Kevin Smith.
Why do I hate him, you might ask?

For the same reason that so many women used to hate Cindy Crawford. The bastard has it all.

He went off to film school and got his degree, and while there he met Scott Mosier. When they got done they both had scripts for movies, so they struck a deal: they'd make Smith's movie first, with Mosier as producer and Smith as writer and director, then trade roles for Mosier's first film. Smith sold everything he had, including his comic collection, and raised as much money as he could and put the rest onto credit cards. His script was basically about what he knew at that time- working in a convenience store, putting up with the idiots who came in and cracking jokes with his friend as he worked his shift. His first movie did something unprecedented- it made it to Sundance and became famous.

Clerks.

Since then he's had a string of movies that, while they haven't been blockbusters, have done reasonably well and drawn a definite following. As a fat bearded geek, he's become a hero to other fat geeks and misfits everywhere.

He married a slender and pretty woman named Jennifer Schwalbach, and they have a daughter together named Harley Quinn. He's put out three books that are basically compilations of odds and ends he's written through the years, all of which have sold well. He's gotten small roles in movies and TV shows that were written and directed by others, so he's a fairly accomplished actor in his own right. He now tours around making money by having Q&A sessions and taping the results, which are released as "An Evening With Kevin Smith" discs, during which he basically stands on a stage and tells stories about his experiences and jokes with the audience and builds up stories off of things they ask.

In other words, he makes a living by just being a fat bearded geek who can spin a good yarn.

As a fat bearded geek who can spin a yarn, I gotta ask: when do I start getting paid for this shit?

Actually, I'm a pretty die-hard fan of the guy and have all of his films that he's released on disc, as well as his books. I just wish I could be him.
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Fri 5 Feb 2010, 22:36, 6 replies)

I only liked Dogma really...

( @RBFesquire Good luck b3ta, was nice knowing you. So long., Fri 5 Feb 2010, 22:45, closed)

To date there have only been two I didn't really like.
I wasn't fond of "Mallrats" because it felt too forced somehow, with the relationship between the male lead and the girl sorta tacked onto a load of slapstick- but to be fair, it was his second attempt, and he got vastly better with "Chasing Amy".

"Zach and Miri Make A Porno" also felt a bit off to me, but it's basically another Seth Rogan movie like "Knocked Up" or "Pineapple Express". It really just didn't seem to fit Smith's style somehow.

"Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" wasn't his best, but it was basically a fan movie- you had to have seen all the rest of his films to appreciate it. He almost ruined it by including Will Ferrell, but I can forgive him for not sharing my tastes.

All the rest, though- spot on, especially "Chasing Amy".
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Fri 5 Feb 2010, 23:01, closed)

I shall have to get into it a bit more.
Just to be sure.

He does seem to be a decent guy though, just not keen on his moving pictures. If its fat beardy and geeky then its more EARLY Peter Jackson for me. (pre LOTR)
( @RBFesquire Good luck b3ta, was nice knowing you. So long., Fri 5 Feb 2010, 23:25, closed)

Chasing Amy has got to be one of my favourites too
along with Dogma and of course Clerks, I'm a collector in waiting, not having bought any of his DVD's yet but meaning to constantly :P
I went through a period of wondering what twitter was last year, and somehow managed to not only sign up to it, but follow Kevin Smith (among others) and add it to my firefox. I now get intermittent updates of the state of american ice hockey from Smith popping up at the bottom of my screen, which I don't understand but usually make me laugh :D
( baw__bag contains traces of nuts on, Sat 6 Feb 2010, 2:23, closed)

Dogma
Thats the only one I like, but probably more because it has Alan Rickman in it
(insomniac-surfer oh go on then, just this once, Sat 6 Feb 2010, 0:37, closed)

Clicked.
Not fat or beardy (at least not at the moment) but I know exactly where you're coming from.
( emvee cruor deo cruoris, Fri 5 Feb 2010, 22:58, closed)