The Maine Edge: If anyone could make this happen, it’s you. Could you please send a message to Hollywood for us?
Kennedy: Dude, just say the word and it’s done.
The Maine Edge: It seems that no one can deliver an accurate Maine accent on film, and frankly, we’re a little pissed about it. Everyone from Angela Lansbury to Fred Gwynne…
Kennedy: He didn’t do a good job in “Pet Sematary?”
The Maine Edge: Sadly no. Not only that but they’re making movies that allegedly depict Maine, but we can tell they were filmed in other states because the trees and coastline are all wrong, and we’re a little upset.
Kennedy: I can call Hollywood and say you’ve gotta get Maine down because Maine is pissed. You guys have a little Maine anger. You have Maineger. I’ll fix it.
(Just before Kennedy called for this interview, I watched a YouTube clip of him expertly handling a heckler at one of his standup shows who insisted on correcting him over the use of “server” versus “waiter” when referencing restaurants.)
The Maine Edge: I almost feel like I should include a public service announcement with this story. Something along the lines of “Please be advised that any heckler during Mr. Kennedy’s performance will be handed their own ass.” Why do some people go to a comedy show and feel they need to correct the comic or interject in any way?
Kennedy: Because it’s 2019 and everybody has a voice. People don’t understand the rules of public behavior, they’ve been coddled. Most people go to a comedy club just to laugh, but some people are different. A lot of people just feel more entitled than ever in the history of mankind. People used to look at comics and say, “I revere that person for being able to do that” and now they’re like “I can do that, I can do it better than you.” Everybody’s competitive now.
(Kennedy spent a few weeks in New Jersey last September filming “Crabs in a Bucket,” an indie movie set in Kennedy’s native Philadelphia. Directed by Paolo Pilladi, Kennedy’s costars include Jeremy Piven, Taryn Manning and Bruce Dern.)
The Maine Edge: It’s quite a cast. What can you tell me about this movie?
Kennedy: I think this movie will be relatable to people in Maine. I’m from Philly, in a little place in Upper Darby (shifts to an accent) and if you want to talk about an accent, we had it.
The Maine Edge: Not to change the subject but isn’t that where Todd Rundgren is from also?
Kennedy: Exactly. Dude, Todd Rundgren was my neighbor. He was much older, but I remember my brother saying ‘Remember Todd? The guy that played in that band? (Utopia).’ It was in the 70s. Todd Rundgren was the first guy from my neighborhood that was famous. I remember asking ‘What does famous mean?’ He literally lived a block over.
‘Crabs in a Bucket’ is basically about a local bar and is kind of a snapshot of that area, a small town. It’s about a guy that gets out and does well, and he’s played by Jeremy Piven. He comes back and kind of gets sucked back into his old life. It’s a great cast. It’s a little independent dramedy. We filmed it for three weeks in Bayonne, New Jersey. It’s one of the movies where you kind of dig in. Working with Bruce Dern was incredible.
(Tickets for Jamie Kennedy, live at Empire Comedy Club, 575 Congress St. in Portland on December 20 and December 21, are available at https://venue.portlandempire.com/)
