American Splendor (2003) - full transcript

Trick or treat.

Well,
look at this.

All the superheroes
on our porch.

Ain't that cute?

We got Superman here.

And Batman.
And his sidekick Robin.

The Green Lantern.

And what about you,
young man?

What about what?

Who are you
supposed to be?

I'm Harvey Pekar.



"Pecker, Pecker..."

Harvey Pekar?

That doesn't sound like
a superhero to me.

I ain't
no superhero, lady.

I'm just a kid from the neighborhood,
all right?

Oh, forget this.

Why does everybody
have to be so stupid?

Okay, this guy here,
he's our man.

All grown up
and goin' nowhere.

Although he's a pretty
scholarly cat,

he never got much
of a formal education.

For the most part he's lived
in shit neighborhoods,

held shit jobs,
and is now knee-deep

into a disastrous
second marriage.



So if you're the kind
of person looking

for romance or escapism

or some fantasy figure to save the day,

guess what?
You got the wrong movie.

That's great.

Okay, so now
you got four takes.

You ought to be able to patch one together from there, right?

Let's go to the next one, all right?
- Hold on a second.

Do you want some water
or something?

Nah, I got
lots of orange.

Do you like orange soda?

Yeah, orange
is all right.

All right, so let's go
to the next sequence.

Did you actually
read the script?

No.
A little bit.

Just to check
the construction,

you know, of how the piece
was constructed.

I didn't read it
word for word.

Do you feel weird
saying that stuff?

No, I don't
feel weird saying it.

I don't know how long my voice is gonna hold on, but...

Doc, you gotta
help me, man.

My old lady's dumping me
'cause I can't talk.

She says I'm
a "social embarrassment."

Now that she's got
a PhD,

she's some hot-shit
academic star

and I'm nothin'
but a file clerk.

You know,
me being a file clerk was fine when I was signing

the damn checks
for her tuition, man.

Harvey, stop talking, please,
and open wide.

I started worrying my voice would never come back,
you know?

Say "ah," Mr. Pekar.

- I mean, it's torture, I'm telling ya.
- Shh.

Ah.

Ah-hh...

- Mm-hmm.
- What?

Is it bad, Doc?

Not good.

It's cancer.

First I got
marital problems,

and now you're telling me
I got throat cancer?

For Christ's sake, man.

Harvey, calm down.
It's not cancer.

You have a nodule
on your vocal cords,

probably from screaming
and yelling so much.

And if you don't
give it a rest,

you're gonna lose
your voice completely.

Okay, okay.

But for how long?

A few months.

Months?!

Ugh-hh!

Hey. Hey, come on,
what is this?

It's exactly
what it looks like.

What do you mean?
You mean you're dumping me?

For what?

Look, this
plebeian lifestyle

just isn't working
for me anymore, okay?

I gotta get out of here
before I kill myself.

Wait a minute.

Just listen to what
I have to say, please.

Don't go.

I need you, baby.
Please--

please
don't go, okay?

Here's our man.

Yeah, all right.
Here's me--

or the guy
playing me, anyway,

though he don't look nothin' like me,
but whatever.

So it's a few
months later

and I'm workin'
my flunky, file-clerk gig

at the VA hospital.

My voice still
ain't back yet.

Thank you,
Harvey, dear.

Things seem like they can't get any worse.

"Plebeian"?

Where the hell did she
get that shit, man?

"Avoid the reeking herd.

Shun the polluted flock.

Live like
that stoic bird,

the eagle
of the rock."

Hey, Mr. Boats.

You know what
that means, son?

Yup, it's from
an Elinor Hoyt Wylie poem.

It means-- excuse me.
It means stay away

from the crowds
of common, ordinary people

and do
your own thing.

No, it means don't compromise yourself for women.

Ain't gonna do you
no good.

Get away from 'em
as soon as you can.

Yup, well, I ain't got
no woman now,

so I'm livin' like
"the stoic bird," man.

It's the only way
to live, son.

Yeah, man.

Look at that fool there.

Probably listening
to that loud rock stuff.

Junk. Junk.
It's all junk.

I don't know.
You know, I mean...

rock music's got
some good qualities.

It isn't jazz or nothin', but,
you know.

Say, when you gonna
bring me in

some of those
good records?

Some Nat King Cole
with strings?

I don't got any
of that, Mr. Boats.

Yeah, you got that.
You keep 'em at home, though.

You won't turn loose
the good stuff,

you just sell
the junk.

You know, I... I just--

I, you know, keep the stuff
I want to keep.

I don't-- I sold a lot
of good material

by people
that he didn't like.

And Mr. Boats,
he didn't like any blues

or anything like that.

And he played
classical violin.

I started
record collecting

when I was 15
or 16 years old.

I started getting
interested in jazz.

Prior to that, I had
collected comic books.

I was always
a collector.

I admit to having

an obsessive-compulsive
quality in me.

It's like "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" or something.

You go to thrift shops
and you go to garage sales

'cause you think
you're gonna find something

that's real rare

and most of the time
it's a total waste of time.

But once in a while

you'll come up
with something

and it'll
whet your appetite.

In the early '60s,
I was with some buddies

at a junk sale looking for some choice sides

when I met this shy,
retiring cat from Philadelphia

named Bob Crumb.
You know the guy.

"Fritz the Cat,"
"Mr. Natural" and all.

They made a movie
about him, too.

Ooh, Jay McShann, man.

Aw, come on, Harv.
You gonna buy that or what?

Yeah, I don't know,
Marty.

It's got a lamination crack in it.

A quarter.

Maybe I can
talk it down.

You are one cheap
bastard, Harvey.

Yeah, I know
I'm tight, man.

I live on
a government wage.

You collect
Jay McShann, man?

- Yeah, man, how about you?
- Yeah.

But most of my records are back in Philly.

Hey, Harvey,
meet my buddy, Bob Crumb.

He just moved to town.
He's an artist

with the American
Greeting Card Company.

Huh? That's cool.

You should see
his comics, Harv.

- They're outta sight.
- Yeah?

Hey, I'm into comics myself.

So Crumb showed me
this comic book novel

he was working on.

The "Big Yum Yum Book."

I'd never seen
anything like it.

This is terrific.
I really dig your work, man.

This "Peter Wheat" book
is by Walt Kelly.

- It's pretty rare.
- Oh, yeah?

- Can I get good bread for it?
- Not yet.

Oh. Listen, man,
let's get back to your book.

What are you
gonna do with it?

I haven't really thought about it.
It's just an exercise.

No, man, it's more
than just an exercise.

It's breaking
ground, man.

There's some wild shit
in here, Bob.

You're spitting on me,
Harvey.

Crumb and I hung out
a lot back then.

We had records
and comics in common.

Check it out, man.

Pretty scary.

Yeah, you don't know
the half of it, man.

Actually, people got hip
to Crumb's artwork

and he started hanging out with the bohemian crowd.

After a while he got
sick of greeting cards

and moved away
to San Francisco,

where he got the whole underground comic scene off the ground.

He'd come back to Cleveland
every few years,

and people would treat him
like a celebrity.

♪ If me my baby ♪

♪ Fuss and fight... ♪

Once he came to visit when I was feelin' real bad.

It was right after
my wife left me.

She got so mean to me at the end.

It ain't like I tried to keep her captive

or anything
like that, you know?

I don't know, man.

Yeah, but don't think I buy into any of this "growth" crap, man.

Everybody's always talking about how bad experiences

cause you to "grow" and all that clichéd stuff, man.

I've had enough bad experiences and growth to last me plenty.

Right now...

I'd be glad to trade some growth for happiness.

So how long you stayin'
in Cleveland, man?

I don't know, I gotta see
this chick in New York,

and I'm really busy
with the comic book stuff.

It's good bread and all.
I'm just gettin' sick of the whole scene.

What are you
talkin' about?

You make a good livin'
doing your art, right?

How many guys get that lucky in their life, huh?

Yeah, I--

No, man, listen,
I'll tell you something,

people are startin'
to know the name Crumb.

When you croak, man,
you're gonna leave somethin' behind.

- Yeah, I guess.
- Yeah.

It's not like
I'm Blind Lemon Jefferson

- or Big Mama Thornton or--
- Oh, come on, man.

I'll tell you somethin,'
it sure beats workin'

a gig like mine,
being a nobody flunky

and selling records
on the side for a buck.

- Yeah, well, that's true.
- ♪ It ain't nobody's business ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah,
yes, if we do. ♪

Dr. Whitman...

Ahem.

Phew.

Listen, girly,
these glasses are six for $2.00

because I couldn't
carry 12.

But I wanted 12,
so today I'm buying six more.

But you should only
charge me $1.50 for them.

It's all right.
You can ask the manager.

Frank, I need
a price check.

Man, old Jewish ladies
will argue forever

with a cashier
about anything.

- These glasses are six...
- You get behind them in line,

and you're gonna wait
forever, man.

- So today...
- I mean, I'm a Yid myself

and women in my family
are like that,

but I never
got used to it.

I mean, I may be cheap,
but I got limits, man.

Let me 'splain
one more time.

These glasses
are six for $2.00...

Wake up!

Your whole life's getting eaten away with this kind of crap.

What kind of existence
is this?

Is this all a working stiff like you can expect?

You gonna suffer in silence for the rest of your life,

or are you gonna
make a mark, huh?

Huh?

Huh?

Okay, I have the money
right here.

Even money $1.50,

you don't even have
to open the cash register.

Even change and--

Oh, shit!

Ever since I read
your stuff, man,

I've been thinking
I could write

comic book stories
that are different

from anything
that's being done.

Mm-hmm.

I figure the guys who
are doing animal comics

and superhero stuff,
they're really limited

because they gotta try
to appeal to kids.

And underground
stuff like yours,

have been really subversive,
and it's opened things up politically,

but there's still plenty more to be done with them, too,
you know?

Pass the ketchup.

The words and pictures,
they can be more of an art form.

Like those-- like those
French movies are.

Or De Sica over in Italy.

So anyway,
I just-- I tried--

I tried writing some stuff about real life.

You know,
stuff that the everyman's gotta deal with.

These are all
about you?

Yeah.

You turned yourself
into a comic hero.

Well, sort of, yeah,

but there's no
idealized shit.

There's no
phony bullshit.

It's the real thing, man.

You know, ordinary life
is pretty complex stuff.

These are really...

good.

Really?
You think so?

Yeah, this is great stuff.
I dig it.

Can I take 'em home
and illustrate 'em?

Oh, wow, man!

You'd really do that
for me, man?

Oh, man,
that would be great,

'cause I can't even
draw a straight line, Bob.

Hey, what's up with your voice, Harv?

All of a sudden
you sound fine.

I don't know, man.

I guess you
cured me, man.

- ♪ Ah-ah-ah ♪
- ♪ Ah-ah-ah... ♪

- ♪ Hey, hey ♪
- ♪ Hey, hey... ♪

- ♪ Ah-ah-ah ♪
- ♪ Ah-ah-ah... ♪

- ♪ Hey, hey ♪
- ♪ Hey, hey... ♪

- ♪ Ah-ah-ah-ah ♪
- ♪ Ah-ah-ah-ah... ♪

- ♪ Ah-ah-ah ♪
- ♪ Ah-ah-ah... ♪

♪ Whoo...
I cried too much ♪

♪ Just like a child
that's lost its toy ♪

♪ Maybe, baby, you think
these tears I cry ♪

♪ Are tears of joy ♪

♪ A child can cry so much ♪

♪ Until you do everything
they say ♪

♪ But unlike a child ♪

♪ My tears don't help me
to get my way ♪

♪ I know love can last
through years ♪

♪ But how can love
last through tears? ♪

♪ Tears, tears, tears
tears ♪

- ♪ Now ain't that peculiar, baby? ♪
- ♪ Ain't that peculiar? ♪

- ♪ Peculiar-arity ♪
- ♪ Ain't that peculiar? ♪

- ♪ Ain't it peculiar, honey? ♪
- ♪ Ain't that peculiar? ♪

♪ Peculiar as can be ♪

- ♪ Said I don't understand it, baby ♪
- ♪ Ain't that peculiar? ♪

- ♪ It's so strange sometimes ♪
- ♪ Ain't that peculiar? ♪

- ♪ Ain't it peculiar, darling? ♪
- ♪ Ain't that peculiar? ♪

I tell you, man, that Bonnie--
legs that go forever.

I don't know.

I guess she's
about average.

Average? Hey, man,
average is dumb.

Man

Man

"Hey, man,
average is dumb."

How about that, man?
That's all stories by yours truly.

- Hot off the presses.
- That's right, man.

We have a regular
Hemingway here.

No way, man,
I don't go in for any of that macho crap.

I didn't know
you could draw, Pekar.

No, no, no, no.
I don't draw, Doc.

I just--
I write the stories.

- Harvey, am I in here?
- Yeah, Toby, you're in there, all right?

Take it easy,
for Christ's sake.

Buddy of mine,
some of his friends,

- they do the artwork.
- Let me see this.

Mr.
Boats, it's not polite to grab things.

- Next time--
- Ah-ah ah-ah ah-ah.

Hmm.

That's not bad.

Son, you done good.

But, you know, I was up
in Toronto a few weeks back,

and I saw the Red Chinese Ballet.
Now, that was beautiful.

The way those people
were dancing together.

Those Chinese,
they work hard.

I tell you,
they work hard.

Where's everybody
going?

Where are these sickly men
rushing off to?

They ain't goin'
nowhere for now.

Maybe not
for a long time.

But, damn if they not
rushin' off to get there.

- ♪ Ain't it peculiar, honey? ♪
- ♪ Ain't that peculiar ♪

- ♪ Peculiar as can be ♪
- ♪ Ain't that peculiar? ♪

- ♪ Said I don't understand it, baby ♪
- ♪ Ain't that peculiar? ♪

- ♪ It's so strange sometimes ♪
- ♪ Ain't that peculiar ♪

♪ Ain't it peculiar,
darling? ♪

So, Harvey, how do your
coworkers and friends

feel about you putting
them in your comics?

They love it.
They can't get enough of it.

They come up to me
demanding to know

"why I'm not
in the new issue."

Most of them.

What about overhearing
what people say?

Are you always
listening at work?

Are you listening
riding the bus?

- Yeah, I listen.
- Supermarket?

Yeah, I listen.

I fall asleep on people, too,
but I listen some.

Here's our man
eight comics later.

A brand-new decade,
same old bullshit.

Yeah, sure, he gets
lots of recognition

for his writing now.

Sure, his comics are praised by all the important media types

telling people what to think.
But so what?

It's not like he makes a living at it like Bob Crumb.

He can't go and quit
his day job or nothing.

Who am I kidding?

Truth is, I'd be lost
without my work routine.

I got a job.

Oh...!

I got a job.

"I got a job."

Hi, Harvey.
Do you want these gourmet jelly beans?

I gave up sweets
for Lent.

Yeah, sure,
I'll take 'em.

I recommend
the piña coladas.

They're excellent
and very authentic tasting.

It's watermelon.
That's pretty good, Tobe.

Wait till you try
the piña coladas.

Hey, Tobe,
tell me somethin'.

Can you eat lentils
during Lent?

Sure, I don't see
why not.

You can't eat meat
on certain days,

but lentils should be acceptable
anytime.

Oh, yeah?

Do you think
there's any connection

between lentils and Lent?

I don't think so, but
I'll ask Sister Mary Fred

at church on Sunday.

Sister Mary Fred, huh?

Is she cute?
She sounds kinda mannish,

but who the hell
am I to be picky?

Harvey, you're funny.
She's a nun.

So what, man?
Maybe she became a nun

because she couldn't
get a guy.

Harvey,
she became a nun

because she had
a higher calling.

Higher calling.
What a crock of shit.

Man, you know,
I don't even know

why you bother
praying anyway.

I enjoy the ritual,
and I'm a very spiritual person.

You know, you should
try believing

in something bigger
than yourself.

It might
cheer you up.

What, do I seem
depressed, Toby?

Cut.

That was great, guys.
The bakery scene's next.

The bakery scene's next?
I don't know of a bakery scene.

Did you ever hear of a bakery scene in the film?

A bakery scene's
next.

Bakery's my scene,
but not in that way.

Forget the bakery,
let's eat some jelly beans.

Yeah, I think
one might be lime,

one might be,
like, mint.

Well, what's the difference between this and this?

One's cherry,
one's cinnamon.

You can tell that
by just looking at 'em?

Not really.
I have to put it in my mouth first.

Loneliness can feel
so bad.

There had been times
I felt lonely

'cause a lot of times it was just me and my grandmother.

And I would just be sitting
in my room all day

watching television
or reading books.

That was before I bought
a computer, of course.

So how do you cope
with loneliness, Harvey?

Did I say I watch
television?

Yeah, you mentioned
you watch TV.

You listen to your
jazz records.

You read.
You write.

You do your
stick figures

so you can plan for
your next comic book.

Yeah.

'Cause I've seen many
of your stick figures

and that seems to be
pretty interesting. Hmm.

- Yeah.
- Chocolate jelly beans.

- I might have to try one.
- Go ahead.

Uh...

Excuse me,
can I help you?

Yeah, um...

Yeah, give me
two crullers...

a jelly donut with the powdered sugar...
- Woman

and, hey, you got any
of that day-old bread?

- I think so.
- Yeah?

Here you go.

Three dollars.

You're Harvey Pekar.

Yeah.

Alice Quinn
from school.

Oh, yeah, yeah.

College, yeah,
yeah.

Yeah, we had a couple of
lit classes together.

What happened
to you?

I mean,
you just disappeared after two semesters.

Yeah, I know, man.

And, you know,
I got good grades and all,

but there was that
required math class

you know,
hanging over my head.

Eventually the pressure
got to be too much.

You're doing
okay anyway.

I mean,
I heard all about your jazz reviews and your comics.

- You did?
- Sure. You're famous.

- Ah-hh...
- Meanwhile, I got my degree

and I'm just a plain old
wife and mother.

Oh.

Yeah, well...

I'm not doing
as great as you think.

My second wife
divorced me.

I work a dead-end job
as a file clerk,

so, you know,
sometimes I hang out

with the guys on the corner,
but most of the time

I just stay at home
by myself and I read.

Well, you're luckier
than you think.

Between my husband
and my kids,

it's impossible for me to curl up with a good book.

You know,
I'm reading this book by Dreiser now,

- "Jennie Gerhardt."
- That's one of my favorites.

Yeah?

You know, I hope
that book don't end

like so many of those
naturalist novels

with someone getting
crushed to earth

by forces
he can't control.

- I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
- Yeah?

I mean, it's certainly not
your Hollywood happy ending,

but it's pretty
truthful,

- which is rare these days.
- Yeah.

- This is me.
- Oh, all right.

Nice car.

- Thanks.
- I don't have one yet.

Oh! Can I give you
a lift somewhere?

Uh...

nah, that's all right.
It's a nice day.

I'll just--
I'll walk.

It was nice
seeing you, Harvey.

Yeah.

And when I got home,
I finished reading

"Jennie Gerhardt."

It was real good.
That Alice was right.

Sure, Lester, the main character,
croaks in the end,

but at least he's old and dies a natural,
dignified death.

I was more alone
that weekend than any.

Sometimes in my sleep,
I'd feel a body next to me,

like an amputee
feels a phantom limb.

All I did was think about "Jennie Gerhardt"

and Alice Quinn and all the decades of people I've known.

The more I thought,
the more I felt like crying.

Life seems so sweet

and so sad

and so hard to
let go of in the end.

But, hey, man,

every day's a brand-new deal, right?

Just keep on working and something's bound to turn up.

♪ Know your rights ♪

♪ Number one ♪

♪ You have the right ♪

♪ Not to be killed ♪

♪ Murder is a crime... ♪

What happened to the new
"American Splendor"?

I think
we sold 'em, babe.

- All of them?
- Yeah.

Rand, I put one
aside for myself

next to the register.

I haven't even had time
to read it yet.

Oh, sorry, Joyce,
I didn't know

you were such
a Splendor fan.

Next time,
take it home.

Well, maybe I'll call
the publisher.

But it takes
so damn long-- shit!

Why does everything
in my life

have to be such
a complicated disaster?

Okay, well,
maybe we can call someone--

- What is this?
- All right, okay.

I'm gonna hustle
before the vibe in here

gets any worse.

You can just hang.

"Dear Mr. Pekar,

Greetings from the second smallest state in the union...

an endless plastics
and nylon plantation

controlled by giant
chemical corporations.

To make matters
more dismal,

there are no decent comic book stores in my town,

which is why my partner and I opened one ourselves.

Despite our steadily
faltering business,

my partner managed
to sell the last copy

of "American Splendor,"
number 8, out from under me.

I'm a big fan,
and I hate to wait for a new order.

Is there any way I can
get it from you direct?

Sincerely,
Joyce Brabner."

Man, she's got
good-lookin' handwritin'.

"Dear Joyce,
Thanks for the letter."

"Dear Joyce,
Thanks for the letter.

What do you do besides
selling comics?"

Anybody in the room
ever done

any creative writing
of any sort?

"I'm a sometime
activist

and I teach writing
to prisoners.

I try to help them build
an interior life

and make art out of their monotonous,
suffocating routine."

"This sounds familiar.

So are you married
or what?"

I'm divorced, thank God.

Look, I think you and I got a lot in common,
you know?

How am I gonna get you to come visit me in Cleveland?

- Cleveland?
- Yeah.

You think that's
a good idea?

Yeah, it's a great idea.

You should meet me because I'm a great guy You know?

Despite the way
my comics read,

I got a lot of redeeming
characteristics.

I don't know.
Where would I stay?

I don't know.
With me.

Don't worry.
I'm not gonna put no moves on ya

- or anything.
- I'm not worried about that.

Hold on,
I just spilled my chamomile tea

- all over me.
- Yeah.

So what are you
worried about, then?

Well, it's the way--
I mean, it's the way

- all the different artists draw you.
- What?

You know,
I don't really know what to expect.

Sometimes you look
like a younger Brando,

but then the way
Crumb draws you,

you look like
a hairy ape,

with all these
wavy, stinky lines

undulating
off your body.

I don't really know
what to expect.

No, those are
motion lines.

I'm an active guy.

Look, just
come out here

and I will try
to be anyone

that you want me
to be, okay?

That's a dangerous offer.
I'm a notorious reformer.

Hm...?

Ahem.

Ahem.

Hey, are you Joyce?

- Hey, Harvey.
- Hey.

- So we finally meet in person.
- Yeah.

Ahem.

Look, before we get started with any of this,

you might as well know
right off the bat,

I had a vasectomy.

What's wrong?

Nothing.

Something's wrong.
You keep lookin' around everywhere.

I guess
I never imagined

you'd eat in a place
like this.

What? Me?
No, I've never been here.

I don't know,
I thought you'd like it,

but obviously
you don't, do you?

No, it's fine.
What difference does it make?

I don't know.
None, I guess.

They got a lot
of meat on this menu.

You're a vegetarian?

Kinda, you know. I mean,
ever since I got a pet cat,

I've had a lot of trouble eatin' animals.

Hmm.

I support and identify
with groups like PETA,

but unfortunately
I'm a self-diagnosed anemic.

Uh-huh.

Also, I have all these food allergies to vegetables

which give me serious
intestinal distress.

I guess I have a lot
of borderline

health disorders
that limit me politically

when it comes to eating.

Wow, you're a--
you're a sick woman.

Not yet, but I expect to be.
Everyone in my family

has some sort of
degenerative illness.

Good evening.

Look, I was gonna
clean up,

but why should I give you any false notions?

The truth is I got a serious problem with cleanliness.

Well, I could wash
a dish 10 times,

it'd still
be dirty.

They even kicked me
out of the army

'cause I couldn't
learn to make a bed.

I've seen worse.

Harvey, would you
get me some water

and a few aspirin?

What, do you got
a headache?

No, but I want
to avoid one.

All right, yeah.

Let me tell you
somethin', Joyce,

it sure is nice
to have company.

You know, I mean,
despite all your problems,

you seem like
a great person.

And, hey, I'm sorry
if my datin' skills

are a little rusty.

It's just I--

I've been through hell and back with women.

The last one turned out to be a real nasty bitch, man.

I had a nice time
with you, too.

Yeah?
You had a nice time?

Don't make people repeat themselves.
That's annoying.

Oh.
Sorry.

Come here.

Uh... Harvey,

which way
is the bathroom?

Oh, through the kitchen
on the right.

Joyce, hey--

Joyce, what's wrong?
What is it?

Uh, I don't know.

I think that yuppie food did me in.

I feel terrible.

Let me at least
do somethin' for ya.

Can I make you
somethin'?

Hey, how about
some chamomile tea?

- Chamomile tea?
- Yeah.

What's a guy like you
doing with that?

I thought you drank
soda pop for breakfast.

I don't know, you know,

I just noticed you
drank a lot of them

when we start talkin'
on the phone.

You know, the girl
at the food co-op,

she picked me out
all kinds of herbal stuff.

Man, one of these
is good for stomachaches.

Here...

"Grandma Bear's Tummy Mint"
or something like that.

Hey, are you still there?

Hey.

Harvey...

I think
we should skip

the whole courtship thing
and just get married.

Man, am I glad I talked you into coming up here,
you know?

Any more time alone,
I really might have lost it.

Mmm, me, too.

You don't have any problems with moving to Cleveland?

Not really.
I find most American cities

to be depressing
in the same way.

And you're okay
with a vasectomy, then?

♪ I was tired
of my lady ♪

♪ We'd been together
too long... ♪

- Hey, Toby.
- No, you can't have any of my White Castle hamburgers,

so please
don't even ask.

Yeah, can I have a fry?

Okay, but just
a couple, Harvey.

I'm not going to be eating
dinner until very late

and this has got
to hold me over.

Yeah, what do you got?
A church function?

No, I'm driving to Toledo to see a movie.

Would you
like to come?

Well, nah,
you know I gotta--

I gotta go
to Delaware tonight.

- I'm gettin' married.
- Oh.

- Yeah.
- Why Delaware?

Well, the chick I'm marrying
is from Wilmington.

Plus I gotta help her
move her stuff back here.

Why are you driving to Toledo to see a movie, Tobe?

- It's not playing at the Mapletown.
- Okay.

I didn't know you had a girlfriend, Harvey.

Yeah, yeah, yeah,
we met last week.

Tobe, what movie
could possibly be worth

drivin' 260 miles
roundtrip for?

It's a new film called
"Revenge of the Nerds."

It's about a group
of nerd college students

who are being picked on all
the time by the jocks.

So they decide
to take revenge.

Ah, so what
you're saying

is you identify
with those nerds?

Yes. I consider myself
a nerd.

And this movie
has uplifted me.

There's this one scene
where a nerd

grabs the microphone
during a pep rally

and announces
that he is a nerd

and that he
is proud of it

and stands up for the rights of other nerds.
- Right on.

Then he asks all the kids
at the pep rally

who think they are nerds
to come forward.

So--

so nearly everyone
in the place does.

- That's the way the movie ends.
- Uh-huh.

- So the nerds won, huh?
- Yes.

All right.

Wow, you got this movie
and I'm gettin' hitched.

We both had
a good month, huh?

- Right.
- Yeah.

Harvey! Harvey!

- Harvey!
- What? Yeah?

How long are you
gonna be in Delaware

because I'd really like
to see this movie with you.

Yeah,
I don't know, man.

I'm gonna be gone
like a week.

But then I'm gonna
have a wife,

so I'm gonna have
to bring her along, too.

- Is it a girl flick?
- Depends on the girl.

What kinda girl is your new bride?
Is she a nerd?

I don't know, man.

Maybe, yeah.
She's into herbal tea.

♪ If you like making love
at midnight ♪

♪ In the dunes
on the cape ♪

♪ You're the lady
I've looked for ♪

♪ Come with me
and escape. ♪

I did end up becoming
a character in his comics.

And...

Harvey
tends to push

the negative
or the sour

and he can be
very depressed,

and therefore
very depressing.

So, Harvey, do you think
you portray Joyce fairly?

Yeah, I think
I portray her fairly.

I--

You know,

there's some things
that she does

that I don't
put in there

for, you know,

obvious reasons.

I don't want to get
my head cut off.

But...

I think my portrayal is generally fairly accurate.

There have been stories
that I've participated in

or things
that have happened

and I've seen them

as a lot more happy things going on and he just doesn't--

he won't put that in because he just doesn't think

that sunshine
and flowers sell.

Is that right?

You always say
"misery loves company."

Well, I mean,
I'm just a gloomy guy.

- That's all.
- Yeah.

That's my perspective.
Gloom and doom.

And, see, I thought
I was marrying somebody

with a sense of humor.

I guess I fooled you.

What a crock of shit, man.

I think you missed
the whole point of the movie.

I like the Pee-wee suit.
- Where the hell

am I supposed to find
the point in garbage, Joyce?

I agree with Toby.
I think it's a story

of hope
and tolerance.

Yes, it's about time
that the people

who get picked on
get to be the heroes.

It's an entertaining
flick and all

and I can see why
you like it, Toby,

but those people
on the screen

ain't even supposed
to be you, man.

They're-- they're
college students

who live with
their parents

in big houses
in the suburbs.

They're gonna
get degrees,

get good jobs,
and they're gonna stop being nerds, man.

Remember what I told you
about loud talking?

Use your
inside voice, please.

Look, Toby, the guys
in that movie

are not 28-year-old
file clerks

who live with their grandmother in an ethnic ghetto.

All right,
that's enough, Harvey.

They didn't get their computers the way you did,

by trading a bunch
of box tops and $49.50

at the supermarket, man.

You're funny, Harvey.

Getting in the front.

Sure, Toby, fine.
You go to the movies and daydream,

but this "Revenge of the Nerds" ain't reality.

It's Hollywood
bullshit, Tobe.

Harvey, let him alone.

The thing that I loved
about it is I was transported

to another time
in my own life.

I really liked when
they took the video camera--

If everyone in America
could see this film.

It's the same as the
"I Have a Dream" speech.

Very empowering...

Maybe I was being
so harsh on Toby

on account of
my own problems.

You see, I wasn't
even married a month

and my old lady was already showing signs of trouble.

Granted, I tend
to get married fast

'cause I'll take any woman
that'll have me.

But this time
I really met my match.

- Joyce?
- Okay, how about these old 78s, Harvey?

Can't you sell them
to one of your collectors?

Are you kidding me,
man, no way.

I ain't gettin' rid
of my 78s.

- It's okay?
- Forget it, then. I give up.

How can I make
more storage space

if you won't get rid
of anything?

You know what,
I'll get rid of stuff, okay?

- Just not my good stuff.
- Everything is your good stuff.

How am I supposed to live here if there's no room for me?

Come on, baby.

Look, I'll make room
for you, okay?

You just have
to give me time.

I'm not so good
at these kinds of things.

That's because you're
obsessive-compulsive.

Oh, come on!

I don't want to hear
that psychobabble crap.

I don't care if you
don't want to hear it.

You are the poster child
for the DSM-III.

I'll have you know
I come from

a very dysfunctional
family, Harvey.

I can spot a personality
disorder miles away.

Hello, Joyce.
Is Harvey home?

Borderline autistic.

Are you listening to me?
I tell you that Toby is a spy.

Paranoid personality
disorder.

Polymorphously
perverse.

Hey, leave a message.

It's me.
Pick up the phone.

You're not gonna
believe this,

but some L.A. producer called
and wants to do a play

about my life.

Call me back.
Call me here.

Delusions
of grandeur.

♪ And she gave me
language lessons ♪

♪ On the beach
at Waikiki. ♪

See, I think comics
can pretty much

be an art form, man.

I mean, pictures can be
as good as they wanna be,

and the words can be
as good as they wanna be.

And a man can do pretty much anything he wants to.

That's true, Harvey,
but I didn't come

all the way from Delaware
to talk about comics.

♪ Where is my
American Splendor ♪

♪ In a world
that's cloudy and gray ♪

♪ Where life keeps
passing by me ♪

♪ Day by day? ♪

♪ Where is my
American Splendor ♪

♪ In a world
that's cloudy and gray ♪

♪ Where life keeps
passing by me

♪ Day by day? ♪

If you think reading comics
about your life seems strange,

try watching a play
about it.

God only knows
how I'll feel

when I see this movie.

Things were going
pretty good for a change.

"Variety" called me
the "blue-collar Mark Twain."

And Doubleday
was interested in publishing

an anthology
of "American Splendor."

I hate checking bags, man.
It always takes forever.

The bus is gonna
leave soon.

That means I gotta
shell out an extra

30 bucks for a cab, man.

Oh, here we go.

Figures,
that lucky yuppie's

gonna get in
the bus in time.

You know, vasectomies
are reversible.

Goddamn yuppies
get everything, man.

Are you listening to me?
I said vasectomies are reversible.

What?

What are you
talkin' about?

I don't want no kids.

And I came clean
about my vasectomy

the first time
I set eyes on ya.

I know, but I think
things have changed.

I think we can be
a family.

Family? Right.

What kind of family
could we possibly be?

I ain't no good
with kids.

Christ, I can barely
take care of myself.

I can take care
of the kid and you.

No way, Joyce.

Forget it.

I can't have
no kids.

I can't do it.

Joyce, where the hell is that Ornette Coleman album?

You know, I got
a review due tomorrow.

I didn't
touch it, Harvey.

Would you please
let me sleep?

Come on,
it's 1:00.

Come on.
How late can a person sleep, man?

Ouch.

It happens to be Saturday,
you selfish son of a bitch.

That don't make
no difference.

And don't you
tell me what to do.

I'm not telling you
what to do.

I'm the one who moved
into your city,

into your home.

Into your vasectomy.

To your whole
screwed-up life.

The least you could do
is allow me to live here

in my own way.

I tried everything,
but nothing could

get this woman
out of bed.

I mean, she wouldn't
get a job,

wouldn't go out,
wouldn't make friends.

Nothin'.

Joyce?

Joyce diagnosed herself
as clinically depressed.

I don't know what the hell
she was going through,

but it was sure
takin' its toll on me.

Joyce, we got a message here.
How come you didn't pi--

Useless, man.

Hi, this is a message
for Harvey Pekar.

My name is Jonathan Green
and I'm a producer

of "Late Night
with David Letterman."

I would like to talk to you
about coming on the show

to plug your comic.

Please give us a call
at 212-555-3333.

Thanks.

Joyce finally
got off the futon.

♪ Well, I'm all alone ♪

♪ In the city ♪

♪ Yes, won't someone ♪

♪ Please have
a little pity? ♪

♪ Now don't you
ee-spiddly-doo ♪

♪ Ee-doo-you-blue ♪

♪ Then I won't
siddly-doo-bla-dee-ya-doo ♪

♪ Eel-ya-blue ♪

♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ Oh, lady,
be so good to me ♪

♪ And if you ooh-doo-doo
ooh-lee-coo... ♪

- Huh?
- No.

Oh, for Chr-- come on,
who the hell cares?

- Jesus Christ...
- Give that to me.

What the hell
are you doin' anyway?

Merchandising.

♪ And if you ooh-ool-ya-doo
oo-lee-coo... ♪

Okay--
- People like this show?

Yeah.

I can't believe my voice
is going now.

- What's the matter with you? You were fine in the car.
- I don't know.

Do you want
something to drink?

No, I'm all right. I'm hungry.
Man, aren't you hungry?

They should give you donuts or somethin',
you know?

Dave's ready
for you now, Mr. Pekar.

- Oh, hey--
- Oh, he is?

Listen, you got somethin' to eat,
'cause my stomach is growlin'.

- There's no time to eat now.
- Oh, come on, man.

Oh, but wait, wait, wait.
What about the doll?

He's got it at the desk.
Will you relax about that?

Guys, guys,
we're in a hurry here.

Okay, man.
Which way?

Right over here.

Thank you, boys.

Our next guest tonight
works as a file clerk

at a Cleveland hospital.

He also writes
comic books

which deal with his day-to-day pains and pleasures.

And this is an anthology of nine of those comics.

It's entitled
"American Splendor."

From off the streets
of Cleveland, folks,

please say hello
to Harvey Pekar.

Harvey, come out here.

Hi, Harvey.

Thanks for
coming out here.

Have a seat.

What do you mean
calling me "curious"?

I met you before
the show, and--

I meant "curious"
in a fascinating way.

- All right, I'll buy that.
- A man who has the presence

of one who is
quite fascinating.

Okay, 'cause I met you
before the show.

I thought you knew I'm a pretty nice guy,
you know what I mean?

In fact,
I might be nursing

a viper in my bosom.
Something like that?

A little defensive
about this, huh?

Yeah, I am, man.
I'm waitin' for those Cleveland jokes.

- Go ahead.
- All right, settle down, Harvey.

Yeah, all right.

Now let's explain
to folks

who may not be familiar
with your work

what it is you do here
exactly.

You have comic books
about you

in your daily life,
and you also have

a regular job in Cleveland working at a hospital.

That's right,
that's right.

- You know this guy?
- I'm beginning to wonder.

Harvey, that if you wanted to,
you could probably

get by on what you make
selling your work,

because I know people are after you to write other things

and you're publishing
this anthology--

What do you mean?
Who? What people?

What are you
talking about?

- Where the hell did you get that stuff?
- I know that you--

I'm no showbiz phony,
I'm tellin' the truth.

- Go on, man.
- Now you can't--

Well, at least he's
keeping up with Letterman.

Pandering is
more like it.

You mean to tell me
that other people

haven't contacted you
about writing literary--

- Well, I mean--
- Damn it.

You can make a living as a writer.
- What you trying to do?

How do you know
all that stuff?

I'm trying to
get some news.

There's a big story
about to break

about the U.S.
selling arms

to Iran
and the Contras.

- Relax, relax.
- All right, don't worry about it.

- I'm not worried about it.
- Finally something good. Watch this.

- I got a job.
- I'm trying-- I know you've got a job.

I've got a job. We're both very lucky.
We both have jobs.

Well, what's
the matter?

We gotta go.

- Harvey, I like you. I'm on your side.
- All right, man.

- I enjoy the comic books.
- Okay.

And here, quickly, tell us
about the little doll here.

- My wife made it.
- Okay.

Am I giving you
a hard time?

No, you're not
giving me a hard time.

- Do I make you nervous?
- No, you're not making me nervous.

We have to go now,
and I want to mention these are for sale,

- Yes.
- They're made out of your old clothing.

That's right.

- And what do these go for?
- 34 bucks.

$34?

$34 for this?

What, are you cheap?
You're cheaper than me?

Would you pay
$34 for that?

No, but I'm not asking it.
My wife is.

Oh, I see.

Such brilliant
repartee.

Shit, man.

I realized that was probably
an ugly thing

to have said about your delightful island there, but...

So, what do you think?
- That's what I get paid for.

No, it's not.

- Megalomaniac.
- I'm sorry.

Hi, this is a message
for Harvey Pekar.

From the streets
of Cleveland,

ladies and gentlemen,
please welcome back

the one, the only
Harvey Pekar.

Harvey, come on out, buddy.

Harvey.

It became clear
pretty fast

that I was invited on the show just for laughs.

You look like
a lot of guys

you see sleeping
on buses.

- Sorry.
- It's all right, Dave, have a good time.

I know, we're doin'
what we can.

It's your world,
I'm just livin' in it.

What the hell
did I care?

Letterman
was an okay guy.

Let him take
potshots at me

so long as I got paid
and got to plug my comics.

I said to myself,
you look like every police

artist sketch
I've ever seen.

Funny thing is,
something about me

and Letterman clicked
for the viewers.

He kept
wantin' me back.

You know, Harvey,
it was about a year ago this month--

That's right.
No, last month, Dave.

A year ago last month
you made your first

- appearance on this show.
- Right.

- What has happened to you since?
- Not much, David.

It's slow goin'.
I still have the same job--

But, see, Harvey,
you're the embodiment of the American dream.

And it wasn't just me
gettin' all the attention.

Action.

Any of these free?

As a result of my
appearances on Letterman,

my buddy, Toby Radloff,
landed a gig

extolling the virtues
of MTV.

Hey, yo, yo!

Watch where
you're going.

All right, you fuckin'
yuppie freak.

Who the fuck is this
on my set?

Look at this.
The man of the hour.

This is my new do
for the MTV generation.

We came upon Toby Radloff
while doing a story

in Cleveland last year
on his friend,

the comic artist
Harvey Pekar.

Toby's a genuine nerd
and he doesn't care

if you have a problem
with that.

Hi, my name
is Toby Radloff,

a genuine nerd
from Cleveland, Ohio.

And as you know,
many hip people,

including a lot
of college students,

are gonna be heading
for spring break,

but I have decided to spend my own personal spring break

right here in beautiful
Cleveland, Ohio.

♪ I'm on fire... ♪

That day, I had
an epiphany.

It seemed that real
salt-of-the-earth people

like Toby and me
were gettin' co-opted

by these huge
corporations.

We were gettin' held up
and ridiculed as losers

in the system.

This is Toby Radloff,

the genuine spring break
party nerd signing off.

What can I say?
It was the '80s, man.

Harvey, you
listening to me?

I've been reading about these kids who grew up

in these war zones.

You know, Palestinians, Israelis,

El Salvadorians,
Cambodians,

these kids are amazing.
They're totally--

You're the guy from
the Letterman show, right?

Yeah, that's me.

That's so excellent.

You and Stupid Pet Tricks
are a riot.

Oh, yeah?

Then how about you buy
one of my comics, man?

It's the only reason I go
on that dumb show anyway.

Right, sure.
Later, Harvey Pekar.

So anyway, I want to write
a political comic book

about these kids.

There's a--
listen to me.

There's a conference in Jerusalem in a couple of weeks.

I'm gonna start by
doing some interviews there.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Wait a minute.

What are you talking
about, Jerusalem?

Lately I can barely
drag you off the futon

to go with me
to the Letterman show.

Jerusalem?

- Do you wanna know why?
- Yeah.

Because I don't give a damn
about the Letterman show.

I want to do something
important to me.

Something that matters.

Hey, you know
I only go on the show

for the extra bread.

You know, maybe if you
got your lazy ass up

and got yourself a job,

I could do somethin'
that matters, too.

- Harvey, you're yelling.
- You ever think of that?

Don't--

I'm sorry.

Joyce, I'm sorry.

I guess it was good
to finally see Joyce

excited about somethin'
of her own.

This is crazy.

Can't you just do somethin' here in Cleveland?

Harvey, you'll survive a couple of weeks by yourself.

All right.

Be careful out there,
all right?

I love you, baby.

Sure, I was happy
for her,

but I was still
upset for me.

It was later that night when I first found the lump.

I was determined
to put it out of my mind

until Joyce got back.

Easier said than done.

What do I care?
Just give me the chart already.

What is your
problem today?

Miguel, look,
I just don't wanna

keep comin' back
here for it, okay?

Harvey, that patient's due to be admitted a week from now.

Why do you always
have to go picking fights?

How many times do we gotta go through the same shit, man?

Just give me
the fuckin' charts.

We'll listen to what the doctor has to say about this.

Fine.

What?

What do you mean
another two weeks?

Jesus Chr-- you gotta come home sometime!

Joyce?

Hello?

God damn it.

And there you have it, folks,

another lightning episode
of Stupid Pet Tricks.

Just walk straight out
to the desk...

I know,
okay, fine, yeah.

- You all set?
- Yeah.

I was startin' to lose it.

Between the lump,
the loneliness,

I felt like everything
was closin' in on me.

And with Joyce over there
savin' the world,

I never felt more like
a sellout hack in my life.

Okay.

You know, folks,
if it really is true

that misery
loves company,

our next guest must always have a house full of people.

Okay, asshole.

You can read
all about his misery

- in the latest issue...
- You're gonna pay for that one, man.

Of the comic book entitled
"American Splendor."

Ladies and gentlemen,
please welcome back

Harvey Pekar.

Harvey, this is not
the forum.

This is not
"Meet the Press."

You just want me to talk about
simpleminded bullshit, David.

- But I ain't co-opted like you.
- Oh, relax, Harvey.

I've got things
I wanna say.

For instance,
like, I wanna talk

about a conflict
of interest situation.

- Harvey--
- Can we do that, David? How about that?

You know,
like GE owning this network NBC.

GE has basically
become a military,

industrial,
financial--

Can we get the singing shih tzu back out here, Larry?

Has he left
the building yet?

The news is gonna cover
what they do fairly?

- That's funny, Dave.
- Harvey.

I got other things
I wanna talk about, though.

- That's enough, Harvey.
- Just shut up, man.

Don't push me, man.
I'm doin' my own thing.

Are you afraid
of the truth, David?

It's not about what
you're saying, Harvey,

- it's about your choice of venue.
- The truth will set you free.

It may shock you,
but this is a comedy show.

Not tonight it ain't, okay?
Let's mix it up a little.

Come check this out.
- You can take your winning personality,

go out and get
your own show.

I don't want my own
goddamn show, David.

It seems to me we've had you on this show many,
many times.

You sulk and complain
and promote your comic book

and you really haven't been
very appreciative.

Well, you didn't do me
any favors, Dave, okay?

- Harvey--
- I'm still a file clerk.

- I have always been a file clerk.
- That's enough, Harvey.

And it's no thanks to you or to your goddamn pathetic audience, man.

Okay, we're gonna
take a commercial

and when we come back,
guess who's not gonna be here?

You want me
to leave, David?

Come on, ask me
like a man, David.

Don't hide it behind
a commercial, man.

Are things okay
at home, Harvey?

Things are just great
at home, Dave, okay?

Goodbye, Dave. Goodbye, America.
Thanks for nothin', Dave.

Harvey Pekar, ladies and gentlemen.
We'll be right back.

I guess you really
did it this time, huh?

Yeah, who the hell cares?

That show wasn't helping
my sales anyway.

Baby, please don't
go away anymore.

Because I just--
I can't take being alone.

If you met those kids over there and you saw what they went through,

you wouldn't
ask that of me.

I'm tellin' you
somethin'--

if you go away again,
I'm gonna lose it.

Harvey, this is not
up for discussion.

I need this
in my life right now.

I do appreciate the fact that you missed me so much, baby.

Harvey,
what is that?

I don't understand.

Does tumor mean the same thing as cancer?

We know the growth
is malignant,

what we don't know is how far it may have spread.

Once we have the results,
we can make

more informed decisions
about treatment.

CAT scans... diagnosis...

MRI... Cancer...

How can I
have cancer?

I don't feel
sick at all.

That's
a positive thing.

My cousin Norman
died of lymphoma.

He was 29.

- And he was a brilliant oncologist.
- Stop it.

You're not
gonna die, Harvey.

You're not.

What's gonna happen
to you, baby?

Who's gonna take care
of you if I'm not around?

Harvey, look at me
and focus.

We are gonna get
through this.

I understand illness.

I know how to
handle these things.

Yeah, but that's... you, you know?
I'm not strong enough.

I don't know
how to be positive.

I can't do that.
I can't do it.

- Yes, you can.
- No, I can't.

Yes, you can.

I'll tell you how.

You'll make a comic book
of the whole thing.

You'll document
every detail,

and that way
you'll remove yourself

from the experience
until it's over.

I can't do that.

I'm just not
strong enough.

Man, I just wanna die.

That's fine,
I'll do it without you.

Hey, I'm Fred.
You called me about the comic book...?

Right, the artist.
Come in.

This is my daughter,
Danielle.

Had to bring her along.
I hope you don't mind.

Well, hi, Danielle.

What's that
you're holding?

A pony.

A pony?
What's his name?

She's a girl.
Clarissa.

Oh, I see.

Well, I'm Joyce,
and I'm very pleased

to meet both you
and Clarissa.

Hey, I'm real sorry to hear about Harvey.
Is he here?

No, he's going to work until next week when he starts the chemo.

But that's why I wanna
get this project started

because once he's stuck here,
I know he'll take over.

Aw, shit.

Man.

Fuckin' idiot, man.

Hey! Joyce!
Open the door!

I forgot my keys
again, Joyce.

Hold the door,
hold the door.

Joyce?!

Open the fuckin'
door, man!

Hey, Harvey.

Fred...?

♪ There was
no train station ♪

♪ There was
no downtown... ♪

What's goin' on, man?

♪ The town
had disappeared... ♪

Gee, I thought it was
a great idea that Joyce had.

We try to just follow you
through your treatments.

Guess she thought it was a good idea, too,
didn't she?

But here's some
of the great ideas

we've been battin' around,
I mean--

All right.

Jesus, we--

Joyce has no idea
what she's doin', man.

There's too many words
in these frames.

When are you
comin' back, Fred?

Uh... she said somethin' about next Tuesday,

which is fine
with me.

It's just--
only thing is

I might have
the kid again.

My ex-wife is
supposed to take her,

but I don't have much faith in her showin' up.

She's in worse shape
than me these days.

Next week
my treatment begins.

Do me a favor, man,
bring the kid, will ya?

Okay.

Harvey, what are you doing?

Stop it!

You're doing this on purpose.

Purpose...

Thanks.

I wanna die.

Just wanna die... die...

Joyce?

- Joyce?
- What?

What's wrong, honey?

What are you doing up?

What is it?

Tell me the truth.

Am I a guy who writes
about himself

in a comic book

or am I just--

am I just a character
in that book?

What are you talking about?
What are you saying?

If I die, will that
character keep goin'

or will he
just fade away?

Harvey.

Harvey!

Harvey.
Oh, my God.

Harvey, wake up.
Wake up, Harvey.

Come on.

Harvey?
Oh, no, no.

Come on, wake up.

Harvey,
can you hear me?

My name is Harvey Pekar.

Oh, that's an unusual name,
Harvey Pekar.

1960 was the year I got
my first apartment

and my first
phone book.

Now imagine my surprise
when I looked up my name

and saw that
in addition to me,

another Harvey Pekar
was listed.

You know, I was listed
as "Harvey L. Pekar."

My middle name is Lawrence.

He was listed
as "Harvey Pekar."

Therefore his was
a purer listing.

Then in the '70s,
I noticed

that a third
Harvey Pekar

was listed
in the phone book.

Now, this filled me
with curiosity.

How can there be
three people

with such an unusual
name in the world,

let alone in one city?

Then, one day...

a person I work with

expressed her
sympathy to me

concerning what
she thought

was the death
of my father.

And she pointed out
an obituary notice

in the newspaper for a man named Harvey Pekar.

And one of his sons
was named Harvey.

Now these were
the other Harvey Pekars.

And six months later,
Harvey Pekar Jr. Died.

Although I'd met
neither man,

I was filled
with sadness.

"What were they like,"
I thought.

It seemed our lives
had been linked

in some indefinable way.

But the story
does not end there.

For two years later,
another Harvey Pekar

appeared
in the phone book.

Who are these people?

Where did they
come from?

What do they do?

What's in a name?

Who is Harvey Pekar?

You know,
we've got the T-shirts for sale upstairs

- if you're interested.
- Yeah, come on, man.

Here's our man
a year later.

Somehow I made it
through the treatments,

and the doctors
are optimistic.

Quite a year for us,
quite a year.

I guess Joyce was right
about doing a big comic book.

We published the thing
as a graphic novel,

our first collaboration,

and ended up
with rave reviews.

We even won a couple
of national book awards.

Go figure.

Mm-hmm. Bye.
- Those are beautiful.

- Did you find those in there?
- Mm-hmm.

I didn't even see those.

- ...these flowers.
- Are you finished?

Oh, Danielle,
I love it.

Very expressive
colors.

- Hey, Joyce.
- What is it, Harvey?

It was the doctor.

He says I'm all clear.

The weirdest thing
that came out of my illness

was Danielle.

With her real mother runnin' around who knows where

and seeing how well
her and Joyce got on,

Fred decided she'd have
a better life with us.

I was scared at first,
but then I thought what the hell,

- she's a good kid.
- Hi, Harvey.

So we ended up takin' her and raisin' her as our own.

You keep readin' 'em
backwards.

I like reading them
backwards.

Is that one you?

I keep telling you,
all of 'em's me, man.

You look like
a monster.

Yeah? Well, you know,
wait till you see

what you're gonna
look like.

- Me?
- Yeah.

You're part of
the story, too, now.

What story?

The story of my life.

Oh.

Yeah, I know I'm
not as interesting

as "The Little Mermaid"
and all that magical crap.

I think I'm gonna
write my own comic.

Oh, yeah, what about?

I'm not sure yet,
but not about you.

I think you have
enough already.

You know,
you should write

about things
in your own life.

You know, like
school and...

ponies, I don't know.
Girl stuff.

Do you have
to hold my hand?

What are you,
embarrassed of me?

I know, I know, I know,
I'm embarrassing.

I felt the same way
about my father.

No, Harvey,
it's just when you hold my hand,

you squeeze it
too hard.

Okay, go on.

Joyce is right.
You are obsessive-compulsive.

Go on.

Yeah, so I guess
comics brought me a lot.

But don't think this is
some sunny happy ending.

Every day is still
a major struggle.

Joyce and I
fight like crazy,

and she barely works.

The kid's got ADD
and is a real handful.

My life is total chaos.

With a little luck,
I'll get a window

of good health between
retirin' and dyin'.

"The golden years,"
right?

Who knows,
between my pension

and the chunk of change
I get for this film,

I should be able
to swing somethin'.

Sure, I'll lose the war
eventually,

but the goal
is to win a few skirmishes

along the way,
right?

Surprise!

♪ For he's a jolly
good fellow ♪

♪ For he's
a jolly good fellow ♪

♪ Which nobody
can deny. ♪

- Surprise!
- Surprise!

Go ahead and make a wish.

♪ You do me wrong ♪

♪ And I'm crazy
about you ♪

♪ Stay away too long ♪

♪ And I can't do
without you ♪

♪ Every chance you get ♪

♪ You seem to hurt me
more and more ♪

♪ Each hurt
makes my love ♪

♪ Stronger than before ♪

♪ I know flowers
can go through rain ♪

♪ But how can love
go through pain? ♪

♪ Ain't that peculiar? ♪

♪ You tell me lies ♪

♪ That should be
obvious to me ♪

♪ I've been so much
in love with you ♪

♪ Till I--
I don't wanna see ♪

♪ The things
you do and say ♪

♪ Are designed
to make me blue ♪

♪ It's such a shame
my love ♪

♪ Makes all your lies
seem true ♪

♪ And if truth makes love
last longer ♪

♪ Why do lies
make my love stronger? ♪

♪ Ain't that peculiar? ♪

♪ A child can cry
so much ♪

♪ You do everything
that they say ♪

♪ But unlike a child ♪

♪ My tears
don't help me ♪

♪ Get my way ♪

♪ I know love
can last through tears ♪

♪ But how can love last
through years? ♪

♪ Ain't that peculiar? ♪

♪ Peculiar as can be ♪

♪ It's just weird ♪

♪ Strange. ♪