Some guys have all the luck. They’re born to be “tall and skinny with a funny name” and become president of the United States. Just like Reggie Brown from Chicago. Ok – so this Reggie Brown doesn’t have a funny name, but in every other way he’s the spitting image of another guy who does – that other tall, skinny guy from Chicago - President Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States.
And therein lies the start of a lucrative new career for 6’2” Brown, whose first venture into “show” business was at the tender age of five when he appeared (ironically enough) as short-guy Dopey the Dwarf in a school presentation of Snow White.
A Chicago native from the working class neighborhoods around Midway airport, Brown experienced a rough couple of years just as he entered his teens. First his best friend and then his dad died, leaving him to help raise his younger brothers and sister. He missed out on a lot but ultimately found his “voice” (quite literally) when, in high school, he started mimicking celebrities ranging from Sean Connery and Bill Cosby to Notorious BIG and Tony Soprano. After high school Brown attended the University of Illinois at Champaign Urbana, signed a modeling contract, and traveled the country for seven years as a professional model.
Having figured out he had talent beyond his good looks, Brown honed his skills in acting and voiceover techniques at the Acting Studios Chicago. He then used those skills as a contributing voice for Fearless Radio (an independent, on-line station), hosted Akira TV for the fashion-forward retailer, and emceed both fashion events and runway shows at such prestigious local venues as Galleria Marchetti and House of Blues in Chicago. He also worked as a member of the NBC5 Street Team, winning a 2008 Chicago/Midwest Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in New Media Interactivity for his coverage of Chicago’s second annual, all night Looptopia event.
And then he got lucky.
Even before Barack Obama announced his bid to become president, people started staring at Brown, telling him he looked like this Obama guy. Between then and now, being “recognized” has become an all-day, every day phenomenon. Realizing he looked the part, Brown decided to put his other talent to good use and has learned to walk, talk and act like President Obama.
Since January, he has been featured on Inside Edition, NBC, ABC, CNN, WGN and Fox News. He is now currently filming Hollywood’s first feature film about the election – “The Effect” - starring Charles S. Dutton. The rest, as they say, will be history in the making in more ways than one -- for both the country’s newest president and “that other tall, skinny guy from Chicago” - Reggie Brown.
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Reggie Brown - Entertainment