I really have no idea why but just as I have “A Confederacy of Dunces” as my comfort novel, I have Death to Smoochy as my comfort movie. When I seem to be surrounded by signs that might be dark omens, dropping into the Death To Smoochy Universe is restorative. The movie is about as great a tragicomedy as I know of …. If you happen, in some sad and pensive mood , to find yourself in a country graveyard and you come across a stone with only “Death to Smoochy” engraved upon it , that’s probably me you are standing on.