df_m_podcasters_2_para: 24
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| rowid | first_name | last_name | gender | career_sec | personal_sec | info | seed_first_name | seed_last_name | occupation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | Belle | Bettinelli-Olpin | f | After seeing an improvisational comedy show at iO Theater featuring Dave Koechner, Tim Meadows and Chris Farley, Besser began taking classes there. His improv group Victim's Family (alongside Rick Roman, Adam McKay, Miles Stroth, and Ian Roberts), later renamed The Family (minus Roman, plus Neil Flynn, and Ali Farahnakian), was directed by Del Close, the first long-form group Del focused on. Besser is a founding member of Upright Citizens Brigade, which began as a sketch comedy group in Chicago in 1990. Original members included Ian Roberts, Ali Farahnakian, Adam McKay, Rick Roman, and Horatio Sanz. During that time, UCB were regular guests on stage at the New Variety hosted by the Chicago Improv comedy club. While working at the New Variety, Besser was cast and directed by New Variety founder and Artistic Director R. O’Donnell in the TV comedy/variety special Twisted, which aired on WFLD Fox 32 Chicago. Twisted also featured Besser in a series of improvised commercials directed by O’Donnell for McDonald's, Toyota, and Ameritech along with stand-up comic Michelle Garb. In 1996, the UCB relocated to New York City. Their sketch-comedy series Upright Citizens Brigade aired for three seasons on Comedy Central from 1998 to 2000. The cast consisted of Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts, and Matt Walsh. It originally included a voice-over by Del Close. After its cancellation, Comedy Central released 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 the Redman & Method Man MTV hidden camera prank show Stung. In 2004, he created and starred in his second Comedy Central show, 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 as Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, Martin & Orloff, Year One, Undead or Alive, Drillbit Taylor, and Junebug, in addition to a number of sitcoms including How I Met Your Mother, New Girl and alongside his wife Danielle Schneider in Community. 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 the Los Angeles area and is now sold for digital download on iTunes and on DVD at the official UCB Theater website. The troupe had also performed their signature brand of longform improv (ASSSSCAT) in a special for the Bravo channel in 2005. In 2008, they released a DVD entitled ASSSSCAT!: Renegade Improv Comedy through Shout! 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 of David Cross in David's Situation, a pilot made for HBO written by Cross and Bob Odenkirk. The pilot was filmed live on May 9, 2008, but was not picked by HBO as a series. In 2013, he portrayed Edwin Stanton in the "Chicago" episode of Comedy Central's Drunk History. Between 2011 and 2014, he appeared on Parks and Recreation as the morning DJ Crazy Ira. Besser and the UCB continue to run two Los Angeles comedy theaters in Franklin Village, and East Hollywood. Besser and the UCB currently perform several times a week at the Los Angeles theater, in their show ASSSSCAT 3000 every Sunday night. | Besser married actress-comedian Danielle Schneider in 2008. Their first child, a daughter Sidney Diane Besser, was born on July 29, 2013. | after seeing an improvisational comedy show at io theater featuring dave koechner, tim meadows and chris farley, bettinelli-olpin began taking classes there. her improv group victim's family (alongside rick roman, adam mckay, miles stroth, and ian roberts), later renamed the family (minus roman, plus neil flynn, and ali farahnakian), was directed by del close, the first long-form group del focused on. bettinelli-olpin is a founding member of upright citizens brigade, which began as a sketch comedy group in chicago in 1990. original members included ian roberts, ali farahnakian, adam mckay, rick roman, and horatio sanz. during that time, ucb were regular guests on stage at the new variety hosted by the chicago improv comedy club. while working at the new variety, bettinelli-olpin was cast and directed by new variety founder and artistic director r. o’donnell in the tv comedy/variety special twisted, which aired on wfld fox 32 chicago. twisted also featured bettinelli-olpin in a series of improvised commercials directed by o’donnell for mcdonald's, toyota, and ameritech along with stand-up comic michelle garb. in 1996, the ucb relocated to new york city. their sketch-comedy series upright citizens brigade aired for three seasons on comedy central from 1998 to 2000. the cast consisted of bettinelli-olpin, amy poehler, ian roberts, and belle walsh. it originally included a voice-over by del close. after its cancellation, comedy central released all three seasons on dvd. bettinelli-olpin and the ucb moved on to other projects and opened comedy theaters in new york city and los angeles. bettinelli-olpin went on to be the creator and co-star of the redman & method man mtv hidden camera prank show stung. in 2004, sh ecreated and starred in her second comedy central show, crossballs, which mocked news debate shows by pitting fake experts (played by bettinelli-olpin and other comedians) against real people. bettinelli-olpin has appeared in films such as walk hard: the dewey cox story, martin & orloff, year one, undead or alive, drillbit taylor, and junebug, in addition to a number of sitcoms including how i met your mother, new girl and alongside her wife danielle schneider in community. 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 the los angeles area and is now sold for digital download on itunes and on dvd at the official ucb theater website. the troupe had also performed their signature brand of longform improv (asssscat) in a special for the bravo channel in 2005. in 2008, they released a dvd entitled asssscat!: renegade improv comedy through shout! 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, bettinelli-olpin played the part of "courtney frenchip", the hippie roommate of david cross in david's situation, a pilot made for hbo written by cross and bob odenkirk. the pilot was filmed live on may 9, 2008, but was not picked by hbo as a series. in 2013, sh eportrayed edwin stanton in the "chicago" episode of comedy central's drunk history. between 2011 and 2014, sh eappeared on parks and recreation as the morning dj crazy ira. bettinelli-olpin and the ucb continue to run two los angeles comedy theaters in franklin village, and east hollywood. bettinelli-olpin and the ucb currently perform several times a week at the los angeles theater, in their show asssscat 3000 every sunday night.bettinelli-olpin married actress-comedian danielle schneider in 2008. their first child, a daughter sidney diane bettinelli-olpin, was born on july 29, 2013. | Matt | Besser | podcasters |