# Sad Moments in an Actor's Life **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 3, 2018, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-moments-in-an-actors-life/823917 "2018-11-03T00:00:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-moments-in-an-actors-life/823917/41 "2018-11-09T21:40:44Z")
Even Joey Tribbiani yielded to the temptation of big yen: [Friends - Ichiban Lipstick For Men - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOy2lrJqKGY) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-moments-in-an-actors-life/823917/42 "2018-11-09T21:47:52Z")
You know what’s a sad moment in an actor’s life? When he or she has to say, “You want fries with that?”. And not because he or she won a role in a McDonald’s commercial but because the big break never came and they’re still working at a normal, non-acting job (or even multiple normal non-acting jobs) just to pay the bills. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-moments-in-an-actors-life/823917/43 "2018-11-09T22:38:15Z")
It’s like when side characters in TV shows try to coast on the series popularity after the series is over. The guy who played Al (Tim Taylor’s Tool Time sidekick) in Home Improvement started doing hot dog commercials dressed in the exact same apron and checkered shirt he wore in the show. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-moments-in-an-actors-life/823917/44 "2018-11-10T01:40:35Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > You know what’s a sad moment in an actor’s life? When he or she has to say, “You want fries with that?”. And not because he or she won a role in a McDonald’s commercial but because the big break never came and they’re still working at a normal, non-acting job (or even multiple normal non-acting jobs) just to pay the bills. Does McDonalds even say that anymore? The go-to now is “You want to make it a combo?” ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-moments-in-an-actors-life/823917/45 "2018-11-10T01:44:00Z")
Either way, I’m sure most aspiring actors would prefer to be paid to act rather than to be a fast food worker, retail worker, waiter, etc. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-moments-in-an-actors-life/823917/46 "2018-11-10T01:58:25Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > Other than those feeble Nespresso commercials? But he can practically phone those in. I read he is going to do a tv show starting in January. Julia Roberts is doing tv, too . (HBO, maybe or netflix, but it’s tv. There are no more movie roles for actors, it’s all Spider/Super/Bat man forever and ever.) ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-moments-in-an-actors-life/823917/47 "2018-11-10T02:00:10Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > 5 is “Whatever happened to James Corden?” > > I love that progression. First time I heard it was from Joey “pants” Pantoliano. I thought he created it, but probably not. That saying has been around since the 30’s, at LEAST. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-moments-in-an-actors-life/823917/48 "2018-11-10T05:37:27Z")
Here’s more on the saying: [The Five Stages of an Actor’s Career – Quote Investigator®](https://quoteinvestigator.com/2012/03/12/actors-career/) ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-moments-in-an-actors-life/823917/49 "2018-11-10T06:22:31Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > 5 is “Whatever happened to James Corden?” > > I love that progression. First time I heard it was from Joey “pants” Pantoliano. I thought he created it, but probably not. Actually Joey Pantoliano is legendary for investing his money wisely. On the set of the first _Matrix_ movie, he freely offered excellent financial advice to his fellow actors. Carrie-Anne Moss has said that he really should write a book on how to survive as a working actor, and have enough for a decent retirement. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-moments-in-an-actors-life/823917/50 "2018-11-10T06:26:16Z")
Becoming best known as the middle square on _Hollywood Squares_. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-moments-in-an-actors-life/823917/51 "2018-11-10T06:51:14Z")
I think the lowest job an actor can take before working a “normal” job is being a reenactor in some documentary or crime show. I’ve literally seen a bit actor I recognize appear in some History Channel documentary where the actor just played Abraham Lincoln writing on a parchment in a very brief scene while somebody’s voice played over his writing. He had about 10 seconds of screen-time and they didn’t even use his voice! ---
**Author:** ![bonzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@bonzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bonzer)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-moments-in-an-actors-life/823917/52 "2018-11-10T08:03:09Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > I think the lowest job an actor can take before working a “normal” job is being a reenactor in some documentary or crime show. The weirdest example of this I’ve seen is in a 2011 documentary in the BBC’s old _Timewatch_ strand about Bletchley Park. It’s [online here](https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x511kro) and the relevant scene is at about the 41-minute mark. As a talking-head tells the story about the night the first Colossus computer was switched on at Bletchley, this is illustrated by a re-enactment with an actor briefly playing the technician involved. No lines whatsoever. That’s [Rory Kinnear](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rory_Kinnear). It’s not even as if he was a then-unknown, who subsequently hit the big time. That’s at a time when he’d already played Bill Tanner in _Quantum of Solace_ on film, already done some fairly high profile television stuff, but was especially established and acclaimed at that point in theatre. Indeed he’d even done the title role in _Hamlet_ at the National the year before … But a job’s a job? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-moments-in-an-actors-life/823917/53 "2018-11-10T12:35:50Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > You know what’s a sad moment in an actor’s life? When he or she has to say, “You want fries with that?” > [@Asuka](#): > > Does McDonalds even say that anymore? The go-to now is “You want to make it a combo?” The saddest moment is the 22 year old McDonald’s manager saying, “We’ll be in touch, Mr Cage”. ---
**Author:** ![Royal\_Nonesutch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecb155/32.png) [@Royal\_Nonesutch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Royal_Nonesutch)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-moments-in-an-actors-life/823917/54 "2018-11-10T12:55:40Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Either way, I’m sure most aspiring actors would prefer to be paid to act rather than to be a fast food worker, retail worker, waiter, etc. None of which is quite the “Bottom of the Barrel” at least according to a washed-up aspiring actor/street junkie I once met in Austin, who told me that when he couldn’t find acting work in Hollywood, he was forced to resort to taking a job shoving a buttered returnable glass Coca-Cola bottle up George Hamilton’s gaping (and presumeably well tanned) asshole. (True story. That is, I once talked to a panhandler in Texas who told that story to me. They way it unfolded, I completely believe him, he was 100% convincing) ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-moments-in-an-actors-life/823917/55 "2018-11-10T13:55:26Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > At least he’s still in Stage Two/Three. > > 1—”Who is James Corden?” > 2—”Get me James Corden.” > 3—”Get me a James Corden type.” > 4—”Get me a younger version of James Corden.” > 5—”Who is James Corden?” Where would you fit “James Corden is a game show host now.”? Or “Just like his character on _Gavin & Stacey_, James Corden was found … .” ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-moments-in-an-actors-life/823917/56 "2018-11-10T17:29:50Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Here’s more on the saying: [The Five Stages of an Actor’s Career – Quote Investigator®](https://quoteinvestigator.com/2012/03/12/actors-career/) I could swear Mickey Rooney (heyday in the 30’s and 40’s) said it! well, you could insert any name from any era you want, and it would still be true! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-moments-in-an-actors-life/823917/57 "2018-11-10T19:05:20Z")
Joey Pants popularized it, but it goes back a good bit earlier. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-moments-in-an-actors-life/823917/58 "2018-11-10T19:23:37Z")
Watch the Super Bowl for the commercials. You’ll see dozens of actors of varying stages of fame. Actors love commercials. They take one day to shoot, for which they get maybe a million dollars, plus royalties every time it runs, plus the awesome amount of face time they achieve. Except for the exceptionally rare person still living in 19th century Victorian England who tries to make this a thing, the actors’ millions of fans will rejoice at being able to see their favorites even more regularly. Don’t take the gun or the cannoli. Take the money. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-moments-in-an-actors-life/823917/59 "2018-11-10T20:25:55Z")
> [@bonzer](#): > > The weirdest example of this I’ve seen is in a 2011 documentary in the BBC’s old _Timewatch_ strand about Bletchley Park. It’s [online here](https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x511kro) and the relevant scene is at about the 41-minute mark. As a talking-head tells the story about the night the first Colossus computer was switched on at Bletchley, this is illustrated by a re-enactment with an actor briefly playing the technician involved. No lines whatsoever. > > That’s [Rory Kinnear](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rory_Kinnear). It’s not even as if he was a then-unknown, who subsequently hit the big time. That’s at a time when he’d already played Bill Tanner in _Quantum of Solace_ on film, already done some fairly high profile television stuff, but was especially established and acclaimed at that point in theatre. Indeed he’d even done the title role in _Hamlet_ at the National the year before … > > But a job’s a job? For something that small, I’d guess either he was friends with someone involved in filming, or he’s just a massive nerd that liked the idea of being involved with a programme about Bletchley Park. They’re not going to pay ‘star’ rates for that. About half the commercials in the UK seem to be either starring or have voice overs from comedians. It always seems a bit weird when you’re watching some laddish comedian making dirty jokes in a programme, then he’s trying to sell you a car or a new phone contract in the break. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2018, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-moments-in-an-actors-life/823917/60 "2018-11-12T15:50:45Z")
> [@bonzer](#): > > The weirdest example of this I’ve seen is in a 2011 documentary in the BBC’s old _Timewatch_ strand about Bletchley Park. It’s [online here](https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x511kro) and the relevant scene is at about the 41-minute mark. As a talking-head tells the story about the night the first Colossus computer was switched on at Bletchley, this is illustrated by a re-enactment with an actor briefly playing the technician involved. No lines whatsoever. > > That’s [Rory Kinnear](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rory_Kinnear). It’s not even as if he was a then-unknown, who subsequently hit the big time. That’s at a time when he’d already played Bill Tanner in _Quantum of Solace_ on film, already done some fairly high profile television stuff, but was especially established and acclaimed at that point in theatre. Indeed he’d even done the title role in _Hamlet_ at the National the year before … > > But a job’s a job? Are you just basing this on the resemblance, or do you have a more authoritative cite? Because the scene is very dark, very brief, and although I grant there’s a resemblance, I don’t think the image (at least as I see it on my computer screen) is good enough to say that it is definitely Kinnear. No actors are listed in the show’s credits, but the show is not listed on Kinnear’s [IMDb page](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1239499/?ref_=nv_sr_1), which I would expect if it really were him. **Filbert** ’s suppositions might make sense if the role were a little more prominent, but those two or three brief, dark shots don’t strike me as the kind of thing someone of Kinnear’s stature (even in 2011) would bother with, even if he were the biggest cryptography geek in the world. I don’t think it is him. ETA: The only relevant Google hit that combines “Timewatch” Bletchley Park" and “Kinnear” is this thread. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-moments-in-an-actors-life/823917.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-moments-in-an-actors-life/823917.md?page=4)