SOUTHERN VERMONT -
"The Most Interesting Man in the World" who stars in wildly popular beer commercials lives in Southern Vermont.
His actual name is Jonathan Goldsmith and he is pretty interesting. Someone you might want to sit down and have a drink with. So recently we spent the afternoon with him at his home.
For the past six-years, the Dos Equis ads have been everywhere. They're catchy, over the top, and always end the same.
"Are you 'The Most Interesting Man in the World'? How do you respond to that?" asked FOX 44/ABC 22.
"I don't think so," says Goldsmith.
But the 74-year-old still has a lot of interesting stories. At home, he told us some including how he landed the role that changed his life.
"Did you realize it would become this and that it would be this popular and you would become so well known from it?" asked FOX 44/ABC 22.
"Absolutely not and I thought my wife had made a horrendous mistake," says Goldsmith.
His wife Barbara is also his agent and encouraged him to try out for the role. He says he based his character on an old friend, Fernando Lamas.
"He was a great raconteur, a ladies man, charming. So I did a very poor imitation of my dear friend," says Goldsmith.
After lots of rounds, Dos Equis chose Goldsmith to be "The Most Interesting Man in the World." It was a campaign that was a great success for Dos Equis and Goldsmith, who now always has a fridge full of free beer.
The ad's outlandish lines have created a world of fans.
"I think my favorite is, he once fooled a psychic. These guys are sharp. The young writers," says Goldsmith.
You can tell Goldsmith relishes the role. He landed it after acting for some 50-years and was in everything from "Murder She Wrote" to "Dallas."
"I did star in over 350 shows before in starring roles but nothing put me on the map like this," says Goldsmith.
He used his late success to fulfill a dream.
"I said one day I want to settle in Vermont," says Goldsmith.
He and Barbara have lived here for almost three-years.
"What makes Vermont interesting?" asked FOX 44/ABC 22.
"The lack of a fast paced life," says Goldsmith.
Goldsmith has been active in other ways. He's out supporting a charity called Free Arts that helps disadvantaged kids. And he's also very interested in politics.
He hosted a fundraiser for President Barack Obama in Burlington in September and met the president at a rally at UVM.
"He says, "Oh my god, I know this guy!" and I, he knows me! He says, "Hey man, I love you. Most Interesting Man everybody." Holy Moses. What a humbling experience," says Goldsmith.
Soon after, he was invited for a weekend at the president's official retreat called Camp David.
"I mean to be able to sit and have dinner with the President of the United States in Camp David and the sense of history. To see these chairs that Roosevelt, Stalin, Truman sat in. It's overwhelming," says Goldsmith.
And at least in a recent issue of People Magazine, the writers think he has a future in politics. He was nominated to be in a "star" Presidential Cabinet as Secretary of State.
The president will have to wait because for now Goldsmith is getting ready to film another round of the Dos Equis ads.
"If you're not drinking Dos Equis, what are you drinking?" asked FOX 44/ABC 22.
"Well it depends. Wintertime it tends to be scotch. Summertime it tends to be a martini," says Goldsmith.
Though he says beer is always in season.
Goldsmith says if not for the ads he wouldn't be in Vermont and would be somewhere living the life of a struggling actor.
He says in Vermont he is not recognized as much and those who do are respectful. And at the end of the day he says he doesn't mind being approached because it's part of the job.
He and Dos Equis have the option to continue the ads for several more years.
