This page uses content from the Jamie Kennedy biography page on the English version of Wikipedia and is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. This list of authors can be seen in the page history. Rotten Tomatoes disclaims any and all warranties as to the accuracy or reliability of the content.

For the slam poet, see Jamie Kennedy (poet).

For the Canadian chef, see Jamie Kennedy (chef).

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

Biography

Kennedy was born in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. He attended and graduated from Monsignor Bonner High School in 1988. After studying acting in college, he began his career as a Hollywood, California extra and honed his skills at voice impersonations.

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 as Randy Meeks in the films Scream, Scream 2, and made a cameo in Scream 3. As a performer of stand-up comedy, Kennedy 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). 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 shows The Jamie Kennedy Experiment, Blowin' Up as well as The WB shows The Starlet and Living with Fran.

Following great success of 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 Rapoport write a pseudo-comedic autobiography entitled, "Wannabe". It chronicles his life during while in the hollywood slums, his discouraging attempts at stardom, and then his gradual rise to fame. The book was never well known, but the critics that did review it claimed it was well written, and entertaining. However, it is questionable exactly how much of the positives cited in these reviews were the product of Kennedy himself, or his ghostwriter.

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.

Kennnedy is set to host Fuse TV's Fuse Fangoria Chainsaw Awards on Sunday, October 21, 2006.

Wannabe: A Hollywood Experiment

Kennedy co-wrote with Ellen Rapaport an autobiography called 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.

The G4TV Incident

Jamie Kennedy released an album from his MTV show "Blowin' Up" in which he and his partner Stu Stone get advice on how to be successful rappers. The album is on Warner Bros. Records and was cited by critic Peter Grumbine as being "more offensive to the African-American community than slavery".

This particular comment caused Kennedy to confront Grumbine on the set of G4TV's Attack of the Show, where both were guests that day. According to an article in GIANT Magazine by Grumbine, Kennedy attempted to ambush the critic with a film crew for an upcoming documentary he is making about hecklers and critics. After this attempt failed, and he was intelligently picked apart by Grumbine, Kennedy resorted to calling him "gay", a "fag", and a "queer".

The situation escalated further when a visably shaken and bothered Kennedy appeared on Attack of the Show, and after a few moments of typical banter, began to ask if he was funny, and if G4 had made a mistake picking up the syndication rights of his show, The Jamie Kennedy Experiment. He then went on to say that Peter Grumbine thought he had no talent, and invited Grumbine, who was still onset, to join them and discuss this. Grumbine went on to tell Jamie that his album was offensive to African Americans, and that he should issue an apology. Kennedy then said he would, if 50% of the viewers emailed G4TV to say they were offended.

Awards and nominations

2005 Golden Raspberry Awards

Two nominations:

• Worst Actor (Son of the Mask)
• Worst Screen Couple (with "Anyone sharing the screen with him", for Son of the Mask)

Partial filmography

• Wild 'N Out (2006)
• Kicking It Old Skool (2006)
• Unwashed: The Stand-Up Special (2006)
• Son of the Mask (2005)
• ESPN NFL 2K5 (2004) (video game voice-over)
• Harold and Kumar go to White Castle (2004)(cameo)
• Malibu's Most Wanted (2003)
• Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001)
• Max Keeble's Big Move (2001)
• The Specials (2000)
• Scream 3 (cameo, 2000)
• Three Kings (1999)
• Enemy of the State (1998)
• Boiler Room (1999)
• Scream 2 (1997)
• As Good as It Gets (1997)
• Scream (1996)
• [[Romeo + Juliet]] (1996)
• Dead Poets Society (1989) [1]

External links

• Jamie Kennedy World (Official site)
• JKSS Records (Jamie Kennedy and Stu Stone's album site)
• Jamie Kennedy's MySpace
• Jamie Kennedy YouTube channel
• Jamie Kennedy Ringtone Store
• Wannabe on Amazon.com

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