Rob Riggle

Robert Allen Riggle Jr. (born April 21, 1970) is an American actor, comedian and former United States Marine Officer. He is perhaps best known for his work as a correspondent on Comedy Central's The Daily Show from 2006 to 2008; as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 2004 to 2005; as the recurring character Gil Thorpe on the 20th Television sitcom Modern Family; and for his comedic roles in films such as The Hangover, The Other Guys, Let's Be Cops, Dumb & Dumber To, 21 Jump Street, 22 Jump Street, The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard, and Step Brothers. He has also co-starred in the Adult Swim comedy-action series NTSF:SD:SUV::. He has provided voice work for The Lorax and Hotel Transylvania 2. In 2012, he replaced Frank Caliendo for the comedy skit and prognostication portions of Fox NFL Sunday.

Rob Riggle
Born
Robert Allen Riggle Jr.[1]

(1970-04-21) April 21, 1970
EducationUniversity of Kansas
OccupationActor, comedian, retired U.S. Marine Officer
Years active1998–present
Spouse(s)
Tiffany Riggle
(m. 2000)
Children2
Military career
Allegiance United States
Service/branch United States Marine Corps Reserve
Years of service1990–2013
Rank Lieutenant colonel
Battles/wars
AwardsCombat Action Ribbon

Early life

Riggle was born in Louisville, Kentucky, the son of Sandra and Robert Allen Riggle, who worked in insurance.[2] His family moved to Overland Park, Kansas when he was two.[2][3][4] He attended Shawnee Mission South High School, where he was involved in the school's radio and TV stations. He was voted the most humorous in high school and graduated in 1988.[2] He later attended the University of Kansas, where he was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, attained his pilot's license and graduated with a B.A. in Theater and Film in 1992.[3] He went on to earn a Master of Public Administration degree from Webster University in 1997.

Military career

Riggle joined the Marines in 1990 after getting his pilot's license, intending to become a naval aviator, but left flight school to pursue a comedy career.[5] Riggle was a member of the United States Marine Corps Reserve and often referred to his military experiences on The Daily Show, including acting as the show's "military analyst" and joking that he could kill any other member of the show.[6] In August 2007, he went to Iraq to report for The Daily Show and to entertain troops under the purview of the USO.[7]

Riggle was a public affairs officer with a New York City-based unit; he served in Liberia, Kosovo, Albania and Afghanistan.[2] He attained the rank of lieutenant colonel[8] and received the Meritorious Service Medal (2); Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal; Joint Service Achievement Medal; Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (2); Combat Action Ribbon; National Defense Service Medal (2); Kosovo Campaign Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Humanitarian Service Medal; Armed Forces Reserve Medal; and NATO Medal.[9][10]

On January 1, 2013, he retired from the Marine Corps Reserve after 23 years of service.[11]

Awards and decorations

1st row Meritorious Service Medal w/ 1 gold award star Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal Joint Service Achievement Medal
2nd row Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal w/ 1 gold award star Combat Action Ribbon National Defense Service Medal w/ 1 service star
3rd row Kosovo Campaign Medal w/ 1 campaign star Afghanistan Campaign Medal w/ 1 campaign star Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
4th row Humanitarian Service Medal Armed Forces Reserve Medal NATO Medal for Former Yugoslavia

Comedy career

Comedy partnership with Rob Huebel

Riggle has a long-standing comedic partnership with comedian Rob Huebel, with whom he frequently appears at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater (UCBT) and in their former improvisational sketch comedy troupe Respecto Montalban. Perhaps the duo's best known creation was their long running two-man show Kung Fu Grip which they performed at UCBT and other comedy venues for many years, and in the 2004 HBO Comedy Arts Festival. Around this time, they began appearing together in several of Comedy Central and VH1's "talking head" commentary programs such as Best Week Ever and A2Z. They also appeared in Bravo network's 100 Scariest Movie Moments special in 2004. These appearances got the duo their first exposure to television viewers, and making them favorites among VH1 viewers. Riggle, Huebel and most of their castmates from Respecto Montalban also performed in sketches on Late Night with Conan O'Brien through the late 1990s and early 2000s.

The duo's growing popularity landed them an audition on Saturday Night Live in the summer of 2004. They auditioned together, though only Riggle ended up making the cut. After spending one season on Saturday Night Live from 2004 to 2005, Riggle soon joined Huebel and many of his other Respecto Montalban castmates in Los Angeles to work on new projects. Soon after, the two landed a holding deal at NBC in early 2006 to develop a half-hour comedy program, though it never reached production.

In September 2006, Riggle joined The Daily Show as a regular correspondent. Around the same time, Huebel (along with Respecto Montalban member Paul Scheer and stand-up comic Aziz Ansari) started developing Human Giant, a sketch show for MTV. Riggle often appeared in the show's sketches, and in its 24-hour live marathon which aired in May 2007. One of Riggle's most memorable appearances was as hired muscle Ham-Bone, who appeared alongside Aziz Ansari in the season one sketch "Clell Tickle: Indie Marketing Guru". Riggle and Huebel can also be seen on stage at the UCBT in Doug Benson's documentary Super High Me.

Saturday Night Live

A featured player during the 2004–2005 season, Riggle's first appearance as a SNL cast member was on the show's 30th-season premiere on October 2, 2004.[12] He has portrayed Larry the Cable Guy, Howard Dean, Rick Sanchez, Mark McGwire, and Toby Keith. He had a one-shot character named Leviticus, a loud, violent street preacher who only appeared on a Weekend Update segment on the Christmas episode hosted by Robert De Niro (though another sketch featuring Leviticus scheduled to air on the episode hosted by Hilary Swank was cut after dress rehearsal).

Prior to becoming a cast member, Riggle appeared in a non-speaking role during season 29 in a pre-taped parody of Fear Factory, where he played the father of one of the child contestants during the "Breakfast in Bed" challenge, in which a child must eat the maggots off a plate of Eggs Benedict with the understanding that failing to do so results in the divorce of his parents.

The Daily Show

In September 2006, Riggle joined the cast of The Daily Show to replace the departing Rob Corddry, and his debut on September 20, 2006.

TV Guide cited Riggle's segment "Marines in Berkeley" where he donned hippie regalia to spoof University of California, Berkeley peace activists protesting a local Marines recruiting station.[13]

During the 2008 Olympics, Riggle traveled to China to tape sketches for The Daily Show, producing the four-part special feature "Rob Riggle: Chasing the Dragon".[14]

Riggle left The Daily Show on December 10, 2008, in his words "to go fight crime"; however, he appeared at Bonnaroo 2009—with John Oliver and Rory Albanese, one of the show's executive producers—in a show entitled An Evening (or Afternoon) with The Daily Show featuring John Oliver, Rob Riggle & Rory Albanese.

On August 3, 2010, Riggle made a surprise cameo on The Daily Show during an interview with Will Ferrell.[15] While Ferrell and Stewart began discussing Riggle's "lack of talent" and making other disparaging remarks about him, Riggle suddenly walked onto the set to "surprise" them and asked if they were talking about him. His intimidating presence appeared to make Ferrell and Stewart visibly afraid, continuing the running joke that Stewart is afraid of Riggle.

Stand-up comedy

Riggle performing in 2014

Previously, Riggle's live comedy work was mostly improvisational and sketch-based, but beginning in 2006 he wanted to try something different and decided to create a stand-up act. After working on it in various comedy clubs in New York City, he toured colleges and other comedy clubs, often performing with John Oliver and other Daily Show writers. He credits John Oliver for encouraging him to try stand-up while they shared an office at The Daily Show.[16]

Riggle hosted an episode of Comedy Central's stand-up series Live at Gotham on December 4, 2009, and taped a Comedy Central Presents special that aired on March 5, 2010.

Other work

Riggle played Eddie Reynolds in Blackballed: The Bobby Dukes Story, a 2004 film starring Rob Corddry, and featuring almost all of the Respecto Montalban group. Later that year Riggle was one of the "Flab Four" on the Comedy Central mini-series Straight Plan for the Gay Man, a parody of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy that ran for three episodes.

In 2006, Riggle guest-starred as a boat captain named Captain Jack on the "Booze Cruise" episode of The Office, and as an anti-euthanasia activist on Arrested Development. He was also seen as a NASCAR announcer in the comedy film Talladega Nights with Will Ferrell.

Riggle in 2008

In late 2007, Riggle began appearing as a spokesman in a series of Budweiser commercials. In 2008 he signed a talent holding contract with CBS and CBS Paramount Network TV, which included a development deal to create and star in a half-hour comedy series.[17] He also gained a supporting role in Step Brothers, where he plays a rude co-worker of Brennan's (Will Ferrell). He had memorable supporting roles in the 2009 films The Hangover and The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard, and supporting roles in the 2010 comedies Going the Distance, Killers, and The Other Guys.

In 2009, Riggle started a recurring role on the CBS sitcom Gary Unmarried, playing Mitch, Jay Mohr's brother from the Marines.

In 2010, Riggle and comedian Paul Scheer wrote and starred in "Designated Driver", a series of sketches for the first season of the HBO comedy show Funny or Die Presents. Riggle, Scheer and Rob Huebel also wrote and starred in a series of sketches called "Death Hunt" in the show's second season in 2011.

For the 2010–2011 NFL football season, Riggle recorded a Monday Night Football introduction and several short comedy bits for the Kansas City Chiefs to be played at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. He played the lead the 2011 CBS sitcom pilot Home Game, executive produced by Mark Wahlberg.

Riggle is seen in stadium monitors at Qwest Field during Seattle Seahawks games, encouraging fans to cheer.

In May 2011, Riggle appeared in a 2-minute short on funnyordie.com as the U.S. Navy SEAL who killed Osama bin Laden.[18] He plays a humble US Navy Lieutenant (though the insignia on his uniform displays three solid gold bands, indicating the O-5 rank of a USN commander) who, upon being awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, pledges absolute discretion, then gets intoxicated at a local bar and boast unreservedly to a large crowd that he was bin Laden's assailant.

From 2011 to 2013, Riggle has co-starred as "The President of the Navy" in the Adult Swim comedy-action series NTSF:SD:SUV::. On July 11, 2012, he hosted the 2012 ESPY Awards.

In 2012, Riggle had a recurring role as "Kevin Jesquire" in season two of the FX comedy series Wilfred. He also began the recurring role of Gil Thorpe, the real-estate rival of Phil Dunphy (played by Ty Burrell), on the hit comedy series Modern Family, which continued through the show's 11th and final season in 2020.

In October 2013, he played Satan in the music video for Steel Panther's "Party Like Tomorrow is the End of the World".

In 2014, he was expected to star with Rob Lowe in the pilot for the single-camera comedy The Pro as Bobby Welch, a former professional tennis player.[19] As of 2016, the comedy pilot has yet to be picked up for a series by NBC. Riggle appeared as Frank West in the 2015 film Dead Rising: Watchtower.[20]

From September 2016, Riggle took over the role of Colonel Sanders in the KFC ad campaigns, following other comedians including Norm Macdonald and Darrell Hammond.[21]

Fox NFL Sunday

Beginning with the 19th-season premiere of the Fox NFL Sunday pre-game show on September 9, 2012, Riggle took over the comedy skit and prognosticator portions previously performed by Frank Caliendo from 2003 to 2011.[22] Riggle will not return to the Fox NFL pre-game show in 2020.

Personal life

Riggle married Tiffany Riggle in 2000. They have two children.[2]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2003Pushing TomBob
2004Blackballed: The Bobby Dukes StoryEddie Reynolds
TerroristsBadger
2006Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky BobbyJack Telmont
Unaccompanied MinorsHead Guard Hoffman
2007Super High MeHimself
Wild Girls Gone
2008Step BrothersRandy
2009The Goods: Live Hard, Sell HardPeter Selleck
The HangoverOfficer Franklin
May the Best Man WinJohn Freeman
2010Furry VengeanceRiggs
Going the DistanceRon
KillersHenry
The Other GuysDetective Evan Martin
High RoadJames Malone Sr.
2011Larry CrowneJack Strang
2012Big MiracleDean Glowacki
The LoraxAloysius O'HareVoice
21 Jump StreetMr. Walters
Hotel TransylvaniaSkeleton husbandVoice
Nature CallsGentry
2013The InternshipRandy
2014Just Before I GoRawly Stansfield
22 Jump StreetMr. WaltersUncredited
Let's Be CopsOfficer Segars
Dumb and Dumber ToTravis and Captain Lippencott
2015Absolutely AnythingGrant
Dead Rising: WatchtowerFrank West
Hotel Transylvania 2BelaVoice
Hell and BackCurtVoice
2016My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2Northwestern Rep
Opening NightGoldmeyer
Middle School: The Worst Years of My LifeBear
True Memoirs of an International AssassinWilliam Cobb
2017How to Be a Latin LoverScott
A Happening of Monumental ProportionsNed Pendlehorn
The Emoji MovieIce cream emojiUncredited voice role
201812 StrongColonel Max Bowers
Midnight SunJack
Status UpdateDarryl Moore
Night SchoolMackenzie
HenchmenBiffVoice
2019UglyDollsExposition RobotVoice
2020The War with GrandpaArthur
The Ark and the AardvarkThe ToddVoice; in production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1998–2004Late Night with Conan O'BrienVarious Characters
1998–2000Upright Citizens BrigadeVarious Characters5 episodes
2004Straight Plan for the Gay ManRob: Culture Guy3 episodes
2004Chappelle's ShowDebt Consolidation Pop-Up
2004–05Saturday Night LiveCast Member20 episodes
2005–06Love, Inc.Major Curtis2 episodes
2006–08The Daily ShowCorrespondent86 episodes
2006The OfficeCaptain JackEpisode: "Booze Cruise"
2006Arrested DevelopmentCongressman John Van Huesen
2006–07Campus LadiesGlen2 episodes
2007Family ValuesTheo GladdingsSitcom Pilot
2007–08Human GiantVarious Characters6 episodes
2007–08Bronx World TravelersCoach2 episodes
2009–10Gary UnmarriedMitch7 episodes
2009–19American Dad!Various Voices6 episodes
2010ChuckJim Rye
2010–2012The Cleveland ShowChet Butler2 episodes
2010Comedy Central PresentsHimself
2010Glenn Martin DDSDuke
2010Team SpitzJeff SpitzCBS Sitcom Pilot
2010–11Funny or Die PresentsVarious Characters7 episodes
201130 RockReggieEpisode: "I Heart Connecticut"
2011Childrens HospitalDr. Brock Stryker
2011Happy EndingsDrewEpisode: "Full Court Dress"
2011Home GameJoe AllenCBS Sitcom Pilot
2011Ugly AmericansDrill Sergeant
2011–13NTSF:SD:SUV::President of the Navy16 episodes
2012VictoriousVice Principal DickersEpisode: "The Breakfast Bunch"
2012World Series of DatingHost2 episodes
2012WilfredKevin Jesquire4 episodes
2012Fox NFL SundaySelfFirst appearance on September 9, 2012
2012–16New GirlBig Schmidt4 episodes
2013–16Drunk HistoryJ. Edgar Hoover / Teddy Roosevelt2 episodes
2013–19Modern FamilyGil Thorpe7 episodes
2014The ProBobby WelchNBC Sitcom Pilot
2014Bad JudgeChetEpisode: "Judge and Jury"
2014The LeagueBethesda3 episodes
2015Marry MeOfficer Gary Bric
2015Golan the InsatiableGolan the Insatiable (voice)6 episodes
2015Key & PeeleRon's bossEpisode: "Hollywood Sequel Doctor"
2015Playing HouseBuck FinchEpisode: "Knotty Pine"
2015Fresh Off the BoatGator DanEpisode: "Family Business Trip"
2016TeachersDon LarondasackEpisode: "Picture Day"
2016Wander Over YonderBill (voice)Episode: "The Family Reunion/The Rival"
2016Comedy Central Roast of Rob LoweHimself/roasterTelevision special
2016AlbertCactus PeteVoice, television film
2016Lip Sync BattleHimselfEpisode: "Rob Riggle vs. Jeff Dye"
2016Son of ZornHeadbutt Man (voice)2 episodes
2017The SimpsonsDr. Fenton Pooltoy (voice)Episode: "A Father's Watch"
2017Angie TribecaDetective Zachary Fontaine4 episodes
2017Bob's BurgersAustin (voice)Episode: "Into the Mild"
2018Big Hero 6: The SeriesGreg Jack (voice)Episode: "The Impatient Patient"
2018The Epic Tales of Captain UnderpantsTheodore "Ted" Murdsly (voice)Episode: "Captain Underpants and the Flustering Mindless Woe of the Memory Wipes"
2018Fancy NancyDoug Clancy (voice)Episode: "La Danse of Friendship/School La La"
2018Rob Riggle's Ski Master AcademyRob RiggleEight episodes
2019Brooklyn Nine-NineRob DulubnikEpisode: "A Tale of Two Bandits"
2019Holey MoleyColor CommentatorTen Episodes
2019Big MouthSgt. AdderallEpisode: "The ASSes"
2021Holey Moley AustraliaCommentator[23]
2021Celebrity Wheel of FortuneHimselfEpisode: "Rob Riggle, Joe Tessitore & Jeannie Mai"

See also

  •  Biography portal
  •  Comedy portal

References

  1. According to the State of Kentucky. Kentucky Birth Index, 1911–1999. Searchable at http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/12252
  2. Gutierrez, Lisa (February 1, 2013). "Rob Riggle is one of Hollywood's – and football's – funniest personalities". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
  3. Stangler, McKay (2007-03-05). "Sh*ts and Riggles". lawrence.com. Retrieved 2009-05-31.
  4. "Kansans of the Year: Rob Riggle". Topeka Capital-Journal. 2008-12-28. Archived from the original on 2011-08-05. Retrieved 2009-05-31.
  5. "Portrait & Profile: LtCol Rob Riggle". Portrait and Profile. Marines Magazine. December 14, 2009. pp. 12–13. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
  6. "Bush's New Plan". The Daily Show. New York. 2007-01-11. Comedy Central. Retrieved 2017-01-26.
  7. ""Operation Silent Thunder: 'The Daily Show' in Iraq" Nightly Reports Filed from Senior War Correspondent Rob Riggle Airing the Week of August 20 at 11:00 P.M. ET/PT" (Press release). Comedy Central. 2007-08-17. Retrieved 2017-01-26.
  8. "Military Gig Is No Joke For 'Daily Show' Funnyman". NPR. 2009-05-24. Retrieved 2009-11-28.
  9. Roth Talent Associates: Rob Riggle Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  10. Dufour, Tia (March 5, 2014). "Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. John M. Paxton, Jr., poses for photo with retired Lt. Col. Robert Riggle Jr". Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps Photo Gallery. Washington, DC.
  11. Canales, Angel (31 May 2013). "Lt. Col. Rob Riggle at Ease as Comedic Actor". ABC News. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  12. Gus Wezerek (2019-12-14). "The 'S.N.L.' Stars Who Lasted, and the Ones Who Flamed Out". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2019-12-14. Retrieved 2019-12-16. Some of the names here will be familiar only to die-hard fans; others, like Murphy, defined what was funny for generations of viewers.
  13. Rudolph, Ileane (July 27, 2015). "Alumni Association: A roundup of The Daily Show's coolest Graduates". TV Guide. pp 21-22.
  14. Bauder, David (2008-08-10). "Rob Riggle's off the hook in China". AP.
  15. "August 3, 2010 - Daily Show: Will Ferrell". The Daily Show. 2010-08-03. Retrieved 2012-03-22.
  16. "Rob Riggle and his new beard guest-star on Monday's 'Chuck' episode". Whosnews.usaweekend.com. 2010-11-12. Archived from the original on 2010-11-28. Retrieved 2012-03-22.
  17. Schneider, Michael (2008-10-19). "'Daily Show's' Riggle moves to CBS". Variety. Retrieved 2009-11-28.
  18. "The Navy Seal Who Killed Osama Bin Laden from Owen Burke". Retrieved 7 October 2018.
  19. "Rob Riggle To Star In Rob Lowe's NBC Comedy Pilot 'The Pro'". Deadline Hollywood. February 7, 2014. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
  20. "Riggle, Morenstein, Tracey and Paunovich to Lead Dead Rising: Watchtower". comingsoon.net. October 20, 2014. Retrieved October 21, 2014.
  21. "KFC Debuts a New Colonel For Football Season". Retrieved 7 October 2018.
  22. "Rob Riggle set to replace Frank Caliendo on Fox NFL pregame". USA Today. 2012-08-27. Retrieved 2012-09-23.
  23. Knox, David (1 October 2020). "Holey Moley begins filming in Brisbane". TV Tonight. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
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