Fox 4's Shawn Edwards isn't just a blurb whore

In 2000, he joined Channel 4. There, for the first time since Check It Out at Lincoln Prep, the behind-the-scenes man was on TV. Since then, controversy has occasionally shadowed Edwards. His squabbles with the Kansas City Film Critics Circle spilled onto Internet message boards and Hearne Christopher Jr.'s column in The Star. In 2005, he either quit or was expelled from the circle, depending on whom you talk to.

"I didn't feel comfortable interacting with some of the critics," Edwards says. "I thought there was a lack of diversity and openness and a little bit of snobbery. If you didn't like what they thought was good, you weren't cool. If I say DMX delivered one of the best performances of the year, I should be heard and I shouldn't be laughed at."

Current Critics Circle head Loey Lockerby tells The Pitch, "Things with Shawn did not end well, and the circle is not comfortable discussing it."

In June 2006, those tensions disturbed even the placid waters of KCUR 89.3's Walt Bodine Show, where Edwards had occasionally joined the biweekly movie critics' roundtable.

At first, it was friendly. On the June 2 show, when Edwards mounted a typically spirited defense of the Jennifer Aniston comedy The Break-Up, University of Kansas theater and film professor John Tibbetts snipped, "OK, Shawn. Here he goes!"

Later that hour, Bodine asked the assembled critics, "What is a blockbuster?" Their answers illustrate the divide.

Tibbetts: "It has nothing to do with budget and everything to do with meeting or inciting audience expectations."

Edwards: "A blockbuster is a movie that people are anticipating. It makes probably more than $250 million at the box office domestically."

On June 30, the friendliness died. Kicking off a discussion of Waist Deep, Tibbetts said, "I know Shawn will be able to tell us all about this guy named Tyrese Gibson."

Edwards asked, "Why me?"

Tibbetts: "Because you doubtless know more about him than I do."

Edwards: "I don't know Tyrese."

Tibbetts: "I didn't, either."

Edwards: "Then why you pointing me out?"

Tibbetts: "Well — I guess it's a movie that has hip-hop music — "

Edwards: "What, because it has black people in it?"

Tibbetts: "It has a South Central L.A. street culture going — excuse me."

Edwards' behavior might have been mild in the real world, but it was a deal-breaker on Bodine's show.

"Maybe I shouldn't have done it," Edwards says now. "He said it like it was a surprise that Tyrese was in a brilliant movie, and he asked me about it like I would personally know him."

While he claims to remain on friendly terms with Bodine, Edwards isn't shy about knocking the critics heard on the show. "My biggest pet peeves are, number one: They haven't seen the movies. Get some critics on the damn show that's seen the movies!

"Number two: Get somebody who can talk about it. There are so many errors on that show.

"Number three: Get a fresh perspective. That show should be Russ Simmons and [Kansas City Star film critic] Robert Butler. You know those guys have seen the movies."

After the Tyrese discussion, Edwards wasn't invited back. For some critics, that might have been disappointing, but Edwards is bigger than local radio. He now does occasional commentary for Tell Me More, a National Public Radio show not broadcast here.