| Jamie Kennedy | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name: | James Harvey Kennedy |
| Born: | May 25, 1970 |
| Birth Hometown: | Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Occupation: | stand-up, film, television, music |
| Years active: | 1989-present |
| Known for: | his 2002-04 reality show The Jamie Kennedy Experiment |
Jamie Kennedy (born James Harvey Kennedy on May 25, 1970) is a American stand-up comedian, television producer and actor.
Early Life[]
The youngest of six children, Kennedy was born in Upper Darby Township, a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Kennedy was raised Roman Catholic. 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. His first night in L.A. 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 m day job." Kennedy then decided that he did not want to be a 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 for 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.
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 Jones.
Kennedy lent his voice to the video game ESPN NFL 2K5 as a celebrity adversary with his own football team, the Upper Darby Cheesesstakes. He is also an unlockable as a Free Agent tight end in season mode. His stint as Activision's emcee t 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.
While working on his film for 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 issue and funky characters throughout the story.
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. 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. 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 animated TV series The Cleveland Show as the voice of Roberta Tubbs' boyfriend Federline.
He also stars in the Nickelodeon Nicktoon series 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 like to return to the Scream franchise to star in their fourth installment. 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.
Kennedy hosted and produced First Night 2013 with Jamie Kennedy, an alternative New Year's Eve television special from December 31, 2012. His film Lost & Found in America in which he plays an American tourists who ends up in an American 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 2014 release.
Personal Life[]
Kennedy dated his Ghost Whisperer co-star Jennifer Love Hewitt from March 2009 until March 2010.
Kennedy is also active in California's tourism campaign, having appeared in several commercials with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Kennedy is also well known for his ability to swallow multiple hot dogs whole, flaunting this often on his eponymous show The Jamie Kennedy Experiment.
Shows hosted[]
- Pepsi's Play for a Billion (WB era only/ 2003)
- Oh Sit! (2012-2013)
Shows appeared[]
- The Weakest Link (2001)
- Celebrity Blackjack (2004)
- Identity (as a stranger only/2007)
- Million Dollar Password (2009)
- Funniest Wins (2014)
- 25 Words or Less
Show produced[]
- The Starlet (2005)