Month: July 2019

• July 29, 2019American Splendor, Dean Haspiel, Episodes, Harvey Pekar, Interviews, Josh Neufeld, Joyce Brabner

  AS 17: A Burp, a Whistle, and a Cough (with Val Mayerik)

  American Splendor scene #17 (41:38 to 44:32) — Joyce travels to Cleveland to meet Harvey in person — but will he be a “hairy ape” or a “young Brando?” The real Harvey sidles into frame. His opening line? "You might as well know right off the bat, I had a vasectomy.” The date begins with a handshake and dinner at a local family restaurant.
  
  

• July 22, 2019American Splendor, Dean Haspiel, Episodes, Harvey Pekar, Josh Neufeld, Joyce Brabner

  AS 16: Dear Mr. Pekar

  American Splendor scene #16 (37:11 to 41:37) — Meanwhile in Delaware, Joyce Brabner is frustrated with her partner in the comic store, who has sold her copy of American Splendor #8 out from under her. Why does everything in her life have to be such a complicated disaster?! She writes to Harvey, he responds, and they soon discover they are kindred spirits. Phone conversations spark the beginning of a romance, and Harvey convinces Joyce to come to Cleveland to meet him in person.
  
  

• July 15, 2019American Splendor, Dean Haspiel, Episodes, Harvey Pekar, Josh Neufeld

  AS 15: Alice Quinn and Jennie Gerhardt

  American Splendor scene #15 (32:27 to 37:10) — The short weekend begins with longing… Harvey is picking up donuts and day-old bread at the bakery when he runs into Alice Quinn, a woman he briefly knew in college. They catch up on each other’s lives and talk about Theodore Dreiser’s novel Jennie Gerhardt. Harvey leaves their encounter feeling more alone than ever before — “life seems so sweet, and so sad…”
  
  

• July 8, 2019American Splendor, Dean Haspiel, Episodes, Harvey Pekar, Josh Neufeld

  AS 14: Jellybeans, Lentils, and Lent

  American Splendor scene #14 (27:32 to 32:26) — Our most authentic episode to date! And the next thing, it’s the 80s… Harvey has published eight issues of American Splendor to critical acclaim but little financial gain. He’s still a “flunky file clerk.“ Toby stops by to offer Harvey some gourmet jelly beans. Before you know it, the film gets META as the real Harvey crosses paths with Paul Giamatti and the real Toby Radloff crosses paths with Judah Friedlander!
  
  

• July 1, 2019American Splendor, Dean Haspiel, Episodes, Harvey Pekar, Josh Neufeld

  AS 13: From Off the Streets of Cleveland

  We open with a montage of classic Pekar quotidian moments and close with Harvey proudly showing off American Splendor #1 to his co-workers. Mr. Boats returns and Toby Radloff appears for the first time! Finally, the real Harvey talks about how he comes up with his stories.