At the Stone Pony, Kevin Smith says he's a big Bruce Springsteen fan

Kevin Smith knows who's Boss.

The writer and producer of "Clerks" shared his thoughts on seeing Bruce Springsteen in “Springsteen on Broadway” on April 27 at a packed Stone Pony in Asbury Park. Smith and pal Jason Mewes took the Pony stage, seated behind a table and microphones, in their “Jay & Silent Bob Get Old” podcast show.

“Honestly, it was (blanking) pretty awesome, and I say that as somebody who whenever they go to a live event, I'm generally really pretty jaded,” Smith said. “I'm really judgmental.”

“Springsteen on Broadway,” which co-starred Patti Scialfa, was performed at the Walter Kerr Theatre in 2017 and 2018, and the St. James Theatre in 2021. Smith did not specify which performance he attended.

“He's an incredible storyteller,” Smith said. “His stage presence was pitch perfect. He knew exactly how to be Bruce Springsteen for every person in that audience. He's so well-practiced in being himself I was literally blown away, and then I realized this guy has played for literally millions of people for the last 40, 50 years of his (blanking) life — of course he knows how to seduce the (blanking) crowd.

"He was so expert at it, man, and I became a much bigger fan and I got the book ('Born to Run'). This guy's (blanking) good beyond the songs. The songs are something we're gifted with at birth in this state, and it's just like you carry it like the pledge of allegiance but falling in love with the actual dude — it was like a whole different experience.”

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Smith and Springsteen have similar backgrounds. Both come from working-class homes in Monmouth County — Smith is from Highlands and Springsteen is from Freehold — and both found stardom in their respective fields and have branched out from there.

“I appreciate this guy not just for the artistry but how he knew how to be there for the crowd,” Smith said. “Nobody walked away unsatisfied ... my respect went through the roof.”

In 2022, Smith purchased the Atlantic Highlands movie theater and rebranded it as SModcastle Cinemas.

The Jay & Silent Bob Get Old show started as a podcast in 2010 in part to help Mewes stay sober. The performance at the Pony was presented by rock photographer Danny Clinch and his Sea Hear Now partners, Tim Donnelly and HM Wollman, as part of a new venture called Laffsbury Park.

Mewes, also from Highlands, has been sober for more than 13 years, he announced the stage. The duo also read a scene from an upcoming "Jay and Silent Bob" movie, and talked about previously visiting Asbury Park so Mewes could get treated at the city's Methadone clinic.

Tommy Stinson opened the show with a musical performance. Not only was it Smith's first time on stage at the Pony, it was also the first time the 53-year old had been inside the club, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

“This (blanking) place is known throughout the world,” Smith said.

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Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact him at @chrisfhjordan; [email protected] 

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Kevin Smith says he's a big Bruce Springsteen fan