- Alan Ball’s “Five Women Wearing the Same Dress” isn’t a new play; it’s one he wrote pre-”American Beauty” and “Six Feet Under.” We’ve also received word from Marilyn that the play, announced yesterday, has been postponed but NOT cancelled. She’ll be providing us with details as soon as they’re available.
Alright, let’s see some NEWS ASKEW readers get into the competition this year! Project Greenlight has announce that screenplay and director submissions will be accepted starting February 9th (THIS MONDAY!) at WWW.PROJECTGREENLIGHT.COM. Get those entires in there! You can do it!
- And hey, finally today, we’re not one for gimmicky web stuff, but this is a FUN one! Check out all the wacky things you can do to the News Askew website (or your other favorite locale) at the Orgulator! See ya next time!
Author Archive
View Askew NewsBites™
- The con is quite past us now, but here’s a fun little story written by a guy who spent some time with Kevin and Jay in WizardWorld Texas.
- If you’re in Australia and looking for some tough to find View Askew toys and items, you might want to check Minotaur, at 121 Elizabeth St. in Melbourne. We hear they’ve got some of the tougher to find items there.
- Clerks alum Marilyn Ghigliotti is producing a new play from writer Alan Ball. Here’s details:
Five Women Wearing The Same Dress
A Comedy by Alan Ball
Produced by Marilyn Ghigliotti
Directed by Richard Kline
The Split.ID Theater
In the Complex
6470 Santa Monica Blvd. Hollywood
Feb. 28, 29 – March 6, 7
Saturdays 8pm – Sundays 1 pm
For reservations only
Call 818-754-8615
Tickets $12, Industry comps available
Adult subject matter not suitable for children
Produced by Special Arrangement with Dramatists
- Kevin’s Tom Cruise interview from Arena gets a mention in “Jeanette Walls Delivers the Scoop”, a gossip column at msnbc.com:
“If Penelope Cruz is the jealous type, she might want to keep an eye on Kevin Smith. The director and screenwriter of “Clerks” and “Jersey Girl” positively gushes over Tom Cruise in a profile he penned for the February issue of Arena, writing, “Cruise is perhaps the most beautiful man I’ve ever gazed upon.” Smith, who photographed his wife in provocative poses for Playboy mag, also wrote: “And as the mighty biceps of Cruise enfold me I realize a) I’m not going to be able to write anything but a glowing piece about the guy and b) I’m in love.”
Commentary…
- Howdy folks, we’re back with a Monday update after a very hectic, busy Superbowl weekend. But what a game, huh? Finally an interesting one to watch for a change. Hope you all had an enjoyable weekend. Things are picking up here, with Jersey Girl just over a month away, so when all that press starts, watch this site come to life as we try to track it all! It’s gonna be a busy, fun couple of months here at News Askew.
With the Oscars coming up, and so many good films this year, that should also prove to be another interesting broadcast event. Theron’s performance in “Monster” is certainly bound to win, though the film itself wasn’t quite as special as it’s been marketed. One of the best surprises of the year is “21 Grams”, a fantastically filmed, acted, and edited film that mixes up the timeline to an incredible degree, but still packs a great punch when it all comes together. See this one.
Alright, as the dust settles from the weekend and all the beer bottles and potato chip crumbs are swept up, let’s see what’s new in the world of Askew today:
Kevin & “Clerks” @ The Nuart: Recaps!
- Kevin was back at the Nuart on Friday, with a beautiful print of “Clerks” for the big screen, followed by a sit down Q&A with “movie geek” Marc Heuck as well as the always enjoyable audience Q&A. Kevin even stuck around until 5:30 AM to sign a few autographs (including one woman’s back, which she’s getting permanently inked), take photos, and meet fans. As always, Kevin made a few new announcements during the evening. Steve sent us a summary that we thought covers all the big stuff very well, so we’re going to let him take it away:
1. First off No announcement this month. He said in about 1-2 weeks. It is related to his next movie tho. From what I gather it may or may not be one that is announced already (Ranger Danger, Fletch Won). He wouldnt tell us anything since we would spoil it for everyone 😉 But he did say this: “Once I’m allowed to talk about it, you won’t be able to shut me up” Should be worth the wait.
2. He once again restated about no Lee in Fletch so that is not the announcement.
3. Official opening date (as of now) of the west coast Secret Stash is May 1st. There will be a Stash Bash to celebrate the grand opening.
4. Kevin and company have pretty much decided on the direct to DVD approach for the Clerks animated films. They contemplated a college campus release of the flicks but ultimately have decided that direct to DVD is cheaper, faster, and a more direct route towards the intended customers. He also mentioned the possibility of doing one every year.
5. Big Helium Dog should be out on DVD this year (already known info but nice to hear again).
6. Jeff Anderson’s flick “Now you Know” should arrive on DVD this year as well.
7. Mewes was there and he mooned everyone. February 6th he’s 10 months sober, that was good to hear.
If you’d like to read more about the show from some other lucky attendees, Bikkit.com has a nice report of the event available, and Chris Ryall’s got a fantastically detailed story on the event, complete with photos, over at the ‘Shoot. Don’t miss it!
View Askew NewsBites™
- Kevin’s open letter to Variety regarding Harvey Weinstein is discussed in today’s edition of the Chicago Sun-Times.
- Dogma gets a couple of positive mentions in this New York Times article on religiously-themed films.
- Silent Bob shows up as one of the potential matches in this online Sidekick Quiz.
- We’re hearing that last week’s Seven/Prime Australian TV broadcast of Chasing Amy was completely uncut and unedited. Quite nice, indeed.
- Antony Teofilo continues his series of Jersey Girl crew pieces today, presenting a short interview with Kevin’s wonderful assistant, Gail Stanley. You can check it out HERE.
- Jay gets a very kind blurb from the Las Vegas Mercury, when the author of their lifestyle section runs into him on the town. Why doesn’t anyone ever introduce US to Summer Altice?
- Jay and Silent Bob were mentioned, albeit sarcastically, as one of the most memorable on screen duos during the airing of “You Got Mail” on TBS late last week.
- PC users rejoice! Those way cool Clerks TAS icons and wallpapers have been converted for use on your systems now. Grab them HERE or over in our ever-expanding Files Askew area. Thanks to Dan for making the conversions!
- Might Affleck be taking the stage in the near future? MSNBC reports:
Will Ben Affleck try theater next? The “Paycheck” actor – fresh from the fallout from Bennifer and some films that were less than smashes – is considering starring in a play in the U.K., says a source.
“Ben is a dedicated actor, and that’s something that’s been lost in all the recent craziness,” says the source. “Starring in a small, serious play is a way to remind people.”
Several Hollywood actors, including Gwyneth Paltrow and Nicole Kidman, have starred in London productions which redirected careers that got off course.
Affleck’s rep confirms but downplays Affleck’s theatrical plans. “He was asked and said, sure, he might want to do something, maybe with Matt [Damon],” says the spokesman. “But it’s nothing specific.”
“Ben is a dedicated actor, and that’s something that’s been lost in all the recent craziness,” says the source. “Starring in a small, serious play is a way to remind people.”
Several Hollywood actors, including Gwyneth Paltrow and Nicole Kidman, have starred in London productions which redirected careers that got off course.
Affleck’s rep confirms but downplays Affleck’s theatrical plans. “He was asked and said, sure, he might want to do something, maybe with Matt [Damon],” says the spokesman. “But it’s nothing specific.”
- The region 2 DVD special edition of Mallrats can be had for around £12.99 and is now on shelves everywhere in the UK. Empire magazine has also announced an April 5th release of the “Evening With Kevin Smith” DVD in that region. No pricing details are yet available on that one.
NY Post: “Jersey Girl Low Keys Lopez”
- Here’s that article that ran in the New York Post’s “Page Six” over the weekend, finally! Sorry for the delay in getting this one to ya. There’s some new quotes from Kevin in here, but beware, there’s also a spoiler or two regarding the film. Read at your own risk:
‘Jersey Girl’ Low-Keys Lopez
January 24, 2004 — NOW that “Bennifer” has gone bust, don’t expect Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez to jointly promote their long-shelved upcoming movie, “Jersey Girl.”
Director and longtime Affleck buddy Kevin Smith tells Post film critic Lou Lumenick: “There weren’t plans beforehand for [Lopez] to be there at the March 5 press junket in New York, so the breakup doesn’t affect that. But I expect Ben to get hammered with questions,” and he predicted the premiere will be a full-scale mob scene.
Miramax, which will release the movie on March 19 and has a huge investment in Lopez’s future as a star, has been playing down her participation in the picture.
Lopez barely appears in the trailer, which makes it clear that her character dies during the birth of their child early on, and that Affleck’s character moves on to a relationship with more prominently featured Liv Tyler.
Perhaps mindful of the scorn showered upon Bennifer’s first movie together, “Gigli,” the studio saw to it that Lopez’s image doesn’t even adorn the
“Jersey Girl” poster. Instead it features Affleck with Raquel Castro, who plays their young daughter.
Lopez – who has two more Miramax movies due this year, “Shall We Dance” with Richard Gere and “An Ordinary Life” co-starring Robert Redford – is discreetly billed last in the credits.
“Now that the trailer’s out, people are getting [the idea] that it’s not a Bennifer movie,” Smith said.
“Jennifer has about 12 minutes of footage in the first half hour in which they meet, get married and she dies.”
Smith, who made Affleck a star in “Chasing Amy,” says he doesn’t regret taking up his pal’s suggestion to cast Lopez, even though the “Gigli”-generated publicity surrounding the couple has helped keep “Jersey Girl” on the shelf since it was completed in the fall of 2002.
“I think I got a better performance out of the dude than if he was acting opposite someone else, because of the way he felt about Jen,” Smith says.
“If I had to point a finger about why they broke up, I would blame the media, though maybe there’s some law of physics that says two insanely good looking people cannot be together.”
Smith admits that, “at times, I felt like the third wheel in the relationship. Hopefully, my next flick will have an all-male cast.”
Check it at the Post HERE or via Excite’s site.
The IMDB also picked up the piece and summarized it themselves today:
Kevin Smith Blames Media for Jen and Ben Meltdown
Film-maker Kevin Smith has blamed the media for pal Ben Affleck’s failed romance with superstar Jennifer Lopez. Smith, who directed the pair in the upcoming movie Jersey Girl, believes their love meltdown was a result of the constant attention the pair received from the press – which is what the screen stars blamed for the cancellation of their September wedding. He says, “If I had to point a finger about why they broke up, I would blame the media, though maybe there’s some law of physics that says two insanely good looking people cannot be together.” Smith, who helped make Affleck a star in Chasing Amy, insists he doesn’t regret taking up his pal’s suggestion to cast J.Lo, even though the Gigli-generated publicity surrounding the couple has helped keep Jersey Girl on the shelf since it was completed in the autumn of 2002. He adds, “I think I got a better performance out of the dude than if he was acting opposite someone else, because of the way he felt about Jen. At times, I felt like the third wheel in the relationship. Hopefully, my next flick will have an all-male cast.”
View Askew NewsBites™
- A very positive Jersey Girl review (it’s from a screening held a while back, just something we never posted) can be checked out HERE from reviewer Mark Bourne. His review of the Evening with Kevin Smith DVD, which got him the attention and an invite to the JG screening, can be read HERE.
- The UK release date that the IMDB reported was a day late — The film is due on Friday, June 25th in that part of the world.
- A few more Kevin-themed wallpapers are up at Files Askew.
- Chasing Amy will make its Australian network premiere this Sunday night at 10.50pm on Channel Seven (or Prime for the country folk). Seven is usually the ‘family’ network and REALLY cuts back the language, so it’ll be interesting to see if it’s the Oxygen edit or something in between.
- An online reigiously-themed article cities Alanis’ Godlike influences in her music and God role in Dogma. Check it out at the Indiana Statesman site.
- Some folks are finding bargain deals on that way cool Marvel Daredevil digital comic book at their local Gamestop store. Be sure to check yours out if you’ve yet to pick up this very cool disc.
Clerks @ The Nuart Friday: Tix Available!
- Don’t forget, Clerks hits the famous Nuart theater in Santa Monica this Friday night, yet again with another in person appearance and Q&A by Kevin Smith himself. At least 150 tickets are already gone with a little under 300 left at presstime, but this show WILL sell out FAST (especially once this story has run) so we URGE you to get your tix right NOW.
So, get to their box office or take the laid back route and order them on Moviefone. Have a blast, wish we could be there to enjoy the show with ya!
View Askew NewsBites™
- Kevin drops a few quotes in this IMDB article regarding the upcoming press for Jersey Girl (SPOILERS AHEAD, SKIP TO THE NEXT NEWSBITE TO AVOID ‘EM!)…
Jennifer Lopez has been spared the ordeal of promoting Jersey Girl alongside Ben Affleck, because she dies just 12 minutes into the movie. Kevin Smith insists J.Lo was never expected to promote the movie in the first place. He explains, “There weren’t plans beforehand for (Lopez) to be there at the March 5 press junket in New York, so the break-up doesn’t affect that. But I expect Ben to get hammered with questions.”
Miramax, which will release the movie on March 19, has been playing down her participation in the picture. Lopez barely appears in the trailer, which makes it clear her character dies during the birth of their child early on, and that Affleck’s character moves on to a relationship with more prominently featured Liv Tyler. Lopez doesn’t even appear on posters for the film. Instead it features Affleck with Raquel Castro, who plays their daughter. Smith adds, “Now that the trailer’s out, people are getting (the idea) that it’s not a ‘Bennifer’ movie.” Gigli co-stars Lopez and Affleck called an end to their much hyped romance last week.
- VH1 has started a new series called “Super Secret Movie Rules” in which they dedicate various episodes to a different genre of movies. Saturday February 14th @ 11/10c AM, they will be airing an episode dedicated to Superheros. Kevin was interviewed for this episode and will appear in clips, giving his always amusing and insightful opinions.
- Jersey Girl one-sheets have started showing up in theaters across the country. Check and make sure your theater’s got one hanging in a nice, visible spot!
- If anyone’s got the Page Six item that ran a few days back, titled “Jersey Girl low-keys Lopez”, could you please send it to us? We can’t seem to find it in their archives and we missed it when it ran over the weekend.
- We really dig these new MacOSX icons and wallpapers, created by Kai Brunning and based on the Clerks animated series. Not enough to drop the PCs and buy MACs, but we dig ‘em all the same. Download them HERE or in Files Askew, and check out a preview above. Sorry, no PC versions available.
- Kevin gets name-dropped in today’s edition of Real Life Comics .
- MSNBC is reporting that Affleck & Damon are working on another script collaboratively:
Ben Affleck wants to return to his roots.
Now that the beast known as Bennifer is dead, Affleck is busy writing a screenplay with Matt Damon, his buddy with whom he first became a star.
“The script is along the same lines as ‘Good Will Hunting,’” says a source, referring to the 1997 Academy Award winning film Affleck wrote with Damon. “It’s set in Boston and deals with relationships.”
The source says Affleck and Damon hope to be finished with the script within the year, and adds that Affleck is feeling somewhat stung by his treatment in the press lately and “wants to spend more time behind the camera, writing, directing, producing.” Says the source, “He’s tired of his face being on the National Enquirer and wants to dial it all back a bit.”
Reps for Affleck and Damon didn’t return calls.
- An ucoming book titled “The Twins of Tribeca”, based on the Weinsteins, may even get optioned for the feature film threatment. ‘Jay & Bob’ gets a mention in the story.
Announcing: Berkekley Q&A & New Roadside!
- We’re happy to announce two more California-based Kevin appearances today. First up, Kevin has just signed to do a live Q&A at UC Berkeley on Wednesday, March 31st. No more details on that at this time, but clear your calendars. He’s also scheduled to shoot another Roadside Attractions on February 4th, in Hollywood for the Tonight Show. No air date has been announced as of yet.