(As if it was not ridiculous from the jump.) Matt Rustler of Stop the Bleating writes:
No, no, no. You’re not Richard Belzer in your secret life. In your secret life you hawk Nexium, “The Healing Purple Pill,” under the alias, James Naughton. I was watching television last night when the latest Nexium advertisement, featuring an actor named James Naughton, came on. Your cover is blown! I’ve attached the photographic evidence that you and James Naughton are one and the same.
(Unfortunately, I don’t have a photo of “Barnaughton” in the Nexium ad, in which he’s clad entirely in black, just as you are in the photo on your BU web page. That would seal your doom.) [I found a pic here–REB] I’m not thrown by your attempt to hide your real identity with glasses and a little hair coloring. How gullible do you think we are? You think Superman’s example has taught us nothing?
And did you really think no one would notice the Harvard connection? According to your CV, you were a law student at Harvard Law School from 1974-1977. (Well, you graduated in 1977, so I assume you began in 1974.) And, as you of course well know, Naughton PLAYED a Harvard law student in 1973’s The Paper Chase. You didn’t think anyone would piece it together? You get part in The Paper Chase, decide you’d like to attend HLS in real life, and the next year you’re there — as Randy Barnett. It all fits. Cold busted!
This is preposterous. Naughton’s character in The Paper Chase–the doomed Kevin–was married and had a nervous breakdown. I, on the other hand, was very single and was merely annoyed while as HLS. But as Naughton is considerably better looking than Belzer, I consider this a promotion. See this Q & A from Ask Becky Smith:
DEAR MARILYN & STACY: What is the actor’s name that does the Nexium commercials, he has gray hair.
DEAR QUEST: You’re thinking of handsome James Naughton, who was also the spokesman for Jeep and has appeared in dozens and dozens of TV and movie projects — going back to the 1973 series “Paper Chase” and including “The First Wives Club” and “The Truth About You” with Stockard Channing. Naughton is also a singer and has graced the stage in numerous musicals.
PS: The Paper Chase came out the year before I went to law school. It is a bit depressing how old the actors playing law students in that film now look. Case in point: Edward Hermann: 
Update: UH-OH, He’s On to Me: Matt Rustler smells a blogospheric conspiracy here.
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