'An Evening With Kevin Smith' proves to be deliciously raunchy
Tom Bukowski
Issue date: 4/21/05 Section: Entertainment
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Even though McHenry County may have not been ready for it, Kevin Smith pushed every button imaginable while answering audience questions. The sold-out performance took place on a Sunday evening (April 3) at the Raue Center, located in the Crystal Lake. While his swear-word to normal-word ratio was unimaginably high, Smith's most shocking language of the night was his many sexual references, most often referring to his own, um, manhood. It's understandable that Smith's obscene language is part of his public persona and even his personality, so those willing to look past the vulgarity were treated to a very entertaining night.
Every audience member brave enough to come up to the microphone was allowed just one question. But, in the spirit of anarchy, each and every audience member asked either multiple questions (one patron asked six) or two-part questions. One audience member, after claiming he loved Smith's movies so much he could recite the entire dialogue of his favorite scene from "Dogma," ended up taking Smith's place at the microphone and reciting the aforementioned speech. Halfway into the show, one fan currently working on graphics design for one of Smith's projects talked business with Smith for 20 minutes, alienating most of the audience. Structured this show certainly was not.
Unsurprising to those familiar with Smith's persona (and anyone paying attention), the majority of the evening consisted of Smith's playful banter with the audience members. Any female that walked up to the microphone was treated with Smith's version of flirting, which revolved around him making suggestive gestures and repeatedly bugging the females' boyfriends and husbands in the audience. Even male questioners were treated with Smith's own take on romantic relations; he encouraged one audience member that admitted his wife was at home with the kids to "get lucky" with the female friend he did take to the show - who just happened to be the family's baby-sitter.
While most performers that would undertake such lewd behavior would likely be kicked off the stage (or not have a film career in the first place), the rules changed for Kevin Smith on this night. The enthusiasm in the audience suggested that most of the patrons were die-hard Kevin Smith fans to begin with, so they were already accustomed to his raunchy banter.