Michael Davis: George Clooney And Nice Guys Named Mike
“Comics are full of nice guys named Mike.”
Either Mike Gold or Mike Grell said the above quote some 20 years ago. Considering I was just five at the time, please forgive me if I can’t remember who said what.
What?
Whoever said it was talking about the comics industry and the abundance of seemingly nice people in it. At the time we were all working on a comic called Shado: Song of the Dragon.
Mike Gold was the editor, Mike Grell was the writer, and I penciled and colored the book. We jokingly called the project, the Mike book.
It was my second major project and I was trilled as shit to be working with Mike Grell, who was (is) a nice guy. Mike Gold is a nice guy and I’m a nice guy.
Really, I’m a nice guy.
Most of the people I’d met in the comic industry have been really nice people.
I came to Hollywood in 1994 to run the film and television division of Motown Records. Most of the work I’ve done since then has been in television. I’ve met a lot of people in Hollywood and let me tell you compared to comics, that industry is full of not so nice people.
And by not so nice I mean assholes.
Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of really nice people in Hollywood. For example, George Clooney and Wayne Brady are two of the nicest people you will ever meet.
I’ve hung out a couple times with George and he’s a great guy. No, he’s not my friend (unless you are a really pretty Asian girl and that would impress you, if that’s the case then George and I are best friends) but every time I see George he treats me warmly and makes me feel genuinely like he’s glad to see me.
This kind treatment from one of the biggest stars in the world, how cool is that?
Now, Wayne is a dear friend and he’s as cool as cool can be and has been since the moment he and I met some five years ago. I don’t want to give the impression that Wayne and George are the only nice people I’ve met in Hollywood they are not…but I’ve met many and I mean many people in Hollywood.
And a lot of them are dicks.
I think I know why there are more dicks in Hollywood than there are in comics.
Respect.
For the most part people in comics meet you and at least try and get to know you. In Hollywood that’s not the case, in Hollywood if people meet you and determine you won’t make them any money then that, as they say, is that.
No, not everyone in Hollywood is a blood sucking, money grubbing parasite but yeah; I’ve met more than a few who are.
The San Diego Comic Con International is the biggest pop culture event in the world. Comic Con does not need Hollywood, Hollywood needs Comic Con.
My point?
I’m sick to fucking death of Hollywood thinking Comic Con is their event.
It’s not.
Every year at Comic Con I give a big party, every year a bunch of Hollywood players show up and I let them in. I won’t bore you with the “stars” that have attended my parties but take my word for it, it’s impressive.
But…
Every year, Hollywood gives parties at Comic Con and every year it seems that the comic book industry is shut out of those events.
That pisses me the fuck off to no end.
I think George Clooney is a wonderful actor and a really nice guy, I really, really do think that. But if George showed up at my Comic Con party at the same time Len Wein showed up and I could only let one of them in, it would be Len.
Why?
Because it’s Comic Con!
Len is part of Comic Con, like water is part of wet. Period.
Long story short, Hollywood, comics do not need you. You need us.
‘Nuff said.
WEDNESDAY: Mike Gold and the Great Comics’ Shell Game
Hollywood views all other media as their farm teams. When a product gets enough sales, or even just buzz, it’s uplifted into the city in the sky known as Film. And we’re supposed to doff our caps and thank them for giving us a look.
Yep. Yepyepyepyep…yep.
In 1970, Fairport Convention released an album called “Full House”,. with a cover that caricatured the band members as Tarot cards – two Kings and three Knights.
It wasn’t till some years later that i realised – Fairport at that time (always important to specify exactly WHEN you’re talking about because the lineup shifts all the time) consisted of two guitar players (Simon Nicol and Richard Thompson) and three guys named Dave (Pegg, Mattacks and Swarbrick).
Soooooo at one time it could have been called, The Dave Band?
George can come to my party. In my room.
George could not handle you but perhaps if he brings some apple sauce?
Sorry, Martha, George is already coming to MY party in MY room! (LOL!)
My party is in MY PANTS!
Voobanaha Vop Bop…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXA7yklaANo
Back in the day, I was dating science fiction writer Norman Spinrad, and he took me to a chi-chi party in Malibu. I was feeling INCREDIBLY out of my depths–yes, people, it does happen–so I put on my sunglasses and sat on lounge chair on the “lanai”–the party was too chi-chi to call it a “deck” and just occupied myself with looking out at the Pacific and marveling at the sun going down into the ocean instead of coming up out of the ocean as it does on the East Coast.
Anyway, Norman came over and told me I was the “hit of the party.”
I was, like, are you kidding me? I haven’t said a word to ANYONE.
He said, “Sweetheart, this is Hollywood. Sitting on a lounge chair and wearing sunglasses, not talking to anyone, pulling the Greta Garbo act (I vant to be alone) is enough here to get EVERYONE talking about you.”
Oy.
Oy is right!
My dear dear Mike aka “MOTU PRIME”, its been awhile since Ive had the chance to post to your stories, my friend. Working in the Government and at a game and comic store takes a lot of my time BUT I will find time to read over your musings and I just happened to find this to be one of your ELITE articles.
I agree with you whole heartedly and completely. I find myself defending my beloved comic industry from bozos who make the exclamation that Comic Con has become “hollywooded” and I say the same thing: Comic Con was Comic Con before Hollywood entered this geek orgy. They need us, not the other way around…Take away the TV shows and movies, I’d still attend and perhaps the smell of roast beef and ham (with no deli in the SDCC) will be more wider spread…Thank you my friend and I countdown the months until “The Black Panel”..
P.S. I still remember meeting Dwayne in 2011 and Hollywood didnt give that timeless moment to me…Thank you my friend