Writer/director Kevin Smith made a name for himself in 1994 with the independent comedy CLERKS, which launched his film career and “Jay and Silent Bob” universe that led into MALLRATS, CHASING AMY, DOGMA, JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK, CLERKS II, JAY AND SILENT BOB REBOOT, and finally this year’s CLERKS III. In between, Smith directed (and produced) a few films that were not playing in his usual sandbox, which met with mixed results, but it’s safe to say he’s best when he’s using his voice and working with his characters. CLERKS III isn’t just a case of the director coming full circle with the story that made him famous, it’s also an opportunity for Kevin to show his emotional growth and maturity, all while delivering a “meta” film that seems to be one step ahead of its own audience, and one that delivers some pretty heavy scenes for a “comedy” set in this universe. I caught up with Kevin during his “Convenience Tour” stop at the historic Texas Theatre in Oak Cliff, TX (a suburb of Dallas). While we’ve seen each other many times over the years, going back to the 90s, this is the first time we’ve done an interview together since CLERKS II, not counting a brief red carpet interview I did with him for TUSK on 2014. It was good to see him again, and especially seeing him for this movie, which I would safely consider his masterpiece. This chat also fell at a time when he’s releasing a new series of comic books through Dark Horse Comics, and is working on revitalizing a local movie theater he just bought… Smith is busy, but it’s the kind of busy where he’s doing things he loves to do, and you can tell he’s happier than he’s been in a long time. Check out the interview below, and if you haven’t already done so, look for CLERKS III on digital, or if you’re able to grab tickets for one of the last few stops on the Convenience Tour where Kevin does a lively Q&A after screening the film. My thanks to Josh Roush for shooting this, and look for he and his wife Liv’s film WRONG REASONS (produced by and starring Kevin) in theaters soon – it’s screening at the Texas Theatre on February 17th, 2023.
Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff. 
