Kevin Smith life almost as funny as his movies

Kevin Smith is a big man in Hollywood these days. Too big, according to Southwest Airlines, which tossed the rotund director/actor/writer off a recent flight from Oakland to Burbank because he was determined to be a safety risk because of his size.

Smith soon started a war of Tweets with Southwest. Smith, best known for his Silent Bob character in a series of movies based in his home state of New Jersey, said he had purchased two seats on a flight but boarded an earlier flight when a seat was available. That's when he was asked to deplane.

Southwest has defended its "customer of size" policy that requires extra big passengers to buy two seats. The airline said other airlines have similar policies for super-sized passengers.

Smith's tirade against Southwest comes just in time to build buzz about his latest directing effort "Cop Out," a cop buddy picture starring Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan. "Cop Out" is the first film Smith has directed that he did not write himself. It also marks his second collaboration with Willis, with whom Smith worked as an actor on "Live Free or Die Hard."

Smith's filmography as a director includes a couple of documentaries, the pilot episode of "Reaper," which was cancelled after last season, and three movies in production. He also has credits for producing, writing, editing, acting and consulting on projects.

Smith's films are said to be an acquired taste. They tend to be outrageous, oftentimes gross and mostly funny. Here are six of his films available on video and DVD that represent the Hollywood legacy of Kevin Smith.

"Catch and Release" (2006) -- Smith shows off his acting chops in this comedy about a woman (Jennifer Garner) who tries to come to grips with the sudden death of her fiance and the realization he was not the perfect man. Other stars include Timothy Olyphant, Sam Jaeger and Juliette Lewis.

"Dogma" (1999) -- Smith pokes fun at the Catholic Church in this comedy that revolves around a couple of cast out angels (Ben Affleck and Matt Damon) who discover a way back into heaven thanks to a wacky bishop (George Carlin). Along the way Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Smith) encounter a long-lost descendant of Christ, the 13th apostle Rufus, an angel who likes booze, and God, who likes to play skeeball in Atlantic City.  Other stars include Linda Fiorentino, Jason Lee and Alan Rickman.

"Chasing Amy" (1997) -- A comic book artist (Ben Affleck) finds the love of his life (Joey Lauren Adams) only to discover that she's a lesbian. That, of course, doesn't stop him from trying to change her mind. Other stars include Jason Lee.

"Mallrats" (1995) -- A couple of guys head to the mall after being dumped by their girlfriends in this comedy based in Minnesota. Stars include Shannon Doherty, Jeremy London, Claire Forlani, Ben Affleck, Joey Lauren Adams and Stan Lee as himself.

"Clerks II" (2006) -- Smith burst onto the scene in 1994 with "Clerks." Now, it's 10 years later and he catches up with Dante (Brian O'Halloran) and Randal (Jeff Anderson) who have moved on, barely and thanks mostly to a fire that burned down the quicky mart they were working at in the original. Other stars include Rosario Dawson and Jennifer Schwalbach (the real-life Mrs. Kevin Smith).

"Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" (2001) -- Smith's Silent Bob and Jason Mewes' Jay find out that a movie based on their comic book alter egos is being made in Hollywood. Then they discover they aren't going to see a nickel. Rightfully upset, they decide to visit Hollywood and wreck the movie. Other stars include many Smith regulars incluing Ben Affleck and a couple of newcomers including Will Ferrell.