Filmmaker Kevin Smith has contributed to the world of cinema, and pop culture in general, in ways that are difficult to even quantify. Smith has created films that have moved some people to tears and others to protest. He’s largely responsible for helping Matt Damon and Ben Affleck make their version of Good Will Hunting, a movie that was eventually nominated for nine Oscars (it won two). He’s gone viral a handful of times for his tear-filled reaction videos to popular movies. He explored podcasting in its early stages, developing a large network for friends and other creatives to partake. Possibly highest on his list of personal achievements, he survived a heart attack and turned his health around by switching to a vegan lifestyle. All of these things are important in varying ways, but his greatest contribution to our mortal plane of existence may be the fact that he introduced the world to one of the single greatest characters in movie history, Jay.

Portrayed by Smith’s long-time friend, Jason Mewes, Jay is a foul-mouthed drug dealer who kicks it outside the Quik Stop with Silent Bob (played by Smith himself). The duo of Jay and Silent Bob are the ‘90s version of Cheech and Chong if Cheech and Chong were from New Jersey and spent all their time peddling their wares and moshing in front of a convenience store. They’re a dynamic duo, indeed, built upon the balance of Jay being the ever verbose mouthpiece and Silent Bob being (mostly) silent. Jay spews random expletives and always has ladies on his mind. He says all the things Silent Bob can’t — or won’t. He’s abrasive, brimming with teenage confidence, and more braggadocio than you’ll find in any rap video. You’d think this would render him completely and utterly unlikeable, but the opposite is true, due to his devotion to playing hype man for his friends. He’s far from the sharpest tool in the shed, but his dedication to his hetero lifemate Bob mitigates the damage his cluelessness usually wreaks upon the duo. Mewes’ performance as Jay at its best is scene-stealing, and at its worst is worth a few good laughs. He dishes the most inane dialogue, but his Jersey accent and unabashed confidence turn even the wackiest of lines into quotables. Hence, “Snoochie boochies.”

I could go on and on about what Jason Mewes brings to the character and what the character brings to the films he’s in, but I’d rather showcase some of his best moments and let them speak for themselves. I’ve compiled an assortment of what I believe are some of Jay’s most memorable moments. Some may be a whole scene, or they may just be one line of dialogue. Whatever the case, they’re gems of comedic filmmaking that should be recognized and shared. Jay and Silent Bob deserve their spot in a long line of great comedic duos like Abbott and Costello, Lucy and Ethel, Kenan and Kel, and Beavis and Butthead. Check out the list below and see why.

Hilarious Hype Man

As I noted above, Jay loves playing the hype man. He spends a lot of screen time trash-talking Silent Bob and whoever else is nearby but spends just as much time lifting others up. This classic scene from Clerks is a perfect example. After Randal, the clerk of the video store that neighbors the Quik Stop, gets in a verbal sparring match with a disgruntled customer, he tells her she’s not allowed to rent at the store anymore. Without missing a beat, Jay yells, “YEAAAH!” backing up Randal and making sure he adds the exclamation point on the customer’s banishment.

A Supportive Pervert

Clerks 2 isn’t as beloved as its predecessor, but a DVD copy at my friend’s house got a lot of burn cause we loved the flick. The film is set at a Mooby’s restaurant, a fictional fast-food joint where the titular duo of Dante and Randal work since a fire burned down the Quik Stop. Becky, played by Rosario Dawson, is teaching Dante to dance on the roof of the restaurant when she asks Jay to play some music. At first, Jay thinks God is speaking to him, which is an in-universe joke calling back to Smith’s film Dogma. He then looks up to find Becky on the roof and hits her with dialogue only he could get away with.

Ride or Die

Mallrats was Kevin Smith’s second film, and although it wasn’t initially received as well as Clerks, its release to home video turned it into a cult classic. Jay and Silent Bob factor into the plot more heavily this time around, and in one scene Jay showcases his down-to-ride attitude. After learning that his friend Brodie, was beat up by the mall’s Easter Bunny, Jay and Silent Bob disrupt proceedings at the Easter Bunny photography spot to dish out some justice.

Surprisingly Progressive (or not)

Kevin Smith’s fourth film, Dogma, made waves in ways both positive and negative. The film centers around a couple of angels who are mad at God and spends a lot of time making jokes at the expense of the Catholic Church. This drudged up some controversy and delayed the film’s release in multiple countries. Early in the movie, one bit of dialogue paints Jay and Silent Bob as two dudes with fairly progressive ideals (at least, for 1999). Of course, immediately following the line where Jay espouses said ideals he then reveals his horndog intentions. Life is about balance, right?

A Nerd at Heart

Not only is Mallrats an ode to one of America’s dying pillars of commerce*, it also showcases Kevin Smith’s love for comic books. The main character, Brodie, is a comic book lover who works at the mall’s comic book store. Stan Lee makes a pretty serious cameo (long before he was in every MCU film). In a scene between Brodie and Jay and Silent Bob, Jay puts his love for comics on display with a reference to Wolverine’s berserker rage. The whole scene is funny, but the line “X-Men style!” gets me every time.

Behind the Times

Being a small-time drug dealer in nowheresville New Jersey and hanging out in front of the Quik Stop all day probably doesn’t allow someone to be hip to current trends or events. Jay proves this theory in a hilarious scene from Jay and Silent Bob Strikes Back. It’s the first film in Kevin Smith’s catalog that focused solely on the exploits of the troublesome tandem. They set off to stop a movie production that could damage their reputation, but before they do that they have to learn a few things from Ben Affleck’s character, Holden McNeil. Holden has to school the guys on a couple and we’re treated to some great bits of dialogue between Affleck and Mewes.

Metalheads

Another classic Clerks scene finds Jay showing an appreciation of music from other countries. Silent Bob’s Russian cousin, Olaf, is hanging out with the crew and Jay is encouraging him to sing one of his songs for a female friend. This scene is probably most beloved for Olaf’s song, but Jay drops two or three gems in the span of a couple of minutes, my favorite being when Jay tells his friend that Olaf’s band is called “Fuck Your Yankee Blue Jeans.”

Appreciating Fine Cinema

Dogma is filled with all kinds of ridiculous moments between angels and demons, but it also shines when things are slowed down and focus on more human elements like talking about your favorite (or least favorite) movies. In a diner scene between the main character Bethany and Jay and Silent Bob, Jay explains why they’re in Bethany’s neck of the woods as opposed to New Jersey. Throughout the films that make up the View Askew universe (or the Askewniverse), Jay typically has one or two lines of scene-stealing dialogue. This scene may be the best example of that. Jason Mewes chews the dialogue to shreds, expertly delivering Jay’s synopses of classic John Hughes films while also dissing Silent Bob’s love for Romantic Comedies.

Life-Changing Sobriety

As much as I love the characters and the movies they appear in, the best thing Jason Mewes has ever done with his career is getting sober. Fans of Kevin and Jason probably know and understand the hardship that this dynamic duo has faced throughout their friendship, but for the uninitiated here’s the scoop: Jason Mewes came from a bad situation at home and began using drugs at an early age. As his acting career developed he maintained a drug habit that ebbed and flowed, getting worse when he wasn’t making movies with Smith. Circumstances grew to their worst when Mewes’ addiction almost derailed the production of Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. The perseverance of true friendship saved Mewes’ career and life, though. And that’s the cliff notes version. Jason is now over nine years sober and has a wife and kid. He and Kevin ran an “intervention” podcast that’s over two hundred episodes deep, and he’s now directed a feature-length movie titled Madness in the Method. Jay’s random antics, crazy slang, and over-the-top language have made the character a standout in film after film. I’m glad he’s conquered some inner demons and hope to see him throwing around “snoogans” for many years to come.