Metal Sludge The Power and the Glory
C.C. BANANA CHATS WITH GEORGE LUCAS
C.C. Banana as "Bananakin Skywalker"
This is one for the Metal Sludge history books, folks.
Most of you by now know our roving correspondent and 2003 Sludgeaholic of the Year C.C. Banana, the man who dresses like fruit and interviews rock stars and other celebrities. From the first time he stalked his namesake C.C. DeVille around a Poison concert a few years ago, the Banana has made a name for himself by annoying famous people.
Recently, C.C. Banana succeeded in cornering Warrant’s Jani Lane for a Back-4-More interview, despite all previous failed attempts. He also conducted a live 20 Questions with comedian Craig Gass of The Howard Stern Show, onstage at a New York City comedy club. Additionally, the Banana has hosted a series of rock concerts, appeared on Fuse TV and Sirius Satellite Radio, and even interviewed the members of Poison, Winger and Cinderella in his legendary BACKSTAGE BANANA video! We have no idea how the yellow bastard gets these people to talk to him, let alone on camera, but the Banana always manages to deliver the goods.
Now C.C. Banana is back with probably his biggest interview to date. It consists of just one question, but that was all it took to bring down the house! If you’ve already read the Adventures of Maul Stanley, you know that C.C. Banana recently attended the enormous Star Wars Celebration III in Indianapolis, coinciding with the release of the last film in the series, "Episode III: Revenge of the Sith." When C.C. told us that he would be attending a Star Wars convention and that he wanted to do some interviews for us while he was there, we figured he’d been smoking a little too much Wookiee weed! But apparently the Banana was quite a hit with the Star Wars fans! All decked out as "Bananakin Skywalker," he was even approached by a Lucasfilm representative who proceeded to photograph him for the official Star Wars website! In fact, the Banana ended up appearing in several additional online articles and features about the Star Wars Celebration! Here are just a few:
C.C. Banana in the Journal Gazette!
C.C. Banana in Infuse Magazine!
Best of all, C.C. Banana somehow found his way into the much-anticipated George Lucas Q & A session. This was apparently no easy feat, with most people waiting outside in the rain from 9:00 PM the previous night! And you thought it was hard getting tickets for the Motley Crue reunion! For Star Wars fans, seeing George Lucas in person is like meeting Ozzy Osbourne, Rob Halford, Alice Cooper, Paul Stanley and Steven Tyler all rolled into one. Making the event even more significant was the fact that Lucas apparently hadn’t made such an appearance in almost 20 years! Sounds like Mr. Lucas takes after Axl Rose.
Thousands of Star Wars fans about to have a religious experience.
Out of an estimated 50,000 guests at the convention that weekend, only about 10,000 in total were allowed in to see George Lucas (over the course of 3 half-hour sessions). And of those in attendance, only a few dozen were permitted to ask a question. Many of which were actually pretty lame, like asking George Lucas who his favorite character is or what color his lightsaber would be. But things certainly picked up once the Banana made his appearance!
Here’s the e-mail we received from C.C. Banana, explaining what you’re about to hear:
Hey there, Sludge!
I’m just now recovering from the exhausting experience that was the Star Wars Celebration! I had an incredible time and was even recognized by a few dozen Sludgeaholics! Very cool! This historic event featured all variety of Star Wars presentations, performances and personalities, not to mention hundreds of fans dressed in outlandish costumes. I even saw some nut done up like the bastard child of Darth Maul and Paul Stanley, prancing around in red spandex and a cape! And I thought MY outfit looked ridiculous! Anyway, enclosed is an audio clip of a funny question I managed to ask George Lucas. Also chiming in are Star Wars actor Jay Lega’aia and prequel producer Rick McCallum. I hope you will find this newsworthy.
May the Fruit be with you!
Bananakin Skywalker
http://www.CCBanana.com
After reading C.C. Banana’s note, we honestly thought he was kidding about talking to Lucas. We figured he’d maybe interviewed some old dude in a beard and flannel shirt as a goof. But after listening to the clip, we were floored to discover that it was completely legit!
Thousands of Star Wars fans wetting their pants.
Anyway, without further ado, here’s the audio of C.C. Banana chatting it up with Star Wars guru supreme George Lucas:
C.C. Banana Meets George Lucas!
George Lucas waving to C.C. Banana!
For those of you who can’t play the clip for some reason, here’s what you’re missing:
Moderator: C.C. from New York.
C.C. Banana: Hello Mr. Lucas, my name is C.C. Banana. In the Star Wars movies, when a Jedi dies, sometimes they fade away and others they just lie there, dead. I guess what I would like to know is, what do you think will happen…
Rick McCallum, George Lucas and Jay Lega’aia listening intently to C.C. Banana!
C.C. Banana: … when YOU die?
(huge laugh)
George Lucas: I’m not sure, but I have a feeling I’m just gonna lay there, dead.
(smaller but respectable laugh)
George Lucas: It takes a great deal of study… contemplation and study. And you have to know certain people on the other side in order to make that part happen.
George Lucas explaining about Jedis and the Force and whatnot.
Jay Lega’aia: I think if and when that happens, and it may happen or it may not happen, you’ll probably hear Rick in the background going, "We’ll fix it in post! Don’t worry!"
(big laugh)
Rick McCallum: Was your name C.C. Banana?
C.C. Banana: Yes!
Jay Lega’aia: Is that C.C. Banana?
C.C. Banana: Yes! Yes!
Rick McCallum: Fantastic!
Jay Lega’aia: There’s another Jedi warrior.
Sounds like this McCallum dude already has plans on marketing a Star Wars character inspired by C.C. Banana! Better consult your attorney, C.C.!
Well, there you have it, faithful Sludgeaholics! Once again, C.C. Banana finds a way of taking something potentially dorky and somehow making it cool. We’ve really got to hand it to that damn fruit. It takes balls to get up in front of thousands of people and ask an asinine question like that, especially to someone as famous as George Lucas! We honestly have no idea how he doesn’t get thrown out for pulling this kind of crap. Sure, he outed himself as a huge Star Wars nerd, but he also made an auditorium full of people laugh in the process, including Lucas himself! And for that he deserves a big pat on the peel. In all fairness to the Banana, we do work him pretty hard around here, so we’re willing to cut him some slack for being a Trekkie or a Hobbit or whatever it is they’re called. Just don’t go taking up watchmaking like Dan Spitz or ballet like Kip Winger, because that would be really gay.
Just for fun, here are a few more photos of C.C. Banana (aka: Bananakin Skywalker) geeking out at the Star Wars Celebration. What the heck, he’s earned it.
Bananakin Skywalker rescues a smokin’ hot Princess Leia in her gold slave bikini!
Bananakin Skywalker reports an Elvis sighting!
Bananakin Skywalker poses with John Belushi!
Bananakin Skywalker duels Justin Timberlake!
Bananakin Skywalker with genuine Star Wars celebrity Nick Gillard, stunt coordinator for the prequel trilogy.
Bananakin Skywalker… uhhh… "inserting his data rod" into R2-D2’s sister.
Amazingly, even C.C. Banana’s alter ego AJ joined in the fun this time around! That’s sort of like Clark Kent teaming up with Superman to fight Lex Luthor, only not as exciting. Here, a constipated AJ slaps the Sludge across Lord Darth Vader!
AJ captures some dude from Slave Raider. Take the World by Storm, maties!
In this photo from the Metal Sludge archives, AJ (wearing his Metal Slut shirt) gets frozen in carbonite! He should be quite well protected, if he survived the freezing process.
One more of AJ, this time with Star Wars celebrity Nalini Krishan. Nalini plays some sort of Jedi Knight in the Star Wars prequels, which means she probably kicked AJ’s ass after this photo was snapped.
Bananakin Skywalker conquers the Galactic Republic.
Well faithful Sludgeaholics, as with the Star Wars movie series, so ends C.C. Banana’s visit to a galaxy far, far away. Our thanks again to the Banana for snagging that priceless George Lucas sound bite and for providing all the amusing Star Wars photos above. As usual, we have no idea what the fruit has in store for his next adventure, but given his track record it probably won’t suck. Not unless he teams up with Avril Lavigne or Kelly Osbourne, in which case we’ll lose all respect for him.
Metal Sludge
Fading Away Like a Dead Jedi (or Don Dokken’s hairline)
