Comics Kevin Smith, Jason Mewes bring cult classic ‘Jay & Silent Bob’ to the Englert

Comedy duos are about as common as acid wash denim. Such humorous tandems as Martin and Lewis and Abbott and Costello are ancient history.

However, Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes, who will appear Friday at the Englert Theatre, are an anomaly, a comedic combo for more than a generation. But Smith and Mewes weren't assembled as an entertainment product. The pair, who have starred in an array of acclaimed films written and directed by Smith, such as "Clerks," "Chasing Amy" and Dogma," have been best friends since they were teenagers. Smith and Mewes, aka Jay and Silent Bob, who have their hand and sneaker prints in cement on Hollywood Boulevard, are like chocolate and peanut butter.

"We definitely go together," Mewes said while calling from his Los Angeles home.

The irony is that the verbose Smith plays Silent Bob and Mewes is Jay, the wise-cracking dope dealer, who has stolen many a film. When the tandem meets the press, Smith is usually the mouthpiece, and Mewes often chimes in succinctly.

"Kevin is hilarious, and he's such a great writer," Mewes said. "It's always a good idea to let him do the talking."

When Mewes, 51, read the script for Smith's 2022 film "Clerks 3," the quirky actor-stand-up couldn't help but crack up. "How could I not since it's just so funny, but it's more than just funny," Mewes said.

"Clerks 3" has a lot of laughs and the most heart of any Smith film. The uncompromising writer-director-actor-producer is a valentine for Smith die-hards, particularly those who love "Clerks," the lautow-budget indie film that launched the career of the New Jersey auteur. "Clerks 3" revisits such rough around the edge characters as obscene and selfish Randal and good natured Dante, who still work at a Jersey convenience store a generation after scoring jobs at the little shop.

"Clerks 3" is a meta film, which is kind of like experiencing the making of the original film. Randal has a heart attack and almost dies, just like Smith, who suffered a widowmaker in 2018. Randall realizes he's been watching films his entire life but never made his own. Randall and his pal Dante write and direct "Inconvenience," which is essentially "Clerks."

The film features Smith, who portrays Silent Bob with his co-conspirator Jay. Many of the highlights from "Clerks 3" and other Smith films is the amusing Mewes.

"I just find Jay to be so funny," Smith said while calling from his Los Angeles home. "That's how I felt when I met him. I had to find out if the rest of the world found Jay as funny as me."

If it weren't for Smith, Mewes’ life would most likely be different.

If Mewes never met Smith, the actor-comic believes he would have stayed in New Jersey. "I probably would be working as a roofer," Mewes said. "I worked for a guy who had a great house, drove a BMW and had an attractive wife, and he owned a roofing company. I thought if I owned a roofing company, maybe I could have that life too."

Fortunately, Mewes never turned his back on acting for manual labor. However, early in his career, Mewes augmented his income by working roofing jobs and delivering pizza.

"I remember dropping off a pie to somebody and they said, 'You were in that movie ‘Mallrats,’ right?’" Mewes recalled. "I said, 'Yes,' and then they said, 'Well, you don't need a tip!' That was just terrible. I can talk about that period or all of the amazing people I met because of acting."

Mewes admits to being intimidated by the late iconic comic George Carlin, who stole "Dogma."

"When we were working on ‘Dogma,’ George Carlin and Kevin would be talking about things, and I just didn't feel comfortable talking since both Carlin and Kevin are so smart," Mewes said. "But it was incredible working with Carlin and meeting (comic book legend) Stan Lee. It's been an amazing life, and so much of it has to do with meeting Kevin."

Mewes and Smith will deliver anecdotes during their "Aural Sects" tour at the Englert.

"Keven and I have gotten to a point in which there are just so many stories," Mewes said. "There is so much we can laugh about. We're still best friends after all of these years. We have such a blast talking about what's going on in our lives and telling jokes and stories."