Entertainment

Published on Friday, May 2, 2008

Corddry's movie choices fail to showcase his talent
By TONY MARTIN

“The Daily Show” is one of America’s most beloved institutions, mostly because of Jon Stewart’s ability to turn the grimness of reality into fodder for big laughs. However, there are other contributors to the show who are just as funny and relevant.

Throughout the years, names we have come to know as comedic geniuses got started on “The Daily Show.” People like Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Ed Helms, John Hodgman and others have made feature films piggybacking their earlier gigs.

However, one man has failed to recognize his talents after leaving the show: Rob Corddry, who seems to fail with everything he tries. He was brilliant on “The Daily Show,” providing great commentary every week with his dry, quirky sense of humor that is a staple of successful humor.

Yet, watching trailers for all the movies he has been in for the last year is like a train wreck. “Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay,” “The Heartbreak Kid,” “What Happens in Vegas ... ” and, of course, his terrible show, “The Winner.” He is cast as the best friend character in at least two of these movies, as viewers are supposed to buy into him as a “cool” character. However, it is unrealistic to picture him actually “pal-ing” around with Ben Stiller and Ashton Kutcher.

Corddry is a funny guy and he has a great sense of humor, as his guest spots on “Wainy Days” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm” exemplify. He even had a great story arc on “Arrested Development” as Frank Wrench, the law-abiding detective. So what explains the drop-off in quality roles in recent months?

Corddry tried to get his own sitcom, but it bombed, as the script was awful and the laugh track was even worse than it was on “That 70s Show.” He should think about trying to be a correspondent on “The Colbert Report,” a gig that would allow him to continue to shine.

Hopefully, Corddry can fix this problem, because, as a fan of “The Daily Show,” I really want to see him succeed. He could go in a similar route of Helms and tag along with Carrell on “The Office,” a role that has turned Helms into unforgettable TV character Andy Bernard.

Mr. Corddry, we are really rooting for you. Stop selling yourself short; you are a funny actor with loads of potential. Please our pleas and reject roles in movies you know are not funny. Together, we can add another name to the list of ex-“Daily Show” correspondents who have done great work away from Jon Stewart.

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