Mike Myers 'not aware' of 'Love Guru' crew member's alleged firing for looking at him, rep says (original) (raw)
After a Vancouver radio DJ alleged that Mike Myers had him fired from the set of the 2008 comedy The Love Guru, a member of the actor's team tells EW the actor was "not aware of anyone being hired or fired" from the production.
On Sunday, Jay Brody tweeted a video of Keanu Reeves helping crew members carry equipment on the set of a film, and compared the moment to his alleged experience with Myers on the set of The Love Guru.
"People saying that 'he shouldn't be praised for helping' have no idea what it's like working in film," Brody said of Reeves. "Mike Myers had me fired off the set of 'The Love Guru' because I made eye contact with him, and I was there as his bodyguard."
On a phone call, a representative for Myers initially told EW that the actor did not have a bodyguard on the set of The Love Guru, and that his team wasn't aware of any terminations with relation to Brody's allegation. When reached for a response, Brody clarified his allegations to EW in a text message, saying that he was not a bodyguard, as initially indicated, but rather a "security guard assigned to the location around his trailer, including his trailer," and that he "didn't travel with him, but was posted on set" at Myers' trailer. EW could not verify Brody's participation on The Love Guru set.
"Mike knows nothing about this," a rep for Myers subsequently told EW when informed of Brody's clarification. "Not aware of anyone being hired or fired."
Representatives for The Love Guru distributor Paramount — as well as director Marco Schnabel — did not respond to EW's request for comment.
Mike Myers in 'The Love Guru'. Everett Collection
In a follow-up video, Brody discussed the allegations on his radio show.
"Years ago, I was working in film security. I got a call from a company that hired out guards and they said, 'Do you want a job on the film The Love Guru?' and I was like, 'Sure, what will I be doing?' [and they said], 'You'll be basically guarding Mike Myers' trailer on the film set, wherever they go.' Sounds easy enough, I've done this before. They're like, 'Here's the catch, can't look at him.' I'm like, 'I need to look at him to see him to be his bodyguard.' They're like, 'If you look at him, you're going to get fired,'" Brody said, admitting that he took the job anyway. "I'm sitting on the set, first day, first hour, we don't know what he looks like [in costume] yet. And I just see a man approaching in a long wig, a fake beard, and I'm like, I think that's Mike Myers. I look down to not look at him because I don't want to get fired, but I realized I can't just let anyone into the trailer, so I look up, I catch his eye for a second, I give him a nod to let him know I'm cool, and I look away, and within an hour I get a phone call letting me know that I'm fired and I have to get off set because I broke this weird rule."
The Love Guru — also starring Jessica Alba and Justin Timberlake — marked a low point in Myers' career, with the film grossing $41 million globally atop winning the Razzie for Worst Picture of the calendar year. It also received criticism from the Hindu community for its representation of their faith.
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