Hal Sparks

Hal Sparks
Hal Sparks, 2005
Born	Hal Harry Magee Sparks III (1969-09-25) September 25, 1969 Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
Occupation	Actor/Comedian/Game show host
Years active	1987–present
Website	http://www.halsparks.com/

Hal Harry Magee Sparks III (born September 25, 1969) is an American actor, comedian, heavy metal musician, and one-time game show host, known for his additions to VH1 and the role of Michael Novotny on the American television series Queer as Folk. His previous claim to fame was hosting E!'s Talk Soup.

Life and career

Sparks was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and grew up in Peaks Mill, Kentucky, where he attended high school at Franklin County High School until age 14, when he moved to the Chicago area. He attended New Trier High School in Winnetka, IL. In addition to acting, Sparks is also the lead singer and guitarist for a rock band, Zero 1 (previously called The Hal Sparks Band). Members also include Brian Crow on guitar, Bumper Renga on bass and Lance Tamanaha on drums. Their first album was produced by King's X's frontman Doug Pinnick. His musical experience paid off as a contestant in the first season of Celebrity Duets. He often joins the Los Angeles cover band Steel Panther to sing Alice in Chains, Skid Row and Journey songs. ZERO 1 is currently touring while working on a second album entitled "The Sacred Nothing".

Sparks is a regular on VH1's series I Love the '70s, I Love the '80s, I Love the '80s Strikes Back, I Love the '80s 3-D, I Love the '90s, I Love the '90s: Part Deux, I Love the '70s: Volume II, I Love VH1 Talking Head Clip Show Reviews, and I Love the New Millennium and the new VH1's "Undateable", as well as being a contestant on the reality series Celebracadabra.

Sparks was the captain of the Chicago Hitmen team on GSN's Extreme Dodgeball. He has had cameo roles in a few films, including "Extract", Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star and Spider-Man 2, as the elevator passenger; he co-starred in Spider-Man 2 with current host of E's The Soup Joel McHale. Hal's first significant role was in the movie Dude, Where's My Car?, as Zoltan, the head of a clan of nerds obsessed with outer space. Sparks's on-screen career began when he became the United States' youngest game show emcee, hosting the short-lived game show, Treasure Mall in syndication while still attending New Trier High School in Chicago. Hal was one of five celebrities to appear in the first episode of VH1's Celebrity Paranormal Project.

Sparks appeared on all episodes, every season, of the Showtime show, Queer As Folk, as Michael Novotny. He was the first straight actor to play a married gay man on an American series. He has marched on behalf of Same-Sex Marriage and has spoken at and walked in every AIDS Walk in America at least once. He is known for coining the phrase "Gay-adjacent" to describe his allied status in the community.

He appeared as himself in the video "Beat It," the Michael Jackson cover, by Fall Out Boy.

Sparks was a contestant on the 2008 VH1 television show Celebracadabra, where the celebrities vie to out-perform each other with magic they have learned from their experienced coaches. Other celebrity contestants competing are Ant, Lisa Ann Walter, Carnie Wilson, Christopher "Kid" Reid, Kimberly Wyatt, and C. Thomas Howell. Howell was the winner with Sparks coming in second place.

He currently resides in Los Angeles, California, and is single.

He was the voice of the computer named "Mr. Q" on the US TV adaptation of 20Q, currently airing on GSN as of June 13, 2009.

Hal joins the national Stephanie Miller radio show for commentary and humor (for all 3 hours) on Wednesday mornings - known as "Hump Days with Hal." And has a weekly progressive radio show on WCPT radio in Chicago entitled "HSRPM" or "The Hal Sparks Radio Program Mega-Worldwide"

Although Sparks is "Straight edge" (He has never consumed alcohol, drugs or smoked) he is a VIP Advisory Board member of the Marijuana Policy Project. And appeared in "The History Channel" documentary "Marijuana: A Chronic History" in support of legalization.

Sparks is also fluent in Mandarin Chinese and is a practitioner of multiple forms of martial arts including Wushu, Chen Tai Chi, Kung Fu San Soo, Tae Kwon Do, and Kempo Karate.

Zero 1

ZERO 1 is a rock music group made up of Hal Sparks, Brian Crow, Lance Tamanaha and Bumper Renga. The band was originally founded under the name "The Hal Sparks Band" and has performed surprise shows under the pseudonym "Future Villian"

ZERO 1 is on the "Rocket Science" label

ZERO 1 plays "Dean Guitars" and "Ddrums"

Former Members include Robert Hall and Miles Loretta

Robert Hall owns his own Creature/FX company in Hollywood called Almost Human. He was the creator of the creatures for the popular shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. He was involved in some prosthetic work on Talk Soup, where he met Hal and became friends. In 2004, he wrote and directed his own film called Lightning Bug which starred Sparks.

Miles Loretta is the cousin of Hal Sparks and has been playing the drums since he was in the 7th grade. He used to be the drummer in a band called Rosavelt and has drummed for artists such as Tim Easton and Doug Gillard.

The debut, self-titled album by ZERO 1 was released in December 2006. It is now available on iTunes and Halsparks.com.

Filmography

Sparks in 2007

Television

• Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993) in episode "Witness" (1994) as Skateboarder
• Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (1993) in episode "Indian Agent" (1995) as Gentle Horse
• Cheap Theatrix (1998)
• Talk Soup as Host/Himself (1999–2000)
• Martial Law (1998) in episode "No Fare" (2000) as Ellroy Nelson
• Queer As Folk (2000–2005) as Michael Novotny
• Rendez-View (2001) in episodes "She Loves Him, Loves Him Not" (2001) and "Belgian Boy Toy" (2002) as a Guest Host
• One on One (2001) in episodes "Unemployment Up, Pride Down" (2002) and "I Believe I Can Fly: Part 2" (2002) as Danny Davis Jr.
• Frasier (1993) in episode "Door Jam" (2003) as Receptionist
• Extreme Dodgeball (2004) as a Player for Chicago Hitmen
• CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000) in episode "Dog Eat Dog" (2005) as Digger James
• Video Game Vixens (2005) as Host/Himself
• Las Vegas (2003) in "Cash Springs Eternal" (2006)
• Survival of the Richest (2006) Host
• Celebrity Duets (2006) Contestant, 3rd runner up
• Celebrity Paranormal Project (2006) in episode "Waverly Hills Sanatorium"
• Tak and the Power of Juju (2007) voice of "Tak" and Really, Really Revolting Juju
• America's Funniest Mom 3 (2007) himself/judge
• Rock Band 2: The Stars (2008) (guest star)
• Celebracadabra (Reality Show) (2008) as himself, 1st runner up
• 20Q co-host (2009, voice of computer)
• The Tester [Judge in Sony PlayStation Series] (2010)
• Web Soup Special guest appearance with Chris Hardwick
• Hal Sparks: Charmageddon Stand up special

Film

• Frog (1987) (TV) as Jim
• Chopper Chicks in Zombietown (1989) as Lance
• Signs and Wonders (1995) (TV) as Rocker 2
• Invader (1996) (voice) as Fort Irwin Defense Command
• Lost & Found (1999) as DJ
• Dude, Where's My Car? (2000) as Zoltan - Cult Leader
• Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001) (voice) as School Fish #1
• Bleacher Bums (2002) (TV) as Richie
• Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003) as Publisher
• Spider-Man 2 (2004) as Elevator Passenger
• Lightning Bug (2004) as Deputy Dale
• Denial (2006) (executive producer)
• The House That Jack Built (2007) as Dominic
• Dead Space: Downfall (2008) as Ramirez
• Beat It (Fall Out Boy Cover) Music Video (2008) as himself
• Extract (2009) as Guitar Salesman #1

Radio

• Stephanie Miller Show - regular guest, fill-in host

Chicago's Progressive Talk (www.Chicagosprogressivetalk.com) Saturday's 11AM - 1pm CST

External links

• Hal Sparks Official website
• Verified Twitter Account
• Official Facebook Fan page
• Hal Sparks at IMDb
• Hal Sparks Stand Up Videos
• Zero1 Official Website