According to Variety, the Sam Kinison biopic Brother Sam is a go at HBO, and Tony winner Dan Fogler (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee) is set to star. Watch Fogler’s (alleged) screen test below, which includes my favorite Kinison bit ("Maybe there wouldn’t be world hunger if you’d just live where THE F—IN’ FOOD IS!"), and join me in celebrating the fact that Balls of Fury did not kill his career. (For the record, unlike Owen Gleiberman, I wouldn’t have given that film an F.)
Are there actors you’d like to see get a break…again?
More on Fogler and the underappreciated:
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I thought Fogler was pretty funny in Balls of Fury. That movie had a certain tongue-in-cheek charm to it. I’m not saying it was the funniest thing ever, but it had some great moments.
Second chances:
Thora Birch
Scott Bakula
Eriq La Salle
This isn’t a screen test, it’s a finished clip, obviously. He’s funny and Kinisonlike, but it only comes across as a really good impression and the essence of Kinison’s actual on-stage personality is missing. The missing essence, I think, is that he actually seemed crazy, on the verge of snapping, and Dan Fogler stops short of that.
Thanks for pointing out Dan Fogler – he was brilliant in Spelling Bee and I thought Balls of Fury was, well, not a good use of a Tony Award winner’s talent.
I loved Balls of Fury. Every single minute of it. It’s the perfect movie to watch at the end of a horrible work day.
“The magic foooooot” Thanks for this clip!
I can’t actually think of any second chancers, because I’m not sure who’s career has been ‘killed’ recently. Besides, haven’t John Travolta and RDJ shown us no one’s career is truly dead, you just need a good role?
This is a hard one… I’m going to have to go with Vincent Chase from Medellin.
Kidding, I’m still bummed about Sunday’s ep.
Honestly though, I think that I’d like to see Adam Sandler get back to making good movies. Reign Over Me was excellent, and I hope that the upcoming Apatow-ian Funny People is going to make him relevant again.
Second Chancers?
I just saw character actor Reggie Kathy in a spectaular episode of L&O:SVU. I really do think that he’s been under utilized and SWAT the movie did not really do him much justice.
Other actors that deserve another go? Michael Keaton obviously, Tom Berringer, and Lolita Davidovitch.
He should do more theatre.
Dan Fogler has been given a pass for Balls of Fury – It’s Good Luck Chuck that was the setback. Great choice for Kinison though.