In the years since this post (actually around the time) JvDB appeared as himself in a Ke$ha video. They enjoy some witty banter and then get into a laser gun fight in a nightclub full of unicorns. Very much like his real life I’m told.
There is, of course, the film This is The End where Seth Rogan, James Franco, Jonah Hill, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride and Craig Robinson play fictionalized version of themselves. There are also hilarious fictionalized versions of Michael Cera, Channing Tatum and a bunch of others.
The 1992 “Perry Mason: The Case of the Reckless Romeo” had a murder victim who is a sleazy talk show host that wrote a book about the famous women he slept with. The producers sent a script to a real life sleazy talk show host who wrote a book about famous women he slept with: Geraldo Rivera. Rivera’s initial reaction was to talk with his lawyer about suing them. He read the script a second time and changed his mind, deciding to take the part.
Postcards from the Edge is a semi-autographical book by Carrie Fisher about her relationship with her mother, Debbie Reynolds. When the movie was being cast, Debbie expressed interest in playing herself in the movie. Mike Nichols, the director, replied “You’re not right for the part.”
Trivia time: That was supposed to be a one shot appearance, but the next day the Internet was buzzing with delight about “evil Wil Wheaton.” And Chuck Lorre knew a good thing when he saw it.
On The Morecambe & Wise Show, Peter Cushing appeared in a sketch and then spent several seasons pursuing the two comics for his money that they owed him for it.
If we’re going there, they did a Columbo episode built around a hammy TV star who got his start acting on the stage sure as he came here from Canada; he gets advised that he should maybe drop ten pounds, and he wears lifts in his shoes because he’s a bit shortish for a would-be leading man, and the family name was actually Schnelling or Schnatter or something before it became more Hollywood-sounding, and he of course keeps a framed picture on display of himself clad in a Starfleet uniform.
Waylon Jennings sang the theme song and was the Balladeer on The Dukes of Hazzard. In addition, he made an on-screen appearance as himself in one episode.
I was an extra in that movie. It’s a Karate Kid clone, but the kid is being beaten up and he fantasizes about being Chuck Norris and takes karate lessons. Through various plot devices, he winds up with Chuck Norris competing on his side in the tournament and of course, Chuck kicks ass and takes names and the good guys come out on top.
In Looney Tunes: Back in Action, Brendan Fraser played D. J. Drake, a security guard and stuntman at Warner Brothers who was fired from the set of The Mummy by the actual Brendan Fraser. D. J. gets his revenge on Fraser (playing himself) at the end of the movie when he socks him in the nose.
Matt LeBlanc in the wonderful Episodes plays a fictional version of himself for all three seasons, complete with people asking him “How you doin’” wherever he goes. He also got David Schwimmer and the guy that played Gunther on as themselves, the latter in a funny ep where we learn all the other cast members are still close but can’t stand him, so won’t do a cameo for sweeps on his new show.
