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Agile Akron man calls appearance on talk show 'awesome' experience
By Jim Carney Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Friday, Sep 28, 2007
Chris Bryant hadn't slept since Tuesday night after jumping over five Pontiac Grand Prix cars on national television, but he was as excited and pumped up as ever.
The 23-year-old Akron man was waiting for a ride home from the Akron-Canton Airport on Thursday morning after flying all night following his appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show when he answered his cell phone and spoke of the experience.
''It was great,'' Bryant said of his appearance on the show that aired Thursday afternoon on NBC affiliate WKYC (Channel 3).
''It was the first time in TV history somebody jumped over five cars.''
Bryant, who buses and waits tables at Waterloo Restaurant in Akron, was invited on the talk show after stories about his car-jumping abilities appeared in the Beacon Journal and on local television stations.
''It was awesome,'' he said. ''Oh my God, she (DeGeneres) was great to me.''
Bryant flew to Los Angeles Tuesday and taped the program Wednesday and then flew back to Akron.
He said he received thousands of dollars worth of gifts from DeGeneres, who also gave his sister, Shanika Bryant, gift certificates for baby gear because she is expecting a baby in a few months.
Bryant lives with his sister and nephew in Akron.
On the show, Bryant told DeGeneres that he hopes his father, whom he has never met, sees the program.
''I heard he lives in Boston,'' Bryant said as he waited for his ride home.
Bryant said he put in a plug for the restaurant where he works, and DeGeneres told him she would work to see that his dream of someday appearing on a Nike commercial would come true.
''I am one step closer to getting Nike,'' he said.
Bryant said he was quite nervous before appearing on the show, but DeGeneres made him feel comfortable.
''She was like a regular person,'' he said.
Bryant, who attended Garfield High School but graduated from high school in Atlanta, said DeGeneres told him she would help him.
''I promise you I will follow up,'' he said she told him.
''She is like, 'Chris, you are going to be successful in life.'''
Jim Carney can be reached at 330-996-3576 or jcarney@thebeaconjournal.com.
Chris Bryant hadn't slept since Tuesday night after jumping over five Pontiac Grand Prix cars on national television, but he was as excited and pumped up as ever.
Get the full article here.
