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{{Infobox character
| colour = #DEDEE2
| name = Jason "Jay" Derris and Robert "Silent Bob" Blutarsky
| image = [[Image:Jay and silent bob strike back1.jpg|250px]]
| caption = ''Jay and Silent Bob during the events of ''[[Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back]]''
| first = ''[[Clerks]]''
| last = ''[[Clerks II]]''
| cause =
| nickname = Jay and Silent Bob
| alias = [[Bluntman and Chronic]]
| species =
| gender = Male
| age = Early 30s
| born = 1970s
| death =
| occupation = [[Drug dealers]]
| title =
| family =
| spouse =
| children =
| relatives =
| episode =
| portrayer = [[Jason Mewes]] and [[Kevin Smith]]
| creator = [[Kevin Smith]]
}}

'''Jason "Jay" Derris and Robert "Silent Bob" Blutarsky''' are [[fictional character]]s portrayed by [[Jason Mewes]] and [[Kevin Smith]], respectively, in Kevin Smith's [[View Askewniverse]]. They have appeared in all of Smith's films with the exception of ''[[Jersey Girl (2004 film)|Jersey Girl]]''. The duo are [[cannabis (drug)|marijuana]] dealers (in ''Clerks'', they sell other drugs as well) who spend most of their time standing outside store fronts in order to sell their product. The duo express great interest in [[John Hughes (film director)|John Hughes]]' films, especially ''[[Sixteen Candles]]'', the movie ''[[Purple Rain (film)|Purple Rain]]'', heavy metal musician [[King Diamond]] and the funk and dance-pop ensemble [[The Time (band)|Morris Day and the Time]].

On [[January 18]], [[2008]], [[Internet Movie Database]] users voted them the greatest comedy team to appear in multiple movies together [http://imdb.com/poll/results/2008-01-18].

==Origins==
As depicted in an early scene of the film ''[[Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back]]'', Jay and Silent Bob were born in [[Leonardo, New Jersey]], in the early 1970s, and met when they were infants in front of the Quick Stop Groceries while their mothers shopped inside the store. Jay curses a lot, apparently due to his over-bearing mother, who is shown using continuous profanity in front of him. His alleged first word was [[fuck]].

Of the duo, Jay usually takes the role of the leader, because Silent Bob, as his nickname suggests, seldom talks. Bob only speaks to deliver insightful monologues to the other characters, which he does very rarely in appropriate situations. With the exception of occasional, quiet and muffled laughter, he relies on gestures to communicate. In ''Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back'', he gets angry when Jay does not understand his gestures and ''yells'' at Jay, for perhaps one of the first times in character.

Silent Bob's distinguishing features are his heavy smoking, long [[coat]] often with a blank pin (an homage to [[Grant Morrison]]'s "The [[Invisibles]]"), and backwards [[baseball cap]]. Jay's distinguishing feature is his long blond hair. In several of the later [[View Askewniverse]] films Jay wears a black [[touque]], which has also become a well-known feature.

Silent Bob was raised [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]] and is an electrical [[genius]], he often appears to be the more clean-minded or intelligent of the two and when he does speak, he often has something profound or intelligent to say. Despite this, he is typically shown in his speeches and gestures to be almost as foul-minded and foul-mouthed as Jay.

According to Kevin Smith, Jay's full name is supposed to be Jason Derris, and is the younger brother to Rick Derris, a character who makes an appearance in ''Clerks'', but the relationship is not mentioned. According to the animated series, Silent Bob's full name is revealed to be Robert [[Blutarsky]], which is a nod to [[Animal House]].

==Filmography==
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:JayAssBob.gif|thumb|left|Jay and Silent Bob in ''Clerks'']] -->
===Clerks (1994)===
{{main|Clerks}}

''Clerks'' is the first film to feature Jay and Silent Bob. In the View Askewniverse continuity, its events take place the day after ''Mallrats''. Jay and Silent Bob return to their primary business location in front of Quick Stop. Throughout the day, they are seen harassing passersby, dancing and loitering. Silent Bob enters the store to buy powdered sugar, presumably to sell as cocaine, while Jay simply goes inside to steal food. They also deal marijuana to various individuals and pedestrians (including Willam Black), much to the chagrin of Quick Stop clerk [[Dante Hicks]].

===Mallrats (1995)===
{{main|Mallrats}}

One day prior to the events in ''Clerks'', Jay and Silent Bob are busy loitering at the [[Eden Prairie Center Mall]]. There they are met by [[Brodie Bruce|Brodie]] ([[Jason Lee (actor)|Jason Lee]]) and T.S. ([[Jeremy London]]), who have broken up with their girlfriends - Rene ([[Shannen Doherty]]) and Brandi ([[Claire Forlani]]), respectively - earlier that day. As fate would have it, a local game show called "Truth or Date", which is set to feature Brandi, is to be filmed at the mall that day. Brodie asks Jay and Silent Bob to make sure that the show doesn't happen, and Jay says they were going to destroy the stage anyway, for lack of having anything better to do.

They make several attempts to destroy the stage, thereby sabotaging the show, but ultimately fail. Later, however, they successfully help Brodie and T.S. win back their girlfriends. Jay incapacitates the male contestants on "Truth or Date" by getting them stoned, which allows Brodie and T.S. to take their places. Silent Bob overrides the production's video input, allowing him to play a video tape of Rene's new boyfriend, Shannon Hamilton ([[Ben Affleck]]), having sex with a minor. The movie concludes with Brodie and T.S. each reconciling their respective relationships, and Jay and Silent Bob walk off into the distance with an [[orangutan]] named Susanne (the same one from [[Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back]]).

In this movie, we also find out that Silent Bob is an electronics genius and won a science fair in 8th Grade by turning his mom's vibrator into a CD Player by using "[[chicken wire]] and shit".

===Chasing Amy (1997)===
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Bluntman3.jpg|thumb|150px|right|''Bluntman and Chronic'', Issue #3]] -->
{{main|Chasing Amy}}

In the years since the events of ''Clerks'', Jay and Silent Bob have found out about likeness rights that [[comic book]] artists [[Holden McNeil]] ([[Ben Affleck]]) and [[Banky Edwards]] ([[Jason Lee (actor)|Jason Lee]]) use, the two artists created a popular independent comic book series entitled ''[[Bluntman and Chronic]]'' which stars the duo.

This film centers around Holden's romantic relationship with [[Alyssa Jones]] ([[Joey Lauren Adams]]), a self-identified [[lesbian]]. Though their love is initially strong, the relationship begins to deteriorate due to Holden's discovery of Alyssa's past. Towards the end of the film, Jay and Silent Bob meet Holden to accept their likeness rights payment, and during this meeting Silent Bob relates with Holden's situation, and tells him the story of his former girlfriend, Amy.

Silent Bob explains, in his longest speech to date, that he once dated a girl named Amy, and much like in Holden's relationship with Alyssa, he became disturbed at the revelation of Amy's sexual past, specifically the fact that she engaged in a [[threesome]]. Upon discovering this, he broke up with her only to realize, much later, that he was wrong. He was not angry at her, he felt small and insecure - as if he would never be enough given his lack of experience. But by the time he realized this, it was too late, and she had moved on. He has since spent his life "Chasing Amy," so to speak.

Inspired by Silent Bob's story, Holden devises a plan to fix his relationship with Alyssa, but it is too late. After passing the reins of power over the Bluntman and Chronic comic, Holden thereafter creates a new comic ''Chasing Amy'' based on the relationship.

===Dogma (1999)===
{{main|Dogma (film)}}

After their disappointing adventure to the fictional [[Shermer|Shermer, Illinois]] (the events of which are chronicled in the comic book story "[[Chasing Dogma]]"), Jay and Silent Bob decide to go back home to [[New Jersey]]. Before they leave, they meet Bethany Sloane ([[Linda Fiorentino]]), an [[abortion]] clinic worker.

Bethany is the last living relative of [[Jesus]] (a distant niece) and she has been charged with the holy quest of stopping two fallen angels, Bartleby ([[Ben Affleck]]) and Loki ([[Matt Damon]]), from entering a church in [[New Jersey]]. After these two angels were expelled from Heaven after Loki gave God the finger, they realize that there is a loophole in this, and they will have to lose their wings and die by some other means than suicide, in order to get back in. Bartleby decides that by going to the church in New Jersey, this will automatically forgive all of their sins, allowing them to return to Heaven. Though they don't know it, if the two were to return to heaven this way, they would overturn God's decision, thus "proving God wrong" and unmaking all of existence (since all of existence is based on the absolute fact that God is infallible). The [[Metatron]] ([[Alan Rickman]]) tells her that she is to follow two people who refer to themselves as "[[prophet]]s;" later Jay and Silent Bob meet her, and when Jay mentions that he "could have stayed in Jersey and at least made himself a ''profit,"'' Bethany comes to the conclusion she needs to follow them back to New Jersey. Though initially only interested in sex, Jay and Silent Bob agree to let her come with them. The three begin their journey encountering an [[Twelve apostles|apostle]], a former [[muse]], and a host of demons on the way. Silent Bob also makes a seldom speech, using it as a comical speech, after knocking out one of the rebel angels ("No tickets", a reference to ''[[Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade]]'').

Jay and Silent Bob fill out their roles as prophets, predicting the arrival of Rufus ([[Chris Rock]]), the thirteenth apostle, who was left out of the [[Bible]] because he was black; leading them to Serendipity ([[Salma Hayek]]) the former muse; coming up with an idea of how to stop the angels; Jay reveals the location of God (John Doe Jersey); and ultimately, though inadvertently, providing Bethany the solution to preventing Armageddon.

Once at the church, Jay and Silent Bob, along with the others, try to stop the angels from entering. However, Loki had a role reversal and tried to help them out, but got killed in the process by Bartleby). Though unsuccessful (in fact, Jay accidentally helps Bartleby out by shooting his wings off with a [[MAC-10]], turning him to a mortal), [[God]] ([[Alanis Morissette]]) arrives, due to the efforts of Bethany and Silent Bob, and proceeds to set things in order. The movie ends with Jay suggesting that he and Silent Bob take Bethany to the Quick Stop.

===Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001)===
[[Image:Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back DVD.jpg|thumb|156px|''Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back'']]
{{main|Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back}}
The film takes place in the early [[2000s]], nearly ten years after the events of ''Clerks''.
Due to their excessive noise-making and drug dealing, Randal Graves gets a [[restraining order]] against Jay and Silent Bob that prohibits them from coming within one hundred feet of the Quick Stop or RST Video. Having no place to go loiter at, they decide to pay a visit to Brodie. There they learn that [[Miramax Films]] is making a "Bluntman and Chronic" movie. Brodie tells them they should go see Holden McNeil, co-creator of the characters, and ask for the money that belongs to them for using their likenesses in the film.

They visit Holden McNeil ([[Ben Affleck]]), only to find out that he has sold his half of the rights to "Bluntman and Chronic" to the other co-creator, Banky Edwards. Holden introduces them to the internet, where they discover that a number of people have bashed the upcoming movie and insulted Jay and Silent Bob numerous times. No longer concerned with the money, Jay and Silent Bob decide that they must defend their honor, and embark on a trip to Hollywood to stop the movie from being made and save their reputations.

After being kicked off of a bus for not having tickets, they decide to hitchhike there. Unable to hitch a ride, they learn from another hitchhiker ([[George Carlin]]) that, according to the ''Unwritten Book of the Road'', they are expected to give [[oral sex]] in exchange for a ride. After being picked up by a nun ([[Carrie Fisher]]), Jay confuses her adherence to [[the Bible]] (or "the Book" as she calls it) as a request for oral sex. This miscommunication results in them being kicked out of the vehicle, left to hitchhike once again.

The next vehicle to offer a ride is the [[Mystery Machine]], where our heroes run afoul of the gang from [[Scooby-Doo]] (fortunately the ugly incident turns out to be a mere [[Dream sequence|dream-sequence]]). At last Jay and Silent Bob stop at a local [[Mooby the Golden Calf|Mooby]]'s restaurant whereupon Jay falls victim to [[love at first sight]]: the object of his attention is Justice ([[Shannon Elizabeth]]), an international jewel thief posing as an [[animal rights]] activist. Justice offers them a ride under the pretense that they are traveling cross country to release animals from an animal testing facility, much to the chagrin of her partners Chrissy ([[Ali Larter]]), Missy ([[Jennifer Schwalbach Smith]]), and Sissy ([[Eliza Dushku]]).

Also with them is a genuine animal rights activist ([[Seann William Scott]]), who becomes the target of Jay's aggression, as he sees him as a barrier to getting with Justice. After tricking him into saying he that he would have sex with a sheep, Jay ejects the naive tag-along from the vehicle. Having lost their patsy, the jewel thieves are forced to use Jay and Silent Bob instead, convincing them to steal an [[ape]] from an animal testing facility as a diversion for when they break into the [[Colorado]] Diamond Exchange.

Once inside the facility, Jay and Silent Bob find a [[tranquilizer]] gun and the ape, an [[orangutan]] named Suzanne. After springing her from her cage, Silent Bob becomes sympathetic for the other animals, so they let them loose as well. In the mean time, Missy, Chrissie, Sissy, and Justice escape with the diamonds and place a bomb on the van. Jay and Silent Bob witness the van explode, and assume that Justice is dead. They manage to escape just as the authorities arrive.

Federal Wildlife Marshall Willenholly ([[Will Ferrell]]) arrives to take over the case, as it involves the release of animals. He tracks Jay, Silent Bob and Suzanne to a small diner. However, Jay, Silent Bob, and Suzanne are able to escape, as they convince Willenholly that they are actually a [[homosexual]] couple, and that Suzanne is their love child. Willenholly eventually discovers the ruse, and gives chase, but they escape.

Suzanne is subsequently taken by the occupants of a car labeled “Critters of Hollywood.” Jay laments that they will never see Suzanne again, only to have Silent Bob explain that the sign on the car indicated that they will probably meet up with her in Hollywood.

They are eventually able to hitch a ride and make it to Hollywood. There they evade a security guard ([[Diedrich Bader]]) and make their way through multiple movie sets, including ''[[Good Will Hunting]] 2: Hunting Season''. They are reunited with Suzanne on the set of ''[[Scream (film)|Scream]] 4'', where Suzanne played the part of a masked killer. Pursued by a group of security guards, they are able to escape by riding a bicycle over a ramp, propelling them through the window of a nearby building.

By sheer luck, they land in the dressing room of [[James Van Der Beek]] (of ''[[Dawson's Creek]]'') and [[Jason Biggs]] (of ''[[American Pie (film)|American Pie]]''), who happen to be playing Jay and Silent Bob in ''The Bluntman and Chronic Movie''. Silent Bob is somewhat upset that his comic-book counterpart is being played by the "[[American Pie (film)|pie fucker]]".

After learning this, Jay and Bob form a huddle in the corner and decide to beat up Biggs and Van Der Beek, but while their backs are turned Suzanne does this for them. Jay and Silent Bob then give the monkey the tranquilizer gun and set her loose in the ventilation ducts. They put on the Bluntman and Chronic outfits, so they won't be noticed, but are mistaken for Biggs and Van Der Beek, and are escorted to the set of the "Bluntman and Chronic" movie. Despite the fact that they do not know what they are doing, once on set, filming begins. Jay and Silent Bob battle with Bluntman and Chronic's arch nemesis, Cockknocker ([[Mark Hamill]]), eventually cutting off his hand (in reference to ''[[Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back]]'').

At this point, Justice enters the set to confess her love for Jay and admits her profession as a professional jewel thief. A nonchalant Jay forgives her and they kiss. Willenholly reappears with a shotgun, soon followed by Missy, Chrissie and Sissy. Justice and Sissy fight hand to hand, while Missy and Chrissie get into a gun battle with Willenholly. During the commotion, Jay and Silent Bob locate Banky Edwards and demand their money. After Banky refuses, Silent Bob breaks his silence and explains why Banky can be sued if he doesn't acquiesce to their demands. Banky finally agrees to give them half of whatever he makes from the movie.

After the fighting is over, Willenholly stands up, believing he killed Missy and Chrissie. Suzanne takes this opportunity to shoot him in the [[buttocks]] with a tranquilizer dart, incapacitating him. Justice uses the situation to her advantage and offers Willeholly an opportunity to get into the [[FBI]] by turning herself in along with Missy, Sissy, and Chrissie as long as she gets a reduced sentence and the charges against Jay and Silent Bob are dropped. He agrees and Justice tells Jay to wait for her. Banky approaches Jay and Silent Bob and tells them that they are now rich. Jay expresses his displeasure at the fact that, despite all of their efforts, they were still unable to stop the internet based insults. Realizing that there is nothing they can do, short of beating everyone up, to stop the insults, they decided to do just that: they purchase plane tickets and beat up anyone who insulted them on the internet.

After their revenge was complete, ''The Bluntman and Chronic Movie'' was premiered back in New Jersey. It was a huge box-office flop, and none of the viewers, except for Willenholly, enjoyed it. One referred to it as "a 90-minute long gay joke, like watching ''[[Batman & Robin (film)|Batman & Robin]]'' all over again." After the big premier, Jay and Silent Bob put on a huge after-party with [[Morris Day and the Time]] providing entertainment.

===Clerks II (2006)===
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Clerks2Poster2.jpg|thumb|156px|right|''[[Clerks II]]'']] -->
{{main|Clerks II}}

This movie takes place ten years after the events of ''Clerks''. Now in their early 30s, Jay and Silent Bob had recently bought a car, but they were pulled over for driving with a deployed airbag. During the search, the police found a stash of marijuana and they were sentenced to six months of rehabilitation, where they become devout Christians.

Once out of [[rehab]], they are clean, but they humorously still continue to deal. The [[Quick Stop]] that Dante worked at was burned down in a fire due to Randal leaving the coffee pot on, and he and Randal moved over to the [[Mooby the Golden Calf|Mooby]]'s fast food restaurant. Jay and Silent Bob follow them there, and are up to their usual antics, such as dealing drugs and mooning people inside of the restaurant.

At one point during the movie, Jay, out of sheer boredom, dances to the song "[[Goodbye Horses]]" by [[Q Lazzarus]]. He parodies the exact same dance done by Buffalo Bill in ''[[The Silence of the Lambs (film)|The Silence of the Lambs]]'', complete with the "tuck".

Near the end of the movie, they are jailed with Randal, Dante, and Elias, who hired a [[donkey show]] to celebrate Dante moving away. Jay and Silent Bob were charged for possession of drugs, which violated their probation. Randal has the idea to reopen the Quick Stop with Dante, but neither of them have the money, so Jay and Silent Bob offered them the ''Bluntman and Chronic'' movie royalty money they earned that will be needed to reopen the store. They lay down two conditions: they must be allowed to stand in front of the store whenever they want to (without having the police called on them), and Randal and Dante must perform [[oral sex]] and then go "[[ass to mouth]]". Regarding the latter condition, Silent Bob gives Jay a look of disgust, so Jay immediately rescinds it. After the Quick Stop is reopened, Jay and Silent Bob return right back where they started so many years ago. Jay is depicted at the end of the film wearing a sweater with "Justice" written on it in tape along with "TLF", the only reference to his erstwhile girlfriend at the end of the previous film. He again does the Buffalo Bill dance when "Goodbye, Horses" is played, but only the beginning part with the chap stick is shown.

==Clerks III?==
Following the success of Clerks II, Kevin Smith mentioned that he was considering a follow-up about the characters when they are in their forties. He said that if he were to do it, Dante and Randal would be the main characters, but "it would be sad to see Jay and Silent Bob in their forties still standing at the Quick Stop." However, during the film's credits, this small line of text appears, possibly suggesting another film of Jay and Bob, as well as the View Askew Universe:

"''Jay and Silent Bob might return someday. Until then, they're taking it easy.''

''Goodbye, Horses.''"

== Television ==
===Clerks: The Animated Series (2000)===
{{main article|Clerks: The Animated Series}}

''[[Clerks: The Animated Series]]'' continues Jay and Silent Bob’s adventures in front of the Quick Stop with Dante and Randal. In one episode, Jay and Silent Bob sold illegal fireworks instead of drugs.

These events are not necessarily continuous with events depicted elsewhere in the View Askewniverse.

===Clerks: Sell Out (2008)===
{{main|Clerks: Sell Out}}

The follow-up to the cancelled 2001 ''Clerks: The Animated Series'', ''[[Clerks: Sell Out]]'' will be continuous with the show yet not necessarily with other events in the View Askewniverse.

The film will feature Dante, Randal, [[Leonardo Leonardo]], and Jay and Silent Bob.

== Comics ==
===Clerks.===
{{main|Clerks. (comic)}}

The two appear in many of the ''Clerks'' Comics in supporting roles.

In ''Clerks: The Comic Book'', Jay and Silent Bob's drug dealing is compromised by the recent popularity of [[Star Wars]] action figures. In an attempt to strike up business, the two hijack a toy store delivery truck and drive it into a secret selling compound in the back of the store. The two sell the figures at extremely low prices, ruining their value

In ''Clerks The Holiday Special'', the two are seen working for Santa Claus, who is working in the apartment in between the Quick Stop and RST Video. The duo work on the toy making machines.

In ''Clerks: The Lost Scene'', the two are seen in the bookend segments of the comic, which parodied the "[[Tales from the Crypt (comic)|Tales from the Crypt]]" comic books.

===Chasing Dogma (1998)===
In between the events of ''Chasing Amy'' and ''[[Dogma (film)|Dogma]]'', Jay and Silent Bob decide to go to be the "blunt connection" in Shermer, [[Illinois]], (where most of [[John Hughes (film director)|John Hughes]]' movies are set) because they believe that all the guys there are jerks and that there would be girls crawling all over them. So they make it all the way to [[Chicago]] to find out that Shermer, Illinois, doesn’t exist.

Since many of the events were reused in the 2001 film ''Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back'', not all the events depicted here are necessarily continuous with those depicted elsewhere in the View Askewniverse.

==Sexuality==
The Kevin Smith movies (particularly ''Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back'') play on the question of both characters' [[sexual orientation|sexuality]], mostly Jay's, even though Jay himself insists in ''[[Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back]]'' that the two are "[[heterosexual|hetero]] life-mates." Both have had relationships with women at one time or another, such as Jay's relationship with [[Shannon Elizabeth]]'s character Justice in ''Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back'' and Bob's mention of a relationship with the [[unseen character|never-seen]] Amy in ''Chasing Amy''.

In ''Clerks'', Jay appeared to be extremely [[homophobia|homophobic]], calling anyone he didn't like a "[[faggot (epithet)|faggot]]". In ''Dogma'', however, Rufus reveals that Jay [[masturbation|masturbates]] more than any other man on the planet (which he nonchalantly acknowledges) and when doing so he is [[fantasy (psychology)|fantasizing]] about other men (which he responds to with "Dude, not all the time!"). In the dining car when Jay wakes up he inadvertently says "I didn't cum in you, Pete, I swear!"

In issue #2 of the questionably [[canon (fiction)|canonical]] ''Chasing Dogma'' comic series, Jay launches into a lengthy and thoroughly impassioned impromptu speech on [[gay rights]] and tolerance before noticing Silent Bob's astonished expression and brushing the matter off. Moreover, in the prison scene in ''Clerks II'', Jay wants Dante and Randal to blow each other in exchange for him and Bob loaning them the money to re-open the Quick Stop and RST, this may have just been a said to get Dante and Randal to humiliate themselves, but after Bob's disgusted look, he takes it back. In a cut version of the same scene, available among the deleted scenes on the ''Clerks II'' DVD, Bob tells Jay that he (Jay) is a deeply-repressed gay man.

As hinted at in one of the Q&A sessions on the ''[[An Evening with Kevin Smith]]'' DVD, some of Smith's fans are disappointed, upset and/or confused over the apparent contradiction that Jay appears to be proven conclusively to be a heterosexual in ''Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back'', as he spends much of the film in love with Justice and ends up "getting the girl" in a way which suggests he feels no inner conflict despite his previously-indicated sexuality.

In one scene in ''Mallrats'', Silent Bob removes from his coat a male inflate-o-mate as well as a vibrator shaped like a finger. In ''Chasing Amy'', Jay states that Silent Bob is a [[Barbra Streisand]] fan. Streisand has often been associated with gay culture. Silent Bob is usually thought of as a heterosexual due to his apparent attraction, as seen in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, to women and his offscreen relationship with "Amy"

The relationship between the two characters has also been questioned, mainly because the two are seldom without each other. On the View Askew forums, Kevin Smith gave an interesting answer when asked about Silent Bob's future relationships:
Q: Is Silent Bob ever going to meet his counterpart, Silent Girl-with-a-one-syllable-name?
A (KS):I think we've seen all the romance we're ever gonna see for Silent Bob. It's pretty much Jay all the way. (Q&A with KS, VA-forum , Feb. 21, 2006)

Kevin Smith also has stated that he sees Jay as [[ambisexual]] - ""Jay--who's always talking about women--is a character a lot of young hetero guys identify with. But I think Jay's really ambisexual. So it's nice to throw them a curveball to open up their perspective a bit. If I can lead a few cats into being a bit more tolerant, I feel pretty good." (Advocate, July 4, 2000)

==Love of animals==
Jay and Silent Bob also seem to share a deep love of animals. In particular, Jay seems to have an affinity to circus seals, as he makes numerous references to them, such as:

"Silent Bob, you're a rude motherfucker, you know that? But you're cute as hell. I could go down on you, suck you, line up three other guys and make like a circus seal. Eww, you fucking faggot! I hate guys! I love women!" - ''Clerks.''

"See man, he's linin' us up like fuckin' circus seals." - ''Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.''

"Sometimes I wish I had done more with my life than standing in front places sellin’ weed and shit. Maybe I could have been an animal doctor. Why not me? I like seals and shit." - ''Clerks II''

In addition, Jay and Silent Bob have scenes in ''Mallrats'', ''Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back'', ''Chasing Amy'', and ''Clerks: The Animated Series'', which show affection towards animals. At their first appearance in ''Mallrats'', the two are hanging out in front of a pet store, where they play with the kittens in the window. In ''Clerks: The Animated Series'', the two are seen hanging out at a different pet store, where they befriend a monkey and attempt to teach it to smoke. In ''Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back'', ''Mallrats'' and ''Chasing Dogma'', the two have scenes with Suzanne, the orangutan, and, in a rare show of compassion, free all the animals from an animal testing facility.

==Other appearances==
===Film===
*''[[Scream 3]]'' (cameo)
*''[[Drawing Flies]]'' (Kevin Smith is credited as Silent Bob in the film. Jason Mewes also appears in the film, but as a different character. Smith's character wears the same leather outfit he wore in ''Mallrats'')

===Television===
*[[MTV]]'s Jay and Silent Bob Shorts
*[[VH1]]’s ''[[I Love the 90s]]'' ("Jay and Silent Bob Re-name Your Favorite TV Show" & "Guys We'd Go Gay For")
*''[[Degrassi: The Next Generation]]'' (fictional filming of "Jay and Silent Bob Go Canadian, Eh?" over 3 episodes)
*[[Yes, Dear]] Season 4, Episode 19. Kevin Smith appears as himself in the show, but in the end does a little skit as Silent Bob.

===Comics===
*Jay and Silent Bob made a brief appearance in one panel of ''[[Green Arrow]]'' (vol. 3) #6, standing outside [[Etrigan the Demon|Jason Blood]]'s Safe House in [[Star City (comics)|Star City]]. This issue was written by Kevin Smith of course, during his 15-issue run on the character.

===Music videos===
*"Can't Even Tell" by [[Soul Asylum]]
*"[[Build Me Up Buttercup]]" by The Goops
*"[[Because I Got High]]" by [[Afroman]]
*"Kick Some Ass" by [[Stroke 9]]

==References in popular culture==
* In an episode of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' where the family builds a puzzle together, Homer says (after the task is completed) " This is the only thing worth-while I've ever made that wasn't [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]]." [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]] then gets angry, crosses her arms and gives Homer a dirty look, to which he leans down and points his finger at her, replying "Prove me wrong, Silent Bob!"
* [[Daniel Dumile]] (as MF DOOM) references Silent Bob in his song "Saliva" on the album ''[[Vaudeville Villain]]''.

==See also==
*[[View Askewniverse]]

== External links ==
* {{imdb character|0001313|Jay}}
* {{imdb character|0001302|Silent Bob}}
* [http://www.fbi945movies.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=132290 Radio Interview with Kevin Smith about his favourite characters] from FBi 94.5 Sydney [[Australia]]

{{Kevin Smith}}

[[Category:Fictional characters from New Jersey]]

[[Category:Fictional drug dealers]]
[[Category:Fictional duos]]
[[Category:Fictional prophets]]
[[Category:View Askew characters]]

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Revision as of 16:16, 6 March 2008

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Jason "Jay" Derris and Robert "Silent Bob" Blutarsky
File:Jay and silent bob strike back1.jpg
Jay and Silent Bob during the events of Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
First appearanceClerks
Last appearanceClerks II
Created byKevin Smith
Portrayed byJason Mewes and Kevin Smith
In-universe information
AliasBluntman and Chronic
NicknameJay and Silent Bob
GenderMale
OccupationDrug dealers

Jason "Jay" Derris and Robert "Silent Bob" Blutarsky are fictional characters portrayed by Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith, respectively, in Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse. They have appeared in all of Smith's films with the exception of Jersey Girl. The duo are marijuana dealers (in Clerks, they sell other drugs as well) who spend most of their time standing outside store fronts in order to sell their product. The duo express great interest in John Hughes' films, especially Sixteen Candles, the movie Purple Rain, heavy metal musician King Diamond and the funk and dance-pop ensemble Morris Day and the Time.

On January 18, 2008, Internet Movie Database users voted them the greatest comedy team to appear in multiple movies together [1].

Origins

As depicted in an early scene of the film Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Jay and Silent Bob were born in Leonardo, New Jersey, in the early 1970s, and met when they were infants in front of the Quick Stop Groceries while their mothers shopped inside the store. Jay curses a lot, apparently due to his over-bearing mother, who is shown using continuous profanity in front of him. His alleged first word was fuck.

Of the duo, Jay usually takes the role of the leader, because Silent Bob, as his nickname suggests, seldom talks. Bob only speaks to deliver insightful monologues to the other characters, which he does very rarely in appropriate situations. With the exception of occasional, quiet and muffled laughter, he relies on gestures to communicate. In Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, he gets angry when Jay does not understand his gestures and yells at Jay, for perhaps one of the first times in character.

Silent Bob's distinguishing features are his heavy smoking, long coat often with a blank pin (an homage to Grant Morrison's "The Invisibles"), and backwards baseball cap. Jay's distinguishing feature is his long blond hair. In several of the later View Askewniverse films Jay wears a black touque, which has also become a well-known feature.

Silent Bob was raised Catholic and is an electrical genius, he often appears to be the more clean-minded or intelligent of the two and when he does speak, he often has something profound or intelligent to say. Despite this, he is typically shown in his speeches and gestures to be almost as foul-minded and foul-mouthed as Jay.

According to Kevin Smith, Jay's full name is supposed to be Jason Derris, and is the younger brother to Rick Derris, a character who makes an appearance in Clerks, but the relationship is not mentioned. According to the animated series, Silent Bob's full name is revealed to be Robert Blutarsky, which is a nod to Animal House.

Filmography

Clerks (1994)

Clerks is the first film to feature Jay and Silent Bob. In the View Askewniverse continuity, its events take place the day after Mallrats. Jay and Silent Bob return to their primary business location in front of Quick Stop. Throughout the day, they are seen harassing passersby, dancing and loitering. Silent Bob enters the store to buy powdered sugar, presumably to sell as cocaine, while Jay simply goes inside to steal food. They also deal marijuana to various individuals and pedestrians (including Willam Black), much to the chagrin of Quick Stop clerk Dante Hicks.

Mallrats (1995)

One day prior to the events in Clerks, Jay and Silent Bob are busy loitering at the Eden Prairie Center Mall. There they are met by Brodie (Jason Lee) and T.S. (Jeremy London), who have broken up with their girlfriends - Rene (Shannen Doherty) and Brandi (Claire Forlani), respectively - earlier that day. As fate would have it, a local game show called "Truth or Date", which is set to feature Brandi, is to be filmed at the mall that day. Brodie asks Jay and Silent Bob to make sure that the show doesn't happen, and Jay says they were going to destroy the stage anyway, for lack of having anything better to do.

They make several attempts to destroy the stage, thereby sabotaging the show, but ultimately fail. Later, however, they successfully help Brodie and T.S. win back their girlfriends. Jay incapacitates the male contestants on "Truth or Date" by getting them stoned, which allows Brodie and T.S. to take their places. Silent Bob overrides the production's video input, allowing him to play a video tape of Rene's new boyfriend, Shannon Hamilton (Ben Affleck), having sex with a minor. The movie concludes with Brodie and T.S. each reconciling their respective relationships, and Jay and Silent Bob walk off into the distance with an orangutan named Susanne (the same one from Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back).

In this movie, we also find out that Silent Bob is an electronics genius and won a science fair in 8th Grade by turning his mom's vibrator into a CD Player by using "chicken wire and shit".

Chasing Amy (1997)

In the years since the events of Clerks, Jay and Silent Bob have found out about likeness rights that comic book artists Holden McNeil (Ben Affleck) and Banky Edwards (Jason Lee) use, the two artists created a popular independent comic book series entitled Bluntman and Chronic which stars the duo.

This film centers around Holden's romantic relationship with Alyssa Jones (Joey Lauren Adams), a self-identified lesbian. Though their love is initially strong, the relationship begins to deteriorate due to Holden's discovery of Alyssa's past. Towards the end of the film, Jay and Silent Bob meet Holden to accept their likeness rights payment, and during this meeting Silent Bob relates with Holden's situation, and tells him the story of his former girlfriend, Amy.

Silent Bob explains, in his longest speech to date, that he once dated a girl named Amy, and much like in Holden's relationship with Alyssa, he became disturbed at the revelation of Amy's sexual past, specifically the fact that she engaged in a threesome. Upon discovering this, he broke up with her only to realize, much later, that he was wrong. He was not angry at her, he felt small and insecure - as if he would never be enough given his lack of experience. But by the time he realized this, it was too late, and she had moved on. He has since spent his life "Chasing Amy," so to speak.

Inspired by Silent Bob's story, Holden devises a plan to fix his relationship with Alyssa, but it is too late. After passing the reins of power over the Bluntman and Chronic comic, Holden thereafter creates a new comic Chasing Amy based on the relationship.

Dogma (1999)

After their disappointing adventure to the fictional Shermer, Illinois (the events of which are chronicled in the comic book story "Chasing Dogma"), Jay and Silent Bob decide to go back home to New Jersey. Before they leave, they meet Bethany Sloane (Linda Fiorentino), an abortion clinic worker.

Bethany is the last living relative of Jesus (a distant niece) and she has been charged with the holy quest of stopping two fallen angels, Bartleby (Ben Affleck) and Loki (Matt Damon), from entering a church in New Jersey. After these two angels were expelled from Heaven after Loki gave God the finger, they realize that there is a loophole in this, and they will have to lose their wings and die by some other means than suicide, in order to get back in. Bartleby decides that by going to the church in New Jersey, this will automatically forgive all of their sins, allowing them to return to Heaven. Though they don't know it, if the two were to return to heaven this way, they would overturn God's decision, thus "proving God wrong" and unmaking all of existence (since all of existence is based on the absolute fact that God is infallible). The Metatron (Alan Rickman) tells her that she is to follow two people who refer to themselves as "prophets;" later Jay and Silent Bob meet her, and when Jay mentions that he "could have stayed in Jersey and at least made himself a profit," Bethany comes to the conclusion she needs to follow them back to New Jersey. Though initially only interested in sex, Jay and Silent Bob agree to let her come with them. The three begin their journey encountering an apostle, a former muse, and a host of demons on the way. Silent Bob also makes a seldom speech, using it as a comical speech, after knocking out one of the rebel angels ("No tickets", a reference to Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade).

Jay and Silent Bob fill out their roles as prophets, predicting the arrival of Rufus (Chris Rock), the thirteenth apostle, who was left out of the Bible because he was black; leading them to Serendipity (Salma Hayek) the former muse; coming up with an idea of how to stop the angels; Jay reveals the location of God (John Doe Jersey); and ultimately, though inadvertently, providing Bethany the solution to preventing Armageddon.

Once at the church, Jay and Silent Bob, along with the others, try to stop the angels from entering. However, Loki had a role reversal and tried to help them out, but got killed in the process by Bartleby). Though unsuccessful (in fact, Jay accidentally helps Bartleby out by shooting his wings off with a MAC-10, turning him to a mortal), God (Alanis Morissette) arrives, due to the efforts of Bethany and Silent Bob, and proceeds to set things in order. The movie ends with Jay suggesting that he and Silent Bob take Bethany to the Quick Stop.

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001)

File:Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back DVD.jpg
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back

The film takes place in the early 2000s, nearly ten years after the events of Clerks. Due to their excessive noise-making and drug dealing, Randal Graves gets a restraining order against Jay and Silent Bob that prohibits them from coming within one hundred feet of the Quick Stop or RST Video. Having no place to go loiter at, they decide to pay a visit to Brodie. There they learn that Miramax Films is making a "Bluntman and Chronic" movie. Brodie tells them they should go see Holden McNeil, co-creator of the characters, and ask for the money that belongs to them for using their likenesses in the film.

They visit Holden McNeil (Ben Affleck), only to find out that he has sold his half of the rights to "Bluntman and Chronic" to the other co-creator, Banky Edwards. Holden introduces them to the internet, where they discover that a number of people have bashed the upcoming movie and insulted Jay and Silent Bob numerous times. No longer concerned with the money, Jay and Silent Bob decide that they must defend their honor, and embark on a trip to Hollywood to stop the movie from being made and save their reputations.

After being kicked off of a bus for not having tickets, they decide to hitchhike there. Unable to hitch a ride, they learn from another hitchhiker (George Carlin) that, according to the Unwritten Book of the Road, they are expected to give oral sex in exchange for a ride. After being picked up by a nun (Carrie Fisher), Jay confuses her adherence to the Bible (or "the Book" as she calls it) as a request for oral sex. This miscommunication results in them being kicked out of the vehicle, left to hitchhike once again.

The next vehicle to offer a ride is the Mystery Machine, where our heroes run afoul of the gang from Scooby-Doo (fortunately the ugly incident turns out to be a mere dream-sequence). At last Jay and Silent Bob stop at a local Mooby's restaurant whereupon Jay falls victim to love at first sight: the object of his attention is Justice (Shannon Elizabeth), an international jewel thief posing as an animal rights activist. Justice offers them a ride under the pretense that they are traveling cross country to release animals from an animal testing facility, much to the chagrin of her partners Chrissy (Ali Larter), Missy (Jennifer Schwalbach Smith), and Sissy (Eliza Dushku).

Also with them is a genuine animal rights activist (Seann William Scott), who becomes the target of Jay's aggression, as he sees him as a barrier to getting with Justice. After tricking him into saying he that he would have sex with a sheep, Jay ejects the naive tag-along from the vehicle. Having lost their patsy, the jewel thieves are forced to use Jay and Silent Bob instead, convincing them to steal an ape from an animal testing facility as a diversion for when they break into the Colorado Diamond Exchange.

Once inside the facility, Jay and Silent Bob find a tranquilizer gun and the ape, an orangutan named Suzanne. After springing her from her cage, Silent Bob becomes sympathetic for the other animals, so they let them loose as well. In the mean time, Missy, Chrissie, Sissy, and Justice escape with the diamonds and place a bomb on the van. Jay and Silent Bob witness the van explode, and assume that Justice is dead. They manage to escape just as the authorities arrive.

Federal Wildlife Marshall Willenholly (Will Ferrell) arrives to take over the case, as it involves the release of animals. He tracks Jay, Silent Bob and Suzanne to a small diner. However, Jay, Silent Bob, and Suzanne are able to escape, as they convince Willenholly that they are actually a homosexual couple, and that Suzanne is their love child. Willenholly eventually discovers the ruse, and gives chase, but they escape.

Suzanne is subsequently taken by the occupants of a car labeled “Critters of Hollywood.” Jay laments that they will never see Suzanne again, only to have Silent Bob explain that the sign on the car indicated that they will probably meet up with her in Hollywood.

They are eventually able to hitch a ride and make it to Hollywood. There they evade a security guard (Diedrich Bader) and make their way through multiple movie sets, including Good Will Hunting 2: Hunting Season. They are reunited with Suzanne on the set of Scream 4, where Suzanne played the part of a masked killer. Pursued by a group of security guards, they are able to escape by riding a bicycle over a ramp, propelling them through the window of a nearby building.

By sheer luck, they land in the dressing room of James Van Der Beek (of Dawson's Creek) and Jason Biggs (of American Pie), who happen to be playing Jay and Silent Bob in The Bluntman and Chronic Movie. Silent Bob is somewhat upset that his comic-book counterpart is being played by the "pie fucker".

After learning this, Jay and Bob form a huddle in the corner and decide to beat up Biggs and Van Der Beek, but while their backs are turned Suzanne does this for them. Jay and Silent Bob then give the monkey the tranquilizer gun and set her loose in the ventilation ducts. They put on the Bluntman and Chronic outfits, so they won't be noticed, but are mistaken for Biggs and Van Der Beek, and are escorted to the set of the "Bluntman and Chronic" movie. Despite the fact that they do not know what they are doing, once on set, filming begins. Jay and Silent Bob battle with Bluntman and Chronic's arch nemesis, Cockknocker (Mark Hamill), eventually cutting off his hand (in reference to Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back).

At this point, Justice enters the set to confess her love for Jay and admits her profession as a professional jewel thief. A nonchalant Jay forgives her and they kiss. Willenholly reappears with a shotgun, soon followed by Missy, Chrissie and Sissy. Justice and Sissy fight hand to hand, while Missy and Chrissie get into a gun battle with Willenholly. During the commotion, Jay and Silent Bob locate Banky Edwards and demand their money. After Banky refuses, Silent Bob breaks his silence and explains why Banky can be sued if he doesn't acquiesce to their demands. Banky finally agrees to give them half of whatever he makes from the movie.

After the fighting is over, Willenholly stands up, believing he killed Missy and Chrissie. Suzanne takes this opportunity to shoot him in the buttocks with a tranquilizer dart, incapacitating him. Justice uses the situation to her advantage and offers Willeholly an opportunity to get into the FBI by turning herself in along with Missy, Sissy, and Chrissie as long as she gets a reduced sentence and the charges against Jay and Silent Bob are dropped. He agrees and Justice tells Jay to wait for her. Banky approaches Jay and Silent Bob and tells them that they are now rich. Jay expresses his displeasure at the fact that, despite all of their efforts, they were still unable to stop the internet based insults. Realizing that there is nothing they can do, short of beating everyone up, to stop the insults, they decided to do just that: they purchase plane tickets and beat up anyone who insulted them on the internet.

After their revenge was complete, The Bluntman and Chronic Movie was premiered back in New Jersey. It was a huge box-office flop, and none of the viewers, except for Willenholly, enjoyed it. One referred to it as "a 90-minute long gay joke, like watching Batman & Robin all over again." After the big premier, Jay and Silent Bob put on a huge after-party with Morris Day and the Time providing entertainment.

Clerks II (2006)

This movie takes place ten years after the events of Clerks. Now in their early 30s, Jay and Silent Bob had recently bought a car, but they were pulled over for driving with a deployed airbag. During the search, the police found a stash of marijuana and they were sentenced to six months of rehabilitation, where they become devout Christians.

Once out of rehab, they are clean, but they humorously still continue to deal. The Quick Stop that Dante worked at was burned down in a fire due to Randal leaving the coffee pot on, and he and Randal moved over to the Mooby's fast food restaurant. Jay and Silent Bob follow them there, and are up to their usual antics, such as dealing drugs and mooning people inside of the restaurant.

At one point during the movie, Jay, out of sheer boredom, dances to the song "Goodbye Horses" by Q Lazzarus. He parodies the exact same dance done by Buffalo Bill in The Silence of the Lambs, complete with the "tuck".

Near the end of the movie, they are jailed with Randal, Dante, and Elias, who hired a donkey show to celebrate Dante moving away. Jay and Silent Bob were charged for possession of drugs, which violated their probation. Randal has the idea to reopen the Quick Stop with Dante, but neither of them have the money, so Jay and Silent Bob offered them the Bluntman and Chronic movie royalty money they earned that will be needed to reopen the store. They lay down two conditions: they must be allowed to stand in front of the store whenever they want to (without having the police called on them), and Randal and Dante must perform oral sex and then go "ass to mouth". Regarding the latter condition, Silent Bob gives Jay a look of disgust, so Jay immediately rescinds it. After the Quick Stop is reopened, Jay and Silent Bob return right back where they started so many years ago. Jay is depicted at the end of the film wearing a sweater with "Justice" written on it in tape along with "TLF", the only reference to his erstwhile girlfriend at the end of the previous film. He again does the Buffalo Bill dance when "Goodbye, Horses" is played, but only the beginning part with the chap stick is shown.

Clerks III?

Following the success of Clerks II, Kevin Smith mentioned that he was considering a follow-up about the characters when they are in their forties. He said that if he were to do it, Dante and Randal would be the main characters, but "it would be sad to see Jay and Silent Bob in their forties still standing at the Quick Stop." However, during the film's credits, this small line of text appears, possibly suggesting another film of Jay and Bob, as well as the View Askew Universe:

"Jay and Silent Bob might return someday. Until then, they're taking it easy.

Goodbye, Horses."

Television

Clerks: The Animated Series (2000)

Clerks: The Animated Series continues Jay and Silent Bob’s adventures in front of the Quick Stop with Dante and Randal. In one episode, Jay and Silent Bob sold illegal fireworks instead of drugs.

These events are not necessarily continuous with events depicted elsewhere in the View Askewniverse.

Clerks: Sell Out (2008)

The follow-up to the cancelled 2001 Clerks: The Animated Series, Clerks: Sell Out will be continuous with the show yet not necessarily with other events in the View Askewniverse.

The film will feature Dante, Randal, Leonardo Leonardo, and Jay and Silent Bob.

Comics

Clerks.

The two appear in many of the Clerks Comics in supporting roles.

In Clerks: The Comic Book, Jay and Silent Bob's drug dealing is compromised by the recent popularity of Star Wars action figures. In an attempt to strike up business, the two hijack a toy store delivery truck and drive it into a secret selling compound in the back of the store. The two sell the figures at extremely low prices, ruining their value

In Clerks The Holiday Special, the two are seen working for Santa Claus, who is working in the apartment in between the Quick Stop and RST Video. The duo work on the toy making machines.

In Clerks: The Lost Scene, the two are seen in the bookend segments of the comic, which parodied the "Tales from the Crypt" comic books.

Chasing Dogma (1998)

In between the events of Chasing Amy and Dogma, Jay and Silent Bob decide to go to be the "blunt connection" in Shermer, Illinois, (where most of John Hughes' movies are set) because they believe that all the guys there are jerks and that there would be girls crawling all over them. So they make it all the way to Chicago to find out that Shermer, Illinois, doesn’t exist.

Since many of the events were reused in the 2001 film Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, not all the events depicted here are necessarily continuous with those depicted elsewhere in the View Askewniverse.

Sexuality

The Kevin Smith movies (particularly Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back) play on the question of both characters' sexuality, mostly Jay's, even though Jay himself insists in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back that the two are "hetero life-mates." Both have had relationships with women at one time or another, such as Jay's relationship with Shannon Elizabeth's character Justice in Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back and Bob's mention of a relationship with the never-seen Amy in Chasing Amy.

In Clerks, Jay appeared to be extremely homophobic, calling anyone he didn't like a "faggot". In Dogma, however, Rufus reveals that Jay masturbates more than any other man on the planet (which he nonchalantly acknowledges) and when doing so he is fantasizing about other men (which he responds to with "Dude, not all the time!"). In the dining car when Jay wakes up he inadvertently says "I didn't cum in you, Pete, I swear!"

In issue #2 of the questionably canonical Chasing Dogma comic series, Jay launches into a lengthy and thoroughly impassioned impromptu speech on gay rights and tolerance before noticing Silent Bob's astonished expression and brushing the matter off. Moreover, in the prison scene in Clerks II, Jay wants Dante and Randal to blow each other in exchange for him and Bob loaning them the money to re-open the Quick Stop and RST, this may have just been a said to get Dante and Randal to humiliate themselves, but after Bob's disgusted look, he takes it back. In a cut version of the same scene, available among the deleted scenes on the Clerks II DVD, Bob tells Jay that he (Jay) is a deeply-repressed gay man.

As hinted at in one of the Q&A sessions on the An Evening with Kevin Smith DVD, some of Smith's fans are disappointed, upset and/or confused over the apparent contradiction that Jay appears to be proven conclusively to be a heterosexual in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, as he spends much of the film in love with Justice and ends up "getting the girl" in a way which suggests he feels no inner conflict despite his previously-indicated sexuality.

In one scene in Mallrats, Silent Bob removes from his coat a male inflate-o-mate as well as a vibrator shaped like a finger. In Chasing Amy, Jay states that Silent Bob is a Barbra Streisand fan. Streisand has often been associated with gay culture. Silent Bob is usually thought of as a heterosexual due to his apparent attraction, as seen in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, to women and his offscreen relationship with "Amy"

The relationship between the two characters has also been questioned, mainly because the two are seldom without each other. On the View Askew forums, Kevin Smith gave an interesting answer when asked about Silent Bob's future relationships: Q: Is Silent Bob ever going to meet his counterpart, Silent Girl-with-a-one-syllable-name? A (KS):I think we've seen all the romance we're ever gonna see for Silent Bob. It's pretty much Jay all the way. (Q&A with KS, VA-forum , Feb. 21, 2006)

Kevin Smith also has stated that he sees Jay as ambisexual - ""Jay--who's always talking about women--is a character a lot of young hetero guys identify with. But I think Jay's really ambisexual. So it's nice to throw them a curveball to open up their perspective a bit. If I can lead a few cats into being a bit more tolerant, I feel pretty good." (Advocate, July 4, 2000)

Love of animals

Jay and Silent Bob also seem to share a deep love of animals. In particular, Jay seems to have an affinity to circus seals, as he makes numerous references to them, such as:

"Silent Bob, you're a rude motherfucker, you know that? But you're cute as hell. I could go down on you, suck you, line up three other guys and make like a circus seal. Eww, you fucking faggot! I hate guys! I love women!" - Clerks.

"See man, he's linin' us up like fuckin' circus seals." - Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.

"Sometimes I wish I had done more with my life than standing in front places sellin’ weed and shit. Maybe I could have been an animal doctor. Why not me? I like seals and shit." - Clerks II

In addition, Jay and Silent Bob have scenes in Mallrats, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Chasing Amy, and Clerks: The Animated Series, which show affection towards animals. At their first appearance in Mallrats, the two are hanging out in front of a pet store, where they play with the kittens in the window. In Clerks: The Animated Series, the two are seen hanging out at a different pet store, where they befriend a monkey and attempt to teach it to smoke. In Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Mallrats and Chasing Dogma, the two have scenes with Suzanne, the orangutan, and, in a rare show of compassion, free all the animals from an animal testing facility.

Other appearances

Film

  • Scream 3 (cameo)
  • Drawing Flies (Kevin Smith is credited as Silent Bob in the film. Jason Mewes also appears in the film, but as a different character. Smith's character wears the same leather outfit he wore in Mallrats)

Television

  • MTV's Jay and Silent Bob Shorts
  • VH1’s I Love the 90s ("Jay and Silent Bob Re-name Your Favorite TV Show" & "Guys We'd Go Gay For")
  • Degrassi: The Next Generation (fictional filming of "Jay and Silent Bob Go Canadian, Eh?" over 3 episodes)
  • Yes, Dear Season 4, Episode 19. Kevin Smith appears as himself in the show, but in the end does a little skit as Silent Bob.

Comics

  • Jay and Silent Bob made a brief appearance in one panel of Green Arrow (vol. 3) #6, standing outside Jason Blood's Safe House in Star City. This issue was written by Kevin Smith of course, during his 15-issue run on the character.

Music videos

  • In an episode of The Simpsons where the family builds a puzzle together, Homer says (after the task is completed) " This is the only thing worth-while I've ever made that wasn't Lisa." Maggie then gets angry, crosses her arms and gives Homer a dirty look, to which he leans down and points his finger at her, replying "Prove me wrong, Silent Bob!"
  • Daniel Dumile (as MF DOOM) references Silent Bob in his song "Saliva" on the album Vaudeville Villain.

See also