Do You Want Fries With That?

Did You know that there's a "controversy" brewing over Clerks 2 between director Kevin Smith, a donkey, and ABC TV's film critic Joel Siegel? Well, apparently shock jocks Opie and Anthony wanted in on it...

Roger Friedman of Fox News.com will fill you in

The donkey in "Clerks II" is actually very funny, not very smutty.

Joel Siegel is a good critic and a really nice guy who’s allowed to lose his patience even for a funny donkey.

Everyone just stop right here.

I’m more appalled listening to the nasty, disrespectful assault on Siegel that occurred on the “Opie and Anthony” radio show yesterday morning. It’s unbelievable that these two jackals are back on the air, especially after being expunged four years for broadcasting a sex act from inside St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

Opie and Anthony — real names Gregg Hughes and Anthony Cumia — made their way as Howard Stern wannabes a long time ago.

No one over 12 actually listens to them with the exception of people who claim English as a third language. That’s why picking a fight with somebody, anybody, even slightly famous has to be their goal at this point.

Their ratings — slim at best — might possibly improve if they could just get some publicity. The Siegel-Smith contretemps was a perfect storm for them over the last two days.

But picking on Siegel for walking out of “Clerks II” is a sad way for them to go about their juvenile business.

Unlike a lot of TV and radio critics, Siegel happens to be one of the most serious-minded and erudite. He also appreciates independent filmmakers more than most reviewers whose audience is mainstream.

I’m surprised he hasn’t uttered more expletives during a variety of films in the last quarter century. I know I have, many times, and even walked out of a couple of things that were too preposterous for words.

Of course, “Clerks II” is actually a genially raucous comedy, and the donkey is actually a hilarious ode to the famed shot-dead horse in “Animal House.”

If Siegel had stayed a couple more minutes, he might have been very amused. But then again, maybe not.

You do reach a point, after seeing hundreds of films, when the sight of something coming that could be very offensive is more than a critic wants to deal with. That’s his prerogative, and he’s welcome to tell his audience that.

I rather doubt that if Siegel had yelled, “I’m leaving!” at the top of his voice in the “Clerks II” screening room — which he didn’t —that anyone with even the most delicate sensibilities could have minded that much. I mean, the donkey was getting ready to get down.

On the other hand, I wish that Hughes and Cumia would have their producers do a little research rather than attack people on the air without provocation. There’s such a thing as bad karma, it’s instant, and no one needs to bait as much as they have with this little pre-fab scandal

First, this is really much ado about nothing...but hey its a really slow movie news day around here.

Second, while Siegel is entitled to his opinion of Clerks II, as a professional, he could have just got up and walked out. He need not have caused such a stir--using such a "colorful metaphor" in the process only adds fuel to the fire...

...Which leads me to Opie & and Anthony. Of course they are gonna use this to full advantage. Most of their target audience probably didn't know who Seigel was, until now, but they know who Smith is, for sure.

Research!!?? Research!!!??

Don't make me laugh....They want this to drag out for as long as possible...Think about it what else are they gonna talk about? The crisis in the Middle East?

I've heard the show before, when they were on broadcast radio, and I agree with Friedman: Howard Stern they're not (and never will be). But Siegel made himself a target by acting like a...er well..um Donkey.

Boy, it sure is a slow movie news day....