Blogger Wants to Beat Jeremy Coon

Napolean Dynamite producer Jeremy Coon and aspiring filmmaker Rhys Southan attended the same Richardson, Texas, high school that I did (many years later). Because of this coincidence, I found Beat Jeremy Coon, Southan's amusingly bitter blog in which he details his effort to become more famous than Coon before their 10-year reunion in 2007.

I originally thought the desire to beat Jeremy Coon was just a gimmick, but a recent interview on his blog suggests otherwise. Southan found Mike Perry, Coon's former roommate at Brigham Young University. They haven't spoken since Coon reported him for an "honor code" violation -- letting his fiancé spend the night -- which resulted in Perry being expelled from school.

The interview's long, but it picks up when Perry describes his expulsion and decision to stop being a Mormon:

BJC: What was it like leaving the church? Had you had doubts before, or was it a sudden break once you were kicked out?
Mike Perry: Actually? It was a lot like dropping a class. I just stopped going. I got an extra day of the week back and a 10% raise. I had slight doubts before because of several issues, including why for the same transgression Bishops hand out different punishments. I almost got in a fist fight in the dining with my ex-fiancé's Bishop because he thought I was getting off too easily for having her spend the night (we had confessed to try and clear it up, but then continued doing it). Initially I thought he was the one who turned us in to the honor code. Another doubt I had was about there only being a single correct religion, period.
BJC: Do you wish you could have been happy living the Mormon life?
Mike Perry: Could I have been happy living the Mormon life? Ultimately, probably not. It forces you into avoiding things I think are natural, like masturbation or having sex with someone before you promise to spend the rest of eternity with them. No one wants to be surprised with a dead fish.

Movies · 2006/08/19 · 3 COMMENTS · Link

Comments

Mike Perry: For starters, here are the BYU dress and grooming standards, copied from the BYU honor code site:

Men: A clean and well-cared-for appearance should be maintained.
.
.
.
Women: A clean and well-cared-for appearance should be maintained.

INCREDIBLE!

The guy is lucky to be alive after an experience like that. We are all in his debt for the service he does to bring this to everyone's attention. I for one won't watch Napoleon Dynamite another 100x ever again!

Regards,
etc.

#1 · The Perfect Storm · 2006/08/20

TPS exclaims! "The guy is lucky to be alive ..."

;->

#2 · tadowe · 2006/08/21

Sounds a little crazy to me wantinf to be more famous then someone, this should never be a goal sounds more like a sick fantasy. Striving to be popular or liked among your social group or community is one thing but to try and be more popular than just someone else in your communnity is just wierd.

#3 · britney · 2006/08/25