Brian Posehn
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American actor, musician and comedian (born 1966)

Brian Posehn ( ; born July 6, 1966)[1] is an American stand-up comedian, actor, voice actor, musician, and writer. After numerous appearances as a television guest star, Posehn acquired his first major recurring role in HBO's Mr. Show with Bob and David (1995–1998). He is known for his roles as Jim Kuback on The WB's Mission Hill and Brian Spukowski on Comedy Central's The Sarah Silverman Program. Posehn had a recurring role on The Big Bang Theory as geologist Bert Kibbler.

As a stand-up comedian, Posehn has released four comedy albums and one standalone music album. He has hosted the online Dungeons & Dragons podcast Nerd Poker since 2012. He has also done voice work for video games such as Halo 2, FusionFall, Brütal Legend, and Minecraft: Story Mode.

Posehn received nominations for two Primetime Emmy Awards in 1998 and 1999 for Outstanding Writing for a Variety or Music Program for his work on Mr. Show with Bob and David, which he shared with the series' writing crew.[2] Posehn also received a nomination for a DVDX Award for Best Original Song in a DVD Premiere Movie in 2003 for Run Ronnie Run!.[3]

Early life

Posehn was born[4] and raised[5] in Sacramento, California. His father died of an allergic reaction to blood medication when he was two years old. He is of German and Irish descent.[6] He graduated from Sonoma Valley High School in 1984.[7] He attended college at California State University, Sacramento.[8] He was able to begin his career after meeting Bob Odenkirk and David Cross in San Francisco, therefore some have attributed that the foundation of his comedy career commenced in the San Francisco Bay Area.[9]

Career

Television work

Posehn began with guest appearances and mainly small roles in TV shows. He was on 28 episodes of Mr. Show with Bob and David (1995–1998), a sketch comedy series on HBO. In a 1996 episode of Friends, he delivered the manuscript in which Joey Tribbiani's soap opera character "Dr. Drake Ramoray" is killed. He appeared as two different characters in NewsRadio: a fan with questions for Jimmy James at a book reading (1997), and a member of Dave's a cappella group "Chock Full o' Notes" (1998). In the Seinfeld episode "The Burning" (1998), he played a patient, when Kramer "was given" gonorrhea. His character was instructed to "act out" to a group of medical students how a surgeon left a sponge in him post surgery. Posehn also wrote the Space Ghost: Coast to Coast episode "Cahill" (1998) with Ben Karlin. He appeared on 29 episodes of the NBC series Just Shoot Me! (1999–2003). He played the voice of Jim in Mission Hill on the WB (1999–2002), and Del Swanson in 3 South on MTV (2002–2003). On an Adult Swim production, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, he voiced the Wisdom Cube in the 2003 episode "The Cubing".

Posehn performed the voice of Gibbons, a tiny man, on several episodes of the Cartoon Network's Tom Goes to the Mayor (2005–2006). He also appeared in the 2005 pilot for The Showbiz Show with David Spade, in a segment called "The Nerd Perspective", in which he gave a scathing criticism of MTV and its declining quality. He also played a mortician in several episodes of Comedy Central's Reno 911!. He was featured on the 2005 documentary series The Comedians of Comedy on Comedy Central and Showtime. He was in a 2007 episode of the improv series Thank God You're Here on NBC and was a celebrity judge on the revived 1970s game show The Gong Show with Dave Attell (2008), on Comedy Central. He co-stars on The Sarah Silverman Program with Steve Agee as a gay couple who is friends with Silverman,[10] and also wrote the season three finale "Wowschwitz". He played himself in the episode "Spagett" of Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, appeared at the Comedy Central Roast of Bob Saget, played the role of a physically disabled man (Scooter Man) in the second season's premiere episode "Slip of the Tongue" of Californication (2008), on Showtime, and played Dethklok's second manager in the Metalocalypse episode "Dethsources", he also wrote the episode "Fatherklok". In 2007 he joined the first season of the MTV sketch comedy series Human Giant, as a writer and performer, and voices Glen Furlblam, the biggest fan of Dr. Two-Brains on the PBS Kids animated series WordGirl. In 2012 he co-wrote the fourth season of Metalocalypse. From 2013 to 2019, Posehn portrayed the recurring character Bert on The Big Bang Theory.

Film work

Film appearances from Posehn include the 2003 comedy film sequel Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd, Grind, the 2005 Rob Zombie horror film The Devil's Rejects, Sleeping Dogs Lie, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, and the 2007 animated feature Surf's Up, where he played Glen Maverick. Posehn appeared as himself in the 2007 documentary Super High Me starring 'marijuana comedian' Doug Benson, the 2008 documentary Nerdcore Rising about MC Frontalot and in a supporting role in Sarah Silverman: Jesus Is Magic.

Posehn voices the character of Murray, a robot, in Rob Zombie's animated The Haunted World of El Superbeasto. He also voiced the character Hayashi in the English dub of Pom Poko.

Stand-up comedy

In 2002, Posehn appeared on Comedy Central Presents, followed by the release of 2005's The Comedians of Comedy, a documentary/live special chronicling a 2004 small-club comedy tour he participated in. The film was followed up by a television series on Comedy Central of the same name. Posehn's debut comedy album Live In: Nerd Rage was released in 2006. He participated in the Comedy Lineup of the 2008 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, which included Louis C.K., Janeane Garofalo and Zach Galifianakis. Posehn performed as part of the Rock N' Roll Comedy set with Jim Norton and Michelle Buteau. During his 2008 routine on Comedy Central Presents he referred to his Wikipedia article, which he supposedly vandalized.[11] In 2010, Posehn released his second album Fart and Wiener Jokes. In 2011, Posehn agreed to perform at the Gathering of the Juggalos. Some of his fans criticized this decision as being "not metal".[12] Posehn countered that "getting a paycheck is metal", and expressed respect towards the Juggalo fan culture, as well as the independent music success of Insane Clown Posse and Psychopathic Records.[12] In 2013, Posehn released his third comedy album and first DVD, The Fartist, and in 2017 his fourth comedy album, Posehn 25x2.

Music

In 2006, Relapse Records released his first album, Live In: Nerd Rage.[13][14] It includes "Metal by Numbers", a song mocking the formulaic nature of modern "metal" at the time of its release.[15] The instrumental tracks feature musicians such as guitarist Scott Ian (of Anthrax), bassist Joey Vera (then of Anthrax, but also of Armored Saint and Fates Warning), drummer John Tempesta (of The Cult and White Zombie), and lead guitarist Jonathan Donais (of Shadows Fall). Posehn also appeared in the Anthrax music videos for "What Doesn't Die" and "Blood Eagle Wings". Posehn appeared on a Season 4 episode of the music talk show That Metal Show and Lamb of God's Walk With Me In Hell DVD, and performed "More Metal Then You", a song that was included on his non-musical stand-up comedy album Fart & Weiner Jokes, with "Brian Posehn's All-Star Band" on the 2010 Revolver Golden Gods Awards. Posehn appeared in The Damned Things music video for "We've Got A Situation Here". He provided backing vocals for Evile's album Five Serpent's Teeth.

In 2020, Posehn released his first music-only album, Grandpa Metal, which featured guest appearances from Brendon Small of Dethklok, Scott Ian, Corey Taylor of Slipknot and Stone Sour, Weird Al Yankovic, Phil Demmel of Machine Head, Michael Starr of Steel Panther and others. The album consists of comedy metal songs, as well as metal covers of "Take On Me" by A-Ha and "The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)" by Ylvis.

Other work

Posehn has provided voice work for video games Brütal Legend as The Hunter[16] and Star Warped as co-narrator Brian.[17] Posehn has also voiced Grunts and various Marines in the 2004 video game Halo 2.

Posehn appeared in the commercial "Ink Fairy" for Staples office supply store in its ad campaign featuring the "Easy Button."

In 2006, Posehn co-wrote the comic book The Last Christmas with writer Gerry Duggan, published by Image Comics (ISBN 1582406766).

In April 2009 Posehn hosted the first American "Golden Gods Awards" for metal music hosted by Revolver Magazine.

As part of the Marvel NOW! initiative Posehn and Gerry Duggan co-wrote the Deadpool ongoing comic series which launched in November 2012, lasting 45 issues. His run ended in April 2015. The first six issues were illustrated by Tony Moore.[18]

Since 2012, Posehn has hosted a podcast called Nerd Poker, where a group of comedians play Dungeons & Dragons. Co-hosts include comic book writer Gerry Duggan and comedian Blaine Capatch, among others.

Posehn has also participated in the Dungeons & Dragons campaign Force Grey: Lost City of Omu, hosted by Matthew Mercer.

Personal life

Posehn married Melanie Truhett in 2004 and has a son with her.[19] While once known for his use of cannabis, Posehn quit smoking marijuana in 2011,[20][21] but resumed smoking about three years later.[22]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes 1998 The Wedding Singer Man at Table 9 Uncredited 2000 The Independent Fan from Casper Uncredited 2000 Desperate but Not Serious Auteur #2 2002 Run Ronnie Run! Tank Also writer 2002 Sorority Boys Haggard Alum 2003 Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd Store clerk 2003 Grind Orville the Scraggly Guy 2003 Brother Bear Additional voices 2004 Adventures in Homeschooling Eugene Drifke Short film 2004 Eulogy Video Store Clerk 2005 Sarah Silverman: Jesus Is Magic Friend 2005 Cake Boy Darrel 2005 The Devil's Rejects Jimmy 2005 Pom Poko Hayashi Voice, English dub[23] 2006 Sleeping Dogs Lie Randy 2006 Ergo Proxy Dog Cop #2 2007 Smiley Face Bus Driver 2007 Undead or Alive Ben 2007 Surf's Up Glen Maverick Voice[23] 2007 Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer Wedding Minister 2008 Spy School Grissom 2008 Sex Drive Carney 2009 The Haunted World of El Superbeasto Murray Voice[23] 2010 Scooby-Doo! Abracadabra-Doo Marlon Whirlen Voice[23] 2011 Lloyd the Conqueror Andy 2012 The Five-Year Engagement Tarquin 2013 Knights of Badassdom Gilberto 2015 Hell and Back Cleb Voice[23] 2015 Uncle Nick Uncle Nick 2017 Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie Mr. Rected Voice[23] 2019 Christmas Magic 2020 The Last Blockbuster Himself

Television

Year Title Role Notes 1995 Empty Nest Painted gut guy Episode: "Harry Weston: Man's Best Friend" 1995–1998 Mr. Show with Bob and David Various 21 episodes; also writer 1996 Friends Messenger Episode: "The One Where Dr. Ramoray Dies" 1996 Party Girl Patron #1 Episode: "Pilot" 1997, 2001 Everybody Loves Raymond Walter / Warren 2 episodes 1997–1998 NewsRadio Brian / Fan 2 episodes 1998 Jenny Guest #3 Episode: "A Girl's Gotta Hang with a Celebrity" 1998 Veronica's Closet The Maintenance Guy Episode: "Veronica's Divorce Papers" 1998 Seinfeld Artie Episode: "The Burning" 1998 The Army Show Eddie 5 episodes 1999 Maggie Janitor Episode: "This Is Just a Test" 1999–2002 Mission Hill Jim Kuback Voice, 13 episodes 1999 Jesse Terry Episode: "Momma Was a Rollin' Stone" 1999–2003 Just Shoot Me! Kevin Liotta 29 episodes 2001 Clerks: The Animated Series Various voices 3 episodes 2001 Becker George Episode: "The Ugly Truth" 2002 Comedy Central Presents Himself Comedy special 2002–2007 Kim Possible Cousin Larry Voice, 5 episodes 2002–2003 3 South Del 13 episodes 2003 Ozzy & Drix Sylvian Fisher Voice, episode: "Growth"[23] 2003 Crank Yankers Clay Voice, episode: "2.19" 2003 Aqua Teen Hunger Force The Real Wisdom Cube Voice, episode: "The Cubing" 2003–2004 The Man Show Writer and consulting producer 2004 Method & Red Guard Episode: "Pilot" 2004 Dave the Barbarian Knuckles the Silly Piggy, Kid Voice, episode: "The Princess and the Peabrain"[23] 2004–2005 The Bernie Mac Show David 2 episodes 2005 American Dad! Dan Vebber Voice, episode: "All About Steve" 2005 Cheap Seats: Without Ron Parker Craig Bogie Episode: "Kids Putt-Putt/Double Dutch" 2005–2006 Tom Goes to the Mayor Gibbons Voice, 4 episodes 2006 Re-Animated Crocco Voice, television film[23] 2006–2007 Reno 911! Stevie the Coroner 3 episodes 2007, 2008 Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! Gibbons, self Voice, 2 episodes 2007–2010 The Sarah Silverman Program Brian Spukowski 32 episodes 2007–2008 Human Giant Various characters 5 episodes; also consultant writer 2007–2008 Out of Jimmy's Head Crocco Voice, 18 episodes[23] 2008 The Mighty B! Ride Guy Voice, episode: "So Happy Together/Sweet Sixteenth" 2008 Transformers: Animated Nino Sexton/Nanosec Voice, 2 episodes[23] 2008–2012 Metalocalypse Melward Fjordslorn Voice, episode: "Dethsources"; also writer 2008 Californication Scooter Man Episode: "Slip of the Tongue" 2008 Comedy Central Presents: 2008 Breakout Comedians Himself Comedy special 2010 Adventure Time Business Man #1 Voice, episode: "Business Time"[23] 2010 The Penguins of Madagascar Duane Voice, episode: "Stop Bugging Me/Field Tripped" 2010–2011 Sym-Bionic Titan Octus/Newton Voice, 19 episodes 2010 The Suite Life on Deck Dr. Cork Episode: "Frozen" 2010–2011 Nick Swardson's Pretend Time Writer 2011 Bob's Burgers Choo-Choo Voice, episode: "Spaghetti Western and Meatballs"[23] 2012 Holliston Clerk Episode: "Skunked" 2012 Conan Audience member Episode: "Never Bring a Knife to a Hot Dog Eating Contest" 2012 Guys with Kids Victor 3 episodes 2012 Motorcity Oracle Voice, episode: "Ride of the Fantasy Vans"[23] 2013 Newsreaders Ames MacKenzie Episode: "Auto Erotic" 2012–2013 Anger Management Brian Episode: "Charlie and Kate Start a Sex Study"; also writer 2013–2019 The Big Bang Theory Bert Kibbler Recurring role; 15 episodes 2014–2016 Uncle Grandpa Charlie Burgers Voice, 3 episodes 2014–2015 New Girl Biology Teacher Recurring role, 5 episodes[24][25] 2014 Community Bixel Episode: "App Development and Condiments" 2014–2017 Steven Universe Sour Cream, Person at Dance, Zombie Voice, 8 episodes[23] 2015 Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero Beach Ball Grandpappy Voice, episode: "Balls!"[23] 2015 Star vs. the Forces of Evil Lobster Claws Voice, 2 episodes[23] 2015 W/ Bob & David Various 4 episodes 2016 Lady Dynamite Sebastian Episode: "Pilot" 2016 You're the Worst Himself Episode: "The Inherent, Unsullied Qualitative Value of Anything" 2017 The Simpsons Dumlee Voice, episode: "A Father's Watch" 2017 Billy Dilley's Super-Duper Subterranean Summer Gorkager Voice, 5 episodes[23] 2017 Ginger Snaps Fingers Voice, 10 episodes 2017 Mighty Magiswords Tracy / Logan Voice, episode: "Bureaucrophobia"[23] 2017 The Adventures of Puss in Boots Tim Voice, episode: "The Iceman Meleth"[23] 2017–2018 Mr Student Body President Lyle 5 episodes 2018 Teachers Zeke Episode: "Hello, Goodbye" 2018 Camp Confessions 2019 Deadly Class Shandy 5 episodes 2019 The Mandalorian Speeder pilot Episode: "Chapter 1" 2020 DreamWorks Dragons: Rescue Riders Gludge Voice, episode: "Belly Flop"[23] 2020 Steven Universe Future Sour Cream Voice, episode: "Bismuth Casual"[23] 2020 Crank Yankers Himself Voice, episode: "Brian Posehn, Nick Kroll & David Alan Grier" 2020 Top Secret Videos Co-host [26] 2020 The Neighborhood Clem Episode: "Welcome to the Road Trip" 2021 Nailed It! Himself Episode: "I've Failed and I Can't Get Up!"

Music videos

Year Artist Song Notes 2011 Red Fang "Wires"[27] Store Clerk 2016 Anthrax "Blood Eagle Wings" Tormentor – The Butcher 2017 Mastodon "Show Yourself" Street Vendor

Video games

Year Title Role 1994 Off-World Interceptor Comedy Voiceover 1997 Star Warped Brian 2004 Halo 2 Grunt 2009 Cartoon Network Universe: FusionFall Octus 2009 Brütal Legend Hunter[23] 2015 Minecraft: Story Mode Axel[28][23]

Podcasts

Year Title Role 2012–present Nerd Poker Himself/Amarth Amon/Dag Darkomen/Bodhi/Dargthur Sturry

Discography

Live In: Nerd Rage (2006) – stand-up comedy

Fart and Wiener Jokes (2010) – stand-up comedy

The Fartist (2013) – stand-up comedy

Posehn 25x2 (2017) – stand-up comedy

Grandpa Metal (2020) – as Posehn; music only

Accolades

Posehn has been nominated for two Primetime Emmys and one DVDX Award. His first Primetime Emmy nomination in 1998 for Outstanding Writing for a Variety or Music Program was for his writing on Mr. Show with Bob and David, which he shared with crew members Scott Aukerman, Jerry Collins, David Cross, Jay Johnston, Bob Odenkirk, Bill Odenkirk, B. J. Porter, and Dino Stamatopoulos.[2] The television series' writing staff, including Posehn, received another nomination in the same category in 1999, which Posehn shared with Mike Stoyanov, Paul F. Tompkins, Mike Upchurch, and past writing staff from the previous year.[2]

For his work on Run Ronnie Run!, Posehn was nominated at the 2003 DVD Exclusive Awards for Best Original Song in a DVD Premiere Movie for "The Golden Rule Song" along with performer Jack Black (with the Joey Cheesy Reunion Band) and fellow lyricists David Cross, Bob Odenkirk, Scott Aukerman, B. J. Porter, and Eban Schletter.[3]

Bibliography

Image Comics

The Last Christmas (tpb, 176 pages, 2006, ISBN 978-1582406763)

Marvel Comics

Deadpool:

Volume 1: Dead Presidents (collects Deadpool (Marvel Now!) vol. 3 #1–6, 154 pages, Marvel Comics, softcover, May 2013)

Volume 2: Soul Hunter (collects Deadpool (Marvel Now!) vol. 3 #7–12, 137 pages, Marvel Comics, softcover, August 2013)

Volume 3: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (collects Deadpool (Marvel Now!) vol. 3 #13–19, 160 pages, Marvel Comics, softcover, January 2014)

Volume 4: Deadpool vs. S.H.I.E.L.D. (collects Deadpool (Marvel Now!) vol. 3 #20–25, 136 pages, Marvel Comics, softcover, June 2014)

Volume 5: The Wedding of Deadpool (collects Deadpool (Marvel Now!) vol. 3 #26–28 and Deadpool Annual #1, 168 pages, Marvel Comics, softcover, August 2014)

Volume 6: Original Sin (collects Deadpool (Marvel Now!) vol. 3 #29–34, 144 pages, Marvel Comics, softcover, December 2014)

Volume 7: Axis (collects Deadpool (Marvel Now!) vol. 3 #35–40, 136 pages, Marvel Comics, softcover, March 2015)

Volume 8: All Good Things (collects Deadpool (Marvel Now!) vol. 3 #41–44, #250, 176 pages, Marvel Comics, softcover, June 2015)

Dracula's Gauntlet (collects Deadpool: Dracula's Gauntlet (Marvel Now!) vol. 1 #1–7, 200 pages, Marvel Comics, softcover, November 2014)

References

BrianPosehn.com, Official website

Brian Posehn on MySpace

Brian Posehn at Comedy Central

Brian Posehn at IMDb

Brian Posehn at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)

Interviews