 "Photo: Erin Mizla")
As part of his latest college tour, popular filmmaker Kevin Smith invited UConn students to spend "An Evening with Kevin Smith" last night at Jorgenson Center for the Performing Arts. An enthusiastic crowd was given the opportunity to ask the writer/director any questions they may have had about Smith's "New Jersey Trilogy" which at this point consists of five films ("Clerks," "Mallrats," "Chasing Amy," "Dogma" and "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.") Fans also bombarded Smith with questions about his other bodies of work, including his career as a comic book writer.
Smith arrived late, after reportedly receiving a speeding ticket on the way. In the meantime, a trivia contest was held with the grand prize being a chance to meet with the filmmaker backstage after the show. The crowd became quickly impatient during this event and began to heckle the contestants. After a SUBOG representative informed the raucous crowd that Smith would be delayed even further, there was a contest in which fans got the onstage and presented skits from the films which in front of the already-irritated Jorgenson crowd. Some fans however, kept their cool.
"I think they're doing a good job entertaining us, I mean it's not their fault. It's worth the wait," said Nicole Morehouse, a 6th-semester PMB major.
Arriving onstage in his trademark trench coat, Kevin Smith told the audience that he'd be right back as he needed to "take a leak." After a few moments, the "Evening with Kevin Smith" finally began.
The bulk of Smith's lecture consisted of him telling humorous stories about growing up and becoming an independent filmmaker and raising a daughter in the wake of his success. His mix of industry commentary and personal anecdotes made for a great interaction between Smith and his fans of which he remarked "we're all family, I just make way more than them."
Smith discussed every aspect of his work, including the mixed reaction to "Jersey Girl." While he stated that he truly loves the film despite what others may think, he mused "I still love you 'Jersey Girl.' Now get to the bottom of the pile!"
Promising a surprise guest earlier in the night, Smith eventually delivered at around the halfway point of his session. The guest, as many may have guessed, was Jason Mewes who played the role of Jay in the films. It was a surreal experience for fans as they got the chance to not only see their slacker heroes together in the flesh, but to interact with them as well.
Mewes arrived clad only in a towel having apparently just taken a shower. After changing his clothes Mewes proceeded to answer questions from fans, used a fan's hairbrush and one audience member even asked him for a hug.
While Mewes and Smith were onstage together the question-and-answer session became a lot more freeform, making it somewhat unfair to the people who waited patiently on lines at either end of the stage for a chance to have their question answered. This injustice was eventually rectified, as Smith answered every question that begged asking, extending the session to well over three hours.
Smth rounded out the night by addressing the Catholic outcry in response to his controversial film "Dogma" and then gave aspiring filmmakers some useful advice. He even talked briefly about his upcoming sequel to his critically acclaimed first film "Clerks" and assured fans that there will be more episodes of the short-lived "Clerks" animated series.
Despite the length, the audience reaction was positive. "Frickin' amazing" remarked Jackie Hodgdon, a 1st semester HDFS major. "It was everything I had hoped for."
The event was a great insight into the mind of Kevin Smith, a man many ordinary people can relate to. Through his college tours, Smith gives fans the opportunity to get to know him and it is for these people that he continues to write and direct movies. "I don't make movies where a lot of people want to go," Smith explains, "I make movies where like ten people want to go."
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