Kevin Smith is very much the opposite of Silent Bob, the often-quiet character he’s portrayed in seven of his films. The loquacious cult film director, podcaster, and geek icon has spoken and written at length about his passion for comics and other geeky subject matter, celebrity encounters, religious views, and his personal life (including the massive heart attack in 2018 that nearly claimed his life). His legions of fans love him for it. They watch his flicks, buy his merch, and turn out at his various live podcast sessions. For more than a week now, his Phoenix fans have been making trips to The Van Buren for Smith's Mooby’s pop-up restaurant that’s taken over the front portion of the downtown Phoenix music venue.