JEMAINE CLEMENT

'Jemaine Clement' (born January 10, 1974 in New Zealand) is an actor, comedian and writer, best known for being half of the comedy duo Flight of the Conchords with Bret McKenzie, and for his portrayal of Jarrod in Eagle vs Shark He is sometimes known as the Hiphopapotamaus with Bret McKenzie being the Rhymenasaurus.

Contents

Background

Selected filmography

References

External links

Background

Describing himself as "part Māori, part European" ^[1], Clement spent his formative years in the Wairarapa region of New Zealand. Moving to New Zealand's capital, where he studied drama and film at Victoria University of Wellington, Clement met fellow student Taika Waititi (a.k.a. Taika Cohen) with whom he went on to form the Humourbeasts.
In 2004 the Humourbeasts toured New Zealand in a stage show titled ''The Untold Tales of Maui''^[2], rewriting the traditional Maori legends of Maui. The duo were the recipients of New Zealand's highest comedy honour, the Billy T Award, in 1999.
It was also at Victoria University that Clement met Bret McKenzie, and together they formed Flight of the Conchords. They have toured internationally and released two CDs: ''Folk the World Tour'' in 2002 and ''The Distant Future (EP'' in 2008.) The Conchords produced a six-part improvisational comedy radio program on BBC2 and have appeared on ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'', ''The Late Show with David Letterman'' and ''The Late Late Show''. After a successful appearance in 2005 on HBOs ''One Night Stand'', the Conchords were offered their own 12-part HBO series ''Flight of the Conchords''. Its first season ran from June to September 2007, and it has been renewed for a second season.
Clement has starred in a number of television commercials internationally and provided voiceovers for many others in New Zealand. In 1999, Clement was a Radio Awards Winner as writer for ''Trashed'', for Channel Z, Wellington.^[3] In 2000 he was given a Special Radio Awards Commendation for ''The Sunglass Store''.^[4] He also was a writer and cast member of the television shows ''Skitz'' and ''Tellylaughs'' in New Zealand.
On February 5, 2006, Outback Steakhouse debuted a series of commercials starring Clement during Super Bowl XL. The campaign ended in July 2006.
Jemaine Clement also starred in the Export Gold 'Wheelbarrow' television commercial and does the voice over for the L&P "world famous in New Zealand" ad series.

Selected filmography

★ ''Fizz'' [1] (1999) Chased man

★ ''Tongan Ninja'' [2] (2002) Screenplay, role of "Action Fighter" and voice of "Tongan Ninja"

★ ''Futile Attraction'' [3] (2004) The Editor/Darcy

★ ''Eagle vs Shark'' (2007) Jarrod

★ ''What We Do In The Shadows'' [4] (2006) Writer & director

★ "''Flight of the Conchords''" (TV) (2007) - Jemaine, also creator/co-writer & executive producer

References

1. IMDB biography
2. Humourbeasts 'Tales Of Maui" Comes to ChCh
3. 1999 New Zealand Radio Awards Finalists
4. 2000 New Zealand Radio Awards Finalists

External links

★

★ Flight of the Conchords Official Site

★ What The Folk! Flight of the Conchords fan site

★ Jemaine Clement IMDB listing

★ St. Clements, Jemaine Clement Fan site

★ BBC Radio 2