October 7, 2024 • 7 mins
Kevin Patrick Smith (born August 2, 1970) is an American director, producer, writer, and actor. He came to prominence with the low-budget comedy buddy film Clerks(1994), which he wrote, directed, co-produced, and acted in as the character Silent Bob of stoner duo Jay and Silent Bob, characters who also appeared in Smith's later films Mallrats (1995), Chasing Amy (1997), Dogma (1999), Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back(2001), Clerks II (2006), Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (2019), and Clerks III (2022) which are set primarily in his home state of New Jersey. While not strictly sequential, the films have crossover plot elements, character references, and a shared canon known as the "View Askewniverse", named after Smith's production company View Askew Productions, which he co-founded with Scott Mosier.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey guys, Brad Gilmour here. Want to give a big
shout out to our title sponsor, Walker Texas Lawyer. If
you are a love would have been injured in an accident,
whether that be a car, truck, motorcycle accident, or some
kind of other issue. Hit up Walker Texas Lawyer at
seven one three five five to two one one one
seven or Walker Texas Lawyer dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Oh Broadcasting live from Houston, Texas and around the world
and around the world.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
TV host, best selling author and radio personality, Brad Gilmour
brings you a collection of conversations with stars from movies.
Matthew McConaughey, Brad Gilmore.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Mark Wohlberg, Hey, how are you the.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Legendary mister Christopher Lloyd Christopher, how are we doing?
Speaker 3 (00:48):
I'm doing good?
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Gray injured, Jessica Alba and Lizzie Matthis ladies, thank you
so much for joining me.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Kevin Coster joins us, Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Thank you Television.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Jimmy Fallon joins us this morning. Jimmy, how you doing,
my friend? Good morning.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Thank you so much Brad for having me. I appreciate this.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Budd Kelly Rippers God, thank you, for having me. Comedy.
Jay Leno joins us, Jay, how you.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Doing, Hey, Brad? What's going on?
Speaker 1 (01:09):
Chris Tucker is in the bill and Chris Tucker good
morning to you.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Hey, good morning to you. How are you?
Speaker 1 (01:14):
George Lopez joins us right now, George, how are you doing, sir?
Good morning music, Lola men Row, thank you, thank you
for having me. The legendary front man of A C
d C. Brian Johnson joins us right now, Brian, how
you doing?
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Good morning?
Speaker 1 (01:29):
Look give me Bunny, Megan Trainer. Chloe Bailey joins us.
I appreciate the time.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Appreciate you and more and more.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
This is the collection now your hosts the Boat.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
Kevin Smith, congratulations on this movie, man. I absolutely loved
it and I really appreciate you taking the time.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
The world man, thanks thanks for checking it out.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Well, look, let me start. Let me start with this,
because what was so great about is you have this
Moadcastle in New Jersey. You're like, it already looks like
it's from the eighties.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Let's shoot a movie about the eighties, which is a great.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Idea when when going through this period piece, though, were
there aspects of the production that perhaps you didn't consider
at first when having to make it fit that eighties world.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Yeah, like we knew, as long as we pointed our
camera inside the theater, we control the era. As long
as people are wearing appropriate period appropriate clothing, it could
be nineteen eighty six. But the moment you put the
camera outside, look out into the other world. Across the
street there are stores that have URL addresses on them.
Every car, of course, is more modern than nineteen eighty six.
(02:46):
So we were real careful, like in terms of when
we looked into the outside world, when the boys have
their big fight, they're outside, but they're in an alley way,
so it's like you as long as at the end
of the alley it looks like eighty six, we're good.
We could keep you in the moment. So we had
to learn how to do it with the reasoners we
had a very low budget movie, but it helped that
(03:09):
the source material the movie theater, like everything came from there.
Since that looks old, our movie could take place in
a different time altogether without costing us as much money.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
Right, Because that's one of the things you have to
think about with a period piece, is like the cost
of doing everything, Like when you see Once upon a
Time in Hollywood. You know, a lot of the budget
is what you're seeing with the sets and making it
feel like the time. One of the directions I read
that you gave to the cast is when they're driving
to the theater, they do this dance, and your your direction
(03:40):
was make it iconic, right, and at first it feels.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Vague, but then they go out and they actually make
it iconic, like it's a great part of the movie.
Is that kind of where your direction normally goes or
was that specific for the moment?
Speaker 3 (03:54):
It was for the moment. The kids were like, what
do you want us to do in this? I was like,
you know, it's just we'll do it a couple of times.
Everyone will change places and it's just, you know, think
Wayne's World, you know, doing Bohemian Rhapsody, just driving and
having a good time, and they're like, what are you
looking for? I was like, just make it iconic and
I walked away after the first take. All three of them,
(04:16):
young actors in their twenties, are like, that was a
real head fuck. What do you mean makeing iconic? And
I was like, oh, I said, well, I've been doing
this like three decades now and so like there were
things we did in Clerks and mallrats and chasing Amy
that I didn't give a second thought to man, and
yet over time those things became very iconic. So while
you're doing this, don't think about the moment, think about
(04:38):
how this is going to be viewed thirty years from now.
It has to stand the test of time. So make
it iconic. And they were like worst piece of direction ever.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
But they got it. They got it.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
They did it so much so that, like you know,
many movies coming of age movies have done, the kids
in the car are having a good time, this one
is mine and very specific and thanks to the kids
you know, going for it and not being you know,
actors in the twenty twenty four, but actors who are
(05:11):
playing kids in the mid eighties. They absolutely nailed the
vibe and didn't get in a car accident most.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Of it, and they didn't do that, So points to
you on that. Now when you talk about the mid eighties,
I have this kind of theory. I have what I
call my eighty five trident, which is back to the Future,
Clue the movie in Fletch. These are my three favorite
movies of all time, right and I know, obviously with
Bucklick in there, and throughout the entirety of history of
Kevin Smith, Fletch has always played a big part of it.
(05:39):
What is the appeal of that film to you that
has made you want to inject pieces of it in
your own art throughout the decades.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
I mean, honestly, I always go for the underdog character,
and that's what Fletch was in those movies, the guy
least likely the human representation of bugs Bunny, the most
clever animal in the room, smarter than everybody else, but
you don't. He's judged as not as smart as everybody else,
the one that's not counted on, but the one you
(06:09):
wind up counting on at the end of the day.
So I've always loved that archetype, whether it's Bill Murray
as John Winger and Stripes, or or of course the
aforementioned Chevy Chase as I Am Fletcher in Gregor McDonald's
series of books, but especially in Michael Ritchie's Wonderful movie.
(06:31):
It's all it's the guy who is always a step
ahead of everybody else, even though everyone in the world
discounts him. That's my favorite prototype character. Randall Brody Banky.
These characters don't exist were it not for Fletch, for
for Winger, for the characters of Bill Murray all, you know,
(06:53):
even Bill Murray's character at Tripper in meat Balls as well.
These characters made an impact for me when I was
in a movie theater and they still live on in
my characters to this day.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Well, you know, again, this movie to me, when people
watch it, it puts you right back where we all
were when we had our first date and our first kiss.
They all happened at a movie theater. And I just
want to share with you your work has also inspired me
throughout my life, inspired me to write screenplays and do
things like this. So I really appreciate the time with you,
and just congratulations on what I feel is one of
(07:26):
your best.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
That means absolute. Well, the best thing you could say
to any artists, as you know is your thing made
me want to do a thing. That's how the arts
keep going. So thank you for that.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Well, Kevin Smith, I really appreciate the time and congrat again.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
It's such a pleasure. Great talking now,
Hey guys, Brad Gilmour here. Want to give a big
shout out to our title sponsor, Walker Texas Lawyer. If
you are a love would have been injured in an accident,
whether that be a car, truck, motorcycle accident, or some
kind of other issue. Hit up Walker Texas Lawyer at
seven one three five five to two one one one
seven or Walker Texas Lawyer dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Oh Broadcasting live from Houston, Texas and around the world
and around the world.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
TV host, best selling author and radio personality, Brad Gilmour
brings you a collection of conversations with stars from movies.
Matthew McConaughey, Brad Gilmore.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Mark Wohlberg, Hey, how are you the.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Legendary mister Christopher Lloyd Christopher, how are we doing?
Speaker 3 (00:48):
I'm doing good?
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Gray injured, Jessica Alba and Lizzie Matthis ladies, thank you
so much for joining me.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Kevin Coster joins us, Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Thank you Television.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Jimmy Fallon joins us this morning. Jimmy, how you doing,
my friend? Good morning.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Thank you so much Brad for having me. I appreciate this.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Budd Kelly Rippers God, thank you, for having me. Comedy.
Jay Leno joins us, Jay, how you.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Doing, Hey, Brad? What's going on?
Speaker 1 (01:09):
Chris Tucker is in the bill and Chris Tucker good
morning to you.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Hey, good morning to you. How are you?
Speaker 1 (01:14):
George Lopez joins us right now, George, how are you doing, sir?
Good morning music, Lola men Row, thank you, thank you
for having me. The legendary front man of A C
d C. Brian Johnson joins us right now, Brian, how
you doing?
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Good morning?
Speaker 1 (01:29):
Look give me Bunny, Megan Trainer. Chloe Bailey joins us.
I appreciate the time.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Appreciate you and more and more.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
This is the collection now your hosts the Boat.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
Kevin Smith, congratulations on this movie, man. I absolutely loved
it and I really appreciate you taking the time.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
The world man, thanks thanks for checking it out.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Well, look, let me start. Let me start with this,
because what was so great about is you have this
Moadcastle in New Jersey. You're like, it already looks like
it's from the eighties.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Let's shoot a movie about the eighties, which is a great.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Idea when when going through this period piece, though, were
there aspects of the production that perhaps you didn't consider
at first when having to make it fit that eighties world.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Yeah, like we knew, as long as we pointed our
camera inside the theater, we control the era. As long
as people are wearing appropriate period appropriate clothing, it could
be nineteen eighty six. But the moment you put the
camera outside, look out into the other world. Across the
street there are stores that have URL addresses on them.
Every car, of course, is more modern than nineteen eighty six.
(02:46):
So we were real careful, like in terms of when
we looked into the outside world, when the boys have
their big fight, they're outside, but they're in an alley way,
so it's like you as long as at the end
of the alley it looks like eighty six, we're good.
We could keep you in the moment. So we had
to learn how to do it with the reasoners we
had a very low budget movie, but it helped that
(03:09):
the source material the movie theater, like everything came from there.
Since that looks old, our movie could take place in
a different time altogether without costing us as much money.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
Right, Because that's one of the things you have to
think about with a period piece, is like the cost
of doing everything, Like when you see Once upon a
Time in Hollywood. You know, a lot of the budget
is what you're seeing with the sets and making it
feel like the time. One of the directions I read
that you gave to the cast is when they're driving
to the theater, they do this dance, and your your direction
(03:40):
was make it iconic, right, and at first it feels.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Vague, but then they go out and they actually make
it iconic, like it's a great part of the movie.
Is that kind of where your direction normally goes or
was that specific for the moment?
Speaker 3 (03:54):
It was for the moment. The kids were like, what
do you want us to do in this? I was like,
you know, it's just we'll do it a couple of times.
Everyone will change places and it's just, you know, think
Wayne's World, you know, doing Bohemian Rhapsody, just driving and
having a good time, and they're like, what are you
looking for? I was like, just make it iconic and
I walked away after the first take. All three of them,
(04:16):
young actors in their twenties, are like, that was a
real head fuck. What do you mean makeing iconic? And
I was like, oh, I said, well, I've been doing
this like three decades now and so like there were
things we did in Clerks and mallrats and chasing Amy
that I didn't give a second thought to man, and
yet over time those things became very iconic. So while
you're doing this, don't think about the moment, think about
(04:38):
how this is going to be viewed thirty years from now.
It has to stand the test of time. So make
it iconic. And they were like worst piece of direction ever.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
But they got it. They got it.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
They did it so much so that, like you know,
many movies coming of age movies have done, the kids
in the car are having a good time, this one
is mine and very specific and thanks to the kids
you know, going for it and not being you know,
actors in the twenty twenty four, but actors who are
(05:11):
playing kids in the mid eighties. They absolutely nailed the
vibe and didn't get in a car accident most.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Of it, and they didn't do that, So points to
you on that. Now when you talk about the mid eighties,
I have this kind of theory. I have what I
call my eighty five trident, which is back to the Future,
Clue the movie in Fletch. These are my three favorite
movies of all time, right and I know, obviously with
Bucklick in there, and throughout the entirety of history of
Kevin Smith, Fletch has always played a big part of it.
(05:39):
What is the appeal of that film to you that
has made you want to inject pieces of it in
your own art throughout the decades.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
I mean, honestly, I always go for the underdog character,
and that's what Fletch was in those movies, the guy
least likely the human representation of bugs Bunny, the most
clever animal in the room, smarter than everybody else, but
you don't. He's judged as not as smart as everybody else,
the one that's not counted on, but the one you
(06:09):
wind up counting on at the end of the day.
So I've always loved that archetype, whether it's Bill Murray
as John Winger and Stripes, or or of course the
aforementioned Chevy Chase as I Am Fletcher in Gregor McDonald's
series of books, but especially in Michael Ritchie's Wonderful movie.
(06:31):
It's all it's the guy who is always a step
ahead of everybody else, even though everyone in the world
discounts him. That's my favorite prototype character. Randall Brody Banky.
These characters don't exist were it not for Fletch, for
for Winger, for the characters of Bill Murray all, you know,
(06:53):
even Bill Murray's character at Tripper in meat Balls as well.
These characters made an impact for me when I was
in a movie theater and they still live on in
my characters to this day.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Well, you know, again, this movie to me, when people
watch it, it puts you right back where we all
were when we had our first date and our first kiss.
They all happened at a movie theater. And I just
want to share with you your work has also inspired me
throughout my life, inspired me to write screenplays and do
things like this. So I really appreciate the time with you,
and just congratulations on what I feel is one of
(07:26):
your best.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
That means absolute. Well, the best thing you could say
to any artists, as you know is your thing made
me want to do a thing. That's how the arts
keep going. So thank you for that.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Well, Kevin Smith, I really appreciate the time and congrat again.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
It's such a pleasure. Great talking now,
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