I have to admit that I've been a fan of Kevin Smith ever since I first saw Clerks many years ago. And I've been a fan of bloggers who tell it like it is ever since I first started reading blogs several years ago.
So it should come as no surprise that I enjoy reading Kevin Smith's blog.
Today is no exception. He holds back nothing in his on-line abuse of movie critic Joel Siegel, who loudly left the screening of Clerks II [IMDB] (the same move that got an eight minute standing ovation at Cannes) after 40 minutes.
I mean, it’s Joel Siegel, for Christ’s sake. As Paul Thomas Anderson once said of the man, getting a bad review from Siegel is like a badge of honor. This is the guy who stole his mustachioed critic shtick from Gene Shalit years ago, and still refuses to give it back. This is a guy who seemingly prides himself on being "punny" - that is, he likes to add his own nyuk-nyuk wordplay into the reviews he writes/gives.
And...
Shit, Joel, I know you like being on camera and all, but was it so difficult to not be the center of attention for 40 minutes that you just had to sparkle, Neely, sparkle-it up for your peers instead of showing them a little goddamn courtesy by leaving the theater the way most people do, either during or after the picture: quietly? What are you, a twelve year old boy, cutting loose with your pals at a Friday night screening of "Scary Movie 4" while your parents are in a theater down the hall watching "The Devil Wears Prada"? Leave the diva-like behavior and drama-queen antics to the movie stars, not the movie reviewer, ya’ rude-ass prick.
Heh.
Go read the whole thing.
Posted by jzawodn at July 18, 2006 09:09 PM
>> What are you, a twelve year old boy, cutting loose with your pals at a Friday night screening of "Scary Movie 4" while your parents are in a theater down the hall watching "The Devil Wears Prada"?
LOL Jer.. I can surely note his imaginative mind ;)
Man, how did I miss Kevin Smith's blog? Subscribed now ... thanks for the pointer, Jeremy.
His writing is ... superb.
Ksmith is on Opie and Anthony this AM. They had Siegle on the phone, and the dude was clueless. I'll send you the audio when it hits the internets later.
The audio is now linked inside of Kevin's post. It's CLASSIC.
Actually Joel Siegel did not "steal" his look from Gene. Siegel has looked the same way since high school. Gene thought he "stole" it and went to see a prominent lawyer who told him: "You can't copyright a face."
AC is obviously a supporter of this mockery of a film critic called Joel Siegel. In order to review a movie, you have to ACTUALLY WATCH THE MOVIE... not 40 minutes of it and make a dramatic exit and look like a complete jackass in front of your peers.
Film critics have to actually WATCH MOVIES completely in order to make a valid "review" of the movie. For someone who's JOB is to watch movies and review them, this is very unprofessional on Joel Siegel's part. The job HE CHOSE was movie reviews. For him to walk out of a movie less than half-way through is just like walking out of your job where you work before the work is done. A lot of people have jobs they do not "like", but we still have to do them. Joel Siegel happens to have a profession he "likes" but chose to walk-out on his job duties. As a film critic you can't always choose the movie you want to watch, but that doesn't mean you can throw away your responsibilities just because you aren't liking your job at that point in time. I do not have respect for Joel at all.
For people bashing Kevin Smith for his outspoken voice in this matter. Who cares? I feel that Kevin Smith was right in his rebuttle towards Joel Siegel simply because his work was not given the respect it deserves. If Joel Siegel wanted to write a negative review on Clerks 2, that's one thing, but to not give the movie his "time", and make a big scene about his distaste just proves further he was very unprofessional in his job duties.
I leave with one final question:
If you were to walk out on your job halfway through your shift, what would your boss say? Because Joel Siegel's "Boss" is actually the people who watch movies and make movies.
"If you were to walk out on your job halfway through your shift, what would your boss say? Because Joel Siegel's "Boss" is actually the people who watch movies and make movies."
Jeremy. . . wow. That's DEEP. Yet so wrong.
Your pride makes you think you are Joel's boss. your pride makes you think that you can pass judgment on such a man, claiming he works for the you, or for the industry.
The truth: A man's conscience is his boss. Some of us call that "God."
You obviously do not believe in or obey the God who nevertheless loves you; the God who HATES sin in this world.
Perhaps Joel Siegel was at last obeying his conscience, which told him to leave the theatre and forsake the rubbish that he felt obligated to watch---the stuff you all lay down and die for---vulgar filth touted as high art of some sort. Whew, what a world. Low-lifes elevated to popularity by a culture that loves and worships death. WHY oh why does Kevin Smith's "work" deserve respect? Please tell me: what are the redeeming values of depicting such deplorable, reprehensible behavior? Repent, my friends and get a life. Joel Siegel may not have a life either, stuck in theatres all day long. . .but I applaud him for his walk-out, and hopefully it will compel him to question his values and seek another career. Jesus is watching all of this nonsense here on earth, my friends, and He is NOT pleased.
Best regards, Paul.
Paul: please discuss your medication with a qualified physician. when you're on wrong medication levels for too long, there can be permanent damage.
Paul, very heart felt. I am just wondering. If Jesus is watching all of this and he's not pleased is he going to get up and walk out yelling profanities at some point? Or... is he going to stick around and give us a review when he's done doing his job?
So i was just watching clerks 2 and all the background on the dvd and everything and i really just want to write Kevin a letter just to show how much i appreciate his work what a great fan I am, and I don't just an email or something, do you know how to get in contact with him?
.it is the ability to identify with the characters that makes the story so universal. I mean, we've all known people like these who have annoyed us all our lives.
