Jamie Kennedy

For other people with the same name, see James Kennedy.
Jamie Kennedy

Kennedy at the 2012 Comic-Con in San Diego.
Birth name James Harvey Kennedy
Born (1970-05-25) May 25, 1970
Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, United States
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 stand-up comedian, television producer, screenwriter, and actor.

Early life

Kennedy 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

When Kennedy first arrived in Los Angeles, he became a professional Hollywood extra. During his first night in L.A., he was reading a Joan Rivers autobiography in a diner when the waiter explained to him that he had 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."

After a few years of struggling, Kennedy was unable to find an agent and worked 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 had a talent in selling things. Kennedy then thought that if he could sell anything, "why not sell myself?", becoming his own agent.

Kennedy 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 series.[4] His lead role as Tim Avery in Son of the Mask earned him a Golden Raspberry Award nomination for Worst Actor.[5]

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, in which he both wrote and starred, 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 his ignorance of the industry, but also for performing drunk as he insulted the audience.[6]

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 dilapidated car, and his kidney issues.

A performer of stand-up comedy, he is also 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.[7] 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 audiences.[8] In 2007, he appeared in Criminal Minds as a cannibal satanist serial killer.

From 2008-2010, Kennedy played psychology professor Eli James in the CBS drama Ghost Whisperer. From 2009-2013, he was in the TV series, The Cleveland Show, playing Roberta Tubbs' boyfriend.[9]

He also stars in the Nicktoon Fanboy & 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;[10] however, according to Scream screenwriter Kevin Williamson, plans were never made for him to rejoin the franchise, attributing the misinformation to a fabrication by Kennedy.[11]

On December 31, 2012 Kennedy hosted and produced First Night 2013 with Jamie Kennedy, a New Year's Eve television special widely considered one of the worst shows of all time. His film Lost & Found in Armenia, in which he plays an American tourist who ends up in an Armenian village, accused of being a Turkish spy, later opened to select theatres on June 7, 2013. His latest film, Buddy Hutchins, in which Kennedy plays a down-on-his-luck recovering alcoholic, is set for a 2015 VOD release.[12] In 2015, he portrayed Frump in the Colton Tran adventure mystery film Gloom and Beach Patrol Alex in Allegra Pictures' horror film The Sand.[13] In 2015, he also starred as Travis Welker in Tremors 5[14] and as Rob in Rivers 9.[15]

Personal life

Kennedy with then-girlfriend, Jennifer Love Hewitt, at the 2009 Primetime Emmy Awards

Kennedy dated his Ghost Whisperer co-star Jennifer Love Hewitt from March 2009 to March 2010.[16]

Kennedy is also active in California's tourism campaign, having appeared in several commercials with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1989 Dead Poets Society Extra uncredited
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 Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actor - Horror
1997 As Good as It Gets Street hustler
1998 Stricken Banyon
1998 Starstruck George Gordon Flynn
1998 Pass, TheThe Pass Deputy Jim Banks
1998 Soundman Frank's assistant / Marty (voice)
1998 Enemy of the State Jamie
1999 Bowfinger Dave
1999 Debtors, TheThe 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 Specials, TheThe Specials Amok
2001 Slacker Cats Buckley (voice) Pilot
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 Jamie Kennedy Experiment, TheThe 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/The Mask 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)
2009–2012 Fanboy & Chum Chum Kyle Bloodworth-Thomason / Fankylechum (voices) 46 episodes
2009–2013 Cleveland Show, TheThe 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 The Patriot of America Frank (voice)
2012 Good Deeds Mark Freeze
2012 Lost & Found in Armenia Bill
2013 Foreclosed Forrest Hayes Lifetime movie
2014 The Hungover Games Justmitch
2014 The After David
2014 Bermuda Tentacles Dr. Zimmern TV movie
2014 Kingdom Bucky TV series (episode: "Eat Your Own Cooking")
2015 Buddy Hutchins Buddy Movie
2015 Other Plans Nathan McKeon Movie
2015 Star vs. the Forces of Evil Helios (voice) TV series (episode: "Royal Pain")
2015 Tremors 5: Bloodlines Travis B. Welker Video
2015 The Sand Beach Patrol Alex
2016 Drawn of the Dead Adam Simmons (voice) Movie
2016 Heartbeat Dr. Callahan TV series
2016 Mostly Ghostly: One Night in Doom House Simon Direct to video
2016 Surviving Compton: Dre, Suge & Michel'le Jerry Heller Lifetime movie

Discography

Awards and nominations

Year Award Work Result
1996 Awards Circuit Community Awards for Best Cast Ensemble Romeo + Juliet Nominated
1998 Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actor - Horror Scream 2 Won
2003 Teen Choice Award Malibu's Most Wanted Nominated
2005 Stinkers Bad Movie Awards-Worst Actor Son of the Mask Won
Stinkers Bad Movie Awards-Worst Screen Couple Won
2006 Worst Actor Nominated
Worst Screen Couple Nominated

References

  1. ↑ Kennedy does stand-up Dailytargum.com
  2. ↑ Jamie Kennedy: Man-Child In The Promised Land | Mens Magazine Online
  3. ↑ Barry, Rebecca (August 13, 2006). "A quick word with Jamie Kennedy". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
  4. ↑ "Jamie Kennedy Talks 'Buddy Hutchins' and 'Tremors 5′". BloodyDisgusting.com. 2010-04-27. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
  5. ↑ "2005 RAZZIE Nominees & "Winners"". Razzies.com. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
  6. ↑ Sliwinski, Alexander (2007-07-19). "Watch Activision alienate E3 audience with Jamie Kennedy". Joystiq. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
  7. ↑ Jamie Kennedy review
  8. ↑ "Interview with Kennedy about Heckling". Lvrj.com. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
  9. ↑ "California's new winter tourism ad to star Jamie Kennedy, Arnold Schwarzenegger". Industry.visitcalifornia.com. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
  10. ↑ "Jamie Kennedy, Cinephile, Returning in 'Scream IV'". Bloody-disgusting.com. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
  11. ↑ "Jamie Kennedy NOT Back for Scream 4!". Dread Central. 2010-04-27. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
  12. ↑ "Interview: Jamie Kennedy, 'Buddy Hutchins'". Renegade Cinema. February 21, 2015. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
  13. ↑ Exclusive: Jamie Kennedy Talks Buddy Hutchins, Chainsaws, and Tremors 5
  14. ↑ Tremors 5 Shakes, Rattles, and Rolls in October 2015
  15. ↑ Gingold, Michael (February 26, 2015). "Jamie Kennedy Talks 'BUDDY HUTCHINS,' 'TREMORS 5' and More". Fangoria.
  16. ↑ Chiu, Alexis (2010-03-12). "Jennifer Love Hewitt and Jamie Kennedy Split". People. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
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