Ian Michael Roberts (born July 29, 1965) is an American actor,
comedian and writer. Roberts is a founding member of the famed Upright
Citizens Brigade improv and sketch comedy troupe.Roberts was born in
Queens, New York, to parents Don and Penny Roberts, but spent the
majority of his childhood in Secaucus, New Jersey, where he moved at
age four. Roberts is a 1987 graduate of Grinnell College in Iowa,
where he majored in theater. After graduating from college, Roberts
moved to Milwaukee and eventually to Chicago where he became involved
in improvisational comedy, studying improv under comedy legend Del
Close.In the early 1990s, Roberts and Matt Besser (along with several
other Chicago improv comics) would eventually form the Upright
Citizens Brigade sketch comedy troupe. Amy Poehler and Matt Walsh
would later join the group, forming the UCB foursome who went on to
create their own Comedy Central series and later opened the affiliated
Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York and Los Angeles. Both
theaters have become well-known hotspots for watching live alternative
comedy and improv shows and in recent years have helped launch the
careers of many of today's most popular comedians.Roberts wrote and
starred in the limited release film Martin & Orloff, and appeared with
memorable supporting roles in films such as Anchorman: The Legend of
Ron Burgundy, Bring It On, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky
Bobby, Drillbit Taylor, Reno 911!: Miami and Semi-Pro. On the Upright
Citizens Brigade's sketch series on Comedy Central, Roberts was often
seen as the UCB Agent Antoine, but also portrayed many other sketch
characters such as Steve Youngblood and Astronaut Mike Birchwood. A
running joke on the sketch series was that his character (Agent
Antoine) was thought by the other UCB Agents (Colby, Trotter, Adair)
to be a cyborg despite his constant assertions to the contrary.
comedian and writer. Roberts is a founding member of the famed Upright
Citizens Brigade improv and sketch comedy troupe.Roberts was born in
Queens, New York, to parents Don and Penny Roberts, but spent the
majority of his childhood in Secaucus, New Jersey, where he moved at
age four. Roberts is a 1987 graduate of Grinnell College in Iowa,
where he majored in theater. After graduating from college, Roberts
moved to Milwaukee and eventually to Chicago where he became involved
in improvisational comedy, studying improv under comedy legend Del
Close.In the early 1990s, Roberts and Matt Besser (along with several
other Chicago improv comics) would eventually form the Upright
Citizens Brigade sketch comedy troupe. Amy Poehler and Matt Walsh
would later join the group, forming the UCB foursome who went on to
create their own Comedy Central series and later opened the affiliated
Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York and Los Angeles. Both
theaters have become well-known hotspots for watching live alternative
comedy and improv shows and in recent years have helped launch the
careers of many of today's most popular comedians.Roberts wrote and
starred in the limited release film Martin & Orloff, and appeared with
memorable supporting roles in films such as Anchorman: The Legend of
Ron Burgundy, Bring It On, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky
Bobby, Drillbit Taylor, Reno 911!: Miami and Semi-Pro. On the Upright
Citizens Brigade's sketch series on Comedy Central, Roberts was often
seen as the UCB Agent Antoine, but also portrayed many other sketch
characters such as Steve Youngblood and Astronaut Mike Birchwood. A
running joke on the sketch series was that his character (Agent
Antoine) was thought by the other UCB Agents (Colby, Trotter, Adair)
to be a cyborg despite his constant assertions to the contrary.
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