It's well known that filmmaker Kevin Smith helped get his start in the business of making movies courtesy of Miramax co-founder Harvery Weinstein. Recently, Weinstein has been under a seemingly ceaseless reign of fire, after several decades-worth of claims that the Hollywood mogul has committed a series of inappropriate and vile sexual acts against his clientele and associates.
In the wake of the allegations made against Harvey Weinstein, many filmmakers have begun disassociating themselves with the Weinstein brand, and recently, Kevin Smith has joined the ranks of those taking a stand against the still-developing ordeal.
Just this past weekend, fanboy favorite filmmaker Kevin Smith announced via his "Hollywood Babble-On" podcast that he'd be donating any future residuals from all his Weinstein-linked projects to Women in Film, a nonprofit organization that nutures and supports female filmmakers. “My entire career is tied up with the man,” Smith said on his podcast, which had been recorded in front of a live audience. “It’s been a weird fucking week. I just wanted to make some fucking movies, that’s it. That’s why I came, that’s why I made ‘Clerks.’ And no fucking movie is worth all this. Like, my entire career, fuck it, take it. It’s wrapped up in something really fucking horrible.”
Shortly after making this statement, a fan who was in attendance at the live taping shouted out that what's transpired with Weinstein is not Smith's fault. While this is true, Smith felt compelled to clarify his stance on the matter by saying the following: “I’m not looking for sympathy. I know it’s not my fault, but I didn’t fucking help. Because I sat out there talking about this man like he was a hero, like he was my friend, like he was my father and shit like that, and he changed my fucking life. I was singing praises of somebody that I didn’t fucking know,” he added. “I didn’t know the man that they keep talking about in the press. Clearly he exists, but that man never showed himself to me. It all hurts, and it didn’t happen to me, but it all hurts.”
Of the many films that Weinstein helped get off the ground, Smith's CHASING AMY, JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK, JERSEY GIRL, ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO, CLERKS and CLERKS II are among them. Smith also mentioned that if the Weinstein Company were to be dissolved that the movies would lose their value. Additionally, Smith pledged to donate $2,000 to Women in Film every month for the rest of his life as a way of showing solidarity and support for all females in the business.