By Jonathan Landrum Jr., Entertainment Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) --Martin Lawrence has kept busy: The actor-comedian readies for his new "Bad Boys" film with Will Smith this summer, recently joined his "Martin" cast members during the Emmys and stars alongside Hall of Fame football player Shannon Sharpe in a new Super Bowl commercial.
In the commercial, Lawrence and Sharpe pair up for a friendly game of golf — until their cart rolls into a pond. That's when Lawrence shows off his strength to the muscle-bound, retired NFL player who watches in awe as the comedian walks into the pond, picks up the cart and carries it out.
Lawrence, 58, enjoyed seeing his digitally-enhanced brawn in the ad.
"It was cool to hook up with Shannon and sort of switch roles in the muscle area," said Lawrence about the 30-second Oikos yogurt commercial. He'll be waiting to see his first Super Bowl commercial appearance from his home when the Kansas City Chiefs face the San Francisco 49ers in the championship game on Feb. 11.
"I felt it was kind of funny," he said. "It was a funny commercial they wrote."
Along with his commercial, Lawrence said he's looking forward to the fourth "Bad Boys" movie, which will be released June 14. The Jerry Bruckheimer produced-sequel follows 2020's "Bad Boys for Life," a box-office hit, grossing $426 million worldwide.
"It's going to be the best of them all," he said. "I feel so truly blessed. I'm very grateful and thankful to God because this is a franchise I choose years ago. And it turned out to be just that — a big franchise."
Lawrence said he's working on putting together a standup comedy tour soon. He doesn't have any dates set yet, but he wants to return to the stage and make people laugh, which he says is a tough task.
"It's still difficult in the sense of the pressure that comes with it," he said. "You don't want that pressure and things like that. But it's a lot easier for me because I'm known now, and I have a built-in audience. They love to see me get up there on stage and do my thing. That's what makes it a lot easier for me. It gives me the confidence to keep pushing forward."
Lawrence draws his comedy material from real-life experiences.
"It comes from my woes, my ups and downs, and pain," he said. "The pain I've been through. And the laughter. … I talk to my brother and my friends, and they help me write."
Mike Pierantozzi joins Movers+Shakers as exec creative director
Creative agency Movers+Shakers has appointed Mike Pierantozzi as executive creative director. In this new role, he will help guide the creative direction of Movers+Shakers’ socially-native campaigns. Pierantozzi will report to co-founder and chief creative officer Geoffrey Goldberg.
With nearly two decades of experience as a copywriter, creative director, and multi-platform storyteller, Pierantozzi brings a wealth of knowledge from his work with major brands including Kraft, Unilever, IBM, and Walmart. He has led the creation of award-winning campaigns for agencies like Red Tettemer, Ogilvy, The Brooklyn Brothers, TAXI, Saatchi & Saatchi, and most recently, Vayner, where he spearheaded culturally iconic work for Planters including “Death of Mr. Peanut.” He led the National Down Syndrome Society and Luvs account, whose “First Kid. Second Kid” campaign was awarded by the Effies, ADC, Clios and LIAs.
Outside of the office, Pierantozzi practices what he teaches brands. He’s gone viral multiple times on his own TikTok account, featuring comedic interactions with his son and a trombone. He’s accumulated 15K followers on TikTok.
“Mike brings a rare and awesome combination of deep social and platform experience, a keen eye for excellent storytelling, and a humble and kind approach to leadership,” said Goldberg. “Mike’s got a knack for turning brand stories into cultural movements, making him the perfect fit for Movers+Shakers. He’s got the kind of bold vision and attention to culture that fits perfectly with our mission to push creative boundaries and drive industry firsts. Plus, as a creator himself he has the innate ability to make people stop, laugh, and share--which is exactly what we’re about.”
“I’ve... Read More