Live Nude Knowles Dept.: Austin Internet film guru Harry Knowles, of www.aintitcool.com, is taking over the world one television station at a time — and bolstering Austin’s reputation as Weird Capital of the World in the process. Britain’s Sky-TV has asked the hefty scribe to work with them on a series of contemporary film commentaries to be broadcast via high-end satellite cameras from his very own bedroom. The pitch has Knowles discussing American films that have already opened here in the States on the eve of their UK debuts, all from the sanctity of his own bed(room). Granted, the idea of Knowles sprawled out in leisurely disarray atop his rumpled bedclothes might be more than most folks stateside would expect (or want), but British television has long been a horse of a different color, as endless BBC-America reruns of Benny Hill continue to attest. It’s unclear at this time whether U.S. satellite subscribers will be able to pull in the five-minute snippets of Harryisms, which are slated to begin airing this coming January. “It’s my idea to have my girlfriend under the covers with me,” says a clearly tickled Knowles, “and then have her pop her head up at the right moment. And I love the idea of continuing Austin’s ‘slacker’ mentality by having a show beamed out to the world directly from my bed.” No info yet on whether Knowles will be suitably attired in sleep-matted Superman Underoos (“The underwear that’s fun to wear!”), though the Geneva Accords clearly rule out lace teddies and tartan peignoirs… The Austin Film Society held a going-away shindig for outgoing Director of Programming Salvatore Botti the other day, and simultaneously announced the arrival of incoming Guest Curator (and longtime AFS associate) Chale Nafus, who will hold the post through March 2003. They’re currently accepting applications for the permanent position of director of programming through Jan. 31, 2003. If you think you have what it takes, the position and information on applying are posted online at www.austinfilm.org.
This article appears in December 13 • 2002.