France Bed Commercial featuring Donald Ash

By Donald Ash | Commercial Work

I wanted to show you guys a commercial I was in a few months back. I delayed putting this up because I didn’t want to catch any heat about it from my job. But now, I don’t have those constraints anymore, I can post to my little heart’s content:

Here’s the 15-second version:

 

I was fortunate to have an opportunity to do a commercial for FranceBed, but actually the commercial isn’t about beds at all. It’s a commercial about a wheel chair (no I’m not the one in the wheel chair). At first I was all like “Hell yeah! I’m gonna be in a commercial!” Then I was like “Wait, it’s a wheel chair commercial.” It’s a little difficult to try to sound all cool to your buddies when the subject matter is a wheel chair. I can’t walk up to my buddy and say “Yo, check me out in this new wheel chair commercial, homie.” I can imagine the eye rolls, the snickers, and the jokes now…sigh.

Nevertheless, it was a fun job because the director and staff were so freakin’ nice. They made sure I was comfortable for every single take, and really made feel special. Not to mention that it was GREAT Japanese practice. On a job like this where everybody is Japanese but you, you can’t just sit and be silent, right? I use these chances whenever I can to try and talk…whether I screw up or not. It was also neat being in front of the camera trying to give the director all kinds of different faces and expressions. I hope I get to work with him again sometime:

Here’s the 30-second version

 

See you later 😉

Donnie

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About the Author

Donald Ash is an Atlanta, Georgia-born, American expat who has been living in a Japanese time warp for the last eleven years. While in that time warp, he discovered that he absolutely loves writing, blogging, and sharing. Donald is the creator of thejapanguy.com blog. Wanna know more about this guy? Check out his "What's Your Story" page.

  • mcv says:

    WTF!? If this guy on wheelchair needs to use his legs as on the video, then what’s he doing on the wheelchair in the first place? 😀

    • thejapanguy says:

      Bwaahahahahah!! You almost made me spit out what I was eating! That’s too funny, but a very good point. I guess it’s wheelchair that’s custom made for rehabilitation, hence the leg movement. Thanks for the laugh 🙂

  • Nanami says:

    That’s a pretty nifty feature! ^_^ And yay for another commercial under your belt!

  • Devon says:

    Man you rock Don. That was great. Look at you being a commercial actor. Way to go man.

    • thejapanguy says:

      No, you rock for posting a comment like that, Devon 🙂 . Thanks, bro. I’m just trying to do what I can.

      Lately I’m starting to come to the simple realization that if I don’t start doing the things I really want to do, no matter where I live, I’m not going to be totally happy with my life.

      • TheCheese says:

        “Lately I’m starting to come to the simple realization that if I don’t
        start doing the things I really want to do, no matter where I live, I’m
        not going to be totally happy with my life”. This is exactly how I feel
        right now too. We’re the same age and I feel it’s now time to do it.
        I’ve been reading your blog for a while and commend you for what you’ve
        done these past few years. I’m doing the AEON thing at the moment and
        once the contract is up I gotta do what I want to do!

    • thejapanguy says:

      No, you rock for posting a comment like that, Devon 🙂 . Thanks, bro. I’m just trying to do what I can.

      Lately I’m starting to come to the simple realization that if I don’t start doing the things I really want to do, no matter where I live, I’m not going to be totally happy with my life.

  • Maurice says:

    I love it!!!!!!! Too cool… I’m mad that the guy in the chair is doing the Cupid Shuffle! I guess his legs are just fine.

    • thejapanguy says:

      I’m mad that you referred to his little foot movement as the Cupid Shuffle. THAT IS HILARIOUS, BRO!!

  • emiko hunt says:

    This made me smile! Love you’re work Donald and well done – hope my tscoob buddy is well and happy! XO

    • thejapanguy says:

      OH SHIZNIT!! Hey Emiko! Seeing a comment from you makes me smile. I’m hanging in there, Emiko, I hope you’re doing well, too 🙂

  • zoomingjapan says:

    Oh wow, pretty cool! Congrats! 😀

  • Connor 'Leroy' Grant says:

    Donald this is amazing, laughed so hard, but laughing because I was happy to see you in a commercial. I’m an actor myself and moving to Japan is on my list when I finish drama school, this is both motivating and a feel good thing to watch.
    よくできました!!!!

  • facebook-749911534 says:

    what was the pay? how many hours of work

  • facebook-749911534 says:

    Japan Guy, was there 1991-1996, best years of me life…..smile…..for the commercial did it ever air on TV or was it just an inhouse internet CM?

  • CHris says:

    BWAHAHAHHA THIS IS PRICELESS YO!!!

  • VCole says:

    Interesting…..

  • Michelle Shell says:

    That’s a cute commercial. Your smile was the best part

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