Kevin Smith
Kevin Patrick Smith (born August 2, 1970) is an American screenwriter, actor, film producer, speaker and director, as well as a popular comic book writer, author, comedian/raconteur, and podcaster. He came to prominence with the low-budget comedy Clerks (1994), which he wrote, directed, co-produced, and acted in as the character Silent Bob. Smith's first several films were mostly set in his home state of New Jersey, and while not strictly sequential, they frequently feature crossover plot elements, character references, and a shared canon described by fans as the "View Askewniverse", named after his production company View Askew Productions, which he co-founded with Scott Mosier. Smith also directed and produced films such as the buddy cop action comedy Cop Out, as well as the horror film Red State. Smith is also the owner of Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash, a comic book store in Red Bank, New Jersey. He co-hosts several weekly podcasts that are released on SModcast Internet Radio. Smith is well known for participating in long, humorous Q&A sessions that are often filmed for DVD release, beginning with An Evening with Kevin Smith.