KEVIN SMITH - SMITH TAKES TV COMEDY ROLE

Director KEVIN SMITH has signed up to star in the US remake of hit British TV show MANCHILD, because he wants to become a better actor. Smith has written, directed and starred in CLERKS, MALLRATS, DOGMA and JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKES BACK - and now wants to turn his attention solely to portraying a cynical divorcee in the Showtime comedy. He tells MTV, "It should be an interesting exercise that, if the show works as well as the script, will turn into a sweet side gig for me. "At the very least, I'll learn a thing or two about acting; at the most, I'll have something to do four months out of every year."