Dane Cook was undeniably one of the biggest shooting stars in the world of comedy, a ball of energy consuming about half of the internet's usable space at one point. He was borne of the internet, and used it to launch his stand-up career into the stratosphere. A live-action cartoon character with a keen ability to turn a phrase, his frenetic style endeared Cook to even the most calloused of comedy critics early on in his career, transforming the Massachusetts native to a household name almost overnight. Soon, millions of people were riding the "Dane Train." Next stop: Hollywood. But his oblivious delivery and hyperactive mannerisms didn't transfer to celluloid, at least when he was supposed to carry the weight of the film as its star. Bit parts in Mystery Men and Waiting were more suited to the condensed craziness of his act. Cook was brilliant in small doses. But as the leading man, Cook swapped out the eccentric bits of his personality for a smug kind of frat boy charisma, one that made it all too easy to root against him as a character and as an actor. Though his acting career retained a glimmer of hope when he paired with Kevin Coster for the super-serious Mr. Brooks, Cook would go on to become one of the most hated comedians on the planet and, subsequently, the offers for leading roles stopped pouring in. Any other humiliating comedian to actor transitions you want to laugh at? Share them in the comments below.
