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EspañolROBERT SMIGEL
'Robert Smigel' (born February 7 1960) is an American humorist and performer known for his ''Saturday Night Live'' "TV Funhouse" cartoon shorts and as the puppeteer behind Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog. Smigel was once a member of the Chicago comedy troupe "All You Can Eat".
A native of New York City, Smigel first established himself as a writer on ''Saturday Night Live'' by joining the writing staff when Lorne Michaels returned as executive producer for the 1985-1986 season. After the 1985-1986 season proved to be a disappointment with critics, in the ratings, and with Brandon Tartikoff (who was planning to have SNL cancelled by the last episode of season 11 due to its sliding ratings,[1] Lorne fired most of the castmembers and writers, retained the castmembers and writers who were standouts during the otherwise dismal season (Smigel being one of them), and hired new ones for the 1986-1987 season. This is when Smigel began to write more memorable sketches, including one where host William Shatner urged worshipful attendees at a ''Star Trek'' convention to "get a life." Smigel rarely appeared on screen, although he was credited as a feature player in the early 1990s and has played a recurring character in the ''Bill Swerski's Superfans'' sketches.
While on a writers' strike from ''Saturday Night Live'' following the 1987–88 season, Smigel wrote for an improvisational comedy revue in Chicago with fellow ''SNL'' writers Bob Odenkirk and Conan O'Brien called ''Happy Happy Good Show''.
Smigel later became the first head writer at ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'', where he created numerous successful comedy bits, including one where Smigel performed only the lips of public figures which were superimposed on photos of the actual people. (This technique was pioneered on the ''Clutch Cargo'' cartoon series as a cost-saving measure, and was known as Syncro-Vox.)
Smigel's most famous creation, however, is the foul-mouthed puppet Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog, who mercilessly mocks celebrities and others in the style of a Borscht Belt comedian. Smigel also wrote and performed on the short-lived ''Dana Carvey Show''.
Smigel continued to establish himself on ''Saturday Night Live'' by producing infamous, provocative, short animated segments under the title ''TV Funhouse'', which usually satirizes public figures and popular culture. It spawned a TV show on Comedy Central featuring a mix of puppets, animation, and short sketches. Although only eight episodes were aired (during the winter of 2000 - 2001) Smigel continues to create ''TV Funhouse'' segments for ''Saturday Night Live'' and occasionally appears in films (usually alongside ''SNL'' veterans such as Adam Sandler). According to interviews, Smigel helped punch up the scripts for Little Nicky and the Wedding Singer. His contributions were uncredited.
Smigel's father is Irwin Smigel, DDS, "The Father of Cosmetic Dentistry," [1] and the founder and president of the American Society for Dental Aesthetics.
For a time, Robert Smigel followed in his father's footsteps and studied dentistry at Cornell University and New York University; in the Adam Sandler feature film ''Punch-Drunk Love'' (2002), Robert Smigel played a dentist.
Currently, Smigel is working on an animated sitcom for FOX called "Animals". FOX has not made any official statement regarding the show. Additionally, Smigel played a creepy mailman in the Adam Sandler film I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry.
Robert Smigel along with Adam Sandler, and Judd Apatow wrote the script for the film ''You Don't Mess with the Zohan''. The project is currently filming and will be released sometime in 2008. As with other Sandler projects, Smigel may have a role in the film.
★ Carl Wollarski, from "Bill Swerski's Superfans"
★ Hank Fielding, a two-time Weekend Update commentator
★ One of the Hub's Gyros employees
★ Alan Dershowitz
★ "Triumph Sniffs a Hit" by Frank DiGiacomo, ''The New York Observer'', October 20, 2003.
1. http://snltranscripts.jt.org/85/85r.phtml
★ Official website of Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog
★
★ Interview with The AV Club
| Contents |
| Career |
| Recurring characters on SNL |
| Celebrity impersonations on SNL |
| Further reading |
| References |
| External links |
Career
A native of New York City, Smigel first established himself as a writer on ''Saturday Night Live'' by joining the writing staff when Lorne Michaels returned as executive producer for the 1985-1986 season. After the 1985-1986 season proved to be a disappointment with critics, in the ratings, and with Brandon Tartikoff (who was planning to have SNL cancelled by the last episode of season 11 due to its sliding ratings,[1] Lorne fired most of the castmembers and writers, retained the castmembers and writers who were standouts during the otherwise dismal season (Smigel being one of them), and hired new ones for the 1986-1987 season. This is when Smigel began to write more memorable sketches, including one where host William Shatner urged worshipful attendees at a ''Star Trek'' convention to "get a life." Smigel rarely appeared on screen, although he was credited as a feature player in the early 1990s and has played a recurring character in the ''Bill Swerski's Superfans'' sketches.
While on a writers' strike from ''Saturday Night Live'' following the 1987–88 season, Smigel wrote for an improvisational comedy revue in Chicago with fellow ''SNL'' writers Bob Odenkirk and Conan O'Brien called ''Happy Happy Good Show''.
Smigel later became the first head writer at ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'', where he created numerous successful comedy bits, including one where Smigel performed only the lips of public figures which were superimposed on photos of the actual people. (This technique was pioneered on the ''Clutch Cargo'' cartoon series as a cost-saving measure, and was known as Syncro-Vox.)
Smigel's most famous creation, however, is the foul-mouthed puppet Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog, who mercilessly mocks celebrities and others in the style of a Borscht Belt comedian. Smigel also wrote and performed on the short-lived ''Dana Carvey Show''.
Smigel continued to establish himself on ''Saturday Night Live'' by producing infamous, provocative, short animated segments under the title ''TV Funhouse'', which usually satirizes public figures and popular culture. It spawned a TV show on Comedy Central featuring a mix of puppets, animation, and short sketches. Although only eight episodes were aired (during the winter of 2000 - 2001) Smigel continues to create ''TV Funhouse'' segments for ''Saturday Night Live'' and occasionally appears in films (usually alongside ''SNL'' veterans such as Adam Sandler). According to interviews, Smigel helped punch up the scripts for Little Nicky and the Wedding Singer. His contributions were uncredited.
Smigel's father is Irwin Smigel, DDS, "The Father of Cosmetic Dentistry," [1] and the founder and president of the American Society for Dental Aesthetics.
For a time, Robert Smigel followed in his father's footsteps and studied dentistry at Cornell University and New York University; in the Adam Sandler feature film ''Punch-Drunk Love'' (2002), Robert Smigel played a dentist.
Currently, Smigel is working on an animated sitcom for FOX called "Animals". FOX has not made any official statement regarding the show. Additionally, Smigel played a creepy mailman in the Adam Sandler film I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry.
Robert Smigel along with Adam Sandler, and Judd Apatow wrote the script for the film ''You Don't Mess with the Zohan''. The project is currently filming and will be released sometime in 2008. As with other Sandler projects, Smigel may have a role in the film.
Recurring characters on SNL
★ Carl Wollarski, from "Bill Swerski's Superfans"
★ Hank Fielding, a two-time Weekend Update commentator
★ One of the Hub's Gyros employees
Celebrity impersonations on SNL
★ Alan Dershowitz
Further reading
★ "Triumph Sniffs a Hit" by Frank DiGiacomo, ''The New York Observer'', October 20, 2003.
References
1. http://snltranscripts.jt.org/85/85r.phtml
External links
★ Official website of Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog
★
★ Interview with The AV Club
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