...So, It's Not Adam West, Then?

Holy crap! They found Doobie Keebler!

Fantastic Shannon Wheeler Interview

Brendan Wright has posted a pretty fantastic interview of my good friend (and I'm not just saying that in a phony, "showbiz" way -- he was at my wedding) Shannon Wheeler over at his "The Wright Opinion" blog. Brendan manages to avoid all the clichéd questions that Shannon has heard a million times, and genuinely seems to be a fan of his work. I learned some things, and I've known Shannon for years now.

I can't remember how or even when I first came across Shannon's work, but I do remember meeting him for the first time at the San Diego Comic Con in 2000, and I think I knew of him before then. We chatted for a bit, and I picked up the inaugural issue of his Too Much Coffee Man magazine (the one with Anina naked, covered in coffee beans on the cover), and it's not hyperbole to say that that meeting and that magazine changed my life forever.

I became a charter subscriber of the magazine, and eventually befriended the editor at the time (read: begged him relentlessly to let me write something), a fantastic writer by the name of Tony Simon. I pitched Tony a story about Clear Channel that ran in issue 17, the "radio" themed issue.

A few months later, I got word that Tony was moving (back) to Atlanta, and Shannon was looking for someone to fill his shoes. I volunteered, and to my surprise he accepted. I edited the magazine for the next year or so, until a distributor bit the dust unexpectedly. The circulation hit was too much for us, and Shannon had to shut it down.

It was terribly disappointing for both of us, even though I think we were both a little burned out. (At the time, I was working a day job, editing the magazine for at least 20 hours each week, and writing a weekly column outside of that. Plus I was freelancing and looking for a better job. I'm still a little stunned that I managed to do that much.)

I still think of it as something of a personal apex, and, even though it barely paid, it was as close to my dream job as I've ever gotten. Yes, those nights we were on deadline could be brutal, but, hell, was it fun. Shannon and I really brought out the best in each other, I think. He definitely pushed me to do better work than I ever had before, and probably since.

(Plus, I got to interview Tom Servo!)

But I'm getting ahead of myself. A few months prior to the expiration of the magazine, Shannon had recommended me for a copywriting job. I may never know for sure, but I'm fairly certain that it was my work there that got me my current job. And without this job, I doubt I could have persuaded my girlfriend to move out here. We're now married and own a home.

I think Shannon would probably dislike it if said that I owe it all to him, but he certainly made it all possible.

700

According to Blogger, this is my 700th post. And it's only taken me about five-and-a-half years to get to that number.

That's because, unlike some bloggers, I only write about the important stuff.

Dear Sony:

No.

Well, Good For Him... er, It.

Hong Kong's Wang Wins Film Prize

Immature, I know, but I make no apologies.