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Thanks to BBruce for the new poll topic, which you can now place your vote on. As always, please just vote once to make sure we get some accurate results! Let's check out today's news:
Yes. It's true. There was a period when Jason was wacky on the junk, hopped-up on goofballs.
The kid was born the son of an addict. That's a predisposition that's tough to overcome. But overcome it he has, as you can see by his work in the new flick. And as anyone who's run into him at the San Diego and Wizard ComiCons this year can attest, you'd be hard pressed to point to any signs or indications of a drug problem. In fact, you might be one of the many folks who affably offered him weed, coke, or a drink, and got politely turned down (he'd have turned down heroin too, but people rarely offer you heroin in life, let alone at a comic book show; unless it's Super-Heroin).
Truth is, Mewes has been clean for some time now. The incident The Smoking Gun turned up is two years old. While it may be new news for some, it's old news for most of us, and even around this site: when the arrest happened, it was all over this board for a week or so; hell, it was even brought up on the Howard Stern Show two years ago, when I was in the studio with Jen.
People do stupid shit. No crime in that. Disappointing, yes - but no crime (well, he DID get arrested, so I guess it IS a crime, technically). The true tragedy is when people continue to do stupid shit for the rest of their lives. Mewes, I'm happy to report, got a handle on his life, and now doesn't even drink. Yes - he smokes forty six packs of cigarettes a day and drinks more coffee than Colombia can export; but those are two slow-acting poisons that're sanctioned by our government, God bless 'em, so it's all good.
I love Mewes. I'm sure that's become pretty obvious over the last seven years. And I'm happy to report that he's all about sober-living now. But that period of our lives when he WASN'T is a fairly heartbreaking time that I hope you'll understand if I don't go into deeper. Let me just assure you that in the pantheon of celebrity drug-abusers, Mewes is now more Charlie Sheen and Matthew Perry, than Chris Farley and John Belushi. He's lived through a personal hell and came out the better and wiser for it. And while it's inane that anyone would waste their time, talent, and lives with drugs of any kind, at least he survived his journey to the dark side, and remained as lovable as he's always been. He may not be the sharpest knife in the block sometimes, but he's got the biggest heart.
So hats off to Mewes for beating the devil and spanking the monkey, as opposed to being spanked by it (sorry - I can't resist an easy dick joke, as my career has proven). As with all recovering addicts, he's a work in progress; but thus far, that work has been great to watch. I'm proud of him, and love him like a brother, son, and best friend.
However, let this be a lesson to you, kids: prescription drugs should be taken AS DIRECTED. If you get a wisdom tooth pulled, and you're prescribed anything with codeine, be wary of it. Codeine can lead to Vikeden (sp?). Vikeden can lead to Percoset. Percoset can lead to Oyxcontin. Oxycontin can lead to heroin. Heroin can lead to an arrest when you're driving around in a car with a deployed airbag (don't ask).
Okay, onto other stuff...
The movie continues to do well. We've been doing a million a day or over during the week, and with the four day weekend coming up, the kitty should grow even fatter. Let's just hope that 'Jeepers Creepers' isn't the surprise hit of the summer, and maybe we'll hold our own this Friday.
I know some of you get out of sorts when someone comes on here and either slams the movie or maintains they weren't wowed by it, but folks, how 'bout some courtesy, hunh? Everyone's entitled to their opinion - especially if they bought a ticket.
Same goes for the media reviews: ease up on the cats who didn't dig the flick. Like, just because The Onion poo-pooed the movie, there's no reason to trash their site or their paper. Shit, why are you reading the non-parody "news" portion anyway? It's the weakest section of the site/paper - almost as funny as the intentionally funny stuff they print because of their "No One Else But Us Can Possibly Be Funny" attitude. They've never given any of our flicks a good review, so it's really par for the course.
And I suspect that the review was more sour grapes than anything else: I was supposed to sit down with them for a solo interview while I was in Chicago, but I got crammed with more press than we expected that weekend. Rather than cancel out, in an effort to accommodate them, we asked The Onion journo to conduct his interview alongside two other journalists, round-table style. He harumphed and declined, because... well, he represents The Onion, for Heaven's sake! A round-table interview was beneath him and the paper!
Too funny. Besides - after that Denby review in the New Yorker, what other reviews could possibly matter?
That's about it for now - except to say I think I'm finally done with my press push on the flick. 'Regis and Kelly' (or 'Joan Rivers and Kelly') represented the finish line for me. I dug that appearance too: offering a subtle fashion jab to She Who Attacks What Everyone's Wearing was worth waking up early for.
However, considering the sartorial presentation of the guy who made the comment, I don't think Joan's sweating it too much.
Though is it me, or did she appear a little miffed by the jewelry crack?
Looks like no Golden Hanger for me this year.
A few of the better sound bites were "...when he walked on stage you could cut the ego like a wedding cake..." and "...the new movie sucks..."
She said that Kevin was rude to her on stage and that he was a good writer but he should leave it at that. She then launched into a whole rant on how fat people grow up unloved and without female companionship and that when they get famous the fatties get an ego, "like Orson Wells!"
And to top it all off according to Joan, Kevin (and I guess all fat men) has a hairy back and ass.
I found it amusing to say the least.
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Box Office Mojo is tracking the flick's daily box office, including percent changes in business.
Yahoo Movies reports that Jay & Bob moved up to Number TWO after Monday's box office takings. The gap between it and American Pie 2 is roughly $40,000, a far cry from the $1.5 million over the weekend! Cumulative total: Almost $12.3 million after 4 days.
This weekend, the new blood comes from Lion's Gate's "O", which we actually screened last night and dug, as well as Jeepers Creepers, which promises a return to the horror genre in its purest form. Both flicks will likely bring in some crowds, but they also cater to different audiences than J&SBSB, so expect Jay & Bob to bring in some more cash as well, especially if the word of mouth from last weekend carries on.
Best of all, we've made the name registration OPTIONAL, so, if you want to protect your nickname, you can still register to chat, but if you'd rather just stop in and check it out without a password, you can do that as well. Just input a username and leave the password field blank. Simple as that.
News Askew Chat gives you the chance to talk real time with other View Askew fans. We're working on getting some View Askew celebs lined up for some interactive Q&A sessions as well. Look for more news on that soon. Until then, be sure and try it out!
Still, it's hard to say goodbye, and Mr. Smith says he'll miss the guys.
"Oh, absolutely. I'll miss writing for Jay's character. It's great to write a creature of the id, a creature that has no filter, somebody that just speaks as they think," he says. "That's kind of liberating, because you don't get to do that much in real life. I'll definitely miss writing for him, but I won't miss putting on that coat."
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The film follows two lines that form 42 days before the tickets to Star Wars Episode One, go on sale. In those 42 days mini governments form to stave off the Police who try to shut it all down. One line forms outside of the Mann's Chinese theater and that line gets the support of dot-com money and soon becomes a circus. Another line is formed by a high school kid who gets his High School equivalency test just to stay in line. The two lines compete with each other and themselves throughout the film. The film also takes sideways trips into total obsession, from rapping Boba Fetts, to people getting trampled on the first day the toys are for sale. One group tries to sneak onto Skywalker Ranch and a fan takes his toys out to the original Star Wars locations. Uncle Owen's even in it!
The film is great, I just hope that they don't shoot themselves in the foot by not having enough time to get it on the shelves. I think this is newsworthy, I just thought that you might want the first word on it, I know you like to have insider information whenever possible.
Also, there's this piece from the International Herald Tribune, which is a combination of the Washington Post, the New York Times, and AP/Reuters wire, and the most respected American newspaper abroad.
high culture. fine art. fine film. a fine film on the surface of a pond.
i just saw what is without question the best movie of the year, 'jay and silent bob strike back.' i haven't laughed that much in a long, long time. so, karmically, kevin smith has done a good thing in that laughter strengthens peoples immune systems. so he has contributed to my health and well-being.
'jay and silent bob' is outstanding. flawed, of course, but charming for its flaws. but so funny. -moby
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First off, the day we mourn an 11.1 million dollar opening is the day I want out of this business.
Yes - first place would've been nice. Shit, it was almost do-able. But it wasn't in the cards, apparently, and that's okay. Opening to double digits with a movie this inside is a-okay in my book.
And the real tale, anyway, will be told next week. Let's just pray it doesn't repeat the 'Dogma' second week drop (51%), and instead, hold in there with a 30% or less drop.
But remove the figures and all (because, let's face it - the movie's going to make it's money back and then some; especially with video) and concentrate on what really matters...
Were you entertained?
I've been combing through the last few boards (good Lord, we're going through them quickly lately, aren't we?), and the majority of you were, indeed, happy with the flick. Some cats weren't (hey, what do you want me to say? No flick's for everyone), but largely, folks dug it. That makes us here at the home office very happy.
Many thanks to those who did double and triple duty (hell, even single duty). You're posters are waiting for you when you send in your stubs.
If you feel so inclined, hit the flick again next weekend. That'd be nice.
So please - no long faces. We've done well. I'm happy. Very, very happy.
And while it was nice to have the number one movie in the country for a night, to be honest, it didn't alter my existence. All I cared about was if you guys dug the flick, and beyond that, if *I* dug the flick.
And I did. Very much. Always have, and always will.
But now it's no rest for the weary, and right back to the drawing board. If all goes smoothly, we'll be shooting again in Feb/March - just as 'Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back' should be hitting the video stores (unless Bob decides to go for the Christmas release).
And then, of course, there's the cartoon flick next year.
Which, if you think this movie was for the fans...
Hoo-boy, you ain't seen nothin' yet.
Sending out a huge thanks to all of you for the amazing support this past weekend. You already know how proud I am of Kevin, but he really out did himself this time. Under the pressure of his largest budget (coupled with even larger expectations of turning a hefty profit), he made the movie that he wanted to make. He didn't sell out to win over the masses, but instead he put his heart into making you, his fans, laugh. For this and a million other reasons he doesn't need to top the box office to be #1 in my book.
Love, Jennifer
And like those other services, from time to time we'll be choosing one of our paying subscribers to win a mess of goodies. ZEN is excited to announce the first such prize giveaway will give you a big pool of items related to filmmaker and comic writer Kevin Smith. The prizes include:
- A JAY & SILENT BOB logo movie poster
- A J&SB logo T-shirt
- A pair of J&SB action figures
- A Mooby baseball cap just like Kevin is known to wear
- A Mooby beanie baby toy
- A Buddy Christ statuette
- A CLERKS open/close store sign
- A signed copy of CLERKS: THE COMIC BOOK
- The DAREDEVIL: VISIONARIES trade paperback featuring an intro from Ben Affleck
- The CHASING DOGMA trade paperback
and last but not least
- The CLERKS: UNCENSORED DVD featuring the complete animated ABC series (The best DVD in the world, by the way... If not
just for the simple fact that ZEN is mentioned by name on the audio commentary track...)
If you're one of the 400 or so people who've already subscribed, you rule; sit back and wait until issue #491 on September 11th and keep your fingers crossed that we draw your name. And if you haven't yet subscribed, well, the odds are still pretty darn good, and you'll be giving a much-needed shot in the arm to a service we hope you'd agree is worth it.
And if you haven't signed up, well, what are you waiting for? There is no set price on the donation - I've suggested $6 a year, but readers have been sending in anything from $6 to $200. Our preferred method of payment is via check or money order made out to Sean Jordan sent to ZEN's new headquarters at 24360 Vista Hills Road, Valencia, CA, 91355. Or if you'd prefer, you can click over to the www.ZENtertainment.com website and click on the AMAZON or PAYPAL logos you'll see right up front to securely contribute via credit card or other means.
And that's that! Remember, ZEN remains a free service and not subscribing will in no way affect you receiving issues in the future, trusted we figure some other way to keep the lights on around here. Times are tough in the advertising, freelancing, and dot.com world and your assistance will not only ensure ZEN reaches issue #500 but maybe even #5000.
In closing, ZEN would like to thank Kevin Smith, CLERKS: TAS producer David Mandel, and the good people at GRAPHITTI DESIGNS, ONI PRESS, MARVEL Comics, and DIMENSION Films who've contributed to this prize pool.
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LOS ANGELES (AP) - ''American Pie 2'' continues to out-gross all challengers. Amid a weak field of new films, the gross-out comedy remained the top movie for a third straight weekend. Taking in $12.8 million over the weekend, ''American Pie 2'' pushed its total take to $109.6 million in 17 days, according to studio estimates Sunday. ''Rush Hour 2'' remained the No. 2 film with $11.4 million, raising its 24-day total to $183.3 million. Among a rush of new movies, ''Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back'' drew the biggest audience. The comedy from writer-director Kevin Smith was No. 3 with $11.1 million.
The baseball flick ''Summer Catch,'' starring Freddie Prinze Jr., debuted in sixth place with $7.5 million. The sci-fi thriller ''John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars'' opened weakly with $3.8 million to finish at No. 9. Woody Allen's ''The Curse of the Jade Scorpion,'' playing in far fewer theaters than the other new films, had a so-so debut of $2.5 million to come in at No. 11.
''Bubble Boy,'' a comedy about a youth with a deficient immune system, did not even break into the top 12, opening with just $2 million. Hollywood is in the midst of its typical late-summer doldrums, when movie-going trails off.
''It feels like summer is over,'' said Paul Dergarabedian, president of Exhibitor Relations, which tracks the box office.
The industry is creeping toward its all-time summer revenue high of $3 billion set in 1999, a record Hollywood should break by next weekend. While it was a slow weekend compared to most of this summer, the overall box office still rose compared to the same weekend last year. The top 12 movies grossed $82.5 million, up about 10 percent. ''Jay and Silent Bob'' drew the steadiest crowds among new films, averaging $4,014 a theater in 2,765 locations. The movie stars Jason Mewes and Smith as the title characters, who were supporting players in his previous four movies, including ''Dogma'' and ''Chasing Amy.'' The movie drew heavily on Smith's cult following, but distributor Miramax hopes it will find a broader audience.
''It's a very satisfying comedy on a lot of levels,'' said David Kaminow, Miramax senior vice president for marketing. ''Hopefully, we'll get some non-Kevin Smith fans to come and sample what we think is a great comedy.''
...
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at North American theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. Final figures are to be released Monday.
1. ''American Pie 2,'' $12.8 million.
2. ''Rush Hour 2,'' $11.4 million.
3. ''Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back,'' $11.1 million.
4. ''The Others,'' $8.6 million.
5. ''Rat Race,'' $8.3 million.
6. ''Summer Catch,'' $7.5 million.
7. ''The Princess Diaries,'' $6.7 million.
8. ''Captain Corelli's Mandolin,'' $3.9 million.
9. ''John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars,'' $3.8 million.
10. ''Planet of the Apes,'' $3.5 million.
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Many folks wrote in to say they spotted Kevin, Jennifer, Vincent, & Bryan at the Monmouth Mall last night to check out the crowds for the flick. Apparently, it was standing room only out there, and some folks even spotted Kevin buying one fan a ticket. Too cool. Kevin's also recently alluded to a possible Vulgarthon 2001 this November or December in Red Bank, New Jersey.
Alright, got some more stuff to catch up on for this Saturday update:
Also, 96.5 The Point have posted a RealMedia version of their radio interview with Kevin, which you can check out HERE. Enjoy 'em, folks!
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Sam Rubin Talks About Kevin Getting Jenn on 97.1 FM KLSX (8.23.01)
Part 1 , Part 2
Kevin Smith on The Early Show (8.24.01)
56k , 150k
We have yet to hear a peep regarding an appearance on MTV's TRL, though Kevin had HOPED to show up yesterday or today, we just have no confirmation on that. You may wanna watch just in case, though. We're not sure which coast Kevin is on at this point...He probably doesn't even know himself.
I've attached the inside of the J+Sb Soundtrack, which has some Blunt and Chronic art on it. I couldn't fit it all, but here you go! Kevin also dropped my name there.
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As always, we've got a MASSIVE update today, including a ton of multimedia, like Kevin's short but fun appearance on The Tonight Show last night (which was really fun to watch), news on the MTV2 special, more press for the film...You know, just another normal day here at News Askew! Let's take a look:
 Van Explosion |
 Jay Emoting |
 Watching Playback |
"We went all out on the apes for this movie" Guastini remarks. "There's a scene in Kevin's film where he does homage to the first Planet of the Apes. He recreated the opening of that film in his movie. I really wanted to go elaborate, so the main gorilla's on horseback was actually a full animatronic mask. Full brow movement, snarl you well name it. I knew the new movie was coming out but I wanted to have an original look to the apes, which both had a feel for the old ones, but with a new modern twist. Also for the film we had the pleasure of turning Star Wars' Mark Hamill into a character called "COCKKNOCKER" he has this huge hand and he does battle with Jay and Silent Bob. We also made a full orangutan suit that doubles for the real monkey in the film.
In addition, we created this fun over the top gag of Brian O' Halloran's (CLERKS) brain being operated on by real chimpanzees in a flash back sequence in the film. We also made some outrageous braces for actor Sean William Scott (AMERICAN PIE)."
"Only disappointment for me in the movie was that the Scooby Doo sequence was dropped a day before the dog was to be shot. The original scene involved the dog getting high and attacking Jay & Bob and getting quite horny and humping a van window. It was a fully animatronic robot Scooby Doo dog. It could bulge and move it's eyes, ear movement, talk, smile, breathe, hump, wag its tail, full working and swelling genitals, as well as move it's tongue forward so far it could touch its nose and lick it. Hopefully in the DVD you'll get to see what could have been."
If you prefer, we also offer a RealAudio streaming version, which should also suit as well and work nice for slower connections. Enjoy!
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The good news continues as reviews for Bubble Boy are starting to trickle in around the web and they are generally horrible. Check out Dark Horizons for a couple of those today. Jay & Bob is clearly the film to see this weekend, and hopefully the moviegoing public will recognize that.
You can read and contribute to our huge J&SBSB Review database over at the News Askew Forums!
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DOWNLOAD
56k Part 1 , 56k Part 2 , 56k Part 3
150k Part 1 , 150k Part 2 , 150k Part 3
Aside: Will Ferrell's appearance on The Late Show last night turned out to be a pretty poor plug for the flick, as it was mentioned only in passing and without a clip, sadly. Therefore, it's not online. Believe us, you're not missing anything. Will was funny as always, just not much of a promotion.
Finally, if you'd like to read along (or just read) a transcript of the PI appearance, you can access that online right HERE.
Wells seems to think that J&SBSB came out of his experiences and reviews of Kevin's past stuff, and seems to completely miss the point that, if ANY similarity at all, the film is taking shots at the anonymous fans who post in areas like AICN's Talkback section...They KEY word being ANONYMOUS. The flick doesn't so much skewer the reviewers who put their names on their opinions, rather, the folks who hide behind surnames as they bash peoplke. So honestly, where exactly did Wells get the notion that the film came out of HIS particular reviews and comments? We're not sure. Check out the piece and judge for yourself.
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It seems that all of you are enjoying the film, and that's great to hear. It's just such a fan-centric picture, it's easy to love. Please spread the word about J&SBSB and bring a big crowd with ya to check it out this weekend. We're sure that everyone will thank you for taking them. It's not often that a comedy delivers this many laugh-out-loud moments these days. Let's give everyone who worked so hard on this picture a HUGE take at the box office this weekend. Just four days until the official release. Speaking of that do NOT miss your chance to vote in our new poll topic (thanks to Jason for the idea.
Dimension reported strong sneaks this weekend, with theaters reportedly at 70%-75% capacity. Of those surveyed, patrons gave the film high marks, with 85% in the top two boxes and 75%-80% definite-recommends.
We've still got a TON of stuff in the inbox, some stories from a few days back that we just weren't able to get to until today, so let's take a look and see if we can get more of this stuff taken care of:
HOLLYWOOD (Zap2it.com) - When "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" opens at around 2,000 theaters, it will mark the widest release of writer-director and reticent half of the dynamic duo Kevin Smith's career. At $15 million, it's also the biggest budget he's ever had to work with, a pittance when one takes into consideration that the average Hollywood production costs $55 million. But Smith's movies have never been big at the box office, despite the devoted fanbase his View Askewniverse has garnered, especially on the Internet.
Though it was made on a shoestring budget of $27,000, Smith's debut "Clerks" cost an additional $230,000 for post-production after it was picked up by Miramax Films. Immediately creating a stir among film buffs with its distinctive voice when it was released on Oct. 19, 1994. It started with a solid $31,665 from two theaters. Ultimately reaching 96 venues, it enjoyed an extended run, ending up with $3.2 million total.
His second picture "Mallrats" opened a year later on Oct. 20, 1995, but it did notregister with audiences in the same way. Produced by Universal Pictures via its now defunct division Gramercy banner on an exponentially larger budget of $6.1 million, it was downright rejected, debuting to just $1.15 million from 852 theaters. It couldn't even double that by the end of its run, quickly petering out at $2.1 million.
For "Chasing Amy," Smith returned to Miramax and his micro-budget roots, spending a mere $250,000, though he carried-over actors Jason Lee and Ben Affleck from "Mallrats" for the lead roles. The results were his best reviews and box office yet. Going back to a platform release pattern after the "Mallrats" debacle, "Amy" opened to a solid $52,446 from three venues on the weekend of April 4, 1997. Expanding to 553 theaters at its widest point, it grossed $12 million total.
Labeled blasphemous by various Catholic groups, the release of Smith's next picture, the $10 million religious comedy "Dogma," was delayed. Miramax's parent company Disney buckled under the pressure and ditched it, despite the presence of the post-"Good Will Hunting" team of Affleck and Matt Damon. Canada-based distributor Lion's Gate Films snatched up the rights and opened "Dogma" nationwide on Nov. 11, 1999. It bowed to $8.7 million from 1,269 theaters, and went on to earn $30.7 million total.
"Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" stars Smith's most popular characters in what is understood to be their last movie appearance, at least in live-action form as they'll appear in a planned animated follow-up to "Clerks." As such, chances are they'll go out with a bang by Smith standards, likely delivering the director his biggest box office returns to date.
And with Smith's dialogue to work with, he's funny. This is an article of faith among Smith fans. Watch this film with a group of them and you'll see what I mean. As Gen-X/Gen-Y culture goes, it's not inappropriate to call Mewes "legendary."
One definition of a movie star is someone who essentially plays the same character over and over, which people are happy to pay to see over and over. By this standard, Mewes is starting to qualify. Or will qualify, I should say. I expect Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back to get lots of repeat business, which Mewes will be able to take some credit for.
by Mark Voger
Page X Writer
Same face, same slur, same flair for expletives deleted. But Jason Mewes is not Jay, the dim-witted stoner he embodies in "Jay and Silent Bob Stike Back".
Jay, the character, has come a long way since birth in a 1994 low-budget indie. Jay became a cartoon, and action figure, and a comic-book hero. Mewes, the actor, has likewise ascended. He and writer-director Kevin Smith are reviving that fossilized movie genre, the comedy team. Roll over, Abbott and Costello.
In "J&SBSB", opening in seven days, the title characters descend on Los Angeles to thwart a film adaptation of "Bluntman and Chronic", superheroes based on their likenesses. Mewes is asked to characterize who he has played in five films by Smith.
"He just seems like someone that just is really oblivios to a lot of stuff.," Mewes tells PAGE X. "It chnages, really, in all the movies. He gets his mind set on something and he just does it. Something really silly.
"Like, in 'Mallrats' (1995), he really wants to bust up the stage. He's set on doing that. That was it. Like, nothing else that came up - like, he wasn't even thinking about anything else.
"In this ('J&SBSB'), like, in one scene or another, Holden (Ben Affleck) was talking about the ('Bluntman and Chronic') movie and how they're not talking about Jay and Silent Bob - they're talking about the characters. And Jay's just sittin' there, thinkin', like, 'So, all we have to do is stop the movie and they'll stop talkin' ---- about us!' "So it's just getting there and stopping them movie from getting made, even though there was other stuff. They're always on a mission, it seems like. Always wantin' to just be obnoxious and hang out and harass people and stuff."
In the new film, Mewes is top-billed for the first time.
"I mean, it's awesome," says the former roofer, 27, who attended Henry Hudson Regional High School, Highlands.
"I was psyched when Kevin told me that we're the main characters and our names are on the title. It's been awesome. You know, a lot of dialogue, which was great for, like, a test for me and stuff. And also, hopefully, it'll help getting other jobs. I'm out there more and stuff."
Mewes says he has something better than a tuxedo in mind for the film's premiere.
"I have some new gear that I like to wear when I go out," Mewes says shyly. "So - see if I can get away with wearing that."
Er, what kind of gear is that?
"Pimp gear. Me and my friends been goin' out to, like, bars and ---- on the weekends in this gear. It's cool-lookin'. So maybe we'll try to get away with goin' with that."
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By LOU LUMENICK
THEY may be the unlikeliest comedy duo ever to appear in a movie, let alone five, but the partnership of Kevin Smith and his longtime pal Jason Mewes looks like it's finally going to pay off big.
Writer-director Smith, whose hilarious "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" (opening Friday) features Smith (a.k.a. Silent Bob) and the inarticulate Mewes (Jay) as a pair of none-too-bright dopers in their first starring roles, is getting the best audience-rating scores in Miramax history.
"I've resisted putting them front and center, like forever," says Smith, 31, over a pork-roll sandwich at a diner near his office in Red Bank, N.J.
"I felt they worked best in small doses, but there's such an audience awareness of the characters. They've got a lot of good will. We're both relatively young, but not getting any younger. It just felt like if you're ever going to do it, now's the time."
Mewes, 29, and Smith made their first appearance as Jay and Silent Bob as a kind of Greek chorus in Smith's first movie, the 1995 ultra-low-budget sensation "Clerks."
Smith planned to play one of the leads, "but I decided at the last minute I'm not an actor and I couldn't memorize all of the dialogue. I still wanted to be in the movie, just in case it was the only one I ever made."
Jay and Bob reappeared, with increasing prominence, in Smith's "Mallrats," "Chasing Amy" and "Dogma."
They now have the leads in the highly self-referential "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back," in which the dimwitted duo invade Miramax's Hollywood studios to stop production of a movie about characters based on themselves.
"When I saw the poster, I had to chuckle. There's Mewes, sitting front and center, and behind him peeking out are Ben Affleck, Chris Rock and Shannon Elizabeth," says Smith.
"Mewes is not the most self-aware gentleman I've ever met, but there were moments of clarity when even he realized it's a $20 million movie and it was all riding on his shoulders."
Having briefly met Mewes on the set of "Jay and Silent Bob" earlier this year, I can attest that this outrageous motormouth is the most incongruous of potential movie stars. Having a coherent conversation with the man is impossible.
"He doesn't know how to talk about movies or himself, because he doesn't think it's a big deal," Smith said. "He makes movies because he likes getting free breakfast burritos for 60 days, $200 a day in cash for spending money and free T-shirts."
Yet, Smith challenges the widely held assumption that Mewes is essentially playing himself in Smith's movies.
"Jay is a highly romanticized version of what Jason was like when I met him at age 14, when he would help me put together Sunday newspapers at the convenience store where I worked," Smith said.
"But he's really blossomed as a performer. He really thinks as the character in the moment, of course without using those Stanislavsky-like terms."
"Here's a guy who could be as big as Affleck or [Matt] Damon, but he just can't get it together. When he isn't making a movie, you can usually find him on my couch or imbibing somewhere.
"Knowing Jason for 12 years was the best training for fatherhood I could ever get. There's nothing [his 2-year-old daughter] Harley could do that would surprise me as much as that kid has surprised me.
"For a while, he was working at my comic book store [Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash, in Red Bank], but he was supposed to open up at 11 and wasn't showing up until 1 o'clock.
"So I had to fire him from the store that bears his name. I mean, he's irresponsible to an unbelievable degree."
Smith hopes that "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" will be a hit so "somebody else will figure out a way to use Mewes.
"If you pay attention to the Internet, he has a huge cult following. This could make him the next big thing, though he's been around for seven to eight years doing the same shtick."
Jay and Bob will appear in an upcoming feature version of the "Clerks" cartoon, which was canceled by ABC last year after only three episodes aired.
But Smith swears there will not be any more live-action Jay and Bob movies.
"Look at what happened with 'Scary Movie 2' this summer," said Smith, who plans to segue into a small film based on his experiences as a father.
"I'd rather push away from the table while people still like the characters rather than make 'Jay and Bob in Outer Space' or some such nonsense."
With his new movie, director Kevin Smith says thanks to family, friends and, yes, those nutty fans on the Web
By Devin Gordon
NEWSWEEK
Aug. 27 issue — The first person you meet on the set of Kevin Smith’s new movie, “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back,” is a guy named Ratface. He is Smith’s production designer, a job usually held by extravagant Italians or tasteful women. Ratface, ne Robert Holtzman, is just an old buddy of Smith’s. Like everybody else here. In today’s scene our heroes, played by Smith (“Chasing Amy,” “Dogma”) and childhood pal Jason Mewes, learn that a comic book based on their lives is being made into a movie—and the boys aren’t seeing a dime. At the moment, the crew is on a break.
PRODUCER SCOTT MOSIER (a film-school classmate) sips coffee while Smith smokes a cigarette and gripes about a nasty post he got on his Web site. Some guy blasted him for failing to include an actress from “Clerks,” his cult-classic debut, in the cameo-heavy new film. Smith, his accuser claimed, was forgetting his roots. “Come on,” says the director, 31. “You can say a lot of s—t about me, but that’s gotta be the last thing. I mean, look around!”
The man’s got a point. “Jay and Silent Bob,” or “J&SB,” as cyberfans have dubbed it, is Smith’s cinematic thank-you to everyone who helped make him what he is today: arguably cinema’s funniest writer about sex, certainly its most candid. In bit parts over four films, his twin creations have become minor heroes—like C3PO and R2D2, only perpetually stoned (hence the title, an allusion to “The Empire Strikes Back”). This time they’re the stars, clearing room for cameos by old friends from Ben Affleck to Brian O’Halloran, who played Dante in “Clerks.” Today’s shooting location, in fact, is Smith’s own comic-book shop in Red Bank, N.J., his hometown, where he still lives with his wife and infant daughter. Fans get their nod as well: Jay and Silent Bob embark on a voyage to stop their movie after reading bad buzz about it on the Internet.
In case it’s not clear from the screwball plot, “Jay and Silent Bob” isn’t exactly a good movie. Unlike his last two films, the straight-gay romance “Chasing Amy” and the polemical religious comedy “Dogma,” here Smith has less than nothing to say. Still, the movie is damn funny—even if the terms “snootchie bootchies” and “phatty boom batty” mean nothing to you. And after “Dogma,” which prompted death threats for its critical take on the Roman Catholic Church, that’s all Smith wants to hear. “Biting your nails, not being able to open your f—king mail—after a while, I was like, ‘Hey, why don’t we do something light next time?’ ” With this movie, he says, “either you laugh or you don’t.”
Succeed or fail, Smith is bound to get an earful from his fans—and he’s looking forward to it. It’s three months after the shoot in Red Bank, and Smith is sitting in a dim recording studio in Los Angeles, working on the “J&SB” score. Or, rather, everyone else in the room is working on the score. Smith, eating a tuna sandwich, is surfing the Web on his laptop. He stops first at the movie-gossip site Ain’t It Cool News to check out an interview he gave. Then it’s on to Smith’s home page, ViewAskew.com, where he’ll post an update on his movie’s progress.
He launched the site in 1996, and a love affair was born. Smith is a warm, chatty soul whose portly frame and sloppy clothes are the outward signs of a guy who couldn’t pull off phoniness if he tried, and he tingled at the idea of meeting some kid in Idaho who loved his work. It slowly dawned on him that it was also shrewd business. Smith’s films are not blockbusters—his budgets are tiny, and his biggest hit to date, “Dogma,” grossed just $31 million. But he always turns a profit, largely because his rabid fan base is champing at the bit by the time his movies open.
Easy access doesn’t come without a price, though. “People who don’t like your s—t will hunt you down and tell you—behind the anonymity of a modern-day CB handle. I honestly don’t mind if someone says, ‘You suck.’ But have the courage to say who you are. It’s fascinating to get a three-page analysis of your work from some guy named Wampa12.” Smith stops to take a drag on his cigarette. He’s not done. “Some days you just wanna pick up the phone, call Magnum P.I. and say, ‘Get me the address of Wampa12’.” At the end of “Jay and Silent Bob” the boys do exactly that, showing up on the doorstep of their slanderers and beating them silly. For that one, Kevin, the thank-you is on us.
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