 A Man with many Names
Of all the wrongs Jason Lee wishes he could right, it’s donuts. Lee’s tragic turn into donut addiction started in late 2005 on the set of My Name Is Earl. One donut led to many and the stresses of maintaining a hit TV show only accentuated the problem. Sadly, the habit’s harder to kick than he thought, exclaiming, “I like donuts!” Like his character Earl, Lee is on a course of correction and redemption. Fortunately, he’s now at a point where he can talk openly about his donut dependence, the new season of Earl, skateboarding and pretty jeans.
Aside from the literal weight gain, 2006 has been a pretty big year for Lee. The actor was nominated for both a Golden Globe and SAG award for his role as “Earl Hickey” on the critically acclaimed show, My Name Is Earl. The show, a recent Emmy winner for both direction and writing, is a huge hit with both the fans and critics, which means that all eyes are on Jason as he carries the show into the second season. However, he claims the pressure isn’t getting to him too much: “My only real concern is whether or not our fans are being entertained. We have a pretty loyal fan base and we really want to cater to them and please them. They’re pretty die hard and we love ‘em for it.”
“Die hard” is an accurate description given the numerous fan sites, blogs, and message groups devoted to the show. It’s hard not to like Earl—an everyman’s screw-up who buys a winning lottery ticket for $100,000, but is hit by a car before he can cash it in. Believing this to be karma for all the wrongs he’s done, he decides to make a list of his unscrupulous deeds and amend them one by one. Many fan sites lamented the close of the first season, but as Jason explains, there’s a lot to look forward to for season two. “We’re going to shake things up a bit and give more running stories to the other characters, like Jaime Pressly’s. And there may not even be a list item in an episode, and this season it may take Earl as many as three episodes to cross an item off.”
Now Lee’s face is broadcast into millions of American households; he’s become a TV star whose ubiquity resides in Earl. Prior to My Name Is Earl, Lee was a movie man who feared getting locked into a TV character where perpetual associations are made between the character and actor (it’s hard to think of David Schwimmer without seeing Ross Geller). However, Lee’s changed his view since his recent experience in the medium explaining, “Sure there is a percentage of folks out there that don’t know me as anything (or anyone) but Earl, but because of how much I love the show, and how proud I am of it, it doesn’t bother me like I thought it may have.”
Before Earl, Lee was best known for his outstanding and unique buddy roles, always adding color and dynamism to any film. Lee became famous for roles like Brodie Bruce, the cynical slacker in the cult classic Mallrats, the narcissistic front man, Jeff Bebe, in Almost Famous, and the sexually confused and frustrated Banky Edwards in Chasing Amy. Lee makes the sidekick shine and he doesn’t mind the role: “I’ve never really minded being the “buddy.” I’ve found that there’s usually a bit more to do when all the pressure isn’t on your shoulders. The sideline characters are usually the ones that get to mix it up a bit.”
But Lee’s never been one to really sit on the sidelines. At 18, he was already a professional skateboarder amazing fans all over the US with his trademark 360-flip. Before acting, Lee contented himself with an Airwalk shoe deal, appearances in skateboarding and music videos, and opening his own skateboarding company, Stereo Sound Agency. As his acting career took off, Lee still tried to maintain Stereo Sound, but the company folded in 2000. Happily, the company reopened in 2003. Lee describes the regeneration: “When I started skating again it only made sense to meet back up with my ex-partner, Chris Pastras, and start Stereo again, only now we’re doing it independently and working on expanding the brand on a more of a lifestyle level (clothing etc), but of course maintain our roots in skateboarding by still having a skate team, etc.” Currently, the company offers special Stereo-styled merchandise from companies like Kangol and Etnies. Lee is also involved with the clothing company, WESC (We Are the Superlative Conspiracy), which manufactures hipster inspired street wear. In terms of style, Lee says, “I’ve always been pretty jeans and button-ups with my clothes. And I dig Clark Wallabees. WESC makes really good shirts and jeans.”
If success in skateboarding and acting wasn’t enough, Lee’s taken a turn behind the camera creating his own short films. His newest film, The White Door, stars Giovanni Ribisi and Beth Riesgraf and is described by Lee as a “modern silent love story about a lonely young man in search of a world outside his own. He travels in search of something familiar and finds it in the form of another person. It’s a modern homage to the old silence films, as well as a bit of an homage to Sci-Fi and the “Modern” movement.” Lee’s interest in crafting his own films makes one wonder if this is the next chapter in his ever-changing career: “Absolutely, but I won’t be directing such big movies. I see myself doing things on a smaller scale, where more freedom seems to exist. A level where I could finance what I do on my own.”
Directing for film seems an appropriate segue-way for this Renaissance Man whose talent with photography has landed him photo credits in Flaunt and Anthem. Lee says, “I’ve been shooting very seriously for 5 years now. It’s the one thing I’m constantly thinking about when I’m not acting.” On what influences his work: “People, environments, lighting, places, moods, music and my camera.”
So what does this actor-director-photographer-businessman-skateboarder do to relax? “Ride my bike in Silver Lake and Griffith Park, go to the movies, listen to records and watch my son dance to Bowie and Talking Heads on the turntable. Watching movies at home, eating out, taking walks with the family around the Silver Lake reservoir.” Thankfully this over-achiever is not so different from you or me: “Sometimes there’s nothing better than turning the lights off, fluffing a few pillows, and pressing play on the DVD player.” We agree.
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