In this 12th edition for the 2012 season we sat down with jovial wide receiver Amarri Jackson and discussed his effervescent personality, comedy, pranks and balancing work and fun.
Editor: Amarri, we all know about your talents on the football field, but off of it, you’re a guy who likes to keep everyone loose. Where exactly does your sense of humor come from?
Amarri Jackson: From my mother. I think it’s in the genes, because I’ve got a lot of clowns in my family. My mom always taught me though that you never know how anyone’s day is ever going, so greet them with a smile and you never know, you might make their day. Just the spirit you bring or the loose attitude that you bring can really make a difference. I try to make my work fun, so the second it stops being fun, that’s when you might as well hang up the cleats and call it a day. I always try to have fun, and I want everyone else to have fun.
ED: Were you always outgoing, or was that a personality trait you developed as you matured?
AJ: Believe it or not, I was real shy as a kid. But in high school, I met friends who now are my best friends for life, and I think I loosened up around then. Just getting used to people brought me out of my shell, and knowing that I was playing football, I decided that I didn’t want to always be in my shell. If I was going to be a role model, I want to be out there.
ED: Do you think that attitude you bring also correlates to you being one of the leaders on this team?
AJ: Yeah, absolutely. I’ve been here longer than some of the other guys and I always try to make friends with some of the new guys, so I think they see that and look up to you as a leader. I try to lead by example
ED: So everyone on the team says that you’re the team jokester, so what, so far, has been your best prank of the season?
AJ: When we go on the road I usually like to sneak in guys’ rooms behind them. So right when we check in, I’ll follow real close right behind them when they open their door, and I’ll slip in quietly and go into the bathroom and maybe hide in the shower or something. It helps that I’m a receiver and that I’m light on my feet. Then when they go to leave, I’ll pop out and scare them. I’ve gotten some guys good with that. That’s just one of many. Usually I don’t plan them; most of these things just come naturally.
ED: So do you think if you weren’t playing football you would be a comedian?
AJ: Honestly, no. Like I said, I don’t plan a lot of this stuff so I don’t think I’d be very good at stand-up comedy. What I would like to do one day is have my own reality show. Any type, really. It would just be myself and my friends and the life we live. I just know how many good times we all have together, so I would love to see that.
ED: Very cool. Any idea what you would call this show?
AJ: Yeah, I’d probably call it “Everything Under The Sun” because I want to do just that. I want to do everything under the sun.
ED: Hopefully that will work out for you one day, but in the meantime, if you could guest star on any current television show, which would it be?
AJ: Jersey Shore. Those guys have fun, man. They live the fun lifestyle. I would want to be on that, but without the drama.
ED: Who are some of the comedians or famous funny guys that you like the most?
AJ: I love Zach Galifianakis. He is the man. I like him the best, but I also like Will Ferrell and Mike Epps. I don’t think anybody could top those guys. They are true to what they do. Things just come naturally to them.
ED: Getting a little more serious, how do you balance coming to work on the football field and at the same time being yourself on a day-to-day basis?
AJ: It’s not difficult at all. There’s a time and place for everything. So, for example, in the locker room, I can be funny and joke around and even out here after practice. But on the field, whether it’s in practice or a game, we get down to business. It comes down to naturally knowing you’re environment and who you’re around at the time. Even when we’re on the field though, some guys might have some aches and pains or be frustrated about something, and then it’s okay to loosen them up and get a smile on their face to make them forget about it and go out and do better. I think that stuff helps the team gel together.
ED: Other than yourself, who are some of the other funny guys on the team who seem to get away with flying under the radar?
AJ: I’ll tell you what, Chandler Williams is funny. We’re roommates and we pretty much go everywhere together. He’s a clown. He’s got a great sense of humor. Also, Michael Lindsey has a great sense of humor too.
ED: Seeing that a lot of your teammates get along so well, what are some of your favorite activities to do together off the field?
AJ: We went jet skiing not too long ago which was pretty fun, but a couple weeks ago, we all went paintballing and that by far was the best thing we’ve done. Honestly it was too much fun. Other than that, we go eat together and we watch the Miami Heat beat up on everybody in the living room.
ED: Lastly, a few weeks ago we saw not only your outgoing personality, but your creative choreography skills too when you engineered the bobsled celebration in the endzone. Anything coming up that you can give us a little preview of?
AJ: We got one coming for you. Just keep your eyes open. The main thing is that we get this win this week, but just keep watching.