It’s been said that when the Welsh actor Richard Burton, the Shakespearean actor who some say was the greatest actor of his generation, read from a telephone book, he could make such mundane material sound like “Hamlet.” That’s how great his acting and performance skills were.
I don’t believe Tim Cook, the Apple CEO and now, apparently, part-time actor, hails from the same school of acting as Burton.
But if you’re interested in seeing Cook’s dramatic and comedic skills in action, so to speak, you can see him in two teasers for this year’s Super Bowl Halftime show, one a very short YouTube teaser and another longer Super Bowl teaser, which includes the first at the start, that runs more than seven minutes.
The halftime show is sponsored by Apple Music and will feature acclaimed R&B and pop music star, Usher, who, in both videos, is missing in Vegas. Ludacris, along with rapper Lil Jon and actress Taraji P. Henson, are out to find him.
Two wacky “Where is Usher” teasers for upcoming Super Bowl LVIII
Cook’s emotionless acting chops are great at the start of the videos, vaguely recalling Sheldon Cooper from “The Big Bang Theory.” But it’s hard not to also love Ludacris, when he apologizes to the well-known executive, saying, “Tim, I’m sorry bro! Usher’s gone!”
The longer, seven-minute clip continues the madness and mayhem, as Ludacris, Lil Jon and Henson try to find Usher. This longer clip features more celebrities, too: In addition to Ludacris, Lil Jon and Henson, there are appearances by actor Wesley Snipes (posing as his cousin), musicians J Balvin, .Paak, and Anderson, and magician Criss Angel. And if the clip wasn’t wacky and surreal enough, there are a couple of appearances by Blue Man Group.
Super Bowl LVIII and Usher’s halftime show are scheduled for this Sunday, February 11th.