Are You an Original or a Double?
In 1994 I had the opportunity to work in the film industry, hired as a stunt double to Jim Varney, who you may remember for his comedy character Ernest. The movie was Ernest Goes to School.
The Ernest films were full of broad slapstick, where the Ernest character would often be the brunt of the joke. This required a small army of stunt men on set to take Mr. Varney’s place when it came time for something painful to happen to him or for the character to display an unusual or extraordinary skill. I had been hired to double on a couple of acrobatic stunts that “Ernest” was scripted to perform in this film and primarily for a specialty stunt that required Ernest to run down a football field while rolling on top of a bass drum. (See this month's video.)
The character had a trademark uniform: blue jeans, a blue vest over a beige or gray shirt, and a beige ball cap. There were several hundred people involved in the filming of the various action sequences that occurred on the football field: production crew, actors, extras and the stunt team.
Those of us on the stunt team were all dressed identically to Mr. Varney, since we were doubling for him. Spread out around the stadium, we were frustrating production crew members, who were regularly running back and forth across the field to speak with us, thinking that we were Mr. Varney. Arriving breathless, they would realize that we were just one of numerous stunt doubles and exasperatedly continue their hunt for the real Ernest.
We’ve all been frustrated and annoyed at interactions with individuals who insist that they’re living in earnest, so to speak, when in actuality they’re hiding behind a persona that uses a combination of attire, gesture, posture, behavior and beliefs that are clearly inauthentic.
Whether it’s a Jehovah’s Witness at our door, a car salesman, a New Age navel gazer, a right- or left-wing politician, a stuffy academic, or a surfer dude, among many others, we’re disappointed when we approach each other in the hope of meeting an original human being and instead find only a double.
Jerry Seinfeld has said, "The whole object of comedy is to be yourself and the closer you get to that, the funnier you will be." The same lesson from the world of comedy applies of course to our excellence and success.
15 Seconds of Movie Fame
Quotable
“Sincerity is everything. If you fake that, you've got it made."
George Burns
New Contact Info
I've moved! Back to Vancouver, BC.
But you can still reach me on the same cell number, 928-830-0005 or my Vancouver number, 604-228-8222.
Booking inquiries can also be directed to Christa Haberstock at See Agency - 310-903-1971.
Rick Lewis has been entertaining and inspiring audiences for the last 30 years. The success of The World's Funniest Waiter over the years is based on clean, interactive comedy and high-level circus skills.
