I am a crazy Kevin Smith fan. That is no secret I just can’t get enough of his brand of humour.
I am also a Canadian, so like it or not I have seen Degrassi High (and JrHigh) at some point in my life. Granted I am more from the oldschool Degrassi camp, but I think it is almost brainwashed into us to have to witness this show at least once. Its long been known that Degrassi has much of an American viewership as well, including Silent Bob himself.
So on an upcoming story arc in the next generation’s 8th season, Jay and Silent Bob are set to make an appearance.
Producers are also working on a four-episode story arc that takes some of the cast members to Hollywood, where they’ll hook up with two long-time DeGrassi fanatics, director/actor Kevin Smith and sidekick Jason Mewes (who’ve previously appeared on the series).
Stefan Brogren, who played Snake in the series’ previous incarnation, DeGrassi High, and has since returned to the series as a regular, teacher Mr. Simpson, has been charged with the task of writing and directing the quartet of episodes.
Much of the advance work on the Hollywood segments has already been shot at various locations around Toronto, Brogren said.
“We doubled Toronto for Hollywood for a lot of it. It’s amazing what a couple of palm trees can do,” Brogren said, with a laugh.
But it still means a four-day “guerrilla” shoot in Los Angeles to capture images of those places that are “so iconically Hollywood,” he said.
“God knows, the kids are fairly popular there (in the U.S., where the show airs on The N cable channel), so we’re probably going to have a little security if they’re standing in front of Mann’s Chinese Theatre. It’s funny: that wouldn’t happen in Canada.”
I think it is very cool that Kevin Smith straddles that line of geeky fanboy and film master craftsman.
The guy shows up in cameo roles in superhero films just to say he was a part of it. He rides his popularity to get to major events and then giggles like a school girl to meet his idols. How can people not like this guy?
I haven’t watched even one episode of the new Degrassi High: The Next Generation, and my Canadian genetic code has been silently mocking me for it. Now that Jay and Silent Bob are going to be on it, I might watch at least THOSE episodes.
