Brian Posehn

Comedian, actor and writer Brian Posehn gave an offbeat voice to the outsider mindset in his stand-up act while also embodying a host of oddballs and obsessive types on television series and in the occasional film, including "Mr. Show with Bob and David" (HBO, 1995-98), "Just Shoot Me!" (NBC, 1997-2003) and "The Sarah Silverman Program" (Comedy Central, 2007-2010). The Sacramento, California native began performing in comedy clubs in the early '90s before relocating to Los Angeles break into writing for television. He found steady work on network television, as well as membership in the cast and writing staff for the critically acclaimed "Mr. Show." Posehn's stand-up was featured in the concert film/documentary "The Comedians of Comedy," which led to series work on "Silverman" and his first comedy album, Live In: Nerd Rage (2006). By the 2010s, Posehn was an in-demand comic presence on a wide variety of showcases, from network and children's TV to cutting-edge animation and sketch comedy, all of which underscored his status as one of the independent comedy scene's most popular figures.

Born Brian Edmund Posehn in Sacramento, California on July 6, 1966, Brian Posehn began performing stand-up comedy in his hometown during the early '90s. A back injury inspired him to take a more serious approach to his comedy career, and after recuperating, Posehn relocated to San Francisco, where he performed on the same stand-up circuit with such up-and-coming talent as Patton Oswalt. In 1993, he moved to Los Angeles with the intention of writing for television, though found more opportunities as an actor, playing eccentrics and fringe characters on series like "Friends" (NBC, 1994-2004) and "NewsRadio" (NBC, 1995-1998). During this period, Posehn also wrote for and played numerous characters on the critically acclaimed sketch comedy series "Mr. Show." He soon segued to recurring roles on television, most notably as the quirky mailroom clerk on "Just Shoot Me!" and minor turns in features like "Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd" (2003). His unique look--tall, heavyweight, balding, usually bearded and wearing thick glasses--made him a memorable comic presence.

Posehn's profile received a boost with his participation in the "Comedians of Comedy" tour, which teamed him with Oswalt, Zack Galifianakis and Maria Bamford for a tour of small rock venues instead of comedy clubs. The tour was documented in a 2005 film, also titled "The Comedians of Comedy," which led to greater exposure in the media and more substantive opportunities in films and on television. He released his debut comedy album, Live In: Nerd Rage, in 2006, before joining the cast of "The Sarah Silverman Program." During this period, he also wrote for and appeared on the MTV sketch comedy series "Human Giant" (2007-2008) and contributed voices to numerous animated series, including "Kim Possible" (Disney Channel, 2002-2007), "Metalocalypse" (Adult Swim, 2006-12) and "Sym-Bionic Titan" (Adult Swim, 2010-2011). A second comedy album, Fart and Weiner Jokes (2010), alternated his stand-up material with his love for heavy metal by featuring guest appearances by musicians from Anthrax, Lamb of God and Hatebreed, among other groups. Posehn worked steadily in the 2010s, alternating between character turns in features like "The Five-Year Engagement" (2012) and television work on "The Big Bang Theory" (CBS, 2007- ) and "New Girl" (Fox, 2011- ). His third comedy album, The Fartist, was released in 2013, the same year he began writing the "Deadpool" graphic novel series for Marvel Comics' Marvel NOW! Line.