Adam Conover | |
|---|---|
 Conover in 2014 | |
| Born | 1982 or 1983 (age 42–43) Smithtown, New York, U.S. |
| Education | Bard College (BA) |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 2012–present |
| Known for | Adam Ruins Everything BoJack Horseman |
| Board member of | Writers Guild of America West (2021–) |
| Website | adamconover |
Adam Conover (born 1982 or 1983[1]) is an American actor, writer and comedian. He created andhosted the half-hourtruTV showAdam Ruins Everything, based on theCollegeHumor series of the same name.[2] He was also the host of the American version ofThe Crystal Maze on Nickelodeon. In 2022, Conover's limited seriesThe G Word with Adam Conover debuted onNetflix.[3] Conover currently serves on the board of theWriters Guild of America West.[4] He also currently runs the podcastFactually! With Adam Conover.[5]
Adam Conover was born inSmithtown, New York,[6] and grew up in nearbyWading River, on theNorth Shore of Long Island.[7] His parents areDavid O. Conover, a marine biologist,[8] and Margaret Conover (née Howard), abotanist.[6][7][8] His younger sister,Emily Conover, is a science reporter who holds a PhD inparticle physics.[9] Conover has described himself as "the only member of the family without aPh.D."[10]
In 2000, he graduated fromShoreham-Wading River High School, where he became interested in the performing arts. As a teenager, he was part of a band called Bocoach.[11] He then attendedBard College, where, in 2002, he became an active member of thesketch comedy groupOlde English.[12] In 2004,[13] he earned abachelor's degree in philosophy from Bard College.[7]
Conover was once a roommate ofBoJack Horseman creatorRaphael Bob-Waksberg inNew York City, who also introduced him to his former partner, illustratorLisa Hanawalt.[14] Conover had a 15-year relationship with Hanawalt.[15] Conoverquit drinking in early 2018.[16]
In 2020, Conover was an outspoken supporter ofNithya Raman, who challenged and beatDavid Ryu for theLos Angeles City Council. As an activist for Housing First policies, Conover performed stand-up to fundraise for the campaign and canvassed in support of Raman.[17]
In 2012, Conover began working as a sketchcomedy writer and performer for the comedy website and YouTube channelCollegeHumor, where he eventually created the web series that would go on to becomeAdam Ruins Everything onTruTV.[7] The first episode of the TruTV show, which aims to reveal untold truths and to dispelcommon misconceptions,[18] premiered on September 29, 2015. Conover has said his character in the show is a comedic interpretation of the person he worries he once was or is. As he toldThe New York Observer, "It's the reaction I’ve gotten my whole life: that I learn something and try to tell people in conversation, but when I tell them, they are annoyed."[19]
In March 2016, he was asked to speak at amarketingconference on the subject ofmillennials; the talk he gave was entitled "Millennials Don't Exist".[20] In 2018, Conover was the headliner of the first night of the annualCSICon conference for skeptics.[21] On August 17, 2018, Conover was a guest onReal Time with Bill Maher.[22] On April 17, 2019, Conover was a guest onThe Joe Rogan Experience.[23]
He has voiced several characters in theNetflix animated seriesBoJack Horseman, includingA Ryan Seacrest Type, one of thePaparazzi Birds, andBradley Hitler-Smith.[7][24] In 2019, he voiced the character Big_Hairy_Stallion_69 on the Netflix seriesTuca & Bertie, and created the newEarwolf podcastFactually![25][26]
Since 2020, Conover has also acted as the host of anAmerican adaptation of the family game showThe Crystal Maze forNickelodeon.[27] In November 2020, Conover had a cameo appearance as his character fromAdam Ruins Everything inThe Eric Andre Show. His character appeared in the show's opening sequence before being beaten to death.[28][29] In December 2020, Conover announced thatAdam Ruins Everything was no longer in production and that he was planning a newNetflix series about the federal government calledThe G Word with Adam Conover. The show premiered on Netflix on May 19, 2022.[30]
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Conover serves on the board of theWriters Guild of America West,[4] and sits on the 2023 WGA contract negotiating committee.[31] On May 1, 2023 the WGA contract negotiating committee failed to reach a satisfactory agreement with theAlliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which representsthe major film andtelevision studios ofHollywood,triggering a strike.[32]
In 2025, Conover released a video promoting thecryptocurrency projectWorld Network.[33][34] He subsequently released an apology video, said he would not accept any further money from World, and called World's Orb "the creepiest tech product Silicon Valley has ever produced" which had been "a flaming dumpster fire of a product launch".[35]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–2019 | BoJack Horseman | A Ryan Seacrest Type, Bradley Hitler-Smith and Paparazzi Blue Jay | |
| 2015–2019 | Adam Ruins Everything | Self | |
| 2015–2022 | Um, Actually | Self | 4 episodes |
| 2019 | WTF 101 | Doctor Gamma | CollegeHumor original programming |
| 2019–2021 | Tuca & Bertie | Joel | |
| 2020 | The Crystal Maze | Host | |
| The Eric Andre Show | Self | "Is Your Wife Still Depressed?" | |
| 2022 | The G Word with Adam Conover | Self | |
| 2023 | Game Changer | Self | "Game Changer: Battle Royale" |
| 2024 | Dropout Presents | Self | Standup special,Unmedicated |
| Animation Workers Ignited Shorts | Umbert Actually | ||
| 2025 | Umbert Actually! | Umbert Actually |
Conover, 39 ...
| International | |
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| National | |
| Artists | |
| People | |
