Tech | February 14, 2010 | 68 comments

Kevin Smith deemed ‘too fat’ to fly

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ctpatriot1970
He may like to make you laugh, but “Silent Bob” found nothing funny about being kicked off a plane for being fat.

Kevin Smith, director of the upcoming Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan laugher, “Cop Out,” turned to Twitter to vent his frustrations Saturday after allegedly getting booted from a Southwest Airlines flight.

“I know I’m fat,” the 39-year-old wrote via Twitter. “But was Captain Leysath [sic] really justified in throwing me off a flight for which I was already seated?”

For the Full Story "Kevin Smith too Fat to Fly"... Kevin Smith VIDEO...http://ctpatriot1970.wordpress.com/2010/02/14/director-kevin-smith-too-fat-to-fl...

The writer and director of “Clerks” and “Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back” let loose in the tweet tirade after allegedly being told by a flight attendant he was a “safety risk” as he was about to fly from Oakland to Burbank.
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68 comments // Kevin Smith deemed ‘too fat’ to fly

  • ryan8566
  • TheBigBeefy
    • 0
      TheBigBeefy  

    • I'm sorry but this is just too funny. He thrives on crude humor but when something like this finally happens to him he gets offended. It just goes to show you that it's not funny when the joke is on you.

    • 3 years ago
  • HellastOne
    • 0
      HellastOne  
    • TheBigBeefy:

      it is Wrong to be Fat... the Faster People understand that, the Faster the World may get off its Fat Lazy @$$ and put an End to the Gentle Mutilation being Done to the Only thing we ALL Should cherish above all Else... our Mother...

    • 3 years ago
  • Argon18
  • QuestionGeek
    • -2
      QuestionGeek  

    • Someone made a comment about Michael Moore, cause he's obese too. Michael Moore probably has his own private jet like Steven Spielberg does.
      Besides this fat ass we're talking about here could find an airline with wider seats to accommodate him. Southwest doesn't have first class seating -that's where his problem lies.

    • 3 years ago
  • Argon18
    • 0
      Argon18  
    • Image
    • QuestionGeek:

      But that doesn't help others like Natali that the same thing happens to does it?

      http://smodcast.com/

      She was on the flight with Kevin Smith and reached out to him"

      So starting off and saying... oh hey this is that no named fellow flyer from oakland to burbank sat night. Wouldn't really mean anything because I have read about 30 comments of othere chicks claimin to be that person..

      LOL but i'm the real deal.. I have tried to reach out to you thru myspace, and then on the media sites (where every comment has not been approved) lol I even went as far as making a twitter account.. I really want to thank you.

      I was so heartbroken on that flight home. I have never in mylife been treated so poorly to my face! Like when they placed me.. (I didn't choose to sit there) I knew that it was going to suck.. I really just wanted to get off the flight as fast as I could and the couple rum 7ups weren't enough to drown the humiliation lol!

      Im sorry if I was rude, but thank you for saying good by and wishing me luck in the airport. (hahah i'm trying to give you enough details to decipher that im the real deal)

      Bottom line Mr. Smith, you totally made a person that feels like I could never(actually really am not being heard by southwest)feel like what happened to us is being taken care of. Though its embarrassing there is a problem that needs addressed. Basically I understand the standard of SWA but believe they need to learn how to deal and approach people with the problem, BEFORE BOARDING.

      Thank you Natali"

      So he did a SModcast to tell her side of the story

    • 3 years ago
  • phukna
    • -1
      phukna  

    • fat ass, why don't you ride a bike and loose some weight, or maybe smoke crack and shoot meth and get on a tredmill and go on a hunger strike.

    • 3 years ago
  • EmperorThan
  • Argon18
    • 0
      Argon18  
    • EmperorThan:

      You didn't bother to read all the comments since that question was already answered.

      He already addressed that when someone else asked

      "Look folks: some people seem to think that because I work in the pictures, I should piss away money on private jets or first class flights. Rest assured: I take LOTS of first class flights. But while I've got some comfortable money, it'd disappear quick if I didn't respect a $. So for quick, 1hr flights to Vegas or SF from LA, I never minded @SouthwestAir. Never had a problem with them before, either. "

    • 3 years ago
  • nocturnus9
    • 0
      nocturnus9  
    • Image

    • I agree with what Kevin said on SModcast #106. Listen to it for the full 87 minutes. There are no words or actions to make this right. Today it is because people are fat. Again, what about when SW decides they are going to UNIFORMLY pick on a different group of people.

      http://www.smodcast.com/

    • 3 years ago
  • deezy_duck
    • 0
      deezy_duck  

    • There was another part to this article that said the pilot later regreted it....once kevin smith got up, another man got up, they all got up..... It was anarchy!!!!

    • 3 years ago
  • lordsbassman
  • CheckersSpeech
    • 0
      CheckersSpeech  

    • Not to defend Kevin Smith or anything, but Southwest's seats are TOO DAMN SMALL. When even skinny people have to sit with their own elbows digging into their ribs, something's wrong. Southwest needs to stop being the Sardine Can of the Skies and find another way to be both affordable and profitable.

    • 3 years ago
  • antidmv
  • Argon18
    • +1
      Argon18  
    • Image

    • Maybe SouthWest should take a hint from amusement parks since they have a more transparent policy that seems to work a lot better.

      Have a seat at the entrance to the jetway and a sign that says "You must be this thin to fly" then anyone that can't fit into the seat is not allowed on the plane.

      At the very least it would be more open, fair and objective than letting the whims of personnel interpret for themselves for any excuse.

    • 3 years ago
  • readyforthefloor
  • Argon18
    • +1
      Argon18  
    • Image

    • http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/02/15/southwest-airlines-likely-wont-accept-...

      SouthWest doesn't have the fortitude to take Kevin's challenge. But Brandy King, a spokeswoman from Southwest, told Speakeasy this morning that “We most likely will be declining that request.”

      Adding more doubletalk by saying “obviously, whether or not he can fit into the seats is a matter of interpretation.”

      Not it is a matter of measurement, since if they have the guideline that if he can fit into the seat with the arm rests down and not go over them then he is not "taking up more than his space allotment"

      SouthWest is trying to backpedal from the fallout.

      But if they actually follow through on their pledge of “We can assure all of you that have expressed concern that we will use this experience in our Customer Service training programs and will utilize the [occurrence] as a learning experience when discussing the correct way to apply our Customer of Size policy.”

      Then that would be the important half of what Kevin wanted. The bad news is that it is doubtful that they will since they are still trying to weasel out of accountability for the mistakes.

    • 3 years ago
  • EdJoyProductions
    • 0
      EdJoyProductions  
    • Argon18:

      Too bad. I was looking forward to the challenge. But if they knew that they were right they would do it. This just proves that they are aware that they are wrong even if they won't admit it.

    • 3 years ago
  • nocturnus9
    • +1
      nocturnus9  

    • What if Southwest decided, "Sir, You appear to not have sufficient vision acuity to safely fly with us." They can spin this any way they want after the fact, it is a problem when a service provider decides whom and how they will serve their customers.

      I hope there is a J & Silent Bob sequel getting green lit over lunch as I type this...

    • 3 years ago
  • PigFarmington
  • ChunkyCheezes
  • EdJoyProductions
  • nocturnus9
    • 0
      nocturnus9  
    • Image

    • Kevin was in San Francisco to give a Keynote at Macworld. If you look at the picture from the event, we can come to our own conclusion as to if the onsite judgement call was fair. Unless he pulled a Homer Simpson at a Buffet.

      I have a problem with the airline planted someone claiming they had insider information and threw Kevin under the PR bus by claiming that he might have been inebriated: (sarcasm) As if the fact that he was over weight was not enough of a reason to hate Mr Smith and Love our Airline, he was a belligerent drunk.

      We probably will not know just how bad the situation was but, I think they knew they where wrong and felt they needed to deflect using security and safety.

    • 3 years ago
  • ifthatsalright
  • Argon18
  • QuestionGeek
  • QuestionGeek
    • -1
      QuestionGeek  

    • I agree with joejhson. While some people may have a metabolic disease when it comes to obesity, it's a small percentage by comparison. At the health spa I go to, you'll find all the fat people sitting in the jacuzzi, or if they are on the machines, they take 15 minute breaks inbetween each set :\

      It also doesn't help that the U.S.A. has one of the most toxic diets on the planet. From monosodium glutamate, high fructose corn syrup, saccharin, sucralose, etc, etc., and a steady diet of processed and fast foods, I'm surprised people in the U.S.A. live as long as they do.

      In the USA, our food is poisoned , most of us don't get enough exercise, and "no one" cares. And yes, the aforementioned is one of the major reason's we are FAT.

    • 3 years ago
  • Boozermanguy182
  • QuestionGeek
  • joejhson
  • idealist
  • QuestionGeek
  • Stentor
    • 0
      Stentor  

    • Have you ever had to sit in a trans-continental flight next to a fattie that can't lower the armrest and spills into your seat space? Get an aisle seat, buy 1st class or buy two seats. Its really unfair to the poor unfortunate slob that has to sit next to you.

    • 3 years ago
  • common_sense_please
  • EdJoyProductions
  • Argon18
    • +1
      Argon18  
    • EdJoyProductions:

      He already addressed that when someone else asked

      "Look folks: some people seem to think that because I work in the pictures, I should piss away money on private jets or first class flights. Rest assured: I take LOTS of first class flights. But while I've got some comfortable money, it'd disappear quick if I didn't respect a $. So for quick, 1hr flights to Vegas or SF from LA, I never minded @SouthwestAir. Never had a problem with them before, either. "

    • 3 years ago
  • EdJoyProductions
    • 0
      EdJoyProductions  
    • Argon18:

      Fair enough. But the staff at Southwest Airlines are mega idiots to pull this crap with a celebrity. If they treat Kevin Smith like this, what the hell would they do to the rest of us poor schlubs? I will never fly with them after this.

    • 3 years ago
  • EdJoyProductions
  • QuestionGeek
    • 0
      QuestionGeek  
    • EdJoyProductions:

      I'm sure the pilot had no idea who he was. You wouldn't recognize half of the celebrities and notable people if you saw them in person. They look very different without make-up, lights, hair, and the tv or cinema camera to boost their size, etc...

    • 3 years ago
  • Argon18
    • 0
      Argon18  
    • QuestionGeek:

      http://silentbobspeaks.com/?p=393

      The only concern the The pilot had was to get the plane off on schedule so Kevin Smith was just a statistic.

      "Linda told me that, before I got anywhere near the plane (remember: I was hoping to get on standby), they were having a space issue on board with another passenger who’d purchased two seats, and they were having a problem moving already-seated passengers to accommodate this person. Enter me, who - Linda admitted - WAS NOT A PROBLEM. She fully acknowledged that I wasn’t bounced by the Pilot… BECAUSE THE PILOT PROBABLY DIDN’T EVEN SEE ME.

      According to Linda, with the melee surrounding boarding and finding a second seat for the other passenger, the Pilot called for a quick settlement of any outstanding issues so that they might take off. And even though I was already planted in my arm-rest lowerable, seat-belt-buckleable seat, I got the hook.

      So the Pilot DIDN’T bounce me because I couldn’t fit in the seat. In fact, it sounds like the Pilot had very little to do with bouncing me at all. And Linda said she just found this out today, as they gather info from all involved."

    • 3 years ago
  • furryjenn
  • Argon18
    • +3
      Argon18  

    • Sounds like Kevin came up with a good challenge

      "Hey @SouthwestAir: you bring that same row of seats to the DailyShow, and I'll sit in 'em for all to see on TV.

      If I don't fit, I'll donate $10k to charity of your choice. But when I do & buckle the belt as well

      1) You admit you lied. 2) Change your policy, or at least re-train your staff to be a lot more human & a lot less corporate when they pull a poor girl off the plane & shame her. "

      I'd love to see that and what Jon Stewart does to put it on the show.

    • 3 years ago
  • ignignokt
  • LowDog
    • -2
      LowDog  

    • Imagine if everyone on the flight was fat, the airline tickets would only be half sold. They would have to reprice their tickets to make a profit.
      Is it fair for the airline to Lose money because people don't take care of their body.
      If your fat, blame yourself, don't blame the world because you have an unhealthy eating habit .

    • 3 years ago
  • Argon18
    • 0
      Argon18  
    • LowDog:

      How would they be losing money when they are forced to buy two tickets? Even in the event the flight was all fat people and only half full all of the seats would be sold.

    • 3 years ago
  • ignignokt
  • jjammedjr
    • 0
      jjammedjr [removed]  

    • Just how big is he?
      I mean damn, that is coldblooded for the pilot of a airliner to come out and say you are a danger to his 737....

      Really?

      One fat ass is a danger to your skills as a pilot or the ability of the passenger jet to stay in the air?

      i dont get it.

    • 3 years ago
  • Argon18
    • 0
      Argon18  
    • jjammedjr:

      The pilot didn't come out and there wasn't even an angle where he could even see Kevin. It was a customer service representative that told him that without any evidence that the pilot even knew about the situation at all

    • 3 years ago
  • QuestionGeek
  • hoosierdaddy
  • Argon18
    • 0
      Argon18  
    • hoosierdaddy:

      He was able to buckle the seat belt and to put the armrests down on his seat so how fat could that be?

      If fact he saw someone a few rows back that was heavier than he was with a terrified look on his face like he was begging him not to say anything about him.

    • 3 years ago
  • mojojuju
  • Argon18
  • unimatrix0
    • 0
      unimatrix0  

    • According to his tweets after being booted from South West he took another South West flight about an hour later and had no problem.

      Where is the consistency?

    • 3 years ago
  • Argon18
    • 0
      Argon18  
    • unimatrix0:

      What's even worse is South West did it to a gal on that second flight also and that REALLY set Kevin off since there is no consistency.

      Not in the reasons they gave either of them since the rules stated in their policy did not apply to the circumstances in both their cases so the policy is just being randomly applied on the whims of the personnel with excuses given to cover it up.

    • 3 years ago
  • likeamazing
    • -1
      likeamazing  

    • kevin smith, just cause you're a celebrity shouldn't make you immune to the rules of a private company.

      lose some weight or buy two seats, just like everyone else. say hello to the fat tax...

    • 3 years ago
  • Argon18
    • +2
      Argon18  
    • likeamazing:

      He actually did buy 2 seats and they charged him twice so he paid for 4

      He was going to let it go until they did the same thing to someone sitting next to him less than 2 hours later that couldn't speak up for herself like he could.

      So both of those comments are not relevant to what happened

    • 3 years ago
  • likeamazing
    • 0
      likeamazing  
    • Argon18:

      if thats the truth then that's a little messed up. he should still lose some weight though if that's even an issue. one would think the need to buy two seats would motivate one to diet...

    • 3 years ago
  • ignignokt
  • ignignokt
  • likeamazing
    • +2
      likeamazing  
    • ignignokt:

      this from a fatty whose online persona is gleaned from a cartoon character. there's a reason the first lady has decided to champion the cause of juvenile obesity. not only is it preventable, but it's also expennnnsive. so go buy yourself and the back of your hand two adjacent seats on a one-way flight to fattytown.

    • 3 years ago
  • Argon18
    • +1
      Argon18  
    • Image

    • He's had a lot to say about it so I'm pretty sure that SW Air is going to be the more sorry for all the bad PR.

      http://twitter.com/thatkevinsmith

      His twtter has been full of reasons why they made mistakes

      http://www.smodcast.com/

      And just wait until his SModcast starts making the rounds they will wish they never even looked at Kevin Smith in a disparging fashion.

      Even worse after they treated another gal the same way, less than 2 hours later, he's got a much larger issue to be concerned with to change the policy.

      Now he's got the a better reason to spread the story around on his stage shows, twitter, smodcast, interviews for years.

    • 3 years ago
  • Ari_Liston
    • 0
      Ari_Liston  

    • yeah they should've kicked him off before he went through all that trouble...although i never realized Kevin Smith was even that big...

    • 3 years ago
  • Wraak
  • iammyfathersson
  • controlusplease
  • animaladvocate
  • Guyatthebusstation
    • 0
      Guyatthebusstation  
    • animaladvocate:

      every airlines has their own standard, some us the blanket "safety" to allow them to deny service. Anther article states that SW's is if the arm rest can function normal.

      Yes, your correct about the second seat, however if it's a sold out flight the offender is asked to (leave since there are no more seats to be sold)

    • 3 years ago
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