Jeremy Piven, who still registers in my head as "Ellen’s cousin Spence" instead of "Ari Gold," has backed out of David Mamet’s Speed the Plow, saying he’s been feeling ill due to a high mercury count. This seems vaguely ridiculous, but it turns out I don’t need to find some bitchy way to make fun of a possibly serious condition, as Mamet himself has done it already. "My understanding is that [Piven] is leaving showbusiness to pursue a career as a thermometer," Mamet told Variety. Amusing quote! Especially when you listen to it delivered by E! News correspondent Holly Hannula in her UBER-EARNEST E! News voice! Do that at your own risk.
So, PopWatchers, does this mercury-level excuse sound plausible, or is Piven just being a diva? Do you think Piven would make a believable thermometer?
More Jeremy Piven:
Stage review: ‘Speed the Plow’
Ari Gold on the art of the deal
Ausiello Files: Piven roasts the Emmy hosts
Emmys 2008: Backstage with Jeremy Piven
Read next item:
Eddie Murphy as the Riddler? Hmm…
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If I’ve learned anything from America’s Next Top Model it’s that you have to show up even if you’re sick, Jeremy Piven could learn a valuable lesson from Tyra.
i saw the play about a month ago, and he was the weakest of the cast of three. had a feeling he was a jerk…
I think he knew he wasn’t cutting it and figured a ridiculous excuse might sound legitimate. But no.
John Cusack should kick his homeboy in the @ss and laugh at him like I am right now.
I think Jeremy Piven would make a great thermometer — he was pretty cold during his Emmy acceptance speech.
Haven’t liked him since he was a snot about John Cusack who, IMHO, made Piven’s career to begin with. He’s a mediocre actor who couldn’t really hack Mamet. He should leave it to Phillip Seymour Hoffman and William H. Macy- Piven’s nowhere near their league.
That depends. Is he an oral thermometer or….
Ned, Jeremy was a snot to Cusack? Please elaborate, I haven’t heard this story.
Piven’s a total a-hole. You can tell just by the snarky look he always has on his NOT handsome face. Plus he has that cliche obnoxious short man syndrome.
I’ve been suspecting for a long time that Piven loves himself some white powder. The excuse, coupled with him already missing shows, in what is a relatively short commitment on Broadway– oy. Sounds like some brain cells have burned out.
Diva. What a pathetic wimp. I CANNOT believe he won an Emmy over NPH…
K’s got it. Look at that picture of him. Dude hasn’t slept in a week.
“If I’ve learned anything from America’s Next Top Model…” I never thought I’d read a sentence that started that way, particularly one about work ethics. Good for you and good for Tyra. Seriously.
Please. He’s the tool of all tools.
I saw him in an interview talking about the play and he said his castmates made him feel like an amateur. Perhaps he just realized that he was in over his head. I would’ve had more respect for him if he had just said that, though.
There is a really funny parody of Jeremy Piven’s “mercury illness” on Pophangover today. I’d recommend it for a laugh! — http://pophangover.com/?p=1418
I too remember him as Ellen’s cousin. Loved that show. Now he is just a giant do uche bag!
Matt, LOL!
neo, that was hysterical! Thanks!
Good stuff. But he would be more believable as a wrecked all thermometer. Yes, I can spell but didn’t know if rectal would make it.
Ah yes, another D-bag stunt from this guy. Why am I not surprised?
D.I.V.A.
JP is a pretty cool guy, actually. We hung out at the Tea Room in NYC a couple of weeks ago, and he said that he had been feeling sick for a while and also missed LA …
No a Mamet fan, but that thermometer line is the funniest thing he ever wrote.
Get a grasp on reality. You didn’t hang out with him. You annoyed him. I saw him taking out a restraining order.
Oh, Jeremy Piven … I thought it said Jeremy Irons. Wrong Jeremy …
Goes to show. Just because you act on tv doesn’t mean you have the chops for Broadway.
Jermey obviously has no chops.
Is this is way of saying Piven ios a pain in the ass?
This just proves to m Jeremy Piven couldn’t keep up on Broadway. It takes a lot of dedication, hard work, and a serious love for your show to do it. Not many TV actors can do that night after night and sometimes two times a night. I’m not surprised he would back out.
I’ve always found it interesting that the hair on his chest and stomach somehow managed to migrate to his scalp…