This past June, The Smithee Awards came to Columbus, OH to do its schlocky thing at Origins '25. Guests of Honor included Sylvester McCoy. If you said "Who?" you are correct: He played the 7th Doctor. Also honored were Sophie "Ace" Aldred and John "Captain Jack" Barrowman, both of the same TV show fame. While I interacted with all three, it was the last that I zoomed in on first: He'd been in the Smithees. So of course I had to pester him.

I "pestered" him twice. He was a great sport. The first time, the only person behind his meet-and-greet table was his manager/assistant(?). Anyway, some lady. So I said, "Huh. He's not even behind his own table." Then I heard a voice to my right say "I'm right here!" And there he was, standing off to the side in front. I did a double-take. Of course I knew he was there all along and he knew I knew, so he smiled and said, "Ah, comedian, huh?" I shook his hand and said, "Why yes, after a fashion," and then, after telling him how I admired his body (of work!), introduced myself fully as Mr. Allen Smithee, and told him what the Smithee Awards were all about.

"I'll bet you've been in some clunkers on your rise to fame," I said. He said, "Well, only one, really: Shark Attack 3: Megalodon." He said this without prompting. He knows what he did. "Hey," he quipped, "I don't mind. That movie bought me my first house." Then he rakishly pushed his sunglasses up his nose and flashed that million-dollar grin.

Later, I informed him the movie was nominated for three Smithee Awards: Worst Picture (of course), "Alas, Poor Yorick," for the most stupid death (Immediately: "The speedboat-eating scene, right?" I said "Yep!" He knows what he did.), and he even won for Best One-Liner.

No sonner had I mentioned the category name when he said, "Let me guess: The line where I said 'Let's go back to my place and I can eat your...'." He paused. We both nodded to confirm we knew the last word. Oh, he TOTALLY knows what he did. "Funny thing," he said, "That line was an ad-lib. The director said 'Just make her laugh,' and that was what popped out of my mouth. That line has actually won several similar one-liner awards at other film festivals." Cool piece of trivia.

I asked him what it was like to work with that director, and if he ever worked with him again. "No!" Barrowman said. Then he looked at the name I showed him. He frowned. "That's not the director of that film," he said. I said, "But that's what it says in the IMDb and on the box." "Well, that's not his real name." John said, "I guess he changed it so nobody knew." I asked him to reveal the real name, but he put a finger to his lips and refused with a wink. "You can find it out if you search hard enough."

So another interesting tidbit from Mr. Barrowman. Could it be that his "breakthrough" Bad Movie Megalodon was directed by, if not THE Allen Smithee, then AN Allen Smithee?

As for Sylvester McCoy, he may not be in the Smithees (yet!), but I did remind him of his participation in a contender that hasn't made it into a ceremony (yet!): The Airzone Solution. "Whoof!" McCoy said, "That was a long time ago. Me, Colin Baker and Jon Pertwee." Then, his voice got consipratorial. "You know," he said, "Pertwee wasn't in the original script. Somehow, he learned of the project, crashed the set, and demanded to be written in. So there he was." Who would have thought?

All in all, several cool and fun interactions with the Who's Who!

-Your Host, Bryan "Allen Smithee" Cassidy

From the deepest depths of depravity it comes… Rising up at the appointed hour at the beseeching of its brainwashed and slavering cultists… Causing insanity in all who behold it… No, it’s not some Eldritch Horror from beyond the stars, it’s THE THIRTY-THIRD ANNUAL SMITHEE AWARDS™! After all, if Cthulhu can nap for millennia and still make a comeback, so can we!

Come join the Smith-ka-teers at Origins® '25 in the SHORT NORTH BALLROOM A of the Greater Columbus Convention Center on THURSDAY, JUNE 19th at 7:00pm ET to view some Great Old Ones (by which I mean both a horde of hilariously Bad Movie clips and the Smith-ka-teers themselves). Eighteen shall be the categories in our summoning ceremony, including Most Ludicrous Premise, Worst Science, “Cutting Butter with a Chainsaw,” and of course, Stupidest-Looking Monster. Best of all, YOU, dear ecstatic minion, get to decide the winners in each category from what Hastur be the cosmically worst movies in many a strange eon.

The madness lasts until about midnight. Come and go as you please. Some clips may contain…unpleasantness…so you may wish to leave your thousand young behind (looking at you, Shub-Niggurath).

So join your cinemasochistic brethren. Embrace the chaos. Give in to the darkness. You weren't using that sanity anyhow.

You’ll have a R'lyeh great time!

-Your Host, Bryan "Allen Smithee" Cassidy

It's an unholy union months in the making...

Sure, the folks at Vox Fabuli fused their puppetry with one of the worst Bad Movies ever made and spawned Manos, the Hands of Felt -- a nigh shot-for-shot (musical!) rehash of Manos, the Hands of Fate...using FREAKING PUPPETS.

But the union I'm talking about is the marry-o-'netting of that brilliantly twisted project with the delightfully deranged Smithee Awards! Your Host has obtained permission from the creators to present this masterpiece in a Very Special Event: The Smithee Viewing Party #5!

Wait, there's more! MtHoFelt Writer and Producer Rachel Jackson will be on "Hand" to answer questions and meet the fans! Ask Her (Almost) Anything about behind-the-scenes facts and how this freakish abomination came to be. (And who among us Smithee fans doesn't love a freakish abomination?)

The fun begins on Friday, January 24th -- We'll soft-open at 8:30pm ET for the Q&A with Rachel and the movie itself will begin promptly at 9:00pm and go until about 10:30pm. It's all going down in the Smithee Screening Room channel on our Discord server: The Smithee Awards Discord Dance Party!

The catch? Only one: The Viewing Parties are only open to paid Patreon members (of any tier). Not a member yet? Don't despair! An event so special deserves a special promotion. So to commemorate this viewing party, I'm offering a 50% discount on all new memberships this month! Simply use the promotional code FELT when signing up at The Smithee Awards Patreon.

Come for the puppets, stay for the year-round weirdness of the Smithees!

-Your Host, Bryan "Allen Smithee" Cassidy

Dear fellow Cinemasochists and lovers of the Best of the Worst, I’m thrilled to announce that The Smithee Awards now has its very own Patreon page and Discord server (with more to come)! If you’re a fan of hilariously terrible movies, ludicrous premises, and inane dialogue, this is the place for you.

Here’s what you need to know:

How Can You Get Involved?

• Become a Patron: Visit our brand-new Smithee Awards Patreon and choose a tier that suits your love for cinematic disasters.

Why Should You Join?

• Exclusive Content: Get ready for all-new Smithee Awards content throughout the year. No more waiting for the annual event—we’re here to “entertain” you year-round.
• Awesome-ish Prizes: Patrons get access to exclusive content, giveaways, and Smithee-themed “goodies.”
• Find Your People: You’re not alone! With VIP access to The Smithee Awards Discord Dance Party, you can connect with people who appreciate atrocious flicks as much as you do.
• Find Your Voice: YOU get to have input into the future (future…future…) of the Smithee Awards, by telling us your opinions for new features, rewards, and whatnot!
• Keep the Projector Running: Your support helps us bring you Smithees content and other benefits all year long. There Is No Escape!
• Special Thanks! Members at the Cast and Producer levels get their names listed in every episode of our new Media Empire! Thanks for your support! We couldn't do this without you. All right, we could, but it wouldn't be nearly as much fun.

-Your Host, Bryan "Allen Smithee" Cassidy