With two Golden Globes nominations and Sag Award nominations for his role on the popular comedy series, “My Name is Earl,” Jason Lee has solidly established himself in the film industry.
On Fox’s hit comedy series, “Raising Hope,” Lee made a special guest appearance as ‘Smokey Floyd’ an overly made up rockstar who dreams of being inducted in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame.
I caught up with Lee to discuss his guest role on Raising Hope.
BURT LIVES OUT HIS ROCK-STAR DREAMS ON AN ALL-NEW “RAISING HOPE”
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, ON FOX
Jason Lee (“My Name is Earl”) Guest-Stars
Burt gave up on his teenage dreams of being a rock star because he was a parent. Jimmy feels so guilty for ruining his father’s dream that he gets Burt a second chance to relive his rock fantasy with his music idol, Smokey Floyd (guest star Lee), at the upcoming Grocery-Palooza concert in the all-new “Burt Rocks” episode of RAISING HOPE airing Tuesday, Nov. 30 (9:01-9:30 PM ET/PT) on FOX.
With a flourishing career that includes an Independent Spirit Award for his performance in writer-director Kevin Smith’s “Chasing Amy” and memorable roles in multiple features for such directors as Smith, Cameron Crowe and Lawrence Kasdan, Jason Lee has solidly established himself among critics, directors and peers. Lee starred in and produced the half-hour comedy series “My Name is Earl,” and received two Golden Globe nominations and two SAG Award nominations for his role. Lee also plays “Dave” in the “Alvin and the Chipmunks” movies. Currently, he is in production on “Memphis Beat,” and is co-writing a pilot for Adult Swim. Lee is a professional photographer, as well as an avid supporter and collector of the arts. He is also actively involved with his skateboard company, Stereo Sound Agency, which recently celebrated its 15-year anniversary.
Daedrian McNaughton: Was Memphis Beat a preparation for this role as Smokey Floyd, and will Smokey be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
Jason Lee (“My Name is Earl”): I think he thinks he will be but clearly he will not be.
Daedrian McNaughton: Was Memphis Beat a preparation for this role for you?
Jason Lee (“My Name is Earl”): Maybe it was. I was comfortable as Smokey on stage in the episode, so maybe all those episodes of performing in Memphis Beat prepared me. That’s certainly two totally different characters, one likable and the other one just an idiot.
Daedrian McNaughton: What was it that drew you to Raising Hope for this role?
Jason Lee (“My Name is Earl”): Well certainly Memphis Beat has been a little bit more dramatic, and it was nice to kind of go from that and put a wig on and some make-up and just act kind of a mess. It was sort of a reunion because a lot of the crew on Raising Hope came from Earl. It was just amazing to kind of just be done with Memphis Beat for a bit and reunite with Greg Garcia and a lot of the writers and crew members and just go and have fun and improvise and just kind of goof off. It was like kind of going back to camp and getting to play and have fun for a few days. It was really, really, really fun.
Daedrian McNaughton: You’re with one of the funniest casts or group of people including Cloris. What do you make of your cast mates and Cloris in particular?
Jason Lee (“My Name is Earl”): They are all extremely talented. The thing that I can say the most is just how strange it was to go to a set that felt like I was on the set of Earl because so many of the crew members were the same, Greg Garcia was there everything, but it wasn’t my show. It was very strange. I’m looking around and I’m looking at the actors and it was their own well-oiled machine. It was sort of their own and to have a show that felt very much like Earl in that everybody got along. It was just good solid people, really talented actors. Everybody was very light hearted and genuinely just having a great time on set. It made me miss Earl a lot, and just really talented people and Lucas Neff, the main kid, it’s his first gig and he was very humbled by it. I just got a really good vibe. Greg surrounds himself with really good people, and I think, no pun intended, but I think Raising Hope has a lot of good karma.
