Line #68 Creator/KevinSmith


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/00000_000001_1.jpg]]
2	->''"Storytelling is my currency. It's my only worth. The only thing of value I have in this life is my ability to tell a story, whether in print, orating, writing it down or having people acting it out."''
3
4	Kevin Patrick Smith (born August 2, 1970) is an American [[RenaissanceMan film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, comic book writer, podcast host, comedian and motivational speaker]] best known for his "View Askewniverse" films, notably ''Film/{{Clerks}}'', ''Film/ChasingAmy'' and ''Film/{{Dogma}}''. Smith is a proud native of New Jersey and most of his films take place in the state. He married journalist Jennifer Schwalbach in 1999. They have one daughter, Harley Quinn Smith (yes, named after the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' character; he is close friends with writer Creator/PaulDini).
5
6	Smith is best known for the [[TrilogyCreep eight-film New Jersey Trilogy]] set in Film/TheViewAskewniverse; his non-Askewniverse productions ''Film/JerseyGirl'' and ''Film/ZackAndMiriMakeAPorno'' have not been as successful (or at least no more successful). As a result, he tends to go back to the Askewniverse trough, often self-aware of its approaching FranchiseZombie status.
7
8	Smith got his start by making ''Film/{{Clerks}}'', a black and white film shot on location in the [[SarcasmMode scenic]] convenience store where he worked at the time and financed by maxing out his credit cards and putting his comic book collection up for collateral. It starred various lifelong friends and local amateur actors, notably childhood friends Creator/JasonMewes and Jeff Anderson. Released in 1994, ''Clerks'' became an instant cult favorite and one of the pioneers of the independent genre.
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10	Smith also jump started the careers of two of his friends, Creator/JasonLee (who before ''Film/{{Mallrats}}'' was one of the most well known professional skateboarders in the country) and Creator/BenAffleck by casting them in major roles in ''Film/{{Mallrats}}'' and ''Film/ChasingAmy'' before they both went off to fame and fortune (both would appear in all of Smith's other Askewniverse movies).
11
12	He has also become a prolific podcaster, creating the weekly series ''[=SModcast=]'' with longtime partner producer Scott Mosier. This expanded into a network of podcasts under the [=SModcast=] Network banner, including ''Tell 'Em Steve-Dave'' (with Smith's close friends Bryan Johnson, Walt Flanagan, and [[Series/ImpracticalJokers Brian Quinn]]), ''Jay and Silent Bob Get Old'' (Smith and Jason Mewes), ''Plus One'' (Smith and his wife Jennifer Schwalbach-Smith), ''Blow Hard'' (indie filmmaker Malcolm Ingram, with Smith occasionally co-hosting), and ''[[{{Podcast/HollywoodBabbleOn}} Hollywood Babble-On]]'' (Smith and actor Ralph Garman).
13
14	He is well known for being extremely approachable and friendly towards his fans; often he will take time after his appearances at comic book conventions and the like to sign autographs and chat with fans for multiple ''hours''. Noted for holding detailed audience Q&A sessions, initially attached to his movies, he discovered that people would pay to come to an auditorium and listen to him tell stories and answer audience questions without any context. Hence, ''An Evening with Kevin Smith'' led to [[OddlyNamedSequel2ElectricBoogaloo sequels]] named ''An Evening With Kevin Smith 2: Evening Harder'', ''Sold Out: A [[RuleOfThree Three]]vening With Kevin Smith'', ''Kevin Smith: Too Fat for 40'' and ''Kevin Smith: Burn in Hell''. He was one of the first film directors to have a major internet presence, going all the way back to the mid-90's.
15
16	Currently, he can easily be found on either his [[http://twitter.com/ThatKEvinSmith twitter page]] or his [[http://smodcast.com/ internet radio station]].
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18	Not to be confused with the late Kevin Smith, best known for playing Ares in ''Series/HerculesTheLegendaryJourneys'' and its various spin-offs. Also not to be confused with another Kevin Smith, the $1,000,000 winner on the show ''Series/WhoWantsToBeAMillionaire''.
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20	----
21	!Works Smith has been involved with:
22
23	[[foldercontrol]]
24
25	[[folder:Directed Films]]
26
27	* ''Film/{{Clerks}}'' - His DIY debut, famously filmed in the convenience store where he worked at the time and the first film in Film/TheViewAskewniverse.
28	* ''Film/{{Mallrats}}'' - First studio film and second Askewniverse film (though chronologically set the day before ''Clerks''). Was not as well-received, but has since been VindicatedByHistory.
29	* ''Film/ChasingAmy'' - Third Askweniverse film. Widely considered his best film.
30	* ''Film/{{Dogma}}'' - A supernatural religious horror/comedy and the fourth Askweniverse film. Protests from Christian groups (one of which he ''joined'' as a joke) [[OvershadowedByControversy received more attention than the film itself]] during it's release.
31	* ''Film/JayAndSilentBobStrikeBack'' - Originally the GrandFinale for the Askewniverse... until ''Clerks II''.
32	* ''Film/JerseyGirl'' - His first non-Askewniverse feature, a change which [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks was not well-received at the time]].
33	* ''Film/ClerksII'' - First proper sequel to an Askewniverse film.
34	* ''Film/ZackAndMiriMakeAPorno'' - Second non-Askewniverse feature. [[AcclaimedFlop Received slightly better reviews, but diminishing returns]].
35	* ''Film/CopOut'' - First (and so far only) film to be directed but not written by him.
36	* ''Film/RedState'' - Second religious film and first to be straight horror, and the first of many self-distributed indie films.
37	* ''{{Film/Tusk\|2014}}'' - A [[SurrealHorror surreal]] BodyHorror-comedy and the first part of his ''True North'' Trilogy, three films in their own self-contained universe all set in Canada.
38	* ''Film/YogaHosers'' - Second film in the "True North" Trilogy starring [[AscendedExtra the convenience store workers from]] ''Tusk''.
39	* ''Film/JayAndSilentBobReboot'' - Second sequel to an Askewniverse film and the first film in TheVerse since ''Film/ClerksII''.
40	* ''Film/ClerksIII'' - The final episode of the ''Film/{{Clerks}}'' trilogy. SavedFromDevelopmentHell after Jeff Anderson (Randal) had been holding out for years.
41
42	[[/folder]]
43
44	[[folder:Planned Films]]
45
46	* ''[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Moose Jaws]]'' - ''Film/{{Jaws}}'' [[RecycledINSPACE but with a moose]], set in the real Saskatchewan city of [[DoubleMeaningTitle Moose Jaw]]. Final installment of the "True North" Trilogy.
47	* ''Hit Somebody'' - [[TheFilmOfTheSong Based on the]] Music/WarrenZevon song of the same name. He announced at Sundance that it was to be his last film as writer/director... [[DevelopmentHell in 2011]]. He's since been trying to make it into a mini-series on an undisclosed channel.
48	* ''[=MallBrats=]'' - An attempted ''Film/{{Mallrats}}'' sequel which also fell into DevelopmentHell. Smith is also planning to turn this one into a mini-series.
49
50	[[/folder]]
51
52	[[folder:Other Projects]]
53
54	* The "Halloween" segment for ''Film/{{Holidays}}''.
55	* ''WesternAnimation/ClerksTheAnimatedSeries'' - loosely based on the first ''Film/{{Clerks}}'', a series with a comfortable DVD following.
56	* Produced the film ''Film/{{Vulgar}}'', written and directed by his childhood friend Brian Johnston, through his production company View Askew.
57	* ''An Evening with Kevin Smith'', volumes 1, 2, and 3; as well as the specials for the pay-cable channel Epix, ''Kevin Smith: Too Fat for 40'' and ''Kevin Smith: Burn in Hell'' - Smith proves himself to be extremely entertaining in his off-the-cuff question and answer sessions at various college campuses and concert venues. Sometimes joined by his [[HeterosexualLifePartners heterosexual life partner]], Jason Mewes.
58	* ''Comicbook/{{Daredevil}}: Guardian Devil'' - a comic run that in some ways re-launched the franchise with a more [[DarkerAndEdgier adult]] focus on the character's Catholic faith; especially notable for the significant death of an otherwise minor villain. Also notable in some circles for a StuffedInTheFridge moment.
59	* ''Comicbook/GreenArrow'' - Debuted the mute supervillain Onomatopoeia, and brought the Emerald Archer back to life in ''ComicBook/{{Quiver}}''.
60	* A rather poorly-received Batman miniseries, ''Widening Gyre'', which was supposed to be a 12-part series with a fairly long break between parts 6 and 7. However, because Smith's and artist Walt Flanagan's time was taken up by ''Series/ComicBookMen'', that break just kind of kept on going. It was later decided that the rest of the series would be published as a second title, ''Batman: Bellicosity'', but that [[DevelopmentHell was due in 2014]] and nothing has happened since, effectively leaving ''Widening Gyre'' unresolved [[spoiler:[[CliffhangerCopout on a cliffhanger]]]].
61	* Directed the ''Series/{{Reaper}}'' TV pilot.
62	* A weekly podcast with friend Scott Mosier, [=SModcast=], which eventually grew into a 24 hour web radio network called [=SModcast Internet Radio=] that has shows with Smith and his wife, Smith and Jason Mewes, and others. You can check it out [[http://smodcast.com/ here]].
63	* Directed and starred in two episodes of ''Series/DegrassiTheNextGeneration'', bringing along Jason Mewes and Alanis Morrisette for the ride. He took up the gig because he was a huge fan of ''Series/DegrassiJuniorHigh'' and ''Series/DegrassiHigh'' during their runs on Creator/{{PBS}}, and had a crush on Caitlin Ryan.
64	* ''Series/ComicBookMen'' which he's described as like ''Series/PawnStars'', but for nerds.
65	* ''Spoilers'' a Hulu-only show where he takes a group of people to watch a recently released movie (which he pays for all the tickets), and then bring them back to a studio to discuss it.
66	* ''ComicBook/SpiderManBlackCatTheEvilThatMenDo'', a miniseries mainly remembered for having long delays between the first and second half of the story and adding controversy to ComicBook/BlackCat's backstory with the revelation she was raped in college.
67	* ''Series/{{Arrowverse}}'': Ever since 2016, he's been a regular director for ''Series/TheFlash2014'' and later ''Series/Supergirl2015'':
68	** ''Series/TheFlash2014''
69	*** Directed "[[Recap/TheFlash2014S2E21TheRunawayDinosaur The Runaway Dinosaur]]," the twenty first episode of the second season. Jason Mewes has a cameo as a guy who "borrowed" his mother's truck for a date, only to see it get destroyed in a super battle.
70	*** Directed "[[Recap/TheFlash2014S3E7KillerFrost Killer Frost]]", the seventh episode of the third season. Did not contain Jason Mewes but was an important episode because it moved the season arc forward significantly before the show got sidetracked the following week into the "Invasion!"''Series/{{Arrowverse}}'' crossover.
71	*** Directed "[[Recap/TheFlash2014S4E17NullAndAnnoyed Null and Annoyed]]", the seventeenth episode of the fourth season of. He and Jason Mewes basically play Jay and Silent Bob as security guards [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHPk66jx2d0 who encounter the meta of the week]].
72	** ''Series/Supergirl2015''. He seems to be making a RunningGag in his episodes of having Kara strip down to her Supergirl outfit offscreen while her clothes are thrown at the person watching.
73	*** Directed "[[Recap/Supergirl2015S2E9SupergirlLives Supergirl Lives]]," the ninth episode of the second season. He admitted to crying a little when he found out the name of the episode, as it's inspired by his unused 90's screenplay ''Superman Lives.'' (His daughter Harley Quinn Smith plays a kidnapped girl in the episode.)
74	*** Directed "[[Recap/Supergirl2015S2E17DistantSun Distant Sun]]" the seventeenth episode of the second season.
75	*** Directed "[[Recap/Supergirl2015S3E5Damage Damage]]" the fifth episode of the third season.
76	*** Directed "[[Recap/Supergirl2015S4E8BunkerHill Bunker Hill]]" the eighth episode of the fourth season.
77	* ''Marvel's Howard the Duck'', an adult animated show made for Creator/{{Hulu}}. Co-developed with [[WesternAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForce Dave Willis]].
78	* ''WesternAnimation/MastersOfTheUniverseRevelation'', a Netflix animated series taking place after the ''[[WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse1983 He-Man and the Masters of the Universe]]'' 80s cartoon.
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80	[[/folder]]
81
82	[[folder:Actor-Only Roles]]
83
84	* Played a pathologist/lab tech in the ''Film/{{Daredevil\|2003}}'' film.
85	* Warlock in ''Film/LiveFreeOrDieHard''.
86	* A gas station pimp in ''Film/{{Fanboys}}''.
87	* A witness on ''Series/LawAndOrder'' (a part which his agent got him after he complained that she didn't get him any acting roles). He specifically requested, and received, the part where he played "the guy who leads them to the guy, who leads them to the guy, who leads them to the guy that did it".
88	* A convenience store clerk in ''Series/VeronicaMars''.
89	* He Played Super Mega Awesome Ultra Guy in ''WesternAnimation/AskTheStorybots'' and ''WesternAnimation/StorybotsAnswerTime''.
90	* A wheelchair-bound war veteran in ''Film/SouthlandTales''.
91	* The close friend of a recently deceased man in ''Film/CatchAndRelease''.
92	* He guested alongside Creator/JasonMewes in the 200th episode of the hidden camera prank show ''Series/ImpracticalJokers''.
93	* A guest role in ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb''.
94	* A guest appearance as himself on ''Series/TheMuppetsMayhem''.
95	* The true voice of Tri-Klops in ''WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse2021''
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97	[[/folder]]
98
99	!Tropes.:
100
101	Most of Smith's uses of tropes can be found on Film/TheViewAskewniverse page, but some of his trope use is broader than that. They are:
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103	* TenMinuteRetirement: He announced his retirement from filmmaking in 2010, following his disastrous experience on ''Film/CopOut''. However, his love of the process was reinvigorated by both ''Film/RedState'' and ''Film/{{Tusk\|2014}}''.
104	* AssociatedComposer: James L. Venable scored all of his films in the 2000s.
105	* TheAtoner: Guilty about his association with Harvey Weinstein after discovering Weinstein's history as a sex offender, he decided the best thing for him was to [[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2017/10/18/kevin-smith-says-hell-donate-residuals-from-weinstein-films-to-support-female-filmmakers/?utm_term=.d1dbdb911a91 donate his future residuals for the films he made under Miramax and The Weinstein Company to female filmmakers]].
106	* AttentionWhore: In ''An Evening with Kevin Smith," he describes himself as a "press whore" who likes seeing his name in headlines.
107	* AuthorFilibuster: As his spoken word videos suggest, often Smith's personal rants about various subjects end up in his films. For instance, Smith's complaint about the ending of ''[[Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheReturnOfTheKing Return of the King]]'' appeared first in ''An Evening With Kevin Smith 2: Evening Harder'' but also ended up in ''Film/ClerksII''.
108	* BMovie: The "True North" films are an AffectionateParody of "people in rubber costume" horror movies.
109	* BerserkButton: Admitted that he wanted to ''strangle'' Creator/JossWhedon after reading the allegation that he humiliated one of his writers in front of her peers during the production of ''Series/{{Firefly}}'', as having ran a writing room for ''WesternAnimation/MastersOfTheUniverseRevelation'', their job is to make ''your'' ideas better.
110	* BrokenPedestal:
111	** Kevin was once invited to make a documentary on his musical hero Music/{{Prince}} about his journey to religious enlightenment. The Purple One's {{Cloudcuckoolander}} antics, vague instructions and habit of making people wait eventually took their toll on Kevin, who nearly missed his first Father's Day as a result. He left the project sorely pissed not only because he found out that the footage he'd shot would only end up in Prince's infamous vault but because Prince didn't even have the decency to thank him, say goodbye or [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking perform "Batdance" for him]].
112	** He loved Creator/BruceWillis from ''Film/DieHard'' and ''Series/{{Moonlighting}}'', and had a great time chilling with him on the set of ''Live Free or Die Hard'', but the experience directing ''Cop Out'', where Willis, who was [[MoneyDearBoy only in it for a paycheck]], was in full-blown [[ThePrimaDonna prima donna]] mode and often [[WagTheDirector verbally abused Smith or even outright refused to take direction]], permanently soured Smith's respect for the man. He later claimed that a star as big as Willis had at least a little authority to act the way he did, but that he would never work with him again. When it was publicly revealed that Willis had been diagnosed with aphasia in 2022, Smith put out a tweet sending his condolences and said that in spite of what happened he doesn't have any more negative feelings towards the man.
113	** Even before his former mentor [[Creator/MiramaxFilms Harvey Weinstein]]'s extensive history of sexual abuse became public knowledge, Kevin had distanced himself from him when he noticed that Weinstein didn't give back the same appreciation Smith gave him for their years of collaboration. The two had a personal falling out after Weinstein begrudgingly came to the premiere of ''Red State'', only to spend most of the screening talking loudly in the lobby until Smith outright told him to shut the fuck up or go home. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ttB_9P6P9I Here's Kevin telling the story.]]
114	* CatsAreSuperior: Smith summed it up this way:
115	-->''Dogs are man's best friend. Cats are like man's complacent roommate.''
116	* ChristianityIsCatholic: Whenever Smith deals with faith, it's inevitably the faith that he grew up with, Catholicism. Somewhat ironic, in that one of the interest groups most opposed to him is [[MoralGuardians The Catholic League]], which started opposing him at first due to his amusing take on the fallibility of mortal religion while simultaniously exalting divine infallibility in ''Film/{{Dogma}}''. Other religions are not dealt with extensively, and it's a loophole in Catholic doctrine that ends up endangering the entire universe in the aforementioned film. He has promised, however, to avert this trope if he ever makes a ''Dogma II''. Averted with ''Film/RedState'' - the Five Points Trinity church is [[WordOfGod based]] on the Westboro Baptist Church
117	* ClusterFBomb: He's such an abuser, his [[Film/{{Clerks}} first film]] was originally rated NC-17 '''based on language alone.'''[[note]]Though at least some of this is due not to actual swearing, but graphic descriptions of sexual acts ("snowballing" anyone? Don't look that term up if you don't already have some BrainBleach handy)[[/note]]
118	* CreatorProvincialism: Most of his work is set in his home state of New Jersey.
119	* DarkerAndEdgier: ''Film/RedState'' is his darkest and most serious film by an extremely wide margin.
120	* DarkAndTroubledPast: In 2023, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBvc7Ny4iUk he spoke out about his mental health. He brought up that he faced an experience of sexual abuse when he was a little kid. He had been emotionally abused for his weight resulted in him suffering body dysmorphia even after he became a lot skinnier]]. He didn't take these experiences as abuse until he spoke out about it with a therapist.
121	* DueToTheDead: When he was a boy, his father flew them all the way from New Jersey to Hollywood because he knew young Kevin was into movies. When they visited the Chinese Theater and saw all the handprints, his father offered him the pleasantry of saying that maybe Kevin’s prints will be there someday. 40 years later when Kevin did, in fact, leave his handprints, he brought his now-passed father’s urn, and included the print of its base alongside his own.
122	* EpicFail: An admitted one (see ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin below) is at the core of his fourth Q&A film ''Too Fat for 40'', where Kevin, completely aware of how long-winded he tends to be, set out to specifically answer as many questions as possible, only to spend the entire '''three-hour'''[[note]]going by the length of the uncut version[[/note]] show answering '''ONE'''. Although, to be fair, the DVD extras see him continuing the show and answering more questions.
123	* EqualOpportunityOffender: {{Downplayed\|Trope}}, but as with any subject in his films, if someone's ethnicity, gender or sexuality comes up in his work, it'll be humorously mused upon to death. When he received a massive backlash from religious fundamentalists for ''Film/{{Dogma}}'', he followed it up with the feel-good, controversy-free ''Film/JayAndSilentBobStrikeBack''... which received a massive backlash from LGBTQ groups for all of the gay jokes.
124	* EvenTheGuysWantHim: In nearly every Q&A he does (especially prominent in the ''Evening with Kevin Smith'' series), he receives many offers for oral sex from male fans. Often, he'll jokingly accept but demand they put some effort into it. In ''An Evening with Kevin Smith'', Smith's friend Jason Mewes was also propositioned by a gay man who had a crush on him at least once.
125	* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: Invoked by Smith at the end of his Q&A film ''Too Fat for 40'', after his attempt to answer many questions turns into just one:
126	-->'''Smith:''' Well it's called "Q&A." One Q, one A.
127	* FatBastard: Averted, along with FatIdiot. He used to be on the heavy side, sure, but he's known for being incredibly nice and good-natured and he's certainly no dummy either.
128	* FormerlyFat: He shed a lot of weight around 2017-2018 before and after his [[NearDeathExperience massive heart attack]], to the point where his usual fat jokes about himself feel rather [[TheArtifact outdated and no longer justified]].
129	* GenderFlip: He joked about this in reference to ''Series/BattlestarGalactica2003'' when he hosted a Galactica panel at Comic Con.
130	-->'''Smith:''' [to Ron Moore and David Eick] I'm glad you guys changed Starbuck into a women. Otherwise it would have made all those kissing scenes with Lee really awkward.
131	* GenreRoulette: While his films generally have a familiar personality, usually through AuthorAppeal and dialogue, Smith has done some widely varied types of movies, from a [[Film/{{Clerks}} DIY indie film]], to [[Film/{{Mallrats}} screwball]] [[Film/JayAndSilentBobStrikeBack comedies]], a [[Film/ChasingAmy tasteful dramady]], [[Film/{{Dogma}} religious]] [[Film/RedState thrillers]], a [[Film/JerseyGirl chick flick]] and [[Film/Tusk2014 rubber monster]] [[Film/YogaHosers b-movies]]. Extends to television, where his resume includes [[Series/DegrassiTheNextGeneration a Canadian teen soap opera]], [[Series/Supergirl2015 superhero]] [[Series/TheFlash2014 shows]], [[Series/TheGoldbergs sitcoms]] and a [[Series/{{Reaper}} comedy about collecting souls for the devil]].
132	* HomoeroticSubtext: Almost all of his films revolve around two men and their very close friendships. Some of these films (like ''Film/ChasingAmy'' between the protagonist and his male best friend) openly portray it as attraction, but most leave it as subtext. He acknowledged that he would put some of this content in his films as {{Fanservice}} directed at gay people.
133	* IconicOutfit: Kevin tends to be ''very'' consistent every time he sets on a particular style, to the point where it is possible to make a chronological order of his clothing styles:
134	** Hoodies, sometimes Silent Bob's long green coat, and shorts in late '90s, early '00s.
135	** After phasing out the coat, he started wearing a lot of hockey jerseys, mostly custom-made and adorned with various memes from his work. His choice of shorts also has been narrowed down to jean shorts, or "jorts".
136	** Some time during the new '10s and his weight loss, he added baseball caps which he consistently wears backwards.
137	** Once his jerseys stopped fitting after his 2018 weight loss, he started wearing a pink blazer instead.
138	** As of 2023, in addition to adding more color variety to his blazers, he switched his jean shorts for actual jeans.
139	* InsistentTerminology: It's always "Directed by Kevin Smith", never "A Kevin Smith Film" as Smith believes a film to be a collaborative effort of all involved, cast and crew.
140	* InsultBackfire: When Smith half-jokingly accused Creator/TimBurton of ripping off one of his comic books for the ending of ''Film/PlanetOfTheApes2001'', Burton gave the uncharacteristically nasty response of "Anyone who knows me knows I would never read anything by Kevin Smith." Smith put this quote on the back of his autobiography.
141	* IntergenerationalFriendship: Creator/AlanRickman, Creator/GeorgeCarlin and Creator/MichaelParks all remained close friends with Smith following their working together. He once dedicated a whole year to posting anecdotes about his relationship with Carlin on his Facebook page every Wednesday, always with the title "Holy Shit, It's Only Wednesday" (after one of Carlin's bits). Smith directly credits working with Michael Parks for reinvigorating his passion for filmmaking and gave an extremely tearful eulogy on the "Fatman On Batman" episode following Parks' death earlier that week.
142	* MotorMouth: He NEVER shuts up, ever! Which is funny, because he plays a character called "Silent Bob". Kevin is a talking machine. His Q and A's and his Smodcasts show this. He can talk for hours, literally.
143	--> "I do DVD Commentaries because I like to talk."
144	* MrViceGuy: For a very long time, Smith described himself as a "Fat, lazy slob," having been an overeater and a cigarette smoker turned stoner, with a mouth like a sailor (as of 2023, he overcame most of his vices, swearing aside). However, he is also said to be one of the nicest celebrities you will ever meet, showing everyone, from colleagues, to fans, to the Westboro Baptist Church the same level of courtesy.
145	* MyEyesAreUpHere: He took pride in the fact that, when he was interviewed by Katherine Curtis on ''Naked News'', he managed to maintain eye contact with her despite the fact that she was completely naked.
146	* NiceGuy: Kevin is not afraid to curse and give the f bomb in an interview, however he has proven to be an incredibly sweet, friendly, and outgoing guy who deeply loves his family, friends, and fans.
147	** Wonder how Kevin nabbed so many big name cameos for ''Film/JayAndSilentBobReboot''? Simple; they're all friends with him to the point they happily helped him with the project.
148	* {{Nerdgasm}}:
149	** He commented on this at a ''Series/BattlestarGalactica2003'' panel at Comic Con that he was moderating. Creator/TriciaHelfer (Number Six) revealed that at one point she used to date Creator/NathanFillion (Captain Mal Reynolds of ''Series/{{Firefly}}''). At this Smith remarked that the knowledge that Number Six used to go out with Captain Mal "would make most nerds cum in their pants". Helfer's response was "[[TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow That's why we don't tell]]". Fillion confirmed it at [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UESMoPze2iQ San Francisco WonderCon 2007]].
150	** His reaction to hearing that friend and frequent collaborator, Creator/BenAffleck, was cast as Batman in the sequel to ''Film/ManOfSteel''.
151	-->''Holy shit... BEN AFFLECK IS THE NEW BATMAN!!! Do you know what this means? It means that I've seen Batman [[NoodleIncident naked]]!!!''
152	** On his ''Fatman on Batman'' podcast, he admitted to nerdgasming when guest Creator/ArleenSorkin rang his home intercom and announced herself in her Harley Quinn voice, and when Creator/KevinConroy opened up their podcast interview in the Batman voice, Smith instantly declared, "Coming all over!"
153	* NotMakingThisUpDisclaimer: Said by Kevin Smith in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKbAEmvZyKQ an anecdote about his interactions with]] Creator/TimBurton, when he brings up Burton's publicist, whose actual, real name is ''Bumble Ward''.
154	-->''I am not making it up. I'll say it one more time: Tim's publicist's name is ''Bumble Ward''. There is somebody on this planet... named Bumble.''
155	* OddFriendship: Considered himself this with Creator/AlanRickman, considering one is a British acting legend and the other is a stoner indie filmmaker from Jersey, yet Rickman often kept in touch with Kevin and his family after filming ''Dogma''. Talking about Alan after his passing is guaranteed to break him down into ManlyTears.
156	* JustForFun/OneOfUs: Arguably his most signature trait. One of the most influential [=writers/directors=] in the rise of independent film in the 1990s is probably best known for his endless love of superheroes and ''Star Wars''.
157	* OnlySaneMan: Most, if not all, of Smith's anecdotes regarding celebrities in his "An Evening With" series have him coming off as this, giving the impression that everyone in Hollywood aside from himself is a gigantic cloudcuckoolander His Prince & Jon Peters stories being particularly enjoyable/humourous examples of this trope[[note]]Prince, of course, was genuinely known to be pretty "out there"; just about ''anyone'' would be this trope compared to him[[/note]].
158	* ParentalSubstitute: He and Jason Mewes agree that he is more or less the father Jason never had, doing his best to support him and be there for him during Jason's drug addiction and helping him out by making movies for him to feature in.
159	* ThePowerOfFriendship: Since 2001, Smith has been using his filmmaking career to help keep Jason Mewes off of drugs. Smith refused to speak to him until went to rehab after Mewes stole his debit card to buy heroin and later promised to only keep casting him in movies if he remained clean. Their podcast, "Jay and Silent Bob Get Old," is basically a weekly intervention to ensure Mewes, now married and with a daughter, won't relapse.
160	* ThePowerOfLove: Kevin has said that he wasn't sure how much longer he was going to be a filmmaker for a variety of reasons (including critics and fans turning on him and personal burn out) but he cites working on ''Tusk'' as being his renaissance there. The reason was that he ended up inviting his daughter Harley Quinn Smith to play a small role as a Canadian convenience store clerk. Working with his daughter, seeing her talent as an actress and having fun together, made him feel like he could keep doing this and all the anger he had with critics and fans disappeared. In a video promoting ''Yoga Hosers'', both of them were supposed to do this short interview where she asked him various questions. They didn't get past the first question "Who was your favorite actor to work with?" because he immediately said it was her, and explained the above, even calling her his "salvation." By the end, both of them were in tears hugging each other.
161	* ProneToTears: Despite his foul mouth and vices, Kevin is quite the softie and is prone to crying from anything ranging from talking about a close friend who passed to simply a heartwarming moment of ''Series/TheFlash2014''. Friends, in jest, mock him mercilessly about this, ''including his wife''.
162	* {{Pun}}: The [[http://popcultureatemybrains.blogspot.com/2012/08/writing-reviews-white-serpent-rises.html intro]] to his podcast ''Fat Man On Batman''
163	* RealWomenDontWearDresses: Smith's films do not lack three-dimensional female characters by any means. ''Feminine'' women, on the other hand, are are practically non-existent, save René in ''Film/{{Mallrats}}'', who yells at Brodie for never taking her to "girl" stores instead of places only he wants to go.
164	* ScrewYourself: He once did a special for ''Series/TheTonightShow'' where he showed some locations in New Jersey connected to his films. At one point he stands next to a replica of himself, and then proceeds to make out with it, saying it's something he always wanted to do.
165	* SelfDeprecation:
166	** Aside from making fun of his own weight and appearance in his films and his ''An Evening with Kevin Smith'' series, he famously protested his own movie when ''Film/{{Dogma}}'' came out.
167	** In the forward to the Black Cat trade he wrote, Smith mocks his notorious ScheduleSlip, comparing himself unfavorably to Creator/BrianMichaelBendis[[note]]Who he notes was writing multiple titles at the same time and meeting all his deadlines.[[/note]] and lets the fanbase know that [[LaserGuidedKarma his contract stipulated that he didn't get paid until after he completed the story.]]
168	** He isn't afraid of punching down on the least successful of his own movies, specifically ''Jersey Girl'', ''Cop Out'', and ''Yoga Hosers''. Also, to a lesser extent, ''Tusk'' and ''Mallrats'', the former for its outlandish premise, the latter for flopping hard before it became a cult classic.
169	** On a more heartwarming side of things, he often uses self-deprecation to inspire his audiences to go for artistic pursuits, stating that he himself is no more talented than anyone else in the room.
170	* ShotgunWedding: Jennifer Schwalbach was eight months pregnant with his daughter when the two of them got hitched at Skywalker Ranch. Smith later joked that the two of them never really dated so much as he said "Hi, I'm Kevin, I'd like to impregnate you."
171	* SignatureStyle: Little to no camera movement, lengthy, usually profanity riddled, conversations about sex (comic book character or otherwise) and Franchise/StarWars, and some scene involving hockey. All of which is frequently Lampshaded.
172	* SirSwearsALot: Smith may be a good guy in real life but he has one of the foulest mouths you'll ever hear. In some of his podcasts, he can say "Fuck" several times in just 15 seconds, or pretty much any dirty word imaginable. Impressively, he can turn this off at will when appearing in hosting gigs that require him to be more clean or professional.
173	* SitcomArchNemesis: An extremely brief one-sided to with Creator/TimBurton. See "InsultBackfire". Though Smith claims that he and Burton have put it behind them.
174	* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVsCynicism: Cynical dialogue but a ton of heart and sentimentality at its core.
175	* SpeechCentricWork: His films are, as a rule, extremely dialogue-heavy.
176	* SophisticatedAsHell: As he puts it, he enjoys "mixing the profane and the profound," and both his movies and public speeches feature long, highly articulate diatribes about self-reflection and relationships which alternate between a sophisticated vocabulary and [[ClusterFBomb every four-letter word under the sun]].
177	* TheStoner: He credits switching from cigarettes to marijuana with helping him out of a creative rut in TheNewTens (though some critics argue that it just fried his brain and made it impossible for him to make anything interesting any more) and even with saving his life when he had his near-fatal heart attack (as he was able to stay relatively calm during his heart surgery thanks to a joint he'd smoked shortly before, something even his heart surgeon confirmed). Nevertheless, he [[https://www.facebook.com/YesThatKevinSmith/posts/pfbid02LQKCS7EKZoMGRJVmQdPTqsGFoKZ7dW8aFJoQgdkBpggBkJKuktgpFnyLN2QVzPKbl kicked]] the habit in 2023.
178	* StraightGay: Smith made it a point to include non-stereotypical gay men in his movies because of his brother Don, who is gay. Don would often remark to Kevin when they grew up that there were never any "regular" gay guys in movies or television. They were almost always CampGay. Don was frustrated that he could not see representation of himself on the screen.
179	* TakeThat:
180	-->"''Theatre/{{Cats}}'' is the second worst thing to ever happen to New York City."
181	-->'''Film/JerseyGirl''' (2002)
182	** Also he seems to dislike Creator/ChrisColumbus' films. In ''Dogma'', Serendipity claims that she was responsible for the 19 highest grossing films of all time. Except for the one about [[Film/HomeAlone the kid all alone in the house and fights burglars off]]. And in a deleted scene, Bartleby asks Azrael is Hell really as bad as people say it is. Azrael's answer? "They have been showing ''Film/MrsDoubtfire'' CONTINUOUSLY for five years!"
183	* TaughtByExperience: He went to film school for a few months but dropped out because he would ultimately not be in control of his own final project. In that time, he met Scott Mosier, who tends to [[TechnicianVersusPerformer handle the more technical side of things]]. It's evident from his films that he has a gift for story and dialogue but not much else, something Smith is openly aware about himself.
184	* TooMuchInformation: Smith is not above going onto long diatribes about going to the bathroom or having sex with his wife on his podcasts. One segment of "Jay and Silent Bob Get Old" is entirely dedicated to Jason Mewes telling detailed anecdotes about him and his wife having sex.
185	* UglyGuyHotWife: He's well aware of this, and mocks it frequently.
186	** During an interview on the Canadian TV show "The Hour", Smith claimed that he would never do a porno with his wife. Why? Because he would lose all respect for her; "How can you have sex with THAT?".
187	** Playboy once did a piece on famous film directors and their interpretations of eroticism, with his wife in a sexy [[ComicBook/{{Superman}} Lois Lane]] outfit. When asked why he didn't put her in [[Film/ReturnOfTheJedi Leia's gold bikini]], he replied "Because then I'd have to be Jabba."
188	* UglyGuysHotDaughter: When his daughter was born he was worried that she would take after him and constantly deal with weight problems. Instead she definitely took after her mother and is tall and very pretty, working as an actress in almost all of her dad's films. In fact, whenever he posts photos of her on his Facebook page, he's quick to remind "certain" commenters to watch what they say about her appearance, because it's being filtered through her father.
189	* UnstoppableRage: He was once thrown off a plane because of his weight. He was not happy.
190	* VerbalTic: Says "Whatnot" a lot.
191	** And "shit like that."
192	** He says sir almost as much as Jason Mewes.
193	* VitriolicBestBuds: Although HappilyMarried, he and Jennifer Schwalbach crack a lot of cruel jokes at each other's expense. Apparently it runs in the family, as Smith has shared several stories of his daughter Harley being equally sassy despite the two of them being incredibly close.
194	* VulgarHumor: Just about every one of his comedies have plenty of this mixed in.
195	* WeUsedToBeFriends: For a period of about ten years he and Ben Affleck didn't do much together. Part of it was just different career trajectories and family lifestyles, but he confessed later on he has a tendency to [[MotorMouth just talk about everything]] and that included some more private information he probably shouldn't have shared. He managed to patch things up with him by offering a role in ''Film/JayAndSilentBobReboot'', which came as a surprise to a lot of people. As he said "I have my friend back!"
196	* WhatCouldHaveBeen: [[https://www.viewaskew.com/press/aicn.html Per this interview]], he was involved in many different projects, including ''Busing'' for Creator/HollywoodPictures (''Clerks'' [[RecycledInSpace in a restaurant]]), a second sequel to ''Film/{{Fletch}}'', ''Film/ScoobyDoo'' (when Turner Pictures was around before it was absorbed into Warner Bros.), ''Series/TheSixMillionDollarMan'' (he later adapted this [[https://bionic.fandom.com/wiki/The_Bionic_Man_(Dynamite) into a miniseries for]] Creator/DynamiteComics), ''Film/{{Daredevil\|2003}}'' and ''ComicBook/{{Preacher}}'' (which wound up becoming a TV series years later).
197	* WomenAreWiser: His female characters are almost always depicted as the more competent ones, while the male ones are lazy perverts who, more often than not, are directly responsible for their own misfortunes. Even the two Colleens from the "True North" trilogy, despite being air-headed teenagers, seem significantly more intuitive than any of the male character they encounter.
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Context Creator / KevinSmith