Welcome, friends and fans, to my first official website!

"With Luke Y. Thompson, the question is 'is it an act?' or 'is he really nuts?'" -- Anonymous L.A. Hollywood columnist

"Keep it coming, Thompson. The nuttier, the better...as long as you really mean it." -- Jeffrey Wells, Moviepoopshoot.com

"Luke is irreverent and just a real hoot to read." -- Michael Collins, 8-Ball

"arguably, the best-dressed journalist in Los Angeles" -- Matt Welch, mattwelch.com

"a big hard-drinking social anarchist" -- Luke Ford, lukeford.net

"An adventurous and spontaneous person" -- Isis Unveiled, Goddess Hour

"Thompson sounds like 'Daily Show' correspondent Mo Rocca, but 99% of his jokes fall flat and plenty of profanity spills out" -- Casey Scott, DVDdrive-in.com

"I must say that I was impressed with my initial glimpse into LYT's acting ability. A natural I would say..." -- Sarah Lassez, star of MAD COWGIRL and UNTIL THE NIGHT

Here are some FAQs for newbies:

HOW DO YOU PRONOUNCE 'LYT'?
It's a series of three initials, so you pronounce it "Ell Why Tee." NOT "Lit" or "Light." And you should always write it in all caps -- "Lyt" is WRONG.

WHO IS LYT?
LYT is Luke Yelasdi Thompson -- writer, producer, pundit, actor, director, rocker, and all-around kickass performer.

LYT is currently working on several major feature film projects, among them THE DOGSAUCE BROTHERS, starring himself and Lucky McKee, to be written and directed by LYT. He is also working on a significant screenplay rewrite that must remain confidential for now.

LYT made his feature acting debut playing three different characters in Billy Logue's as-yet-unreleased HOLLYWOOD 5, and will soon be seen in Gregory Hatanaka's UNTIL THE NIGHT, currently scheduled to debut on DVD in April 2005. Future acting projects include the ttile role in Kevin Ford's RAINBOWHEAD, as well as a cameo in Angela Bettis' ROMAN and four distinct roles in Hatanaka's second feature MAD COWGIRL. As an on-camera personality, playing himself, LYT appears in documentary featurettes on the DVDs for THE MONSTER CLUB and BLONDE EMMANUELLE.

He currently writes film reviews for CityBeat in Los Angeles, Alaska's Anchorage Press, and the New Times weekly newspapers around the country, running in such cities as San Francisco, Oakland, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, Denver, Palm Beach, Miami, Kansas City, St. Louis, and Cleveland.

Prior to writing for New Times, LYT wrote political editorials for USC’s Daily Trojan, film reviews and an advice column for Jaye Barnes-Luckett’s AteBall zine, and self-published four issues of his own zine KnifEdge. He was also a radio show host and film critic for four years on KSCR. LYT's first published work was a poem entitled “I Hate Mustard,” written at the age of 8, which became the title work in a collection of Irish children’s literature, published by the Women’s Community Press.

Shortly after graduating from USC Cinema School, LYT was commissioned to write the film SOUL MATES (later retitled WITCHFINDER) for Roger Corman’s Concorde-New Horizons Productions. The film has not yet been made, but he did receive a paycheck for it.

LYT DVD commentary tracks can be heard on several releases, including M-3D: THE MOVIE and ED AND HIS DEAD MOTHER. From time to time, he has been known to front shock-rock bands Tato Shots and His Wife Bruce, and has given guest lectures on film criticism and other topics.

SOUNDS GOOD. HOW CAN I WORK WITH HIM?
To book LYT for your project, click HERE

And now to answer some of your real questions:

“YELASDI”? WHAT THE HELL’S THAT?
My chosen middle name. It means “knife” in Cherokee. No, I’m not Cherokee, but I am American and at least somewhat North Carolinian.

WHAT’S WITH THE FAGGY RAINBOW HAIR, FAG? YOU'RE A FAG!   
It’s a gimmick to keep me recognizable, and it works very well as such.

HOW COME YOU DON’T GET MORE CHICKS?
If I knew, you think I’d tell you? Probably mainly because I don’t seem to meet that many who are single and genuinely looking for someone, but not insistent upon instant long-term commitment.

DIDN’T NEW TIMES CLOSE? WHO ARE YOU WRITING FOR NOW?
No, New Times Los Angeles closed, but the 11 other papers in the chain are doing very well, thank you, and I’m writing for them.

SO HOW DO I GET TO READ YOUR REVIEWS?
New reviews will be linked in my online journal as they come out. Older reviews still available online can be found linked on Rotten Tomatoes at http://www.rottentomatoes.com/author-3290/

Older reviews no longer available online can be found on this site’s Rants & Reviews page.

WHAT’S WITH THE POLITICAL STUFF, MOVIE-BOY? DO YOU HATE AMERICA?
I love America – I know what it’s like to want to live here and not be able to. I moved here first chance I got. I only talk about politics when something really pisses me off. I’m a registered Green, but not party line. If you want to break it down, I’m a social libertarian and an economic moderate socialist.

WHAT’S THAT MEAN? WHERE DO YOU STAND ON, LIKE, IMPORTANT STUFF?
I believe use of nuclear weapons is never morally justified. I think preserving the environment is more important than corporate profits. I think it's offensive if someone dies of a disease we could have cured just because he couldn't afford it. I think you should be able to capture or kill a mortal adversary, but not both. I think the goal of prison should be to rehabilitate. I think eating animals is part of the food chain. I believe a woman should be able to give up her child or fetus to the state at any stage, alive if possible. I don't see why any consensual act between adults should be a crime. I think war should only ever be a last resort. I support the right of government to make businesses safe and fair for employees, and to prevent monopolies. I think people who take any holy scripture literally insult that scripture.

WHAT’S WITH THE THEOLOGY, ATHEIST-BOY? DO YOU HATE GOD?
No, I hate organized religion, not God. I’m very fascinated with personal faith, and biblical history. I think there’s a lot more too it than our simplistic pundits would have you believe. “Atheist” is a deceptive label; people think it means one who denies the existence of God, but in a classical sense it simply means people who don’t hew to a theistic, individualized view of God.

WAIT – WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
Depends what you mean by “from.” I was born in West Virginia, raised in Virginia for about a year, then France for half a year, Ireland for 12 years after that, high school in North Carolina, and college in L.A., but my Dad’s family is based in Southwestern Virginia and my Mom’s in the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, my stepmom, bonus-sisters, and little brothers are all living in Paris, while my Dad works in North Carolina for half the year. You tell me where I’m from.