Kevin Smith talks retirement with Larry King

Kevin Smith has announced that he will be retiring from directing after his next film, all the better to focus on his lucrative side-career as a Professional Kevin Smith — a job which encompasses a podcast empire, a Hulu series, a memoir, a role as “Kevin Smith, Podcast Host” on the AMC series Comic Book Men, various Twitter feuds, and a busy lineup of charmingly vulgar media appearances. With regards to the latter, Smith sat down with fellow meta-personality Larry King on Larry King Now and looked back longingly on his film career. Admitting that his 1994 indie breakout Clerks was intended as a “calling-card film,” Smith expressed surprise and gratitude that he managed to make any more movies. “Everything that followed [Clerks] was just beyond expectation,” he said. “It was like hoping for a kiss and getting the most amazing b—job you’ve ever had in your life.” In the video below, you can hear (but not see) King do a spit take.

Smith plans to retire after filming his next movie, the passion-project hockey tale Hit Somebody. No word yet on filming details, so this pre-retirement phase may last awhile.

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