Camp Modin

From Joel Stein’s column in the LA Times, entitled “Camp Hollywood”:

After studying the book, I focused on the photo from Camp Modin in 1980. It demonstrates that by age 11, the kids at Modin had mastered the basics of not only the bowl haircut but networking. Standing side by side are future Hollywood players David Wain (of MTV’s “The State” and Comedy Central’s “Stella”), Stuart Blumberg (Ed Norton’s producing partner and writer of “Keeping the Faith” and “The Girl Next Door”) and Craig Wedren (composer on “School of Rock” and “Wet Hot American Summer”). When I asked “Camp Camp” coauthor Roger Bennett how this one tiny camp in Maine produced so much success, he said it “was a machine created by Lew Wassserman to make your town run on time.” People who write books think Hollywood runs on time.

I asked around and found out that Wain’s cabin of about 20 kids also housed comic book artist Barry Deutsch, jazz bassist Avishai Cohen and designer Laser Rosenberg — though his name suggests that even without the camp influence, he wasn’t getting pushed into the doctor-lawyer choice. Robert Smigel (creator of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog and “Saturday Night Live’s” “TV Funhouse”) was a counselor that year.

I’d really love to see that photo.

You know a writer is stretching to make their point when I’m included as an example of success. Nonetheless, it’s striking that we all knew what we wanted to do even then; even in the early 80s, David wanted to be a filmmaker, Craig wanted to make music, and I wanted to make comics. (Of course, I kind of assumed I’d get around to it quicker than I did).

I didn’t know Robert Smigel was a Modin counselor; I don’t think he was ever my counselor. David and Craig I’ve seen once or twice in the last several years, and we occasionally exchange emails. Laser and Stu, I haven’t had any contact with in two decades, but I remember them fondly. I especially adored Laser; he made seeming different and outstanding seem so natural (although as I recall, it wasn’t easy for him). I don’t remember Avishai Cohen being there, but my memory is famous for how awful it is.

Dave’s movie Wet Hot American Summer is partly based on Camp Modin days. Two of the characters are, Dave admitted (although maybe he was just being nice), partly based on me — the geeky kid who runs the D&D club, and (alas) the kid who smells horrible because he never showers.

Hat tip: Mari.

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