Comedian “Big Ed” Ackerman rising up
But is LA a Slam Dunk? You be the judge

Ed Ackerman is a homegrown actor/comedian that is exploding onto the scene. From his humble beginnings with local improvisational comedy troupe Cabaret Dada, and starring in national DirecTV, Nokia, and Subway advertisements, to his upcoming movie debut ("The Flock" with Claire Danes and Richard Gere), this comic satalent is rising to the top.

Hailing from Columbia Station, this University of Akron graduate (who also goes by "Big Ed") has been steadily contributing his dues in Hollywood. He began his career being cast in a local SafeAuto commercial, and played various roles on Channel 19's Browns Tailgate promos and Channel 43's, The Block. Then he made the decision to pack up his bags and head for the city of lights and seek his star on the walk of fame. Cool Cleveland recently caught up with Ed to discover what makes him tick...

Cool Cleveland: Tell us about your childhood. How long has being an actor been a dream of yours?

Ed Ackerman: I grew up in Columbia Station. There wasn't much to do in Columbia Station. As an only child, I probably had an overactive imagination. I remember driving my parents and their friends crazy by putting on plays in my Underoos, all hopped up off of Pepsi. I actually wanted to get into law enforcement as a kid. That, or sing. I think I actually wanted to become a "singing policeman". When it was time to go to college, I learned that I had the gift for gab, and got into radio at The University of Akron.

After finding my voice as a radio jock on WZIP-FM, I realized that I was essentially doing comedy on the radio. Writing my own comedic radio bits, doing voices, etc. Even with the initial lack of support from my family and friends, I decided once I graduated college, that I was going to take comedy to the stage and eventually try my hand at commercials, television and film.

Where did you get your start with acting? Tell us about your experience with Cabaret Dada.

After I graduated college, I started taking improv comedy classes at Cabaret Dada and less than a year later, they casted me into the group. I performed with Cabaret Dada for two solid years, before making my way out to LA.

When did you feel you had to leave Cleveland to make it big? What sparked your decision?

Cabaret Dada was going through a big transitional period in 2003. Many of the cast members at the time were all moving onto other bigger cities. I had done an internship in Los Angeles in 2000 with NBC studios, so I was somewhat familiar with the area. I decided to move to LA, under the assumption that if I was going to make a move, I might as well just stay in the car a couple extra days, then my comedy friends who decided to tackle comedy in Chicago. I also realized that after doing a commercial for Safe Auto Insurance, that I had reached the pinnacle of commercial success in Cleveland, Ohio.

What do you miss about Cleveland?

I miss the hell out of Cleveland. The people are great. I miss my friends and family the most. I miss the transition of seasons, in particular, the leaves in the fall, and the snow in the winter. Believe it or not, I get a little sick of 70 and sunny weather for most of the year. I'm such a big fan of Browns football, hunting waterfowl, and just being outdoors in the fall season. It's hard to get pumped up for football season when it's 90 degrees in LA during September.

How do you feel about people that say you sold out and left Cleveland?

People can say what they want, but like I said before, Cleveland isn't exactly the entertainment capital of the world. Eventually people have to move on. Rule number one in the business... If you're serious about doing it, you have to become local. Which means you have to move.

What was the biggest adjustment/challenge you had to make moving from Cleveland to LA?

LA likes to move at it's own speed. With a Midwest work ethic, I usually want to move a lot faster. So it means that there's a lot of sitting and waiting. It drives me crazy. It's probably the reason my hair is graying, and I'm not even 30 yet.

You where in recent Subway ads, do you get free food?

Do you think they're going to give this chubby idiot a Sub Card? Hells No!

What's your favorite commercial that you've starred in?

Probably, Nokia. It's the one where I sang the Dukes of Hazzard theme song to my cell phone ringer. I improvised the spot and made it up as I went along. They came over to my apartment and shot it right in my kitchen. The commercial won Best Musical for a commercial in 2005 at the AICP Awards in New York, was featured on The Today Show with Ann Curry, and I guess it's been entered in the Museum of Modern Arts. Little much for a cell phone commercial, if you ask me. It did however get my face out there. The thing hasn't aired in about a year, and I still get recognized for it.

What is your goal as an actor?

To make people laugh, or at the very least keep them entertained. I don't necessarily want to become famous, that's not why you do it. You do it because you want to somehow make this crappy thing called life, a little more fun. I'm one of the most humble people you'll ever meet. If I can make you laugh or smile, then I think I'm doing the job in life that I was put here to do.

Who gave you your first break?

I think I'm still waiting for a big break. There are a lot of people I'd like to thank though, for helping me along the way. Bob Ellis, Chris Bohan, Jim Green, Stan Morse, Rick Ferguson, the rest of the cast of Cabaret Dada. Gretchen Thompson-Herzog my former agent from The Docherty Agency in Cleveland. All the people at The Near West Theater in Cleveland. Travis Oates at The ACME Comedy Theatre in Los Angeles. My commercial agents in LA at Sutton, Barth and Vennari, Pam Sparks and Kelly Thornton. My managers, Blake Bandy and Erik Kritzer of Fenton Kritzer Entertainment, here in LA, who keep me going out on auditions, keep finding work for me, and keep putting up with my annoyance when things are slow.

What is your best zinger for a heckler?

A big grin and a middle finger. If that doesn't work... a throat punch.

Who is the strangest celebrity you've met?

I once watched Danny Bonaduce try to buy a package of wife beaters at Target. It was like he didn't know how to shop. It was really funny to me.

What celebrity totally changed your opinion after you met them?

Richard Gere. Working with Richard Gere in The Flock was an awesome experience. He was really giving as an actor. I would have thought he'd be a little more demanding, being the veteran actor he is. That wasn't the case. I learned a ton from him. He'd ask if there was a particular way I wanted to try a scene, and it dawned on me, that I wasn't just working with Richard Gere, I was working with Richard Gere.

What advice would you give students seeking stardom?

Be prepared for lots of rejection. It's like high school, times 10.

What is your best quality?

Probably humor and my outlook on life.

You recently had an item of yours sell on eBay? Tell us about that experience and how that made you feel.

This girl in New Jersey was raising money for Oprah Winfrey's, Oprah's Angels Network. She was auctioning off headshots and autographs from actors/ actresses/ musicians/ government officials. I thought she was going to be doing it at her school but it turns out that she was holding the auction on Ebay. I sent her a couple of autographed pictures, and when word got back to me that my headshot and autograph was on eBay, I sent out a bulletin message on MySpace and my 660 some MySpace friends all started a bidding war. My little cousin even got word about it, and would keep hiking up the price. I thought that was cute. One of my headshots ended up going for $32.50. I think my mom bought the other one for 5 dollars.

Are there any hot topics in the news currently that's attracting your interest?

All of it. I write and perform for a topical sketch show at ACME Comedy Theater here in LA. The show is called, ACME This Week (http://www.acmecomedy.com). This past show run we had Alex Borstein (MadTV/ Family Guy) and Wil Wheaton (Stand By Me/ Star Trek TNG) co-star with us. We change the material every week. We write on Tuesdays and go live on Saturdays. I try to keep up with all the news, so I can make fun of it later.

In improvisational comedy, the audience members are always asked for suggestions, such as professions or objects, to create scenes. What has been the most creative suggestion?

I once got the audience suggestion to be hamster at a party with Tourette's syndrome, stuck in a hamster wheel.

What has been the most memorable on-stage skit in your career?

This past year at ACME, I wrote a sketch called Cowboy Dreams, about an imaginary, fat, creepy, cowboy who lived in this kids closet, and came out each night to talk to this kid, and give him "cowboy advice" while he was trying to go to sleep. I originally pitched it to a few other writers and no one wanted to write it with me. They didn't think the sketch would work. I wrote it myself and the sketch did really well. People at ACME still talk about it, and impersonate the voice of The Fat Creepy Cowboy. It was ridiculous.

What was it like working with Richard Gere and Claire Danes in The Flock?

It was an awesome experience. Both Richard and Claire were lots of fun to work with and taught me a lot. Claire and I became buddies, and would chat each morning in hair and make up. Richard told me that I was his favorite sex offender. I think that was a compliment. I play Louis Kessler, in the movie, this creepy registered sex offender who Richard Gere's character keeps tabs on. We have this fight scene, and he roughs me up pretty good. They keep pushing back the release date on the film, but hopefully at some point this year you'll be able to see it.

What's next? Where can we see you?

Besides The Flock, I also have this independent comedy film coming out this year as well. It's called, Remarkable Power. It stars Kevin Nealon, Tom Arnold, Kip Pardue, and Evan Peters. I play the role of Detective Mack, and I'm dressed as Batman through out most of the film. It's pretty funny. I'm also shooting a comedy short, The Glitch, with Jason Biggs (American Pie) and actress, Melinda Swarn, here this week. You'll probably be able to find that on YouTube before too long. Other than that, you can see me on stage at ACME Comedy Theater, Saturday nights, through out the year... or in any hole in the wall bar in Hollywood, drinking with my pals, and watching a Cavs game. Go Cavs!

From Cool Cleveland contributor Marc Majers (formerly Majercak) of Leading Hands Leading Hands marcAT leadinghands.com
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