Kevin Smith grows up

NEW YORK, March 22 (UPI) -- Kevin Smith says becoming a father inspired him to take a more mature approach in writing his new comedy, "Jersey Girl."

"I used to think the most amazing thing that ever happened to me was that I had a career," the "Clerks" and "Chasing Amy" filmmaker, and married father of a 4-year-old daughter, recently told UPI.

"And now I like it and I'm glad I get to do it and I'm in love with the process and it's very creatively fulfilling... but the real miracle is the kid and that's kind of the ongoing project."

Smith's sweet, hilarious new film "Jersey Girl," due out Friday, is about a widower raising his little girl.

It is the only of Smith's six movies without an appearance by sex- and drug-obsessed characters Jay and Silent Bob.

Smith admitted the absence of those beloved characters and the "touchy feely" nature of the film might scare off die-hard fans who won't find anything in the film to which they can relate.

"It's about having a job and a spouse and a kid and 13- and 14-year-old boys don't care about that. They just want to know about dudes who are anti-establishment running around saying somewhat crude things. So, I knew some of them weren't going to stick around," Smith explained.