The Light from the TV Shows: A Chat with Jason Mewes (“King of the Nerds”)

Jason Mewes has been around the block enough times that he’s easily identifiable even when he’s not standing next to his onscreen hetero life mate, Kevin Smith, but the two are teaming up again to serve as judges on this week’s episode of TBS’s “King of the Geeks,” which airs 2/7 at 10 PM. Bullz-Eye talked to Mewes for a few minutes about his TV obsessions, his new gig, one of his old gigs, and an old gig that may yet be a new gig again. Confused? Read on and you’ll figure it out.

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Bullz-Eye: When one of your most famous characters is turned into part of a superhero duo with their own comic book (Bluntman & Chronic), you’ve got pretty good geek credentials, but what is it about you, Jason Mewes, that makes you a geek?

Jason Mewes: Um, I would say…I could be considered a geek in the sense of my love of TV shows, comics, and action figures. I collect action figures, I collect Legos, I have a Batman pillowcase and sheet set, and, y’know, I play video games all day: “Call of Duty,” “Black Ops,” “Lego Batman 2: DC SuperHeroes”… And I guess a love of technology. I mean, I don’t know why I’m obsessed with technology, and some of it I don’t know how to use, but I want it. I have an iMac that I’ve had for a couple of years, but now they’ve got that new iMac and I want to go get it. I haven’t, but I want to, even though mine’s perfectly fine, because the new one’s all sleek and slim and amazing. I have the newest iPad, the oldest iPad, and when the iPad Mini comes out, I want to get that. So I don’t know, I guess I’d just say that my love of technology, games, comics, toys, all that…I don’t know if that makes me a child or a nerd. [Laughs.]

BE: How was the experience of being a judge on “King of the Nerds”?

JM: It was awesome. What they talked about, the content and the debating of each topic, was awesome, not to mention getting to sit there as a judge, but also the hosts (Robert Carradine and Curtis Armstrong)…I mean, “Revenge of the Nerds” was one of my favorite movies growing up. I know the whole song. [Starts singing.] “Clap your hands, everybody / And everybody clap your hands!” That was my favorite. And to be able to meet Lewis and Booger…that was a treat. So combining the stuff that they talked about and that we got to judge them and the hosts, it was amazing.

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BE: Not to divulge any spoilers, but were there any contestants who, when you saw them on the show, struck you as being potential Kings?

JM: Um, you know… [Hesitates.] There’s a lot of great people on the show, so…I don’t know which one’ll be the King. And I don’t really want to give anything away, because they get kicked off…well, they don’t get kicked off, but they leave the show. But…I don’t know, there was a young lady there, I’ll say that, who was really passionate and was really on her stuff. She knew what she was talking about. So we’ll see what happens.

BE: Are you a fan of reality-competition shows as a rule?

JM: Yeah, man, I love “Design Star.”

BE: Really?

JM: Yeah! Have you heard of it?

BE: I have.

JM: “Design Star” is one of my favorite shows that my wife and I watch together. I love “Ultimate Fighter.” I’m a huge fan of that. I mean, how awesome is that show? So, yeah, I mean, there’s two right there that I can just name off the top of my head that are just awesome and that I’ve watched all of ‘em and downloaded ‘em from iTunes and have kept up with ‘em.

Jason Mewes Visits The Morning Show in Toronto on August 24, 2012

BE: What are some of your other TV obsessions?

JM: I’m obsessed with “24.” I just watched that through for the fourth or fifth time. I’m a big fan of…well, right now, I really dig “Grimm,” “Once Upon a Time,” and “Arrow.” But, see, then I have my old classics that I can watch anytime and enjoy ‘em, like “Murder, She Wrote,” “Matlock,” and “21 Jump Street.” I watch a lot of television, but I don’t necessarily just sit down in front of the television and watch. Like, even if it’s on my iPad when I’m in line at the Starbucks or when I’m on the toilet or something. [Laughs.] I just love TV, man. Particularly shows with cliffhangers.

BE: If you’re enough of a fan of “Murder, She Wrote” and “Matlock” to call them out as favorites, do you have any particular favorite guest stars on those shows?

JM: No, y’know, I just dig all of ‘em. I wouldn’t say there’s any particularly specific guest stars that stand out.

BE: As far as your other TV work, “Todd and the Book of Pure Evil” has become a cult hit, thanks to being available for online streaming.

JM: Yeah, it’s awesome, and I’m really hoping that… [Sighs.] Y’know, I’m so bummed they didn’t do a Season 3, because I really thought they had a lot more to tell. The guys had written…they’d already written for more stories, and I just feel like the show was definitely good enough to do more. I don’t know what it was exactly, if it was too expensive for the studio to make or what, but hopefully Netflix will make it more popular and give it that boost that it needs to get another season going or at least…if not another season, then to do a movie, maybe, to wrap up everything from the end of the last season.

BE: To wrap up, in regards to your work with Mr. Smith, are you excited about the prospect of returning to the ViewAskewniverse for one more “Clerks” movie?

JM: Yes! That would be awesome. I mean, it’s not set in stone yet, but I really hope it does happen. Any time I get to work with Kevin and all the people who are involved, it’s just fantastic.

BE: Have you got any thoughts on where Jay is nowadays?

JM: I think he’s kicking back and doing his thing, sitting and waiting and…creating and inventing something that will change the world. But we’ll see!