Exclusive Interview: Jay Mewes talks new Cartoon Movie, working with Kevin Smith, and more!

You know, the actual script itself was written by Kevin so I’m not sure of the inspiration behind, you know, the actual script and all that – the characters. Of course Jay and Bob are in it and there are some female – and all the villains and all the story that is being told is from Kevin. So – but the actual, you know, the actual getting it going is – I told Kevin when I first got sober again that after a couple of months I was telling him like, “Hey man, I really want to do different stuff, you know. I have a couple of small movies I’m doing – different stuff. But I really want to try something different like directing or producing.” I directed a music video at that point, I really enjoyed it. And I was just saying I want to change it up. So he’s giving me the script and he said, “Here, man.” He said, “See what you can do with this. You can produce this.” And I really didn’t know much of what I was doing but I knew that I had to first off see how long it would take to animate, how much money and if I could find an animator.

And I decided to go with a gentleman named Steve Stark who is a guy who does the SModimations on our YouTube channel. And I just think he’s brilliant like, yes, his animation is not like Pixar or The Incredibles or anything crazy but, you know, he gives his own storytelling to it which is amazing. Like he brought to life the stuff that was written down – the narration, like Jay walks over and does this and does this. He brought all that stuff to life and it’s really awesome. So I’ve got him on board. We did about ten minutes. I showed Kevin and Kevin forgot about it. It was two months later and he’s like, “Man.” I was like, “Hey do you want to see that cartoon it has a script? I got like 10 minutes done.” And he saw it – he loved it and he’s like, “Oh, man, this is awesome. We gotta get, you know, some people.” So we started going through names. Eliza Dushku we got Neil Gaiman and Ralph Garman and Jon Lovitz. And we just got all these really cool people to chip in and do voice-overs stuff. And then after we got, you know, almost done with the cartoon he’s like, “Well what are we gonna do with it?” And he was like, “Hey, let’s tour it like Red State, you know. We’ll go on the bus. We’ll go city to city. We’ll show the movie.”

So that’s gonna be awesome. I get to sit and watch, you know, audiences watch the movie and see how they react. If they find it funny or not funny. And hopefully it will be all funny. Do a little Q and A and a little podcast. Play a game, let us go. And I think that’ll be a blast man, I think it’ll – I’m really excited because people will get to not only just see a cartoon movie and sit down and watch a movie with them, we’re gonna sit and do a Q and A and they’ll get to ask questions. And then they’ll get to be part of the show by playing the games and doing little a little interactive. So…

But really I feel it takes somebody – you know, it takes sort of a knack and the piece by  don’t get me wrong, my friends are funny in the podcast that we did, the tryouts, if you will. But it really wasn’t until Kevin was like, “Hey, you know. You can talk about doing this. You’ve done some tryouts. You haven’t been able to find your partner. Let’s do one together and we’ll do it and it’ll be Jay and Bob. We’ll talk about your drug history or reading, our friendship, or shooting movies together. All that.” And so I don’t know. It’s just, you know, I feel grateful that – and glad that Kevin, you know, decided to, “Hey, let’s do this together.” So…

That’s really, really cool. And we’re all over at Bubbleblabber we are real big fans of the, you know, Smodcast and all – pretty much everything that you guys put out is just – has a direct line to all of our funny bones. So just keep doing exactly what you’re doing.

Thank you very much, man. I appreciate it. Again, it’s fun and that’s, you know, one of the things I love about it. I love that people listen and, you know, have been a… It’s been a big help play in my sobriety let alone it just being fun and people being sweet and meeting cool people and different people. I’m all over the place and touring in cities. You know, it’s been a big help listening to people. You know, I’ll be going into Starbucks and I’ll hear, “So, hey, I listen to your podcast. How long you have?” Like that – it’s just something I didn’t even expect and it’s just awesome. So, thank you.

Definitely. Definitely. So, what’s it like going from like just a regular kid from Highlands to going global and being recognized all over the world. Like, what’s that like?

It’s – you know, it’s pretty interesting. I gotta say it’s pretty interesting.

(Off camera convo)

Sorry. You know, it’s been awesome because especially like when we put the Australia tour up on the Internet – I mean, when we put it up our ticket sales, you know, it sold out. Like one of them sold out in like three days. And, to me, that was just – I couldn’t believe it. Like I was shocked that all in Australia that, you know, people listen to the podcasts and let alone listen to it, they were psyched to come see it live and everything. So, you know, it is something I didn’t expect. Like, of course, I figured with the movies and stuff that there possibly was, you know, definitely there’s people who watch the movies and maybe dug the podcasts, like one or two people here and one or two people there. But I had no idea that, you know, we’d be able to go to five different cities in Australia and almost all of them sell out. So that was just like awesome and I’m very grateful. So…

You’ve been on TV. Now you’re producing. You’ve been a comic book character. What’s next? Where do you – do you make a rap album, a Steve-O rap album or something? What do you do next?

Oh, you know. I don’t know. I mean I want to be against doing that. If I felt like I’d be able to, you know, do it well enough that people would be entertained or enjoy it. You know what I mean? I mess around sometimes. Like I’ve messed around at my buddy’s studio. I actually just did something with my friend. We went to a recording studio and we did a little rap together. But, you know, it’s hard for me to really – to judge how to combine it. It’s hard for me to judge and listen to myself because, of course, when I listen to it I’m like, “Wow, I sound silly.” And I probably do but I don’t know.

So, what my point is I definitely ain’t against – I wouldn’t be against doing that. I’m definitely into trying different stuff. Like I really want to direct. I directed a music video and I’d love to try and direct another music video. Then maybe a short film and sort of start gaining my confidence and then eventually, you know, directing a feature. And then I’m always willing to produce stuff and try to help out and do stuff. So I mean I don’t know what’s next, man. But I’m definitely willing to try whatever and see maybe – maybe I still haven’t found my calling.

Well, you’ve done a good job so far. I’ll tell you that much.

Thank you very much.

 So, this isn’t really your first attempt at cartoons. I mean, there was the Clerk’s animated series way back in the day. What was different now than it was then. I mean it had major backing then and everything like that. What’s so different now?

 Oh, I mean I definitely think the thought of this being much different. It’s been more about getting other people to coordinate schedules and find out if they’re willing to do it. You know, my wife was a big – it’s definitely different this time. My wife does a huge part of putting this together. Her and I put together – in the beginning it was just her and I putting everything together with Steve Stark of course. But coordinating, asking people, “Hey dude. You know, here’s the project. Here’s the character. Do you want to do it.” And then if they say yes then we get three or four people to say yes and we’re here at two hours at this soundstage and have them come in and do the voiceovers. I got to sit there and direct a little bit, you know, some of the people who came in. If Kevin wasn’t there I got to do it.

You know, it’s just my wife being part of it was definitely a big difference. Me setting up the voice-over people or the people to come in and do it and keeping the schedule going on time – I got to do all that, where the Clerks cartoon was amazing but I – it was mainly me coming into, you know, a sound stage and sitting down with Jeff and Brian O’Halloran and whoever else and go over the characters back and forth, back and forth just reading the script out loud. Getting to wear my PJs is awesome but, you know, I got to do that when I did my character voice-over for this movie. But, yeah, definitely then it was just me going in, doing a part, just sort of like a movie, you know. Like me going into someplace, I have to be there at this certain time and I can’t leave until this time. You know what I mean?

Yep.

So, you know, it’s definitely – that was definitely a big difference.

That’s pretty neat.

Definitely.

So, all right. That’s pretty much all I’ve got. You definitely hit the nail on the head, sir.

Well, thank you very much, man. I appreciate it and thanks for calling and hopefully when we get to Jersey you’ll get to come out and watch the cartoon, man. It’ll be fun.

I will be there with bells on, sir. I always am. And thank you very much for calling in and letting us interview you and everything like that. And I can’t wait to see the flick.

Pretty neat huh?? Exclusive news that there will be a New Jersey date on this tour! Check out the trailer, tour dates, and more about the JAY & SILENT BOB’S SUPER GROOVY CARTOON MOVIE!

Special thanks to JohnBlabber for setting up the interview and Stacey Unbreakable for Executive Producing/Technical Directing. You really know how to make a gal feel loved.

Snoogins!!!

ChefRich