Matt Damon offers advice to assassins hiding in Oklahoma

Actor Matt Damon dropped by the Harkins Bricktown Cinemas in Oklahoma City on July 31 to promote his new action/assassin thriller " The Bourne Ultimatum," and to host a charity screening of the film for Bethany's The Children's Center.

Along for the walk down the red carpet was the film's producer, Frank Marshall, whose credits include the "Back to the Future" and "Indiana Jones" franchises, and all three "Bourne" movies. (And sadly, "Mr. 3000.")

The screening had a huge turnout, and The Children's Center raised about $200,000, according to spokeswoman Haley Barsaleau.

Oklahoma Gazette talked with Damon before the film.

Gazette: Oh, my God, Jason Bourne! What are you doing? Should you really be here? Don't you know the CIA and other government agents are looking for you? They want to kill you, Jason! You better leave.

Matt Damon: (laughing) Yeah, I guess you are right, it's a risky situation, but I guess if they can find me relaxing on the beach (in Goa, India, in the second Bourne film, "The Bourne Supremacy"), they can probably find me just about anywhere.

Gazette: I guess you are probably right. So, this is the second time you have been to Oklahoma to promote a Bourne movie, right?

Damon: It is. Frank set it up last time with the release of "Bourne Supremacy," and we were invited by The Children's Center to come down, which is what we are doing again. They really do their best to get the word out, that there is an event like this going on and they manage to fill every seat.

Gazette: So that makes two times for you in Oklahoma?

Damon: Oh, no, I've been here several times. Ben Affleck and I used to go across the country and we would always stay here. Everyone was always very nice.

Gazette: Really. So you are saying that we were there first, being nice to you guys way before you were super-famous and on magazines everywhere?

Damon: Yep, that's right. Back when we were nobody, you guys were always great.

Gazette: As a super assassin who has experience in these matters, what kind of advice would you give another secret assassin, maybe one that was here in Oklahoma, who was trying to hideout from the CIA or the fuzz? Any tips?

Damon: I really think the best advice would be to turn yourself in. They're probably going to find you anyway.

"Joe Wertz

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