Kevin Smith operates on his very unique, very cool frequency, so whenever I hear his name pop up in the news, I’m always excited to see what he’s got to say. What I certainly wasn’t expecting was for him to make me weepy on a Friday morning.
Smith recently gave a half-hour talk (via People’s YouTube channel) on the realities of trauma: experiencing it, living with it, and recovering from it. In totality, it felt much longer than half an hour, in the best way possible. While we mostly know him as the screwball comic who gave us the Askewniverse, this video proves that he’s one of the wisest, most insightful public figures out there:
In just a short amount of time, Smith articulated the ups and downs of the healing process in a way that was so utterly empathetic and compassionate, I felt like I was in the room with him.
Throughout the video, Smith shares his own experiences, which shaped him fundamentally throughout his life. He also shares what healing has looked like for him, from the creation of the “funny guy” persona that got him through most of his young life, to his recent admission to Arizona’s Sierra Tucson Treatment Center. From the language he uses, it’s very clear that he wanted this video to provide comfort to those who need it, and that he made it not just for the sake of catharsis, but to help people in similar positions.
And you know what, it worked: I felt so much better about myself after watching this video. At a certain point in my own healing journey—to which I’ve dedicated most of my adult life—I got so fed up with how long it was all taking, I started using pretty derisive language against myself without even realizing it. But Smith is constantly affirming every lived experience in this video, stating that pain is not a competition, and that acknowledging your trauma in order to move forward is not an admission of weakness. This is especially the case with admitting a history of sexual trauma, which he unfortunately had to process, himself.
I think it speaks volumes about him that he was so eager to use his platform as a successful creative to give a talk like this just for the sake of helping people. I highly recommend everyone give this video a watch, whether they’re on a healing journey themselves, or they just love Kevin Smith (because, duh) and want to support his newest endeavors as a human being. Thank you for this heartening gift on our way into the weekend, Kevin!
(Featured Image: Paul Butterfield/Getty Images)
