Kevin Smith: Television Actor

"As Smith became a family man and Jason Mewes got off drugs, his scope changed, and his films just don't work like they used to."

Um... "Clerks II", anyone?

Washington Post: "Clerks II finds Smith up to the profane, raunchy, profoundly humanist mischief of which he alone is the master."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/20/AR2006072001916.html

Andrew Sarris: "Clerks II strikes its deepest chords when it appeals to the emotional security of a passionately provincial status quo."
http://www.observer.com/20060807/20060807_Andrew_Sarris_culture_sarrismovies-2.asp

The NY Times: "If anything, the sequel is more defiant in its disdain for the rat race, elevating the white-guy-doing-nothing prerogative from a lifestyle choice to a moral principle... In the years since “Clerks” he has become a husband and father, as well as something of a Hollywood player, and a glimmer of tolerant adult wisdom shines through the scatology and willful immaturity. “Clerks II” has a dirty mind, but its heart is pure."
http://movies2.nytimes.com/2006/07/21/movies/21cler.html

63% (Fresh) on RottenTomatoes.com (91 good reviews, 54 not good)

Saying the films "just don't work like they used to" is subjective, to say the least.

That all being said, I'm doing "Manchild" not because I hope it'll teach me something about acting (though I'm happy to learn); I'm doing it because a) the "Manchild" folks asked me to, and b) it's a killer part in a funny script.

Also, I haven't "increased" my attention to television; television's attention to me has simply increased exponentially with whatever notoriety I've built over the years. If folks had asked me to be on their shows back in '94, I'd have done it in a heartbeat; it's just that nobody ever asked. 12 years on, I've become a little more well-known, and I guess the logic from those who've cast me is "He's got an audience. Maybe his audience will follow him."

And it's not even always that calculating: a friend of mine produces "Veronica Mars" and asked me to come cameo (after which I finally watched the entire first season and fell in love with the show).

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, Monika. Not all of us plot out our careers that much... or at all (witness "Jersey Girl", as some will say). For whatever reason, my day job has afforded me opportunities to do a myriad of non-directing gigs, and rather than snub them because they're not germane to my chosen profession, I like to give 'em all a try (writing comics, the "Tonight Show" gig, acting, etc.). You get one life, right? Might as well give some stuff a shot.

It's just a pilot, at the moment. Who knows if it even goes to series? And if it does, maybe I get replaced with a real actor. But when this opportunity presented itself, it seemed stupid to pass it up simply because it's not something I'm normally known to do. However, does it have anything to do with the suggested "struggle" (and, for the record, mixing my "mature life with the humor and fart jokes of his past success" is something I've been doing since "Chasing Amy", really - the most well-received of all our flicks)? No.

And, in case anyone finds my response post defensive or argumentative, please be assured that I'm not trying to come off as pissy - not in the least. Since inflection is absent from the printed word, folks on the 'net tend to assign a negative connotation to posts like this, or dismiss them as jeremiads. I didn't feel that was where Monika was coming from, and I hope I'll be extended the same courtesy. It's an interesting notion she's brought up; but one I just wanted to chime in on, as the subject is... well, me.

Bottom line: I'm not abandoning one medium for the other (which may disappoint the folks who don't like my flicks); I'm just giving this acting thing a try when the odd role that I respond to falls into my lap. The reactions to my first big non-Bob performance have been encouraging ("Kevin Smith, as Grady's housemate Sam, proves he's no one-note Silent Bob. Although wearing a tie-dyed shirt may be the biggest challenge he faces here, he fills his comic-relief duties easily and has time left over to show a little tenderness." - from the Hollywood Reporter "Catch & Release" review), so I figured I'd try it again.

Anyway, hope all's well with you (all). I continue to dig the site.

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Thanks for your comments, Kevin! Enjoyed seeing you over here.

I thought Clerks 2 was fantastic, I can't wait to get the DVD on November 28th (you're welcome, Kevin :-) Did you miss this one, Monika? I loved it so much I saw it 3 times in the theater, something I haven't done for a movie in at least 15 years.

I, for one, am adding Showtime to my cable TV line-up so I can see Manchild. I can't wait!

I'm close to the same age as Kevin, and have found his movies have followed me right along my own lifecycle. Through parenthood and marriage, to a 30's mid-life crisis. I've enjoyed following his career, and perhaps I, too, see his work through different eyes as I age.

When I'm a fan of someone's work, I'll follow them, whatever the media (this includes books, Kevin- loved "Silent Bob Speaks"- and your blog). I don't think there's anything "wrong" with going from movies to television, in fact, I like the increased accessibility. From a season of TV, I get much more time with beloved characters than I can get out of a 2 hour movie. I also am looking forward to seeing more of Kevin acting onscreen (both large and small screen)- and I'm eagerly awaiting his performance in "Catch and Release".

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And sometimes an opinion is just an opinion, no matter how many other opinions get pasted in the comments.

It's not pissy, but it's definitely argumentative to respond to someone's obviously subjective opinion with a bunch of contradictory ones. She said it "doesn't work LIKE" it used to. Not that it doesn't work at all.

So maybe she liked Clerks better than Clerks 2, big whoop. At least she liked something, at sometime, of yours well enough to write about hoping for something else, sometime, that she likes again.

As for me, obviously I'm not a huge fan, and neither Monika's opinion -- I didn't like anything even before now -- or newspaper columnists' opinoins would change that. Nobody cares. I've never made a movie period, much less movies a ton of people have loved.

I know plenty of people that do like your stuff, and would really like to see even more to like, and I don't think their desire to hope for great things coming should be anything but a joy to you, rather than an opinion to defend against.

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"I know plenty of people that do like your stuff, and would really like to see even more to like, and I don't think their desire to hope for great things coming should be anything but a joy to you, rather than an opinion to defend against."

Perhaps you skipped this paragraph?

"And, in case anyone finds my response post defensive or argumentative, please be assured that I'm not trying to come off as pissy - not in the least. Since inflection is absent from the printed word, folks on the 'net tend to assign a negative connotation to posts like this, or dismiss them as jeremiads. I didn't feel that was where Monika was coming from, and I hope I'll be extended the same courtesy."

Perhaps not.

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Posting in a legendary thread.

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Kevin Smith said:
"And, in case anyone finds my response post defensive or argumentative, please be assured that I'm not trying to come off as pissy - not in the least. Since inflection is absent from the printed word, folks on the 'net tend to assign a negative connotation to posts like this, or dismiss them as jeremiads."

Kevin, you have this habit of prefacing most of alot of posts like this hoping that such a preface will distract us from the fact that you clearly ARE being "pissy" and "defensive". It's called a redherring. Why? Because the fact pattern of your well documented habit of obsessively combing the net for people who talk sh** about you clearly refutes your assertion to the contrary.

You love to say that your posts are not defensive or argumentative or pissy or jeremiads. But you say this however insincerely. And nobody believes you, the least of all you.

An exerpt from an EW review of Kevin Smith's work:
[http://www.ew.com/ew/article/review/movie/0,6115,172497~1~0~jayandsilentbob,00.html]
"The whole notion that Jay and Silent Bob would be upset, rather than delighted, that Hollywood had decided to make a movie out of their comic-book alter egos, Bluntman and Chronic, suggests that Smith has been spending too much time fretting over what people say about him on the Web."

Seriously, this hits the problem right on the nail. You should spent your time more constructively, working on better (or more) movies. Or, at least, respecting your comicbook deadlines for your Black Cat (and other) comic book deadlines which you've neglected. It sure would be a more entertaining alternative over listening to you whine online.

Word of advice, Kevin: Only losers make excuses. Successful people don't have to. Their success should speak for itself. The fact that you felt the need to come here in the first place makes me wonder what she said that struck a nerve with you. It's not that difficult to make fun of you when you do such a good job all by yourself. Remember these words the next time you decide to waste your time trying to embarrassingly set the record straight in one of your infamous internet tirades. No wonder Jersey Girl bombed. You were so busy engaging in personal drama that you forgot to put drama into your film.

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I can't believe I'm gonna bother doing this, but this complaint is registered so often (even by me, once upon a time), I feel it's worth addressing.

Let me admit upfront to being Kevin's fan and "creepy Internet friend" (hi, Kevin) -- I got to know him through his website. I couldn't have done that if Kevin didn't spend a lot of time on the Internet, responding to people, sometimes negatively, much more often positively. Back in the days, I too used to wonder why he spent any time at all on Internet battles -- but I've come to realize that this is just who Kevin is. For better or for worse, he's never gotten so big for his britches that he doesn't care what people think, or that he won't respond directly to them. He does not seem to view his success as something that elevates him above the rest of the world, or renders him immune from criticism.

So, if you only admire the type of writer/director who'd never deign to stoop so low as to read or address the Internet -- this is the wrong guy for you. And I have to wonder why YOU'D waste so much time following the career of someone whom you don't respect or like, or seem to understand. There are plenty of Hollywood types out there who don't give a damn what any of us think; you COULD spend this energy on them, but I'm guessing you'd get less of a kick out of insulting someone who's never going to read it.

It's ironic, how that works.

Also, re: his work ethic -- Kevin wrote, directed, and edited a movie within the last two years, acted in a significant supporting role in another, made countless speaking appearances and did countless interviews, visited Cannes and HIFF, hosted two of his own Vulgarthon festivals, launched several DVDs, and I don't even know what else. I'm reasonably certain that the time it took for him to post the above has not brought his career to a grinding halt.

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If you only admire the type of celebrity who'd never deign to stoop so low as to address a negative comment on the Internet, Kevin is not your guy. For better or worse, he does not seem to look at his success as something that renders him immune to criticism, or elevates him beyond others' opinions. He didn't attack Monika B. personally, so I'm not sure why you ("Kevinneedstherapy") are doing so.

One always wonders, when this argument comes up, why anyone bothers following the career of someone whom they don't seem to respect, like or understand. Who's really wasting their time here?

As for his work ethic, within the past two years Kevin's written, directed, acted in and edited one movie, acted in a significant supporting role in another, appeared on "Degrassi", "Joey", and "Veronica Mars", written the "Green Hornet" script, made countless speaking appearances, completed another "Evening With..." DVD, gone on several press tours, done countless interviews, taught a class at UCLA, attended Cannes and HIFF among other festivals, hosted two of his own Vulgarthon film fests, etc. etc. I don't need to know what you've accomplished with your life within that time period, but it's something to think about. I doubt the time it took him to post the above has brought his career to a screeching halt.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I must go wash the taste of boot from my tongue. Hi, Kevin. If you're slacking on any comic book deadlines, hup to, or you're gonna make a fool of me.

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Ugh.

Let me preface this by saying I AM a Kevin Smith fan. I've seen all the movies, I've even seen Overnight Delivery and tried to pick out what might have survived from his screenplay. I own all his films on DVD, two versions in some cases, and will pick up Clerks II. I quote lines, reference deleted scenes, and have seen him speak both times he's done a Q&A/talk in my city... and then reference those. That should stop anyone from saying "If you're not a fan..." Shall we lay the podium down? Or maybe hide beind a rock.

I have no idea why this comment thread is going on. Monika said nothing that warranted the response Kevin posted. As has been stated by previous posters, she said his films don't work like they used to, not that they don't work. She's obviously a fan. Kevin comments that he's not doing this to learn something about acting, even though he says that that's the worst-case scenario in the blog post Monika links to. This isn't to say it's his sole reason, but it does imply it is ONE reason.

I agree with Monika. Kevin's movies haven't worked as well of late. Yes, this is MY OPINION. But guess what? Every review is an opinion. Just because you post a bunch of positive reviews doesn't invalidate the negative ones. 63% fresh also means 37% rotten, but you've conveniently omitted any of those. Heck, most of those fall under the same lines - "It's good, but not as good as they used to be." This isn't to say the past few films have been bad, it's to say they weren't as good as I've come to expect. I liked Jersey Girl, and there some truly inspired moments in it. I laughed through Clerks II, but at the end of the day, Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy and Dogma all rank much higher on my list. This doesn't mean I'm attacking Kevin or saying he's washed up, it means not everything he does is a home run.

Kevin, if you want people to believe you aren't being defensive and argumentative, then you have to write responses that don't carry OBVIOUS defensive and argumentative wording ("Um... 'Clerks II' anyone?" doesn't need to be voiced to have inflection). While the majority of your reply is actually quite informative and on its own wouldn't be read as anything but an explanation, the opening sets a tone that makes it nearly impossible to see the entirety of the post in a neutral light. That said, thank you for the behind-the-scenes look into what goes on in these things. You're right, we do only live once, and you'd be a fool not to take advantage of the opportunites presented to you.

Wendy and Kate - it's great that you're defending Kevin. Really. But you're defending him from fairly intelligent and well-thought arguments, not wild attacks and accusations (granted, the last one is touch vitriolic, but there is still a valid point or two in there). I will admit that I'm not about to scour the web for examples - but how often does Kevin reposond positively to negative feedback? Is there often a "thank you for your comments, I'm glad someone's telling me what they think, and not what they think I want to hear."? It's easy to be positive to the fans, it's harder to be positive to the critics. If there are ample examples of this, then by all means, provide them. However, if his responses to negativity are generally negative, then he's only hurting himself by looking like someone who can't take critcism.

Lastly, one thing Kevin has always been is self-deprecating - I've listened to him talk about what a horrible visual director he is; how he writes himself into corners; how he can't keep a deadline, etc.. But when someone else brings up these same points, he seems to get defensive.

In the end - Monika - I don't think you've said anything wrong here. Kevin - I'm a fan, and will remain a fan until you have a racist, drunken rant at a female cop or black audience members, but you have to learn to take criticism with a bit more class.

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Whoops, didn't mean to double-post (with variations) above. I was having computer problems. How embarrassing. Moderator, feel free to eliminate # 8, if you choose.

Chris, what you're saying seems well thought-out, and I appreciate your passion for the subject, but I still don't see what's wrong with Kevin responding to someone implying he doesn't have it anymore. He wasn't unkind about it. I don't think he was even unreasonable. You're basing that impression upon your self-concocted interpretation of "Um...Clerks II?", and I think you're reading far too much into three words. Couldn't that possibly have been said without any hostile intention?

I have no particular problem with what Monika said, or what you're saying above -- I don't agree with it (MALLRATS above CII? No offense to MALLRATS, but on what level?), but it's your opinion, and that's fine with me. I responded directly and solely to the "Kevin needs therapy" rant because I see personal remarks as hitting below the belt, and because the false assumptions contained therein irritated me.

As for whether or not Kevin has ever responded positively to negative criticism -- I believe that he's written about how a negative review of MALLRATS served as partial inspiration for writing CHASING AMY. Other examples sprang to mind; that was just the most interesting one.

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I just thought I'd chime in here and say, "Happy Thanksgiving, folks!

-Kevin Kelly, not Kevin Smith

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BTW...

Kate, who appears WAY too frequently on viewaskew.com, is a Kevin Smith groupie who thinks her insecure anger management problems doubles for street cred. Oh, she SO hip, she's not just a bitch... but a sarcastic bitch! LOL. Puh-leeze.

Kate, dear, you've dedicated your WHOLE life to celebrity worship. You can't get anymore pathetic than that.

So, if you excuse me, I'll be getting back to living life. You should try it sometime. But first you'll need to take your head out of Kevin's ass and look in the mirror to remember who you were BEFORE you decided to put your life on the backburner for a celebrity (Kate makes single-white female ALMOST look normal).

Lates

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Huh?

Kevinneedstherapy, this anger can't be good for you. Resorting to personal insults (which are laughable in their inaccuracy) only proves that you have no real, rational argument to make.

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Okay, Kevinneedstherapy, needs therapy. Being a huge Kevin Smith fan who still hasn't seen Clerks II, (ZOMG I know). Anyway, I guess the NeedsTherapy guy thinks Kevin is his slave, or pet monkey because apparently how Kevin Smith spends his personal time is of his utmost concern. Anyway, because you aren't able to understand why Kevin starts with "Um...'Clerks II,' anyone?" Its because it refutes the entire "television actor" post. I gotta love people like you who seem to be "experts" on how people should spend their time.

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