Jason Alexander: From Seinfeld to Motivational Speaker?

 

 

Actor Jason Alexander has a successful career in writing children’s books, directing and producing—but never did he think he would be a motivational speaker; Not the typical motivational speaker however. His new creation, “Donny Clay” is Alexander’s spoof on today’s Dr. Phil, Anthony Robbins, and Deepak Chopra. The “seminars” come to stage on July 29^th at the Mayo Center for the Performing Arts in Morristown, New Jersey.

 

Alexander described the character of Donny Clay as the “step-child of a character that I tried to do in a TV show in 2001 named Bob Patterson” he said during his appearance on The Joan Hamburg Show. “Bob was a short lived creation” that Alexander said was a “dysfunctional motivational speaker.” Overtime, the character re-appeared and was transformed into Donny Clay.

 

After being asked to go from performing at corporate shows to the general public, Alexander said “I don’t really have anything I can do, I can go up there and sing songs, but that’s not what they want, and I don’t really do stand up.” However, he joked about being a magician. Despite his witty attitude about the transition, he agreed that he could take-off “the guys that are doing this for real”  for a general audience.

 

The show is said to be a “theatrical, comedic, musical spoof” and what it would be like if you were going to seminars Alexander explained. “It is largely scripted, but it is scripted to have me interact with members of the audience, and the minute we start doing that we go off script” he said.

 

Alexander described Donny Clay’s character as “a riot”. “He’s the most dysfunctional man and yet he is telling you how to improve your life” he said. Donny Clay will make you “look better, feel better, sound better, get richer, love longer and all the rest.”

 

What the future holds for the character is unknown. “We have a whole sort of game plan for Donny and we’re taking it slowly,” Alexander said. “We’ve done the web-isodes with him and we’ve done the live show, we have some ideas for videotapes and other kinds of marketing fun” he said. Ideas are in the making for bringing the character to TV as well.

 

After the failure of the character of “Bob Patterson” which was brought to TV shortly after September 11^th, Alexander said he is very cautious and taking the development of the character “one bit at a time”. In talking about the show, Alexander said, “the crazy thing is we began this all for silliness.”

 

This show is just another addition to the long list of Alexander’s successes including the hit show Seinfeld in which he played the character of George Costanza. Alexander started his career as an actor in New York where he spent 10 years working on and off Broadway. Regardless of what form of entertainment Alexander is taking part in, he said “it’s a blessing to be able to do them.”

 

For Tickets and Information: Donny Clay, America’s Fourth Motivational Speaker