Bruce Baum
Encyclopedia
Bruce Baum is an American comedian
. His live act consists of prop comedy
as well as more traditional stand-up
material. One of his best-known stand-up routines is his diaper-wearing Babyman character. Baum is recognized for his large mustache and long hair and is often described as a David Crosby
look-alike.
Baum was a football
player at UCLA, but transferred to the University of California-Davis to receive more playing time. At UC-Davis, he earned a degree in political science while performing impromptu comedy routines in the school library and food commons. He returned to UCLA to earn a master's degree in film, and while working on film school projects, met comedians such as Garry Shandling
, Robin Williams
, and Bob Saget
. He joined the stand-up circuit in 1977. He also appeared on the short lived revival of the TV game show Make Me Laugh
.
In 1981, Baum, billed as Bruce "Baby Man" Baum, recorded the popular comedy song "Marty Feldman
Eyes", a parody of the Kim Carnes
hit "Bette Davis Eyes
".
Baum has appeared in several television programs since the early 1980s, including The Stockard Channing Show
, Growing Pains
, Full House
, and Northern Exposure
. He also appeared as an animated version of himself on The Simpsons
, guest-starring with Jay Leno
, Janeane Garofalo
, Steven Wright
, and Bobcat Goldthwait
in the episode "The Last Temptation of Krust
".
In 2008, Baum claimed he was one of the co-authors of the Letters From a Nut series of books, written under the pseudonym Ted L. Nancy
. In September 2010, Jerry Seinfeld
went on The Today Show and claimed that the actual author was Barry Marder. Afterwards, however, Baum posted a YouTube
response displaying contracts, insurance binders and U.S. Copyright records
confirming his claim of co-authorship of the first three Letters From A Nut books and co-creatorship of the character "Ted L. Nancy".
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
. His live act consists of prop comedy
Prop comedy
Prop comedy is a comedy genre that makes use of humorous objects, or conventional objects used in humorous ways. The stage and film term "prop", an abbreviation of "property", refers to any object handled by an actor in the course of a performance. Although some form of prop comedy has likely...
as well as more traditional stand-up
Stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
material. One of his best-known stand-up routines is his diaper-wearing Babyman character. Baum is recognized for his large mustache and long hair and is often described as a David Crosby
David Crosby
David Van Cortlandt Crosby is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. In addition to his solo career, he was a founding member of three bands: The Byrds, Crosby, Stills & Nash , and CPR...
look-alike.
Baum was a football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player at UCLA, but transferred to the University of California-Davis to receive more playing time. At UC-Davis, he earned a degree in political science while performing impromptu comedy routines in the school library and food commons. He returned to UCLA to earn a master's degree in film, and while working on film school projects, met comedians such as Garry Shandling
Garry Shandling
Garry Emmanuel Shandling is an American comedian, actor and writer. He is best known for his work in It's Garry Shandling's Show and The Larry Sanders Show....
, Robin Williams
Robin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance...
, and Bob Saget
Bob Saget
Robert Lane "Bob" Saget is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and television host. Although he is best known for his roles as Danny Tanner in Full House, host of America's Funniest Home Videos and Future Ted Mosby on How I Met Your Mother, Saget is also known outside of television for his blue...
. He joined the stand-up circuit in 1977. He also appeared on the short lived revival of the TV game show Make Me Laugh
Make Me Laugh
Make Me Laugh was an American game show in which contestants watched three stand-up comedians performing their acts, one at a time, earning one dollar for every second that they could make it through without laughing. Each comedian got sixty seconds to try to crack the contestant up...
.
In 1981, Baum, billed as Bruce "Baby Man" Baum, recorded the popular comedy song "Marty Feldman
Marty Feldman
Martin Alan "Marty" Feldman was an English comedy writer, comedian and actor who starred in a series of British television comedy shows, including At Last the 1948 Show, and Marty, which won two BAFTA awards and was the first Saturn Award winner for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Young...
Eyes", a parody of the Kim Carnes
Kim Carnes
Kim Carnes is an American singer-songwriter. She is a two-time Grammy Award winner noted for her distinctive raspy vocal style. Some people have called her "The Female Rod Stewart" due to her raspy voice....
hit "Bette Davis Eyes
Bette Davis Eyes
"Bette Davis Eyes" is a song written in 1974 by Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon and made popular by American singer-songwriter Kim Carnes.-History:...
".
Baum has appeared in several television programs since the early 1980s, including The Stockard Channing Show
The Stockard Channing Show
The Stockard Channing Show is an American sitcom starring Stockard Channing, Ron Silver, Sydney Goldsmith , Max Showalter and Jack Somack....
, Growing Pains
Growing Pains
Growing Pains is an American television sitcom about an affluent family, residing in Huntington, New York, with a working mother and a stay-at-home psychiatrist father raising three children together, which aired on ABC from September 24, 1985 to April 25, 1992.-Synopsis:The show's premise is based...
, Full House
Full House
Full House is an American sitcom television series. Set in San Francisco, the show chronicles widowed father Danny Tanner, who, after the death of his wife, enlists his best friend Joey Gladstone and his brother-in-law Jesse Katsopolis to help raise his three daughters, D.J., Stephanie, and...
, and Northern Exposure
Northern Exposure
Northern Exposure is an American television series that ran on CBS from 1990 to 1995, with a total of 110 episodes.-Overview:The series was given a pair of consecutive Peabody Awards: in 1991–92 for the show's "depict[ion] in a comedic and often poetic way, [of] the cultural clash between a...
. He also appeared as an animated version of himself on The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
, guest-starring with Jay Leno
Jay Leno
James Douglas Muir "Jay" Leno is an American stand-up comedian and television host.From 1992 to 2009, Leno was the host of NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Beginning in September 2009, Leno started a primetime talk show, titled The Jay Leno Show, which aired weeknights at 10:00 p.m. ,...
, Janeane Garofalo
Janeane Garofalo
Janeane Garofalo is an American stand-up comedian, actress, political activist and writer. She is the former co-host on the now defunct Air America Radio's The Majority Report. Garofalo continues to circulate regularly within New York City's local comedy and performance art scene.-Early...
, Steven Wright
Steven Wright
Steven Alexander Wright is an American comedian, actor and writer. He is known for his distinctly lethargic voice and slow, deadpan delivery of ironic, philosophical and sometimes nonsensical jokes and one-liners with contrived situations.-Early life and career:Wright was born in Mount Auburn...
, and Bobcat Goldthwait
Bobcat Goldthwait
Robert Francis "Bobcat" Goldthwait is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and film and television director. He is commonly known for his energetic, ravenous stage personality, his dark, acerbic black comedy, and his gruff but high-pitched voice.- Early life :Goldthwait was born in Syracuse,...
in the episode "The Last Temptation of Krust
The Last Temptation of Krust
"The Last Temptation of Krust" is the 15th episode of The Simpsons ninth season. It was written by Donick Cary and directed by Mike B. Anderson. The episode first aired on February 22, 1998. Comedian Jay Leno makes a guest appearance...
".
In 2008, Baum claimed he was one of the co-authors of the Letters From a Nut series of books, written under the pseudonym Ted L. Nancy
Ted L. Nancy
Ted L. Nancy is the pseudonym used by the comedian Barry Marder, author of a number of prank letters which have been published in a series of bestselling books under the titles Letters from a Nut, More Letters from a Nut, Extra Nutty!: Even More Letters from a Nut, and the new book All New Letters...
. In September 2010, Jerry Seinfeld
Jerry Seinfeld
Jerome Allen "Jerry" Seinfeld is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and television and film producer, known for playing a semi-fictional version of himself in the situation comedy Seinfeld , which he co-created and co-wrote with Larry David, and, in the show's final two seasons,...
went on The Today Show and claimed that the actual author was Barry Marder. Afterwards, however, Baum posted a YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
response displaying contracts, insurance binders and U.S. Copyright records
confirming his claim of co-authorship of the first three Letters From A Nut books and co-creatorship of the character "Ted L. Nancy".