Greg Behrendt

Gregory Behrendt (born July 21, 1963) is an American comedian and author. His work as a script consultant to the HBO sitcom Sex and the City paved the way for co-authoring of the New York Times bestseller He's Just Not That Into You (2004), later adapted into a film by the same name.[1] Apart from that he also hosted two short-lived television shows, The Greg Behrendt Show (2006) and Greg Behrendt's Wake Up Call (2009).[2][3]

Greg Behrendt
Greg Behrendt appearing for The Meltdown in 2011
BornGregory Paul Behrendt
(1963-07-21) July 21, 1963
San Francisco, California, U.S.
OccupationComedian, host, writer, author, musician
Alma materUniversity of Oregon
GenreComedy, Podcasts, Rock, Self-improvement, Dating
Notable worksWalking the Room
The Reigning Monarchs
He's Just Not That Into You
The Greg Behrendt Show
SpouseAmiira Ruotola
Children2

Early life and education

Greg Behrendt graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in theater from the University of Oregon in 1991, though initially he had enrolled to be a business major and to play rugby.[4]

Career

After graduation, Behrendt moved to San Francisco, where he joined an improvisational troupe, and met fellow comic Margaret Cho. In his early years, he performed comedy and improv in San Francisco. He was a member of the improv troupe Crash and Burn, whose members included Margaret Cho. He came up as a performer alongside such comics as David Cross (with whom he roomed for years) and Patton Oswalt.[5]

He went on to appear on The Tonight Show and Late Night with Conan O'Brien. His stand-up special, Greg Behrendt is Uncool, debuted on Comedy Central in January 2006.

In June 2006, he appeared on Celebrity Poker Showdown, playing for a domestic violence charity. Behrendt was a script consultant for the HBO sitcom Sex and the City, "offering script notes from the perspective of a straight man to the writing team, composed of women and gay men".[6]

With Liz Tuccillo, Behrendt co-wrote the 2004 self-help book He's Just Not That Into You. It was adapted by Drew Barrymore's Flower Films/Warner Bros. as a movie of the same name, premiering February 6, 2009.

With his wife Amiira Ruotola-Behrendt, he co-wrote It's Called a Breakup Because It's Broken.

He released the book It's Just a Date![7] in the UK.

His daily daytime "self-help" talk show, The Greg Behrendt Show, premiered September 12, 2006, four months later Sony Pictures Television announced, in January 2007 that the series would not have a second season, and the show aired its last new episodes in February 2007.[8]

He also did a mid-season program for the 2006–07 television season Greg Behrendt's Wake-Up Call for ABC, which never aired on the network. The program began airing in January 2009 on ABC's sister cable network SoapNet.[9] He also appeared on the Great Debate at the 2010 Melbourne Comedy Festival, in which he argued as the third speaker for the negative team on the debate "Food Is Better Than Sex". Behrendt's team, made up of New Zealand comedian Cal Wilson, English comedian Russell Kane and Behrendt himself, won the comedy event.

He started the podcast Walking the Room with his friend Dave Anthony.

Personal life

He is married to Amiira Ruotola. They have two daughters, Mighty Luna and Bella True.[5] He is a recovering alcoholic.[6][10] He plays guitar in his own surf/rockabilly instrumental band, The Reigning Monarchs.[11]

In June 2015, Behrendt announced[12] via his Facebook Fan Page Fan Page that he was battling (an unspecified) cancer, and had undertaken three rounds of chemotherapy. He discussed his diagnosis on episode 16TF of Jimmy Pardo's podcast "Never Not Funny", as well as Wil Anderson's podcast "Wilosophy" on July 9, 2015. He stated that he had a form of lymphoma. His cancer is in remission as of late 2015.

Literary works
  • Pocket Guide to He's Just Not That into You: The No-excuses Truth to Understanding Guys, with Liz Tuccillo. Peter Pauper Press, Inc., 2005. ISBN 1593599900.
  • Greg Behrendt; Amiira Ruotola-Behrendt (September 5, 2006). It's Called a Breakup Because It's Broken: The Smart Girl's Break-Up Buddy. Broadway. ISBN 978-0-7679-2196-1.
  • Greg Behrendt; Amiira Ruotola-Behrendt (July 1, 2008). It's Just a Date: How to Get 'em, How to Read 'em, and How to Rock 'em. HarperElement. ISBN 9780007228324.
  • Greg Behrendt; Liz Tuccillo (January 6, 2009). He's Just Not That into You: The No-Excuses Truth to Understanding Guys. Gallery Books. ISBN 978-1-4169-0977-4.

Comedy albums
  • Greg Behrendt Is Uncool (2006)
  • That Guy From That Thing (2009)
  • Original Uncool (2011)
    • (contains much of the same material as Greg Behrendt Is Uncool)
  • Why Are You In Here? (2018)

References
  1. Lee, Veronica (August 13, 2009). "Greg Behrendt: why Sex and the City needed me". The Telegraph. London.
  2. Caramanica, Jon (February 8, 2009). "'He's Just Not That Into You' and 'Greg Behrendt's Wake Up Call". Los Angeles Times.
  3. "'If I'm the Last Stop, You're in Trouble.'". Washington Post. February 15, 2009.
  4. Chagollan, Steve (July 12, 2001). "Greg Behrendt: Masculinity given new dimensions". Variety.
  5. Just who is Greg Behrendt? OC Register, November 11, 2008
  6. "'Greg Behrendt' Wants to Fix You Up". Zap2it. July 12, 2008.
  7. It's Just a Date amazon.com.
  8. "The Greg Behrendt Show: Syndicated Self-Help Cancelled". TVseriesfinale. January 25, 2007.
  9. Reuters
  10. Interview, KUPD morning show Holmberg's Morning Sickness, September 25, 2008
  11. MySpace: The Reigning Monarchs
  12. Behrendt, Greg. "Quick update on HOW TO KEEP YOUR MARRIAGE FROM SUCKING". Greg Behrendt FB Fan Page. Facebook. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
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