Jamie Kennedy

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This article is about the actor. For the poet, see Jamie DeWolf. For the chef, see Jamie Kennedy (chef).
Jamie Kennedy

Kennedy signing an autograph for a soldier after performing at an USO event at Camp Victory in Baghdad, Iraq, 2007
Born James Harvey Kennedy
May 25, 1970 (1970-05-25) (age 38)
Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, United States
Occupation comedian, actor
Years active 1989 - present
Official website

James Harvey Kennedy (born May 25, 1970) is an American comedian and actor.

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life

Kennedy, the youngest of six children, was born in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, a suberb of Philadelphia, and was raised Catholic.[1][2] He attended and graduated from Monsignor Bonner High School in 1988. After studying acting in college, he began his career as a Hollywood extra and honed his skills at voice impersonations.

[edit] Career

This skill led to, among other things, an unorthodox success in the way of creating a false persona, screen agent "Marty Power" (a fictitious person). Posing as Marty Power over the telephone, Kennedy attracted the attention of real agents and managers who would later book his performances. He eventually landed his first major motion picture role from 1996 to 2000 when he was cast as Randy Meeks in the Scream trilogy of horror films. 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 ratings)[citation needed]. In 2006, Jizzy Entertainment released Unwashed: The Stand-Up Special.

He formed a production company called Wannabe Producers with Josh Etting through which he has produced the shows The Jamie Kennedy Experiment, Blowin' Up as well as The WB shows The Starlet and Living with Fran. Following Malibu's Most Wanted (2003), which he both wrote and starred in, Kennedy co-wrote the MTV show Blowin' Up (2006) featuring his friend Stu Stone. While working on Malibu's Most Wanted, Kennedy had ghostwriter Ellen Rapaport write a pseudo-comedic 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.

He has also performed minor roles in a number of other films. Kennedy lent his voice as a celebrity in the videogame ESPN NFL 2K5 as a celebrity adversary with his own football team, the Upper Darby Cheesesteaks and he is also unlockable as a Free Agent tight end in season mode.

He hosted the Activision press conference at E3 2007, where his position as emcee was criticized for his patronizing jokes about the audience and inappropriate commentary as the new Tony Hawk game was displayed.[3]

He often appears in movies with actor Kal Penn (Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle). In the movie, Malibu's Most Wanted, Kennedy played B-Rad and Kal Penn played an Indian who was in his group, and in Son of the Mask, Kal Penn played a friend of Kennedy's character.

It was announced on June 12, 2008 that he is joining Ghost Whisperer as a psychology student Eli.[[1]]

[edit] Personal life

He currently resides in the Griffith Park neighborhood of Los Angeles.

[edit] Filmography/TV

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Kennedy does stand-up - University
  2. ^ Jamie Kennedy: Man-Child In The Promised Land | Mens Magazine Online
  3. ^ Watch Activision alienate E3 audience with Jamie Kennedy - Joystiq
  4. ^ Dead Poets Society (1989)

[edit] External links