• Don’t forget…Tonight is a HUGE night on Encore for Kevin Smith fans! We’ve got “The Directors”, “Chasing Amy”, “Clerks”, and the US broadcast preem of “An Evening with Kevin Smith”…All tonight on ONE CHANNEL! Here’s what the Hollywood Reporter had to say about Kevin’s episode of “Directors”:

The director of “Clerks” and “Chasing Amy” plays interviews in this docu with apparent uber-honesty, pushing his pet theory that “any chimp can direct.”

At the same time, Kevin Smith muses that there must be a God, otherwise how could his film career have taken off the way it has? This engaging report should appeal to fans of Smith’s work and inspire beginning filmmakers on a budget.

On the other hand, Smith’s disarming frankness might unsettle people who believe filmmaking is high art.

Some nifty clips from Smith’s films are welcome reminders of his craft, which ranges from disaffected youthful angst in “Clerks” to the wacky slapstick of “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.”

It’s not every filmmaker who can bounce back after churning out a second movie like “Mallrats,” which bombed at the boxoffice. The docu covers his misses as well as his hits and delves into the controversy of “Dogma,” a film about fallen angels that was boycotted by the Catholic League.

There’s plenty of praise and admiration expressed by some of his favorite actors, including Ben Affleck, Joey Lauren Adams and Jason Lee, and producer Scott Mosier. Also heard from are George Carlin and Alanis Morissette, who appeared in “Dogma.”

Starz premieres Jersey Girl tomorrow, though many of us will be watching a freshly-cut, never before seen version of the film on Monday.

• Lots of emails coming in on the IMDB’s trivia question today:

And as we all know, the answer is View Askew’s beloved Jason Lee.

• Documentarian JM Kenny would like to send out props to all of the wonderful folks who came to the
  shows in Toronto and London. Kevin was on fire and the audience responded in kind. JM tells us that the Evening 2
  footage he shot is looking great, especially since it was shot in HD. His words:

We’ll keep you informed of the progress with Evening 2. We’re sure it’ll be even more hilarious than the first.

• Kevin gets a mention in this interview with DC’s
  Bob Schreck:

• The beautiful and talented Aimee Mann’s official site has posted a pre-order for her new concept
  album, “The Forgotten Arm.” The CD is about a boxer in the early 1970s who gets sent to Vietnam and has to leave his
  girlfriend.” It contains the tune “That’s How I Knew This Story Would Break My Heart” from ‘Jersey Girl.’
• And finally today, okay okay…We know you’re tired of the Easter Bunny attack stories (though isn’t
  it disconcerting how many happen across the country?) but check out the bunny’s name in this
  story. Oh, the irony.

• Yes, they DO exist! The biggest and most detailed set yet of inaction figures arrived today at the
  News Askew offices (with major thanks to Ming for getting them out to us so quickly). Here’s a photo of the complete
  collection as they’re currently gracing Brad’s game room/office. NOTE: The variants are missing from here as they’re
  still in the packages…couldn’t quite muster up the courage to rip those open just yet.

Take note of how great the C.L.I.T. stands work and look when placed in the proper order (or spell the word of your
choice if you like)…If only lightsaber Chronic came with a stand too, he’s a tricky one to keep upright. This set
has the most detail yet, though the sheer magnitude rule still stays with Affleck and the Gologothan from the Dogma
set. If you preordered a set, expect them any day now, and if you haven’t, get them while you can. These things
don’t grow on trees, ya know.

Gotta make more shelf space soon, as the package promises the Chasing Amy wave is on the way…next!

• A huge thanks to Albert Ortega of WireImage, who supplied us with a bunch of Q&A and candid photos
  from last weekend’s Wizard World convention. Click all the pics above for some fantastic new shots of Kevin and Jay
  taken throughout the day’s events.

• The IMDB site for Project Greenlight’s “Feast” is getting more traffic now that the enthralling show is
  airing on Bravo. Astute readers have noticed a particular casting of interest…None other than Jay Mewes in the role
  of “Edgy Cat”. Let’s hope Mewes gets some screentime in future Greenlight episodes, as well. We’ll be watching. You
  should be, too.
• And on a final whimsical note today, seems that independent contractors got blamed for that
  American Idol “fiasco” this week. So
  there ya have it. The logic lives on…

• Kevin’s starting a
  new feature at the WWWBoard where he’s keeping an electronic diary open to the
  public, giving us an idea of what the day to day of a famous Hollywood director is like. Think of it as a very
  open, honest, public blog letting you look into Kevin’s private life. You might be surprised what you read. Here’s a
  few random tidbits:

There’s lots more, that’s just a taste…You can monitor the entire thread, which we expect will have another entry
tomorrow evening, at The Board. We’re also
setting up a new section of News Askew to archive this stuff, as we think it may prove as quite an interesting study
to look back on in the future. So, keep a watch on this thread and News Askew for more.

• Well, as a response to that rumor of Affleck being in a Die Hard sequel it seems that Variety has
  their own big news with ‘ol Ben today…He’s DIRECTING a major flick in Boston this Fall!

Taking a risky dramatic role and now writing/directing! It’s certainly an interesting time for Affleck’s career. Perhaps
we’ll get a chance to congratulate him on his new ventures if he “surprises” us with an appearance this Monday! Stay
tuned…

• We’re always happy to have some new video to show you, especially for those frustrated masses who just can’t catch Kevin
  at any of these live appearances lately. So, the IESB presents us with 15 minutes from
  Kevin’s Wizard World Q&A. Just a taste of what 850 of us will be seeing in just 6 short days…
• Zach Braff has posted about Fletch on his latest blog:

Thanks to Braff Staff!

• Lucasfilm’s fan relations have confirmed that a Star Wars TV
  program of some type is planned. Still no idea whether this well be animated (like the excellent Clone Wars, airing
  incredibly cool new episodes all this week on Cartoon Network), or live action, like the Indiana Jones Chronicles from
  many years back. No names are yet attached to the show, but we still remain hopeful that Kevin might be in talks to
  work on the project.
• The Boston Herald runs a small Clerks 2 blurb today.
• Kevin got a brief mention in this article about a Clone Wars Volume 2 showing in LA. It’s by
  Moriarty over at AICN. Here’s the quote:

• You know, sometimes we wonder if people get into these incidents just to see if the story shows up News Askew…
• Netscape has posted Jason Lee in their Celebrity Gallery of the Day. Surf over to view a series of photos of the man.

• It always feel like a little bit of Christmas has come every time a new wave of View Askew inaction
  figures come in — There’s just something about the collectability of these suckers that makes them look even cooler
  as their numbers go up. So, thanks to Ming, who’s feverishly whipping the mailing denziens into shape, here’s some
  photos of the sets, which will start making their way to you lucky preorderer’s homes tomorrow. Remember, order early,
  you get ‘em first!

And by the way, pay close attention and note the nifty stands included in the package with each of the girls.

• Take this one as rumor for now, as the original source, “The Shirley Oracle”, is far from Variety.
  Dark Horizons today picked up that story, which states a palatable rumor that Affleck may reteam with Bruce Willis for
  the next Die Hard sequel. With Hostage’s only so-so box office, DH4 certainly does seem more likely, as Willis would
  love another blockbuster on his resume (though “Sin City” looks absolutely remarkable)…Not to mention, Affleck’s
  name has been brought up for this type of role in years past:

The Shirley Oracle recently ran an article on Ben Affleck and brought up his role in both the “Truth, Justice and the American Way” biopic and out of the blue mentioned another and much ‘bigger’ project:

“Word is Affleck is in final talks to join Bruce Willis in the $130M blockbuster “Die Hard 4”. Willis, who reprises his role as singlette- adorned law-man John McClane in the film, has been beseeching for a project to work with now good friend Affleck, whom he co-starred with in 1998’s “Armageddon” with, for several years – initially suggesting him for “Tears of the Sun”.

When a scheduling conflict prevented Affleck from taking part in the latter film, the idea of buddying up again was utlimately brushed aside – until recently, when producers asked Willis for suggestions on who should be cast as his on-screen son.

Affleck would play McClane’s grown-up son, also a cop, in the new “Die Hard” movie, who assists his butch pop with taking out whatever trash the film serves up. “This will be the one that puts him back on top, it’s a great two-hander”, says a studio source.”