Jamie Kennedy has one of those careers that the world embraced and discarded at exactly the same time. The Philadelphia native started his career doing stand-up as a teenager in clubs around Pennsylvania, before moving to California. Once on the west coast he continued working out material on-stage during the evenings, while working bit parts in major films during the day. You may not even remember him in Dead Poet’s Society, Baz Lehrman’s Romeo + Juliette, and As Good As It Gets. But he’s in there, in backgrounds, walking on, and doing “extra” duty.
And then he got his big break. He burst onto the scene and into our hearts as the lovable movie geek, Randy, in one of the greatest horror movies ever…Scream. He brought so much heart to the lovable goofball that was Randy – he quickly became one of the most in demand young actors in Hollywood. The new found fame brought him roles in Enemy of the State, David O. Russell’s Three Kings (alongside Mark Wahlberg and George Clooney), and Boiler Room.
And that is when things went awry.
Kennedy followed his white-hot career boom with a string of over-the-top and far from funny movies that included Son of the Mask, Bowfinger, Malibu’s Most Wanted, and Kickin’ It Old School. From there is career has gone through peaks (a co-starring role on network television show The Ghost Whisperer), and valleys (the not even around long enough to be forgotten What Happened, Bro?). He did respond to his critics with the 2007 bitch-fest of a documentary entitled Heckler, where he asked the indelible question: “Why don’t people find my unfunny movies funny?”
And while his film career has been spotty – his stand-up has always remained on point, for proof just watch his last special Uncomfortable. As he re-directs his attention to the stage, Kennedy will be in Louisville tomorrow, April 13th, for a one night stand at Laughing Derby. The show begins at 7:15 PM and tickets are $20.
