Not all heroes wear capes, as proven by Kevin Smith when he shared a story about the time his podcast saved a fan from suicide. Smith is, of course, the filmmaker who created the View Askewniverse, a beloved series of interconnected films that began with Clerks in 1994. The ultra-low-budget comedy (and surprise hit) was followed up by such cult favorites as Mallrats, Chasing Amy, and Dogma, before culminating with Smith meta-magnum opus, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. Though Smith has made multiple films since then, only 2006's Clerks II touched on the universe that kickstarted his career. That'll change later this year when he releases Jay & Silent Bob Reboot - which received its first official trailer just before San Diego Comic-Con.
In recent years, Smith made the move to television, directing episodes of both The Flash and Supergirl while simultaneously producing passion projects like Tusk and Yoga Hosers. He has also further cultivated his already-passionate following with stand-up specials and various podcasts. The latter has led to some oft-surprising turns, such as leading Chris Hemsworth to join Jay & Silent Bob Reboot after crediting things Smith said on a podcast for the idea of taking Thor in the direction seen in Thor: Ragnarok.
Taking to Twitter, however, Smith revealed a far more personal result of his podcast work. The writer/director shared the story of his podcast helping to stop a man from taking his own life when one of his anecdotes made the man laugh enough to reconsider his plans. Though it had come to Smith's attention because of a fan who tagged Smith on the social media website, the original story itself came from a post on Reddit. Though the story can't be verified, Smith was understandably humbled by what he read. Check out the full post below:
Smith had his own near-death experience in February of last year when he suffered a near-fatal heart attack. Since then, the occasional actor has adopted a new lease on life (as well as a vegan lifestyle), opting to put more positivity in the world. This has reportedly translated into his film work, with Jay & Silent Bob Reboot said to be his most personal and heartfelt film to date. It also led to Smith's reunion with Ben Affleck, with Smith urged to seize the moment and reach out to his once close friend and regular collaborator.
As someone that frequently engages with fans, the above story will no doubt be further proof of just how emotionally resonant Smith's work and brand of humor is with fans. Similarly, it just goes to show how provoking one moment of laughter can truly help sometimes. One can never truly know the impact their work will have, whether it be a film, an episode of a TV show, or just jokily rambling about getting high with Aquaman. Being that Smith is the type to get emotional over pop culture, the story will no doubt have hit Smith hard and only spur him to continue with his new philosophies.
After 25 years in the business, though, there's a reason people repeatedly return to work with him (as evidenced by all the cameos in that Jay & Silent Bob Reboot trailer). Equally, there's a reason fans flock to his work, no matter how bizarre and twisted his output becomes. After dedicating decades to talking about heroes, Smith can now count himself among them. And though many no doubt always labeled Smith their hero, that term just went to a whole new and deeper, real-world level.
Source: Kevin Smith/Twitter
