Kenny Hotz
Kenneth Joel Hotz aka Kenny (born in Toronto, Canada) is a Canadian filmaker, actor, producer, director, journalist, photographer and writer of the Canadian television show Kenny vs. Spenny, in which he co-stars with Spencer "Spenny" Rice.
At the age of seven years old, Kenny was send to a film camp where he made his first film. Hotz began making documentaries in 1989, and had the idea to develop a television show in which he and a friend competed in a series of challenges to prove who was the best, which eventually evolved into Kenny vs. Spenny.
Upon graduation from Ryerson University's faculty of arts, Hotz became an accomplished filmmaker and photographer, and he traveled around the world in 1991. In that year he went to cover the Gulf War, and he was the only registered Canadian artist to do it.
After returning to Canada, Hotz worked on a comedic short about a homeless dwarf named Shorty Gordy. He also worked as a writer for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in 1997. Also in that year he started with his sidekick Spencer Rice in the documentary Pitch.
After finding out his ex-girlfriend was Joni Mitchell’s long-lost daughter and signing with Will Smith’s production company Overbrook Entertainment, Hotz came to Los Angeles to develop television programming. Fortunately for Hotz, Spenny volunteered, if asked, to pleasure ‘the Fresh Prince” for the gig. Spenny Rice then continued to ride Kenny’s coattails to star in and produce Kenny vs. Spenny, the world’s 1st reality sitcom.
The show has since had a 26 episode season on Canada’s CBC, and even though it was a huge hit, the CBC buried it because of many people complained about the show nature.
Kenny vs. Spenny was nominated for a Gemini award in 2004. Hotz is currently preparing the 3rd season of the series for Showcase, and was recently a guest with Spenny on Conan O’Brien in New York. He notes that “I sat next to Conan.” He is also finished his second award-winning feature film titled The Papal Chase, a documentary about Hotz (who is Jewish) trying to meet the Pope John Paul II. The film is directed by and stars Hotz and features cameos by The Rolling Stones and Pope John Paul II. Hotz was given an unprecedented $10,000 prize by a jury when the film won the acclaimed Borsos Award for Best Canadian Feature Film in 2004 at the Whistler Film Festival, and the People’s Choice Award for Best Canadian Feature at the Canadian Film makers Festival in 2005. The Papal Chase also won the Audience Award for best documentary at the Brooklyn International Film Festival.
Kenny is writing his third feature film in association with Films Transit International as well as a new reality show for GSN-Sony network. He is currently working in the writers room on the animated emmy award winning series South Park
Filmography
- It Don't Cost Nothin' to Say Good Morning (1994)
- Pitch (1997)
- Kenny vs. Spenny -Pilot Episode (2002)
- Kenny vs. Spenny -Episodes 1-26 (2003)
- The Papal Chase (2004)
- Kenny vs. Spenny -Episodes 27-39 (2005)
External link
- Kenny Hotz at IMDb
- Kenny´s Blog Kenny Hotz Msn blog.
- Kenny Hotz Official Website Kenny Hotz Official Website.