PERSON: Kevin Smith

Independent

Film Director, Writer, Actor

Kevin Patrick Smith (born August 2, 1970) is an American filmmaker and actor. He came to prominence with the low-budget buddy comedy film Clerks (1994), which he wrote, directed, co-produced, and acted in as the character Silent Bob of stoner duo Jay and Silent Bob. These characters 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.

Smith owns Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash in Red Bank, New Jersey, a comic book store which became the setting for the reality television show Comic Book Men (2012–2018). As a podcaster, Smith co-hosts several shows on his SModcast Podcast Network, including SModcast, Fatman Beyond, and the live show Hollywood Babble-On. He is known for participating in long, humorous Q&A sessions that are often filmed for release, beginning with the DVD release of An Evening with Kevin Smith (2002).

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