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The 7 Best Celebrity Cameos, Playing Themselves in Film

By Dustin Rowles | Posted Under Seriously Random Lists | Comments (44)

nphkumars.jpg

On Sunday, Matt LeBlanc’s new series, “Episodes,” debuts on Showtime. In the show — a behind the scenes look at a smart British television show being bastardized into a dumb American one — Matt LeBlanc will plays himself, taking on the role in the American series, in what amounts to one of the best meta premises since Jennifer Grey played herself in the short—lived but brilliant series, “It’s Like, You Know.”

To celebrate LeBlanc’s playing of himself, here are the seven best celebrity cameos playing themselves in movies.

7. Dustin Diamond in Made

6. Mike Tyson in The Hangover

5. Topher Grace in Ocean’s 12

4. Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Gus Van Zant in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back

3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in Airplane!


2. Bill Murray in Zombieland


1. Neil Patrick Harris in Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle










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Comments

I think you meant "Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Gus Van Zant in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back."

Also, begone italics!

Posted by: mightygodking at January 5, 2011 9:41 AM

Flip 1 and 3 around, then flip the new 1 with 2 and you've got the list that I would've written. Which is all that matters to me.

And for fuck's sake, he's been hearing that crap ever since he was at UCLA. He's out there busting his buns every night. Tell your old man to drag Walton and Lanier up and down the court for 48 minutes!

No. 3, my arse.

Posted by: zeke the pig at January 5, 2011 9:43 AM

Kareem Abdul Jabbar was not playing himself. He was playing Roger Murdoch. He was the co-pilot.

Posted by: Todd at January 5, 2011 9:54 AM

As a huge "Friends" fan (SHUT UP!!!), I can't wait to see Joey Tribbiani (AKA Joseph Stalin and Holden McGroin) on something besides the admittedly awful "Joey."

And I've gotta agree with zeke that Bill Murray in Zombieland should have the top spot.

Posted by: Jelinas at January 5, 2011 9:55 AM

Y'know. I used to come to Pajiba for content.. now it seems like more than half of everything posted are just lists. I don't mind lists. They have a place - its called Cracked. Or any other slightly lazy blog.

Admittedly, I am cranky today. But when will this list madness end?!

Posted by: WD at January 5, 2011 9:56 AM

why is everything in bold and unembedded

Posted by: arrrghzi at January 5, 2011 9:58 AM

WD

To be fair, January isn't a very busy month movie release wise.

Posted by: cockroach at January 5, 2011 10:00 AM

I'm guessing Dustin forgot the slash b tag at end of his post.

Posted by: cockroach at January 5, 2011 10:02 AM

Did you just call Cracked a lazy blog? That site is brilliant.

Posted by: Mac at January 5, 2011 10:07 AM

Lance Armstrong in "Dodgeball." At the far other end of the spectrum, Peter Falk in "Wings of Desire" (though that wasn't a cameo, it was a supporting role).

Posted by: Edith at January 5, 2011 10:09 AM

Lance Armstrong in "Dodgeball."

Christ, the best.

"So what are you dying from that's keeping you from the finals?"
"Right now it feels a little bit like... shame."

Posted by: twig at January 5, 2011 10:17 AM

john malkovich (being john malkovich)

jerry lewis (the king of comedy)

Posted by: celery at January 5, 2011 10:22 AM

Does Harrison Ford in Bruno count?

Posted by: sars at January 5, 2011 10:26 AM

Damn, Julia Roberts in Ocean's 12 got cheated out.

Posted by: Jean at January 5, 2011 10:31 AM

'And I've gotta agree with zeke that Bill Murray in Zombieland should have the top spot.'

Posted by: Jelinas at January 5, 2011 9:55 AM

-------------------------------------

Jelinas, I was actually advocating Kareem being in the top spot...

Posted by: zeke the pig at January 5, 2011 10:35 AM

And sometimes you make Reindeer Games. . .That's a paraphrased thingie I say a lot.

Posted by: coveredinbees at January 5, 2011 10:38 AM

@Jean: I loved that, too, but I guess it wouldn't really count as a cameo, or as an actress playing herself. It's more an actress playing a woman who's playing the actress. Like I said, I loved that. Beat Topher Grace's cameo, IMO.

But rules are rules, I suppose.

Posted by: Jelinas at January 5, 2011 10:38 AM

How could you forget John Malkovich in "Being John Malkovich?" OK, I guess it's really not a cameo if your name is in the title of the movie.

What about Brad Pitt and Matt Damon in "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind?" They were the losers in The Dating Game scene. Best acting they ever did.

Posted by: BWeaves at January 5, 2011 10:38 AM

@Mac

Replace Cracked with Holy Taco and you're good. Their Sunday Comics are awful.

Posted by: Parker Jammstein at January 5, 2011 10:40 AM

So glad to see Dustin Diamond on here. That scene cracks me up to no end, especially when Vince Vaughn calls him Screech.

Posted by: Forward Observer at January 5, 2011 10:57 AM

Keanu Reeves in everything he's ever been in.

No? Sorry, I'll just make him sad.

Posted by: SittingPat at January 5, 2011 11:08 AM

@celery - Jerry Lewis didn't play himself in The King of Comedy. He played talk-show host Jerry Langford.

Posted by: Carlos at January 5, 2011 11:12 AM

Jean - "Damn, Julia Roberts in Ocean's 12 got cheated out." Brilliant!

Posted by: An Atlantan at January 5, 2011 11:54 AM

No, how could you forget Kurt Vonnegut in Back to school showing up to write a paper on himself and failing!

Posted by: jmd at January 5, 2011 12:11 PM

It's gotta be NPH in Harold and Kumar. He plays a complete opposite and extreme person of who he is. And its heightened now that he' out of the closet.

Posted by: guy rossi at January 5, 2011 12:31 PM

Y'know. I used to come to Pajiba for content.. now it seems like more than half of everything posted are just lists.

Are lists not content? Anything and everything posted here is "content." Prisco could shit on a paper plate, take brilliant high-resolution photos and post them and it would still be "content."

Now THAT would make a brilliant list. "Best Human Prisco Droppings."
Make it happen.

Posted by: superasente at January 5, 2011 12:33 PM

No love for Dickie Roberts? The Diamond was in that too, with a bevy of other has beens former child stars.

Posted by: superasente at January 5, 2011 12:36 PM

My bad, zeke. I misread your comment. We must agree to disagree because Bill Murray in Zombieland made me pass out from excitement.

Posted by: Jelinas at January 5, 2011 12:52 PM

I'd have to put down a different Oceans* vote - for Bruce Willis. The scene with Julia. Brilliant.

*no I don't remember which one it was, they made too many, and I can't be bothered to look it up

Posted by: Xtreme at January 5, 2011 1:29 PM

Zeke I think you got a little confused because if you flip 1 and 3 it puts Kareem at the top, so if you flip 1 and 2 after that like you say it does put Zombieland at the top, Airplane at #2 and NPH at #3. I personally love NPH being at the top.

"Here's 200 for the car. I made some love stains in the back. You'll see."

Posted by: Even Stevens at January 5, 2011 1:32 PM

@carlos - of course, i had forgotten. it's one of my favourite films and i enjoy assuming that jerry langford is exactly like the real jerry.

Posted by: celery at January 5, 2011 1:33 PM

Charlton Heston in Waynes World.

Posted by: Repo at January 5, 2011 3:37 PM

I made some love stains in the back. You'll see...
NPH is the best!!!!!!

Posted by: Maggi at January 5, 2011 4:21 PM

Kareem Abdul Jabbar was not playing himself. He was playing Roger Murdoch. He was the co-pilot.

Posted by: Todd at January 5, 2011 9:54 AM

---

Dude, he played KAJ moonlighting as co-pilot, Roger Murdock.

Otherwise, his comments in the film to little Joey make no sense. I mean, comon, you posted directly after Zeke who set out this shit out.

Posted by: Peter G at January 5, 2011 6:46 PM

How about John Wayne in I MARRIED A WOMAN ?

Posted by: pat C. at January 5, 2011 7:07 PM

@ Peter G

From Airplane: "My name is Roger Murdoch. I'm the co-pilot."

Todd's comment: "He was playing Roger Murdoch. He was the co-pilot."

See what he did there?

Posted by: Amanda6 at January 5, 2011 9:27 PM

Laaappdaaance...

(NPH FTW, with Bill Murray a close second)

Posted by: llpl at January 5, 2011 9:55 PM

Anyone ever watch Feast? Jason Mewes plays himself. It's amusing, because at the beginning they basically post profiles of each character & their life expectancy during the film. I believe Jason Mewe's life expectancy was something like "Already surpassed".

Posted by: Neonlexicon at January 5, 2011 10:42 PM

Now THAT would make a brilliant list. "Best Human Prisco Droppings." Make it happen.

Posted by: superasente at January 5, 2011 12:33 PM

I just got here, but I'd like to just say NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Posted by: Uriah Creep at January 5, 2011 11:31 PM

Todd, you ever...hang around the gymnasium?

Posted by: Abe Froman at January 5, 2011 11:54 PM

Even if it is an Adam Sandler movie, I'd have to add Bob Barker

Posted by: PB3 at January 6, 2011 12:39 AM

Merv Griffin, "The Man With Two Brains"?

You people continue to disappoint me.

Posted by: , at January 6, 2011 1:21 AM

Zeke I think you got a little confused because if you flip 1 and 3 it puts Kareem at the top, so if you flip 1 and 2 after that like you say it does put Zombieland at the top, Airplane at #2 and NPH at #3. I personally love NPH being at the top.

"Here's 200 for the car. I made some love stains in the back. You'll see."

Posted by: Even Stevens at January 5, 2011 1:32 PM

------------------------------

Huh, oh yeah, I'm a moron. That'll teach me to fuck with numbers. Jelinas, you were right.

Either way, I've rethought: Kareem and The Man Murray joint at the top spot.

Posted by: zeke the pig at January 6, 2011 9:18 AM

I don't know if it was already mentioned, but how about Bret Favre in There's Something About Mary. That was funny.

Posted by: josh at January 6, 2011 11:31 PM