Director Kevin Smith Kicked Off Plane for Being Too Fat
Credit: Twitter
So much for flying the friendly skies.
Mallrats director Kevin Smith, 39, was kicked off a Southwest Airlines flight from Oakland, Calif. to Burbank, Calif. over the weekend because of his weight.
Smith (whose newest film, Cop Out, starring Bruce Willis, opens Feb. 26) posted more than 50 angry Twitter messages to his more than 1.6 million followers decrying the airline in the following 24 hours.
See photos of stars who are sick of fat jokes being made about them
As he explained on the microblogging site, the plane's captain had him removed from a plane after he was deemed a "safety risk."
"I know I'm fat, but was Captain Leysath really justified in throwing me off a flight for which I was already seated?" he ranted. "Again: I'm way fat... But I'm not THERE just yet. But if I am, why wait til my bag is up, and I'm seated WITH ARM RESTS DOWN. In front of a packed plane with a bunch of folks who'd already I.d.ed me as 'Silent Bob.'"
These stars are always criticized for their weight
The airline offered him a $100 voucher as an apology (which he refused) and put him on another flight, but he still wasn't pleased.
"Thank God I don't embarrass easily (bless you, JERSEY GIRL training). But I don't sulk off either: so everyday, some new f**k-you Tweets for @SouthwestAir," he wrote. "You f**ked with the wrong sedentary processed-foods eater!"
Shortly after, he posted a photo of himself puffing out his cheeks and captioned it, "Look how fat I am on your plane! Quick! Throw me off!"
See before and after pics of celeb weight winners
The director also joked with fans, including one who encouraged him to start his own airline. "More room for everyone! If they build it, I'd certainly fly it. 'Fly the Flabby Skies!'" he wrote.
Smith also mocked "The @SouthwestAir Diet. How it works: you're publicly shamed into a slimmer figure. Crying the weight right off has never been easier!"
After landing in Southern California, Smith wrote, "I've landed in Burbank. Don't worry: wall of the plane was opened & I was airlifted out while Richard Simmons supervised."
Southwest Airlines apologized to the director via Twitter, and blogged a longer statement on Sunday afternoon -- in which it pointed out that Smith usually purchases two seats every time he travels.
Tell Us What You Think
124That sunny person who said "customers should buy two air line seats. It is not fair and I was upset at Delta for allowing him to only buy one seat. That director is just trying to gain publicity for himself and is a very selfsh person if he feels the world should revolve around his comfort and not the comfort of others. I never even heard of the man until he made a big issues of this and that is exactly what he hoped to accomplish. I am disgusted by this type of person...not because he is fat but because he is using this situation to his benefit." is a moron. Kevin Smith doesn't need publicity, he's fairly famous for his movies (Clerks, Clerks 2, Mallrats, Dogma, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Chasing Amy, Jersey Girl...) Also, he isn't really very fat. If he can fit in his seat, with the seatbelt on, and his armrests down, and the other passengers aren't complaining.. there shouldn't have been an issue. Just because you live under a rock and have never heard of him doesn't mean you can judge him. For example, I don't know who you are but judging from your comments, I would assume that you suffer from down's syndrome.
Thank you Southwest for doing what many people that have had to sit next to a fat fellow wished they could do. One the other hand, the seats are really too tight for everyone but a small child.
I didn't notice He was obese until all this! Whoever accepted His $ and ticket and let Him on board should be FIRED!
It's sad how off topic and off point most people stay, even despite their obvious effort to stay (somewhat) informed and sound intelligent. I would just like to make a few points 1) The point that SWA has a â??policyâ?? in place that is not well defined or equitably enforced is a major part of this issue. Kevin Smith did meet their guidelines as SWA has them stated in their own literature. The passengers next to him said they were fine. His armrests went down. He could fasten his seatbelt. If they have a more specific policy about size, weight etc, they should post it in a very obvious place and make it specific as to the standards they set. Then they should enforce the rules equitably. Because he did fit within their guidelines (and armrests and seatbelt) he shouldnâ??t have been removed from the flight. Why have nebulous, arbitrary rules that are difficult to enforce fairly? 2) SWA knew his size going onto the plane. Did he look bigger in the seat than he did at the gate? Employees encountered him when he asked for a standby seat on an earlier flight. Members of the crew did encounter him before he was seated. So then why was he removed from the plane only after he was seated and his carry-onâ??s stowed? Why wait until that point in time to point out to him that he is big and that he needs to leave? Shouldnâ??t SWA have a policy in place to treat their customers with respect and courtesy? (Maybe even by having a firm policy up front and stating their policy up front so that a customer would be ABLE to follow it?) 3) SWA lied about who ordered him to be removed from the aircraft and why. They were not at all forthright with information. They changed their side of the story several times and were not upfront about it. Some people still believe that if a business or their employee or even just a human, says or does something, then they should own up to it. If they did nothing wrong, then why all the changes to their story? Just be blunt and forthright with what happened. If you screwed up apologize FOR SCREWING UP. If an employee lied, then apologize for that. Just generally do the right thing and follow the rules we were taught in Kindergarten. Be HONEST. Well, now that Iâ??ve said that, the people who want to can go back to discussing things that are off the point and make those statements with misinformation and half-truths regurgitated by the media.
They picked the wrong Man to pick on!
Is it any more or less wrong to kick an alcoholic off a flight because they're wasted than it is to kick a foodaholic off because they are obese?
He's hysterical. Love his last comment about the wall of the plane and richard simmons. He should be concerned though, if about anything, his health. I feel sorry for him.
maybe he should eat more salad and less candy,no punn intended
I sat next to a very fat man on a Delta airline and it was the most uncomfortable flight I have ever taken. He was so fat he couldn't buckle his seat belt. He took up half of my seat and part of the aisle. Everytime he got up his hips took the arm rests with him. People this fat who inconvience other customers should buy two air line seats. It is not fair and I was upset at Delta for allowing him to only buy one seat. That director is just trying to gain publicity for himself and is a very selfsh person if he feels the world should revolve around his comfort and not the comfort of others. I never even heard of the man until he made a big issues of this and that is exactly what he hoped to accomplish. I am disgusted by this type of person...not because he is fat but because he is using this situation to his benefit.
i can underrstand the weight issue, i have been in the middle seet where the guy on the outside was almost half way into my seat ii was scruched between the two people for a 3 hr flight, i was very uncomfortable, the plane was full, i can see both sides, mybe they could have a section for over wieght people ,just a thought, were all over weight people in amercia , just open your eyes including me , im not way over but could be 13 pounds thinner, the seat are crampt any how just have a section for the bigger people to sit, that would help i think.not trying to affend any one just see both sides
To Chris _ You are extremely judgmental. I suppose you consider yourself perfect. I wonder how you would feel if somebody decided that you had a particular imperfection and called you vicious names. How dare you call someone an idiot because of their weight. In fact, you explicitly show your own lack of intelligience by posting such a disrespectful comment.
Hey morons. Fat Smith bought 2 TICKETS on a flight because he is FAT. Then wanted to switch to an earlier flight that only had 1 seat on it. Get your facts straight. If he was SO offended then why did he buy 2 tix for the later flight as he has done for years? God you fatties are idiots
southwest fly empty plains now
i was kick off for being too tall and the clown in from of me was complaining that he could not recline his seat into my lap. i hate flying and never will waste my money on flying commercial again!
ALL YOU SKINNY A$$ PEOPLE SHUT THE HELL UP LEAVE FAT PEOPLE ALONE JERKS PISS OFF !
Rajebs girl shut the F-u-c-k up you sound stupid !
He has clearly stated multiple times that it isn't about him being fat or even about having bought a second seat. What it IS about is that the man fit between the armrests and was able to buckle his seatbelt without an extender. By SouthWest's own policy, if a customer fits between the arm rests and doesn't encroach upon the other passenger's space, they are not too large to fly.
Buy 2 seats fat b....tch.... You know how fat is he?? I think this some how the pilot taking a chance to shoot down Smith over Smith's persona.
Here's the deal ... If airlines boo hoo one more dam time about how the economy is and how they have to lay off a third of their employees and blah blah blah .. here's a hint don't kick off a patron off of your flight because of their size! A Famous one at that.. after seeing how he was treated i won't ever fly southwest not so friendly skies i just flew united express (small seats I'm a bigger women get over it stupid people) and there were no issues in fact i chatted with everyone who sat beside me .. what they did to him was very ignorant on their behalf and i think it's hilarious they did it to him and he openly put them in the their place. Go KEVIN!!!
He's not that fat. Stupid airlines.