Anyone interested in the indie film scene of the late 90s will be familiar with the name Kevin Smith. His career was marked by surprising highs and staggering lows. Through it all he has kept a quiet and humble demeanor, never forgetting how far he has come or the loyal fans who made it all possible.

What’s more, his tenure among the Hollywood elite has remained relatively free of scandal. Even as his close friends become entangled in allegations Kevin Smith continues to take the high road. With his constantly upbeat attitude and an inexplicable ability to stay out of trouble Kevin Smith may just be the most honorable man in Hollywood, and here’s the proof.

Humble beginnings

There is an old saying: write what you know. When your entire life essentially revolves around the counter of a convenience store in New Jersey, “what you know” can seem pretty limited. What was an aspiring filmmaker to do? Kevin Smith decided he would make the best of a boring situation. He crafted a charmingly simple narrative chronicling a day in the life of Dante Hicks, a convenience store cashier working behind the very same counter where Smith spent his days.

In fact, Kevin Smith was standing behind that very convenience store counter when he got the call that would change his life. His humble little $27,575 independent film had been accepted into the Sundance Film Festival. Clerks was well received at the festival, tied for the “Filmmakers Trophy”, and was eventually picked up for distribution by Miramax. The rest is history.

Defending his daughter

We have given them many names. Anons, trolls, haters, no matter what you call them, they are an unavoidable part of our online existence. This is especially true if you are a young woman whose father recently made a film called Yoga Hosers.

like most 17-year-olds, Harley Quinn Smith (that’s right. Kevin Smith named his daughter Harley Quinn. Jealous?) was no stranger to less than flattering comments on her Instagram posts. When Kevin found out about one such comment, of a particularly unsavory nature, he completely lost his cool and responded with some… seriously good advice.

Riddled with fatherly fury Smith penned a pointed response to the anonymous offender. He began with the appropriate level of emasculating outrage writing…

wow – way to unload on a teen girl because YOU have nothing to do in life.

Most would have stopped there, but Kevin then went on to provide an inspirational alternative to lashing out at strangers on the internet, suggesting…

here’s a nickel’s worth of free advice for folks like this Troll: if you hate me (or my kid) this much, the better use of your time is to make YOUR dreams come true, instead of slamming others for doing the same … Don’t bitch or punish the world: just create. Create something nobody’s ever seen before and there is a good chance the world will notice you. Attacking teen girls on the Internet is the saddest form of masturbation that exists and requires no discernible skill or talent. You want attention? Don’t make yourself mad, make something original and fun. Because if you’re not being useful in this world you’re being useless.

Kevin Does the Right Thing

In the heady days of his youth, Kevin Smith bore witness to a cinematic masterpiece. The fantastically farcical film, titled The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, chronicled the epic adventures of a multi-talented scientist/brain surgeon/rock star and his merry band of Hong Kong Cavaliers as they defended Earth from interdimensional invaders. Admit it, your interest is piqued.

Buckaroo Banzai and his friends would prove to be extremely influential to Kevin Smith. So it was truly a dream come true when MGM became interested in rebooting the film, in the form of an ongoing television series, and they wanted Kevin Smith to run the whole shebang. Of course, he leaped at the chance and it looked as if Smith would once again be in charge of a passion project. One that he could execute with his signature style of off the wall buffoonery and an almost fanatical devotion to the source material.

Sadly it looks as if the world will never see Buckaroo Banzai do battle with the villainous World Crime League, and it was Kevin Smith’s own hand that struck the fatal blow. For years the true ownership of the property has been the subject of intense legal debate. Upon learning that the creators of the Banzai universe would not support the production in any way, Smith took the only action his moral compass would allow. In a sudden and impromptu Facebook live stream he made his decision known.

I had literally no idea. I went to the internet to look up a Bedknobs and Broomsticks news story and found out that there was a lawsuit involving Buckaroo Banzai … What I’m saying is, respectfully to all parties involved, I’m out … I won’t sit there and know that because of me the people that created something that I loved, since my teenage years, are hurting.

Kevin Smith Stands for Justice

I would be remiss if I failed to mention the recent Hollywood sexual harassment and abuse scandals. This kind of abuse of power is nothing new (there is an entire genre of porn based on the idea of the “casting couch”), but it seems like the subject is now getting at least some of the attention it deserves. Though these actions warrant much more, monsters like Harvey Weinstein are beginning to see some repercussions for their despicable actions.

These revelations have cast a disturbing shadow over the glitz and glamour of tinsel town. However, this darkness has allowed a few heroes to shine through. Herein lies the final and ultimate proof of Kevin Smith’s virtue.

So outraged was Smith by the alleged acts of Harvey Weinstein, his longtime colleague, that he vowed to donate the residuals from his films associated with any of Weinstein’s production companies. Henceforth all of Kevin Smith’s residuals from films such as Mallrats, Chasing Amy, and even his directorial debut Clerks, shall be diverted to Women In Film, a nonprofit that helps women in the film industry achieve their dreams. He announced his decision on his podcast Hollywood Babble-On, stating…

I still get money for those movies, for the movies I made at Miramax and for the movies I made with Weinstein. The first thing I feel like I can do is, I don’t want that anymore.

Kevin Smith, an Inspiration to the Last

In February of 2018, Kevin Smith sent out a tweet that made every uber-fan’s heart skip a beat. Smith revealed that, during a stand-up comedy performance, he had been rushed to the hospital. He had suffered a “massive heart attack” that threatened to tear him from this mortal coil.

Even as he lay in the hospital, the grim specter of death still looming over him, Kevin Smith managed to be a good damned inspiration. In an Instagram post, he explained the ordeal and how it made him feel, writing…

As I stared into the infinite, I realized I was relatively content… I’ve gotten to do so many cool things and I’ve had so many adventures – how could I be shy about finally paying the tab.

Still not convinced? Let us know what you think in the comments!