Celebrities who always appear as a fictional alter-ego

Cafe Society
1

An example is Dan Whitney aka Larry the Cable Guy. For the past decade or so his interviews, movies, PSAs, etc., are all as Larry the Cable Guy. He basically lives the character whenever cameras are rolling (presumably becoming Dan again when with his wife, friends, family, etc.).

Jim Varney, most famous for his Ernest P. Worrel, but he appeared as himself in interviews and did other characters as well (Jed Clampett, a prince on Roseanne. Who are some other celebrities like Whitney/Larry who always appeared on camera as their alter ego?

2

Before his arrest, Paul Reubens always appeared as Pee Wee Herman.

Cliff Arquette was always Charlie Weaver, as far as I can recall.

3

Stephen Colbert only rarely drops character on camera.

4

A lot of professional wrestlers try to stay in character in public.

5

Except he does do movie roles and interviews.

6

His interviews can be confusing because he’ll flit between Stephen Colbert (hard T- his real self) and Stephen Colbert (‘bear’- his fictional self). It can be confusing. I’ve wondered how he keeps sane playing two people at all times. (Still a shocker that his ‘real’ self is a Sunday School teacher at a Catholic church.)

7

Is Sacha Baron Cohen ever “himself” in public?

8

Barry Humphries may do other things at home in Australia, but in America, he’s almost always in character as Dame Edna.

I never saw Brother Theodore out of character.

And I almost never saw Foster Brooks when he wasn’t doing his burping drunk routine.

I don’t THINK I’ve ever seen RuPaul out of character, or in men’s clothing.

9

Not often, but he DID accept a Golden Globe as himself, and gave a charming, smart acceptance speech. He seemed fairly normal.

10

Penn & Teller come to mind.

11

A few others…

Judy Tenuta
Emo Phillips

12

I’ve never met him or talked to him, but I’m told Andrew Silverstein is NOTHING like Andrew Dice Clay.

But I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen him in public as anything but the Diceman.

13

Harpo Marx was pretty much always Harpo Marx in public.

14

Father Guido Sarducci (he made appearances on SNL and also talk shows–I especially remember him appearing on Letterman’s show several times in the 80’s.

15

Gilbert Gottfried
Bobcat Goldthwait
Steven Wright

16

I saw her (him? it?) just the other day in a man’s suit for the “wrap-up” show of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” (basically, “America’s Next Top Model” for drag queens). Looked like Curly Neal, sounded like Diana Ross.

17

I started a thread with a similar topic a while ago:
What Celebrities have wholly artificial public personas?

18

Teller doesn’t keep it up all of the time.

I saw Penn & Teller in Vegas a few years ago and was surprised when after the show they both ran to the back of the theater so that they could shake hands and chat. Teller was chatting away happily, not silent at all.

I’ve also seen him on a documentary about magic in China, and I think he spoke on camera in that one.

19

Teller doesn’t remain in character offstage. He’ll do interviews, chat with fans, etc. He’s only silent as part of the act.

20

And it’s not like Penn Jillette has created a massive stage alter ego. He’s basically Penn Jillette.