Joel Edward McHale (born November 20, 1971) is an American actor, writer, comedian, and producer. He is best known for his Deadpan Snarker persona in stand-up, acting, and hosting gigs.
Prior to his breakthrough roles in acting, he played Collegiate American Football at the University of Washington and was perhaps best known as the host of E!'s long-running pop culture clip show The Soup, which he also served as a writer on. After eleven years, the series ended in 2015.
Nowadays, he's probably most associated with his role as Jeff Winger on NBC's Community, opposite the likes of Chevy Chase, Donald Glover, Yvette Nicole Brown, Danny Pudi, Alison Brie, and Gillian Jacobs.
Outside of The Soup and Community, he's appeared in the horror film Deliver Us from Evil, the revival season of The X-Files, and CBS' The Great Indoors. In 2018 he hosted The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale, a short-lived weekly topical talk/sketch series on Netflix.
Outside of acting, he's a well-known gourmand, often using his various social media accounts to promote chefs and restaurants who've captured his fancy over the years.
Filmography
Film
- Spider-Man 2 (2004) as Mr. Jacks
- The Informant (2009) as FBI Agent Robert Herndon
- Spy Kids: All the Time in the World (2011) as Wilbur Wilson
- What's Your Number? (2011) as Roger
- Ted (2012) as Rex
- A Merry Friggin' Christmas (2014) as Boyd Mitchler
- Deliver Us from Evil (2016) as Butler
- A Futile and Stupid Gesture (2018) as Chevy Chase
- Game-Over Man (2018) as himself
- The Happytime Murders (2018) as Special Agent Campbell
- Assassination Nation (2018) as Nick
- Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge (2020) as Johnny Cage
- Becky (2020) as Jeff Hooper
- Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms (2021) as Johnny Cage
- Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match (2023) as Johnny Cage
- Itβs a Wonderful Knife (2023)
- Untitled Community movie (TBA) as Jeff Winger
Television
- Almost Live! (1996-99) (cast member)
- Will & Grace (2001; 2020) as Ian/Phil (2 episodes)
- The Soup (2004β15) as himself (host, 618 episodes)
- Pushing Daisies (2007) as Harold Hundin (episode: "Bitches")
- Community (2009β15) as Jeff Winger (110 episodes)
- Phineas and Ferb (2012) as Norm Head Prototype (episode: "Candace Disconnected")
- Sons of Anarchy (2012) as Warren (2 episodes)
- Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja (2013-15) as First Ninja (5 episodes)
- Bojack Horseman (2015) as Alex (episode: "Yesterdayland")
- The X-Files (2016) as Tad O'Malley (4 episodes)
- Dr. Ken (2016) as Ross (episode: "Dave's Valentine")
- The Great Indoors (2016β17) as Jack Gordon (22 episodes)
- Rick and Morty (2017) as Death Stalker Hemorrhage (episode: "Rickmancing the Stone")
- Milo Murphy's Law (2017) as Victor Verliezer (2 episodes)
- The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale (2018) as himself (host, 19 episodes)
- Santa Clarita Diet (2018) as Chris (4 episodes)
- The Masked Singer (2019-21) as himself (5 episodes)
- RuPaul's Drag Race (2019) as himself (episode: "Trump: The Rusical")
- The Rookie (2019) as Brad Hayes (episode: "The Shake Up")
- Stargirl (2020) as Sylvester Pemberton / Starman (2 episodes)
- The Twilight Zone (2020) as Orson Rudd (episode: "8")
- Love, Death & Robots (2022) as Sgt. Morris (episode: "Kill Team Kill")
- The Bear (2022-present) as Executive Chef (4 episodes)
- Animal Control (2023-present) as Frank Shaw
Video Games
- LEGO Dimensions (2015) as X-PO and himself
- Fortnite Battle Royale (2021) as The Scientist of the Seven
He provides examples of:
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Spiritual Successor: The Joel McHale Show is basically a revival of The Soup under a different name.
