Inside This Issue
Students with interesting jobs tell all Special Pgs. 12-13 www.eastside-online.org
Vol. 45 No. 8
Cherry Hill High School East: 1750 Kresson Road, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003
March 2011
“Glory Daze” star Matt Bush recalls his days at East ■ By Lindsey DuBoff (‘12) Eastside Opinions Editor
After graduating from Cherry Hill East, the doors of the real world open. Many students choose to go to a college or university, where they continue their education while having the
Bush’s Acting Accomplishments 2004: Bush competes in Mr. East as “Mr. Amazing Bush.” 2005: Bush acts as Ricky in One Last Thing. 2006: Bush makes guest appearance in “Veronica Mars” as Billy Greene. 2007: Bush stars in AT&T’s rollover minutes commercials. 2008: Bush plays the role of Eric Nessing in a “Law and Order: Criminal Intent” episode. 2009: Bush stars as Tommy Frigo in Adventureland. 2010: Bush stars as Eli Feldman in “Glory Daze.”
times of their lives. Matt Bush (‘04) decided to take this route; however, little did he know, he would be finishing his college experience on television. Bush is a star on TBS’s new sitcom, “Glory Daze.” The show follows the misadventures of four college freshmen in their fraternity, Omega Sigma. Bush plays Eli Feldman, a Jewish freshman who sees college as an opportunity to reinvent his personality from awkward to ladies’ man. “I didn’t finish college so ‘Glory Daze’ was kind of my college experience,” said Bush. “A lot of the other actors never went to college at all, so playing younger roles gives me an opportunity to kind of relive those years that I might have skipped out on,” he said. Before “Glory Daze,” many people knew Bush as the “AT&T kid.” Bush played a teenage boy who, despite his mother’s protests, disposes of his old rollover cell phone minutes. “The AT&T commercials were great because they gave me some exposure on every network. And it was kind of great because they played them a lot,” said Bush. Before his appearance on TV, however, Bush’s act-
ing career started within the walls of Cherry Hill East by engaging in the East Drama Department. Bush said East gave him practice for the long auditioning process needed for movies and TV. “You have to audition in front of everyone [for the school plays],” he said. “Nothing is scarier than having to do a monologue with 75 of your peers watching. That’s good training.” Mr. Tom Weaver, the head of the Drama Department at East, has fond memories of working with Bush. “He had just a nice personality working backstage and on stage. He wasn’t a diva in any way, shape or form. He was a regular guy, and I think the stage crew as well as his fellow actors appreciated that,” said Weaver. Weaver also said that Bush was the kind of person to quickly learn his lines and really develop his character. Playing Eli on “Glory Daze” is no different for Bush than playing a character in a play at East. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t bring me to every character I do. I think that stays true with most actors. They bring a little bit of themselves to each character they do.
I think Eli is no different for me,” said Bush. As well as participating in the Drama Department, Bush also competed in Mr. East his senior year. Going by “Mr. Amazing Bush” for the competition, Bush put on a magic show and earned second place. As a senior, Bush won the superlative “Most Likely to Star in an Oscar-winning Picture.” Although it was not an Oscar-winning film, Bush played a key role in the m o v i e
Adventureland as Tommy Frigo. He also starred in the comedy Nice Guy Johnny. However, not all seniors get this close to making their superlatives come true. Bush was never sure if his acting career would really take off, which is why he decided to go to Rowan University right after high school. “For me it made sense to start college, see if I liked it, try to get acting jobs at the same time and kind of manage my career, and that — knock on wood — seemed to work for me,” said Bush. Although going to college after high school worked for Bush, he said that becoming successful as an actor or actress operates on a case-by-case basis for everyone. “Right now I am fortunate enough to be in a place where I can do this full time, but you never know, and you just have to take it day by day, job by job and try to stay grounded. Don’t spend all of your money, just be smart about it,” said Bush. East students: keep in mind Bush’s words of advice for a dream-fulfilling future outside of high school. With hard work, you can achieve your glory days.
Courtesy of kingdomofleo.com
Starting in 2007, Bush starred in AT&T’s rollover commercials as the teenage boy in the backseat.
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t bring me to every character I do. I think that stays true with most actors. They bring a little bit of themselves to each character they do. I think Eli is no different for me.” -Matt Bush (‘04) Courtesy of tvguide.com
Bush stars in TBS’s newest sitcom, “Glory Daze,” as a college freshman seeking popularity among his fraternity brothers in Omega Sigma.
Photo courtesy of tvguide.com