Which character did director Kevin Smith play in the film "Clerks"?

"Clerks" is a 1994 American black-and-white comedy buddy film written, produced and directed by Kevin Smith. Starring are Brian O'Halloran and Jeff Anderson. It presents a day in the lives of store clerks Dante Hicks (O'Halloran) and Randal Graves (Anderson) and their acquaintances. The film is the first of Smith's View Askewniverse films, and introduces several recurring characters, notably Jay and Silent Bob (Jason Mewes and Smith respectively).

With his friend, the two—Silent Bob (Smith) and Jay—appear in the film as drug dealers (mainly marijuana). They spend most of their time standing in front of stores selling their product, and are generally stoned. The resultant characters then express eclectic characteristics in pop culture which make them familiar, but distant; such as people you would buy things from, but never associate with.

As an example, the duo express a great interest in John Hughes' films (especially "Sixteen Candles"), the film "Purple Rain", and the heavy metal band King Diamond, and the dance-pop ensemble Morris Day and the Time.

This film was shot for $27,575 in convenience and video stores where director Smith worked in real life. Upon its theatrical release, it received generally positive reviews and grossed over $3 million at the box office. The film launched Smith's career.

"Clerks" is considered a landmark in independent filmmaking. In 2019, it was selected for preservation in the US National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.