{{short description|American actor}} {{BLP sources|date=February 2013}}
{{Infobox person | name = Jerry Messing | image = | image_size = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = <!-- Valid citation required for date of birth for BLP. (WP:BLPPRIVACY) --> | birth_place = | occupation = Actor, internet personality | years_active = 1997–2021<!--His last onscreen appearance was in The Brothers García episode, "New Man on Campus... Sorta" aired in 2003.--> <!--This page is about a real person, NOT an Internet meme. Do not add a religion/religious view without citing a source.-->}}
'''Jerry Messing''' <!-- Valid citation required for date of birth for BLP. (WP:BLPPRIVACY) --> is an American actor. He is known for a recurring role in the TV program ''Freaks and Geeks'' (1999–2000).
==Career== Messing played Pugsley Addams in the 1998 film ''Addams Family Reunion'', and had a reoccurring role on the short-lived cult NBC dramedy ''Freaks and Geeks'' as Gordon Crisp, an optimistic geek with trimethylaminuria.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/where-are-they-now-freaks-and-geeks/|title=Where Are They Now? The Cast Of Freaks And Geeks|date=2016-05-18|website=ScreenRant|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-20}}</ref> He also appeared in five episodes of ''Even Stevens'' and two episodes of ''Mr. Show with Bob and David''. Messing has not appeared in an acting role since 2003.
In 2011, Messing appeared in a music video for artist Viennie V, playing a contestant on a dating show. As of 2019, the video has over 770,000 views.<ref>{{Citation|title=Viennie V - For You (Official)| date=27 December 2011 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z50M4Db9_oY |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/Z50M4Db9_oY |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|language=en|access-date=2019-12-20}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
=== "Fedora Guy" meme === On October 31, 2013, a picture of Messing appeared on Reddit. The photo features Messing wearing a trilby and grinning at the camera. After being widely disseminated online, Messing was labeled "Fedora Guy" and the picture became synonymous with "neckbeard" and "nice guy" stereotypes, as well as a joke at the expense of zealous atheists. Messing has stated in subsequent interviews that the picture was an outtake for a headshot photoshoot he took when attempting to restart his acting career, after briefly attending Florida International University to study psychology.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/a-freaks-and-geeks-alum-reflects-on-becoming-the-face-o-1825469500|title=A Freaks And Geeks alum reflects on becoming the face of fedora-tipping gentlemen everywhere|website=News|date=23 April 2018 |language=en-us|access-date=2019-12-20}}</ref><ref name="BuzzFeed">{{Cite web|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/bradesposito/jerry-messing|title=Meet "The Fedora Guy," One Of The Internet's Most Famous Memes|last=Esposito|first=Brad|website=BuzzFeed|date=17 December 2015 |language=en|access-date=2019-12-20}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|title=Where Is Jerry Messing "Fedora Guy" Now?| date=26 August 2019 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YggB1we8wk |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/3YggB1we8wk |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|language=en|access-date=2019-12-20}}{{cbignore}}</ref> As Messing noted, "I'm certainly not thrilled with the communities the photo has come to represent, but it isn't something I can really do anything about—so I don't let it bother me."<ref name="BuzzFeed" />
=== Fedora Productions === In January 2020, Messing started the YouTube channel {{Cite web|url= https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2NkXux9_9J4JiiIbCddBEw|title=Fedora Productions|website=YouTube |language=en}}
=== COVID-19 Diagnosis === In August 2021, it was revealed that Messing had been admitted to a Florida hospital and put on a ventilator after contracting COVID-19.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Schroeder|first=Audra|date=2021-08-20|title=Jerry Messing, 'Fedora Guy' and 'Freaks and Geeks' actor, fighting COVID|url=https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/jerry-messing-covid-fedora-guy-freaks-and-geeks/|access-date=2021-08-21|website=The Daily Dot|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Press-Reynolds|first=Kieran|date=2021-08-21|title=Jerry Messing, the 'Freaks & Geeks' actor who became known as the 'Fedora Guy' meme, was reportedly hospitalized with COVID-19|url=https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/news/jerry-messing-the-freaks-geeks-actor-who-became-known-as-the-fedora-guy-meme-was-reportedly-hospitalized-with-covid-19/articleshow/85503504.cms|access-date=2021-08-21|website=Business Insider}}</ref> He had previously received his first dose of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and was awaiting his second dose when he became sick. In September 2021, after spending two weeks in a coma, Messing was removed from the ventilator and taken out of the ICU, able to breathe on his own. He had lost the ability to walk but, as of September 2021, was going through rehabilitation.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Stiles|first=Patti|date=2021-09-07|title=@PenelopeSnickerdoodlePatti|url=https://twitter.com/Patti95989442/status/1435208784092274690|access-date=2021-09-07|website=Twitter}}</ref>
==Filmography==
===Film=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- | 1998 | ''Addams Family Reunion'' | Pugsley Addams | |- | 2000 | ''Finding Kelly'' | Justin Harold | |- |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- | 1997 | ''George & Leo'' | Boy #1 | Episode: "The Halloween Show"<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0587045 The Halloween Show] – Internet Movie Database</ref> |- | 1998 | ''Mr. Show with Bob and David'' | William Van Landingham III/<br>Willups Brighton's son | Episode: "Show Me Your Weenis!"<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0652155 Show Me Your Weenis!] – Internet Movie Database</ref><br>Episode: "Sad Songs Are Nature's Onions"<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0652163 Sad Songs Are Nature's Onions] – Internet Movie Database</ref> |- | 1999–2000 | ''Freaks and Geeks'' | Gordon Crisp<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/character/ch0021384 Gordon Crisp] – Internet Movie Database</ref> | 11 episodes |- | 2000–2003 | ''Malcolm in the Middle'' | Big Boy #2 | Episode: "The Bully"<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0640410 The Bully] – Internet Movie Database</ref><br>Episode: "Clip Show #2" (archive footage)<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0640304 Clip Show #2] – Internet Movie Database</ref> |- | 2000–2002 | ''Even Stevens'' | Artie Ryan<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/character/ch0270066 Artie Ryan] – Internet Movie Database</ref> | Episode: "Foodzilla"<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0573909 Foodzilla] – Internet Movie Database</ref><br>Episode: "Battle of the Bands"<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0573897 Battle of the Bands] – Internet Movie Database</ref><br>Episode: "Head Games"<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0573913 Head Games] – Internet Movie Database</ref><br>Episode: "Band on the Roof"<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0573896 Band on the Roof] – Internet Movie Database</ref><br>Episode: "Snow Job"<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0573937 Snow Job] – Internet Movie Database</ref> |- | 2002–2003 | ''The Brothers García'' | Tiny | Recurring Role |- |}
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|0582202}} *[https://www.facebook.com/jerry.messing.1 His Facebook page]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Messing, Jerry}} Category:1986 births Category:Living people Category:Male actors from Los Angeles County, California Category:American male child actors Category:American male film actors Category:American male television actors Category:20th-century American male actors Category:21st-century American male actors Category:Internet memes
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