Ben Affleck has now joined the ranks. Ben spent time over the last year traveling to the Democratic Repulic of Congo in the hopes to bring notice to the plight in this region. Tonight, ABC’s “Nightline” will feature a segment with Ben that we hope you’ll all tune in for.

We’ve got the details straight ahead direct off the AP wire. Ben’s also penned an essay which is the first link you’ll see below, followed by several other links to video which you can watch right now.

NEW YORK (AP) — “Nightline” will focus on the humanitarian crisis in the Congo with the help of an unusual correspondent — Ben Affleck.

The 35-year-old actor took a “Nightline” crew on his recent fact-finding mission to Africa with the goal of spreading the word on a story that gets relatively little notice in the United States. His essay airs 11:35 p.m. Thursday on ABC.

He’s been to the Congo three times in the past year. He said his motive was to learn about the war and hunger that have killed thousands of people per month in the past decade in hopes that the outside world would be moved to help, and his celebrity opened some doors.

“It’s fairly clear that in the modern age that there is a currency to celebrity, or celebrity is a currency, really,” Affleck told The Associated Press on Wednesday. “I’ve discovered that you can spend it in a lot of ways, or you can squander it. You can be taxed, as well. I really started thinking long and hard about how to use that currency as long as I had it.”

His representatives approached “Nightline” with the idea of reporting on his journey. Affleck said he was impressed by “Nightline” stories in 2005 where “Hotel Rwanda” actor Don Cheadle visited that country.

“Nightline” executive producer James Goldston admitted to skepticism. ABC News took heat a decade ago for letting Leonardo DiCaprio interview President Clinton, and the idea of a concerned celebrity taking on a world problem has become a news staple.

“I was quite persuaded by how candid he was about the cliche of it, or the potential cliche,” Goldston said.

Affleck deals with that issue in the opening of his essay: “I want to try to bring people along to learn and if they might not tune into this unless there was some celebrity involved in it, either because they’re interested in the celebrity or because they want to see the celebrity kind of make a fool of himself, then so be it,” he says.

He doesn’t act as a reporter, Goldston said. The idea was to present the story as a personal journey, following Affleck as he met with survivors of the conflict, relief officials and even some warlords.

“Nightline” hasn’t done its own story on the Congo since 2002, although Cynthia McFadden recently took a trip to Africa to report on several issues there.

Affleck said one “Nightline” piece isn’t likely to change much, but the goal is to spread the word and hope that people in the United States can identify with some people who are suffering.

Perhaps then they could be moved to help, he said. Affleck hasn’t identified himself with any particular relief organization that is helping the Congo.

He believes people will respond to this approach.

“I don’t think people respond particularly well to being hectored, or being made to feel guilty, or being made to feel as though they’re kind of callow or insensitive for the life they’ve been leading up until then,” he said.

Turning World’s Eyes and Ears to Congo: More Than Four Million Lives Lost in African Country in the Last Decade (GUEST ESSAY by BEN AFFLECK)

PHOTOS: Ben Affleck’s African Journey

Ben Affleck: “Share What I’ve Seen” (On third trip to the Congo, Affleck hopes to “bring people along” the journey.)

“They’re in a Living Hell”: Affleck discusses the devastation

Major kudos to Mr. Affleck for taking the time and effort to bring this dire situation to light here in the USA. Our country needs more like you, sir. Please tune into ABC Nightline at 11:30 PM tonight, and if you have the means, see what you can do to help the cause.

On Saturday night, NBC will offer up their own tribute to the man, airing the classic first ever episode of Saturday Night Live — Yes, Geroge Carlin was the host. SNL normally does not run entire episodes from the archives like this on NBC, so it’s a rare treat and absolutely worth tuning in or setting the DVRs for. The premiere is a fun watch, whether you’ve seen it before or not.

Aint It Cool News has a few more details.

‘A God Who Cussed’

Director Kevin Smith remembers George Carlin

They say you should never meet your heroes. I’ve found this a good rule to live by, but as with any rule, there’s always an exception.

My first exposure to George Carlin was in 1982, when HBO aired his “Carlin at Carnegie” stand-up special. When I saw the advert—featuring a clip of Carlin talking about the clichéd criminal warning of “Don’t try anything funny,” and then adding, “When they’re not looking, I like to go …,” followed by a brief explosion of goofy expressions and pantomime—I immediately asked my parents if I could tape it on our new BetaMax video recorder.

That was a hilarious bit. But when I finally watched the special, Carlin blew my doors off. Whether he was spinning a yarn about Tippy, his farting dog, or analyzing the contents of his fridge, Carlin expressed himself not only humorously, but amazingly eloquently as well. I was, as they say, in stitches.

And that was before he got to the Seven Words You Can’t Say on Television.

I was 12 years old, watching a man many years my senior curse a blue streak while exposing the hypocrisy of a medium (and a society) that couldn’t deal with the public usage of terms they probably employed regularly in their private lives. And while he seemed to revel in being a rebel, here was a man who also clearly loved the English language, warts and all—even the so-called “bad words” (although, as George would say, there are no such things as “bad words”). I wouldn’t say George Carlin taught me obscenities, but I would definitely say he taught me that the casual use of obscenities wasn’t reserved just for drunken sailors, as the old chestnut goes; even intelligent people were allowed to incorporate them into their everyday conversations (because George was nothing if not intelligent).

From that moment forward, I was an instant Carlin disciple. I bought every album, watched every HBO special, and even sat through “The Prince of Tides” just because he played a small role in the film. I spent years turning friends on to the Cult of Carlin, the World According to George, and even made pilgrimages to see him perform live (the first occasion being a gig at Farleigh Dickinson University in 1988). Carlin influenced my speech and my writing. Carlin replaced Catholicism as my religion.

Sixteen years later, I sat across from the star of “Carlin at Carnegie” in the dining room of the Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles. It was a meeting I’d dreamed of and dreaded simultaneously. George Carlin was the type of social observer/critic I most wanted to emulate … but he was a celebrity, too. What if he turned out to be a true prick?

What I quickly discovered was that, in real life, George was, well, George. Far from a self-obsessed jerk, he was mild-mannered enough to be my Dad. He was as interested as he was interesting, well-read and polite to a fault—all while casually dropping F-bombs. But most impressive, he didn’t treat me like an audience member, eschewing actual conversation, electing instead to simply perform the whole meeting, more “on” than real. He talked to me like one of my friends would talk to me: familiar, unguarded, authentic.

I made three films with George over the course of the next six years, starting with “Dogma” and his portrayal of Cardinal Glick, the pontiff-publicist responsible for the Catholic Church’s recall of the standard crucifix in favor of the more congenial, bubbly “Buddy Christ.” A few years later, I wrote him a lead role in “Jersey Girl”—as Bart Trinke (or “Pop”), the father of Ben Affleck’s character. It called for a more dramatic performance than George was used to giving, but the man pulled it off happily and beautifully. (Something most folks probably don’t know about George: He took acting very seriously. The man was almost a Method actor.) Sadly, I consider that “Jersey Girl” part my one failing on George’s behalf, and not for the reasons most would assume (the movie was not reviewed kindly, to say the least). No, I failed because George had asked me to write a different role for him.

In 2001, George did me a solid when he accepted the part of the orally fixated hitchhiker who knew exactly how to get a ride in “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.” When he wrapped his scene in that flick, I thanked him for making the time, and he said, “Just do me a favor: Write me my dream role one day.” When I inquired what that’d be, he offered, “I wanna play a priest who strangles children.”


It was a classic Carlin thing to say: a little naughty and a lot honest. I always figured there’d be time to give George what he asked for. Unfortunately, he left too soon.

He was, and will likely remain, the smartest person I’ve ever met. But really, he was much more than just a person. Without a hint of hyperbole, I can say he was a god, a god who cussed.

Some have asked us if Kevin may have had Mr. Carlin in mind for a part in “Red State” given his desire to take evil turns on film. Sure would have been interesting. From two fellow Carlin disciples to Kevin and the rest of his fans, we sure wish we could have seen him back here in the Askewniverse once again.

I just attended Horror Hound Weekend in Pittsburgh last weekend. Jason Mewes and Brian O’ Halloran were in attendance. Two of my buddies and I went Friday evening. Brian was one of the first people we met. He’s just an awesome guy. He’s so laid back and friendly. He even took three pictures with us. One with me and then one with each of my friends. Jason was there but stepped out for a moment. We chatted a bit with Brian and made our way through the convention room.


After meeting several celebrities such as Doug Bradley (Pinhead), and Danielle Harris (Halloween 4, 5, and Rob Zombie’s remake) we headed back to Brian and Jason’s table. We knew Jason was back because of the huge crowd gathered around the table. When we finally met him, he was just as nice and cool as Brian. We talked about the Zack and Miri wrap-up party I attended at the Pittsburgh Improv a couple of months ago. I didn’t get to meet him then because he had to leave early. I’m just glad I got a second chance to meet him.


The general consensus from everyone that attended is that Brian and Jason were a great addition to the con. Apparently, one attendee brought the DVD covers of every movie Jason has done.


And apparently Brian did some mad karaoke at the hotel during the weekend.

Like we always say, when you have a chance to meet these guys, take it — They’re great with the fans, always. Thanks to our scooper for filling us in on his time in western PA, home of “Dogma” and “Zack & Miri Make a Porno”.

The good news - they launched their first full episode a few months ago. It was profiled in ‘Viral on Veoh,’ and the show got one million hits. YouTube chose it as a ‘Featured Video’ and it became the #1 YouTube video in 19 countries, including the US. Congrats, guys. The second full episode premieres this Monday, 6/30 @ 9 pm EST at www.oceans711.com.

I recall getting HBO as a kid, when the channel was still in its infancy, excited to finally have uncut movies at home. What I’d soon learn is that HBO wasn’t just about movies, though — Their “One Night Stand” and similar programming were among the first to bring the art of stand-up comedy to the masses. Keep in mind, this is years before the concept of “Comedy Central” was thought up. So whose would be the first stand-up routine I’d ever see? None other than George Carlin. I believe it was the “stuff” routine that got me hooked, though his most famous, the “Seven Dirty Words”, also rose to fame in that era, and remains cited and quoted even today. I became a stand-up junkie, and Carlin was a big reason.

Carlin became a member of the View Askew family back in 1998 during the filming of Dogma — 10 years ago. Following his role as Cardinal Glick, one of the largest of his film career, he re-appeared for a hilarious cameo in “Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back”. While he went on to do voice work in a few movies afterward, his final big screen live appearance was in 2004’s “Jersey Girl”, where he played Bart Trinke, father to Ben Affleck’s character, in another substantial role.

It’s hard to imagine that we’ll ever see another comedian as brilliant and groundbreaking as George Carlin in our time, quite possibly ever again. What he did transcended just taking the stage and spouting one-liners. His routines managed to be topical, poignant, insightful, controversial, and absolutely hilarious — all at the same time. The man was a pioneer and a genius, a master of his trade, and will be missed by all who have had the pleasure of knowing him or his work. Our deepest condolences to the friends, family, and fans of this legendary talent. Rest in peace, George. You will be missed.

Thanks to all who wrote in with the scoop and condolences, the list is way too long to list you all. The talkbacks are a great place to express your thoughts on this brilliant man.

Q: Any word on when the Zack and Miri teaser will be back up?

KS: No word yet. I don’t know if it’s been submitted yet. We’ve been too busy dealing with the MPAA on other matters.

MTV added fuel to the rumor fire today when they posted a new interview with Seth Rogen, where he drops the bomb that the rating truly is up in the air right now. A tidbit:

“The MPAA is gunning for us, I think,” sighed Rogen, discussing the current difficulties he and director Kevin Smith are encountering during the rating process of their highly anticipated October comedy “Zack and Miri Make a Porno.” “It’s a really filthy movie. I hear they are having some problems getting an R rating from an NC-17 rating, which is never good.”

You can read the full interview and even watch a video of the clip over at the MTV site.

Read what other blog sites on the web have to say on the matter (and read some good user comments on the MPAA) at our friendly movie sites:

JoBlo

FirstShowing.net

Digital Spy

The Moving Picture

Kevin has not said a word to confirm or deny this, and we’re expecting he and Scott will follow suit for the film and keep mum on this, at least until things have been worked out. Given the subject matter, we’re not surprised that the MPAA has taken a closer look at the film, though we’re confident that the film will make it through unscathed. Remember, Kevin and Scott fought this battle a long time ago with “Clerks”, and did well with it. Here’s hoping that the movie can continue on without any cuts, or, with a few very minor trims that don’t take anything away from the director’s intentions.

Also, keep in mind we can’t officially confirm this is even happening, just report the news we’re hearing — Until Kevin speaks on the topic, we’ll patiently wait to hear about Z&M’s rating. We’ll keep you informed, of course.

“Writer-director Kevin Smith is a practicing Catholic who, like a lot of religious filmmakers, tends to work out issues of faith on film. But some of the faithful, spurred on by the Catholic League, weren’t amused by Kevin Smith’s 1999 film Dogma, a profanity-rich satire of contemporary religion that went through two release dates and two distributors before debuting in a hailstorm of protests, including one group of New Jersey picketers joined by an incognito Smith himself. The film was released to considerable success, and the Catholic Church somehow survived.”

Q: Who is the one person you’d love to work with that you have not yet had a chance to?

Bill Murray.

Q: Are you planning to have a New Jersey or La birthday party in August?

We were toying with the notion of doing another prom but opted against.

Q: I know Red State is a way’s off, but my question is about casting. You wrote Zack for Seth, did you write any of the roles in “Red State” for a particular actor or actress, and if not, have you started thinking about who you would like to try and get?

I did write two key roles with actors in mind, but I doubt I’ll be allowed to cast one and the other is too pie-in-the-sky.

Q: Is there any foward motion on “Red State”?

The script is out to some indie financiers now. Fingers crossed.

Would you consider shooting it like Chasing Amy on a low low budget?

I’ll shoot it as cheaply as I can, but while not being an insanely expensive affair, it’ll require some cash: between five and eight million, we’re thinking.

Q: Would Scott go for that?

Depending on when we shoot it, Scott might only Exec Produce the flick (in this instance, take it all the way to the point of going on location). He didn’t want to spend another two months on a set this year, but he knows that, if the money happens, I’ve gotta go as soon as possible. So he’ll do what he always does on every flick up to that point when we actually head off to wherever we’re gonna shoot it. If we don’t wind up shooting it ’til next year, then he’ll be involved the way he always is.

Q: When can we expect the first Money Shot to go up?

I believe Zak and Joey (and Ken) are taking the “Money Shots” public first or second week in July.

Q: You are quite open with your life with the board and MBAL but where do you think you would draw the line? For example would you ever do a reality show or something along those lines?

I have been asked about doing a reality show (”Mr. and Mrs. Smith”). That was a quick and easy pass. Cameras in my house is where I draw the line, I guess. And not so much cameras in the house as cameras on my life. And not because I’d feel like my privacy would be invaded, but more because a) I’d hate to have to keep my gut sucked in for that long a stretch, b) it wouldn’t be real because we’d be aware of the cameras and would modify our behavior accordingly, and c) it’d be insanely boring.

Q: Will you have a signing/poker game after the November Count Basie Q&A?

Definitely a poker game. Maybe a signing.

Q: Any word on when the Zack and Miri teaser will be back up?

No word yet. I don’t know if it’s been submitted yet. We’ve been too busy dealing with the MPAA on other matters.

Q: Any updates with the Clerks II inaction figures?

I’m hearing Christmas. I’ve seen all the sculpts (including Kinky Kelly and Emma now) and most of the paints, and man - they’re pretty fucking sweet. Worth the wait, I’d say.

[UPDATE FROM BOB CHAPMAN!]

Bob Chapman, Graphitti Designs wrote:

We will not have KINKY KELLY or EMMA for San Diego. I have yet to get the painted prototypes back from the person painting them. I will contact her again today (she’s pregnant and was scheduled to deliver June 21st?), and do what I can to get these figures from her pre-child. I’m doing my damnest to get these to China so we have them for Christmas sales. The other five CLERKS II figures will be prototyped immediately after we get these first two out of the system. I’m sorry, but working with a whole new crew of people has been a challenge.

In response, Kevin wrote:

Wait - so we’ll have Kinky Kelly and Emma for Christmas, but not the others?

In response to Kevin, Bob wrote:

We HOPE to have the KINKY KELLY and EMMA for Christmas. Until I get the prototypes to China, the clock can’t begin. I’m doing everything I can so China has everything they need before we leave for San Diego.

There ya’ have it: best case scenario, you’ll have Kinky Kelly and Emma by Christmas.

So there ya have it. We’ve been waiting a long time to see those Clerks II inaction figures as well, but were unaware of the staffing changes. We know Bob and co. take a lot of care to produce the most perfect designs they can come up with, so we’ll continue to wait patiently.

As for “Red State”, everyone collectively cross your fingers for some good news regarding funding soon — It’d be fantastic to have news of other View Askew flick, one as different as this, going in front of cameras in 2008. After all the hype about the script, and the change in tone and genre, we’re very much hoping Kevin and Scott can get this one made.

Thanks to Kevin for answering these excellent questions, and we’ll of course keep you informed of other big breaking news as it arrives. We sure can’t wait to start seeing those “Money Shots” webisodes online next month.

SModcast 54: SModder’s Day -


In which, fittingly, our heroes talk about childish things.

Have you picked up your new SModcast bumper sticker yet? Show your support and stick one on your car, your cubicle wall, or other favorite spot. Just $3.00 is such a small price to pay for 54 (and counting) episodes of free entertainment from Kevin, Scott & crew. Enjoy today’s SModcast — Making your Monday mornings easier to face.