Jamie Kennedy
| Jamie Kennedy | |
|---|---|
 Kennedy at the 2012 Comic-Con in San Diego. |
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| Birth name | James Harvey Kennedy |
| Born | May 25, 1970 Upper Darby, Pennsylvania |
| Medium | Stand-up, film, television, music |
| Nationality | American |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Genres | Observational comedy, Character comedy |
James Harvey "Jamie" Kennedy (born May 25, 1970) is an American actor, comedian, television producer and screenwriter. He is known for his TV series The Jamie Kennedy Experiment and for his film roles in Scream, Scream 2, and Malibu's Most Wanted, among others.
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Early life[edit]
Kennedy, the youngest of six children, was born in Upper Darby Township, a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Kennedy was raised Roman Catholic.[1][2][3] He attended and graduated from Monsignor Bonner High School in 1988. After high school, Kennedy began his career as a Hollywood extra. Meanwhile, he worked on voice impersonations.
Career[edit]
When Kennedy first arrived in Los Angeles, he was 19 years old and ready to become a professional Hollywood extra. His first night in LA, he was reading a Joan Rivers autobiography in a diner when the waiter explained to him that he has been in a dozen movies as an extra. Kennedy asked "If you've been in so many movies, why are you a waiter?" the waiter responded "I have to keep my day job". Kennedy then decided that he did not want to be an extra, he was going to become a star.
After a few years of struggling, Kennedy was unable to find an agent and had to work as a host at Red Lobster. He auditioned for over 80 commercials and could not book one. He then took a job as a telemarketer and learned that he was really good at selling things. Kennedy then thought that if he could sell anything, "why not sell myself?" becoming his own agent.
He created a false persona, screen agent "Marty Power", to attract the attention of real agents and managers over the phone, who would later book his performances. He came to prominence in the late 1990s for playing Randy Meeks in the Scream film. His lead role as Tim Avery in Son of the Mask earned him a Golden Raspberry Award nomination for Worst Actor.[4]
Kennedy formed a production company called Wannabe Producers, alongside Josh Etting, through which he has produced the shows The Jamie Kennedy Experiment, Blowin' Up, The Starlet, and Living with Fran. Following Malibu's Most Wanted, which he both wrote and starred in, Kennedy co-wrote the MTV show Blowin' Up (2006) featuring his friend Stu Stone.
Kennedy lent his voice to the videogame ESPN NFL 2K5 as a celebrity adversary with his own football team, the Upper Darby Cheesesteaks. He is also unlockable as a Free Agent tight end in season mode. His stint as Activision's emcee at E3 2007, however, drew much criticism not only for failing to understand anything about the industry, but for also performing drunk as he insulted the audience.[5]
While working on his film Malibu's Most Wanted, Kennedy wrote an autobiography entitled, Wannabe: A Hollywood Experiment. The book chronicles his life in Hollywood as he attempts to become a star. It gives background on his life and family, and quickly dives into his adventures. It tells of such things as Kennedy's living conditions in the Hollywood slums, his beat up car, his kidney issues, and funky characters throughout the story.
As a performer of stand-up comedy, he is best known for his sketch performances on his television reality show, The Jamie Kennedy Experiment, which became the WB Network's highest ranking new show in 2002, but which was cancelled in April 2004 due to falling viewership.[6] In 2006, Jizzy Entertainment released Unwashed: The Stand-Up Special. In 2008, Kennedy released the documentary Heckler, about the plight of stand-up comics versus their often-aggressive audience.[7] In 2007 he appeared in Criminal Minds as a cannibal satanist serial killer.
Since 2008, Kennedy has played psychology professor Eli James in the CBS drama Ghost Whisperer. Since 2009, he has been in the TV series, The Cleveland Show, playing Roberta Tubbs' boyfriend.[8]
He also stars in the Nicktoon Fanboy and Chum Chum as Kyle, an insecure boy wizard who loathes the fun-loving Fanboy and Chum Chum, but who secretly yearns for their friendship. In April 2010, sources reported that Kennedy would very likely return to the Scream franchise to star in the fourth installment;[9] however, according to Scream screenwriter Kevin Williamson there were never plans for him to rejoin the franchise, attributing the misinformation to a fabrication by Kennedy.[10]
His latest film is Lost & Found in Armenia, in which he plays an American tourist who ends up in an Armenian village, accused of being a Turkish spy. The film will open to select theatres on June 7th, 2013.
Personal life[edit]
Kennedy dated his Ghost Whisperer co-star Jennifer Love Hewitt from March 2009 to March 2010.[11]
Kennedy is also active in California's tourism campaign, having appeared in several commercials with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Filmography[edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Dead Poets Society | Extra | uncredited[12] |
| 1994 | VR Troopers | Elmo | Episode: "Cybertron" |
| 1994 | California Dreams | Hiccup Guy Sea Kelp |
2 episodes |
| 1995 | Unhappily Ever After | Stoney / Pony Burger Attendant (voice) | 3 episodes |
| 1995 | Ellen | Tad | 2 episodes |
| 1996 | Romeo + Juliet | Sampson | |
| 1996 | Scream | Randy Meeks | |
| 1997 | Coax | Jamie | Short film |
| 1997 | Bongwater | Tommy | |
| 1997 | On the Edge of Innocence | Luke Canby | TV movie |
| 1997 | Clockwatchers | Eddie | |
| 1997 | Perversions of Science | Spaceman John | Episode: "Panic" |
| 1997 | Sparkler | Trent | |
| 1997 | Scream 2 | Randy Meeks | |
| 1997 | As Good as It Gets | Street Hustler | |
| 1998 | Stricken | Banyon | |
| 1998 | Starstruck | George Gordon Flynn | |
| 1998 | The Pass | Deputy Jim Banks | |
| 1998 | Soundman | Frank's Assistant / Marty (voice) | |
| 1998 | Enemy of the State | Jamie | |
| 1999 | Bowfinger | Dave | |
| 1999 | The Debtors | ||
| 1999 | Three Kings | Walter Wogaman | |
| 2000 | Road to Flin Flon | Brad | |
| 2000 | Stark Raving Mad | Doobs | Episode: "My Bodyguard" |
| 2000 | Boiler Room | Adam | |
| 2000 | Scream 3 | Randy Meeks | Cameo |
| 2000 | Bait | Agent Blum | |
| 2000 | The Specials | Amok | |
| 2001 | Slacker Cats | Buckley (voice) | TV movie |
| 2001 | Da Möb | Rooster (voice) | TV series |
| 2001 | Dr. Dolittle 2 | Various (voice) | |
| 2001 | Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back | Chaka's Production Assistant | |
| 2001 | Strange Frequency | Pete Derek | Episode: "A Change Will Do You Good" |
| 2001 | Max Keeble's Big Move | Evil Ice Cream Man | |
| 2001 | Pretty When You Cry | Albert Straka | |
| 2002 | Bug | Dwight | |
| 2002 | Night Visions | Mark Stevens | Episode: "Cargo" |
| 2002-2004 | The Jamie Kennedy Experiment | Host | 61 episodes |
| 2003 | Malibu's Most Wanted | Brad 'B-Rad' Gluckman | |
| 2003 | Sol Goode | Justin Sax | |
| 2003 | King of the Hill | Dr. Tim Rast (voice) | Episode: "Queasy Rider" |
| 2004 | King of the Hill | Fudgie / Police Chief (voice) | Episode: "Phish and Wildlife" |
| 2004 | Crank Yankers | Wally Palumbo (voice) | Episode: "2.23" |
| 2004 | Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle | Creepy Guy (uncredited) | |
| 2005 | Son of the Mask | Tim Avery | Nominated—Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor Nominated—Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Screen Couple (with anybody stuck sharing the screen with him) |
| 2005 | Dinotopia: Quest for the Ruby Sunstone | Spazz (voice) | |
| 2005 | Living With Fran | TV Announcer | Episode: "Who's the Parent?" |
| 2006 | Farce of the Penguins | Jamie (voice) | |
| 2006 | Wild 'n Out | Himself | |
| 2006 | Mind of Mencia | Will Pillowbiter | Episode: "Stereotype Olympics" |
| 2007 | Me & Lee? | Joel | TV movie |
| 2007 | Kickin' It Old Skool | Justin Schumacher | |
| 2007 | Living With Fran | Alan | Episode: "School Ties" |
| 2007 | Criminal Minds | Floyd Feylinn Ferell | Episode: "Lucky" |
| 2007 | Larry the Cable Guy's Christmas Spectacular | Ghost of Christmas Past | TV movie |
| 2008 | Reaper | Ryan Milner | Episode: "Hungry for Fame" |
| 2008 | Extreme Movie | Mateus | |
| 2008 | Hollywood Residential | himself | |
| 2008 | Heckler | himself | |
| 2008-2010 | Ghost Whisperer | Eli James | 45 episodes |
| 2009 | Finding Bliss | Dick Harder | |
| 2009 | Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey! | 'Danno' Wolfe (voice) | |
| 2009-present | Fanboy and Chum Chum | Kyle Bloodworth-Thomason / Fankylechum | 46 episodes |
| 2009-present | The Cleveland Show | Federline Various (voice) |
15+ episodes |
| 2010 | Cafe | Dealer | |
| 2010 | Eureka | Dr. Ramsey | Episode: "The Story of O2" |
| 2011 | Spring Break '83 | Ballzack | |
| 2012 | Bending the Rules | Theo Gold | |
| 2012 | Good Deeds | Mark Freeze | |
| 2012 | Lost & Found in Armenia | Bill |
Discography[edit]
- Blowin' Up (2006)
References[edit]
- ^ Kennedy does stand-up Dailytargum.com
- ^ Jamie Kennedy: Man-Child In The Promised Land | Mens Magazine Online
- ^ Barry, Rebecca (August 13, 2006). "A quick word with Jamie Kennedy". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
- ^ "2005 RAZZIE Nominees & "Winners"". Razzies.com. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
- ^ Sliwinski, Alexander (2007-07-19). "Watch Activision alienate E3 audience with Jamie Kennedy". Joystiq. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
- ^ Jamie Kennedy review
- ^ "Interview with Kennedy about Heckling". Lvrj.com. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
- ^ "California's new winter tourism ad to star Jamie Kennedy, Arnold Schwarzenegger". Industry.visitcalifornia.com. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
- ^ "Jamie Kennedy, Cinephile, Returning in 'Scream IV'". Bloody-disgusting.com. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
- ^ "Jamie Kennedy NOT Back for Scream 4!". Dreadcentral.com. 2010-04-27. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
- ^ Chiu, Alexis (2010-03-12). "Jennifer Love Hewitt and Jamie Kennedy Split". people.com. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
- ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005085/
External links[edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Jamie Kennedy |
- Jamie Kennedy at the Internet Movie Database
- Review of Heckler
- Alternative Review of Heckler
- Jamie Kennedy on Tom Green Live
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- 1970 births
- Living people
- People from Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania
- American Roman Catholics
- American people of Irish descent
- American Christians
- American comedians
- East Coast hip hop musicians
- American film actors
- American television actors
- American voice actors
- Actors from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Rappers from Pennsylvania
