Big Dumb Town

Production Notes

Director: Randall Jahnson
Camera: Clark Mathis
Editor: Chris Lamson
Crew: Duncan McLean

Shot at various locations around West LA, spring, 1996.

Jahnson: "While filming the beach sequence on a chilly spring day, we were confronted by a pair of LA County lifeguards who came roaring up in a Jeep. They said a caller in the nearby condos had seen us and thought we were holding a woman against her will.

"There she is," I said, pointing.

The lifeguards eyed the blow-up doll we had laying on a beach towel. "What're you doing?" one asked from behind his shades.

Since we were shooting with a Super-8 camera, I told him we were making a humorous film for a friend's birthday. "Sure it's nothing kinky?" he said.

I assured him that even though it was a blow-up doll, the bikini was staying on. We were just having some good clean fun - with dummies. The lifeguards lingered a moment longer, then withdrew to their Jeep and took off.

"There were actually three Jackie 'Teak' Lazars used in the video. One went up in flames on that day at the beach. One became a roadie for Ridgway's Sublime Circus of Musical Oddities and never quite recovered. The third retired to Palm Springs, California and has refused all requests for interviews."