Our Comic Conman

I have no interest in Comic Con, but I can score a free press pass, so I go.

Last year I tried to get a look at Angelina Jolie's lips up close, but so many people lined up to meet her it was impossible. This year, I saw Charlize Theron speak, but I was too far back.

I thought I saw Gene Simmons, the tongue in KISS, walk by me. I figured it wasn't him, since whenever I hear him on Howard Stern (locally on 103.7 FM), he's always trying to sell merchandise. I assumed if he was at Comic Con he'd be working a merch booth. I found out later that it was Simmons.

I went to see Tenacious D, the comedic acoustic/metal band that features actor Jack Black. They played on Sunday in Hall H, which holds over 6,000 people, and it was filled to capacity.

Guitarist Kyle Gass came out and pulled down his pants. At first I thought he was mooning the audience, but it was because filmmaker Kevin Smith (a Comic Con staple) introduced the band by saying they are two of only ten guys he would "service sexually." Kyle had him cornered and dropped his shorts.

Jack Black was wearing a Padres floppy hat. He maniacally thrashed his head around, but the hat stayed in place. He threw it into the audience mid-way through the set.

Black said he thought fans only paid $10 to get in, but when he found out it was $35, they decided they should give $35 worth. After one song, Black said, "We're up to $23 now." Tenacious D played over an hour of music.

Aside from their campy original tunes (including a few from the movie they are making), they did a cover of Queen's "Flash Gordon," and encored with a medley of Who songs from Tommy.

I tried to get backstage with my press pass, and as they were letting me in a guy in a sports coat said, "Media isn't allowed back here unless they have a backstage pass." I then went outside the Convention Center and around to the back of the building. There were about 25 fans waiting to meet the band. A young kid was working security. I showed my pass and he let me back.

Gass said, "Hey man, I like your T-shirt." We were both wearing the same one. It said "Trainwreck," which is a band he is in that does humorous cover tunes (they played the Casbah a few months ago and the Epicentre in Mira Mesa a few years ago).

Jack Black was walking around surrounded by security guards. He was sweating profusely. Since he had a Whiskey-A-Go-Go shirt on (a club on Sunset Strip in L.A.), I asked if he'd be playing there anytime soon. His eyebrows flared up and he said, "We already played there, man. It was great."

A few people shook his hand before he got onto an elevator.