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Chris Bryant, who leaps over cars for fun, profit, inspires Nike shoe, will be subject of commercial
By Jim Carney
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Tuesday, Dec 04, 2007
Chris Bryant's Nike dream has come true.
The young Akron man, who became famous jumping over cars on the afternoon talk show Ellen, is the impetus for a new orange and navy blue Nike running shoe named the ''Car Jumper.''
He also will be featured in a Nike online commercial.
''It's nice, so nice,'' said Bryant, whose car-jumping abilities were first featured in a Beacon Journal article and a video on the newspaper's Web site (http://www.ohio.com).
At the time, Bryant said he would love to appear in a Nike commercial jumping over cars.
Later, he was featured on local television news broadcasts and on Sept. 27 and Oct. 18, Bryant appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and DeGeneres quickly became Bryant's biggest fan.
Bryant was referred to as a ''human grasshopper'' on the DeGeneres Show Web site.
DeGeneres brought Bryant to the attention of Nike, said Dean Stoyer, U.S. Media Relations director for Nike.
''There is something about Chris — that he has this really positive attitude about everything and he jumps cars,'' said Stoyer. ''The way we look at it, he's an athlete. He performs. That is his thing.''
So Nike and Bryant created the car jumper running shoe followed by the filming of the Nike Internet commercial, which is expected to be available online at http://www.nikeid.com and http://www.nike.com in the next few weeks. The commercials might debut on the DeGeneres Show.
Bryant, 23, who attended Garfield High School and graduated from high school in Atlanta before moving back to Akron, still works part-time waiting and busing tables at Akron's Waterloo Restaurant.
Stoyer said Bryant was not signed to a contract but was paid Screen Actors Guild rates for his work in the commercial, plus a bonus. Bryant's travel and his accommodations while in Portland, Ore., at Nike headquarters were also paid for, he said.
In addition, Bryant said he received thousands of dollars worth of Nike merchandise.
Bryant said Nike also is planning to donate $10,000 in Bryant's name to benefit the area's needy. Bryant said he and his employer, Waterloo Restaurant, plan on using the money to buy food to distribute next year but details have not been worked out. Sitting in his Lovers Lane home Monday, he wore a Nike sweater, Nike watch and Nike socks. His Nike shoes were on the floor near the couch where he sat.
In his hand, Bryant held a handwritten note of appreciation from Mark Parker, President and CEO of Nike, whom he met on his trip to Nike headquarters in Portland.
Stoyer was asked if Bryant could be used in future Nike endeavors.
''I'll never say never,'' Stoyer said.
''We are watching Chris — he is somebody that has captured a lot of people's imagination,'' he said. ''People have gravitated toward him. We have a lot of people who thought it was a cool thing that we could respond to him through the Ellen Show and make him a part of the family.''
The idea of using Bryant as inspiration for a shoe and in a commercial, Stoyer said, ''was kind of a no-brainer. Once you meet him, you understand.''
Bryant said he feels ''stress-free,'' thanks to the breaks that have come his way in recent weeks, but he's looking for an agent to help him in business. He said he has been in talks with the Cleveland Cavaliers about possibly performing at half-time.
His prayers, he said, have been answered.
Bryant credits a never-give-up attitude that has taken him on this amazing ride.
''I won't quit,'' he said. ''People never really follow their dreams. I'm like everybody's dream. I am that person . . . following his dream.
''It's just the beginning. It's going to happen.''
To contact Bryant, e-mail him at cnizzel22@yahoo.com.
Jim Carney can be reached at 330-996-3576 or jcarney@thebeaconjournal.com.
Chris Bryant's Nike dream has come true.
Get the full article here.
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