Jason Benjamin braves Drop Dead Diva, Single Ladies and more…

I’ve been trying to catch up with some of my Officially Plugged in friends, and had a conversation with actor/writer/producer/stunt guy Jason Benjamin.

Wendy: What are you doing these days?

Jason Benjamin: I recently filmed a couple infomercials in Baton Rouge that will air overseas in most English speaking countries. This week I’ll be back in Atlanta filming an episode of Single Ladies. Queen Latifah is the creator and EP. It will air on VH1.

My brother, Brooks, our partner, Curt Willis, and I are working on getting funding for a couple screenplays we’ve written. One of them, Hose Jockeys, won an award at a festival in Toronto and there seems to be some excitement being generated by it. We’ll see how that goes!

Wendy: What are the infomercials about?

Jason Benjamin: The infomercials are for a brand called Fix It. Their parent company takes American products and re-brands and markets them for overseas markets. These infomercials were for a product called Diamond Plate, a product made by Simoniz.

Wendy: How did you get involved with the Queen Latifah TV series?

Jason Benjamin: A casting director in Atlanta, Shay Griffin, asked to see me for the role of one of the police officers. I went to Atlanta and met with her and another CD, Jason L. Wood. They really liked me and asked me to meet the producers the next day and they liked me for the role, too.

Wendy: Do you know when the Single Ladies episode will air on VH1?

Jason Benjamin: The series doesn’t premiere until the end of May and I’m in the 4th episode. It’ll probably be some time this summer.

Wendy: Tell me more about Hose Jockeys and what award did it win?

Jason Benjamin: Hose Jockeys has received critical acclaim at various festivals. The script was the winner of the 2009 WILDsound Screenplay Competition in Toronto. It also competed in and was a finalist in both the 2009 Exposurama Screenplay Competition and the 2009 Cinema City Film and Screenplay Competition.

The official synopsis is: Nate is the head volunteer for the Fiddler Cove Volunteer Fire Department, and he’s got it made– women, fame, glory… and the free uniform. The only problem is that the neighboring town of Taylorsville is trying to take it all away. When Mayor Spitz gives Chief Simmons and his volunteers 6 weeks to put together enough money to finish their station, Nate comes up with a brilliant idea! Enter the 25th annual Firefighter Ultimate Challenge of Knoxville. Nate recruits an outlandish team of volunteers including Finch, Ding-Dong Devon, Double Barrel “DB” Gunther, and his Puerto Rican co-worker, Jesus. He also enlists the help of the beautiful dance studio owner, Lyla Nash. Too bad she’s the sister of his arch enemy, Lieutenant Robbie Nash of the Taylorsville Fire Department. Will Nate and his team of unlikely volunteers be thwarted by the 5 time champions, the Taylorsville Smoke Eaters? Or will the $50,000 prize money go to this year’s new winners… the Fiddler Cove Hose Jockeys?

Wendy: Well, congrats on your award! I saw on your Facebook wall that you mentioned Drop Dead Diva, what is that and what is your part in it?

Jason Benjamin: It’s a show on Lifetime. I was on it last season, too. This will be my second time on the show. I play an L. A. cop.

Wendy: What is something of value that you’ve learned about lately?

Jason Benjamin: Something I’ve learned lately… Hard work pays off. Most people do just enough to get by. Every extra step you take puts you that much farther ahead of the competition.

Wendy: Who has inspired you recently?

Jason Benjamin: Who’s inspired me… Aron Ralston. I recently saw 127 Hours. I remembered hearing about his story several years ago, but I couldn’t recall many of the details. After I watched the movie, I went online and did some research on him. His story blew me away. He’s an amazing guy.

Wendy: I have yet to see 127 Hours, but I’ve heard many people raving about it. I hope to see it in the near future.

Thanks for the updates Jason and I wish you the very best!

You can find all of Jason’s video and official spots online through his showcase page – click here