The story of local band Stop Motion's journey to last weekend's South By Southwest music festival reads a bit like a screenplay from a wacky, rock 'n' roll-based road-trip film.
Based on an e-mail detailing the trip and sent to Scene writer Lisa Millegan by band member Clark Beggs, the film would be a light comedy with a bit of drama tossed in about a young band's experiences heading to a major gig where the members encounter daffy setbacks and a frightening medical complication. The movie would sport a lot of great rock music and a happy ending, the e-mail would suggest:
"Getting there was quite comical. Our van broke down at least three times on the way for different reasons. Got it fixed and got there no problem after playing a few shows in L.A. (Room 5 and the Viper Room).
"Our set in Austin went really well, but the coolest part of the day was meeting and hanging out with Chris Wall (guitarist for Death Cab For Cutie). We gave him a CD and he said he enjoyed it; he also introduced us to piano rock great Ben Kweller. Other really cool bands at the show: Frank and Derol (Miley Cyrus' sister Brandi), The Lonely Forest (Chris Wall is producing their new record which is why he was at the show) and our favorites Lady Danville were also there.
"Our guitarist ended up in the hospital (intestinal blockage), basically some complications from his colon cancer, which has been successfully removed. He is OK and has returned from a hospital in Austin.
"Van broke down one more time on the way home but we got home and had a great time!"
Whew! Sounds like one heck of a road-trip flick.
No doubt the soundtrack would be fantastic, too.
File the following under the Not-Suitable-For-The-Kids department.
In fact, we're going to do our best to be delicate with this, since, frankly, it's not all that suitable in general.
But if a seemingly unscientific — and not just a little bit tacky — Internet poll is any indication, both Modesto-bred actors Jeremy Renner and Timothy Olyphant have, indeed, achieved a certain celebrity status.
A creepy watch-out-for-the-paparazzi-on-the-corner kind of celebrity status; a you-might-want-to-have-911-on-speed-dial kind of celebrity status, but celebrity status, nonetheless.
A recent blog post by filmmaker James Gunn contains a startling Modesto-related two-fer.
Gunn apparently sent forth a poll via Twitter, Facebook and MySpace asking his readers to rank the top 25 male and female celebrities they'd most like to ... um ... know in the most personal of personal fashions, if you get my drift.
Renner and Olyphant both not only made the list, but ranked numbers 13 and 5, respectively.
Gee, isn't that nice? Bet their moms would be simply thrilled to hear it. Not to mention Olyphant's wife.
There's a compliment hidden in there, I suppose. And it's hardly the first time a celebrity poll like this has been cast. But, really, is this what a little Hollywood fame gets you?
It makes you wonder if the actors — who both had established successful careers that managed to fly just under the celeb radar until recent events — won't be wishing they'd stayed under that radar.
Renner's recent Oscar nomination shot him out of the Hollywood recognition gate like nobody's business. And Olyphant's lead role in the critically acclaimed new FX television series, "Justified," has upped his profile plenty, as well.
That's not to say America's women haven't noticed these guys and their sex appeal before. But I've kind of gotten the feeling over the years, based on talking to Bee reporters who have interviewed the two, that both were kind of OK being in that spot just under the radar. They were working actors with just enough recognition to garner some choice roles.
They hadn't reached that tipping point where too much fame has actors dodging camera-toting crazies while trying to buy bread at the corner market or grab a latte at the nearest Starbucks.
Indeed, gossip posts popped up recently linking Renner and tabloid darling Jessica Simpson. Would he rather live without his personal life posted all over the Internet? Likewise, would Olyphant — a family man — prefer to maintain his privacy?
Who knows. Maybe they'd be fine with excess exposure. Maybe it just comes with the territory.
Either way, our local guys soon may find out firsthand if the adage holds true that any publicity is good publicity in Hollywood.
Reach Scene editor Pat Clark at pclark@modbee.com.
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