Comedian and actor Jamie Kennedy combines the serious acting chops of a seasoned pro and the humor of a someone who doesn’t take himself too seriously.
Now Kennedy will bring his unique brand of comedy which he described as “three quarters comedy and one quarter music” to the Comedy Connection in Faneuil Hall this weekend.
I’m excited to come back to Boston,” he said. “I really like it, I played this show here a few years ago, so I’m out to have a good time and talk to the crowd.”
Kennedy is also an experienced screen actor, having appeared in dozens of films ranging from the “Scream” franchise to 2003’s hit, “Malibu’s Most Wanted.” But he’s best known for his reality TV shows, MTV’s recent “Blowin’ Up with Jamie Kennedy,” and “The Jamie Kennedy Experience” which aired on the WB from 2002-2004.
“Blowin’ Up with Jamie Kennedy” followed Kennedy and his friend Stu Stone as they trekked across the country attempting to gain credibility and an audience as rap stars. Along the way, they received career advice from Ice-T, recorded a now infamous duet with comedian Bob Saget, and eventually released an album appropriately titled, “Blowin’ Up.”
In hindsight, Kennedy never imagined the success that “Blowin’ Up…” would afford him, especially with the song, “Rollin’ With Bob Saget,” which became a huge hit on YouTube.com, a Web site that showcases a variety of online videos.
“I didn’t know what people would think,” he said. “I just thought if we made something funny, I thought people would come check it out and dig it.”
Kennedy was 17 when he first broke into the entertainment industry working as an extra in movies. But he didn’t experience any of the difficulties one would expect when transitioning from an actor to a rappper, noting “it’s not much different from comedy.”
Being a celebrity has its obvious perks, but Kennedy insists stardom hasn’t gone to his head.
“I have a normal life,” he said. “I do laundry. I walk the dog.”
But like any amateur entertainer, the most rewarding experience of being inside the industry is being able to meet his influences. Kennedy said he met Eddie Murphy, Mike Myers and Adam Sandler, three comedians he hopes to emulate.
As for his future endeavors, he has a movie coming out in January or February called “Kicking It Old School,” which he said is “about a break dancer who goes into a coma for 20 years and comes out of it in 2005 and tries to get together his old crew.” He is also planning to tour to support his recently released album throughout the fall.
Kennedy will be giving two performances in at Faneuil Hall this weekend.
