You know how sometimes you see an actor or actress and they look so familiar, but you can't remember where you saw him or her, or what the TV show was? That's how I've been with the little boy who plays Brick on The Middle. His name is Atticus Shaffer, and since the ABC sitcom began this fall, I've been scratching my head over him. Where did I see him before? Turns out that it was on a commercial for AIG. Yes, AIG, that huge insurance company that was a big part of the economic collapse. The company that was too big for America to let fail.
Well, this commercial from two years ago tells a different story. In fact, it implies that AIG is all the security any family will ever need. Take a look:
You know, just a couple of years later and I'd say that Atticus Shaffer is doing a heck of a lot better than AIG! While the company is embarrassed by the bailout, little Atticus has become one of the stars of a terrific new comedy series.
It's interesting to watch this commercial and realize that it plays almost like an audition for The Middle. The kid in the spot could be Brick -- although if it were, he'd take a word like liability and whisper it to himself... "liability."
You wonder if the casting folks at The Middle watched this one commercial and said, "That's it! We found our Brick. Call off the nationwide search."
Yeah, I'm sure it was just like that.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-21-2009 @ 2:55PM
Gian Piero said...
He also was in an episode of "The Class", and he did a great job in the short scene he had!
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11-21-2009 @ 2:57PM
Dutchy said...
Wasn't the pilot for The Middle made in 2007? It had a different cast, except for Atticus.
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11-21-2009 @ 6:07PM
Kat said...
He was also in "Hancock" in the beginning; he woke Hancock up when he was sleeping on the bench and he told him about the bad guys.
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11-21-2009 @ 10:47PM
MCW said...
Also My Name is Earl. That was a funny episode :)
11-22-2009 @ 12:22PM
RobynM said...
I had a similar moment with Danny Pudi, who plays Abed on Community. I kept going "I know that guy", and this week it finally clicked - he was the "butt dialer" in that T-Mobile Blackberry Pearl Flip commerical.
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11-22-2009 @ 12:35PM
Pingles said...
Woah, nice find! Although that ad was quite silly his performance in it always made me chuckle.
11-22-2009 @ 5:02PM
adarkwaterfae said...
He's a good actor... and he is eccentric enough to make himself and the show hilarious...
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11-23-2009 @ 2:49AM
Telechimp said...
you also recognize him because he's a carbon copy of Dewey from 'Malcolm in the Middle'
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12-17-2009 @ 8:41PM
monzanet said...
Absolutely
1-08-2010 @ 11:16AM
rs said...
I don't understand why Modern Family gets all the glory when I personally think that this is the best new show of the season. I have fallen in love with "Brick" I remember that AIG commercial but didn't make the connection.
I believe they are using a double for him when he has to do scenes where he does a lot of walking. Always wearing a large hooded coat and they never show his face when he is walking. I really hope he is ok.
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1-27-2010 @ 6:35PM
Buck Smith said...
He looks like he could be Pee Wee Herman's love child.
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