'G' man cometh to town
By Jenn Smith, Berkshire Eagle
Tuesday June 22, 2010
PITTSFIELD -- What do 7UP soda, action-movie actor Jason Statham and stand-up comedy have in common? Berkshire County.
On Monday, Shawn's Barber Shop on North Street was filled with lights, cameras and plenty of action, where several Berkshire County natives and an up-and-coming comedian began a two-day shoot for a television pilot episode called "G" for Comedy Central.
The television shoot in Pittsfield is a culmination of circumstances that began four years ago.
While on a 2006 comedy tour in Holland, Jesse Adams, a Pittsfield native and actor/comedian, befriended another actor/comedian Godfrey C. Danchimah, known professionally as Godfrey. At the time, Godfrey had become known for his roles as a 7UP spokesman ("Make 7UP Yours" campaign), Janitor Derek in the 2001 film "Zoolander," and Snoop Dogg's co-pilot Gaeman in the 2004 comedy "Soul Plane."
"One of the things Godfrey does is impressions, but the best one is Jason Statham," said Adams.
The London-born, square-jawed action film hero with a perpetual 5 o'clock shadow, Statham is best known for his leading roles in Guy Ritchie films like "Snatch" in which he co-starred with Brad Pitt.
"He's like a British Bruce Willis," Godfrey told The Eagle during on on-set interview Monday afternoon at the barber shop. "Jason Statham always gets cast in these roles where he's all jacked up, always looking good, can fight 12 bad guys at the same time, but his suit never gets wrinkled and he never smiles. He's awesome."
So floored by Godfrey's Jason Statham impression, Adams began working on what would become "G" -- a cop show spoof starring Godfrey and his "partner," a 12-inch custom-made Jason Statham action figure, also voiced by the comedian.
"It's like a long, sketch comedy show," Adams said.
"It's crazy," said Godfrey. "I like that though. Jesse's a very creative, crazy kind of dude. He thinks like me. As a good comedian, you got to stay open to whatever."
Adams hopes the television pilot makes the grade at Comedy Central. It would be a boon for Godfrey and the other actors, and also for its film crew and the Berkshires. Berkshire County won't be the home of the show, but Adams said he picked the area to shoot the pilot because he is from here.
"Everyone in here helping us in Berkshire County has been great," said Adams, who said about 22 people were working on the two-day shoot.
The pilot episode is being co-produced by his company, SoundDefect, and Eleven11, a Los Angeles/New York film imaging company run by Pittsfield-raised brothers J.P. and Chris Lipa. The filming also includes local crew members like Kira Murdock of Great Barrington, a gaffer for "G," and artist Huckleberry DelSignore, who created a pair of prop masks for the production.
Aside from Shawn's Barber Shop, "G" will also be filmed at Mission Bar & Tapas, Dakota Restaurant, the Madison bar and restaurant, a few other residential sites in Pittsfield, and in the warehouse at Shakespeare & Company in Lenox.
Before making his film debut as an extra in the production, barber shop owner Shawn Gurek said allowing the crew to film in his business was a "no-brainer."
"It's great for the block, and it's great for the community," he said.
Who is Godfrey?
Full name: Godfrey C. Danchimah Jr.
Hometown: New York City, via Chicago.
Occupation: Comedian and actor.
Where you've seen him: Live shows at the Comedy Cellar in New York; television shows on BET, VH1, Comedy Central; 2002 season of the reality show "The It Factor"; NBC's "30 Rock"; the "Make 7UP Yours" ad campaign; films like "Johnson Family Vacation," "Zoolander," and "Soul Plane."
About: Born to Nigerian parents, he got his first big break as a walk-on varsity football player for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It was also in college where he realized his talent for comedy.
Here, Godfrey talks about what makes good comedy, and why he would call Tommy Lee Jones if he lost his keys.
Q: How long have you been in the business in comedy?
A: I did some comedy in Chicago, but they tell you you're a real comedian if you can make it in New York. In that respect, I've been doing comedy for about 14 years.
Q: With all sorts of reality shows and YouTube videos, it seems like everyone thinks they're funny. What do you make of all that?
A: You can make a two-minute YouTube video that gets like 10 million hits, but for guys like me who are performers, it's more than that. It's like, yeah, you can be funny for two minutes, but now you have to do a show for an hour. That's the thing. Video and technology can't change live performance.
Q: Who are some of your favorite performers?
A: I've worked with some really great comedians in my career, Bernie Mac, Jim Carrey. I'm a James Brown junkie. I watch footage of him all the time. He and Michael Jackson were true showmen. They put on a show like it's their last day on the planet.
Q: What do you want people to know about you, and what do you want to do with your career?
A: I want people to see that I'm just a funny dude. I'm a guy trying to bring something fresh and new. I would like to have my own show, like Dave Chappelle -- you know, the whole package. I think this project ["G," a Comedy Central pilot] can do that.
Q: You're here in Pittsfield because of your Jason Statham impression. Do you do any others?
A: I've done Bill Cosby and Tommy Lee Jones. Tommy Lee Jones is so great because in every movie he's in, he's looking for something, aliens in "Men in Black," a psychopath in "No Country for Old Men." If I lose my keys, I'm calling Tommy Lee Jones.
-- Jenn Smith, Berkshire Eagle Staff
To reach Jenn Smith:
jsmith
berkshireeagle [dot] com
or (413) 496-6239