Some reporters from The Mirror were at a club Tuesday night sharing some space with Matt LeBlanc who was there to DJ. WTF? Anyway, Matt spent the entire night drinking and when he bumped into the reporters' table a second time they said, "You all right, Joey? How YOU do-in?" But Matt raged back: "I'm not Joey. Don't you dare call me Joey. The papers say I'm finished, so don't call me f***ing Joey. I want to leave that all behind. I'm moving on."
Well, US reporters would have already slinked away, but these reporters kept firing away. "OK, Joey, if that's how you feel. But what are you doing? Let's be honest, Joey, that's who everyone knows you as."
He yelled: "I'm not Joey. For the last time. I'm not f***ing Joey. It's Matt. Matt LeBlanc. Joey's in the past. I'm trying to do something new."
One of Matt's people then dragged him from the scene before it could get uglier. I can understand how Matt feels. I mean he probably gets called Joey more than Matt and he cannot do anything that lets people see him in a new light or as a different character.
I kind of think it must suck the most for Matt LeBlanc because if people think of his as Joey, then they probably also always assume that he is a complete idiot like Joey. The truth is that all six of them must be decent enough actors because they really became their characters to all of us and they weren't too over the top like a lot of other shows.
ReplyDeleteI'll never understand why hyper-successful entertainers allow themselves to be typecast or ID'd as one character. All he has to do is something different that's good.
ReplyDeleteHe's got all the money in the world to hire the best writers, etc. that suits him. But he waits for a studio to bankroll it. He probably won't spend a dime from his own stash. Boo-hoo, fool.
I feel bad for the guy. He will never escape that moniker and will be Joey forever...or as long as Friends is in syndication. I don't blame him a bit for losing it.
ReplyDeleteThose reporters were @$$holes for keeping the taunting up.
I know he has millions, but it has to suck to be only known as a character. I agree with you Ellen, the actors were good enough where it seemed like they were just playing themselves, and a lot of the writing was relatable. I think Matt has talent & I hope he can move beyond "Friends" like the other 5 have.
ReplyDeleteDo reporters have any standards left these days? Like provoking drunk guy by calling him by his character's name several times even though he expressed his wish to be called by real name. It's just lame
ReplyDeleteUmmm you can call me the same character for the rest of my life if I can have the money he has. I'd take it and go do something out of show business and live my life in peace. Or if he wants to be in the business, like anarchi said, why doesn't he produce his own starring vehicle?
ReplyDeleteGreat shades of Adam West.
ReplyDeleteFor those who are waaaay too young to remember, there was once a television show in the mid 60's called "Batman"... starring Adam West.
He became so identified with the character of Bruce Wayne/Batman that it became impossible for him to find work after the show ended.
It took another generation of Hollywood to come on the scene for him to be able to get work, and then, it's primarily voice work spoofing on his career.
He's not the only one, just ask Kramer and Norm! He needs to do other roles. And, why is he the club DJ? Why exactly did he need to bring his "people"?
ReplyDeleteMerlin - check out Adam West on facebook, pretty funny.
ReplyDeleteTry to have some sympathy for the guy. As much as HE may want to "move on" and forget Joey, unfortunately, he's in an industry where typecasting is the norm. The rest of his castmates are in the same situation. Come on, like Jennifer Aniston's rom-com characters are so far removed from Rachel. I thought she was great in "The Good Girl" and "Derailed," which were stretches for her but she nailed those characters. But the rest... (OMG according to imdb she has 9 ... NINE! ... movies in development!)
ReplyDeleteI think Matt should call Uncle Jesse, um, I mean John Stamos, for a little sympathy.
I thought he was over there working on a new series. Why is he DJing at the club?
ReplyDeleteThis is sad. I'd have more sympathy if Christopher from Sopranos was having the same problems. I hope Matt can pull himself out of it. Drinking certainly won't help. He just might be too lazy for the hard work it would take to take a risk and do something new. Especially after the Joey show.
ReplyDeleteoh please. you were just some kid in an Allanis video or some dumb jock on High School 101 before Friends! suck it up buttercup!
ReplyDeletecould be worse, people could know you as the Shamwow guy.
LeBlanc actually is a talented actor that has been pigeonholed. He's very talented, just like Matthew Perry, but people don't give the guy a chance. Sad. But I get that he is finally letting go of Joey.
ReplyDeleteThis kind of stuff happens, being refered to as Joey for the past 16 years must be awful but this dude needs to keep it together. Who gives a s**t? he's rich and he was in a popular hit show, How many people can say that?
ReplyDeleteFrom my perspective, the majority of celebs want all the glory and money but don't want to deal with the rest that goes along with it. Nobody forced any of these actors to take a role that may or may not typecast them forever. Look at Henry Winkler; after The Fonz, that was pretty much it. But Henry, being a very class act, got into directing which he has done very well at and, fans ALWAYS address him at Fonzie and he happily acknowledges it!
ReplyDeleteOh please. There are a lot of worse things in life than to be known as a well-loved character from a hit show and to be sitting on a big comfortable pile of money for the rest of your life. Pfft. Do some charity work and realize how good you've got it!
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