Dane Cook | |
|---|---|
 Cook in 2011 | |
| Born | Dane Jeffrey Cook (1972-03-18)March 18, 1972 (age 53) Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1990–present |
| Spouse | |
| Comedy career | |
| Medium | Stand-up, film, television |
| Genre | Observational comedy |
| Subjects | |
| Website | danecook |
Dane Jeffrey Cook (born March 18, 1972) is an American stand-up comedian and film actor. He is known for his use ofobservational, oftenvulgar, and sometimesdark comedy. He has released five comedy albums:Harmful If Swallowed (2003),Retaliation (2005),Vicious Circle (2006),Rough Around the Edges: Live from Madison Square Garden (2007), andIsolated Incident (2009).
He is one of the first comedians to use a personal webpage andMyspace to build a large fan base,[1]and in 2006 was described as "alarmingly popular".[2] Cook starred in numerous films such asEmployee of the Month (2006),Good Luck Chuck (2007), andMy Best Friend's Girl (2008). He also acted inMystery Men (1999),Waiting... (2005),Dan in Real Life (2007),Mr. Brooks (2007) and provided the lead voice role in the 2013 animated sports comedy filmPlanes, and its 2014 sequelPlanes: Fire & Rescue as Dusty Crophopper.
He was the second comedian[3] (afterAndrew Dice Clay) to sell outMadison Square Garden's large arena space.[4] In 2006,Retaliation became the highest-charting comedy album in 28 years and wentplatinum.[5] He performed anHBO special in late 2006,Vicious Circle, a straight-to-DVD special titledRough Around The Edges (which is included in the album of the same name), and a Comedy Central special in 2009 titledIsolated Incident.
Cook was born inCambridge, Massachusetts,[6] the second son of Donna Jean (née Ford; died 2006) and George F. Cook (died 2007).[7] He has an older half-brother, Darryl, and five sisters. He grew up in a Catholic family[8] of Irish descent.[9]
Cook has described himself as having been "pretty quiet, pretty introverted, shy" as a child, although he was a "wild child" at home.[10] He overcame his shyness in his junior year of high school, when he began acting and doing stand-up comedy.[11] After graduating from high school, he studied graphic design in college as a back-up plan, in case he did not achieve success in comedy.[12] He now designs all of his merchandise, including the cover of his album,Harmful If Swallowed.[11]
In 1990, Cook began performing stand-up in comedy clubs.[13]
On October 30, 1992, Cook and a group of local emerging improv/sketch comedians were scheduled to appear at theBoston Garden as part of local radio stationWBCN's "Rock of Boston" music concert. Although they anticipated appearing earlier in the lineup, they were scheduled to perform between popular bandSpin Doctors and the final headline actPhish, making them somewhat nervous but determined to do well. Moments after they took the stage however, the crowd, neither expecting nor appreciating a comedy act at this late stage in the evening's program and impatient for Phish to go on, expressed their displeasure by throwing their shoes at the stage.Robert Kelly, also on stage as a member of the comedy group, pleaded with the audience to settle down and let them perform their act; the crowd instead escalated to throwing lighters. Sustaining minor injuries, Cook and the comedy group left the stage. Cook described the incident – as well as how dejected he felt and his resulting determination to someday return to the Boston Garden and perform successfully someday – as part of a web series forThe Tonight Show entitled "Worst I Ever Bombed".[14][15]
In 1994, Cook moved toNew York City and began performing. Two years later, he moved toLos Angeles, where he still lives today.[16] His big break came in 1998 when he appeared onComedy Central'sPremium Blend. In 2000, Cook did a half-hour special onComedy Central Presents. Since then his special has won theComedy CentralStand-up showdown twice in a row.[17]
In 2003, Cook released his firstCD/DVD,Harmful If Swallowed. He signed a contract withComedy Central Records. The album iscertified platinum. He released his second CD/DVD in 2005, entitledRetaliation. This album wentdouble platinum and made Cook the first comic in 27 years to have an album in the top 5 on the Billboard charts afterSteve Martin'sA Wild and Crazy Guy moved as high as #2 in late 1978.[17][18] He performed at theMTV Video Music Awards, and then afterwards he joinedSnoop Dogg in presenting the award forBest New Artist.[17]
On April 15, 2005, Cook performed his first HBO Special entitledVicious Circle.Vicious Circle was filmed "in the round" at theTD Garden. The same year, Cook shot two pilot episodes for his own sitcom,Cooked. The sitcom was not picked up and the two pilot episodes were later released on DVD as theLost Pilot.[19] That same year, he embarked on a 30-day, 20-show college tour calledTourgasm with his longtime friendsRobert Kelly,Gary Gulman, and Jay Davis. The tour was filmed and was later made into a 9-episode documentary on HBO.[20]
On December 3, 2005, Cook hostedSaturday Night Live (SNL).[21] He would then go on to host the premiere of season 32 ofSNL a year later.[22] The same year Cook launched his own company,Superfinger Entertainment, in order to produce his own albums and videos.[13]
In 2006, Cook headlined forDave Attell's Insomniac Tour and hosted the 2006Teen Choice Awards alongsideJessica Simpson. The following year he won the award for Best Comedian.[citation needed] On November 12, 2007, Cook became the second comic to sell out Madison Square Garden's large arena space after Andrew Dice Clay accomplished this feat in 1990. He did two sold-out shows in one night. The show was filmed and would later be put onto a DVD to be sold on Cook's third comedy album. Cook won the Big Entertainer Award at the VH1 Big in '06 Awards,[23] andRolling Stone magazine's Hot Comic of the Year.[24] The following day, November 13, 2007, he released his third CD/DVD entitledRough Around The Edges, which was filmed live atMadison Square Garden inNew York City. During that time, he embarked on his first arena tour.[citation needed]
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On April 10, 2007, Cook broke theLaugh Factory's endurance record (previously held byRichard Pryor)[25] by performing on stage for three hours and 50 minutes.Dave Chappelle would break the record five days later by performing for six hours and seven minutes. Chappelle beat that record on December 3, 2007, by performing for six hours and twelve minutes.[26] On January 1, 2008, Cook broke Chappelle's record, by performing on stage for seven hours.[27]
From May 23, 2008, to May 25, 2008, Cook reunited withRobert Kelly and Al Del Bene for three shows at The Coliseum inCaesars Palace. From May 29-June 4, 2008, the trio went to Iraq to perform for the troops.[28] Del Bene was the Emcee, Kelly was the feature, and Cook was the headliner.
He finished his fourth album,Isolated Incident; a performance which aired on Comedy Central on May 17, 2009, with the release of the record following two days later. He kicked off that tour at the Mohegan Sun inUncasville, Connecticut, on April 25, 2009. This album was the last as part of Cook's four-record deal with Comedy Central Records. The new album was performed at Laugh Factory in Hollywood, which is considered to be Cook's home base, where he goes to work on new material. He released the DVD version ofIsolated Incident in November 2009.[29]
In 2012, Cook caused a minor controversy when a joke he made in a comedy club about the2012 Aurora, Colorado shooting was recorded and made the headlines.
So I heard that the guy came into the theater about 25 minutes into the movie. And I don't know if you've seen the movie, but the movie is pretty much a piece of crap… Yeah, spoiler alert. And I know that if none of that would have happened, I'm pretty sure that somebody in that theater, about 25 minutes in, realizing it was a piece of crap, probably was like, 'Ugh fucking shoot me.'
— Dane Cook
He later apologized on Twitter: "I am devastated by the recent tragedy in Colorado & did not mean to make light of what happened. I made a bad judgment call with my material last night & regret making a joke at such a sensitive time. My heart goes out to all of the families & friends of the victims."[30][31][32][33]
In 2014,Showtime aired Cook'sTroublemaker special.[34]
In September 2016 Cook headlined withSebastian Maniscalco at the Oddball Comedy Festival inDallas,Texas,[35] and the Oddball Comedy & Curiosity Festival inIrvine,California.[36] He also touredCanada in November at the annualMontreal "Just For Laughs" comedy festival.[37]
In May 2018 he performed atHard Rock Rocksino in Northfield Park,Ohio.[38]
At the end of 2018 Cook announced the "Tell It Like It is" Tour, his first full-scale stand-up tour since "Under Oath" in 2013. The tour began in February 2019 inHuntington,New York and concluded in November inLos Angeles, California.[39][40]
Cook began his film career with small roles in the late 1990s, includingMystery Men as "The Waffler", and oppositeDennis Rodman in 1999'sSimon Sez.[41]
In 2006, Cook starred in his first leading role as Zack Bradley inEmployee of the Month, which co-starredJessica Simpson andDax Shepard. The film made a modest $30 million against a $12 million budget.[42]In June 2007, Cook co-starred in his first dramatic role as the devious photographer "Mr. Smith" inMr. Brooks, which starredKevin Costner. The film debuted at number 4 at the box office, grossing $10,017,067 in its opening weekend and $48 million in total.[43]
In September 2007, Cook starred as dentist Charlie Logan inGood Luck Chuck, which co-starred Jessica Alba and Dan Fogler. The film was the second-highest-grossing film (#1 Comedy) at the U.S. box office in its opening weekend, grossing $13.6 million in 2,612 theaters. The film went on to have a total box office tally of approximately $35 million U.S. and $24 million foreign.[44] A month later, Cook co-starred as Mitch Burns inDan In Real Life, which starredSteve Carell. The film grossed $11.8 million in 1,921 theaters its opening weekend, ranking number 2 at the box office. As of July 6, 2008, it has grossed $62,745,217.[45]
In 2008, Cook starred as air purifier call-center supervisor Tank Turner inMy Best Friend's Girl withKate Hudson,Jason Biggs, andAlec Baldwin. The film grossed $8.2 million in its opening weekend, debuting at #3 at the box office.[46]In 2010, Cook claimed that he had auditioned for the role ofCaptain America forCaptain America: The First Avenger, although directorJoe Johnston did not have him on the short list for the part.[47]
In 2013, Cook voiced the character of Dusty Crophopper in the animated film,Planes, a spin-off ofPixar'sCars franchise.[48][49] He reprised his role as Dusty in the 2014 sequelPlanes: Fire & Rescue.[50]
In 2015, Cook starred in the film400 Days withBrandon Routh,Caity Lotz, andBen Feldman. The film was directed byMatt Osterman and executive produced by Cook.[51][52]
On November 18, 2010, it was announced that both Cook andJosh Hamilton would be starring inNeil LaBute's 2011 Broadway production ofFat Pig; however, before the show began it was postponed for financial reasons.[53][54]
In 2012, he playedFranz Liebkind in theHollywood Bowl production ofThe Producers.[55]
His first TV role was playing a quarterback named Kyle on the 1995ABC comedyMaybe This Time, which starredMarie Osmond,Betty White andAshley Johnson.
In October 2005, during an interview withJay Leno onThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno, actressCharlize Theron leaned forward and allowed Cook to kiss her backside.[56][57]
In May 2012, it was announced that Cook would be starring in the new NBC comedyNext Caller.[58][59] On October 12, 2012, the show was canceled prior to its airing after filming four out of six episodes.[60]
Cook's style is principally "long-form storytelling"[61] and "multipurpose phrases".[2] Cook says his onstage persona is a combination of the personalities of his mother, Donna, and his father, George. "My mother is like aLooney Tunes cartoon. She's wiggly ... She has the ability to tongue in cheek a lot, and do it in a way where she's being physical. My dad is the polar opposite. He always had a little 'what the fuck' in his voice. Even if he knew nothing about what he was talking about, he could sell it. So I looked at these two extremely funny people and created a style of comedy from absorbing their actions."[62]
He explains:
I wanted to create a stage persona for myself that allowed me to really speak about anything I want... So I can be a storyteller, I can be jokey, I can be corny, I can be a little vulgar, I can be a lot vulgar. And I'm not afraid to go anywhere to get the point of the joke across, even if I have to just blabber like a retard until it becomes apparent that I'm a retard and that the audience should laugh.
One reviewer noted that Cook attracted a young, growing audience through colorful observations and high-energy performances.[63]
Commentators in a variety of media sources have characterized Dane Cook's humor as unfunny.[1][2][64] ComedianRon White has criticized Dane Cook for his lack of real material and for his inflated ego, saying: "[He] does not make me laugh, at all, in any way, shape or form."[65] When asked about his opinion of Cook onThe Howard Stern Show, comedianNick DiPaolo said "he doesn't make me laugh, but that doesn't mean he's not funny."[66] On Boston radio stationWBCN, Dane Cook was named by radio showToucher and Rich to a tournament of the top 16 "Worst Comedians" and, based on listener voting, was voted the "Worst Comedian" of all. In theMichigan Daily, Elie Zwiebel and co-author Jesse Bean wrote that "he's managed to become one of the most overrated comics ever" and that his act is "boringly stagnant".[67] In an interview with Jason Tanamor of Zoiks! Online, Tanamor asked Cook why he was so despised. Cook stated that he'd had conversations with his therapist, attributing some of the negativity to his alpha demeanor. Add to that, Cook's highly successful career. "Unfortunately, what you find is, you know in your graduating class with the guys you came up with, there's going to be some dudes in front of you that don't want you catching up, and there's going to be some guys behind you that maybe they've never had an opportunity. That, coupled with, like you said, reaching the Billboard charts with 'Retaliation' and a lot of people going, 'Who the fuck does he think he is?'[68]
Jim Breuer talked about Cook's reputation within the comedy industry, saying: "Everyone kills this guy ... Not one comedian comes on [my Sirius radio show] and says 'I'm so happy for him', which is weird. ... They can't stand this poor guy." Breuer went on to say that he personally thinks Cook is a "tremendous performer".[69]
Paul Provenza said that he was not a fan of his earlier work, but "...caught a couple of Dane Cook shows at the Laugh Factory in Los Angeles, and he was fantastic", and became a fan because he felt he had "matured".[70]
ComedianJoe Rogan claimed that Cook performed a bit on an episode ofPremium Blend that Rogan had developed onI'm Gonna Be Dead Someday, and claimed to have performed the routine earlier in clubs with Cook present. In 2010, Rogan had Cook as a guest onhis podcast, telling him that he was a "good dude" and that he was "...glad we put all that shit past and hung out...I think you are doing some awesome shit." Cook replied: "That means the world hearing that from you, Joe ... You've got a lot of integrity and I've always had a lot of respect for you."[71]
There was also widespread Internet discussion regarding three bits from Cook's 2005 albumRetaliation, and similar bits from comicLouis C.K.'s 2001 albumLive in Houston.[72] In 2011, Cook played himself in an episode ofLouie, scripted by C.K., centering on a fictional encounter between the two comics during which they discuss the controversy.[73] In an interview in 2012, Louis C.K. defended Cook, saying: "I don't think he stole from me knowingly... I think he sort of got some of my jokes in his head and got sloppy. He's a good guy and not capable of maleficence."[74]
Cook's half-brother, Darryl McCauley, served as his business manager until 2008, when Cook discovered that McCauley and his wife Erika hadembezzled at least $12 million from him.[82] They were charged with embezzlement andlarceny in 2010, and pleaded guilty. Darryl was sentenced to six years in prison and 16 years ofprobation, and Erika was sentenced to three years in prison and 13 years of probation. Both were ordered to payrestitution to Cook.[83][84]
Cook says he has never had a drink of alcohol or done drugs.[85]
In 2017, Cook began dating fitness instructor Kelsi Taylor, who is26 years his junior.[86] They became engaged on July 13, 2022.[87] The couple married on September 23, 2023, in an intimate ceremony at a private estate inO'ahu, Hawaii.[88][89]
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [90] | US Heat [91] | US Indie [92] | US Comedy [93] | CAN [94] | |||
| Harmful If Swallowed |
| 67 | 19 | 25 | 2 | — | |
| Retaliation |
| 4 | — | 1 | 1 | — | |
| Vicious Circle |
| — | — | — | — | — | |
| Rough Around the Edges: Live from Madison Square Garden |
| 11 | — | 3 | 1 | 20 | |
| Isolated Incident |
| 4 | — | 1 | 1 | 5 | |
| I Did My Best: Greatest Hits Album |
| 165 | — | 15 | 1 | 94 | |
| "—" denotes the album didn't chart. | |||||||
Cook co-wrote and performed the song "Ruthie Pigface Draper" for theDan In Real Life film withNorbert Leo Butz.
Cook provided guest vocals on the 2011 songIn the Future bySteel Panther from their third studio albumBalls Out.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995–1996 | Maybe This Time | Kyle | 9 episodes |
| 1997 | Flypaper | Tim | |
| Buddy | Fair Cop | ||
| 1999 | Spiral | David | |
| Simon Sez | Nick Miranda | ||
| Mystery Men | The Waffler | ||
| 2000 | Comedy Central Presents | Himself | Stand-up comedy series Episode:June 28, 2000 |
| 1999–2001 | The Late Show | Himself | Episode: April 12, 1999 Episode: March 14, 2001 |
| 2002 | L.A.X. | Terrell Chasman | |
| The Touch | Bob | ||
| 2002–2007 | Crank Yankers | Sav McCauley / Jack Larson / Foreign Guy | 4 episodes |
| 2003 | Stuck on You | Officer Fraioli | |
| 8 Guys | Dane | ||
| Windy City Heat | Roman Polanski | Television film | |
| 2004 | Mr. 3000 | Sausage Mascot | Voice |
| Torque | Neal Luff | ||
| Good Girls Don't... | Max | Episode: "Whatever Happened to Jane's Baby?" | |
| 2005 | Waiting... | Floyd | |
| London | George | ||
| Duck Dodgers | Van Chancy | Episode: "The Kids Are All Wrong/Win, Lose or Duck" | |
| 2006 | Employee of the Month | Zack Bradley | |
| 2007 | Farce of the Penguins | Online Penguin | Voice |
| Mr. Brooks | Mr. Smith | ||
| Good Luck Chuck | Chuck/Charlie | ||
| Dan in Real Life | Mitch Burns | ||
| 2008 | My Best Friend's Girl | Tank Turner | |
| 2010, 2019 | Laugh Factory | Himself / Comedian | Episodes: "Dane Cook: Laugh Factory Birthday", "Flashback Fridays: Birthday Jokes" |
| 2011 | Answers to Nothing | Ryan | |
| Hawaii Five-0 | Matt Williams | Episode: "Loa Aloha" | |
| Louie | Himself | Episode: "Oh Louie/Tickets" | |
| Detention | Principal Karl Verge | ||
| 2012 | Guns, Girls and Gambling | Sheriff Hutchins | |
| 2012–2013 | Next Caller | Cam | 5 episodes |
| 2013 | Planes | Dusty Crophopper | Voice |
| 2014 | Planes: Fire & Rescue | ||
| Comedy Bang! Bang! | Himself | Episode: "Dane Cook Wears a Black Blazer & Tailored Pants" | |
| 2015 | 400 Days | Cole Dvorak | Also executive producer |
| 2017 | American Gods | Robbie | |
| 2018 | Robot Chicken | Harriet's Boss / Braveheart Mouse / Dave Seville | Voice Episode: "3 2 1 2 333, 222, 3...66?" |
| 2018 | The American Meme | Himself | Documentary film |
| 2019 | American Typecast | Alex | Also producer, writer and director |
| 2019 | American Exit | Charlie |
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Quotations from Wikiquote
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