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Alright ladies and gentlemen, I need you all to keep this between us. I feel foolish for even bringing this up in public but this is too good to keep secret.
Coach Payton has recently been spotted here in Los Angeles at the Universal Studios backlot. Unnamed sources at the theme park claim Payton was seen in the special effects/prosthetic makeup department with 7-time Academy Award® winning makeup artist Rick Baker. Baker is famous for his groundbreaking makeup work in Star Wars (1977), The Nutty Professor (1996), and the Men in Black trilogy, amongst countless others.
Coach Payton remained coy when questioned about the meeting, claiming: "I'm just out here to support Jimmy Buffett on his 'Long Road to Rehab' tour tonight at the amphitheater. I heard Rick was around and I liked his work on the 'Space Wars' movies. That's all."
This coupled with a story published in Hollywood trade paper Variety this weekend puts the pieces together.
According to Variety, at the Men in Black 3 premiere Baker made the following statement: "MiB 3 was a blast, but I'm very excited about my latest project. It's a big, big secret but there will be a shocking reveal on worldwide television in February 2013."
When the interviewer pressed him to elaborate, Baker responded: "All I can say is...who that!"
That's okay Rick, we get the sentiment, not everyone's a sports fanatic.
The final piece came into place when a representative from Burbank-based special effects company ReelFX claimed, in confidence, that Joe Vitt came to their offices days after Sean Payton visited and both were fitted with head to shoulder prosthetics. Both men told makeup artists they were seeing acting coaches to get down subtle mannerisms and nuances. Coach Vitt is even taking bongo lessons so he can "play" Payton living it up on the road this year.
Bongo lessons though? The man is serious about making this double switch work. Both coaches are relatively the same height and skin tone and should be at the same weight by the mid-season deadline.
What a reveal this will be! The Saints have to win the Super Bowl just to see the look on Goodell's face when Sean Payton drops the Mrs. Doubtfire-style reveal live on the podium. That moment will undoubtedly go down in history. During this season if you find yourself wondering if that really is Vitt or Payton under the headset, look at the eyes. The eyes will be a dead giveaway. Please remember everyone, this is just between us and you didn't hear it from me.