Monday, June 19, 2006

For whom the Bell tolls


From USATODAY, "MILWAUKEE (AP) — More than a bell is needed to save Dustin Diamond this time around. Diamond, best known as geeky Screech Powers on the 1989-1993 teen comedy series Saved by the Bell, is selling T-shirts with his photo on them to try to raise $250,000 so he doesn't lose his gray two-story house under a foreclosure order.
"If the public didn't care, I as an entertainer wouldn't have been a success," he said.

Diamond, 29, is trying to sell nearly 30,000 shirts — at $15 or $20 (autographed) each — to supplement the income he makes as a standup comic so he doesn't have to move from his Port Washington home, about 25 miles north of Milwaukee.

The T-shirt has a photo of Diamond holding a sign that says, "Save My House." The back of the shirt reads, "I paid $15.00 to save Screeech's house." The third "e" was added to get around copyright laws, he said.

He's selling the shirts on his website: http://www.getdshirts.com.

The foreclosure order was filed last month in Ozaukee County Circuit Court.

Diamond appeared on Howard Stern's satellite radio show Tuesday to plead his case. "I'm doing great with my comedy, but this is definitely a low point," he said. "Real life comes in and affects you."

Diamond doesn't have a listed phone number, and e-mails to the address on his website and at an alternative address were not immediately returned Thursday."

8 comments:

Octopunk said...

"If the public didn't care, I as an entertainer wouldn't have been a success," he said.

That's one theory. What makes him think the public still cares?

Johnny Sweatpants said...

I used to fantasize about running into Dustin Diamond on the street and kicking him in the balls. I'm oddly drawn to things that enrage me and for that reason, I used to watch Saved By the Bell on a semi-regular basis. But I'm not as happy as I should be about his woes.

Octopunk said...

Perhaps in his sad story you somehow see...yourself.

I've never watched Saved by the Bell, although since they started airing it as part of Adult Swim, I feel justified in hating it.

JPX said...

I love on Adult Swim when they play that Saved by the Bell clip where the gang is all singing a song about friendship, it's just so awful. Come to think of it, it made me want to punch my TV.

Johnny Sweatpants said...

If I saw myself in Dustin Diamond I would smash my head in the mirror repeatedly! Seriously, he makes Urkel look like a subtle, method actor.

Johnny Sweatpants said...

And even to this day he refuses to be embarrassed about his performances! He still thinks it's cute. Well you know what's not cute? Me, stepping on his face!

Octopunk said...

Once he gets booted out of his house and is sleeping on the sidewalk, you may even do it by accident.

JPX said...

The most galling thing about this story is that there's no reason for screech to be having financial difficulties. God knows why, but for some reason he was on a quasi-popular TV show for years. He got that rare break in life and made a lot of money. If he had been smart about it he would've socked away a huge nest egg. What did Mr. Belding teach those kids anyway?

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