I arrived at the ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE over an hour and a half before tickets went on sale. Conversed with some of the hopeful BUTT-NUMBERS.... and then went inside to watch what ensued and to help out Tim if he needed it. He did.

The second that 12 NOON struck on Tim's Wrist... BUTT-NUMB-A-THON sold out. There were already far more people in line for the domestic tickets than we had tickets for the entire theater. And That didn't include the foreign aka out-of-towners that were barraging Tim's computer upstairs.

Folks arrived... "3 please" "6 please" "4 please" "2 please"... It reminded me of the run on the bank in IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE as George Bailey uses his honeymoon money to survive the downfall of the stockmarket.... and the rush on banks.

Tim was running through Butt-Numb-A-Thon policy with the ticket holders.... Karrie, co-owner and amazing Alamo goddess, was cutting up the laminated ticket sheets and handing out the tickets... Beer was being delivered and it was... truly madness...

After roughly 45 minutes of processing folks standing in line and their ticket requests... Tim realized... that he had sold all the domestics.... We calmed the crowd of anxious Butt-Numbers... and went to the computer to check the ticket sales requests.... To find out if we had extra tickets to sale to the anxious folks snaked out the door and down the sidewalk.

Tim and I figured there would probably be about 35 emails for tickets... and perhaps... with modest ticket requests... we might be able to fit a few extra ticket holders in..... He clicked 'SEND/RECEIVE' on his Outlook Express..... 187 EMAILS DOWNLOADING....

187 requests for MORE THAN ONE ticket. From all over the world. The number was not only Police Code for Murder, but it spelled doom for those down below.

For you folks on that STAND BY list at the door... Tim will be calling you with the chance to get sideline seats....

As for you OUT OF TOWNERS.... there are 125 seats or so... Tim is currently watching CHARLIE'S ANGELS on his lunch break with Karrie.... They will return... and by 10pm CST tonight... you will be contacted about your tickets... There isn't a giant staff... this is just TIM and KARRIE... Be patient, they are going to contact as they came in.... split by nanoseconds.... as nearly all 187 emails came exactly at 12:00:01...

Now just so you folks know for next year... the first people in line arrived at 3 or 4 am this morning. We easily had enough requests for tickets to do BUTT-NUMB-A-THON three times over... but it will be happening just once a year. There is quite a bit of effort involved with this... I've been programming this for over 2 months now... and folks, I'm going to work with Tim to see how this can be even more fair next year... but frankly... I think it is about as even as is humanly possible.

Again, Out of Towners... I would like to stress... BE PATIENT... Tim will either CALL or EMAIL you (if you are lucky) or contact you (if you are not lucky) saying that you have unfortunately not gotten tickets... but please... wait for him to contact you. Any emails that came at 12:03.... well, unfortunately.... I'm sorry.

As for T-shirts and fun stuff for order... as of right now, there are no plans to sell T-shirts via net... but it is something that Tim and I will discuss. I truly hope you have made it to this 2nd Annual BUTT-NUMB-A-THON.... it will be my utmost pleasure to assault your senses and numb that ass... I assure you... it is going to be something special.

To the lucky ticket holders and impending ticket holders.... See you December 9th Noon!!!

Why The Alamo Drafthouse

Because I couldn't do this without Tim and Karrie League.

You see, this was initially just a 'birthday party' idea of mine. 24 hours of cool films. I wasn't supposed to get any 'premieres'... I was just going to pull films out of my collection.... and screen them. Really small intimate deal.

Then Last Year... while throwing it all together haphazard... holy shit... it turned into this really really cool event. And when writers and actors and directors started showing up, I was like.... HOLY SHIT... this is cool. But at the same time, I loved the idea that by the time it was all over... I had met and conversed with almost all of the people that arrived. That it was a small intimate sort of thing. A special event that this room full of people shared.

For folks wondering about the Drafthouse and why it only seats around 275 or so... Between every row is a table and an aisle.... so the waiters can drop off your food and drinks and so you have a place where you won't spill them.

Sure... with some negotiating I could have probably scored the Paramount Theater and its 1200 seats.... but... then we would have to schedule catering.... then we'd have work out all sorts of logistical nightmares.... the ticket price would soar (something that I've been told I should raise... but I want to try and keep down.) But most of all... for the vast majority of those attending... I would be a large dot on a stage... and it would be fun... but less personal... and for me... a bit less cool.

It seems that... for better or for worse... BUTT-NUMB-A-THON is turning into one of those geek events that folks camp out for... where it really is this very cool one time a year sort of thing. And really, that's all I want it to be. Sure, it is here to raise money for the Children's Film Series... but really... we raise enough through the tickets and the butt-sponsorships... that the film series is taken care of.

At some point, I suppose AICN will throw a convention somewhere... but I haven't put any serious thought to that yet.

I think the major change between BUTT-NUMB-A-THON 2 and 3 will be further limiting of tickets. 2 per person. Half at the door... half through online ticketing, which hopefully we'll have up and running next year.

And just so people know... I didn't get 1/3rd of the tickets for myself.... I bought 45 tickets.... but those were for the folks that bring you AICN day in and day out.... and I did pay the full price for them. This is a charity thing... there are... NO FREE TICKETS...

TWO TICKETS AVAILABLE, READ HOW

Now, I just got a call from SISTER SATAN and LOBO.... they are canceling coming.... They don't have a sitter for KublaKhan, and they are very sad that they won't be coming. As am I. But they asked me to put their tickets up for two lucky people that read the site.... So here is what I'm going to do.

I will read the talkbacks below, tomorrow. Whoever comes up with the best reason they should have these two tickets.... I'll sell them to you for the regular ticket price of $10 each. These will go... as a pair. And they will be waiting for you... at the door of the ALAMO under your name. I will decide at 4pm Election Day. Good luck.

The Two Tickets GoTo:

It came down to 3 folks.

First was McCauley1 - who wrote about how he's seen me turn from be a true lover of film into a greedy self-involved ego stroking ass. And dared me to prove him otherwise.

Next was DJANGO - who has a van rental in New Jersey... but no tickets... screaming about how he'll roadtrip across America to this event... with his longtime friend. He used the ol 'we were going to shoot a documentary' story...

Lastly.. There was NoLogo... A projectionist and his box office kiwi babe... dreams of driving from Sacramento... crossing Arizona booming out Hans Zimmer's THE THIN RED LINE score... taking pride in being a projectionist... helping others to have private screenings...

So... As I was contemplating the decision... with the exception of McCauley... all the others have undying love for the site, film and what it is I do... You talk backers all exhibited reasons for coming.

So, I have decided to dip into the very shallow reserve I had for celeb seating... and give 5 tickets away. 1 ticket to McCauley1 and two for DJANGO and 2 for NoLogo.

I am now... completely out of tickets. If anyone discovers that they can not make it.... write me, and I'll find a good home for your tickets.

McCauley1, you'll see who I am very clearly at BUTT NUMB A THON...... DJANGO, your van has not been rented in vain.. break out your DV cam and get your ass to Austin.... NoLogo, you and your kiwi friend... get in that car and roadtrip to soundtracks and the vistas out your windows. To be honest... I'd rather have 5 real film fans here than 3 extra celebs...

The Three winners... email me and we'll arrange for your tickets.

As for the people that were standing in line and signed on to the standby list... there are 35 standby tickets that TIM is going to be calling up about.... these all have seats and you still have a chance of getting in.

If anybody else cancels.... I'll get you the tickets! I'll try. Sorry you can't all come. I know it is a disappointment for some of you. However, there is next year. It will be harder to get in, we'll have 2 tickets per person limits... and there will be no grandfathering... meaning if you have come before... it doesn't mean you are getting in again. This way the event is opened up for more people. Till December 9 and 10th, I'll see you folks on the site!