Tough Sh*t: Life Advice from a Fat, Lazy Slob Who Did Good [Hardcover]

Kevin Smith (Author)

Book Description

Release date: March 20, 2012

That Kevin Smith? The guy who did “Clerks” a million years ago? Didn’t they bounce his fat ass off a plane once? What could you possibly learn from the director of “Cop Out”? How about this: he changed filmmaking forever when he was twenty-three, and since then, he’s done whatever the hell he wants. He makes movies, writes comics, owns a store, and now he’s built a podcasting empire with his friends and family, including a wife who’s way out of his league. So here’s some tough shit: Kevin Smith has cracked the code.  Or, he’s just cracked.

 

Tough Sh*t is the dirty business that Kevin has been digesting for 41 years and now, he’s ready to put it in your hands. Smear this shit all over yourself, because this is your blueprint (or brownprint) for success. Kev takes you through some big moments in his life to help you live your days in as Gretzky a fashion as you can: going where the puck is gonna be. Read all about how a zero like Smith managed to make ten movies with no discernible talent, and how when he had everything he thought he’d ever want, he decided to blow up his own career. Along the way, Kev shares stories about folks who inspired him (like George Carlin), folks who befuddled him (like Bruce Willis), and folks who let him jerk off onto their legs (like his beloved wife, Jen).

 

So make this your daily reader. Hell, read it on the toilet if you want. Just make sure you grab the bowl and push, because you’re about to take one Tough Sh*t.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Kevin Smith is nicer than he lets on, thinner than he thinks, and smarter than almost anyone in the room. He has today’s world - and tomorrow’s – running for cover."

(Mitch Albom )

“I suspect @ThatKevinSmith is what all gods and demons aspire to be.”

(Neil Gaiman via Twitter )

“Kevin Smith is a force of nature: He makes movies, he writes books and stuff, he talks and then he talks some more. Maybe he’s less of a force of nature and more of a spreading cloud of secondhand weed smoke that is slowly infiltrating every medium available to us. Kevin Smith is the haze that binds us all.”

(Marc Maron )

“I certainly would never read anything written by Kevin Smith.”

(Tim Burton )

About the Author

A writer, comedian, podcaster, and film director, Kevin Smith has written and directed numerous films, including Clerks, Chasing Amy, Dogma, and Red State; authored Silent Bob Speaks, Shootin’ the Sh*t with Kevin Smith, and the New York Times bestsellers, My Boring-Ass Life and Batman: Cacophony. He can be heard daily at Smodcast.com, a vast network of podcasts. His body and belongings may be found in Los Angeles, but it’s a well-known fact that Smith actually lives on Twitter.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Gotham; First Edition edition (March 20, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9781592406890
• ISBN-13: 978-1592406890
• ASIN: 1592406890
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (91 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #186,852 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Just BE a Director... April 17, 2012

By Don Snyder VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

One of my favorite lines in the book isn't from the author at all -- it's from his sister. When Kevin told his sister he wanted to be a Director, she told him "then be a Director." Kevin agreed and said he was going to study and take classes, etc. She interrupted him and said "No, just BE a Director." And from that day on he thought as a Director and saw the world as a Director and wrote as a Director. It's a great lesson: don't "wait" to be something or "plan" to be something -- just BE something.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Welcome Return to Form April 20, 2012

By Joe Barlow

Format:Hardcover

The infuriating thing about Kevin Smith is his determination to hide his intelligence and sensitivity behind a cloud of vulgar profanity and fart jokes. CLERKS and CHASING AMY were the films that prompted me to start writing screenplays and making my own short movies, and for years I held him up as an indie role model, although I lost a bit of faith when Smith squelched his unique voice and began churning out mainstream-ish comedies like COP OUT and ZACK & MIRI. Smith feels my pain -- he's apparently upset with himself, too. But in this new quasi-autobiography, Smith writes with great pinnace about his life, his creative output, his family, and his role models. The result is an absolutely charming book, bordering on inspirational. Smith is often hilarious, but he occasionally delves a bit too far into the gutter for my tastes. (I read far more about his attraction to his wife's a**hole than I ever wanted to know, for instance.) But I couldn't put this book down, and I am pleased to announce that my faith has been restored. Well-played, sir. Well-played.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars The Life and Times of Kevin S March 29, 2012

By Noel TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover

Since I saw a headline on my RSS feed - "Fat Director kicked off flight" - and clicked on it, then (after reading the brief article surrounded by many ads) going to the Smodcast website, I've been hearing about Kevin Smith's life ever since. For a solid 2 years and change I've had Smodcast and its many, many attendant podcasts playing whenever I've had a long drive with myself or a walk to work or washing up and needing something non-musical. But having listened to the many entertaining stories Kevin has imparted, along with having seen his Q&A specials "Too Fat for Forty" and "Kevin Smith Burn in Hell", I realised after the first chapter of this book that for a person who shares everything, there's very little left to surprise someone who's been following along and listened to every story.

Smith uses his father as an example for the rest of the book - Don Smith was a man who worked 20 years in a job he hated (the US postal service) to provide for his family and then after a too-short retirement, died of heart failure, screaming. The message to Smith was clear - never do a job you hate, never have regrets so when the time comes, you won't go out in as much pain.

From there we get a whirlwind look at Smith's career, the story of "Clerks", and a brief synopsis of every film made since then. The filming of "Cop Out" and his clashes with Bruce Willis are documented, as well as the filming of "Red State" which takes up several chapters. What became known as the "Too Fat to Fly" incident with South West is detailed, and a loving final chapter to his wife Jennifer Schwalbach closes out the book along with a short note from their daughter Harley Quinn Smith....

But for most Kevin Smith fans looking for something new or different from what Kevin usually blogs/tweets/podcasts about? It's not in this book. "Tough S---" is basically a summary of Kev's career as well as a look into the memorable events of the last couple of years, all of which has been thoroughly talked about through Kevin's many podcasts. I suppose for those who haven't been following the pods this is a good place to get his thoughts on the South West incident, Bruce Willis, and Red State, but for those who have, the book might seem like a lot of re-heated material.

That said, the book's message is put out clearly - if I can do it, so can you. Kevin is the encouragement any artist reading this book might lack and, with it, that artist might go on and create and find confidence in their work and create more. And for that alone, this book is worth it.

Despite the feeling of déjà vu I felt while reading it, Smith writes so fluidly (a theme in and of itself in the book) and with such verve, humour, and intelligence, the book is never dull and having read some other reviews of this book, he is clearly an inspiration to many readers. For anyone looking for a book that markets itself as a self-help book but is really a series of funny essays in the life of a charming and gifted storyteller, this book can do no wrong. A quick read but fun, "Tough S---" is a good time with common sense wisdom amid the jokes. Read more ›

14 of 20 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Poor October 6, 2012

By Alex1900

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Sorry to die-hard Kevin Smith fans, but I found this book sh*t myself. It started well and seemed to be about to impart some wisdom about life, following the quick death of the author's father. The part about Bruce Willis was even interesting - though one-sided obviously. But the rest of the book was hard to finish - full SO much self-congratulation and seemingly based on so little. By the time he gets to the part about being thrown off the plane it is an outright rant which makes him come across as whiney and self-important. There is an undercurrent of "do they know who I am?" to the whole story which makes it hard to sympathise with him. By the time you skim to the end and find that the end of the book is just a list of all (and I mean all) the places where he did his show, you end up thinking he is a self-important dick who hasn't done much of interest to the majority of us (I am excluding the die-hard fans) for years, but thinks he is innovative, groundbreaking and important somehow. He is not, he doesn't write well and there is likely a reason he had to find such "innovative" ways to distribute his more recent work...

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome book!! February 8, 2013

By K.

Format:Audio CD

This book was AWESOME!!!! I have always enjoyed Kevin Smith as a filmmaker and have watched a few videos of his Q&A's. So, I kinda knew what to expect. I decided to take the lazy route and listen to the audio book which lucky me was narrated by Kevin Smith!

Who knew Kevin would be so insightful? Made me want to get off my duff and do more work with my art mostly because I do not have much of an excuse for not doing it. I feel anyone in the arts should check this book out because it is a rather inspiring kick in the pants from an unlikely source!

I loved the honesty and the general FU to the corporate machine that is the entertainment industry. It is great to hear someone else with the view that it is more important to share the art than fill the coffers.

I may have to add Kevin to my list of Directors I not so secretly crush upon. He may even be tied with Quentin Tarantino! Well, a close second cause really who can compete with QT?

Silent Bob always prolific when he chooses to use his words! It will be a sad day when he finally does hang up his director's cap!