Welcome to “Before They Were Famous“, where we take a look at some of the past exploits of today's biggest stars, be it from movies, television, Broadway, competitions, etc.! The more embarrassing, the better. Our memories are long, but the internet's memory is forever, so jump back in time with us to witness some of our favorite stars before they were marquee names.
In 1996, when he was just thirteen years old, Seth Rogen was already hitting the stand-up comedy circuit. Mostly cracking jokes about his Jewish upbringing, school, and sports, Rogen showed no fear as he stood in front of an enthusiastic crowd.
But if that’s not crazy enough for you, there is an even earlier video of eleven-year-old Seth, before his voice had even changed, telling jokes in a Vancouver night club. After being courageous enough to perform stand-up at such a young age, not even the emcee knows whether to call him a “guy” or a “kid”. The material is similar, however there is a nice little story included at the end about borderline child abuse involving a camp counselor, a wedgie, and a broom. Enjoy.
Before she was getting princess lessons from Julie Andrews, fetching coffee for Meryl Streep, and calling Robert De Niro “Bob”, Anne Hathaway made her television debut in “comedic” (I say that generously) commercials for Cincinnati Bell and Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate. Both advertisements, which aired in the mid-1990s, involved her crushing hard on boys; though only one included the awesome clear phone that myself and every other self-respecting kid of the 90s had in their bedrooms. However, that is where the room comparisons end. Seriously, did the set decorator really need to make Anne’s room THAT Lisa Frank-ish pink versus the boy’s blue? We get it.
It’s times like these that we remember just how far technology has come. Imagine being so excited about the ability to leave a voicemail when someone is using the line, you make an entire commercial dedicated to it?
Joseph Gordon-Levitt (THE WALK)
What kind of advertising monster would make a commercial (1991) about Pop Tarts and not showcase those with frosting?! Do you not want your product to sell? This is the nightmare we face when watching a young Joseph Gordon-Levitt schlock strawberry flavored tarts to his late-to-work father. Acting like a parent sending his kid to school, JGL makes sure his father has a nice, “hearty” breakfast before handing over his briefcase for work.
But this wasn’t the only breakfast ad young JGL starred in. He was also a kid in a cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs commercial (1992). Man, I wonder if either of those gigs came with a lifetime supply of breakfast food? His pantry must have been stocked!
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