Joel Hodgson (born February 20, 1960) is an American writer, comedian
and television actor. He is best known for creating Mystery Science
Theater 3000 (MST3K) and starring in it as the character Joel
Robinson. In 2007, MST3K was listed as "one of the top 100 television
shows of all time" by Time.From 2007 to 2013, Hodgson was part of the
"movie riffing" project Cinematic Titanic with several of his fellow
MST3K alumni, performing live and producing content for DVDs and
direct download. He has also served as Creative Lead for Media at
Pennsylvania technology firm Cannae.Hodgson was born on February 20,
1960 in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, and later moved to Green Bay,
Wisconsin. He was raised in an Evangelical Christian upbringing, and
later claimed that the various shows his church would put on had a
profound influence on his desire to become an entertainer. Hodgson
began his career in seventh grade as a magician and ventriloquist.
Joel performed for local events in Green Bay, and attended Ashwaubenon
High School. Upon graduation, Hodgson moved to Minneapolis to attend
Bethel University (Minnesota) to study Theatre and Mass Media. While
there, Hodgson further developed his magic act by adding comedy and
began opening for musical acts at Bethel as well as performing in
coffee houses and comedy clubs. Hodgson cites a Theatre of the Absurd
class at Bethel taught by Dr. David Horn for helping him crystallize
the meaning of his comedy. In 1981 he won the Campus Comedy Contest
and then the first annual Twin Cities Comedy Invitational in 1982. In
November of the same year Hodgson moved to Los Angeles where he became
a regular performer at the Comedy Store and the Hollywood Magic
Castle, as well as the Comedy Magic Club. At the Comedy Magic Club,
Hodgson was spotted by Late Night with David Letterman producer Barry
Sand and three months later at age 22 had his network television
debut. He later made four other appearances on the Letterman show, as
well as four on Saturday Night Live as a guest act. Hodgson also was a
featured performer on HBO’s "Eighth Annual Young Comedians Special"
hosted by John Candy along with Bill Maher, Paula Poundstone, and the
Amazing Johnathan.He worked at the Comedy Store while in LA, also
doing traveling stand-up in San Jose, San Francisco, Detroit, Kansas
City and Minneapolis. Hodgson left stand-up in 1985, citing the need
for a creative sabbatical, and moved back to Minneapolis.
and television actor. He is best known for creating Mystery Science
Theater 3000 (MST3K) and starring in it as the character Joel
Robinson. In 2007, MST3K was listed as "one of the top 100 television
shows of all time" by Time.From 2007 to 2013, Hodgson was part of the
"movie riffing" project Cinematic Titanic with several of his fellow
MST3K alumni, performing live and producing content for DVDs and
direct download. He has also served as Creative Lead for Media at
Pennsylvania technology firm Cannae.Hodgson was born on February 20,
1960 in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, and later moved to Green Bay,
Wisconsin. He was raised in an Evangelical Christian upbringing, and
later claimed that the various shows his church would put on had a
profound influence on his desire to become an entertainer. Hodgson
began his career in seventh grade as a magician and ventriloquist.
Joel performed for local events in Green Bay, and attended Ashwaubenon
High School. Upon graduation, Hodgson moved to Minneapolis to attend
Bethel University (Minnesota) to study Theatre and Mass Media. While
there, Hodgson further developed his magic act by adding comedy and
began opening for musical acts at Bethel as well as performing in
coffee houses and comedy clubs. Hodgson cites a Theatre of the Absurd
class at Bethel taught by Dr. David Horn for helping him crystallize
the meaning of his comedy. In 1981 he won the Campus Comedy Contest
and then the first annual Twin Cities Comedy Invitational in 1982. In
November of the same year Hodgson moved to Los Angeles where he became
a regular performer at the Comedy Store and the Hollywood Magic
Castle, as well as the Comedy Magic Club. At the Comedy Magic Club,
Hodgson was spotted by Late Night with David Letterman producer Barry
Sand and three months later at age 22 had his network television
debut. He later made four other appearances on the Letterman show, as
well as four on Saturday Night Live as a guest act. Hodgson also was a
featured performer on HBO’s "Eighth Annual Young Comedians Special"
hosted by John Candy along with Bill Maher, Paula Poundstone, and the
Amazing Johnathan.He worked at the Comedy Store while in LA, also
doing traveling stand-up in San Jose, San Francisco, Detroit, Kansas
City and Minneapolis. Hodgson left stand-up in 1985, citing the need
for a creative sabbatical, and moved back to Minneapolis.
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