"The Dude" Gets Rocked at Sundance - Literally (Backstage)

Is there any action more feasibly idiotic than beating up a film critic before he reviews your film?

For anybody besides "The Dude" Jeff Dowd, absolutely not. However, the burly and audibly opinionated producer might have just hit a PR landmine... er, goldmine, this week during his soon to be Sundance-infamous run-in with journalist John Anderson.

It started with a pitch, ended with a punch. But for those who want a tad bit more gritty, voyeur-esuqe detail...

Blue-eyed and unabashedly blunt John Anderson, a film critic for Variety, was exiting Dowd's 8:30 screening of Dirt! The Movie (naturally a title associated with The Dude), and apparently in a sour temper. He was en-route to obtain a don't-screw-with-me breakfast at the Yarrow, before an overly-ardent, gamboling Dowd blocked his path.

As the enviro-doc's producer-rep, Dowd naturally wanted to get a take on what a powerful critic like Anderson thought of the screening. Now, whether it was the movie, the hunger, or his jarring proximity to Jeff Dowd... Anderson responded unfavorably.

"[It] was poor, too simplistic, too redundant," stated Anderson. When Dowd attempted to engage him in conversation about the audience's (positive) reaction, Anderson simply called them all "sheep" and dismissed him.

Passionate Dowd refused to give up. After temporarily departing, he ended up returning to the Yarrow where Anderson was munching and proceeded to hover over the critic's table. He even brought along The Howard Stern Show's Jackie Martling, who had offered to express his sincere Dirt! kudos.

Anderson lost it. After a few unfeigned words of warning, he stood up, raised his arm, and nailed Dowd in the noggin with his fist. Oh, but he started with his shoulder, then his chest, then his chin... then....

"John is a great guy" states Dowd after all the fury is over, and press is swarming the after-fight breakfast scene. He seems to be taking the whole situation light-heartedly, is not hurt [the guy is, after all, built like a polar bear], and isn't pressing charges against Anderson.

"He's trying to make a moral issue", grumbles Anderson, clearly still deprived of his scrambled & bacon.

"They don't get much sleep," guffaws Dowd.

Yeah. I'd be happy if my little documentary (on dirt) suddenly had the attention of the New York Times, too. And taking a few punches to get that publicity? Even the big dogs at 40 West couldn't pull that one off.

Nice going, Dude. We underestimated you.

-- Ashley Avis