Matt Besser
Matt Besser | |
|---|---|
 Besser atSXSW 2024 | |
| Born | Matthew Gregory Besser September 22, 1967 |
| Alma mater | Amherst College |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1988–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
| Family | Joe Besser(first cousin twice removed) |
| Website | mattbesser |
Matthew Gregory Besser(born September 22, 1967) is an American actor, comedian, director, producer, writer, and one of the four founding members of theUpright Citizens Brigadesketch comedy troupe, who had their own show onComedy Centralfrom 1998 to 2000. He hosts the improvisation-based podcastImprov4humans,previously on the Earwolf network, but now solely operated by himself and Brett Morris.
Early life
[edit]Besser was born and raised inLittle Rock, Arkansas,[1]to parents Diane and Sandy Besser.[2]His father wasJewish,whereas his mother was Christian. Besser is an atheist.[3][4]He is a quarter German and a quarter French from his mother's side.[5]Besser's grandfather's cousin wasJoe BesserofThe Three Stooges.[6]
He was recruited to play soccer after starting on his high school team, but instead attendedAmherst Collegewith a major in American Studies. There, he started doingstand-up comedyand competed in a contest atUMassthat was judged byJudd Apatow.[7]After graduating, he briefly moved to Denver in an attempt to pursue stand-up, but quickly moved to Chicago. He worked various odd jobs, including stints as a substitute teacher, a host atCarnegie Deliand as a host atDick's Last Resort.[7]
Career
[edit]After seeing animprovisational comedyshow at Second CityiO TheaterfeaturingDave Koechner,Tim MeadowsandChris Farley,Besser began taking classes there.[7]His improv group Victim's Family (alongsideRick Roman,Adam McKay,Miles Stroth, andIan Roberts), later renamed The Family (minus Roman, plusNeil Flynn,andAli Farahnakian), was directed byDel Close,the first long-form group Del focused on.[7]
Besser is a founding member of Upright Citizens Brigade, which began as asketch comedygroup inChicagoin 1990. Original members includedIan Roberts,Ali Farahnakian,Adam McKay,Rick Roman,andHoratio Sanz.
In 1993, UCB were regular guests on stage at theNew Varietyproduced and hosted by R. O'Donnell at the Chicago Improv comedy club.[8]
While performing at the New Variety, Besser was cast and directed byO'Donnellin the New Year's Eve specialTwisted,which aired onWFLDFox 32 TV, Chicago.[9]Twistedalso featured Besser (and comedian Michelle Garb) in a series of improvised commercials directed by O'Donnell for McDonald's, Toyota, and Ameritech.[10]
In 1996, the UCB relocated toNew York City.Their sketch-comedy seriesUpright Citizens Brigadeaired for three seasons onComedy Centralfrom 1998 to 2000. The cast consisted of Besser,Amy Poehler,Ian Roberts,andMatt Walsh.It originally included a voice-over byDel Close.After its cancellation,Comedy Centralreleased all three seasons on DVD.
Besser and the UCB moved on to other projects and opened comedy theaters in New York City and Los Angeles. Besser went on to be the creator and co-star of theRedman&Method ManMTV hidden camera prank showStung.In 2004, he created and starred in his secondComedy Centralshow,Crossballs,which mocked news debate shows by pitting fake experts (played by Besser and other comedians) against real people.
Besser has appeared in films such asWalk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story,Martin & Orloff,Year One,Undead or Alive,Drillbit Taylor,andJunebug,in addition to a number of sitcoms includingReno 911!,How I Met Your Mother,New Girland alongside his wifeDanielle SchneiderinCommunity.In 2003, the UCB filmed their first full-length improvised movie,Wild Girls Gone.In early 2010 the film was screened at several indie theaters in theLos Angelesarea and is sold for digital download on iTunes and on DVD at the officialUCB Theaterwebsite. The troupe had also performed their signature brand of longform improv (ASSSSCAT) in a special for theBravochannel in 2005. In 2008, they released aDVDentitledASSSSCAT!: Renegade Improv ComedythroughShout! Factory,which features an uncensored improv performance by the troupe and special guests. The DVD also includes deleted scenes and along with other bonus features.
In 2008, Besser played the part of "Courtney Frenchip", the hippie roommate ofDavid CrossinDavid's Situation,a pilot made forHBOwritten by Cross andBob Odenkirk.The pilot was filmed live on May 9, 2008, but was not picked by HBO as a series. In 2013, he portrayedEdwin Stantonin the "Chicago" episode ofComedy Central'sDrunk History.Between 2011 and 2014, he appeared onParks and Recreationas the morningDJCrazy Ira.
Besser and the UCB continue to run a Los Angeles comedy theater inFranklin Village.Besser and the UCB perform several times a week at the Los Angeles theater, in their showASSSSCAT 3000every Sunday night.
Other work
[edit]Besser makes frequent appearances on many podcasts on the Earwolf podcasting network, includingComedy Bang Bang,as well as hosting "The Earwolf Challenge", a reality-competition series where severalpodcasterscompete against each other.
Besser's Comedy Central pilotThis Show Will Get You Highaired as asketch comedyspecial on October 27, 2010. The show featured video shorts and sketches from Besser andUpright Citizens Brigade TheatercomediansJohn Gemberling,Brett Gelman,Paul Rust,andBetsy Sodaro,andNathan Barnett.[11]
In 2011, Besser began hosting theImprov4humanspodcast, where he and guest improvisers perform scenes based on suggestions sent in viaTwitter.The podcast releases an episode each week and has differing guests.
Besser wrote and directed his first film,Freak Dance,[12]based on his long-running UCB stage show. The film premiered at theAustin Film Festivalon October 21, 2011, and had a limited theatrical andvideo on-demandrelease in May 2012. The film was made available on DVD and iTunes on July 10, 2012.
In 2014, Besser and comedianRich Fulcherhad anAdult Swimspecial air as part of the channel's "4AM Infomercial Parody" series, calledIn Search Of Miracle Man.Besser and Fulcher hosted the show as two men claiming the second coming of a savior they call "Miracle Man".
Besser co-starred in both seasons of theHulucomedy seriesThe Hotwives,which stars his wifeDanielle Schneider,who also co-created the series. Besser plays the husband of Schneider's character. In 2015, Besser and Schneider played another married couple ( "Blake and Karen" ) in the epilogue of a 2015 episode of the comedy seriesCommunity.
Personal life
[edit]Besser married actress-comedianDanielle Schneiderin 2008. Their daughter was born on July 29, 2013.
References
[edit]- ^Edwards, Gavin."The Merry Pranksters".Details Magazine.Retrieved2011-08-22.
- ^"The Funny Ones" selections from the Diane and Sandy Besser Collection / Opening Reception Friday April 20th, 2012, | Eggman & Walrus Art EmporiumArchived2014-10-11 at theWayback Machine
- ^"Nashville Scene Review -".mattbesser.Retrieved7 October2018.
- ^"Matt Besser: The _Heeb_ Interview – Heeb".heebmagazine.29 October 2008.Retrieved7 October2018.
- ^"Totally Laime".Retrieved7 October2018.
- ^"A Couple of Stooges, episode #9 of Who Charted? on Earwolf".earwolf.Retrieved7 October2018.
- ^abcd"BA #029: Matt Besser".Box Angeles podcast.19 June 2014.
- ^Spitznagel, Eric (October 11, 1993). "The New Variety Just Might Make Comedy Dangerous Again".The Third Word magazine Sept/Oct issue.
- ^Hoffhines, Eric."Fox 32 Twisted TV with Matt Besser".YouTube.RetrievedMarch 31,2008.
- ^Hoffhines, Eric."Fox 32 Twisted TV with Besser & Garb".YouTube.RetrievedMarch 31,2008.
- ^THIS SHOW WILL GET YOU HIGH on Comedy Central
- ^Matt Besser interview on blankmaninc(July 9, 2012)
External links
[edit]| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
- 1967 births
- Living people
- 20th-century American comedians
- 20th-century American Jews
- 20th-century American male actors
- 20th-century American male writers
- 20th-century American screenwriters
- 21st-century American comedians
- 21st-century American Jews
- 21st-century American male actors
- 21st-century American male writers
- 21st-century American screenwriters
- American atheists
- American people of French descent
- American people of German descent
- American comedy writers
- American male comedians
- American male film actors
- American male screenwriters
- American male television actors
- American male television writers
- American comedy podcasters
- American sketch comedians
- American stand-up comedians
- Amherst College alumni
- Comedians from Arkansas
- Jewish American atheists
- Jewish American comedians
- Jewish American male actors
- Jewish American screenwriters
- Jewish male comedians
- Little Rock Central High School alumni
- Male actors from Little Rock, Arkansas
- Screenwriters from Arkansas
- Upright Citizens Brigade Theater performers