him – “Dogma,” “Chasing Amy” and “Mall Rats.” Bring it on, Kevin Smith!!
From E! Movie Scoop, week of June 13, 2003
Palm Pilot Alert: Kevin Smith ‘s masturbatory and narcissistic experiment Jersey Girl, which stars Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez as Smith and wife Jennifer Schwalbach Smith (as if!), has been pushed from crowded fall to February 2004.
Then, just last week on E! Movie Scoop…
Jersey Boy Chasing Andy: A funny thing happened to me at the Shaker Heights premiere. Kevin Smith, who attended the premiere as Affleck’s guest, accosted me for calling his upcoming Jersey Girl “masturbatory and some other word I can’t remember.” But you don’t need to be a genius reviewer to infer from the film’s premise that there might be some (ego) stroking involved, especially when you make an autobiographical movie and cast supercouple Affleck and J.Lo as you and your wife.
For the record, I wrote that “Kevin Smith’s masturbatory and narcissistic experiment, Jersey Girl…has been pushed from crowded fall to February 2004.” I haven’t seen the movie, so that’s not really a review, but what the heck? Judging by the fact that every movie Smith has ever made could be broadly characterized as masturbatory and narcissistic, why should Jersey Girl be any different?
So, there’s the evidence. First off, you can see that this guy, as far back as 2001, admitted that he wanted to start a “holy war” with Kevin for some reason. Not only that, but doesn’t the clear misrepresentation of the facts scream “poor journalism”? FACT: Kevin was the screenwriter only (for two drafts) of “Superman Lives”. He was never attached to direct, nor did he ever express interest in doing so (quite the opposite, in fact, in numerous interviews). FACT: Tim Burton was the attached director before that version of the project fell apart back in ‘98. Tim Burton was responsible for hiring Nic Cage, not Kevin. FACT: “Jersey Girl” is not an autobiographical film, and Kevin has never said that. He HAS said that it was inspired by his experiences in becoming a father, but that hardly makes it autobiographical. Just as his working in a convenience store didn’t make “Clerks” autobiographical, nor has he ever dated a lesbian, nor has he ever fought a rubber poop monster…Well, you get the idea. Next thing you know, Jones will be calling “Mallrats” autobiographical if Kevin admits that he’s been to a mall.
Look, folks, we’re all for freedom of the press — It’s that freedom that allows us to editorialize just like this. However, it’s a shame that said freedom covers a “journalist” who can’t get his facts straight before he hurls mistake-laden purple prose out into cyberspace, and bashes a film without having SEEN it, based on a previously stated agenda.
If you agree, drop Andy Jones a non-profanity-laden, intelligently expressed line about his actions. Maybe if enough people contact him, he’ll show a bit more diligence in his writing (andyj@eonline.com). Or drop his editors a line and let them know the guy’s not really a credit to his profession.
Got Something To Say?
You must be logged in to post a comment.