I recently interviewed Jeff Dowd, the character inspiration behind The Big Lebowski.

Mike Falcone: I got your contact info from the guys over at Lebowski Fest. Thanks again for taking the time to do this.

Dude: The best part about the (Lebowski Fests) are the costumes people show up in.

MF: How much of the attire from the movie is based on your actual outfits?

Dude: Well, I'll put it to you this way - one of my kids said "daddy where did they get your clothes?"

MF: (Laughing)

Dude: The "Jelly's" though, were (Bridges's.)

MF: What about the bathrobe?

Dude: I just wore that around the house. In the script it says "the dude has a rumpled look." The body language is pretty damn close to my own.

MF: Were you involved with Joel and Ethan (Coen) during the writing process?

Dude: No, no, no, the movie inherently is not me at all. It's more of Joel and Ethan's ironic/satirical imagination of me and what I would have been like in the 70's.

MF: Were they right?

Dude: Well, I was a political activist in Seattle during that time. A lot of White Russians were drunk along with other drinks and things were done...

MF: (interrupting) The Seattle Seven? Was your political activism for the Vietnam War, the basis for Walter's character?

Dude: Nah. That's Joel and Ethan having fun. All the roles in the movie are based upon what Joel and Ethan think is or would be funny. That's why they're such great writers.

MF: How did you hook up with the Coen Brothers?

Dude: I was at 20th Century Fox in NYC wearing a suit, and saw them in the office there. They thought I was a suit - a guy who worked there. Later that night I was in my leathers, walking through Greenwich Village and I ran into them on the street. I ended up talking to them for 10 or 15 minutes on the street. Then later that night I was at a roof-top party in the East Village and then they were there. We had a couple more beverages. Soon after that, I saw their movie (Blood Simple) and said these guys are film makers. It kinda went from there.

MF: You're a film writer/producer. What are you up to now?

Dude: I'm working on several movies right now. One's called "You Don't Know About Me" and another that the concept is so high I can't even talk about it.

MF: You mean the beaver picture? You're headed to NJ, what's going on in NJ?

Dude: A friend of mine who's with Sony Classics lives in Red Bank and felt it would be a good idea for me to do a "commercial venue." I'm going between Louis Black and Bruce Springsteen, so the bar's been raised pretty high. We're at The Count Basie Theatre Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank on Saturday, April 19th, and we're going to have a screening of The Big Lebowski. Tickets are still available, but they're almost sold out. I'll be telling stories from my book, "The Dude Abides! Classic Tales and Rebel Rants," that I'm editing now. Then I'll do a Q&A and party after that with some White Russians and what have you.

MF: When does the book come out?

Dude: It's going to come out in the fall if I finish editing it. I happened to be fortunate enough to be around some really interesting people.

MF: Are there similarities between the book and the movie?

Dude: Yeah, there are some funny things. The Big Lebowski is a funny movie about friends. It's about how your friends get you into certain things, and how you stick together. The Coens captured that spirit with The Dude, Walter, and Donnie. For example, The Dude calls Walter an asshole - but later he's giving him a big hug after Walter accidentally scatters Donnie's ashes all over him. I think that's why so many people like The Big Lebowski. It brings people together. They feel good after watching it and that holds up with me.

MF: I've got one last question for you. How come The Dude doesn't roll in the movie?

Dude: You guys at Fark are obviously in tune with what's going on, unlike the guys over at the New York Times. Thank god for the internet. The thing about the bowling was that I was going throw a party for Blood Simple, and I called up this bowling alley manager to see about his place. I meet the manager at the alley and I see this upstairs area, so I ask the manager about that room. He says "It's a grungy room, you don't want that." I told him that Blood Simple is a grungy movie so it'll work. It turns out that the upstairs room was a secret hideaway for The Rat Pack. It's where they used to go on their way to Peter Lawford's place on the beach - so we had our party there. At the party I was indeed bowling. Joel and Ethan saw it, and you'll notice that he (The Dude) doesn't roll in the movie. Although I was in the background of the scene bowling, most will tell you I'm better at drinking and talking than I am at bowling. They saw that the bowling alley was a great setting for a movie. It lends itself to the characters acting and talking in a certain way. Bowling, the rug, etc., they're what sets the movie. Everything they did was for satire, whether it was the White Russians or the bowling.

MF: One last thing. There are some people on Fark who want to sponsor you for a TotalFark subscription.

Dude: Oh Yeah? Great. Shoot me an email with the info.

MF: Ok. Thanks again for your time.

Dude: No problem. Thank you, bye.