I normally wince at doing comics about “industry news” because I think most people won’t have the background information needed to get the joke. Thus, I feel compelled to establish the situation with some kind of long-winded exposition. Hence, the super-wide first panel with Jared giving us the lowdown.

Truthfully, I’m completely tapped in terms of commentary for upcoming movies like Saw V and Pride and Glory.

Incidentally, this is the article Jared is talking about regarding Paramount’s decision to push back The Soloist from November to March.

I guess I kind of misrepresented things in the comic because Paramount didn’t bump The Soloist from November explicitly to support a Best Supporting Actor campaign for Robert Downey Jr.’s performance in Tropic Thunder. That was more of a by-product of the situation. Paramount was pressured by its parent company to cut 4th quarter costs and The Soloist was easiest to move. So, really, it’s all about money – as it often is.

I’m thinking it’s somewhat misguided on Paramount’s part to finance a campaign for RDJ’s role in Tropic Thunder. Not just because comedies typically do not fare well during awards season, but also because of the controversy of putting an A-list actor in black face for nearly 2 hours.

Look, the film ruffled a few feathers, but they managed to pull it off. No one walked away from it sustaining any permanent damage to their careers. Just let the thing flourish on DVD and let sleeping dogs lie. The less said about this, the better. Quit trying to take advantage of RDJ’s resurgence in 2008. Yes, it’s a crime that the man hasn’t been nominated for anything since Chaplin, but Tropic Thunder is not the film to break that streak. All things in due time.

Switching gears, I wanted to talk about Monday’s strip and the wave of e-mails I received about having a mid-life crisis at 30. It was surprising how many people wrote in to express the same misgivings about getting old. One reader sent me a couple of links detailing The Quarter-Life Crisis and the astrologers theory of Saturn’s Return.

I guess I was familiar with the idea of a quarter-life crisis from a lyric in John Mayer song. Of course, there’s also that album from No Doubt called Return of Saturn, so I guess I’m kind of of familiar with that as well. I just never made the connection between these ideas and my own station in life.

Weird how I know about these things through my exposure to pop music.

Anyway, it was nice to get e-mails from people answering the question “Is it possible to have a mid-life crisis at 30?” and agreeing with it. A lot of you have been there or could sympathize with the feeling and that was reassuring. So… thanks!

I don’t know why I felt the need to share that beyond how I find it interesting what topics will generate a response from you guys. Makes me feel good you’re reading the blogs!

That does it for me today. Have a great Wednesday!