|
 Paul
Provenza
Funny, confident, and on
his way up, Paul Provenza has been on the cutting edge of comedy for the
past decade. An accomplished comedian and actor, Provenza has scored successes
on television, the stage, and virtually every comedy venue in America. Provenza
stand-up comedy has been critically acclaimed as bright, edgy, and honest
by journalists from coast to coast.
Born and raised in New
York City, he attended the prestigious Bronx High School of Science. While
still in high school, he started performing stand-up comedy, and at a mere
17 years of age, made a memorable debut at the original Improvisation in
Manhattan. Provenza continued performing while attending the Ivy League's
University of Pennsylvania, taking a year's leave of absence to study in
London at the renowned Roya Academy of Dramatic Arts. While at R.A.D.A.,
he joined a classical repertory theater company, becoming one of few Americans
to perform the role of "Romeo" on the London stage.
Paul Provenza graduated
from Penn with the first B.A. degree in Theater Arts ever awarded by the
University, while at the same time writing and performing original comedy
revues and commuting to New York to perform his stand-up comedy at the Improv,
Catch A Rising Star, and the Comic Strip.
While still at Penn, Provenza
was "discovered" by a talent scout for CBS TV. Soon, his writing and performance
became part of a CBS late-night comedy special. Later that same year, he
was again spotted at the Improv and asked to star in a series pilot for ABC
TV. Soon, NBC was next in line, offering him a development contract which
finally brought Paul to Hollywood.
Once in Los Angeles, comic
success came quickly for Provenza who has since appeared on virtually every
major talk show, including regular appearances on "Late Night with David
Letterman" and "The Tonight Show" , where he has become a favorite. On concert
tours, Provenza has opened for such diverse headliners as Diana Ross, Air
Supply, Sheena Easton, Paul Anka, and others. Equally at home on stages of
all sizes, he recently performed for an audience of over 80,000 at the University
of Florida's Homecoming "Gator Growl."
At the same time , Provenza
acting career has flourished as well. After starring in several network pilots
, he made his dramatic acting debut opposite Andy Griffiths and Keanu Reeves
in the highly acclaimed CBS movie-of-the-week "Under The Influence" for which
he received rave notices as the struggling son of an alcoholic father. Guest
starring roles on countless television comedy series followed, as well as "Miami
Vice" and "Dynasty."
In between his busy television
schedule and stand-up appearances, Provenza also co-starred in the HBO feature "Odd
Jobs" with Paul Reiser , Robert Townsend and Richard Dean Anderson ; starred
in the action-adventure feature "Survival Quest" with Dermot Mulroney and
Lance Henriksen ; hosted the award winning children 's show "Kids' Court" for
Nickelodeon; and frequently served as a guest VJ on MTV.
Provenza then starred in
his own sitcom for ABC, "The Pursuit of Happiness," co-starring Brian Keith.
During the same season, he was simultaneously appearing in a recurring role
on "The Facts of Life" playing Blair's boyfriend.
Going back to the legitimate
theater the following year, Provenza was nominated for a Drama Desk Award
for "Best Actor" and won the the Theater World Award for "Best Actor in a
Play" for his performance in the hit Off-Broadway play, AOnly Kidding!" Subsequently,
he was honored with a caricature by the legendary Al Hirschfeld.
Provenza then wrote and
starred in his own special for Showtime, "The Incredible Man-Boy," which
received outstanding revues all around the country.
Currently, as writer, producer,
and host of Comedy Central's innovative talk show "Comics Only," Provenza
uses his keen sense of comic timing to interview today's hottest comedians
and to perform some outrageous and bold TV comedy of his own. The show appears
every weeknight, three times a day around the country, and was recently honored
with two nominations for the prestigious ACE (Award for Cable Excellence)
Award: one for Best Standup Comedy Series, and one for Paul's work on the
show as Best Entertainment Host.
While working on "Comics
Only," Provenza also spent the past year and a half starring in the hit NBC
series, "Empty Nest."
Provenza also helped develop
and starred in a special for TBS, called "Elvis USA," a critically acclaimed
comedy/documentary hybrid that took Paul around the US in a '58 Cadillac
convertible to talk to people whose lives are obsessed with the King. The
success of that experimental form led to "Born To Be Wild" on Showtime, where
Paul comedicall explored the biker phenomenon.
Provenza continues to write
and develop material and projects, and is presently developing a series which
he will star in for the Fox network. He also heads to Broadway this fall,
to star in Neil Simon's new play, "Laughter on the 23rd Floor."
|
