In one of the best movies in Denzel Washington‘s acting career, he plays Alonzo Harris a corrupt LAPD detective in the film Training Day. Washington’s character takes Ethan Hawke, a training narcotics officer, on a tour of Los Angeles during a hectic day in question. It is easily one of Washington’s best acting performances, and it later allowed him to be nominated and win best actor Oscar. In Hollywood, acting crazy typically gets you a movie role. With dozens of Hollywood actors engaging in method acting it is not uncommon to see an aspiring actor spiraling off the hinges for their next big movie role. However in the real world, acting crazy will get you fired.
According to NBC affiliate, W ES H in Florida a former Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy Dean Sipes was fired following an internal affairs investigation. What prompted the internal affairs investigation you ask? Apparently, the officer was found quoting Training Day and copying some of the “cool things” that Washington’s character does in the movie.
According to an internal affairs report obtained by CNN affiliate WESH 2 News, Lake County Deputy Dean Zipes rubbed his pistol and stun gun together, replicating actions by Washington’s character in the movie, in front of a startled police trainee outside a convenience store. Washington played a corrupt cop in the 2001 film.
Zipes reportedly told investigators he was trying to be funny.
The internal affairs report goes on to point out that on top of his Denzel Washington impressions Zipes, “twice pulled his firearm in an office setting, voiced racial slurs, made a motion to draw his gun at a pizza delivery driver and became upset after not receiving free Starbucks coffee.”
