Kevin Patrick Smith, born on August 2, 1970, in Red Bank, New Jersey, is an American filmmaker, actor, and podcaster. He rose to prominence with the low-budget comedy film Clerks (1994), where he played Silent Bob, one half of the stoner duo Jay and Silent Bob. These characters appeared in Smith's later films like Mallrats (1995), Chasing Amy (1997), Dogma (1999), Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001), Clerks II (2006), Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (2019), and Clerks III (2022).
Beyond his cinematic endeavors, Kevin Smith has ventured into the world of hockey jerseys, creating unique designs inspired by his films and characters. Let's delve into the history of these distinctive jerseys and the teams that sport them.
View Askew Vulgarians: A Dominant Force in VASHL
Founded as one of the Original Four VASHL teams, the View Askew Vulgarians have been a dominant force in the league since its inception. The View Askew Vulgarians hold two Walter Gretzky Cup championships, placing them among the most decorated franchises in VASHL history. The Vulgarians also hold a special place in VASHL history as the very first winners of the cup, capturing the inaugural championship in 2009.
The Vulgarians are one of a few VASHL franchises that have competed in both the Walter Gretzky Street Hockey Tournament and the September Classic, reinforcing their long-standing presence in league tradition.
The team boasts a bold and striking color scheme-white, scarlet red, and black-paired with imagery inspired by Vulgar the Clown, a character first designed by Walter Flanagan in 1993 as the logo for View Askew Productions. This design reinforces their deep connection to Kevin Smith’s View Askewniverse while fully embracing their unapologetic, in-your-face aesthetic. When Kevin Smith’s Puck U team entered the 3rd Annual Walter Gretzky Street Hockey Tournament in 2009, they brought the Vulgarians, Monroeville Zombies, and Leonardo Reapers with them, forming the first-ever VASHL teams.
Read also: A detailed look at Arthur Smith's career
The Vulgarians’ original captain, Mike McCutcheon, was a longtime member of Kevin Smith’s View Askew message board, personally hand-picked by Kevin to lead the team. For ten years, Mike guided the franchise with dedication and leadership, shaping its identity as one of the premier teams in the VASHL.
Alongside Mike, his brother James “Artist Jim” McCutcheon became the team’s longtime goaltender, earning recognition for his iconic “Vulgar the Clown” goalie mask, a striking piece of VASHL history that has been featured in media outlets numerous times. They were joined by Canadians Darryl Clarke and Paul Saunders, key figures who added their own leadership and competitive fire to the Vulgarians’ roster.
Key Players and Memorable Moments
Keith Boardman has long been the cornerstone of the View Askew Vulgarians, cementing his status as one of VASHL’s all-time greats. In 2013, when VASHL introduced the Most Valuable Player Award, known as “The Mooby”, Boardman became its first-ever recipient, a testament to his impact on the league. Nearly a decade later, in 2022, he once again claimed the prestigious honor, becoming the only player to win the award twice.
In 2015, the View Askew Vulgarians came painfully close to capturing their third Walter Gretzky Cup championship, only to have their hopes crushed in a dramatic final round-robin matchup. That same year, the Vulgarians welcomed a notable new addition to their roster: Ted Mader, father of Mallrats captain Jeff Mader and uncle of Stephen Noddin. His presence added an intriguing family connection to the rivalry, further intertwining the history of the two franchises.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Darryl Clarke, McCutcheon’s longtime second-in-command and the Commissioner of VASHL, stepped up as the new captain of the Vulgarians, ensuring the team’s continued presence and competitive legacy in the league.
Read also: Skyline Snow Goggle Performance
Their ability to dominate early, adapt to expansion, and build a lasting tradition of success has made them one of the most respected and celebrated teams in the league.
Custom Hockey Sweaters: A Marketing Ploy?
The movie-maker, TV personality, podcast king and former convenience-store clerk who made the No. 37 more famous in film than on the football field has launched a series custom hockey sweaters that add just another dimension to his marketing machine that would make George Lucas proud.
Among Silent Bob’s sweaters are a Buddy Christ (Dogma) homage, a Monroeville Zombies jersey (the team from Zack and Miri Make a Porno), and a Chicago Blackhawks spoof Bob Hawk jersey that just might be the one that started the whole series. Others include Clerks references, Fat Man on Batman (one of his podcasts where he opines on the legendary character now played by former co-star Ben Affleck), a parody of the KFC logo and a take on the bizarre character from a horror film called Tusk that just has to be seen to be not-believed.
The $199 sweaters are fully sewn Athletic Knit, or AK, jerseys with triple tackle twill patches emblazoned with Smith’s name and the No. For those wanting the look but on more of a budget - or want to wear the whole series - there is a also a Fan Series of polyester jerseys that are $99 a pop (same 14 logos) just not AK models.
That’s not all - you can buy “game-worn” jerseys, too - with all proceeds going to a charity called The Wayne Foundation. Smith’s “old” jerseys range from $1,000 to $1,400 and those include jerseys that are not available for purchase any other way, including odes to Darth Vader and Flash to name a few.
Read also: Features of Custom Hockey Gloves
Can’t swing a jersey just yet?
Kevin Smith Fatman Jersey Unboxing and Review
Clerks 3 and the New Jersey Devils: A Hockey Movie Dream?
Director Kevin Smith is finally set to begin filming the final installment of his signature series and the hockey movie he has wanted to make for years. And he can thank his favorite NHL team for the inspiration for both.
On his latest SModcast podcast, Smith announced his intention to direct Clerks 3 based on the New Jersey Devils and their unusual multi-headed coaching staff.
The Devils recently fired head coach Peter DeBoer and replaced him with a committee behind the bench, led temporarily by general manager Lou Lamoriello, and including former Capitals coach Adam Oates and longtime New Jersey assistant Scott Stevens. Coach Tommy Albelin and goalie coach Chris Terreri also remain on staff.
According to Smith, the Devils’ family of coaches helped him make the connection between the workaday lives of his Clerks protagonists and the hockey culture he had been trying to build a film around for almost a decade.
“Like, what if the Devs hired Randall and Dante, too, man,” Smith said to his podcast co-host and producing partner Scott Mosier, explaining his thought process and referencing the main characters from the previous two Clerks movies. “And everyone’s behind the bench and, like, giving the players tips and [expletive]. And what if they went on to win the [expletive] Stanley Cup?! That’d be [expletive] dope, dude, holy [expletive].“Then, I thought, oh, [expletive]. What if, like, the whole state of New Jersey was made coach of the Devils? Then every mother[expletive] in Jersey would get a day with the [expletive] Cup. So I thought, ‘I gotta write this [expletive] down.’”
Smith said Devils management was surprisingly game for the idea, a wild departure from the normally staid, buttoned-up public image of the team.
“I don’t know if they were smoking the same [expletive] I was at the time, but Lou was like, [expletive] yeah, sign us the [expletive] up,” Smith said.
Smith had been trying to make a hockey movie called Hit Somebody for years and recently spoke of it becoming a miniseries. But setting Clerks 3 around the Devils kills two birds with one puck, according to Smith.
Filming will begin in next fall, once financing has been finalized and he has cast the rest of the movie. In addition to returning Clerks stars Brian O'Halloran and Jeff Anderson, Smith said preliminary talks have already begun with actors Rosario Dawson, Michael Parks, Seth Rogan, Justin Long, John Goodman, Haley Joel Osment, Jason Mewes and Johnny Depp, who Smith hopes will play the 72-year old Lamoriello.
Smith did confirm that his Silent Bob character, which he has played in multiple movies, would return for Clerks 3.
“He’ll be the Devils play-by-play man. Silent Bob. That’d be [expletive] funny as [expletive], dude.”
While the concept of Clerks 3 revolving around the New Jersey Devils coaching staff may seem far-fetched, it underscores Smith's ability to blend his signature humor with his love for hockey.
View Askew Auction
View Askew has joined forces with Profiles in History - the movie prop auction house, to dump a bunch of cool props from their archives, just in time for the holiday. Auction starts live on Friday at 2pm EST/11am PST.
Auction Items
- Sewn in white t-shirt for comfort.
- Worn when he was directing.
- Catsuit.
- Earl Jeans knee length skirt and a gold bracelet.
- Movie set within a movie for Bluntman & Chronic.
- & Chronic world within an easy to read high tech display.
- Red bike but also the basket which carried Susanne the monkey.
- Hung and displayed or ridden.
- LOT 1122) 'IF YOU PLAN TO SHOPLIFT, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
The auction features a variety of props and memorabilia from Kevin Smith's films, offering fans a chance to own a piece of View Askew history.
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Apparel | Sewn in white t-shirt, Earl Jeans skirt, Gold bracelet |
| Props | Red bike with basket, Warning signs |
| Memorabilia | Movie set for Bluntman & Chronic |