Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Top 10 Entourage Cameos

I know the popular thing to do right now is shit all over the new Entourage movie, but I was always a fan of the original HBO show. Excessive, juvenile, silly – it was consistently all of those things, but I enjoyed much of the bubblegum L.A. fantasy it maintained. One thing the show was always rich with was celebrity cameos, and in the wake of the film sequel, here are my favorite celeb cameos featured in the show’s eight-season run. (Note: I only included cameos in which the celebrity played themselves.)

10. Pauly Shore
“Aquamansion” (Season 2, Episode 3)
“The Abyss” (Season 2, Episode 14)
“Gotcha” (Season 3, Episode 16)
Though he has a much bigger part in “Gotcha”, Shore’s funniest work on Entourage was his brief cameo at the end of “Aquamansion.” As Hugh Heffner demands to know if Drama and/or Ralph Marciano committed a major party foul at a Playboy Mansion bash years ago, the two actors finally remember that Pauly Shore actually did the deed. Smash cut to Pauly being escorted out by Mansion guards while he curses his two former friends for ratting him out.

9. Sasha Grey
“Bottoms Up” (Season 7, Episode 5)
through
“Lose Yourself” (Season 7, Episode 10)
I really admire when celebrities cameo as the public’s ill-conceived perceptions of them, rather than safe versions of themselves. Sasha Grey (who admittedly had more of a character arc on the show than a mere cameo) fueled the beliefs of her most staunch critics when she was on Entourage. She drank early in the day, did drugs casually, walked around naked, dabbled in porn – she played the “Sasha Grey” that naysayers imagine Sasha Grey to be. The reckless, barely legal, bad influence on golden boy Vincent Chase. “Sasha Grey” is Sasha Grey’s Fuck You to people who have a problem with her.

8. Eminem
“Lose Yourself” (Season 7, Episode 10)
If someone’s going to beat the shit out of boozed up and coked out Vincent Chase, best if it’s Enimem. (Watch the scene here.)

7. James Cameron
“The Sundance Kids” (Season 2, Episode 7)
“The Bat Mitzvah” (Season 2, Episode 10)
“The Abyss” (Season 2, Episode 14) 
“Aquamom” (Season 3, Episode 1)
James Cameron had a nice stint on the show as Vince’s Aquaman director, but his best moments were his first, featured in “The Sundance Kids.” From casually ordering Jujubes in a movie theater to laughing off a raging madman producer (based on Harvey Weinstein) with an effortless, “Fuckin’ Harvey…” – who knew Cameron could play it so cool?

6. U2
“I Love You Too” (Season 2, Episode 9)
Yeah, I get chills watching Bono wish Johnny Drama happy birthday while actually performing during a real live concert. (Watch the scene here.)

5. James Woods
“Aquamom” (Season 3, Episode 1)
James Woods has had a reputation of a Hollywood hothead for years, and it was hilarious to watch him play that up against Johnny Drama in “Aquamom.” Taking handfuls of quarters from Lloyd, ranting in Vince’s driveway, giving Drama a noogie on the Aquaman red carpet – “Oh shit, it’s Woods!,” indeed. (Watch his driveway rant here.)

4. Seth Green
“Strange Days” (Season 3, Episode 7)
“Vegas Baby, Vegas” (Season 3, Episode 9)
“Seth Green Day” (Season 5, Episode 10)
No celebrity played a more relentlessly obnoxious version of themselves on Entourage than Seth Green. I don’t care what “list” of celebrity you fall into, playing yourself as such a merciless douchebag is a risk for any actor. The Vegas episode is Green’s crowning achievement on the show. The entourage vs. entourage bar fight that closes the episode was one of the most entertaining scenes in the show’s run. (Watch the fight here.)

3. Jason Patric
“Pie” (Season 5, Episode 9)
As the lead of the fictional film, Smoke Jumpers, Patric’s cameo was a hysterical and bold send-up of his rumored behind-the-scenes persona. Loud, domineering, egomaniacal – all things Patric has been accused of in real life. “Jason Patric” plays into all that here, while also working out between takes, stealing lines on set, and grabbing food out of people’s hands. Patric is one of my all-time favorite actors, but if he’s anything like “Jason Patric,” he must be an absolute terror. Still, a blast to watch here.

2. Gary Busey
“Busey and the Beach” (Season 1, Episode 6)
“The Boys are Back in Town” (Season 2, Episode 2) 
“Gary’s Desk” (Season 4, Episode 8)
Gary Busey played Gary Busey in three glorious episodes in Entourage, and I couldn’t get enough of it. “Uhh… you worked craft service on Lethal Weapon 1, didn’t you?”

1. Matt Damon
“Give a Little Bit” (Season 6, Episode 12)
It’s all about “Matty’s” first scene in “Give a Little Bit.” The way he looks utterly defeated, then quietly pissed off, when Vince tells him he hasn’t considered donating to Matt’s charity. The way Matt interrupts himself using Vince’s own words (“—it is good.”). And, of course, the way Matt can’t even stand to look Vince in the eye as he exits the scene, muttering “I’ll see ya, man. It’s for kids,” as he walks away. Kills me everytime. (Watch the scene here.)

Oh, and as a bonus, we get this. 

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12 comments:

  1. thevoid99June 9, 2015 at 10:22 PM

    Seth Green's cameos were hilarious. What he said about Sloan and giving her a Jackson Pollack.... oh shit! That was a good moment. Eminem's cameo was probably the last favorite cameo that I enjoyed. Things went way downhill after that.

    I have no interest in seeing the film. The way the quality of the show's writing in the last few years went downhill for me and I really loathed the ending of the series finale. The movie seems like it's going to be the bro-version of Sex & the City movie.

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    1. Alex WithrowJune 11, 2015 at 7:06 PM

      Jackson Pollack... fuck, I forgot about that line. Hilarious. Yeah, the movie wasn't very good, and I say that as a crazy fan of the show. It's just an extension of the final season, which was over bloated and lame.

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  2. maskofgojiraJune 9, 2015 at 11:22 PM

    I could never get into Entourage honestly. I found the show to just demonstrate the most annoying aspects of the "business" of Hollywood - but play them as annoying and not fascinating. Plus Jeremy Piven has never rubbed me the right way - I just find him to be an extremely obnoxious screen presence, personally.

    I'm almost through reading your Hitchcock list lol (and it's really badass imo). I can't imagine how long it took to watch, analyze, and write all that man.

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    1. Alex WithrowJune 11, 2015 at 7:09 PM

      Yeah man, if you don't like Piven, there's no way you're going to like the show, which I totally understand. Dude, that Hitch post took For. Ev. Er. But I'm glad it's finally done. Thanks for giving it a read!

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  3. Aditya BJune 10, 2015 at 10:40 AM

    Nice write-up, James Cameron absolutely kills that line! Didn't know he could be funny. Entourage has always eluded me. Some people say it's the male version of Sex and the City (a show I personally love), some say it's one of the greatest shows ever made, some say that it's absolutely horrible. I might try watching it now since there's all this criticism about the movie. Are those final few seasons really as bad as people say it is?

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    1. Alex WithrowJune 11, 2015 at 7:12 PM

      Well, here's the thing... I actually enjoyed every season of the show, but, like many shows, it definitely got worse in quality as it got closer to the end. It used to be about guys hustling to make it in the biz, then it became exclusively about "How rich can we get?!" Which is essentially where the movie picks up. The good news is that it's a very easy show to watch. It moves by quickly and doesn't demand a lot of your attention. From far masterful though.

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  4. Henrik J.June 11, 2015 at 8:45 AM

    I have never seen an episode of Entourage as it never really seemed like my kind of show. It looks like it has a lot of fun cameos at least. I would never imagine James Cameron would be able to poke fun at himself.

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    1. Alex WithrowJune 11, 2015 at 7:12 PM

      Cameron really is great in his few episodes. I still can't believe he agreed to do it.

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  5. Kevin PowersJune 11, 2015 at 5:33 PM

    Yes! Great picks here! I think I would put Busey at #1. You can't beat this line: "What is emotional confusion, you ask? It's like walking backwards naked through a cornfield at midnight."

    And Seth Green played such a douche-y version of himself in that show. I loved the one where Drama finally knocked his ass out on E's behalf. The James Woods cameo was great as well.

    I also really loved Ed Burns' cameo stretch as well as Jamie Lynn Sigler as Turtle's girlfriend. That was a nice touch.

    Great series! Filled with great cameos. Have you seen the movie yet?

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    1. Alex WithrowJune 11, 2015 at 7:14 PM

      It was hard to not put Busey at number one, for sure. He was such a staple of that show. Loved Ed Burns' arc too. The movie is... well, if you liked the show, you'll like the movie. But I do agree with the critics who say it wasn't necessary at all. Still, it made the time pass fine, you know?

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  6. JoshJune 11, 2015 at 11:49 PM

    Ha, these are fun. I've never seen the show, but I've always wanted to check it out.

    By the way, I'm finally watching (and LOVING) The Wire. I'm getting ready to start season 4. When I finish the series, I'm going to check out the post you did ages ago. Can't wait! :)

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    1. Alex WithrowJune 12, 2015 at 1:04 PM

      YES! Love that you're watching The Wire. Season 4 is my favorite season of television ever. It's revelatory. A lot to digest, but so important.

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