Acting hasn't replaced love for comedy

Thursday, August 24, 2006 He got his big break playing a chicken in a commercial. By JOHN BENSON VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT One of actor/stand-up comedian Jamie Kennedy's first breaks in Los Angeles came about thanks to power agent Marty Power. With his deep voice that sounded like it had been marinated in Lucky Strikes and scotch for decades, Power made calls on behalf of the up-and-coming talent Jamie Kennedy, who up to that point had been working menial hourly jobs. What unsuspecting comedy club bookers and commercial agents didn't know was that Power and Kennedy were one and the same — the product of an overly creative individual who had too much time on his hands. "I had nothing else going on at the time and I was working as a telemarketer, so I was just like selling pencils and white-out and stuff," said Kennedy, calling from Los Angeles. "I thought if I can do that, I can sell myself. So I made up a fake persona and started calling people." He added, "It was very much like [changes voice], It was very deep and I would say 'My name is Marty Power, and I'm calling for Jamie Kennedy.'" Big break as a chicken In addition to landing Kennedy a few comedy club gigs, the Pennsylvania native got his first big break, starring in an El Pollo Loco commercial. "I was the guy who eats some chicken and then starts clucking like a chicken," Kennedy said. Since then the actor has made a name for himself with roles in all three "Scream" movies, as well as on television. This includes his 2002 television series "The Jamie Kennedy Experiment" and most recently the MTV series "Blowin' Up." Currently he's waiting to see if it gets picked up for a sophomore season. He also just finished filming "Kickin' It Old Skool." As the lead, Kennedy plays a break-dancing character who went into a coma in 1985 and wakes up in 2005. It's due out this winter. Even though he was bitten by the acting bug early in life — as an extra in "Dead Poets Society" while still living in the Keystone State — Kennedy says his first love remains stand-up comedy, which he's been doing steadily since he moved to Los Angeles at age 19. "It's just something that is totally live," said Kennedy, who averages 40 to 50 stand-up dates a year. "You get great feedback right away of what works and what doesn't. Plus, it was just another way to practice acting." You can catch Kennedy in action on his new comedy DVD/CD release "Jamie Kennedy: Unwashed." He's also coming to Cleveland for two shows next Thursday at Hilarities. As far as his material, Kennedy said he'll be delving into his characters and impressions. He'll also be offering his hilarious insights into the world of sex and more. Even though he's come a long way in his career, Kennedy said he doesn't feel too far removed from his chicken commercial days. "It's definitely something that feels like my career in a nutshell," Kennedy said. "I'm still the chicken." Jamie Kennedy will perform at 7:30 and 10 p.m. Thursday at Hilarities 4th Street Theatre in Cleveland. Tickets are $30. Call (216) 736-4242 or visit www.pickwickandfrolic.com.