Joel McHale
Encyclopedia
Joel Edward McHale is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, television producer, television personality, and voice artist
. He is best known for hosting The Soup
and for his role as Jeff Winger on Community
.
McHale's role as a voice actor includes Elliot in Open Season 2
, filling in for Ashton Kutcher
. He also appeared in Spider-Man 2
in a cameo appearance as bank manager Mr. Jacks, CSI: Miami
as Greg Welsh, and Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World
as Wilbur.
on November 20, 1971. His mother, Laurie, is from Vancouver, British Columbia, and his father, Jack, is from Chicago
. McHale and his brothers were born in Rome, where their father worked for an American university. He grew up in the Seattle area, graduating from Mercer Island High School
in 1991. Also he participated at Youth Theatre Northwest.
He received a bachelor's degree
in History from the University of Washington
in 1995. While at the University of Washington, McHale belonged to the Theta Chi
Fraternity. He was recruited to be on the rowing
team, but later walked onto the football team
, playing tight end
for two years. McHale received a Master of Fine Arts
degree from the Professional Actors Training Program at the University of Washington.
cast, a local sketch-comedy TV show produced by Seattle's KING-TV
(Channel 5). From 1993 until 1997, McHale was a member of the improv comedy group at Unexpected Productions
, participating in Theatersports! at the Market Theater located in Pike Place Market
in downtown Seattle.
, CSI: Miami
, and Will & Grace
. He played a TV reporter in the biopic Lords of Dogtown
. He guest-starred as a cast member on the NBC
improv comedy show Thank God You're Here during the pilot episode and had a guest role on an episode of Pushing Daisies
. McHale also appeared in Spider-Man 2
in a small role as Mr. Jacks, a bank manager.
In 2004, McHale began hosting The Soup
, a satirical weekly television show on the "E!" television network. Throughout the show, he takes the audience through the oddities and ridiculous happenings of the week in television. He frequently appears as a co-host on Loveline
. He has also had a long association with Circle X Theatre
, where he has done several plays. McHale was a weekly guest on The Adam Carolla Show
and Mickey and Amelia
, and occasional guest on the Opie and Anthony Show. He has been a judge on Iron Chef America
. He was involved in the American version of the British TV show The IT Crowd
. McHale made a guest appearance on the finale of Last Comic Standing
sixth season, when he recapped the show's events in his typical format of jokes made popular on The Soup
. He usually appeared in Countdown with Keith Olbermann
in a humor sequence closing the show.
On June 1, 2009, McHale hosted Ubisoft
's media event at E3, showing off new and unannounced titles and introducing other guests. He filmed The Informant! in Decatur, Illinois
, in which he played FBI Agent Robert Herndon, alongside Matt Damon
. On June 14, 2010, McHale hosted Ubisoft
's Press Conference event at E3 2010, introducing such guests as Shaun White
for his new video game project, as well as various new and unannounced titles.
He currently stars in Community
, which premiered in fall 2009. He also continues to host The Soup
.
after Ashton Kutcher
declined to reprise his role.
.
Voice acting
Voice acting is the art of providing voices for animated characters and radio and audio dramas and comedy, as well as doing voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides.Performers are called...
. He is best known for hosting The Soup
The Soup
The Soup is an E! Entertainment Television weekly series; it is a revamped version of Talk Soup that focuses on recaps of various pop culture and television show moments of the week...
and for his role as Jeff Winger on Community
Community (TV series)
Community is an American television comedy series created by Dan Harmon that airs on NBC. The series is about a group of students at a community college in the fictional locale of Greendale, Colorado. The series heavily uses meta-humor and pop culture references, often parodying film and television...
.
McHale's role as a voice actor includes Elliot in Open Season 2
Open Season 2
Open Season 2 is a direct-to-video sequel to the 2006 computer animated film Open Season, produced by Sony Pictures Animation, directed by Matthew O'Callaghan, co-directed by Todd Wilderman, and produced by Kirk Bodyfelt and Matthew O'Callaghan....
, filling in for Ashton Kutcher
Ashton Kutcher
Christopher Ashton Kutcher , best known as Ashton Kutcher, is an American actor, producer, former fashion model and comedian, best known for his portrayal of Michael Kelso in the Fox sitcom That '70s Show...
. He also appeared in Spider-Man 2
Spider-Man 2
Spider-Man 2 is a 2004 American superhero film directed by Sam Raimi, written by Alvin Sargent and developed by Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, and Michael Chabon. It is the second film in the Spider-Man film franchise based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man...
in a cameo appearance as bank manager Mr. Jacks, CSI: Miami
CSI: Miami
CSI: Miami is an American police procedural television series, which premiered on September 23, 2002 on CBS. The series is a spin-off of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation....
as Greg Welsh, and Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World
Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World
Spy Kids: All the Time in the World is an American 4D family-oriented adventure film directed by Robert Rodriguez and the fourth installment in the Spy Kids series. It was released on August 19, 2011...
as Wilbur.
Early life
McHale, the middle of three brothers, was born in Rome, ItalyRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
on November 20, 1971. His mother, Laurie, is from Vancouver, British Columbia, and his father, Jack, is from Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. McHale and his brothers were born in Rome, where their father worked for an American university. He grew up in the Seattle area, graduating from Mercer Island High School
Mercer Island High School
Mercer Island High School is a public high school located in Mercer Island, Washington in the U.S., as part of the Mercer Island School District....
in 1991. Also he participated at Youth Theatre Northwest.
He received a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in History from the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
in 1995. While at the University of Washington, McHale belonged to the Theta Chi
Theta Chi
Theta Chi Fraternity is an international college fraternity. It was founded on April 10, 1856 as the Theta Chi Society, at Norwich University, Norwich, Vermont, U.S., and was the 21st of the 71 North-American Interfraternity Conference men's fraternities.-Founding and early years at Norwich:Theta...
Fraternity. He was recruited to be on the rowing
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
team, but later walked onto the football team
Washington Huskies football
College football has a long history at the University of Washington. The Washington Huskies have won 15 Pacific-10 Conference championships, seven Rose Bowl titles, and three national championships. Washington's all-time record of 653-398-50 ranks 20th by all-time winning percentage and 21st by...
, playing tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
for two years. McHale received a Master of Fine Arts
Master of Fine Arts
A Master of Fine Arts is a graduate degree typically requiring 2–3 years of postgraduate study beyond the bachelor's degree , although the term of study will vary by country or by university. The MFA is usually awarded in visual arts, creative writing, filmmaking, dance, or theatre/performing arts...
degree from the Professional Actors Training Program at the University of Washington.
Stand-up comedy
McHale was part of the Almost Live!Almost Live!
Almost Live! was a local sketch comedy television show in Seattle, Washington, USA, produced and broadcast by NBC affiliate KING-TV from 1984 to 1999. A re-packaged version of the show also aired on Comedy Central from 1992 to 1993, and episodes aired on WGRZ-TV in the late 1990s. The show was...
cast, a local sketch-comedy TV show produced by Seattle's KING-TV
KING-TV
KING-TV, virtual channel 5, is a television station in Seattle, Washington, affiliated with the NBC network. Owned by Belo Corporation, it broadcasts on UHF digital channel 48. Its offices and broadcasting center are located just east of Seattle Center...
(Channel 5). From 1993 until 1997, McHale was a member of the improv comedy group at Unexpected Productions
Unexpected Productions
Unexpected Productions is an improvisational comedy company in Seattle, Washington, USA. From their home at the Market Theater in Seattle's historic Pike Place Market, Unexpected Productions produces year-round shows, teaches improv classes, and hosts the Seattle International Festival of...
, participating in Theatersports! at the Market Theater located in Pike Place Market
Pike Place Market
Pike Place Market is a public market overlooking the Elliott Bay waterfront in Seattle, Washington, United States. The Market opened August 17, 1907, and is one of the oldest continually operated public farmers' markets in the United States. It is a place of business for many small farmers,...
in downtown Seattle.
Acting
After earning his master's degree in acting, McHale moved to Los Angeles and landed small roles in Oliver BeeneOliver Beene
Oliver Beene is an American sitcom that premiered on Fox on March 9, 2003. The show was created by Howard Gewirtz. Set in 1962 and 1963, the show chronicled the trials and tribulations of the 11-to-12-year-old Oliver Beene , in first person perspective...
, CSI: Miami
CSI: Miami
CSI: Miami is an American police procedural television series, which premiered on September 23, 2002 on CBS. The series is a spin-off of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation....
, and Will & Grace
Will & Grace
Will & Grace was an American television sitcom that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 21, 1998 to May 18, 2006 for a total of eight seasons. Will & Grace remains the most successful television series with gay principal characters...
. He played a TV reporter in the biopic Lords of Dogtown
Lords of Dogtown
Lords of Dogtown is a 2005 biographical film directed by Catherine Hardwicke, written by Stacy Peralta. The film is based on the story of "The Z-Boys", an influential group of skateboarders who revolutionized the sport...
. He guest-starred as a cast member on the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
improv comedy show Thank God You're Here during the pilot episode and had a guest role on an episode of Pushing Daisies
Pushing Daisies
Pushing Daisies is an American comedy-drama television series created by Bryan Fuller that aired on ABC from October 3, 2007 to June 13, 2009. The series stars Lee Pace as Ned, a pie-maker with the ability to bring dead things back to life with his touch, an ability that comes with stipulations...
. McHale also appeared in Spider-Man 2
Spider-Man 2
Spider-Man 2 is a 2004 American superhero film directed by Sam Raimi, written by Alvin Sargent and developed by Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, and Michael Chabon. It is the second film in the Spider-Man film franchise based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man...
in a small role as Mr. Jacks, a bank manager.
In 2004, McHale began hosting The Soup
The Soup
The Soup is an E! Entertainment Television weekly series; it is a revamped version of Talk Soup that focuses on recaps of various pop culture and television show moments of the week...
, a satirical weekly television show on the "E!" television network. Throughout the show, he takes the audience through the oddities and ridiculous happenings of the week in television. He frequently appears as a co-host on Loveline
Loveline
Loveline is a syndicated radio call-in program in North America, offering medical and relationship advice to listeners, often with the assistance of guests, typically actors and musicians. Its flagship station is KROQ-FM in Los Angeles....
. He has also had a long association with Circle X Theatre
Circle X Theatre
Circle X is an award winning not-for-profit ensemble theatre company located in Hollywood, California. Circle X's productions have been described by critics as "refreshingly original and imaginative" and "consistently stellar".-Overview:...
, where he has done several plays. McHale was a weekly guest on The Adam Carolla Show
The Adam Carolla Show
The Adam Carolla Show was a syndicated morning radio program, which began airing on January 3, 2006 and ended on February 20, 2009. The show was produced by CBS Radio as part of its Free FM format, and was based out of KLSX in Los Angeles. On February 20, KLSX changed format from hot talk to Top...
and Mickey and Amelia
Mickey and Amelia
Mickey, Amelia & Spiegel is a local radio show that broadcasts out of Baltimore, Maryland, on WIYY, 98Rock . The morning show runs Monday through Friday from 5:30AM-10AM, starring Mickey Cucchiella, Amelia Ryerse and Josh Spiegel with their producer Scott Reardon.-Personalities:*Mickey Cucchiella:...
, and occasional guest on the Opie and Anthony Show. He has been a judge on Iron Chef America
Iron Chef America
Iron Chef America: The Series is an American cooking show based on Fuji Television's Iron Chef, and is the second American adaptation of the series, following the failed Iron Chef USA. The show is produced by Food Network, which also carried a dubbed version of the original Iron Chef. Like the...
. He was involved in the American version of the British TV show The IT Crowd
The IT Crowd
The IT Crowd is a British sitcom by Channel 4, written by Graham Linehan, produced by Ash Atalla and starring Chris O'Dowd, Richard Ayoade, Katherine Parkinson and Matt Berry...
. McHale made a guest appearance on the finale of Last Comic Standing
Last Comic Standing
Last Comic Standing is an American reality television talent show that has aired from 2003 through 2010.The goal of the program is to select a comedian from a group, who will receive a development contract with the NBC network, and a television special first to air on the cable-TV network Comedy...
sixth season, when he recapped the show's events in his typical format of jokes made popular on The Soup
The Soup
The Soup is an E! Entertainment Television weekly series; it is a revamped version of Talk Soup that focuses on recaps of various pop culture and television show moments of the week...
. He usually appeared in Countdown with Keith Olbermann
Countdown with Keith Olbermann
Countdown with Keith Olbermann is an hour-long weeknight news and political commentary program that airs on Current TV, where it began airing on June 20, 2011. The program was broadcast on MSNBC from March 31, 2003, to January 21, 2011. On MSNBC, the show presented five selected news stories of...
in a humor sequence closing the show.
On June 1, 2009, McHale hosted Ubisoft
Ubisoft
Ubisoft Entertainment S.A. is a major French video game publisher and developer, with headquarters in Montreuil, France. The company has a worldwide presence with 25 studios in 17 countries and subsidiaries in 26 countries....
's media event at E3, showing off new and unannounced titles and introducing other guests. He filmed The Informant! in Decatur, Illinois
Decatur, Illinois
Decatur is the largest city and the county seat of Macon County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The city, sometimes called "the Soybean Capital of the World", was founded in 1823 and is located along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in Central Illinois. In 2000 the city population was 81,500,...
, in which he played FBI Agent Robert Herndon, alongside Matt Damon
Matt Damon
Matthew Paige "Matt" Damon is an American actor, screenwriter, and philanthropist whose career was launched following the success of the film Good Will Hunting , from a screenplay he co-wrote with friend Ben Affleck...
. On June 14, 2010, McHale hosted Ubisoft
Ubisoft
Ubisoft Entertainment S.A. is a major French video game publisher and developer, with headquarters in Montreuil, France. The company has a worldwide presence with 25 studios in 17 countries and subsidiaries in 26 countries....
's Press Conference event at E3 2010, introducing such guests as Shaun White
Shaun White
Shaun Roger White is an American professional snowboarder and skateboarder. He is a two-time Olympic gold medalist. He rides regular stance, twelve and negative three degrees on his board.-Early life:Shaun White is an Irish American...
for his new video game project, as well as various new and unannounced titles.
He currently stars in Community
Community (TV series)
Community is an American television comedy series created by Dan Harmon that airs on NBC. The series is about a group of students at a community college in the fictional locale of Greendale, Colorado. The series heavily uses meta-humor and pop culture references, often parodying film and television...
, which premiered in fall 2009. He also continues to host The Soup
The Soup
The Soup is an E! Entertainment Television weekly series; it is a revamped version of Talk Soup that focuses on recaps of various pop culture and television show moments of the week...
.
Voice acting
McHale provided the voice of Elliot in Open Season 2Open Season 2
Open Season 2 is a direct-to-video sequel to the 2006 computer animated film Open Season, produced by Sony Pictures Animation, directed by Matthew O'Callaghan, co-directed by Todd Wilderman, and produced by Kirk Bodyfelt and Matthew O'Callaghan....
after Ashton Kutcher
Ashton Kutcher
Christopher Ashton Kutcher , best known as Ashton Kutcher, is an American actor, producer, former fashion model and comedian, best known for his portrayal of Michael Kelso in the Fox sitcom That '70s Show...
declined to reprise his role.
Personal life
McHale married Sarah Williams in 1996. They have two sons: Edward Roy, "Eddie" (born 2005) and Isaac Hayden (born 2008). McHale and Williams live in the Hollywood HillsHollywood Hills
The Hollywood Hills is an affluent and exclusive neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, in the southeastern Santa Monica Mountains. It is bound by Laurel Canyon Boulevard to the west, Vermont Avenue to the east, Mulholland Drive to the north, and Sunset Boulevard to the south.-Hollywood Hills...
.
Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2004 | Spider-Man 2 Spider-Man 2 Spider-Man 2 is a 2004 American superhero film directed by Sam Raimi, written by Alvin Sargent and developed by Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, and Michael Chabon. It is the second film in the Spider-Man film franchise based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man... |
Mr. Jacks | |
| 2005 | Lords of Dogtown Lords of Dogtown Lords of Dogtown is a 2005 biographical film directed by Catherine Hardwicke, written by Stacy Peralta. The film is based on the story of "The Z-Boys", an influential group of skateboarders who revolutionized the sport... |
TV Reporter | |
| 2005 | Game Time | Johnson | |
| 2006 | Mini's First Time Mini's First Time Mini's First Time is a 2006 comedy/drama film written and directed by Nick Guthe. It was screened at the Tribeca Film Festival on May 1, 2006 and had a limited release on July 14, 2006. It was released on DVD on October 24, 2006 by HBO Films.-Plot:... |
Host | |
| 2008 | The Onion Movie The Onion Movie The Onion Movie is a comedy film written by The Onion writers Robert D. Siegel and Todd Hanson along with the Chicago-based writing staff of the paper... |
Office Worker | Uncredited |
| 2008 | Open Season 2 Open Season 2 Open Season 2 is a direct-to-video sequel to the 2006 computer animated film Open Season, produced by Sony Pictures Animation, directed by Matthew O'Callaghan, co-directed by Todd Wilderman, and produced by Kirk Bodyfelt and Matthew O'Callaghan.... |
Elliot | Direct-to-video Direct-to-video Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television... Voice only Replacing Ashton Kutcher Ashton Kutcher Christopher Ashton Kutcher , best known as Ashton Kutcher, is an American actor, producer, former fashion model and comedian, best known for his portrayal of Michael Kelso in the Fox sitcom That '70s Show... |
| 2009 | The Informant! | FBI Agent Robert Herndon | |
| 2011 | What's Your Number? What's Your Number? What's Your Number? is a 2011 romantic comedy film starring Anna Faris and Chris Evans. It is based on Karyn Bosnak's book 20 Times a Lady. The film was released on , 2011.-Cast:* Anna Faris as Ally Darling* Chris Evans as Colin Shea... |
Paul Tyler | |
| 2011 | Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World Spy Kids: All the Time in the World is an American 4D family-oriented adventure film directed by Robert Rodriguez and the fourth installment in the Spy Kids series. It was released on August 19, 2011... |
Wilbur | |
| 2011 | The Big Year The Big Year The Big Year is a 2011 comedy film starring Steve Martin, Jack Black, Owen Wilson, Jim Parsons, Rashida Jones, Anjelica Huston, Dianne Wiest, JoBeth Williams, Brian Dennehy, Rosamund Pike and Tim Blake Nelson. The Big Year was directed by David Frankel and written by Howard Franklin... |
Skeeter Yablans | |
| 2012 | Ted Ted (film) Ted is an upcoming American comedy film directed by Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane and starring Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis and Laura Vandervoort. Filming began in May 2011 in Boston and Swampscott... |
Rex | Filming |
Television work
| Television | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1993-1997 | Almost Live! Almost Live! Almost Live! was a local sketch comedy television show in Seattle, Washington, USA, produced and broadcast by NBC affiliate KING-TV from 1984 to 1999. A re-packaged version of the show also aired on Comedy Central from 1992 to 1993, and episodes aired on WGRZ-TV in the late 1990s. The show was... |
||
| 1998 | Bill Nye the Science Guy Bill Nye the Science Guy Bill Nye the Science Guy is an educational television program that originally aired from September 10, 1993 to June 20, 1998, hosted by Bill Nye and produced by Buena Vista Television. The show aired on PBS Kids and was also syndicated to local stations, making it the second first-run television... |
||
| 2001 | Will & Grace Will & Grace Will & Grace was an American television sitcom that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 21, 1998 to May 18, 2006 for a total of eight seasons. Will & Grace remains the most successful television series with gay principal characters... |
Ian | |
| 2004–present | The Soup The Soup The Soup is an E! Entertainment Television weekly series; it is a revamped version of Talk Soup that focuses on recaps of various pop culture and television show moments of the week... |
Himself – Host | |
| 2005 | The Huntress The Huntress (TV series) The Huntress is an American TV series that appeared on the USA Network over subsequent summers of the 2000 and 2001 television seasons. It was inspired by a book about the real bounty hunter, Dottie Thorson, and is also a belated sequel to the 1980 Steve McQueen film, The Hunter.-Cast:*Annette... |
||
| 2006 | The Fugitive | ||
| 2006 | Diagnosis: Murder Diagnosis: Murder Diagnosis: Murder is a mystery/medical/crime drama television series starring Dick Van Dyke as Dr. Mark Sloan, a medical doctor who solves crimes with the help of his son, a homicide detective played by his real-life son Barry Van Dyke. The series began as a spin-off of Jake and the Fatman... |
||
| 2007 | The IT Crowd | Roy | Failed Pilot |
| 2008 | Robot Chicken Robot Chicken Robot Chicken is an American stop motion animated television series created and executive produced by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich along with co-head writers Douglas Goldstein and Tom Root. Green provides many voices for the show... |
Various | Voice only |
| 2008 | CSI: Miami CSI: Miami CSI: Miami is an American police procedural television series, which premiered on September 23, 2002 on CBS. The series is a spin-off of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.... |
Greg Welch | |
| 2009 | Pushing Daisies Pushing Daisies Pushing Daisies is an American comedy-drama television series created by Bryan Fuller that aired on ABC from October 3, 2007 to June 13, 2009. The series stars Lee Pace as Ned, a pie-maker with the ability to bring dead things back to life with his touch, an ability that comes with stipulations... |
Harold Hundin | |
| 2009–present | Community Community (TV series) Community is an American television comedy series created by Dan Harmon that airs on NBC. The series is about a group of students at a community college in the fictional locale of Greendale, Colorado. The series heavily uses meta-humor and pop culture references, often parodying film and television... |
Jeff Winger | |
| 2010 | Giants of Radio | ||
| 2011 | Phineas and Ferb Phineas and Ferb Phineas and Ferb is an American animated television comedy series. Originally broadcast as a preview on August 17, 2007, on Disney Channel, the series follows Phineas Flynn and his English stepbrother Ferb Fletcher on summer vacation. Every day the boys embark on some grand new project, which... |
Additional Voices | |