Kevin Smith Talks "Zack And Miri" And His Ballooning Weight

After his new movie "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" reaches theaters Friday, Kevin Smith plans to start counting his calories. Since his doctor called him morbidly obese, he's giving up the all-you-can-eat lifestyle and taking a "health sabbatical" intended to shed extra pounds he packed on while filming the raunchy, Seth Rogen-starring romantic comedy in Pittsburgh last year.

"I'm going away for a while," Smith said, puffing a menthol cigarette on the patio of his Hollywood Hills home, "to concentrate on myself. To save my life."

At a time when Smith has been heavily promoting "Zack and Miri" -- perhaps the most commercially viable movie in his 15-year career as a multi-hyphenate actor-writer-director of crude comedies and art-house bromances -- the issue of his weight has remained front of mind. The director has been complaining about being fat in radio interviews and fretting about it on his blog much to the chagrin of Weinstein Co. publicists for the film, who have openly wished the director would "talk about something else." Like, for instance, how closely in tone and casting the movie resembles something conjured up by comedy rainmaker Judd Apatow?

Adding insult to injury, Smith's girth contributed to an embarrassing incident last week. "I broke a toilet. That's how heavy I am," said Smith. "I can't take all the credit -- that was an old toilet and a very waterlogged wall -- but my size took that toilet down. I cannot cognitively reframe it and be like, 'It wasn't me -- it was the toilet.' It was definitely me. And that's a wake-up call!"

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[tomas0808]

What a fat nerd. Whatever happened to real comedy and tragedy, in the Greek sense, that has some moral, social and human depth? It's all this dumb stuff revolving around contemporary pop culture that actually doesn't show us anything about the human condition. Sad

[WRPrintz]

Kevin is funny, has an excellent mind, and is a very fun director. Some of our great talents- Orsen Wells, for example, Victor Bono (sp?) were significantly overweight. I wish him the best in his quest for a healthy lifestyle.

[ohiomark]

One of my favorite movies is 'Dogma'. I also love both Clerks films. Kevin Smith is very talented.

Losing weight is very difficult, but it can be done if you put your mind to it and it looks like Kevin has come to grips with his problem. Good for you Silent Bob, I wish you well.

[PinkyBear]

I love Kevin Smith. I think he is a funny director and writer. I wish him well.

[SilentShout]

I wonder... If he had come out in this article and admitted he had a serious alcohol problem and was going into treatment once this movie comes out, would so many of these posters be mocking him? Can you even imagine how callous that would be? Why is it OK to hate fat people? In this group of accepting, liberal, sensitive people why is it that fat people are the only minority it's ok to be bigoted against?

[Yovovi]

He should look on the bright side that he's a man. Very few fat woman in Hollywood have careers in front of or behind the camera. His movies are crap.

[strifeknot]

So much weight harboring so little talent. It's sad.

[ClaudiaJean]

Stop it. If you're not a fan, say so. Fair enough. Different strokes, different folks.
But don't declare him talentless. Your postings do little to indicate you have abilities beyond mastering the keyboard on a computer and insulting strangers.

[strifeknot]

I think I did say so, philistine.

[Downsview]

He obviously put on the weight so there'd be more of himself to love.

[deckard70]

He's rich enough to have a full-time cook on staff when he's at his home; I wish he would. Someone who could provide him with meals that will be deceptively filling, but won't have as many calories.

Plus I imagine he drinks sodas...just not drinking soda would drop a dozen or more pounds in a matter of days. Put a demand for flavored soda water in his contract rider when he does appearances...

[ClaudiaJean]

If you read his blog or his book (My Boring Ass Life -- which is essentially a collection of his very mundate, detailed daily blogs itemizing what he does all day) he was, for a while, trying very hard to trim down though via the high protein, virtually no carbs route... He's a bright guy. I'm sure he'll take care of himself. He's got a 9 year old kid -- there's a lot on the line that has nothing to do with box office grosses or reviews.

Plus, if you've seen Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back... you know what he thinks of online message board posters and what might be done to those who take the piss out of him. Just saying! :)

[Formeralaskangal]

I've always liked his work and thought he was handsome. I do understand the concern over his weight. This is something that a lot of people, myself included, struggle with constantly. I have made peace with this in my life and have lost a lot of weight. I hope he can make the changes he needs to be healthier. I also hope it doesn't change him in a negative way. Sometimes people can really go jerky once they shed a lot of weight, and I think he is too cool to become just another egotistical skinny Hollywood jerk.

[SilentShout]

Isn't it strange when you accept the weight you can start to let it go. That's how it happened for me too.

[Swerinjer2]

You can see the high cholesterol and triglycerides in his face.

[Fredo777]

lol

I want to see him once he trims down but I've always thought he was cute. Bearrrrrrrrrrrr-y cute.

[Jinxykb]

This is so not funny to me; The guy is morbidly obese.

[getoffthecross]

Glad you mentioned it. I've lost sleep wondering "What's funny to Jinxykb? I HAVE to know!"

http://www.jokerzinternetradio.com/phpmotion/play.php?vid=108

[ClaudiaJean]

Well, I'm sure now that YOU have chimed in, Kevin Smith will be compelled to do something about his weight. Oh, wait... yeah, he already knows and is doing something. So, you know... you're commentary... not really necessary. But thanks anyway.

[diabolicomix]

I thought this was funny:

"I'm going away for a while," Smith said, puffing a menthol cigarette... "To save my life."

[Seaglass]

But he's unflinchingly honest about it--I wish him all the best.

[YellowDogInRedCounty]

Thank you for being judgmental.

[starcasmdotnet]

Kevin talkied about the toilet incident in more detail on Leno. We have the link to the interview and a good deal of pokin' fun at Kevin:

http://starcasm.net/archives/category/kevin-smith

[SpaceLuvr]

Nothing says "time to go on a diet" like breaking a toilet!! lol