Post by King Shocker the Monumentous on Feb 22, 2008 0:37:24 GMT -5
Tomorrow, Larry the Cable Guy's new movie, "Witless Protection," opens. In it, Larry plays a small town sheriff who gets caught up in a situation involving a federal witness.
Granted, I have no desire to see it. But having watched the commercials, I have made a few realizations:
It was then I realized something: Is Larry carrying on the legacy of Ernest P. Worrell?
Ernest had a southern accent and annoying catchphrase (Know what I mean, Vern?), always wore a baseball cap, found himself in the unlikeliest of comedic situations (Camp? Prison? Basketball? Saving Christmas?), and, most importantly, was the omnipresent alter-ego of a very talented individual, the late Jim Varney.
And while his roles in The Beverly Hillbillies and the two Toy Story films are the stuff of cinematic legend, he'll always be known as Ernest. In fact, from what I remember, his last television appearance was on the underrated Comedy Central program "Viva Variety," where he parodied both himself and Oscar Wilde in a sketch called "The Importance of Being Ernest." Bottom line, he was Ernest P for Posterity Stonewall Worrell until the day he died.
My point? Maybe I have no point. Maybe Dan Whitney should expand his acting horizons before he makes 20 more Larry movies, the last 10 of which are direct to video, and ends up with some confused stonemason putting "Lawrence T. Cableguy" on his grave. Or maybe I'm just annoyed that I've never once seen the man install or repair cable television.
Because that movie, my friends, has already been made.
Not that it ever stopped Hollywood before.
Granted, I have no desire to see it. But having watched the commercials, I have made a few realizations:
- "Larry the Cable Guy" is the omnipresent alter-ego of an otherwise-talented character actor/comedian by the name of Dan Whitney.
- Larry is always wearing a baseball cap, regardless of the activity.
- Larry has a southern accent and an annoying catchphrase.
- Larry keeps starring in movies where he plays himself, but keeps getting into unlikely situations or performing various different jobs (soldier, health inspector, sheriff, etc.).
It was then I realized something: Is Larry carrying on the legacy of Ernest P. Worrell?
Ernest had a southern accent and annoying catchphrase (Know what I mean, Vern?), always wore a baseball cap, found himself in the unlikeliest of comedic situations (Camp? Prison? Basketball? Saving Christmas?), and, most importantly, was the omnipresent alter-ego of a very talented individual, the late Jim Varney.
And while his roles in The Beverly Hillbillies and the two Toy Story films are the stuff of cinematic legend, he'll always be known as Ernest. In fact, from what I remember, his last television appearance was on the underrated Comedy Central program "Viva Variety," where he parodied both himself and Oscar Wilde in a sketch called "The Importance of Being Ernest." Bottom line, he was Ernest P for Posterity Stonewall Worrell until the day he died.
My point? Maybe I have no point. Maybe Dan Whitney should expand his acting horizons before he makes 20 more Larry movies, the last 10 of which are direct to video, and ends up with some confused stonemason putting "Lawrence T. Cableguy" on his grave. Or maybe I'm just annoyed that I've never once seen the man install or repair cable television.
Because that movie, my friends, has already been made.
Not that it ever stopped Hollywood before.