I: Jeff how did you come up with the idea for the Idiot Club?
JB: Well, back in about '96 I basically noticed almost all the comedy on TV was pretty much the same. No one was doing a situation comedy that different. So I set out to do that.
I: So you began writing?
JB: Yeah, the breakfast scene came to me one night while I was sitting at home sipping Canadian Limited and Grapefruit juice. And I just filed it away, cuz well, I wasn't even in college at the time and didn't know how to go about getting decent equipment to shoot it so.
I: So you forgot about it?
JB: No, not really. I always had it in the back of my mind, and then one night me, Brick, and Ed got together,
I: Brick?
JB: Yeah, that's what we call Joe Panzarella.
I: Oh, I see.
JB: Yeah when you interview him, ask him about that, see what he says.
I: I will have to remember that.
JB: So anyway, we got together one night and over some beers wrote the script, changed the characters a bit, and banged it out roughly in one night.
I: What was changed about the characters?
JB: Uh, the names basically, I think. That's about it, really. Barry's name was Collin and he acted more like a wuss in my draft. But when I decided Brick would play him, Brick saw him in a whole different light.
I: He added depth?
JB: Oh yeah, so did Ed, Jay and everyone really. They brought the characters to life. I just wrote them down. Ya know.
I: The first version of The Idiot Club is not the one that is available now, can you explain that?
JB: Well the first one we shot right after we wrote it. Like a week or two later and I had access to no equipment. It was shot on a camcorder and the intro titles were done on a friend's PC. Then I convinced a teacher at college to let me edit there. Even though I wasn't attending school at the time.
I: So what happened to that version?
JB: I still have a copy, but the angles are bad, some jokes just don't work, timing is way off, and there's a ton of cursing. That turned a lot of people off. Yeah, the shots are pretty bad, some of them. God I knew nothing back then.
I: Will that ever see the light of day?
JB: Nah, probably not. Why should it? We did it over. And much better.
I: So let's talk about the version that the fans have seen. How did that happen?
JB: Well that happened cuz, I decided to get my ass in gear and go back to finish college.
I: That was a smart move right?
JB: F*ck yeah! I mean, I had access to some decent equipment for starters. But, yeah, it was the right move. I studied hard outside of the classroom too, reading books on script writing and structure and learning how to frame shots and stuff. And then we sat down, me Brick and Ed and re-wrote Beer Cheese and Spaceships. Just took out what jokes didn't work. We shot it on Super VHS and I edited it with the Video Toaster system. Also got local guitar legend Luke Timmons to write some original tunes for it.
I: The music is very catchy.
JB: Yeah, I love the intro tune. Funky.
I: So what happened after it was done?
JB: Pretty much threw a party and watched it. And then it just grew from there. We were going to enter it in the Flixtour festival but they said at least one of the makers had to travel with the tour. Then for some reason the rules changed and we missed the deadline.
I: What does the future hold for you, StuGotz films, and the Idiot Club?
JB: Hmm, me I don't know. Right now I'm making a lot of TV commercials, like Brick's brother says, 'they're mini movies!' Yeah, StuGotz films, there are some projects in the works. We are thinking about a silly cop movie, not like police academy though! But that's on hold right now. Oh, I have finished a feature length screenplay but we won't be attempting that anytime soon either. We might need some backing for that one.
I: What is that about?
JB: The screenplay? Life in Hazleton, 20 something stuff, and trying to break into the music business. It's a comedy but it shares more in common with Kevin Smith,Cameron Crowe, and John Hughes type films then with Sienfeld, Brit-Com's and Monty Python humor like the Idiot Club does.
I: So what about The Idiot Club?
JB: I don't know, honestly. I don't. I would like to do another one. We have two others written by me Brick and Ed. Which actually I think are a hell of a lot more funnier and better written than Beer Cheese and Spaceships. I also have two I wrote by myself and bits and pieces that could add up to at least six or seven more, at least. But who knows ya know. It's up to the other guys, cuz I'm ready.
I: Can you tell me what the other two are about?
JB: The one's we wrote together?
I: Yes.
JB: Sure, the one is called The Cable Dilemma, and the guys are trying to get illegal cable and the other is the annoyance of trying to throw a party. Some day I hope to at least shoot them both.
I: Well Jeff, thank you for your time and I wish you the best of luck on your future projects.
JB: Thanks Ian. See ya around.