Summer of McLovin It

See that smiling nerd in the fugly corduroy vest?

That's newcomer Christopher Mintz-Plasse who co-stars with Jonah Hill and Michael Cera in "Superbad," opening August 17.

Mintz-Plasse plays "Fogell." His friends call him "Fagell." He calls himself: McLovin.

Just like the Napoleon Dynamite-isms that seeped into movie fan parlance in 2004 ("Freakin' idiot!"), a trunk full of McLovinisms ("Break yo'self, fool!") are about to be unleashed on innocent moviegoers.

The gibberish storm begins when Fogell plants his mononym "McLovin" on a fake Aloha state driver's license. The "25-year-old Hawaiian organ donor" then stumbles into large quantities of beer and Goldslick (a "girlie" liquer flecked with tiny flakes of gold). Car wrecks, projectile vomiting, bar fights, teen sex and a top notch cop car torching follow.

Even after the lite buzz from "Superbad" is gone, it's hard to forget McLovin, in all his vest wearing, underage liquor buying glory. He seems primed to inherit the nerd crown this summer, launched into an orbit inhabited by dork predecessors Dawn Weiner, Steve Urkel and Max Fischer.

In fact, it's hard to believe Mintz-Plasse has only one credit on his IMDB page. Amid the early "Superbad" hype, there's a rumor that the non-pro was discovered on Myspace.

However, Mintz-Plasse himself has said his friends heard about an open casting call. They told him he fit the description perfectly and should come along. He did. He got called back. His friends didn't. McLovin's cinema history.

Expect to see "Superbad" promotions all over Comic-Con. There's a screening of the film followed by a Q&A with the actors and filmmakers on Friday night. The "Superbad" boys will be back for a panel in Hall H early Saturday evening. Plan on a few McLovin t-shirt (above) sightings too. On the front it reads "I am McLovin." The back says, "Gangstas, What's up?" And that's not the half of it.

                                                                                            -- Sheigh Crabtree

Photos: Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc.

Comments

[Matt]

Prepare for superstar nerdom.

[Isabella Clark]

It's time for the innocence of nerds to flood the storm sewers of cynicism.

[sheigh]

Greetings, Charm City. Thanks for the reminder to batten down those hatches.