From KCRW in Santa Monica, this is The Treatment.

It's The Treatment.

It's The Treatment. I'm Elvis Mitchell. You can also with this show at KCRW.com.

There are some people who flirt with controversy.

Writer-director Kevin Smith has been with it for so long.

It's like his living housemate now.

We can go back to 1994 with the splash of clerks on the scene, which outraged many people because of the personality.

NC17 originally.

Absolutely.

And then, of course, we go to chasing Amy and Dogma.

And finally with his new movie, which played at the Sundance Film Festival this year, Red State, he not only announced his retirement from the film business, but sold the film to himself for $20. It's been a long time, Kevin. First of all, thanks for coming back.

Thanks for having me. So we haven't sat down since Dogma. It seems like we sit down every time I make a quasi-religious picture.

So that's what I've learned. I'm seeing so many people, Elvis, on this round that I haven't

seen in years. And that tells me very clearly that I'm doing the right thing pulling out of the

business as a director. That's the only thing I'm doing is putting down pulling out of the business as a director.

That's the only thing I'm doing is putting down the directorial reins, leaving it to the young.

There's a reason you and I haven't sat down since 1999.

What has been there worth to talk about?

You know what I'm saying?

Like what followed dogma?

Jane Silent Bob Strike Back, which is a movie I love, but it's a fan film.

So it doesn't go for everybody.

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