Posted by Lucifer Lyndon Razoodock at spider-tk022.proxy.aol.com on July 02, 2000 at 23:35:09:
...if you accept for this arguement that ViewAskew is God of this WWWBoard.
This board exists to celebrate the works of ViewAskew.
It exists because those who are ViewAskew know what it is like to be fans.
In their short rise to fame, they became aware that they had aquired many fans.
Kevin Smith is an unusual personality.
His literate intelligence is matched by his tenacity. His tenacity to exploit the potential of his literate intelligence was fed by a number of the right factors at the right time: Richard Liklater's "Slacker," Vincent's belief in him etc.
These factors allowed for Kevin and ViewAskew to create a cultural place of comfort for us. Yes!! If it weren't in part for our benefit, they'd have kept it to themselves. Sure, it stokes their egos to know that the faceless innumerable loves their place of comfort, BUT ask yourself: Why gain pleasure and empowerment from this if compassion is not part of the picture?
I think it's safe to say that Kevin enjoyed the idea of a certain tightness that the internet could create between they, the artists (TeamAskew) and we, the fans. Hence, we have this web-page not merely to openly discuss and CELEBRATE work that we enjoy or are intrigued by...but to have immediate feedback from folks whom we admire.
The Askewniverse is a tight world growing tighter by the moment and we have allowed it into our lives by learning its lore.
Kevin Smith is a multi-media artist, but he SEEMS unencumbered by the bloated sense of self that usually cliches public personas who achieve this status.
Kevin Smith is a Christian yet he doesn't seem barred by the self-righteousness or narrow-mindedness which usually cliches that distinction.
Kevin Smith is a private citizen and individual who, though he does what he will within the law and his own principles, he sees fit to share what his privately-owned operation (ViewAskew) is doing at any given moment in its span and his career.
He and his cohorts are the God of this world and we are their enthusiasts. To post here is a pilgrimage, because we enjoy not just the work, but the affectionate rapport which the creators of this multi-media world allow us to have with them in their compassion and empathy for what it is to be a fan of ANYTHING.
Now, they are silent.
*to be continued*
--tom