Nationwide Moan

Oh, that's just kind of naughty. And maybe a little uncalled for. See, now I'm all hot and bothered... But, anyway, the pastor here was actually in "Black Snake Moan" playing – wait for it – a reverend. Looking at his past roles, he must really like religion and the law. I thought those were supposed to be separate. Hmmm.



Actor: John Cothran Jr.
Monk episode: "Mr. Monk Goes to Jail"
Commercial(s): Nationwide Insurance
Previous work: "Black Snake Moan" and "Shark"

Children of the Corn on the Run

He was that creepy redhead, Malachai, in "Children of the Corn" and recently was spotted on "Monk."

Note: Normally, I would post a video here, but since it is fairly graphic and violent and I know there are some who would rather not see it, I shall let you link there.

Actor: Courtney Gains
Monk episode: "Mr. Monk is on the Run, Part 1"
Previous work: Rob Zombie's "Halloween" (scenes deleted) and "Navy NCIS" and a slew of bit television credits

Doctor-cop Extraordinaire

He generally plays some kind of medical professional (law enforcement-related or otherwise).

He has been on "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" three times, and has played a different detective each time.

Actor: C.S. Lee
Monk episode: "Mr. Monk is on the Run, Part 1"
Previous work: "Dexter" and "The Sopranos"

Chester Cheetah Gone Bad

Chester Cheetah received a makeover (he's now a puppet) and became a troublemaker. Not that he wasn't a little crazy in the first place, but now he's encouraging Cheeto-related catastrophes. Case in point: the handful of Cheetos in the dryer.



The Felicia in this commercial is actually named Felicia. Felicia Day, to be exact.

Actress: Felicia Day
Commercial(s): Cheetos Orange Underground - Laundromat (see above)
Monk episode: "Mr. Monk Gets Drunk"
Previous work: "The Guild" (appears online) and "Bring It On Again"
Fun(ny) Fact: Felicia's show, "The Guild," gets a short write-up in the most recent issue of Script magazine.

Sex and the Monk

Most women, and probably many men (including me), will know him immediately as Steve (Miranda's husband). But, ladies, in this episode, Steve had a grayish goatee. It looked kind of strange.

Actor: David Eigenberg
Monk episode: "Mr. Monk Makes a Friend"
Previous work: "Sex and the City" and "The Mothman Prophecies"

Wiping Out in a Mercury

Sorry, I couldnt't think of a better headline for this one. Either way, she's the woman who apparently knows a lot about Mercury cars, and then proceeds to walk around or in between them. She also gets to give a physical to Taye Diggs in the following episode of "Punk'd."



Watch for her 24 seconds into the clip.

UPDATE: Jill is now the host of the new ABC show "Wipeout."

Actress: Jill Wagner
Monk episode: "Mr. Monk and the Employee of the Month"
Commercial(s): Several Mercury car commercials
Previous work: "Junebug" and "Blade: The Series"

What the Shell?

He's been showing up in commercials for just about everything over the past couple years. As such, he bugged me because his name eluded me for some time. "Monk" helped change that. But because it was a bit part, he's still probably best known for all the commercials.



He's on the left.

Actor: Tim Kang
Monk episode: "Mr. Monk is Up All Night"
Commercial(s): Shell's quality gas/gunky buildup and Left Turns (also on the station signage); Cingular (one of which is above); Home Depot
Previous work: "The Mentalist" and "Rambo" (2008 version)

Carl Winslow

Ha! I'm hoping that headline was enough to grab you. Just seeing him on TV again, regardless if it was a bit part, was enough to get me excited. I blinked several times to be sure it was him. Carl Winslow, playing a remarried widow on "Monk." And yet, since I saw him in "Die Hard" just a couple days ago, I thought of him in that film first.

Note: Although most people would know him immediately from either "Family Matters" or "Die Hard," I still felt the need to post this, if for no other reason than posterity.

Actor: Reginald VelJohnson
Monk episode: "Mr. Monk and the Class Reunion"
Previous work: "Family Matters" and "Die Hard"

Notes from the '80s

She has been in several things, as well, but you probably know her best from the "I Love the '80s" on VH1 or random commercials. She's the cute one with blond hair and thick-rimmed black glasses. Kind of a blond Lisa Loeb, without the singing. She could be the voice of Karolyn Slowsky, too, but I'm working on that verification.



Actress: Rachael Harris
Monk episode: "Mr. Monk and the Secret Santa"
Commercial: Quaker Oats chocolate-covered rice cakes; possibly the voice of Karolyn Slowsky from the Comcast turtle commercials
Previous work: "Notes from the Underbelley" and "Evan Almighty"

10 Ficuses or Less

Is that the plural of ficus? I'm getting the little red squiggly line under it. Either way, this guy is the operator that denies a car insurance claim because only ficuses are part of the guy's policy.

And he forgot how to drink coffee. Poor, unfortunate soul.



Actor: Bob Clendenin
Monk episode: "Mr. Monk and the Captain's Marriage"
Commercial(s): Nationwide ("Was it a ficus?"); Become an Ex (re-learning to drink coffee)
Previous work: "Scrubs" and "10 Items or Less"

Both Sides of the Law

He now has a big bushy moustache and generally plays cops or military men. In fact, he is SFPD Captain Leland Stottlemeyer on "Monk." However, many people probably know him better in a completely different role. Maybe it would help if he lost some weight, shaved, wore make-up (among other things), tucked "it" in and "put the f---ing lotion in the basket."

Actor: Ted Levine
Monk episode: All (as far as I can tell)
Previous work: "The Silence of the Lambs" and "Joy Ride" (voice)
Image source: http://www.usanetwork.com/series/monk/

Hertz Donut

When most people see this guy, they generally say, "He looks like Chris Farley." Well, that's probably because he is Chris's younger brother. He can now be seen as an undercover agent who infiltrates Hertz rental cars.

Actor: Kevin P. Farley
Monk episode: "Mr. Monk is on the Air"
Commercial(s): Hertz ("Well, I'm not a spy!")
Previous work: "2Gether" and "Black Sheep"
Bonus material (from "2Gether"): http://314degrees.blogspot.com/2008/02/getting-2gether-on-hgtv.html

Un-pimped Out Auto

They're the commercials where the "German" guy and the hot assistant (still working on who she is) smash a ridiculously pimped-out car. You probably know him better as the rarely clean-shaven, hobo-looking Russian bad guy. But in actuality, the actor is Swedish.

Actor: Peter Stormare
Commercial(s): VW Mark 5
Monk episode: "Mr. Monk Paints His Masterpiece"
Previous work: "Fargo" and "Prison Break"