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Jim DeBerry

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Jim DeBerry
Jim DeBerry speaking a press conference about Mr. Wong Fong Shu
Born (1977-07-13) July 13, 1977 (age 47)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Occupation(s)Entrepreneur, Television, Film, Radio
Years active1995–present
StyleObservational comedy, Improvisational comedy, Character actor, Insult comedy

Jim DeBerry (born July 13, 1977) is an American entrepreneur, actor, comedian and radio personality, and has been a C-level executive for several home services and entertainment companies.

Early life

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Born in Detroit, Michigan, DeBerry's family relocated to Central Florida in the 1980s. DeBerry participated in an Early College/Dual Enrollment program where he earned an associate degree in arts from Seminole State College and later attended the University of Central Florida and Florida International University.[1] His father, Jim DeBerry, Sr. is a retired businessman and his mother, Linda DeBerry, was a homemaker. His father is French and Norwegian while his mother was of Irish and Yorkshire descent which provided a culturally diverse upbringing.[2] DeBerry is married to Amy DeBerry, an actress who has been appeared in Walmart television advertisements and as Ditzy Misty for Definitive Television.[3][4]

Swimming pool and solar industries

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At the Miami Beach, Florida, based Pool Service America, DeBerry was general manager and company qualifier for one of the largest swimming pool companies in America in 2008.[5]

DeBerry was featured in the Hanley Wood publication Pool and Spa News for his philanthropy work with programs such a USO and Make a Splash Foundation by making charitable contributions in his customers' names.[6] In 2010, DeBerry obtained the profession's highest possible license from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.[7] Aqua magazine covered DeBerry in a featured spread related to his technical expertise on suction side and pressure side cleaners and why industry workers should not be concerned with robotic machines taking their jobs.[8]

In 2011, while managing partner for Orlando-based Aqua Pool Dealer, DeBerry was featured in marketing campaigns for radio, television and internet promotions.[9] On September 26, 2011, DeBerry's appearance on WTKS 104.1 FM's The Buckethead Show, host Jason Bailey spoke to DeBerry regarding career opportunities and did a comedy bit in the segment with DeBerry about pool owners in the nude by their swimming pools.[10] At the 2011 American Pool and Spa Professionals' International Pool and Spa Expo Award Show in Las Vegas, DeBerry was awarded with the Industry's Achievement Award.[11]

In 2012, DeBerry advocated for homeowners related to the Florida Energy and Conservation Code possible burden upon home owners and energy savings, in which DeBerry gave multiple solutions to combat federal guidance regulations used by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) related to changes regarding criminal background checks.[12] DeBerry was sought after as an industry leader with experience working with investors related to REO properties' downfalls and how to turn those opportunities into revenue.[12] According to the Annual State of the Industry edition ofPool and Spa News, DeBerry is one of the most followed on Twitter with over 90,000 followers including over 500 verified celebrities.[13] DeBerry was covered by Aqua magazine on how to turn social media into clients which included Twitter conversations between DeBerry and an English writer of the Liverpool Daily Post, Gary Bainbridge.[14] In December 2012, the Orlando Business Journal awarded DeBerry for running the top outstanding business in the region with Aqua Pool Dealer. Employment growth and ability to increase revenue had been a deciding factor for DeBerry winning the award.[15] While head of a solar firm in Sanford, Florida, DeBerry offered experience to the industry regarding concerns of employee defections and how to deal in a competitive environment related to employment agreements and non-disclosures.[16] In 2015, under DeBerry's direction, Wild Waters added new attractions to the amusement park related to eco-tourism including the educational animal exhibit featuring snakes, turtles and alligators, Henry Flagler's Boat of Bounce and a comedy lab.[17] DeBerry was noted for implementing the water park's "save, sanitize, filtrate and recirculate" and recycling programs minimizing the amount of water used per month from the City of Ocala's supply.[18]

Entertainment career

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Radio

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DeBerry co-hosted The Unfunny Serious Show with the radio personality Robin Nathan Hood on 1400 AM WTRR, owned by J&V Communications from 1999 to 2002.[19] The program featured various musical guests, actors and comedy,[3] most notably Bruce Willis and Michael Winslow. The radio show was cancelled in 2002 with The Supervillains being the last live in-studio performance.[20] The Unfunny Serious Show released a 10-year anniversary album called The Best and The Worst of The Unfunny Serious Show.[21] It was announced on the Caiden Cowger Show that the album would be released on CD and on iTunes in 2013 and would include characters played by DeBerry. In particular, the album would have recordings of the characters of "Tommy the Jobless Hobo" who is depicted as a black homeless man and a transsexual named Michelle looking for a limousine.[22]

Performance characters

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DeBerry has performed in character as a comedic chef,[4] a police officer named Officer Billy Doofus, an Asian named Mr. Wong Fong Shu, and a cowboy-like southerner named Rowdy Roscoe.[23] These characters have been used at conventions, fairs, festivals, public appearances and for television commercials.[24] DeBerry as the cowboy character was mentioned by Marc Mero and callers on the Monsters in the Morning radio show regarding the time he shot confetti out of an air cannon into Larry Zbysko's coffee at a celebrity bowling event.[25] DeBerry's characters have been described by several news outlets as caricatures.[26]

As the vice president of the television production company, Definitive Television, DeBerry was featured in a TV commercial in Alabama that went viral. During the commercial, DeBerry wore Asian garb and glasses that simulated closed, slanted eyes as the Mr. Wong Shu character.[27] The commercial featured DeBerry as Mr. Wong Fong Shu telling viewers to contact a personal injury law firm known as McCutcheon and Hamner, implying the law firm could assist them against insurance companies.[28] A blog from Angry Asian Man stated that DeBerry was racist.[29] Other news outlets such as Above the Law took a similar position, while others came to DeBerry's defense such as radio host Kidd Chris[21] stating that DeBerry's character was not racist. DeBerry has been covered by E! network's The Soup, Time, Salon,[30] as well as the writer Brian Cuban[31] and other journalists who outlined the comedic racial undertones that the commercial presented. DeBerry's character of Mr. Wong Fong Shu was also compared to the Wayne brothers' movie White Chicks[32] and Mickey Rooney's portrayal of I.Y. Yunioshi in the 1961 film version of Breakfast at Tiffany's.[33] The Raw Story and ABA Journal reported a dispute between MDeBerry and the attorney firm over the Mr. Wong Fong Shu attorney commercial. DeBerry stated he never received an order to cease and desist with removal in which DeBerry offered to provide documents showing the purchase of its production.[31] A mock press conference was held by DeBerry as himself and in the Mr. Wong Fong Shu character regarding documents challenging the attorney firm claims.[34] DeBerry disclosed that the coverage from the Mr. Wong Shu lawyer commercial increased revenue and profits.[35]

Music

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DeBerry is a songwriter and musician who plays the bass guitar. He said during a radio interview with the 91.5 FM WPRK disc jockey Keith Mercer that he preferred a Fender American Standard Precision Bass guitar before switching to Washburn jazz bass guitars.[36] DeBerry prefers to use the musical composition tone called semi-tone tuning style.[37] DeBerry's early music was described as punk rock and his later music with the band A King's Ransom[38] in particular the single "Sunny",[21] compared DeBerry's writing style to the Christian musician Jeremy Camp.[38] Tyler Gray, of the Orlando Sentinel, covered DeBerry for having run the third largest concert venue in Orlando next to the House of Blues and the Hard Rock live. DeBerry was noted for booking entertainers such as Heart, Ratt, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and members of N'Sync.[39] In 2013, Deberry's independent music label, Debar Recordings, a division of Debar Holdings, officially signed the MMA fight music producer, Mikey Rukus, to a recording contract with international distribution.[40] DeBerry negotiated a licensing deal to have Rukus' music on the NBCSN for World Series of Fighting events.[41]

References

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  1. ^ Interview with Jim DeBerry by Andrew Woodson, Radio host for The Drew Show, Macon, Georgia, March 1, 2012
  2. ^ "This Florida Pool Guy Made a Racist Ad for an Alabama Law Firm on Spec". Yahoo News. December 2, 2013. Archived from the original on June 30, 2015. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  3. ^ a b Philip Bump, This Florida Pool Guy Made a Racist Ad for an Alabama Law Firm on Spec Archived 2013-12-22 at the Wayback Machine, The Atlantic, December 2, 2013
  4. ^ a b Audra Schroeder, "This racist ad for an Alabama law firm was blamed on 'hackers'" Archived 2014-01-30 at the Wayback Machine, The Daily Dot, December 3, 2013
  5. ^ Barrett Kilmer, "Two Service Industry Vets On The Virtues Of Automatic Pool Cleaners" Archived 2013-10-26 at the Wayback Machine, Aqua, August 8, 2011
  6. ^ Jessy Goodman (November 12, 2010). "Special Report: Giving Back Take Your Pick". Pool and Spa News. Retrieved January 11, 2014.[permanent dead link]
  7. ^ "Florida Department of Business Professional Regulation Contractor Search". Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. April 1, 2010. Archived from the original on February 27, 2014. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
    - "Yatedo Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulations listing". January 12, 2014. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  8. ^ Barrett Kilmer, "Two Service Industry Vets On The Virtues Of Automatic Pool Cleaners", Aqua, August 8, 2011
  9. ^ "2011 Winners". Pleatco Pure. November 1, 2011. Archived from the original on March 3, 2013. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  10. ^ "Jim DeBerry interview on The Buckethead Show". 104.1FM The Buckethead show on Extreme XM Channel 152 taped recording. October 9, 2011. Archived from the original on July 1, 2014. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  11. ^ "Pleatco Announces 2011 Perfect Pool Guy". Aqua magazine. November 3, 2011. Archived from the original on February 28, 2014. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
    - Debra Maurer (November 17, 2011). "Pleatco crowns 2011 winners". Outdoor Pool & Spa. Archived from the original on January 8, 2014. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  12. ^ a b Alison Rice (July 13, 2012). "Pool Companies Adjust to New Rules on Background Checks". Pool & Spa News. Archived from the original on February 26, 2014. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  13. ^ Erin Ansley (August 24, 2012). "State of the Industry, Social Studies, A look at the industry's use of social media shows how far we've come, and the long road still ahead". Pool & Spa News. Archived from the original on February 26, 2014. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  14. ^ Matt Giovanisci (December 4, 2012). "15 twitter tips from industry pros". Aqua. Archived from the original on January 10, 2014.
  15. ^ Kyle Warnke, "Orlando's Aqua Pool Dealer makes big splash in 2012" Archived 2015-06-30 at the Wayback Machine, Orlando Business Journal, November 21, 2012
  16. ^ Alison Rice. "Common Employment Agreements Five questions to ask yourself when managing the risks posed by ex-employees". Pool & Spa News. Archived from the original on 2014-01-09. Retrieved 2014-01-11.
  17. ^ Joe Callahan, "Wild Waters gets a new start" Archived 2015-06-25 at the Wayback Machine, The Gainesville Sun, June 21, 2015
  18. ^ Melissa Mihm, "Wild Waters Phase-Out Plan Upsets Visitors" Archived 2015-08-09 at the Wayback Machine, WUFT, August 3, 2015
  19. ^ "WTRR-AM 1400 station history". Central Florida Radio. Archived from the original on March 1, 2014. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  20. ^ Interview with Jim DeBerry by Melissa Foxx, radio host for The News Thang on WTKS 104.1 FM archive, May 6, 2002
  21. ^ a b c Kidd Chris, Interview with Jim DeBerry Archived 2014-03-01 at the Wayback Machine, WEBN, December 5, 2013
  22. ^ Interview with Jim DeBerry by Caiden Cowger, radio host for The Caiden Cowger Show, May 2, 2012
  23. ^ "Law Firm Demands Commercial Removed From Internet" Archived 2015-07-01 at the Wayback Machine, The JDJ Journal, January 2, 2014
  24. ^ "This law firm specializes in personal injury... and really racist commercials". Angry Asian Man. November 25, 2013. Archived from the original on January 16, 2014. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  25. ^ "Monsters of the Morning MONDAY 06.17.13 HR4". Monsters of the Morning. June 18, 2013. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 14, 2014.
    - "Monsters of the Morning Celebrity Bowling Event". Marc Mero on Monsters of the Morning. June 18, 2013. Archived from the original on June 1, 2021. Retrieved January 14, 2014.
  26. ^ "One More Worst Lawyer Commercial: Law Firm Uses Racist Caricature". FindLaw. November 25, 2013. Archived from the original on December 17, 2013. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
    - "Law Firm Advertising — Now With More Racism!". Above the Law. November 27, 2013. Archived from the original on January 28, 2014. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  27. ^ "You know it's bad when the main actor says "Confucius say…"". Time. December 3, 2013. Archived from the original on December 8, 2013. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  28. ^ "Racist & Racist, Attorneys at Law". The Soup. December 4, 2013. Archived from the original on June 1, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  29. ^ Mark Copyranter Duffy (December 2, 2013). "Alabama Law Firm Courts Asian Demographic with 'Not Racist' Commercial". Vice Media. Archived from the original on January 15, 2014. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
  30. ^ Prachi Gupta (December 3, 2013). "McCutcheon and Hamner denies any involvement in an ad that features a white man dressed as "Mr. Wong Fong Shu"". Salon. Archived from the original on December 21, 2013. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  31. ^ a b Arturo Garcia, "Florida man called out for racist TV ads tells Raw Story he's fine with criticism" Archived 2014-01-29 at the Wayback Machine, The Raw Story, December 11, 2013
  32. ^ Danger Guerrero (December 3, 2013). "This Racist-As-Hell Law Firm Commercial Is The Apex Of A Long, Strange Tale". Uproxx Media. Archived from the original on December 5, 2013. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  33. ^ Madeleine Davies (December 3, 2013). "So Who Exactly Is Behind This Outrageously..." Jezebel. Archived from the original on December 17, 2013. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  34. ^ Scott Kaufman (December 31, 2013). "Law firm demands Florida man remove racist 'commercial'". The Raw Story. Archived from the original on January 7, 2014. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  35. ^ Debra Cassens Weiss (December 3, 2013). "Embarrassing online ad creates headaches for law firm and profits for video maker". ABA Journal. Archived from the original on December 11, 2013. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  36. ^ Interview with Jim DeBerry by Keith Mercer, radio host for Rollins College Rock Radio, December 12, 1993
  37. ^ Kelly Lamaster (January 8, 2005). "A King's Ransom Press Pack for Past, Present, and Future" (PDF). Graphic Design. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  38. ^ a b Interview with Jim DeBerry by radio host Crash Worldwide (aka Russel Smith) of WJRR 101.1 FM from the Native Noise Program Clear Channel archive, December 12, 1993
  39. ^ "Caught In Headlightz: Bar Changes Act". The Orlando Sentinel. January 17, 2003. Archived from the original on March 4, 2014. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
  40. ^ George Boley, "MMA Fight Music Producer Signs Record Deal" Archived 2014-08-13 at the Wayback Machine, Scrapp!, September 13, 2013
    - "FIGHT MUSIC PRODUCER LANDS RECORD DEAL". Sherdog. September 15, 2013. Archived from the original on March 1, 2014. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  41. ^ Ed Tyll (January 7, 2013). "Debar Holdings discussion". Ed Tyll Show. Archived from the original on July 3, 2014. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
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