Mike Birbiglia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Mike Birbiglia | |
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| Birth name | Michael Birbiglia |
| Born | June 20, 1978 Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, United States |
| Medium | Stand-up comedy, Theatre, Radio, Television |
| Nationality | American |
| Genres | Observational comedy, Musical comedy |
| Influences | Richard Pryor, Bill Cosby[1] |
| Website | birbigs.com |
Mike Birbiglia (born June 20, 1978) is a comedian, writer, and actor. He has released three albums, including My Secret Public Journal Live, which was named one of the best comedy albums of the decade by the Onion AV Club. He also writes the blog My Secret Public Journal, and has starred in his own off-Broadway one man show Sleepwalk with Me. He's a regular contributor to This American Life on Public Radio International as well as The Bob & Tom Show. He just completed his own 30 city Comedy Central live tour in concert halls nationwide called the "I'm in the Future Also" tour and has plans to publish a book of autobiographical stories with Simon & Schuster, as well as a film adaptation of Sleepwalk with Me for Big Beach Films which he will write and star in.
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[edit] Early life
Birbiglia grew up in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. In his sophomore year at Georgetown University, Birbiglia won "The Funniest Man on Campus" contest, earning him the chance to perform at the D.C. Improv. His fellow troupe members included Nick Kroll, John Mulaney, Conrad Mulcahy, and Alison Becker.
[edit] Career
At age 23, Birbiglia was chosen to perform in the "New Faces" category of Montreal's prestigious Just For Laughs Comedy Festival, where he attracted the attention of the booker for Late Show with David Letterman. Lucien Hold, the late booker for the World Famous Comic Strip Live in New York City, championed Birbiglia's early career, and compared him to a young Jerry Seinfeld.
His off-Broadway show, Sleepwalk With Me, opened November 11, 2008 at the Bleecker Street Theater to rave reviews from The New York Times, The New Yorker, The New York Post, Variety, and The Associated Press.
[edit] Personal life
Birbiglia has a sleep disorder known as REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD). Persons with this disorder can unexpectedly get up, walk, punch or kick, and even act out portions of dreams while asleep. One of these episodes put him in grave danger; he later related the story for The Moth, the recording of which gained popularity after airing on PRI's This American Life. Birbiglia was staying at the La Quinta Inn in Walla Walla, Washington in 2004 when he had a nightmare about a guided missile heading straight toward his hotel room. He leapt out of bed while still asleep and dove out the second floor window. As soon as he woke up, still running, he headed to the nearest hospital and sought medical assistance.
[edit] Discography
- 2004: Dog Years (out of print) (self-produced, winner of the "Just Plain Folks" comedy album of the year)
- 2005: Invite Them Up (Comedy Central Records compilation CD of NYC indie comics)
- 2006: Two Drink Mike
- 2007: My Secret Public Journal Live
- 2008: What I Should Have Said Was Nothing (DVD)
[edit] Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | For | Category | Result |
| 2003 | ECNY Award | Stand-up comedy | Best Male Stand-up | Winner |
| 2009 | Drama Desk | Sleepwalk With Me | Outstanding Solo Performance | Nomination |
| 2009 | Lucille Lortel | Sleepwalk With Me | Outstanding Solo Show | Nomination |
| 2009 | Outer Critics Circle | Sleepwalk With Me | Outstanding Solo Show | Nomination |
| 2009 | Nightlife Awards | Sleepwalk With Me | Outstanding Comedian in a Major Engagement | Winner |
[edit] External radio links
Mike Birbiglia has been featured on the following episodes of This American Life:
- 361 – The Fear of Sleep
- 370 – Ruining it for the Rest of Us
- 374 – Somewhere Out There
- 379 – Return To The Scene Of The Crime
- 384 – Fall Guy
[edit] External links
- Mike Birbiglia's Official Site
- Sleepwalk With Me Official Site
- Mike on Twitter
- Mike Birbiglia at the Internet Movie Database
- Mike Birbiglia at TV.com
[edit] References
- ^ Fritter, Becky (2009-02-05). "The Strange Observer". The Cult. http://chuckpalahniuk.net/interviews/comedians/mike-birbiglia-interview. Retrieved 2009-08-23.
