Do you like me better as Ronald Miller? |
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I can not turn on a television without flicking to some entertainment program and seeing the continual bombardment of questions about the fictional sex life of McDreamy and whatever character Ellen Pompeo plays on GREY'S ANATOMY If people spent as much time worrying about their own sex life we would likely have less "desperate housewives" in our world. However, while many of the world actually frets and waits to see what happens in the lives of these people who do not exist in the real world, I would like to chat about one of the actors who does.
Patrick Dempsey has been an actor for many years. He was also in fact big (or as big as he could be expected) from starring in a couple of average teen comedies in the early eighties. Now none of his movies were Oscar worthy, and they didn't compare to any films of John Hughes, arguably the undisputed master of the teen movie, but they were known, and so was Dempsey. Few of us could forget good old "Donald" Miller spying through the telescope he'd been saving for years to buy, and seeing beautiful Cindy Mancini, and then watching him run over to bribe her with the telescope money in exchange for her promise to act as his girlfriend to increase his popularity. Well, you couldn't forget it if you have ever actually seen CAN'T BUY ME LOVE.
Now, up until Grey's, Patrick was all but gone from the Hollywood scene. Sure, he had occasional roles here and there, 
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Everett Calloway in WITH HONORS, one of Will's gay lovers in WILL AND GRACE, and he was Reese Witherspoon's fiancé in SWEET HOME ALABAMA. His face has still been around since the eighties, and if you like his looks, he was still sexy in these roles. His part on Grey's Anatomy however has launched him into this sex symbol status and people can't get enough of him.
This is one of my biggest pet peeves in Hollywood, the whole hot, not, hot cycles that some of these actors go through. For the last ten years Dempsey has been a Hollywood nobody. Most of the roles he has gotten have been about as good as the rolls at Desert Bakery, in the middle of a drought, whose dough rose in Rush Limbaugh's armpit. Dempsey was practically at the point of wanting to be called by CSI to play Cop#2 just to get his face on the screen another time. Then he lands this good job on a good how and bam, he's back, or should I say, the people have noticed him again, and he's hotter than he ever was.
Why do people have to wait until he's back on a television show to "discover" this sex symbol that has been around for decades? Why do they only now appreciate that he might actually have some acting talent?
John Travolta is another classic example of a well known actor becoming big again. Vinnie Barbarino had a struggling career for a while there. You know you've got problems when the best known role you have is Kirstie Alley's 
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husband on LOOK WHO"S TALKING. Then Michael Madsen is unable to play the role of his brother from his RESEVOIR DOGS character, and is given the role of Vincent Vega in PULP FICTION. Bam! Huge star again, best actor nomination, sexiest man awards, awesome lead roles, decent movies. All of a sudden people see Travolta as a hot item again. Kind of makes you wonder if the same would have been true if Madsen had been able to make the role instead of miss it.
What does it say about these casting agents that they refuse to recognize and back talent in response to lukewarm receptions from the viewing public? You can't tell that if casting agents did their job they wouldn't have noticed that Dempsey and Travolta could act before they got their "re-break" out roles. It says a lot about the industry that many actors are unwanted until they hit it big again, and then they are wanted for everything, as if McDreamy will somehow now make or break a picture.
I am not looking forward to the next ten years, anxiously watching the television to ensure that people like Kadeem Hardison, Jasmine Guy and Malcolm Jamal Warner do not get any bigger than the Cosby show world that made their names known in the first place. Right now I'm just thankful people have kicked Jennifer Lopez into a down cycle, and I personally hope she doesn't come back, cause unlike the others mentioned in this article, she lacked talent in the first place.
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| Mouthing Off |
Every other Thursday
Mouthing Off is the no bull, tell it like it is column on various issues in the Hollywood arena. You want PC, then keep on moving, you won't get it here.
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| Jeff Winston |
I am a part time writer and full time teacher. I am currently stationed in the middle of nowhere, northern Alberta, Canada. I love movies, and I love to vent, I am happy to have an outlet to incorporate both here on Matchflick.
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| Contact |
If you have a comment, question, or suggestion, you can send a message to Jeff Winston by clicking here.
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