Be of Good Cheer

YAY!: I just found out I got cast in Assassins as wannabe Nixon assassin, Samuel Byck! I've been a fan of the show for years so I'm very happy at the moment. It should be a great production and I can't wait to get started!

YAY!: In movie news, it looks like Grove Lake is going to be screened on the IMAX screen at the Indiana State Museum on March 22nd! I don't know if I'll get a chance to see it, but the thought of a giant version of me terrorizing the state capital is oddly appealing.

YAY!:

It's always a treat to hear from small press legend Matt Feazell! Besides passing on some holiday greetings, Mr. Feazell was kind enough to give me the final chapter of The Death of Antisocialman which was a thrilling conclusion to the Antisocialman saga. Thanks, Matt!

Aluminum Pole Not Included

Today's Holiday Greeting: Happy Festivus!

Grove Lake: The world premiere was a couple Saturdays ago and it was pretty well attended. I guess some 400 people showed up to see the big picture including some of my family and , friends (Thanks everybody for coming!). I was a little nervous to see myself on the screen, but squinting my eyes seemed to help. As for the film itself, I thought it was very entertaining. The acting was top shelf and it was professionally made. My friend Wanita Spence proved she has the stuff of a movie star, almost walking away with the film completely. A couple of my scenes got cut, but that's to be expected when you're playing a character not too central to the plot. I was disappointed the scene where I threw worms at an old lady ended up on the cutting room floor, but that's showbiz!

Christmas Party: Well, Touchy Feely Fotos' annual holiday get-together was fairly disappointing. The grub was actually tasty, but the gift they handed out was lame. We loyal, underpaid employees received a tote bag this year. A tote bag! I'm sorry, but that's not a quality gift, that's a public television pledge drive giveaway. As for the comedian they hired to entertain us, I vacated the premises before he got to perform. Since I never heard a peep about his performance afterwards, it's probably safe to say he sucked. However, my opinion may be clouded by my bitterness.

Fancy and Sluggo

ALL HAIL THERAPY DOG "FANCY"! ALL MUST HAIL HER!

Casting News: Well, it looks like all my years working at Touchy Feely Fotos has finally paid off because I just found out I was cast as one of the inmates in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. I think I'll be playing Cheswick.

Scoop: I guess Touchy Feely Fotos hired a comedian to perform at this year's Christmas party. Why does that fill me with an ominous sense of dread?

Weather: It snowed yesterday. It is not snowing now.

Friendly Reminder: Grove Lake debuts at Pruis Hall this Saturday at 8:00pm and I guess admission is free! If you ever wanted to see my mug splattered on the big screen, this is your chance!

ALL HAIL "FANCY"! ALL MUST HAIL HER!

By The Numbers

1. It's been weeks since I last updated this space and, yes, I'm ashamed.

2. No, I didn't dress up for Halloween because I'm a bum. Sadly, I was planning on dressing up as one of my favorite TV characters, but bad planning and chronic procrastination (One of my old foes!) sabotaged that idea. Boo!

3. Despite only nine votes and a possible recount, it looks like Muncie has elected another fat, white guy for mayor. The more things change, the more they stay the same. If this trend continues, perhaps I should throw my hat into the ring!

4. It looks like Grove Lake is set to debut on December 8 at 8:00pm at Pruis Hall. No info concerning ticket prices as of yet. This past Monday, I had to rerecord some dialogue (I got to loop! I got to loop!) for the movie and, from the few scenes I saw, it looks pretty good. I'm looking forward to seeing the final product!

5. Nibble #4 recently got reviewed by Optical Sloth!

6. It looks like I'll be auditioning for One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest this Saturday.

7. I still haven't written about my trip to Austin. I'm such an ass.

8. Still undecided about renewing Jughead.

9. Could someone please buy me the Flight of the Conchords dvd? It would make me ever-so happy!

10. I'm still ashamed and I'm still an ass. Typical.

Today's Briefing

Question of the Day: Should I renew my subscription to Jughead?

Reading: The Boy Detective Fails by Joe Meno

Album of the Moment: Moonswept, The Roches

Link of the Day: One of the students working on Grove Lake (Also known as "That movie I participated in over the summer"!) just set up a page on MySpace concerning the production of that particular film. If you're curious, I suggest you check it out!

Good News: My friends, Gina and Sean, recently tied the knot! Congratulations!

Bad News: I have yet to receive the two Gumby comics I won on eBay. Somebody is going to get some negative feedback!

Finally:

I just finished my latest minicomic, Nibble #4! This issue deals with Halloween and the creatures that roam the night in search of fun-sized candy bars. If you're interested in a copy, just let me know!

The Days of The Week

Sunday: Since I had to film some stuff for Grove Lake, I get up early. While getting ready, I listened to Weekend Edition. One of my favorite singers, Emmylou Harris, was on the show, singing some songs from her new Songbird box set. As she sang, I actually tear up. God, I love that woman!...For the reshoot, I had to dig around some garbage for an establishing shot. I picked up soda cans, plastic bottles, and a corn husk out of a working trash can. I was only there for a few minutes and then we were done. The film crew got the footage they needed and I got garbage hands...I then went to the post office downtown to mail some bills. After grabbing a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch, I drove home. Out of the blue, I came up with a good idea for a comic strip. I decide to use the idea for this week's strip for All Access...I watched some of North by Northwest while I ate my grilled cheese. Cary Grant discovers George Caplin has dandruff...I took a nap. I wanted to go to Bob's Comic Castle so it had to be a short nap. It lasted five hours...Fully rested and newly hungered, I get up and order a pizza. I eat while watching the season premiere of The Simpsons. Despite an opening that featured a glimpse of Springfield after the big movie, the episode wasn't that great. Sorry, Spider-Pig! The new episode of King of The Hill seemed a little off for some reason though I liked it better than The Simpsons...I go online for some photo reference for the new strip. No e-mail. No new content at my favorite sites. Must you disappoint me, Interwebs?...Time to stop writing. Metalocalypse is on.

Monday: Got up around 2:30pm to start the new day. It's time to go back to work...I spent nine hours at Touchy Feely Fotos and nothing I did is worth mentioning. Typical...I did find time to buy three Prismacolor markers. When it comes to markers, Prismacolor isn't my first choice (That would be Tria, of course!), but they are cheap and they get the job done...Got to work on a strip!

Tuesday: Spent the wee small hours of the morning working on this week's strip for All Access. It turns out to be pretty good and I'm pleased with it. I think it's going into the syndication package (You know the one I've been dragging out for the last decade?)...I'm on the road after seven to make a color copy of the strip (Reduced 64% from the original) for the paper. While I'm out, I also get some chocolate milk and a couple donuts I don't really need. I was almost tempted to grab a bagel, but I passed...Dropped off the comic strip at the newspaper and soon I'm in bed. It's a little after nine and I need to get some sleep!...The alarm goes off at 2:30pm, but I don't get up until three. Lousy job!...By the way, my dad is on strike...At work, I talk to Jenny and the Sesame Street movie, Follow That Bird, pops up in our conversation which reminds me you got to say yes when life says no.

Wednesday: I don't want to get up, but I do. I don't want to shave so I don't. Today should be Thursday...Driving into work, I do a halfway decent Dr. Phil. I don't know if that's an accomplishment or not...Somebody leaves Touchy Feely Fotos in an ambulance. I'm leaving the building when I notice a small crowd gathering to watch an unidentified person hop onto a stretcher. When stuff likes this happens, people come out of the woodworks to gawk...That's all I got.

It's Time to Match the Stars

Emmys: I don't know how it happened, but I ended up watching the big TV award show and it wasn't a bad way to kill ten hours (Seriously, it merely lasted six and a half). It was rather clunky in execution in some spots and, as to be expected, Ryan Seacrest was a banal host, but this year's winners were a fairly decent crop. Despite some disappointments (Sorry, Jenna! I was pulling for you!) and typical wrong-headedness (James Spader? Why?), I was pleased with most of the results. Any year that has Terry O'Quinn and Ricky Gervais winning a winged statuette is a pretty good year for the Emmys.

Mark Your Calendar: It looks like I'll be filming a reshoot this Sunday for the student film, Grove Lake. Better go press my overalls!

Reading: Triggerfish Twist by Tim Dorsey

End Game:


2007 continues to be a sad year for us Match Game fans. Earlier this summer, Charles Nelson Reilly signed off and now his partner-in-crime, Brett Somers, has followed suit. Part of Match Game's appeal for me was the bantering, battling relationship between those two panelists, sitting together on the top perch of that kitschy game show alter. They had good chemistry together. In fact, as a kid, I thought they were a married couple (Oh, the innocence of youth!). If there is a great Television City in the sky, I hope Chuck and Brett are sharing a good BLANK.

My So-Called Life

The Class of 1987: I went to my 20th-year high school reunion last Saturday and it turned out to be less painful than I thought it would be. About a third of the class (25-30 graduates, give or take) showed up for the shindig and everybody I talked to was very friendly. Some people really changed while others practically looked the same. My old pal, Marty Reese, was in attendance with his lovely bride, Jennifer, and it was nice to catch up with them. The food was okay in a restaurant on a golf course kind of way, but nothing really stood out. I did spill a glass of water, creating a small puddle on one table, but nobody seemed to mind. Scandalous!

The Last Picture Show: I filmed my last scene for Grove Lake this past Wednesday. We were back in the bait shop where I previously tossed some earthworms onto a snooty, little lady. This time my character, Massey, shares his theory about growing antlers and ends up getting scolded by the movie's heroine (Played by my friend, the great Wanita Spence). We worked on the scene for a couple hours, pausing whenever a customer entered. Everything went rather smoothly and soon I was done.

Overall, I was on set for six days and I had a great time participating in the movie magic. The cast and crew were very efficient and professional. It'll be interesting to see how the film turns out. Hopefully, most of my stuff won't end up on the cutting room floor! I guess I'll find out when it premieres sometime in December.

Emmy Nominations: Could somebody please explain the bizarre hold Boston Legal has over the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences? Snubbing the stellar cast of Deadwood was sadly expected, but no Best Actor nom for Dexter's Michael C. Hall? Unforgivable! On the positive side, yay for Rainn Wilson, yay for Neil Patrick Harris, yay for This American Life, and a big yay for Jenna Fischer! But, seriously, Boston Legal?

Introducing A New Feature: For the last ten years or so, I was convinced Toby Huss (aka "The actor who played Artie the Strongest Man in The World") did the voice for Dale on King of The Hill. THIS IS NOT TRUE! It turns out Johnny Hardwick voices Dale while Mr. Huss plays Kahn and Cotton Hill. I Stand Corrected!

Bait and Pitch

Yesterday I threw a handful of worms at a woman. Repeatedly. I, of course, was on the set of Grove Lake, the Ball State summer film I've been working on for the last few weeks. In the scene, my character, Massey, tries to make small talk with a snooty lady and gets insulted for his trouble. In retaliation, he pelts her with nightcrawlers as she walks away. I did my best to aim for the middle of her back, but the trajectory of a small mass of worms was slightly off a time or two.

I can't speak for the worms, but I had fun.

Waterfowl

How I Spent My 4th of July: I worked on comic strips while watching a King of The Hill marathon on FX

Yesterday's Embarrassing Moment: While putting in one of my contact lenses, I dropped it and I thought it went down the sink's drain. Despite losing my contacts numerous times in the past, I went into panic mode. For three whiny minutes, I searched, gave up hope, and then searched again. Flinging my right hand in frustration, I heard a familiar sound. The sound of a contact lens making contact with a hard surface (An actual sound, believe me!). Looking down into the toilet, I saw my lens clinging to the bowl. I delicately retrieved it and gave it a through cleaning or three, As I type this, that same lens resides in my right eye.

The Picture Business: Less embarrassing for me was filming a brief scene at Prairie Creek reservoir for the film, Grove Lake. I basically had to wave good-bye to a car and then I was done. While at the shoot, a goose hissed at me. I guess I shouldn't have parked so close to it.

The Number of Ketchup Packets I Received at Lunch Yesterday: 7

Random TV Memory: I always enjoyed it when Tony Randall and Mandy Patinkin would run onto the set of Late Night with David Letterman, perform a number, and then run off the stage.

Bit Player

Lights! Camera! Action!: I just recently stumbled into a part for a Ball State student movie tentatively called Grove Lake. I play a Boo Radley-type of character with a fondness for scrap metal. My first day in front of the camera was Tuesday in Summitville where I harass a lovely reporter in a bar. Thursday found me in Mt. Pleasant, looking for cans and harassing that same lovely reporter (Are you noticing a trend?).

The cast and crew are a creative, energetic bunch that have treated me kindly. Filming the last couple of days have brought back fond memories of my public access days. Though the equipment is more expensive and the crew more plentiful, the process is basically comparable to what we did on our little garage sitcom. It's been fun playing make believe in front of a camera again. I'm just hoping I'm delivering the goods performance wise.

Album of the Moment: Icky Thump, The White Stripes

Political Suicide: By choosing a Celine Dion song for her campaign, Hillary Clinton guaranteed her bid for presidency will go down in flames.

The Number of Ketchup Packets I Received at Lunch Yesterday: Five

Coming Soon: Tales from Texas!