Fans line up to get star’s autograph

Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 11/21/05

BY ALEX BIESE
AND DAN KAPLAN
STAFF WRITERS
RED BANK — Joe McLane began waiting in line at 5:15 a.m Sunday for a chance to meet one of Monmouth County’s biggest celebrities who doesn’t play the guitar.

The Hazlet resident was the first of an estimated 500 people who lined up to meet filmmaker and Highlands native Kevin Smith. He was in Red Bank Sunday to sign copies of a new DVD featuring appearances by him and comedic sidekick and actor Jason Mewes in three episodes of the critically acclaimed Canadian dramatic teen series “Degrassi: The Next Generation.”

Judging from the line that extended from Smith’s Broad Street store — Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash — and wrapped north around Mechanic Street, rocker Bruce Springsteen may have some competition for the Shore’s biggest draw. By 4:30 p.m., the line still was going strong.

“I think that Kevin Smith is a genius,” said Angela Kemper, 20, who drove five hours from the Boston suburb of Weymouth, Mass., to attend the autograph signing. “It’s kind of pathetic, but he’s my idol. I started writing because of him.”

Even Smith couldn’t explain his and his movies’ popularity.

“I don’t know what it is, man,” Smith said. “Since it’s all based locally, I guess that’s a big factor when you’re here, because you get a lot of Monmouth County folks showing up. But I don’t know, I guess it connects with them on some level, thank God.”

Not everyone was there to see Smith, though. He was joined at a table in the back of the store by Mewes and “Degrassi” stars Jake Epstein and Stacey Farber, both 18 of Toronto. The cable series, based at a high school, deals with important teen issues, such as pregnancy and AIDS, and has generated a loyal fan base in America.

“It’s different than other shows,” Mallory Szymczak, 16, of Toms River said. “It deals with real issues.”

Mewes and Smith’s DVD titled “Jay and Silent Bob Do Degrassi: The Next Generation” is a recording of their three-episode guest appearance on the show.

Smith admitted he was taken aback by having “Degrassi” fans in his comic book store.

“There’s mostly 16-year-old girls in the store,” said Smith, who is used to seeing young male adults at his appearances. “That’s not normal at all.”

Smith, whose last Red Bank autograph signing session lasted until 5 a.m. following an appearance at the Count Basie Theatre last April, said it is a thrill getting to meet the fans.

“It’s always nice,” Smith said. “It’s always a pleasure, but it’s kind of nerve-racking because we’re like, “God, I hope we get to everybody.’ But still it feels fantastic.”

Despite his massive popularity, Smith said he has never encountered a negative kind of fanaticism, thanks at least in part to the large amount of time he spends with fans.

“I don’t really have crazy fans,” Smith said. “I think a lot of that has to do with accessibility. We do things like this all the time, always hanging out on our Web site, posting and stuff like that.”

Smith has been in the area filming the sequel to his low-budget — it cost $28,000 to make — but wildly popular 1994 cult classic independent film “Clerks.” The sequel tentatively is being called “The Passion of the Clerks.”

Katie Martinez, 15, of Holmdel, who was in Red Bank with friends waiting in line for more than four hours, said Smith’s movies “are so funny. They’re the movies you never get sick of.”

Elliot Berard left his Rhode Island home with his friends around midnight, and arrived in Red Bank just before 6 a.m.

“This is the first time that I’ve ever been to a signing, and we just figured the line was going to be wicked long, so we left around midnight, wound up getting lost a couple of times, arrived here, and we ended up beating the crowd by a lot more than I thought we would,” Berard said.

Chuck Ruggiero of Middletown summed up the appeal of Smith’s films: “They’re just really funny. I don’t want to say they’re an escape necessarily, but it’s just a good time. All his movies are really good.”

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by Casey Tay

RED BANK, NJ - Fans waited from as early as 4:30 am at Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash in Red Bank, NJ for the DVD release of Jay & Silent Bob do Degrassi. Degrassi is a television show shot in Canada about a group of teens and their struggles with school, relationships, and other teen issues. Not only were Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes at the release, but Stacey Farber and Jake Epstein from Degrassi were there as well. This DVD is 3 episodes long and stars the whole Degrassi cast and features Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes.

Jake Epstein, Stacey Farber, Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith sign autographs for fans.

You might be wondering, “What are Jay and Silent Bob doing in Canada, and why are they at Degrassi Community School?” Well Kevin and Jason head north to make Jay and Silent Bob Go Canadian, eh? which is being filmed at Degrassi. “I was a big fan of the original Degrassi High, and I always wanted to be a part of it,” said Kevin Smith. Some of Kevin’s other directing and acting credits include Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, and Dogma. “It took a couple of years to make the whole Degrassi thing happen, but we finally did it, and it was amazing,” noted Kevin.

Samara Jordan wept as she described meeting her role model.

While a lot of fans were at the release November 20 to meet Kevin and Jason, a number of them were there to meet Degrassi cast members Stacey Farber and Jake Epstein. “Degrassi is an amazing show that helps kids deal with issues,” says 15-year-old Maddie Woods. Maddie is a very dedicated fan that traveled from Maryland to meet Stacey and Jake. “My friends and I have been waiting here since 7:30 in the morning, but it’ll be worth it when we meet Jake Epstein!” Another fan was very emotional about meeting Stacey Farber. “Her character and I have had a lot of the same problems, and she has helped me deal with them,” says 13-year-old Samara Jordan from Long Island, NY. “She’s my role model. Not just because she’s a celebrity, but because she has helped me in so many ways. It was such an honor to meet her.”

Casey Tay interviewed the Degrassi stars at Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash.

This reporter had a chance to talk to Stacey and Jake and found them to be two typical teenagers who just happened to be the stars of one of the hottest teen television shows on air. “Both of us are complete Kevin Smith fans and we were freaking out when we found out he was going to be on,” says Jake Epstein. Jake’s character Craig Manning is a bipolar musician who was abused by his father as a child. “Yeah, it was great shooting with Kevin and Jason. They’re both so funny!” Stacey Farber explained. Stacey’s character Ellie Nash cut herself because of her mother’s addiction to alcohol. Now that Degrassi is finished shooting, both Stacey and Jake plan on attending college in Toronto where the show was shot. Both of them also plan on continuing with their acting career. “I could really relate to Degrassi because it’s all about problems that every teen has to deal with,” Jake said.

Kevin Smith talked briefly about his experience as a student at Henry Hudson Regional School in Highlands.

Jake Epstein, Stacey Farber and Jason Mewes pose for a photo before the signing.

Catch Jay and Silent Bob do Degrassi on DVD in stores now.

And watch Degrassi on the N on Fridays at 10:00 p.m.

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