When a famous person is in a comedy show as themself.
This can't be annoying and often kills the show.
When famous people play themselves
I loved the way the Simpsons and the Southpark used to not even credit guest stars.
It was somehow classier to expect to be recognised rather than pointed out.
Although I'm sure I read somewhere that The Simpsons have a clause in the contracts now that guests stars can't use pseudonyms any more after the Michael Jackson episode.
Assuming that really was Michael Jackson, eh? Eh?
Anyway... on the general point I think people playing themselves is a classic opportunity for things to go wrong. Since when are actors any good at being themselves?
Though, one actor-as-actor performance I've always liked is Jacqueline Bisset in Day for Night, but maybe it helped that she was playing herself acting in a film.
Moving Wallpaper! Quasi-reality.
Pretty good first series, but I'd rather not talk about the second, sadly.
Quote: Badge @ May 5 2009, 1:24 AM BSTAnyway... on the general point I think people playing themselves is a classic opportunity for things to go wrong. Since when are actors any good at being themselves?
And Kelly Brook can't even play Kelly Brook!
Quickly scanning over the list of thread titles, I misread this one as: "When famous people play with themselves". Disappointed upon opening it.
John Malkovich and Charlie Sheen were great, playing caricatures of themselves, in Being John Malkovich. Likewise Frank Sinatra in Cannonball Run II. Admittedly those are films. So, er, Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David are good at playing themeselves. And the three Goodies.
Quote: Kenneth @ May 5 2009, 1:41 AM BSTQuickly scanning over the list of thread titles, I misread this one as: "When famous people play with themselves". Disappointed upon opening it.
John Malkovich and Charlie Sheen were great, playing caricatures of themselves, in Being John Malkovich. Likewise Frank Sinatra in Cannonball Run II. Admittedly those are films. So, er, Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David are good at playing themeselves. And the three Goodies.
Good examples Kenneth. But are they ever playing themselves, or a caricature of themselves? Malkovich was especially good in Being John Malkovich, but I don't believe for a minute he was John Malkovich (if you see what I mean). Is it the curse that the more an actor portrays their real self on screen, the crapper they appear?
I vote for Bisset, if only because she was sexy in a relatively dull role, and appeared to be Jacqueline Bisset, rather than "Jacqueline Bisset".
What about Mr T playing himself in an episode of Diff'rent Strokes? That was pure class. And Boy George playing himself in The A Team was pure genius.
Quote: Griff @ May 5 2009, 7:58 AM BSTExtras seemed to manage OK with lots of famous people playing themselves, or at least, exaggerated versions of themselves.
Snap - I was about to say the same - although in some cases it was almost painful to watch and I wondered how comfortable they were with it all.
I know he wasn't playing himself (although ironically Kenneth, he did play 'with' himself in one episode) I ended up quite liking Barry from EastEnders through that programme.
I agree that it's often bad though. Singers in particular often have no idea how to reign it in when it comes to acting!
Quote: Jane P @ May 5 2009, 8:07 AM BST(although ironically Kenneth, he did play 'with' himself in one episode) I ended up quite liking Barry from EastEnders through that programme.
That's probably my favourite scene in Extras! When Andy walks out of his agent's office and 'Barry' is surreptitiously wanking off over that stupid pen, and Andy says: "Oh for f**k's sake". And near the end of the episode, there's an insinuation that Bob De Niro might also be intrested in getting off over the pen.
Quote: Jane P @ May 5 2009, 8:07 AM BSTI agree that it's often bad though. Singers in particular often have no idea how to reign it in when it comes to acting!
Who was the singer in Extras? Chris Martin out of Coldplay? He was rubbish.
The best bit of "comedy" like this was when the Pet Shop Boys appeared in Neighbours!
Larry Sanders was great at using guest stars effectively. I particularly liked David Duchovony on that show. However I think shows like that and Extras are about celebrity, so it's easier for them to do it. It works less well when guest stars are shoe horned into sitcoms, with no rhyme or reason, as happened with Absolutely Fabulous.
Any performer with a sliver of talent and humility can make it work.
3 top notch examples
David Bowie Extras
Patrick Stewart Extras
Micheal Douglas Will and Grace.
Each one playing a role that wasn't them selves.
N.B. Patrick Stewart was on the Andrew Marr show. What a nice guy and a proper old school socialist Labour guy to boot.
Quote: Kenneth @ May 5 2009, 10:11 AM BSTThat's probably my favourite scene in Extras! When Andy walks out of his agent's office and 'Barry' is surreptitiously wanking off over that stupid pen, and Andy says: "Oh for f**k's sake". And near the end of the episode, there's an insinuation that Bob De Niro might also be intrested in getting off over the pen.
Who was the singer in Extras? Chris Martin out of Coldplay? He was rubbish.
I liked the whole pen thing too although I was expecting to love De Niro's cameo but didn't. Maybe that was because compared to most of them they didn't find anything to laugh at with him (they were too in awe!) and he didn't have enough screen time to get into it more!
Yep it was Chris Martin you didn't like. As Sooty says Mr Bowie's cameo was good fun - the song's about two minutes in here, which I loved. See his little pug nosed face.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv6mEv_rDdE
Jx
The only guest appreance on extras who really made the part of themseles their own was Ian Mckellen. Apart from that it seemed most of celebrity caricatures were actually not that far from David Brent and as a result a lot of the actors performances were similar e.g harry potty, coldplay twat, robery lindsey