Joel Hodgson
| Joel Hodgson | |
|---|---|
Hodgson, in August 2008 at Dragon Con
|
|
| Born |
Joel Gordon Hodgson February 20, 1960 Stevens Point, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Bethel University (Minnesota) |
| Occupation | Writer, comedian, actor |
| Website | joelhodgson |
Joel Gordon Hodgson (born February 20, 1960) is an American writer, comedian and television actor. He is best known for creating Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K) and starring in it as the character Joel Robinson. In 2007, MST3K was listed as "one of the top 100 television shows of all time" by Time.com. Between 2007-13, Hodgson was part of the "movie riffing" project Cinematic Titanic with several of his fellow MST3K alumni, performing live and producing content for DVDs and direct download. He also serves as Creative Lead for Media at Cannae, a Pennsylvania technology firm working on new drive technologies for satellites and other spacefaring vehicles.
Hodgson was born in Stevens Point, Wisconsin in 1960. He began his career in seventh grade as a magician and ventriloquist. Joel performed for local events in his hometown of Green Bay, Wisconsin, and attended Ashwaubenon High School. Upon graduation, Joel moved to Minneapolis to attend Bethel University (Minnesota) to study Theatre and Mass Media. While there, Joel further developed his magic act by adding comedy and began opening for musical acts at Bethel as well as performing in coffee houses and comedy clubs. Joel cites a Theatre of the Absurd class at Bethel taught by Dr. David Horn for helping him crystallize the meaning of his comedy. In 1981 he won the Campus Comedy Contest and then the first annual Twin Cities Comedy Invitational in 1982. In November of the same year Joel moved to Los Angeles where he became a regular performer at the Comedy Store and the Hollywood Magic Castle, as well as the Comedy Magic Club. At the Comedy Magic Club, Joel was spotted by Late Night with David Letterman producer Barry Sand and three months later at age 22 had his network television debut. He later made four other appearances on the Letterman show, as well as four on Saturday Night Live as a guest act. Joel also was a featured performer on HBO’s "Eighth annual Young Comedians special hosted by John Candy" along with Bill Maher, Paula Poundstone, and the Amazing Johnathan.
...
Wikipedia