# Actors / comedians who played a worse version of themselves **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** actor-characters\ **Created:** [February 18, 2024, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-comedians-who-played-a-worse-version-of-themselves/997737 "2024-02-18T18:22:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2024, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-comedians-who-played-a-worse-version-of-themselves/997737/81 "2024-02-20T15:15:39Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Not sure if it counts but Chris Elliot played himself on David Letterman and [Get a Life](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Get_a_Life_(American_TV_series)). Elliot may have played himself on Letterman, so that would count, but according to your own ‘Get a Life’ link: > The show stars Chris Elliott as a 30-year-old paperboy named Chris Peterson. ---
**Author:** ![planetcory](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/planetcory/32/1032_2.png) [@planetcory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/planetcory)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2024, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-comedians-who-played-a-worse-version-of-themselves/997737/82 "2024-02-20T15:56:48Z")
I actually _don’t_ agree with that assessment. His material may at times play with certain stereotypes, and he certainly makes racial jokes, but he definitely comes across as anti-racist. Explicitly so at times. I couldn’t enjoy him otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2024, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-comedians-who-played-a-worse-version-of-themselves/997737/83 "2024-02-20T16:17:24Z")
I agree with this. During the infamous “Philadelphia Incident” he made fun of Philadephians for celebrating a fictional sports hero (Rocky Balboa) over a black sports hero (Joe Frazier, IIRC). ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2024, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-comedians-who-played-a-worse-version-of-themselves/997737/84 "2024-02-20T16:20:39Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Staying with **Big Bang Theory** - I don’t think James Earl Jones is quite the party animal he is portrayed as in “The Convention Conundrum (S7, E14)” Although I’m sure Carrie Fisher would have been just as pissed off as she was in the episode. And there is absolutely no reason to believe Stephen Hawking is as big of a prick as he portrays. It was all comedy gold and good on him for seeing that and agreeing to do it. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2024, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-comedians-who-played-a-worse-version-of-themselves/997737/85 "2024-02-20T16:23:34Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > And there is absolutely no reason to believe Stephen Hawking is as big of a prick as he portrays. It was all comedy gold and good on him for seeing that and agreeing to do it. I also doubt he’s ever punched someone with a spring-loaded boxing glove like he did on **The Simpsons**. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2024, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-comedians-who-played-a-worse-version-of-themselves/997737/86 "2024-02-20T16:28:57Z")
> [@Arjuna34](#): > > Also, John Malkovic in “Being John Malkovic”. I came in to mention that! Also, Bill Murray in Zombieland. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2024, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-comedians-who-played-a-worse-version-of-themselves/997737/87 "2024-02-20T16:53:32Z")
Right you are! My bad. It’s hard to tell with Chris since he’s always playing the same character. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2024, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-comedians-who-played-a-worse-version-of-themselves/997737/88 "2024-02-20T17:19:47Z")
On Will & Grace, **Kevin Bacon** played himself being stalked by Jack. He plays it straight while a starstruck Will fawns over him but when Will tries to leave he turns desperate and reveals he _wants_ a stalker. The two end up doing the Footloose dance together. It was a short performance but I got got a _kick_ out of it. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2024, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-comedians-who-played-a-worse-version-of-themselves/997737/89 "2024-02-20T17:37:36Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Merv Griffin is arguably the worst [fictional version of self.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merv_Griffin) I was really expecting this video: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/1apPcf1D4hI/hqdefault.jpg "Elevator Killer Revealed: The Man With Two Brains") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1apPcf1D4hI) “I’ve always just loved to kill!” ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2024, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-comedians-who-played-a-worse-version-of-themselves/997737/90 "2024-02-20T17:58:44Z")
Does anyone here know what the truth is about Larry The Cable Guy? I know his real name is Daniel Whitney. But is it all just an act or is the persona just an extension of his real personality, ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2024, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-comedians-who-played-a-worse-version-of-themselves/997737/91 "2024-02-20T18:01:54Z")
> [@dorvann](#): > > Does anyone here know what the truth is about Larry The Cable Guy? I think it’s well know that this is a character he plays. > **[Larry the Cable Guy | Stand-up career](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_the_Cable_Guy#Stand-up_career)** > > Initially performing stand-up under his real name with limited success, he became famous after developing the Cable Guy character, a personality that he now maintains throughout his stage act. The Cable Guy character has a stereotypical redneck appearance and a thick Southern accent, recounts stories about his "family", and uses, among other common expressions, his own catchphrase "Git-R-Done!" > He says in interviews and in his autobiographical book GIT-R-DONE that he deliberately "turns on" the ... ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2024, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-comedians-who-played-a-worse-version-of-themselves/997737/92 "2024-02-20T18:09:53Z")
Does that mean he qualifies to be listed here as a comedian playing a **worse** version of himself? ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2024, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-comedians-who-played-a-worse-version-of-themselves/997737/93 "2024-02-20T18:19:26Z")
I hope this hasn’t already been mentioned (long thread and all that) but Hugh Jackman plays Hugh Jackman a jerk of a party animali n Rick and Morty Season 7, Episode 1. I couldn’t believe it was actually him voicing himself, given the character’s actions. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2024, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-comedians-who-played-a-worse-version-of-themselves/997737/94 "2024-02-20T18:19:49Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > > [@dorvann](#): > > > > Does anyone here know what the truth is about Larry The Cable Guy? > > I think it’s well know that this is a character he plays. > [@dorvann](#): > > Does that mean he qualifies to be listed here as a comedian playing a **worse** version of himself? No, because when _Daniel Whitney_ plays _Larry the Cable Guy_, he’s playing an entirely different character, not a fictionalized version of his own identity. BTW, here’s a snippet of Daniel Whitney standup before he adopted the LtCG persona: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/LgtsWsfPqLU/hqdefault.jpg "larry the cable guy/ fake accent") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgtsWsfPqLU) ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2024, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-comedians-who-played-a-worse-version-of-themselves/997737/95 "2024-02-20T18:45:36Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > > [@silenus](#): > > > > “Evil Wil Wheaton” was a semi-regular on **The Big Bang Theory.** > > I’m going to argue against this one. Wil Wheaton didn’t really play “Wil Wheaton” as evil on TBBT. Sheldon was the only one who thought he was evil. > > OK well, maybe in his first appearance at that card game tournament at Stewart’s comic book store when he lied to Sheldon about his grandma being dead. But generally he was pretty likeable. . He was also a jerk in the one at the bowling alley when he tried to break up Leonard and Penny just to win a bowling match. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2024, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-comedians-who-played-a-worse-version-of-themselves/997737/96 "2024-02-20T18:46:43Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](#): > > On Will & Grace, **Kevin Bacon** played himself being stalked by Jack. He plays it straight while a starstruck Will fawns over him but when Will tries to leave he turns desperate and reveals he _wants_ a stalker. The two end up doing the Footloose dance together. It was a short performance but I got got a _kick_ out of it. Bacon also parodied himself in the _Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special._ Although he doesn’t play himself as being bad he does play himself as a self-absorbed Hollywood schmuck. > [@dorvann](#): > > Does anyone here know what the truth is about Larry The Cable Guy? > > I know his real name is Daniel Whitney. But is it all just an act or is the persona just an extension of his real personality, I heard a couple of guys who interviewed him talk about the experience. Nothing bad. When the mics were off he dropped the accent and all he wanted to talk about was the stock market. He’s from Nebraska and has a pretty neutral Midwest accent. The persona evolved from a character he played on a radio show. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2024, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-comedians-who-played-a-worse-version-of-themselves/997737/97 "2024-02-20T18:48:57Z")
Ooh, I forgot about that one. So yeah, I guess Wil Wheaton _was_ kind of a jerk early on. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2024, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-comedians-who-played-a-worse-version-of-themselves/997737/98 "2024-02-20T19:49:10Z")
I’m pretty sure Wil himself referred to his role as “Evil Wil.” ---
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2024, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-comedians-who-played-a-worse-version-of-themselves/997737/99 "2024-02-20T20:32:02Z")
Adam Sandler played himself in an episode of _Undeclared_, going back to the dorm with a bunch of student fans and then sleeping with one of them. And there’s Jon Voight biting George on that episode of _Seinfeld_ in which George is conned into buying what he thinks is Voight’s former car. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2024, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-comedians-who-played-a-worse-version-of-themselves/997737/100 "2024-02-20T22:38:52Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Merv Griffin is arguably the worst [fictional version of self.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merv_Griffin) He wouldn’t want to run into [Wayne Brady.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-zSJljpKNc) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-comedians-who-played-a-worse-version-of-themselves/997737.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-comedians-who-played-a-worse-version-of-themselves/997737.md?page=6)