SoSFDavidO here for the next two weeks, takin’ the reins! In today’s strip, Mason, the actor who’s got the unenviable task of playing Les Moore in the upcoming cancer drama Lust for Lisa makes the mistake of asking our humble writer to talk about his favorite topic: himself.
I only hope Les is honest.
Well, you see, Mason, I’m a self-centered, arrogant prick who uses other people as footstools to get what I want, belittling everyone from student I’m supposed to be educating to my own family members. And speaking of that, I have a daughter and daughter-in-law who I haven’t thought of in over two years because their personal achievements were starting to overshadow my own.
Mason is going to want a new agent by the time this is all over.
Son of Stuck Funky 
Man this LesTom guy is maddening. As usual, there he is again, hacking away at the premise (Hollywood is full of greedy hypocrites and vacuous phonies who don’t know an brilliant cancer story even when it’s smacking them in the face)…hack, hack, hack. In today’s time-killing installment, the lead actor is painted as a complete and total moron who’s yet to realize that the “Les” character he’s playing is the same breaded asshole who’s been sitting around the set for the last few weeks looking like his best friend just died. Which is true, if by “just” you mean “seventeen years ago”. Just go heavy on the smug annoying smirks and you’ll do just fine, Mason.
Is that car amused by Mason’s idiocy or is it just happy to be leaving that godforsaken studio lot? At least something’s happy about being involved in this debacle. I’m personally hoping that the studio defecates all over Les’ stupid story and that it gets beaten in the ratings by infomercials for old “Paul Lynde Show” DVD sets.
Mason Jarr seems like a slightly dim but well-meaning kind of guy-which I guess means we’re supposed to hate him or at least sneer at him with contempt, because he doesn’t know the gospel of Blessed Saint Dead Lisa Who Died of Cancer.
“Gee, Les, you mean this ‘Les’ character that you wrote, Les, is the same Les as you, Les? Wow–mind blown. You should have, you know, put some kind of clue in the script so people would know that, man!”
Uh, Mason…wasn’t the whole point of having Lunch With Les so you could get a handle on your character by talking to the source?
This guy is going to be absolutely devastated when he really gets to know Les, and realizes the casting director thought he’d be a good fit for that role.
I realize that this must feel like a neverending conversation for both of these men, but how the hell did they manage to climb into the car, buckle up, drive to the gate, then wait for the barricade to rise with only 12 words spoken between them? Good thing Mason’s driving at warp speed, otherwise he might have to feel awkward all the way through Saturday’s strip.
Every time I read a Les-themed FW strip, I think the same thing: “Christ, what an asshole!”
Well, he sure isn’t a stereotype, is he?
Memo to Batom Inc.: No one is that stupid. Seriously.
Do they have any Ohio-style pizza in LA?
Let’s hope this guy is a method actor and wants to immerse himself in the unbearable lightness of Les. It’s more likely he is going to lobby the producer to use the original strip after getting a full dose of Westview charm.
Panel 2-The look on Mason Jarr’s face is the look of an actor who just realized he signed up for a career killing role. I hope he leased his smiley car.
No one has actually read “Lisa’s Story” the non-fiction epic created in a fictional comic strip world. So no one should be shocked that Lisa’s Story is nothing more than Les carrying on about Lisa’s illness and ultimate death. Accordingly, the movie has but one character – Les. Say yes to Les, a character so complex and egomaniacal that he can ultimately be played by only on person – Les himself. What I’m saying is don’t be surprised when the Funkyverse rights itself, The Actor chokes to death on Tandoori Chicken and Les is pressed into service. The show must go on.
Mason Jarr? Please go to the white courtesy phone. Marvin Zindler is on the line, says he wants his glasses back.
I have to say the artwork’s not half bad today & yesterday. Even the composition is decent. It’s ruined, of course, by the “writing,” and would be much improved through the deletion of all speech balloons.
And of Les.
This guy is going to be devastated when sees pics of Les at his age and he’s told to go get a helmet haircut and dye his hair black
“You – you who wrote the biography of John Darling, who was murdered? Amazing. I loved that book – the other one was god awful – this Les guy didn’t even have the stones to sue the doctor who mixed up the x-rays and in essence killed his wife. What a wimp.”
“Really? Awesome! I bet Clay $20 that you would never admit to being that narcissistic Mary Sue in real life!”
The only way this could possibly work would be for Mason’s “No way? Seriously?” to be delivered in an incredibly sarcastic tone. “Look, buddy, I KNOW he’s you. I KNOW this is based on your own story. When I asked ‘Who is he?’, I meant ‘Who is he really? What’s the heart of the character?’ I was trying to get closer to the true Les, and you responded with an obvious, condescending remark treating me as if I were a moron. Huh…come to think of it, I guess you DID answer my question.”
Wait one cotton picking minute. I can’t believe everyone let this one item slide.
The “Paul Lynde Show” is on DVD?!
@Jimmy, sadly no, but this is, “Paul Lynde Halloween Special”.
Dolz – don’t forget, that’s a perfect DVD for KISS fans!
No slur intended regarding Mr. Lynde…the man knew funny and he could snigger like no one else.
The only way this could possibly work would be for Mason’s “No way? Seriously?” to be delivered in an incredibly sarcastic tone.
I don’t know, he could be saying it aghast or surprised that Les would be so amateur about his writing. “Seriously? That’s how you look at it? I mean, I recognize that this is in some ways autobiographical, but I hoped that there was more to the story you’re telling than simply ‘This is what happened to me.'”
And then Mason realizes that talking to Les about this is a waste of time.
Anyway, here’s another encounter where someone has every reason to tell Les to get over himself, but I bet Mason will continue to be painfully polite, oblivious to the palpable contempt that Les has for him.