Now, I'm no hater, but there's just something wildly fun about a theater full of people screaming "We Besmirch Thee!!" such as occurred last Saturday night at ThrowDown13 in Kenai. And I should know, having suffered through my share of shamings (hey, things happen). Besmirchment is the shadow to the light, the smackdown "boo hoo" Yang to the self-satisfied Yin of delivering your Bob'sShorts movie on time.

Say you're a moviemaker who's committed and failed to deliver a movie on deadline and you're now standing before the audience. Your fellow ThrowDown moviemaking cohort (who did deliver on time) sits gazing righteously upon your mournful visage, and the audience is lusting for solid entertainment. The justice potential and sheer tension in the situation represents a natural alignment of cosmic proportion.You can just feel the love in the room.

And after all, wearing the "toilet seat of shame*" around your neck and being verbally flogged by friends and strangers alike is, after all, not permanently damaging, and if you can stand up to this theater of shame you will emerge a stronger person and a better moviemaker. I guarantee it. And if for some reason you should fail to show for your ThrowDown besmirchment, rest assured we WILL select a proxy besmirchee and shout your name into infamy regardless of your lack of temerity. All in good fun and moviemaking fellowship, of course.

*"Toilet Seat of Shame" decorated by Karen Missire.