Setting records is nothing new for MySpace's favorite comedian Dane Cook. After spreading his infectious energy to live audiences across the world, and becoming a part of many twenty-something's everyday vocabulary, Cook is ready to add another skill to his resume - romantic leading man.
Star of the comedy "Employee of the Month," opening Oct. 6, Cook said fans will be surprised with the outcome of their favorite storyteller's departure to the big screen.
"I'm normally tenacious and a ringleader on stage," Cook said during a recent phone interview.
"You're going to dig the film, and see a more subtle side."
The film co-stars Dax Sheppard of "Punk'd" fame as Cook's co-worker and rival in wooing Amy, played by Jessica Simpson, a girl that is known for only dating employees of the month.
Although Cook has had feature roles in the past, most recently in the film "Waiting," he has had multiple offers within the past several years for all sorts of films.
"Employee of the Month," however is an example of all the necessary elements falling into place, according to Cook.
"I wanted to wait for the perfect time because I always had stand-up to fall back on," Cook said.
And thanks to Cook's ever-expanding audience (over 1.5 million MySpace friends and counting) his stand-up career has become quite a job to "fall back on."
What started as a dream in junior high, thanks to classic comics such as Bill Cosby, Eddie Murphy and Steve Martin, has since grown into Cook's very own empire known as Su-Fi entertainment.
Aside from stand-up, Cook has released two comedy albums, had two gigs as host of Saturday Night Live, starred in his own HBO comedy special "Vicious Circle," and invited HBO's cameras along for a sold-out stand-up road trip known as "Tourgasm."
"I've had the luxury of dipping my toe into other fashions of media," Cook said.
This self-described luxury is well-deserved thanks to 16 years as a stand-up comic with an unwavering dedication to reaching his initial goal - having a comedy album sit amongst his heroes at Tower Records.
"I used to go to Tower and check if someone had taped one of my shows," he said.
Although Cook might not have seen his cassette on the shelf when he was younger, his two albums, "Harmful if Swallowed" and "Retaliation" have since revived the comedy album genre, selling nearly two million copies combined.
The albums, comedy specials and praises in magazine after magazine, including a spot on Time magazine's 100 most influential people list this year, would never have been possible, Cook said, without his "tried and true" fans and his family's support.
Before he became a household name, or more likely a dorm room and fraternity house name, Cook helped cultivate his fan base by eliminating the wall between performer and audience.
"All I could do," he said, "Is find people that were into silly thoughts and crazy situations that have happened in my life."
Fans became friends thanks to Cook's dedication to reading every e-mail and answering every instant message. His Web site and MySpace profile is updated often enough to satisfy even the biggest diehards.
Whether a new fan or a self-proclaimed "tried and true," Cook wants you for the Su-Fi army.
"I'm trying to have a great time from day to day and I hope people stay on the ride with me."
"Employee of the Month" opens today. For more information, log on to www.danecook.com.
