Am I the only one who doesn’t get Jenna Elfman’s appeal? Sure, she’s pleasant to look at, and her low-key charm worked just fine in a sitcom as unchallenging as Dharma & Greg, but how did she come to be regarded as a beloved sitcom icon, a wild and daffy funnywoman who was the next Lucille Ball? I ask because Courting Alex, which premieres tonight on CBS, reverses the D&G equation so that Elfman is the uptight lawyer while Ed alum Josh Randall is the laid-back free-spirit, a situation that would seem to play against Elfman’s established persona as well as her modest (in my opinion) strengths. So could some Jenna fan out there please enlighten me, and tell me why you’re looking forward to Courting Alex?
Jan 23
2006
08:12 PM ET
The mysterious allure of Jenna Elfman
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Well, maybe it’s the built in audience of Scientologists. Remember, this is the woman who made a bunch of crazy talk last year about ridding the world of alien influences. . .
(from MSNBC.com):
“I intend to make Scientology as accessible to as many people as I can. And that is my goal,” Elfman said. To do this, she says, it is my “duty to clear the planet.” By “clearing” she means to rid the world of “body thetans” — aliens who Scientologists believe inhabit the earth from a nuclear explosion 75 million years ago. She continued that “the more successful I became, the more suppression I bumped into … especially in the entertainment industry, which really is home to rabid suppression.”
Gary, she is just an appealing person. She is enjoyable, an entertaining gal. People liked Dharma, not greg. Even my mom liked the show because she loved Dharma. So much so I started to date a girl who was much like Dharma, and my mother was very accepting. She then dumped me in the middle of Swingers, now I am looking for Heather Graham.
I also don’t get it. She creeps me out.
I adored Jenna Elfman on D&G but doubt she has the chops to carry a sitcom on her own. What made D&G so great for me was the funny as heck supporting cast.
Then again, she played a schizo writer a few years back, in a Lifetime movie. She gave a good enough performance, so maybe Alex will be successful, I dunno.
Always hated the “wild, crazy, so-free-spirited-you-have-to-love-her” persona that was forced on us. She’s an annoying, no-talent who seems to believe she’s so zany and adorable it overcomes the need to be talented and likeable.
I’ve never gotten her. In fact, I think she’d be better as the ‘second fiddle’ sort of character in most shows. Kind of like Karen on Will & Grace. She’d steal every show she’s in.
Don’t find her appealing, she has a mannish and weird voice. She was good on D&G, played kooky Dharma well, but that was an one-off for me. That was probably her one good role and she should thank the Scientology gods (or aliens!) for that gig.
But an uptight lawyer…nope…I don’t buy it, just doesn’t suit her, won’t be tuning in.
Poor Jenna, I like her…I caught her in a Lifetime movie a couple years back and she did a good turn as an obsessed psycho. Perhaps the material she’s chosen or has been offered hasn’t really suited her thus far.
Fantastic musical scores and soundtracks – one of the best ever. Wait, JENNA Elfman?!?!?! Ughhh, she’s God awful….
I just saw her on Leno and she is looking quite skeletal. That alone turned me off from watching her show. Hmmm…Elfman playing an uptight lawyer who needs a sandwich…Ally McBeal much? No thanks.
When this show flops, Jenna can always console herself with the fact she has nice hair. But she’ll never be a must-see-tv actress.
Nope, don’t see the appeal AT ALL. Hated Dharma and Greg, though she was good in the movie where she played the UPS delivery person…was it EdTV? Anyway, I just can’t take scientologists seriously. I mean, it’s laughable!
Dharma & Greg actually made me less intelligent for each second I was forced to view it. (It came on after Simpson’s re-runs so if I wasn’t quick on the remote I was doomed).
Everytime I hear that reach theme song and see those bubbles, it makes me want to hurt puppies.
EDIT: that was supposed to be “I hear that WRETCHED theme song” below
I used to like her until I read comments she’s made in relation to Scientology that really irked me. Particularly, her comment after refusing to help an AIDS charity, saying something about how “AIDS isn’t a disease, its a state of mind.” Having a couple of freinds who are HIV+ (or full-blown AIDS) makes me want to smack her.