I just enjoyed bar mitzvahs as a kid, and there was this company in the Detroit area where I grew up, and I think they recruited me as a party dancer - you know, like, you dance around and pass out glow sticks. I quickly rose in the ranks and, within a year, became an emcee, which was kind of unheard of.

James Wolk

Categorized in : You Me Rose Dance

Anytime you get to join a group of people you admire and respect,... by James Wolk

Anytime you get to join a group of people you admire and respect, you want to keep those doors open.

groups doors people

I think you always want to be open to things... it's just the matter of finding something I believe in, finding a character I believe in, and I think that's the way it should always be. I'm looking for things that excite me.

character believe thinking

You can find old Jewish newspapers from Detroit that have my promotional ad in them. It was a totally insane time in my life. Paul Rudd was also a bar mitzvah emcee, you know? It was like being a local rock star in Detroit.

rocks insane stars

Honestly, it's the luck of the draw. If you are comfortable with the actor that you're opposite of - it just breaks down a lot of those insecurities and you can just say, "Okay, I trust this person, and I respect them and know they respect me," and then you can just go with it. When that doesn't exist, it's a lot harder to let go.

insecurity opposites letting-go

When I was young, my parents made me listen to old music and watch Jimmy Durante. I fell in love with the whole mystique of acting and entertainment.

acting parent watches

When you feel moved by the story, you want to tell that story. by James Wolk

When you feel moved by the story, you want to tell that story.

stories want feels

There's a certain rhythm to comedy that is almost like you're dancing and you just go on autopilot, so to speak. There's something just beautifully enjoyable about comedy in that respect. It's a joy to be able to do that. Drama, you get to go to depths that you haven't gone to before.

dancing joy drama

I'm not a network executive, but it seems to be a time when networks take more of a gamble with higher-concept shows. And so, it's fun to be on something that's original, that's finding viewership, that's finding a great audience, and really distinguishing itself. Summer's a great place to do that.

shows summer fun

In Michigan, if you want to act, it's local theater, it's high school theater and it's going to camp and putting on plays in the summer, and I always loved doing that. There was something that just drew me to it.

summer play school

In my everyday life, I'm a jeans and button-up shirt kind of guy. by James Wolk

In my everyday life, I'm a jeans and button-up shirt kind of guy.

jeans everyday guy

I always feel like hard work leads the way, and from there, I lea... by James Wolk

I always feel like hard work leads the way, and from there, I leave it up to the powers that be.

hard-work feels way

I worked in television now for a few years. I think summer has become a really exciting time for television shows. And I think it's become a time for shows to distinguish themselves.

summer years thinking

There's a film I did called 'Front of the Class', about a teacher who had Tourette's. That was a beautiful blend of drama and comedy. There's some great moments of levity in the script.

beautiful teacher drama

No one ever judges their own self. by James Wolk

No one ever judges their own self.

judging self

I just grew up loving acting and loving entertainment. by James Wolk

I just grew up loving acting and loving entertainment.

entertainment grew-up acting

I have a dog. I'm a dog lover. by James Wolk

I have a dog. I'm a dog lover.

dog-lover lovers dog

Often in television, you read a script and you're amazed that you... by James Wolk

Often in television, you read a script and you're amazed that you get the scene given to you.

scripts scene television

My dad used to put me in front of the TV screen and made me watch old Jimmy Durante and Dean Martin movies. I just always loved entertainment.

entertainment dad watches

What's been exciting for me is to read the scripts. by James Wolk

What's been exciting for me is to read the scripts.

scripts exciting

Acting is great. It's so much fun. It's a job where you literally get to do something that's a great experience, and then you try a new experience, and you take things from all of it.

new-experiences fun jobs