May the 4th be with you. Here's STAR WARS producer Gary Kurtz giving me a Darth Vader helmet.

 

In 1978, Gary had a private collection of Darth Vader prototype helmets, one of which he gave me in trade for one of my inventions (a voice stress analyzer which I had anodized in black to commemorate Darth Vader). Gary is dead now, and I keep the helmet locked in my safe.

In 2000, Gary also gave me a great review for my first novel, DESTROYING ANGEL. Too bad it didn't get made into a movie. Maybe I'll get it out today and wear it when answering the door? Sincerely yours, Rick Bennett Ad Hit Man

When are we going to see some knock-down/in-the-gutter competition for A.I. leadership? Come on, Elon, show yourself!

We need to see some open-field running to suck the air out of A.I. marketing. Darn it, but I'm chomping at the bit to get a client with guts to take on the world. Siincerely yours, Rick Bennett Ad Hit Man

A note on all the A.I. posts: I have yet to see one that claims uniqueness.

 

That's right. We are lost in the wash of "me-too" ads. Whenever a new client approaches me with their AI story, I simply ask "What do you do that nobody else can do." I get a lot of throat-clearing noises. If you have an AI story that can start with the headline "No other AI can adequately answer this question," then give me a call. I'd love to do some open-field running with you. Sincerely Yours, Rick Bennett Ad Hit Man

This would have been a GREAT scene in a movie from my novel DESTROYING ANGEL. I could even have been a Broadway stage masterpiece.

 

From the beginning, I wrote my novels to be made into movies. DESTROYING ANGEL could also have been a Broadway musical. Here's a scene in which BJ, who doesn't yet know he's being groom to become the real Destroying Angel, has a meeting with John the Old Testament Revelation prophet atop 727 flying from Los Angeles to San Francisco. The plane is flying at 30,000 feet. Obviously, only two immortal beings could be in this place at this altitude.

To do this cover shot, that's me in the white suit. And that's the REAL BJ (Brian Johnson) who I've been trying to relocate after lo these 26 years.

Sincerely Yours,
Rick Bennett
Ad Hit Man

Here's a link to the scene. Enjoy! http://rickbennett.com/BJatopA727.pdf

Does anybody know where BJ (Brian Johnson) is? The last address I have for him is on Potrero Hill across the street from the Anchor Steam brewery in San Francisco.

 

Back around 1982, Brian Johnson (aka BJ) was a tekkie at Synapse Computer. He was bigger than life, and I ended up putting a BJ-like character in my first novel: DESTROYING ANGEL. BJ once laid a slick with his Harley in front of Synapse president Mark Leslie's office, which damn near got him fired. But when the carpet guys came to replace the carpet and heard the story, they replaced the carpet free. Seems the carpet guys were also bikers. I have lost track of BJ and had no luck finding him. Help! You can't lose track of old friends. The last time I saw him was in 2000 when I had dinner at his house with he and Carla Perumian. Sincerely yours, Rick Bennett Ad Hit Man