Wake Up Everybody

Loving this new song from John Legend and The Roots featuring Common and Melanie Fiona. Teach for America should grab this song immediately for their next ad campaign. The song is an early release from a collaboration album between John Legend and The Roots called "Wake Up!" The Roots are amazing and I think John Legend makes gold out of everything he touches. The album doesn't come out until Sept. 21st, but this single is already available on iTunes.

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Two Week Check-In

On the "Jack Dempsey Work Out Plan", yesterday was the two week mark. As a result, today's post is sponsored by Grizzly Bear and their hit single "Two Weeks."

As for the JDWP Update, I've already gained 4 pounds! Now, Ron tells me that I will gain probably 4 to 6 quickly in the first month. So for those playing the home game:

8/5/10 (Pre-Dempsey Work Out Weight) = 178 lbs

8/19/10 (Two Week Check-In) = 182 lbs

11/5/10 (Opening Night/Dempsey's 1923 Fighting Weight) = 188 lbs

More Sinatra Movie News

Last year, Martin Scorsese was set to make a biopic about Ole Blue Eyes and there was lots of talk about who would play Frank in the film.

Today, it was reported that in a different movie (The Life and Opinions of Maf the Dog) George Clooney would play Frank to Angelina's Marilyn Monroe. Clooney makes sense to portray Sinatra mostly based on the "cool" factor. At first, I thought AJ would be awful, but after letting it percolate for a bit I think she could be great. Those sultry lips and everything else make her a powerful sex symbol that could definitely embody Monroe. Plus, the movie focuses on Monroe's final years and Jolie has the acting chops for such a role.

Do you think Angelina is a good choice? BANTER!

What Ifs in the Entertainment Business

I'm getting ready to leave Chicago this morning after a few days in this wonderful city, with great people, seeing some great and just eh shows. BTW -- if this place was just a little closer to the east coast, I would probably move here in a second. On top of having tons of wonderful things to do, every 3rd person is like the most beautiful person I've ever seen.

Anyway, while on this midwest vacation, I came across two clips that pointed out some of the randomness of being an actor. The first clip is from Siskel & Ebert (the Chicago based movie critics whose show officially comes to an end this weekend) talking about Cop and a Half. Back in the day, this was one of the first things I ever got called back for several times. I was called in for the main character and obviously things didn't work out. What if I had actually made this movie with good ole Burt Reynolds? Yes, it definitely would have changed some things, but looking back now the movie was directed by Henry Winkler! He was the Fonz on Happy Days, but to a new generation he played the wonderfully stupid Barry Zuckerkorn on Arrested Development.

At the time, I could actually see myself playing the lead role in Cop and a Half. However, from the minute I read the script for this next clip, I knew I was totaly wrong for the part before I even stepped into the audition. This next clip is from the new James L. Brooks film How Do You Know? -- a bunch of this movie was filmed in Philly last year. I was called in to play one of Owen Wilson's teammates on the Washington Nationals. My original instincts were spot on when I saw that part I tried out for being played by Domenick Lombardozzi from The Wire and Entourage fame. The character appears in the scene where Owen asks his teammates, "How do you know you're in love?" Mr. Lombardozzi gives a unique answer....

'How Do You Know' Theatrical Trailer @ Yahoo! Video

All to say, it's fun to see how these things pan out on the big screen even though I was a mere after thought in the casting process. At least in these two examples they actually filled my part with another actor and I was able to see who eventually got the role. In Law Abiding Citizen, I was called in several times -- and once in front of the director -- to read for one of Jamie Fox's 2 assistants. In the audition room, it seemed like it was down to me and one other guy. I never got the part and when I went to see the movie, I noticed they cut the part I read for out and instead gave all the lines to the hot blonde assistant. Oh good....

Welcome!

Please welcome my good friend Will Dennis to the blogosphere. He has finally given into the dark side and started his own blog which you can check out here.

Define: DEAM

From Mr. Chris Geschke, the definition of DEAM as mentioned in "Becoming Jack Dempsey":

"DEAM- To operate at the highest level of wavyness. To be so on point that you just rock swagger, poise & toughness 24-7. "

Becoming Jack Dempsey

This week I was cast in the World Premiere of Molumby's Million by DW Gregory at Iron Age Theatre. I was in a reading of this play a few months ago and played the title role, Loy Molumby, who was a Montana oil man (FYI - not this guy) trying to set up a fight in his hometown of Shelby between local war vet Tommy Gibbons and Heavyweight Champion Jack Dempsey.

To my surprise and delight, I was cast in Iron Age's production as Jack Dempsey! I'm already super excited to take on this role even though performances don't start until November. Obviously, many of you who know me know that my physique is far from that of a heavyweight boxer. So, this project is my very own Robert De Niro/Raging Bull. I need to make myself as close to Jack Dempsey's look, weight, etc circa 1923.

I immediately went to my good friend and personal trainer, Ron Gross, to help me with this transformation. To keep myself honest -- not that Ron won't already do that -- I plan on chronicling some of my training here. My first training session was two days ago on Thursday, August 5th -- Almost exactly 3 months until opening night.

Here's the basics of what needs to happen in 3 months:

• Hobro's Weight = 178lbs
• JD's Weight (1923) = 188lbs

I'll try to add 10 pounds of upper body muscle so that I'll appear more like one of the pound-for-pound best boxers of all time on stage. Here's the "before" photos (are you happy Carolyn??) from the morning of (8/5/10):

They almost look like a mugshot -- at least they didn't come out like this:

Here's a photo from actual fight between Dempsey and Gibbons. Dempsey is on the left:

My second training is today -- more info to come as there's something to report. I'll start to talk about my 5 a day meal plan once I have it more established. In the meantime, I'll be getting my Jesuit on, striving for the 'magis' in a very tangible way with this role. Or as my boy Chris Geschke says, "Time to get DEAM!"