Jason Mantzoukas
| Jason Mantzoukas | |
|---|---|
|
Mantzoukas in January 2013. | |
| Born |
December 18, 1972 Nahant, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor, comedian, writer |
| Years active | 1998–present |
Jason Mantzoukas (born December 18, 1972) is an American comedic actor best known for his recurring role as Rafi in the FX comedy series The League and his role in The Dictator.
Mantzoukas has appeared in such films as Sleeping with Other People, They Came Together, and Conception. He also co-hosts the popular film discussion podcast How Did This Get Made? alongside Paul Scheer and June Diane Raphael.
Early life
Mantzoukas was born in Nahant, Massachusetts. He was an accomplished drummer in high school, anchoring a band named Slygoul. He attended Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont.[1] Mantzoukas lived in the Middle East a few years after graduation, studying musicology as a Watson Fellow.[2][3] He has described himself as being of "100 percent Greek" descent.[2][4]
Career
He began performing improvisational comedy while attending Middlebury College in Vermont as a part of the Otter Nonsense Players. After college, Mantzoukas studied music and lived abroad for several years, traveling to North Africa and the Middle East. After moving to New York in 1998, he began performing comedy regularly at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater (UCBT) where he was a member of the improv team "Mother", one of the UCBT's earliest house teams. He continues to perform in the weekly show "Soundtrack", an improvised show based on iPod playlists from audience members.[5] Mantzoukas continues to perform and teach at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in Los Angeles. Mantzoukas has appeared in movies such as Baby Mama and I Hate Valentine's Day and The Dictator and has made guest appearances in comedy programs such as The Life & Times of Tim, Parks and Recreation, Enlightened, Broad City, Kroll Show, Modern Family, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. He currently co-hosts the Earwolf podcast How Did This Get Made? along with Paul Scheer and June Diane Raphael. Although he is often cast as characters of Middle Eastern ethnicity, Mantzoukas is of Greek descent.[6] Mantzoukas and comedian Ed Herbstman performed as comedy duo "The Mantzoukas Brothers" for a number of years, and they were named "Best Improv Duo" by Time Out New York magazine in 2006.[7] Mantzoukas appears in the recurring roles of Rafi on the FX comedy The League and Eagle Wing in the "Gigolo House" sketches on Comedy Central's sketch series Kroll Show.
Mantzoukas co-wrote the screenplay for the 2014 Ice Cube and Kevin Hart comedy Ride Along. He has also served as a consulting writer and producer on comedy programs such as Childrens Hospital and Portlandia.[8]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Terrorists | John Stevens | |
| 2007 | American Loser | Luggage Channel Guy | |
| 2008 | Baby Mama | Gay Couple | |
| 2009 | I Hate Valentine's Day | Brian Blowdell | |
| 2009 | Splinterheads | The Amazing Steve | |
| 2010 | Please Give | Shopper | |
| 2011 | Conception | Brian | |
| 2012 | The Dictator | Nadal | |
| 2014 | They Came Together | Bob | |
| 2014 | Stretch | Manny the Valet | |
| 2014 | Neighbors | Doctor Theodorakis | |
| 2014 | Adult Beginners | Herman | |
| 2014 | Search Party | The Amazing Hugo | |
| 2015 | Sleeping with Other People | Xander | |
| 2015 | Regular Show: The Movie | Mr. Ross (voice) | |
| 2015 | The Night Before | Bad Santa #1 | |
| 2016 | Dirty Grandpa | Pam | |
| 2016 | Donald Trump's The Art of the Deal: The Movie | Homeless Man | |
| 2016 | How to Be Single | George | |
| 2017 | The Masterpiece | Peter Anway | Post-production |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Upright Citizens Brigade | Orgy Man | Episode: "Sex" |
| 2007 | Human Giant | Human Giant's #1 fan | Episode: "24 Hour Marathon" |
| 2008 | Squidbillies | Pine Booby (voice) | Episode: "Flight of the Deep Fried Pine Booby" |
| 2010–2012 | The Life & Times of Tim | Various Characters (voice) | 3 episodes |
| 2010–2015 | The League | Rafi | 30 episodes |
| 2011 | Traffic Light | Dimitry | Episode: "En Fuego" |
| 2011 | Childrens Hospital | Mole Man | Episode: "Newsreaders" |
| 2011–2013 | Enlightened | Omar Ali | 8 episodes |
| 2011–2015 | Parks and Recreation | Dennis Feinstein | 4 episodes |
| 2012 | NTSF:SD:SUV:: | Hank Schiller | Episode: "Comic-Con-Flict" |
| 2013 | Modern Family | Kenny | Episode: "Party Crasher" |
| 2013 | Bob's Burgers | Mr. Manoogian (voice) | Episode: "The Unnatural" |
| 2013 | The Greatest Event in Television History | Director | Episode: "Too Close for Comfort" |
| 2013 | The Jeselnik Offensive | Himself | Episode 1.8 |
| 2013–2015 | Kroll Show | Various Characters | 9 episodes |
| 2013–2016 | Comedy Bang! Bang! | Himself / Chef Luigi Lugosi | 4 episodes |
| 2014 | Broad City | Creepy DJ #2 | Episode: "Fattest Asses" |
| 2014 | Review | Crazed Driver | Episode: "Road Rage; Orgy" |
| 2014 | Playing House | C.J. Wolfe | Episode: "Drumline" |
| 2014–2015 | Transparent | Dr. Steve | 4 episodes |
| 2014–2015 | Drunk History | Eddie Aikau / Popé | 2 episodes |
| 2015 | Regular Show | Sad Sax Guy / Scabby Grossman (voice) | 3 episodes |
| 2015 | Community | Matt Lundergard | Episode: "Queer Studies & Advanced Waxing" |
| 2016 | Animals. | Fink (voice) | Episode: "Rats." |
| 2016 | Brooklyn Nine-Nine | Adrian Pimento | 6 episodes |
| 2016 | American Dad! | Theodore (voice) | Episode: "N.S.A. (No Snoops Allowed)" |
| 2016 | Bajillion Dollar Propertie$ | Jerry | Episode: "Uncle Jerry" |
| 2016 | Lady Dynamite | Karl Grisham | Episode: "Loaf Coach" |
| 2016 | Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life | Robert Castellanos | Episode: "Spring" |
| 2016 | Mr. Neighbor's House | Producer; TV special | |
| 2017 | Big Mouth | (voice) |
Podcasts
| Year | Name | Role | Notes |
| 2010–present | How Did This Get Made? | Co-Host | •147 appearances |
| 2010–2016 | Comedy Bang! Bang! | Various | •26 appearances |
| 2012–2015 | Who Charted? | Himself | •4 appearances |
| 2012 | Sklarbro Country | Himself | •1 appearance |
| 2012–2015 | improv4humans | Various | •6 appearances |
| 2012–2015 | Affirmation Nation with Bob Ducca | Mitchell | •10 appearances |
| 2012–2013 | You Made It Weird | Himself | •2 appearances |
| 2012, 2014 | Totally Laime | Himself | •2 appearances |
| 2012 | Earwolf Presents | Eric "Gutterballs" Gutterman | •1 appearance |
| 2013 | Kevin Pollak's Chat Show | Himself | •1 appearance |
| 2014 | The Andy Daly Podcast Pilot Project | Falcon | •1 appearance |
| 2014 | Hollywood Handbook | Himself | •1 appearance |
| 2014 | Never Not Funny | Himself | •1 appearance |
| 2014–2015 | Reading Aloud | Himself | •2 appearances |
| 2015 | WOMP It Up! | Eric "Gutterballs" Gutterman | •2 appearances |
| 2015 | Black List Table Reads | Himself | •6 appearances |
| 2015–2016 | Gilmore Guys | Himself | •4 appearances |
| 2015 | Crybabies | Himself | •1 appearance |
| 2016 | Reply All | Himself | •2 appearances |
| 2016 | Anna Faris is Unqualified | Himself | •1 appearance |
| 2016 | SPONTANEANATION with Paul F. Tompkins | Himself | •1 appearance |
| 2016 | With Special Guest Lauren Lapkus | Alex Papas | •1 appearance |
| 2016 | OMFG! | Himself | •1 appearance |
References
- ↑ "Arts | Middlebury". middlebury.edu. Middlebury College. Retrieved 2016-08-02.
- 1 2 Rottenberg, Jason (May 18, 2012). "'The Dictators Jason Mantzoukas". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
- ↑ Dana Young (2014-12-28), KPCS: Jason Mantzoukas #174, retrieved 2016-08-02
- ↑ Jones, Patty (2012-05-09). "The Dictator wields a comic arsenal". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved 2013-10-12.
- ↑ Shashoua, Michael. "The Jester Interview: Jason Mantzoukas". The Jester Interview: Jason Mantzoukas.
- ↑ Jones, Patty (2012-05-10). "The Dictator wields a comic arsenal | Vancouver, Canada". Straight.com. Retrieved 2012-05-30.
- ↑ "The Mantzoukas Brothers". Best New York Comedy. Retrieved 2013-10-12.
- ↑ "Jason Mantzoukas". SF Sketchfest. 2012. Archived from the original on 2014-02-26.