Shootin' the Shit with Kevin Smith: The Best of the SModcast

by Kevin Smith

Following on from the New York Times-bestselling My Boring-Ass Life, Kevin Smith is back! 

In freewheeling conversations with his friend and producer Scott Mosier (as heard on their top-rated podcast, known as SModcast), we discover — to pick just four random examples of the riches therein — the genesis of Stalin’s Monkey Soldier army, the horrifying tale of Kevin vs. Steak Tartare, how to make bukkake eggs, and how Kevin was once willing to let Alanis Morissette get mugged... 

Defiantly lewd, crude and hilariously rude, Shootin’ the Sh*t with Kevin Smith is a must for all his fans! Adults Only!

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Humor, Comedy, Film, Biography Memoir, Collections

384 pages, Paperback

First published September 22, 2009

About the author

Kevin Patrick Smith is an American screenwriter, director, as well as a comic book writer, author, and actor. He is also the co-founder, with Scott Mosier, of View Askew Productions and owner of Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash comic and novelty store in Red Bank, New Jersey. He also hosts a weekly podcast with Scott Mosier known as SModcast. He is also known for participating in long, humorous Q&A Sessions that are often filmed for DVD release, beginning with An Evening with Kevin Smith.

His films are often set in his home state of New Jersey, and while not strictly sequential, they do frequently feature crossover plot elements, character references, and a shared canon in what is known by fans as the "View Askewniverse", named after his production company View Askew Productions. He has produced numerous films and television projects, including Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and Clerks II.

Reviews

[Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've gone on record in the past at proclaiming how much I appreciate the work of Kevin Smith, so, it's not surprising that I'm reviewing yet another Smith release.

About two and a half years ago, Smith brought us SModcast. SModcast is a (somewhat) weekly podcast where you are treated to a two person (sometimes three) conversation featuring Smith and his life long friend and producer, Scott Mosier. Smith and Mosier usually talk about what's going on in each other's life, various pop culture topics or do a fair bit of role playing. The role playing aspect is by far the most entertaining aspect of the show, usually having to do with Scott Mosier's various accents and characters (Gordo the righteously indignant Canadian, or the lead singer of Foreigner). At times, Smith is joined by childhood friends, Bryan Johnson and Walt Flanagan as well as Canadian acquaintance, Malcolm Ingram. Johnson is razor sharp and ridiculously funny most times while Walt is usually there to enable him with some great stories and Malcolm just comes across as perpetually angry.

A few weeks ago, Smith published the best conversations from around 80 SModcast episodes bringing you "Shootin' The Sh*t with Kevin Smith: The Best of SModcast". The book is about 350+ pages of transcribed audio with the addition of artwork depicting some of the wildest scenarios created in conversation between Smith and his many friends.

While I did enjoy reading all 350+ pages of this book, I kept thinking how pointless this release is. Well, on one hand, I loved it. However, I would be hard pressed to find someone who is really going to want to throw down $20 for an extensive amount of material you can download from iTunes for free. Granted, yes, most items today can be pirated and therefore can be considered "free" but SModcast (as with all podcasts) are free. The material in the book transfers really well from source material to the page but I think you would get a more enjoyable experience by listening to the podcast, if only for Scott's accents.

[Sam Quixote · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're reading this review then you're a fan of Smith's and if you are then you'll be familiar with his (usually) weekly podcast, SModcast (usually with his producer Scott Mosier but occasionally includes his wife, daughter, mother and assorted friends).

These are the transcripts of some of the best moments of SModcast: the superb episode where Kevin, Walt Flanagan (high school friend and manager of Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash in Redback, NJ), roast documentarian Malcolm Ingram for not knowing who the Canadian PM is. He insists it's Paul Martin, going so far as to bet his little finger that it is, when it is in fact Stephen Harper. It's amazing to hear but just as funny to read.

Other highlights include the Helen Keller convo, making up lurid scenarios for Harry Potter, Kevin and Walt remembering their adolescent years searching for comics with Jason Mewes and what he would do for a free comic, Walt's clones, Kevin getting high at Elizabeth Banks' bbq party, Scott's amazing character Gordo the Righteously Indignant Canadian and Scott's other great character the guy from Foreigner in the cereal aisle.

It's literally like listening to the SMods and is brilliantly funny. Obviously it's not to be read straight through but is great to dip into when you're on the loo for example and whiles away a few minutes on the bus if your iPods broken. Great for dipping into, the fans will get the most out of it while others might read it and become interested in listening to the SModcasts themselves (available for free on iTunes and QuickStopEntertainment). It's a really funny book that's great fun.

[Ana · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you love Kevin Smith, you'll love this book. If you just moderately like Kevin Smith, this will simply be a good way of getting a few laughs. Based on his and his friend's podcast, each story is transcribed from one of their conversations. Unfortunately, that sometimes does not translate well on paper, given that you would need to hear tone of voice in order to understand the jokes. I have to admit I much prefer Kevin Smith in his video presence (whether on Youtube or in his TV series Comic Book Men, which I really like), but for hardcore fans this would be another medium of experiencing their favorite permanently stoned, kinda awkward but super chilled film director.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed so hard during the make a wish script, that i physically
could not read any more. The funniest stuff I've ever read.

[Mark Farley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was surprisingly disappointed with this, what with being a huge fan of not only the author's films and 'Comic Book Men', but am also an avid watcher of his stand up/Q&A oeuvre also. I even enjoy and regularly watch his podcast output on YouTube that are in the most part, about subjects I rarely am that familiar with. Like Star Wars/Trek, the general movie industry and output and most comic genres and characters. But for some reason, I enjoy his delivery and humour. I mean, I have seen and enjoyed every episode of (the now sadly-cancelled) 'Comic Book Men' and have little interest and practically zero knowledge of comics.

But despite all of this and for some sad reason, Kevin Smith's humour, warmth and likable delivery do not come across in this book, like his other three great collections of stories. I am putting this down to the transcribed podcasts, which make up this book. I don't know. It just doesn't work on paper, unlike the rest of his written output.

[Cashlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember this book being a lot of fun

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very very funny. I found myself dying of laughter to the point where I had to stop reading until I caught my breath again several times. It was like sitting at the bar hanging out with Kevin and Scott (and friends) hearing all their wild stories and the truly strange and bizarre shit that they make up. While not everything made me laugh so much did. My favourite bits were definitely about Hermione and Helen Keller, but there were so many amusing things. There was even a sprockets joke! I've not heard anyone make a sprockets joke in YEARS (probably since my friend Micheal moved to New York). I have to say I do think Kevin Smith really needs to get over his weight issues, even in a book as silly as this one he makes so many references to how fat he is (which he also did for the 3 minutes I saw him in person when I had it signed). I just want to shake him and say Dude you're weight really does NOT matter! Look at all you've done, you're funny and silly and clever and if you weren't married women would be throwing themselves at you. I suppose though that it is telling that even guys in Hollywood feel the pressure to be normal. But I really loved this book. I'm definitely going to start listening to the podcasts it was based on and track down the other Kevin Smith books to read. While I don't agree with him on everything I still love him to bits.

[Niki Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel it's a little unfair to call this a book/novel/writing/story. It is simply a transcript of Smodcasts, which can be found here http://smodcast.com/
Fulling knowing this, having listened to many of his Smodcasts, having easy access to all of his Smodcasts, I still couldn't NOT buy this when I saw it in the discount section of Chapters.
Anyone that knows me, knows my favorite sound is Kevin Smith's voice. I put on his Q&A videos and listen while cleaning the house, his voice soothes me. Ok, this is sounding more like a ode to KS and less like a book review.
The book had me laughing my ass off, out lout, to the point where my partner thought I was going nuts. Trying to explain the stories to him, the people in the book, was a little hard. Yes, he's a fan but not a die hard like myself. I was introduced to Clerks when I was about 14 and have been hooked ever since.
Scott Mosier, love him in the movies, know his as the producer. Had no idea how fucking funny this guy was (Jay and Silent Bob Get Old and Plus One Per Diem where/are my Smodcasts of choice). The way they banter, they compliment each other perfectly.
For anyone who hasn't listen to the Smodcasts, this would be a perfects start if you want to get into it. If you are just going to glance at this book, read The Infamous Bridge Beach Story and The Future Dies, you will not be disappointed.

[annmarie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't really know how to rate this book. The two stars is more a commentary on the format, not the content. I like Kevin Smith, but I think it didn't translate well to book form. It's basically just a transcription of the best of SModcast. I recently watched an animated version of SModcast and that was fun, but you still heard Scott and Kevin's voices. This was harder to keep track of who was saying what.

I enjoyed the beginning, got rather bored in the middle, and then found the end pretty funny again. If you like Kevin Smith, you'll enjoy the book. There are definitely funny parts, I just feel like it would have been better in audio form. Might be better to just listen to the Smodcasts...

[Coffeeboss · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK, this book is totally a guy book, almost of the knuckle-dragging, woman-ogling variety, where the narrators spend about 75% of the time talking about their penises... Seriously. But Kevin Smith and his buddies (the book is really just a series of transcripts of "Smodcast" conversations with his pals) get away with it because they are also self-effacing geeks and are really, really funny. This book was eye-opening to me for the male perspective in the same way that the movie "Superbad" was, as in: Do guys really talk like this when there are no chicks around? It made me cackle out loud more than once.

[Andrew McMillen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A series of transcripts from the SModcast shows. Essentially Smith, Mosier and a couple other guys talking shit. But man, there is some funny shit in there. Many times I had to stifle my laughs because I was reading in bed and didn’t want to wake Rachael. The Helen Keller and vasectomy sections stick out in my mind. It’s the kind of book I’ll probably never read again, and probably added very little to my life overall, but I think I needed to spend some hours with a light, stupid book like that before tackling something meatier.

[dAVE · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a rabid Kevin Smith fan so I did enjoy parts of this book, but it was just too rambling and stream of consciousness for me. It is a script of podcasts, and if you use that as your standard maybe you aren't as harsh as I am. I've just seen so much gold from the man I've come to expect it (please don't tell me about Cop Out, I'm going to go ahead and not watch it and assume it's filled with smack-talking ninjas who write comic books by day. I'm better off in my denial.)

[Matt Sadorf · Rating 4 out of 5]

The always entertaining (well, to me anyways) put's together a collection of SModcast highlights for the reader to enjoy.

It is fun to read the stories being told, hearing the voices of those involved,and as an added bonus, you can go look up the actual SModcasts if you are so inclined. I will tell you though, you lose none of the humor, none of the heart, by reading rather than listening to these gems!

If you're a fan of Kevin and his cohorts, you will enjoy this book!

[Brad · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a fan of Kevin Smith's humor and love his podcasts, then you will love this book. I found myself laughing until I cried at times. If you have listened to every episode of Smodcast, then you'll be treading familiar water here, as these are direct transcripts of those shows. I hadn't taken the time to listen to the early episodes of the show, so this was all new to me. Highly recommend this to any fan of blue, sophomoric humor. Right up my alley...

[J.R. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't actually finish. I've just set it aside. I think that as Kevin says in the intro he didn't have anything to do with it. Someone else went through and transcribed his podcasts. It's not the material. I love Kevin Smith 100%, it's the presentation that's off a little bit. I think I should just listen to the smods.

[Marina · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you listen to the podcasts you can hear them clear as day in your head as you read this. If you're already a fan, you know what to expect. If you aren't a fan and this is your first venture into Kevin Smith territory, I'd read his other stuff first maybe. This isn't my favorite book of his, but it's still hilarious. Always worth a read, and worth a spot on my bookshelf.

[angrykitty · Rating 3 out of 5]

ok.....here's the really weird thing...i've listened to the smith podcasts, so nothing in this book was really new, but it was still kinda funny. i think there's a lot lost though without being able to hear them actually talking....

[Linds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Transcripts from Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier's podcasts. While it's redundant because you can listen to it for free, it's edited and condensed to the funniest conversations so you don't have to listen to all the filler.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Kevin to death and think he is a fantastic at directing and writing film. But somewhere between a pickle in the behind and a wife's brain being put in the head of an eight year old girl, I lost complete interest in this one. At least it is finished.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have loved Kevin Smith since Clerks. He is the voice of my deranged generation. I found the Smodcast podcast stories interesting but listening to them is better. Still better than having nothing from the filmmaker.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

First 1/3 was hilarious. It got old after that, until the final installment about the vasectomy.

[Alesia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Actually I'm not done with this, but for the life of me I just cannot get into this one.

[Kevin Cole · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a fun read, but if you've listened to the podcast there's not much extra there. Still if you enjoy Smodcast go ahead and pick it up, there's numerous jems in there.

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Listen to the podcasts, skip the book

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is truly low-brow caveman humor, but it is hilarious! Recommended for a good belly laugh and relaxation at the end of a long day.

[Jani]

These SModcasts really aren't Kevin Smith's best material and it just doesn't work for me without his voice.

[Michæl · Rating 4 out of 5]

SModcast bookified..What more can I say?

[James M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic toilet book

[Tedi31]

Bought: January 15, 2014
Location: Booksale (Citiland)
Price: P50

[Klega50 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book because Smith talks to his friends on his Smodcast just like guys sit around and talk. Some pretty humorous talks.