# Oh, that poor McDonald's actor . . . . **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 5, 2011, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-that-poor-mcdonalds-actor/605127 "2011-12-05T14:08:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-that-poor-mcdonalds-actor/605127/41 "2011-12-05T23:38:12Z")
[QUOTE=StusBlues] The Meloni commercial–now that’s painful. [/QUOTE] The strange thing about the Meloni commercial is that he’s better looking in his 40s than in his 20s. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-that-poor-mcdonalds-actor/605127/42 "2011-12-05T23:39:23Z")
> [@Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](#): > > Well at least he does an okay job with the lines. He’s clearly likable and natural in front of the camera, it’s a shame that he has to read those ghastly lines. But maybe it’s a stepping stone to stardom. > > Fer instance, here’s a [Daniel Tosh](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YVc9r5I4Qo) in a terrible Taco Bell ad looking absolutely horrendous. Years later, he is a reasonably big deal. This is exactly how he acts all the time. It’s his douchery that has made him a big deal. He still dresses that way even. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-that-poor-mcdonalds-actor/605127/43 "2011-12-05T23:42:52Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Heck, here’s [Julianna Margulies](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQ3oypDd1Cc) in a terrible McDonald’s ad looking absolutely lively! Who could’ve predicted the flat affect that would make her a star? 😉 Damn! Are those tarantulas on her face? ---
**Author:** ![Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunshine_and_Smiles)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-that-poor-mcdonalds-actor/605127/44 "2011-12-06T00:02:15Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > This is exactly how he acts all the time. It’s his douchery that has made him a big deal. He still dresses that way even. I’ll grant you everything except regarding the wardrobe. He thankfully does not dress like that 90s fisherman-cum-potsmoking slacker look. The attitude, you’re right, is essentially identical. But who would’ve guessed the star potential by just watching the ad? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-that-poor-mcdonalds-actor/605127/45 "2011-12-06T00:47:56Z")
> [@Kolga](#): > > I have a sudden urge to put my hair up in a banana clip and peg my jeans. Radical. ---
**Author:** ![Trepa\_Mayfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-that-poor-mcdonalds-actor/605127/46 "2011-12-06T04:57:15Z")
What I’m getting from this thread is that, if I ever want to “make it big” in Hollywood, I should try to land a McDonald’s ad spot. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-that-poor-mcdonalds-actor/605127/47 "2011-12-06T05:14:27Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > The odd thing is, he was wearing the same outfit in the phone and one of the Twix commercials. > [Twix.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyBGRhbdfsU) > [AT&T](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnwdn7Tp9b8) I checked - they shirts are slightly different. One has single stripes, one has double stripes. But they are so close it is hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-that-poor-mcdonalds-actor/605127/48 "2011-12-06T06:01:13Z")
> [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](#): > > There are three reasons to undertake any artistic endeavour. > > 1. The money. > 2. The potential for recognition, whether in the form of career advancement or in the form of publicity. > 3. The artistic satisfaction. > > Ideally, every gig you take provides a balance between those three aspects. The balance you prefer is part of your signature as an artist. > > In this particular case, there is enough of 1 and 2 that I would have auditioned for the gig, and I would have been proud to have got it. There is a curious attitude toward actors in the US - people think from big name Hollywood stars that all actors pick and choose what their next project will be. For most of us, our next project is what ever we can get or get out of the business. Don’t forget 4) The sheer fun of it. I won’t speak for other actors, but I’ve had a blast on set with bit parts that provided me minimal artistic satisfaction. One of my teachers in acting school was in some (non-embarassing) paint commercial years ago; you see him for like a second and a half. He got to spend a day hanging out at a cabin by a pretty lake (where they shot that part of the commercial) with cool people (and got paid for it, and collected residuals for years). That dude in the McDonald’s commercial may very well have really enjoyed his time on set, regardless of how corny the finished product turned out. Acting is fun. Even when the script is bad, acting is fun. I would totally do that commercial. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-that-poor-mcdonalds-actor/605127/49 "2011-12-06T06:02:11Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > I saw the name before the commercial even started but it took until the very last scene before I recognized her. She looks quite a bit like [Tina Fey](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0275486/) in that commercial. ---
**Author:** ![mac\_bolan00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@mac\_bolan00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac_bolan00)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-that-poor-mcdonalds-actor/605127/50 "2011-12-06T08:03:15Z")
no one believes in the dignity of honest work anymore? just asking. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-that-poor-mcdonalds-actor/605127/51 "2011-12-06T14:33:38Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > A featured speaking role in a national campaign like that pays a crapload of money. Tens of thousands of dollars at least, possibly up to six figures. I think he’ll be ok. Wait, it does? I figured he made…maybe $5,000 at most. They earn this much when they are not a recurring commercial character? ---
**Author:** ![Anamorphic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anamorphic/32/3057_2.png) [@Anamorphic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anamorphic)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-that-poor-mcdonalds-actor/605127/52 "2011-12-06T16:00:57Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Wait, it does? I figured he made…maybe $5,000 at most. They earn this much when they are not a recurring commercial character? I have a few friends who do commercial acting, and one who is in casting for commercials. “Tens of thousands” is about right… probably not “six figures” though, not any more, anyway, according to my friends. The deals used to be a lot better than they are now, apparently. One of these friends is in a decent-sized national that was playing all the time recently, including during some high-profile sports events. He said he’ll probably get around 20-30,000 for it over the course of a year. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-that-poor-mcdonalds-actor/605127/53 "2011-12-06T16:02:11Z")
> [@Trepa\_Mayfield](#): > > What I’m getting from this thread is that, if I ever want to “make it big” in Hollywood, I should try to land a McDonald’s ad spot. I like how you’re going all [meta](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjZ0mG6BhYE) here, but what job could you expect to land after showing off an odd delivery cadence? ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-that-poor-mcdonalds-actor/605127/54 "2011-12-06T16:33:00Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > I like how you’re going all [meta](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjZ0mG6BhYE) here, but what job could you expect to land after showing off an odd delivery cadence? The role of Capt. Kirk? ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-that-poor-mcdonalds-actor/605127/55 "2011-12-06T17:31:00Z")
Don’t all actor have to “pay their dues” though? Hopefully the young man will get better roles later. ---
**Author:** ![Kilmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a6a055/32.png) [@Kilmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilmore)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-that-poor-mcdonalds-actor/605127/56 "2011-12-06T17:52:45Z")
> [@Anamorphic](#): > > I have a few friends who do commercial acting, and one who is in casting for commercials. “Tens of thousands” is about right… probably not “six figures” though, not any more, anyway, according to my friends. The deals used to be a lot better than they are now, apparently. One of these friends is in a decent-sized national that was playing all the time recently, including during some high-profile sports events. He said he’ll probably get around 20-30,000 for it over the course of a year. What about folks like Flo or Mayhem? ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-that-poor-mcdonalds-actor/605127/57 "2011-12-06T18:21:28Z")
This is from 2009, and a bit hard to make sense of, but here are the [Screen Actor’s Guild rates for commercial work](http://www.sag.org/files/sag/documents/2009_Commercial_Rates.pdf). ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-that-poor-mcdonalds-actor/605127/58 "2011-12-06T18:43:02Z")
> [@Kilmore](#): > > What about folks like Flo or Mayhem? I read one article that said Mayhem is the highest paying role Dean Winters has had in his career. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-that-poor-mcdonalds-actor/605127/59 "2011-12-06T21:28:15Z")
My sister and brother in law are commercial actors. Believe me: 1. All commercials are stupid, 2. NOBODY in the industry looks down on commercial actors. It’s a good way to make money. They work like dogs to get those jobs. 3. They pay well. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-that-poor-mcdonalds-actor/605127/60 "2011-12-07T00:02:01Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > It might be an interesting thread: > > WRITE A MCDONALD’S COMMERCIAL IN THE STYLE OF… The scene: an open air cafe. The Arc d’Triomphe can be seen in the background. JAKE and LADY BRETT are at a table, a quarter pounder in front of her, a Happy Meal in front of him. There is a bottle on the table. JAKE: Some absinthe? LADY BRETT: Yes. She lifts up the burger, examining it. LADY BRETT: Beef. Bulls. Toros. The ring. I remember. Brave matadors, fighting in the ring. Their swords, their capes. Fighting in the ring. Blood on the sand. All for the beef. We must savor the beef. JAKE: I think something is missing from my Happy Meal. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-that-poor-mcdonalds-actor/605127.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-that-poor-mcdonalds-actor/605127.md?page=4)