Hollywood has discoverd T.J. Dawe. Those who are acquainted with the funny, poignant works of actor/playwright/director Dawe, known as the King of the Fringe because of his numerous hits, will probably wonder why it has taken this long for him to cut his first movie deal. One of his fringe plays, Toothpaste and Cigars, co-written with Mike Rinaldi back in 2001, has been picked up by Fox Searchlight, the experimental side of Twentieth Century Fox, thanks to Canadian producer Marc Stephenson. The script is now known as The F-word, with "F" standing for friendship. It's about a guy who is in love with a girl who wants to be "just friends." Although the play version traveled the circuit, it never made it to Montreal.

Dawe didn't perform at the Montreal Fringe Festival this year. But he did direct Rant Demon, by Keir Cutler, who just passed on the news about Dawe to me. Thanks Keir. Congrats T.J.

It couldn't happen to a nicer guy, really. Everyone loves T.J.

Click here for the Vancouver Sun story on the deal.