30/30: Casting Call

The prompt for today's 30/30 Vision Blog Challenge poses an interesting question. If they were to make a movie about my life, who would I want them to cast as the main character? Who should portray me? As I began to ponder this query yesterday I was really clueless as to what direction to go, so I decided to reach out to friends on Twitter and my wife's Facebook and ask for nominations. My friends came through with a number of suggestions- some of which were a little tough on my ego. But I took them all into account as I held my own personal casting call.

Old friends on Facebook quickly suggested fine actors like Jack Black, John Goodman and Edward Herrmann. While Goodman and Herrmann are fine actors, they are much older than me...and I don't want to age that much just yet. My friend Teresa suggested Jeff Goldblum, because of his great timing and because we are both weird. Or quirky. I can't remember which word she used, but in either case I couldn't really argue too much. Then one of my oldest friends, one of the people who knows me best in the world, suggested Fred Gwynne, another brilliant actor, in part because she said that he had a great voice and so do I. Again, I had mixed emotions. First of all, Fred is dead- which Tammy pointed out. He is also most famous for playing Herman Munster in the classic TV show. Picturing myself being played by a dead Frankenstein look-alike just didn't work for me, no mater how sweet she made it sound. Another old friend suggested both Brad Pitt and Eddie Murphy, but both are far too obvious. And finally after I went to bed last night my dear friend Brook suggested Michael Keaton, since he knows me and has a feel for who I am (see The Night I Met Batman). All of these suggestions of older men sent me down a similar path, and I began to consider people like Dan Aykroyd ("It's the Stay-Puff Marshmallow Man") or Harrison Ford (he's already played one of the Jones boys!). But no one felt quite right.

Then I turned my attention to Twitter, where my friends Robert and Sarah quickly nominated Tom Hanks for the role. I was thrilled. Being portrayed by a 2 time Oscar winner was something I could live with. He does drama and comedy. He was a Bosom Buddy, he fell in love with a mermaid and he was freakin' Forrest Gump. When this nomination got several votes of support from other friends, I assumed we had a winner. The part of Carl would be played by Captain Phillips.

And then I woke up this morning and had an epiphany. Jason Segel. It was so obvious. Jason doesn't really look much like me, but that's a good thing! He could play me through more stages of my my life because he is younger. He has shown the ability to be funny, romantic, emotional and a great friend- all things I think are true of me. He likes to make up his own songs and sing them, and like me is both a freak and a geek in his own way. He loves Muppets. He knows almost as much about How I Met Your Mother as I do. :) And in case we get a crazy director or the movie takes an odd and unexpected turn, he is fine with nudity. Have you seen Forgetting Sarah Marshall? So despite my reverence for Tom Hanks and Harrison Ford, I'm going younger. I cast Jason Segel in the role of me. It's gonna' be a blockbuster. Maybe he can get Kermit to do a cameo...

Editor's Note: No one suggested anyone to play me as a young adult in the flashback scenes that are bound to be a part of the movie. I assume that is because it is such an obvious choice. Zac Efron is my doppelganger.  Have a great day!