Dave Attell

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox comedian David Attell (born January 18, 1965)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> is an American stand-up comedian, actor and writer best known as the host of Comedy Central's Insomniac with Dave Attell.<ref name=NYT>Template:Cite news</ref>

Early life

Attell was born in the New York City borough of Queens to a Jewish family.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He was raised in Rockville Centre on Long Island.<ref name=nymag2003>Template:Cite magazine</ref> He graduated from South Side High School.<ref name="Janette">Template:Cite news</ref>

After graduating from New York University in 1987 with a degree in communications, Attell began performing at open-mic nights.<ref name=nymag2003 />

Career

Attell's first appearance on television was in 1988 on VH1's Stand-Up Spotlight, which also featured early appearances by Lewis Black, Margaret Cho, Jeff Garlin, Jay Mohr and Wanda Sykes.<ref name=PW>Template:Cite web</ref>

On November 23, 1993, he made his first appearance on Late Show with David Letterman. The appearance was seen by Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels, who then recruited Attell to be a writer and occasional performer on SNL. Attell can be seen behind Chris Farley during the "Rudy Giuliani Inauguration" sketch. Attell worked on the show for the 1993–94 season.

In 1995, Attell was featured on two HBO specials alongside up-and-comers Louis C.K. and Dave Chappelle.<ref name=PW/> He was a featured performer on the 1995 Young Comedians Special hosted by Garry Shandling. He was given his own 60-minute special on the channel's HBO Comedy Showcase. Subsequently, Attell was also given an episode of HBO Comedy Half-Hour in 1997. Attell's first one-hour special, Dave Attell: Captain Miserable aired December 8, 2007, on HBO.

His comedy special Dave Attell: Road Work aired 2014 on Comedy Central.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1995 and 1997, Attell appeared on Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist.

In 1999, the network issued Attell an installment in the second season of Comedy Central Presents series. The same year the network signed him as a regular commentator to its satirical news series The Daily Show, on which he appeared for three years. Attell's commentary segment was called "The Ugly American". He returned for the finale episode of host Jon Stewart's tenure.

In 2001, the television series Insomniac with Dave Attell premiered on Comedy Central. Attell described it as "Wild on E! for Ugly People".<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

In 2003, Attell began appearing on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn. The show featured many of the performers he works with at the New York City comedy club the Comedy Cellar and is based on the conversations they would have off-stage at the Olive Tree Cafe, the restaurant above the club.

Attell appeared on Comedy Central's Last Laugh in 2007. In 2008, Attell began hosting The Gong Show with Dave Attell for Comedy Central. Like the 1970s version, the show had a rotating panel of celebrity judges grading unusual acts.<ref name="urlThe Gong Show with Dave Attell| Comedy Central">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="urlTV listings guide, TV shows, cable TV, satellite TV, TV schedules on Zap2it">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="urlThe Gong Show With Dave Attell Will Premiere On Comedy Central| AHN| July 26, 2008">Template:Cite web</ref>

In May 2008, Attell announced a casting call on his MySpace page for Comedy Central's relaunch of The Gong Show. Attell was host, along with Greg Fitzsimmons serving as head writer on the series. However, The Gong Show with Dave Attell aired only from July to September 2008.

In January 2010, he co-hosted the AVN Awards show, along with porn actresses Kirsten Price and Kayden Kross;<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> and again in 2012 with co-hostesses Sunny Leone and Bree Olson.

Attell returned to television on Showtime beginning October 20, 2011, in Dave's Old Porn, a TV series in which Attell views and jokes about retro 1970s and 1980s pornographic films with different guest comedians. Typically, during a given show, Attell and his guest view clips that give an overview of a particular retro porn star's career. Near the end of the show, that particular actor appears and also comments on clips from some of their films.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In April 2014, Comedy Central premiered Comedy Underground with Dave Attell, a late-night stand-up comedy show taped live in New York.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2018, he toured with Jeff Ross on the Bumping Mics Tour.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Over the last three days of the tour they taped a three-part documentary series, Bumping Mics with Jeff Ross & Dave Attell for Netflix. Interspersed footage showcases the duo's interactions both off-stage and on as they return to the Comedy Cellar, where a spontaneous first performance marked the birth of their ensemble act.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2024, Attell released the Netflix comedy special Dave Attell: Hot Cross Buns.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

Attell has been sober since the late 2000s.<ref>Template:Cite episode</ref>

Filmography

Films

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref.
1990	Caesar's Salad	Policeman	Short film
1999	Los Enchiladas!	Don
2000	The Office Party	Don	Short film
2001	Pootie Tang	Frank
2003	Abby Singer		Cameo	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2005	My Suicidal Sweetheart	Efram the driver
2006	Scary Movie 4	Knifeman	Cameo	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2007	Twisted Fortune	Abbot
2007	Heckler	Himself
2008	The Great Buck Howard	Las Vegas Husband	Credited as David Attell
2008	Harold	Barker		<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2009	Funny People	Himself	Cameo	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2010	Scooby-Doo! Abracadabra-Doo	The G.P.S.	Voice, direct-to-video	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2015	Trainwreck	Noam		<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2017	Gilbert	Himself	Documentary film	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2018	I Feel Pretty	Really Tan Dude		<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2025	Kinda Pregnant	Shirley's Father

Stand-up releases

Year	Title	Notes
1996	HBO Comedy Half-Hour	Special
1999	Comedy Central Presents	Special
2003	Skanks for the Memories...	Album
2005	Dave Attell: Hey, Your Mouth's Not Pregnant!	DVD
2006	Dave Attell's Insomniac Tour	Special
2007	Dave Attell: Captain Miserable	Special
2014	Dave Attell: Road Work	Special
2024	Dave Attell: Hot Cross Buns	Special

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1988-1991	Stand-Up Spotlight	Himself
1995–1997	Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist	Dave	Voice, 2 episodes
1996–1997	Everybody Loves Raymond	Dave	2 episodes
2001–2004	Insomniac with Dave Attell	Himself	44 episodes
2002	Crank Yankers	Frank Demore	Voice, episode: "David Alan Grier & Dave Attell"
2003	Ed	Brad Campbell	Episode: "Business as Usual"
2005	Arrested Development	Himself	2 episodes
2005	New Car Smell	Harry	Television film
2008	The Gong Show with Dave Attell	Himself	8 episodes
2011	Dave's Old Porn	Himself	16 episodes
2013	Inside Amy Schumer	Ghost	Episode: "Terrible People"
2014	Louie	Dave	Episode: "So Did the Fat Lady"
2014	Comedy Underground with Dave Attell	Himself	8 episodes
2014	TripTank	Dave Attell	Voice, episode: "Roy & Ben's Day Off"
2014	Teachers Lounge	School Photographer
2015–2016	The Jim Gaffigan Show	Himself	3 episodes
2017	Bob's Burgers	Scalper	Voice, episode: "The Laser-inth"
2017	Difficult People	New York City	Voice, episode: "Sweet Tea"
2017–2019	Crashing	Himself	3 episodes
2018	The Simpsons	Luke	Voice, episode: "Bart's Not Dead"
2018	Bumping Mics with Jeff Ross & Dave Attell	Himself	3 episodes
2024	Mr. and Mrs. Smith	Kosher Food Mart Clerk	1 episode

Video games

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2004	Outlaw Golf 2	Commentator
2009	Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust	Merv Wallski

External links

• Template:Official website
• Template:IMDb name
• Dave Attell at the Comedy Hall of Fame