Fame, Film & Recovery with Jay Mewes | Ep 221 Hate To Break It To Ya with Jamie Kennedy

On this episode of Hate To Break It To Ya I sit down with Jay Mewes ( @JayMewes ) — the legendary “Jay” from Jay and Silent Bob. We go deep into his journey from working construction to starring in Clerks, Mallrats, Dogma, and beyond. Jay opens up about how Kevin Smith wrote the role of “Jay” for him, the struggle to break into acting without formal training, and what it was like auditioning for his own character. We also dive into sobriety, the 90's party scene in Hollywood, and how podcasts and social media have transformed comedy careers today. This one’s packed with raw stories, laughs, and honest reflection.

About Jay Mewes
Jay Mewes is an actor, producer, and podcaster best known as one half of Jay and Silent Bob, the iconic duo created by Kevin Smith. Starting with Clerks in 1994, he went on to star in cult classics including Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, and more. Beyond acting, Jay has built a dedicated fan base through live shows, streaming, and his Jay & Silent Bob Get Old podcast, where he speaks candidly about recovery and resilience.

Follow Jay:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaymewes
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/JayMewes
Twitch: https://twitch.tv/jaymewes
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/jaymewes
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Discussed in This Episode
00:00 – Jay Mewes on starting out and meeting Kevin Smith
06:00 – Making Clerks and the Sundance breakthrough
13:00 – Landing Mallrats and auditioning to play himself
20:00 – Why early films didn’t mean instant riches
27:00 – Hollywood in the 90s vs. today’s overshare culture
31:00 – Wild nights in the LA club scene
37:00 – Sobriety, relapse, and recovery
44:00 – The legacy of Jay & Silent Bob
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