SModcast 36: I’ll Stop the World and Melt with Mewes –

In which a pair of relics from mid-90’s pop culture talk about getting old and boring, examine the conditions under which sexual congress with the breathing challenged might be acceptable, discuss the alternative brances of a family tree, and take “Paper or plastic?”to a whole new level.

Note – SModcasts that have started airing on XM during the weekends have, for some reason, had some or all of the music contained in them removed. We assume this may be a rights issue. Next episode brings us SModcast #37, which we can’t help but think will have some sort of significance and surprises.

The writer, director, actor and comics lover talks up his best-selling new book, My Boring-Ass Life: The Uncomfortably Candid Diary of Kevin Smith.

“Believe me, there are people who don’t enjoy me or the minutiae of my life,” says the creative force behind Clerks, Mallrats and Chasing Amy. “I’ve dealt with them on the Internet quite a lot.”

Listen to Smith’s interview here, then check out his site at Viewaskew.com.

The link’s a bit hard to see, so just look for the “Listen” icon at the top of the NPR page. The interview is all book-focused and runs around 9 minutes in total. The interviewer even reads right from the book, which we loved. You’ll also learn where the “uncomfortably candid” came from. Part II is on the way tomorrow – We’ll let you know when and where to find it.

Want more in-depth coverage of the event and the festivities afterwards? Our pal Will at Radio Askew has you covered. For the first time in Radio Askew’s 54 episodes, Kevin Smith himself is a guest, a major guest on this on-location episode, live from Stash Westwood. The show, taped live and uncut at 1 AM in the morning, captures the party atmosphere at the store and features 38 minutes of Will and Kevin discussing a variety of topics. The loglines, direct from Radio Askew themselves:

| LIVE show from the West Coast Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash!
| Kevin Smith and Bryan Johnson in the hizzy!
| Kevin talks SModcast.
| SModcast, mixed at Skywalker Ranch?
| Kevin tells us why he does the VA Poker Games.
| Kevin Smith almost chose Dexter over signing books.
| Kevin’s top 4 TV shows on air right now.
| Another retelling of what happened with BSG.
| Where’s Mewes’ iPhone?
| How did Kevin get his iPhone?
| Will comes off as a homophobe (way to go Will)
| Brief Poker Tournament recap.
| About ‘My Boring-Ass Life’
| Kevin on his Letterman Experience
| Kevin vs. Radio Askew?
| Kevin a Master of All Media?
| Will incorrectly credits Malcolm Ingrim with Ethan Suplee’s alternative Mallrats title.
| Will owes Kevin a handy.
| RUN MING!

Kevin does indeed confirm that pre-production on Zack and Miri happens in November, and filming in January. With cold, snowy temps in Pittsburgh, could THAT be our shooting locale? We’d sure love it as it’s just a 3 hour drive into set for us if that’s the case. Also, we second the nomination for “Dexter” as one of last year’s best shows — The first season was indeed fantastic. Check out season 2, airing now on Showtime. But there’s so much more.

Visit the official Radio Askew site to check out this episode and all of Will’s great work over the years. Like SModcast, it’s a free MP3 podcast that’s done purely for the joy of it, as a gift to all the fans out there. Kudos to Will on the ultimate “get” – A live Kevin Smith exclusive interview!

• 9.26.07 – Kevin appears on Canadian talk show “The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos” and chats uncensored about blogging, anal fissures, Zack & Miri, and more.
• 10.3.07 – Kevin appears on “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” and discusses high tea, blogging, and canines.

Did anyone notice that George mentioned “Pittsburgh” in passing when talking about filming “Zack & Miri”? Hmmmm…

Got more Kevin appearances? Let us know. While all this international press is tough to track down on cable, the magic of the internet seems to allow us to archive most of this stuff for posterity.

Will’s always good enough to do these captures, and never even asks us for a plug, but we’re giving him one anyway, darn it — RadioAskew is now back with some new programming, so be sure to take a listen to his professional podcast at the official site – All the latest pop culture stuff with an Askew slant to it.

“…There is a different rhythm here. There are no long monologues. It’s more the zingy rhythm of call and response. There aren’t Veronica Mars style references to pop culture, but comments do defy expectations and the timing is impeccable. The physical slapstick is expertly performed as well.”

We’re less than a week away from the national premiere now!

“Reaper,” a dude comedy from two women who earned their chops as writers on “Law & Order: SVU,” could become one of the CW’s first big breakout hits. Kevin Smith’s influence can be felt all over the pilot, which showcases leading man Bret Harrison and hilarious sidekick Tyler Labine as a couple of unlikely heroes who work as bounty hunters for the devil. It’s an unlikely premise, but it’s got smart execution and humor to spare. But maybe the greatest thing about “Reaper” is the casting of Ray Wise as Satan himself; one look at that creepy smile, and I was sold.

The master of the funny commentary track, though, is director Kevin Smith. Smith knows no boundaries and will often reveal candid stories about the making of his films. His tracks go into information such as which crew members Jason Mewes slept with on the set of Clerks II, what actors from Mallrats Smith will never work with again and the innermost details of Smith’s sex life. Smith has even made a few commentary tracks for films that he has nothing to do with, such as Donnie Darko and Road House. Fans of Smith’s raunchy and gossipy style should also check out the Evening with Kevin Smith DVD series. These two DVDs each feature several hours of Smith’s famously hilarious Q&A sessions.