Pop Culture Question of the Day
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Jeremy Piven or Paul Giamatti
Most of you are probably saying, "WHO?" That's probably a good thing because they're both two actors who go about their job really well, but no one really knows who they are. They're like the Clint Howard or a Charles Martin Smith of today. You've seen them everywhere, you don't know their name, but you also admire the work that they do when you see it. Run a google search and as soon as you see their picture you'll say, "Oh yeah, those guys."
Where You've Seen Them:
Jeremy Piven - Rush Hour 2, Black Hawk Down, The Family Man, Grosse Pointe Blank, Ellen (the tv show), PCU, Bob Roberts, The Player
Paul Giamatti - American Splendor, Planet of the Apes, Man on the Moon, Saving Private Ryan, The Truman Show, Private Parts, Cradle Will Rock
The work:
When you look at the movies they've done, Paul Giamattie SMOKES Jeremy Piven quicker than a 3 year old cigarette that's been sitting out in the desert for too long. You just can't compare the movies that they've been in because the sides are way too lopsided.
So maybe it's best to check out the work that they do in the movies that they've been in. Although I still think it's lopsided, I'll see if maybe I can formulate an argument or two. I mean at this point, I'm ready to give it to Paul Giamatti because only he can deliver a line like, "You know what you are Howard? You're the mutha fuckin anti-Christ" and make it sound cool. That's from the Howard Stern movie, "Private Parts" by the way.
When I compare their work side by side, I think that I will take Paul Giamatti's character work over the Jeremy Piven smarmy routine anyday. Although I think Piven is hilarious in pretty much everything he does, I do think that sometimes he gets a bit typecast into doing certain roles. Kind of the sarcastic, smarmy way that he was in "Old School," "PCU," and "Very Bad Things." I mean you just can't compare that to a person who played Tony Clifton AND Harvey Pekar. Those two roles alone seal the deal for me.
You're Only As Good as the Company You Keep:
They were both in the movie "Singles" together. As far as I can tell that's their movies intersect. I could be wrong on that.
As far as I can tell, Piven has been in SEVEN different movies with John Cusack. That makes him cool by default. He's also been in a movie with Susan Sarandon, 2 movies with Tim Robbins, Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker, and a movie with both Robert De Niro AND Al Pacino. Pretty good company.
But Giamatti's been in a movie with Tom Hanks, Howard Stern, 2 movies with Jim Carrey, Susan Sarandon, John Cusack, Bill Murray, John Turturro, Johnny Depp, and Al Pacino. That small cast of actors takes the cake.
When you add to their the teeny tiny detail that Paul Giamatti was in serious consideration for an Oscar nod for his role in "American Splendor," I think that it becomes clear that this is a case of an Oompa Loompa taking on Carl Lewis in the 100 meter. Well maybe not quite THAT extreme, but I don't think this one is all that close.
matt out
Most of you are probably saying, "WHO?" That's probably a good thing because they're both two actors who go about their job really well, but no one really knows who they are. They're like the Clint Howard or a Charles Martin Smith of today. You've seen them everywhere, you don't know their name, but you also admire the work that they do when you see it. Run a google search and as soon as you see their picture you'll say, "Oh yeah, those guys."
Where You've Seen Them:
Jeremy Piven - Rush Hour 2, Black Hawk Down, The Family Man, Grosse Pointe Blank, Ellen (the tv show), PCU, Bob Roberts, The Player
Paul Giamatti - American Splendor, Planet of the Apes, Man on the Moon, Saving Private Ryan, The Truman Show, Private Parts, Cradle Will Rock
The work:
When you look at the movies they've done, Paul Giamattie SMOKES Jeremy Piven quicker than a 3 year old cigarette that's been sitting out in the desert for too long. You just can't compare the movies that they've been in because the sides are way too lopsided.
So maybe it's best to check out the work that they do in the movies that they've been in. Although I still think it's lopsided, I'll see if maybe I can formulate an argument or two. I mean at this point, I'm ready to give it to Paul Giamatti because only he can deliver a line like, "You know what you are Howard? You're the mutha fuckin anti-Christ" and make it sound cool. That's from the Howard Stern movie, "Private Parts" by the way.
When I compare their work side by side, I think that I will take Paul Giamatti's character work over the Jeremy Piven smarmy routine anyday. Although I think Piven is hilarious in pretty much everything he does, I do think that sometimes he gets a bit typecast into doing certain roles. Kind of the sarcastic, smarmy way that he was in "Old School," "PCU," and "Very Bad Things." I mean you just can't compare that to a person who played Tony Clifton AND Harvey Pekar. Those two roles alone seal the deal for me.
You're Only As Good as the Company You Keep:
They were both in the movie "Singles" together. As far as I can tell that's their movies intersect. I could be wrong on that.
As far as I can tell, Piven has been in SEVEN different movies with John Cusack. That makes him cool by default. He's also been in a movie with Susan Sarandon, 2 movies with Tim Robbins, Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker, and a movie with both Robert De Niro AND Al Pacino. Pretty good company.
But Giamatti's been in a movie with Tom Hanks, Howard Stern, 2 movies with Jim Carrey, Susan Sarandon, John Cusack, Bill Murray, John Turturro, Johnny Depp, and Al Pacino. That small cast of actors takes the cake.
When you add to their the teeny tiny detail that Paul Giamatti was in serious consideration for an Oscar nod for his role in "American Splendor," I think that it becomes clear that this is a case of an Oompa Loompa taking on Carl Lewis in the 100 meter. Well maybe not quite THAT extreme, but I don't think this one is all that close.
matt out
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