Bobcat Goldthwait

All Music Guide:

Bobcat Goldthwait (simply known as Bobcat) is one of several comics who emerged during the '80s and became known for his persona (à la Howie Mandel, Sam Kinison). Until later in his career, he rarely appeared out of character: a gutsy goofball with a grating voice. Bobcat is perhaps best remembered for his big debut role as "himself" in the movie Police Academy 2, the following Police Academy movies, and his string of comedy specials, including one in 1987, aptly titled Bobcat Goldthwait: Is He Always Like That? He also appeared in offbeat movies such as One Crazy Summer and the cult-classic Tape Heads.

Mr. Goldthwait enjoyed his heyday in the coming-of-age of nightclub comedy era, but his popularity decreased in the mid-'90s, when a subtler approach to comedy -- like that of Jerry Seinfeld and Ellen Degeneres -- hit the scene. By then he had developed his own loyal following, however, and recorded one of his concerts, Meat Bob Live from 1992; he also can be heard on several of the Comic Relief recordings.

Throughout the second decade of his career, Bobcat continued to appear in bit parts in a slew of Hollywood B-movies. He also made countless appearances on popular network television shows throughout the '90s, including Married...With Children, Hollywood Squares, and as well as hosting his own comedy series in a quiz show format called Bobcat's Big Ass Show for FX.

Bobcat got his start performing in comedy clubs when he was 15 and still attending high school. When he was 19, he made his first television appearance on Late Night with David Letterman. This is not the first time he would make a splash on the late-night talk-show circuit. He is also (perhaps not so fondly) remembered for an Andy Kaufman-esque stint on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno that involved setting a chair on fire and ensuing arson charges.

Besides setting fire to studio furniture, Bobcat has done almost everything on stage, including shaving his already-balding head! (He is known for wearing somewhat of a mullet.) He has always seemed to maintain an air of rebelliousness in his work. Besides acting, Mr. Goldthwait has directed the cult film Shakes the Clown, which he also wrote, and directed Aquabats "Super Rad" video. (Seemingly uncharacteristically, Bobcat has also used his unique voice to narrate and play roles in several children's cartoons -- including the voice of Pain in Disney's animated feature Hercules, among others.)

Mr. Goldthwait has two children -- a daughter, Tasha, who is also an actress, and stepson, Tyler. He has been married twice, and is currently married to actress Nikki Cox, who is 16 years his junior.

Wikipedia:

Robert Francis "Bobcat" Goldthwait (born May 26, 1962) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and film and television director. He is commonly known for his energetic stage personality, his dark, acerbic black comedy, and his gruff but high-pitched voice.

Early life

Goldthwait was born in Syracuse, New York, the son of Kathleen, a department store employee, and Tom Goldthwait, a sheet metal worker. He was raised in a Catholic working class family. Goldthwait decided on a career as a comedian at an early age and was performing professionally while still in high school at the age of 15. He attended St. Matthew's grammar school in East Syracuse, New York, where he met fellow comedian and voice-over actor Tom Kenny (the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants) in first grade. He and Tom graduated together from Bishop Grimes Junior/Senior High School in East Syracuse, New York, in 1980. They formed a comedy troupe with East Syracuse native Tom Nettle, called The Generic Comics. (Although nicknamed Bobcat and Tomcat, they did not appear as a comedy team together.) Early in his career, Goldthwait also co-wrote with Boston comedy writer Martin Olson, who is listed as writer on his first two comedy specials, Share the Warmth and Don't Watch This Show.

Career

Stand-up

Goldthwait became recognized as a solo stand-up comedian and had two televised concert specials in the 1980s: An Evening with Bobcat Goldthwait — Share the Warmth and Bob Goldthwait — Is He Like That All the Time? He became known for his unique brand of comedy, which combines elements of political satire and often bizarre or somewhat unsettling black comedy.

In 2004, Bobcat's stand up was featured in Comedy Central's animated series Shorties Watchin' Shorties. Goldthwait announced his retirement from stand-up in 2005 and performed a "final" run in Vegas in September 2005; He briefly resumed touring in early 2008 (from January through April); He performed again in 2009, doing stand-up in Winnipeg on April 3 & 4, and again in Omaha on August 28 and 29; He returned to Winnipeg for 4 shows on April 9 and 10, 2010. Continuing his retirement from Stand-up he took the stage in Atlanta from January 27-30, 2011.

Acting

Goldthwait and Robin Williams appeared on the same bill together, but not as a comedy team, using the names "Jack Cheese" and "Marty Fromage." Goldthwait used the name Jack Cheese when he appeared in the film Tapeheads; when Williams made a cameo as Mime Jerry in Goldthwait's Shakes the Clown, he was billed as Marty Fromage.

Goldthwait has appeared in several movies. His first major role was Zed in the Police Academy series. He starred in the 1986 comedy film One Crazy Summer, which also starred John Cusack, and his other big role was in the 1987 comedy film Burglar with Whoopi Goldberg and John Goodman. He also starred in Scrooged with Bill Murray. He notably starred in Hot to Trot in 1988 with John Candy and Dabney Coleman. In 1992, Goldthwait wrote, directed, and starred in the movie Shakes the Clown. He also made a cameo appearance as an insane writer in the 1994 film Radioland Murders.

In 1985, Goldthwait appeared in Twisted Sister's official video to the songs "Leader of the Pack" and "Be Chrool to Your Scuel", from the album Come Out and Play. During the fall of 1993 Goldthwait did stand up material as an opening act for Nirvana on what would be their final North American tour, (angering audiences in Chicago after making a joke about Michael Jordan's recently murdered father) as well as the promo video for the band's album In Utero, and once fooled an interviewer during a phone interview, impersonating Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl.

An emblematic moment: a guest on one of the last episodes of The Arsenio Hall Show, Goldthwait became demonstrably upset that the program was being cancelled. At the time it was widely believed that Paramount Studios had refused to renew Hall's contract because Late Night with David Letterman was now moving to CBS, and Goldthwait took his anger out on Paramount. He stood on the set's couch, spray-painted "Paramount Sucks" on a glass wall, knocked over some video equipment, then threw cushions from the couch into the audience (they cheered).

The March 28, 2005 article of the New York Post announced that Bobcat Goldthwait was the new director of ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live (He had been directing the show since the fall season of 2004). While there, ratings for the show increased to over 2 million viewers per night, and jumped 50% with teens; however, in May 2006 Goldthwait left to pursue his film career. Goldthwait maintains contact with Kimmel (they are friends) and still directs for television and film. He returned to directing segments for Jimmy Kimmel Live in the summer of 2007.

Guest appearances

In 1992, Goldthwait appeared as a guest-co-host of the second episode of The Ben Stiller Show. He also appeared as a relative of Peggy Bundy on the Married... with Children show where he and his wife dropped one of their numerous offspring on the Bundys.

Goldthwait appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien in 1993, where he tossed furniture and ran around the set, then into the audience. He has also made several guest appearances on talk shows as well as comedy programs. On May 9, 1994, Goldthwait appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, where he briefly lit the guest chair on fire. As a result, he was fined $2,700 plus the cost of the chair ($698); he was also required to tape several public service announcements about fire safety. The incident was later the basis of the plot for his subsequent appearance on The Larry Sanders Show and also inspired a pseudo-fire safety PSA on MadTV. He was also in the 5th episode of Space Ghost Coast to Coast, "Bobcat," "Surprise," the 37th episode, "Anniversary" and an uncredited appearance in the episode "Kentucky Nightmare."

One of the most recognizable features of Goldthwait's performances is his voice. He has voiced characters on the television series Capitol Critters (1992), The Moxy Show (1995), Unhappily Ever After (1995–1999), The Tick (1995), Hercules: The Animated Series (1998–1999), Lilo & Stitch: The Series and Buzz Lightyear of Star Command (2000). Goldthwait has also appeared as himself hosting the comedy quiz show Bobcat's Big Ass Show (1998). Goldthwait was also a semi-regular guest in the later seasons of the Tom Bergeron-version of Hollywood Squares in 1998.

Most recently, Goldthwait was a featured guest on the August 20, 2009, episode of Adam Carolla's podcast. And on August 26, 2009 returned to guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live with old friend Robin Williams during which he revealed a tattoo on his buttocks of an anthropomorphized cymbal with a mustache and slanted eyes (a pun on the cliched Chinese symbol tattoo).

Goldthwait appeared in September 2010 on an episode of LA Ink, where shop owner Kat Von D gave him a tattoo of a potato impaled on a fork on his upper right arm. Goldthwait chose the design to remind himself of where he came from and to tell close friends and family that he hasn't lost his sense of humor. He also displayed his older tattoo of a cymbal with a moustache on his buttocks.

Goldthwait appeared on the May 4, 2012 episode of Real Time with Bill Maher.

Goldthwait was a voice guest in Season 4 of Adventure Time.[1] He voices Ed in the episode "Web Weirdos."

Film directing

Sleeping Dogs Lie

Goldthwait's third feature film Sleeping Dogs Lie (originally titled Stay) starring Melinda Page Hamilton was in the 2006 Sundance Film Festival and was part of the "Independent Dramatic Features" competition. Sleeping Dogs Lie is about a youthful, impulsive sexual encounter which opens the door to a black comedy about the complexities of honesty. It was also nominated for the Grand Jury Prize in the "Dramatic Features" category. The film was bought by Roadside Attractions & Samuel Goldwyn Films at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival for the North American rights to the film, and was released on October 20, 2006. Gaumont bought the international rights to the film. It was released on February 21, 2007 by Gaumont in France, and on March 16, 2007 in the UK.

World's Greatest Dad

Goldthwait's fourth feature film, World's Greatest Dad, was released on July 24 on video on demand providers before its limited theatrical release on August 24, 2009. It starred Robin Williams, Daryl Sabara, and Alexie Gilmore. The web site for the 2009 Sundance Film Festival described it as a "lusciously perverse, and refreshingly original comedy that tackles love, loss, and our curious quest for infamy". Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave World's Greatest Dad 3 out of 4 stars, but commented that the material could have been even darker in its satire, and he questioned whether it was the director's intention.

God Bless America

God Bless America premiered at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival.

Personal life

Goldthwait has been married two times. He was first married to Ann Luly in 1986. Together they have a daughter, Tasha. Goldthwait and Luly divorced in 1998. He was then engaged to Nikki Cox, in 1997, but they ended their relationship in 2005. Goldthwait has been married to Sarah de Sa Rego since 2009.

Awards and honors

Goldthwait's film Windy City Heat won a Comedian Award for Best Comedy Film at Montreal's Just for Laughs Film Festival in 2009.

Filmography