Hola, Sneakers! Welcome to Sneaky Dragon – the podcast that makes escalator pitches!
This week: Lent us your ear; I want an alien for Christmas; pressed corps; non-Spiderverse; character acting; memories; smugging for the camera; Dave enjoys American Fiction; the man who would be Kang; ups and Downey; Kelly girls; the Tomei show; Northern lights under a bushel; perfect pitches; a simple plaid; actin’ Jackson; cocked up; tut, tut; Cage, natch; trailer trash; Argylle socks it to us; G. I. joke; got to get a message to you; washed up; Question of the Week – Sneakers respond; squirrely for Shirley; the mommy; cast off; Buddy well right; Suspect recommendation; and, finally, undersweat.
Question of the Week: Do you have a “guilty pleasure” movie which you wouldn’t normally like, but really enjoy?
Sub-question of the Week: What is your favourite fictional mystery? What is your favourite real-life mystery?
Thanks for listening.
Here is the trailer for The Mummy that was released without its soundtrack:
And here is the Superbowl footwashing ad that got the Christian right’s panties in a twist (although it was funded by Christian evangelicals like Hobby Lobby so go figure…):
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Since Ian is watching The West Wing, I hereby nominate Aaron Sorkin’s 1995 political rom-com, “The American President” as my guilty pleasure movie. I don’t usually like films that are so idealistic about American politics but I did enjoy it as an escapist fantasy. It’s like an unofficial pilot for the TV series. A lot of the same themes and characters types pop up, even some of the same actors. And in honour of Dave’s birthday this week, for a running mate I’ll recommend a less guilty pleasure: the more cynical 1993 political rom-com, “Dave.”
FYI, I wasn’t in the first production of Suspect with the great Colin Mochrie. I played the Maid in a remount where the roles were double and triple cast. Jim and Gerry alternated as the victim/detective role. The Maid was not a suspect, so I didn’t have to stay onstage during the intermission and luckily could head downstairs powder my nose (literally and figuratively).
Wait! To clarify, that was to powder my nose with cosmetic face powder! No other powders were involved, I swear.
Thanks for reminding me of The American President, what a great movie with a cast that had just the right balance to it. Douglas and Benning shined with the supporting cast doing just that in the best way. Love that movie.
Dave’s birthday is this week?!! Is this when he catches up with me?
Make those wishes count young man and have a Happy Birthday!
Love all the John Byrne talk, guys! I have some really fun memories of Byrne, who was and still is one of my favorite comic illustrators of all time. The first time I met John Byrne was at a Dallas comic con, my first con I ever attended. My Dad had to drive me to the hotel since I was 16 and wasn’t driving yet. As I entered and took it all in, I was overwhelmed by the initial experience. I saw Byrne at his table with all his drawing pencils and paper laid out, a huge sign that said “NO X-MEN SKETCHES PLEEEEASE!” hung over his table since he had just recently started The Fantastic Four book and was no longer doing X-Men. Then I felt a hot panic come over me and I ran to the men’s room and threw up. Once I gathered myself, I approached Byrne and asked him how much a sketch would cost. I think it may have been $25 or $30 per figure, but it was about that much. I asked him if he’d draw the Thing with Franklin on his shoulder but that would still be double for two figures, so just the Thing I decided. I watched him draw this sketch and it was like watching the gods create life, I almost couldn’t believe my eyes. I still have the sketch so I’ll post it on Facebook for you to see, it’s from 1982 and I keep it put away for fear of it fading. Speaking of Byrne leaving the X-Men, the Christmas issue with Kitty Pryde and the alien was his final issue, #143. I also really enjoyed Paul Smith’s work on X-Men down the line when he took over, he had a really clean style.
A few years later John Byrne came to Lone Star Comics, right before I started working there. I’d sculpted a small bust of the Thing out of Sculpey clay to show Byrne, he took it and looked it over quietly and asked, “Can I have this?” I didn’t expect that and I was sure I could make myself another one but I gave it to him. In return he signed a stack of comics for me and I’d like to think in those photos of his crowded studio, my sculpture is lost somewhere in there. I’m just glad I didn’t throw up this time.
Those were the days when Lone Star hosted a line-up of A-List professionals like Byrne, Walt and Louise Simonson, Terry Austin and Chris Claremont to name a few. That all changed after owner Buddy Saunders wrote his article in The Comics Journal and guests declined our invitations. I’d mentioned last time that Buddy’s article in The Comics Journal had resulted in a backlash but it really only extended to the industry level crowd who read the Journal religiously. The article didn’t really hurt sales or drive away customers, Buddy didn’t even sell the Comics Journal in our store, so I don’t think the backlash extended that far. I do however, remember Buddy taking certain measures to keep mature comics out of the reach of the younger readers, so he had some tactics in place instead of just banning the books altogether, he didn’t shoot himself in both feet.
Then Frank Miller did The Dark Knight Returns and agreed to come to all our stores for a signing. The only reason Miller agreed to come was because he was scouting locations in Texas for Robocop 2…and that’s all the man could talk about was that movie and how great it would be. Miller was very generous signing everything we gave him and met every last guest, even though he high as a fucking kite. There was a catch however, only the first three issues of The Dark Knight Returns had been published at that point and due to the timing of Miller being in Texas, only those three were signed. The fourth and final issue was released shortly after Miller’s visit, I’m guessing to this day collectors have the full set of four comics with only the first three signed by Miller. Great times….
I really don’t take in that many Romantic Comedies or Dramas at the theater but I will watch them on television. There’s one “guilty pleasure” romantic drama/comedy I’ll watch every time, “The Devil Wears Prada.” I don’t know why I like it but I do, I know nothing about that way of life or the fashion industry but the parts are played so well by everyone in the cast. And I do love Stanley Tucci in just about anything, he’s one of our best. That movie is so far from everything else, I just have some weird affinity for it I guess.
Fictional mystery would have to be Sherlock Holmes and even though I really don’t have a favorite, I like how he’s been handled by different productions over the years. My Dad’s was Basil Rathbone and I watched those with him when I was a kid.
Who’s your favorite version of Holmes?
Real-life mystery would have to be the JFK Assassination. The events surrounding it still fascinate me and I’ll listen to any podcast or read any book about it even though the mystery will probably never be solved. After all, I do live in Dallas.
Never seen that Mummy trailer before, that was bad.
Remember Sneakers to love and hug your pets and one another out there!!
Wayyy back in the mid-90s, when we were constantly struggling with low orders for Greymatter, and desperately trying to get retailers to take a chance on us, Lone Star Comics was one of our most generous and faithful supporters. I’m sure Buddy ordered more than he needed, most every time, and I will be forever grateful to him for believing we had something worth carrying.
Regarding other less pleasant topics, the footwashing ad is notable for consistently showing white people of privilege “humbling” themselves to people of color and assumed marginalized. Geez. How very noblesse oblige.
Q o’ the Week: I didn’t think much of The North Shore when the trailers hit. Seemed like another crappy teen beach film. But a year or two later, I found it just starting on TV one afternoon, and was delightfully surprised the longer I watched. It’s actually a thoughtful bildungsroman, set in Hawaii, that doesn’t ignore the damage wrought by colonialism, or cultural barriers. Many members of the pro surfing community were involved, and imbue the story with the spiritual heart of surf culture, and the film highlights the bonds formed by friendship and between teacher and student. Love doesn’t end up conquering all, and that rings true. The ending satisfies anyway. Okay, it’s kinda cheesy at times, but that doesn’t change its earnest goodwill.
sub-Q o’ the Week: Favorite fictional mystery is probably still Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency. Favorite real mystery…what the hell is consciousness and what are its limitations?
I forgot to mention, for any Kids in the Hall fans, my Find of the Week was Bruce McCulloch uploading Part 1 of his show with Kevin MacDonald at the Rivoli Theatre in T’ron’o (from last July, I think): https://youtu.be/i2lHZ3TrILc?si=u1EN8MATIh7IEQ2Z