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'I Killed Seth Rogen's Career': Kevin Smith

The director talks about growing out of slackerdom after Zack and Miri failed

By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 5, 2009 11:44 AM CDT

(Newser) – Believe it or not, Kevin Smith didn’t smoke weed until recently—and the drug helped him along to an epiphany after his Seth Rogen-driven Zack and Miri Make a Porno bombed. "It started as sort of a midlife crisis thing but it wasn't that,” he tells the Huffington Post. “It was sort of me saying ‘You can't write like that anymore Kevin, you can't write like a fucking slacker, you can't write dick and fart joke movies anymore.’”

Thanks to that realization, Smith says his career has turned a corner. “It’s sad when you realize you can't be the angry young man anymore,” says Smith, whose next projects include a buddy cop movie and a hockey movie. “I'm in a business where I get to make pretend for a living, so what the fuck am I angry about?”

Actor/director Kevin Smith arrives for the premiere of Live Free Or Die Hard at Radio City Music Hall Friday, June 22, 2007 in New York.
Actor/director Kevin Smith arrives for the premiere of "Live Free Or Die Hard" at Radio City Music Hall Friday, June 22, 2007 in New York.   (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)
Seth Rogen, right, and Kevin Smith present the best fantasy movie awards at the Scream Awards on Saturday Oct. 18, 2008 in Los Angeles.
Seth Rogen, right, and Kevin Smith present the best fantasy movie awards at the Scream Awards on Saturday Oct. 18, 2008 in Los Angeles.   (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
In this Sept. 8, 2008 file photo, director Kevin Smith from the film Zack and Miri Make a Porno poses for a portrait during the International Film Festival in Toronto.
In this Sept. 8, 2008 file photo, director Kevin Smith from the film "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" poses for a portrait during the International Film Festival in Toronto.   (AP Photo/Carlo Allegri, file)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 11 comments
Krystle
Oct 6, 2009 5:18 AM CDT
I think Kevin Smith's whole career plan has been to recreate the magic that was Clerks. Instead he has written characters that are whiny, pathetic, and not usually all that funny. Sure, he has a big cult following, but his movies aren't that great. I think Seth's career was walking a fine line as it was...you can only play a stoner loser so many times before people become bored.
hwoodude
Oct 6, 2009 4:19 AM CDT
Kevin Smith...turning a corner? Does that mean - hopefully - he's gone?
sysco9
Oct 6, 2009 3:18 AM CDT
I know exactly what you mean Eziza. I've been using Newser as my home page for almost a year now, but the confusing way articles have been written, and with so many useless user comments by teenagers/racists/idiots I'm probably gonna move on

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