Kenny Hotz facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kenny Hotz
Born	Kenneth Joel Hotz (1967-05-03) May 3, 1967 (age 58) Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Education	Ryerson Polytechnical Institute
Occupation	Entertainer screenwriter producer director
Years active	1994–present
Spouse(s)	Audrey Gair (2007–present)
Children	3
Relatives	Joni Mitchell (godmother)
Awards	Gemini Award Canadian Comedy Award
YouTube information
Years active	2006–present
Genre	Comedy
Subscribers	306 thousand
Total views	14.8 million
Subscriber and view counts updated as of May 24, 2025.

Kenneth Joel Hotz (born May 3, 1967) is a Canadian comedian, writer, and filmmaker. He is famous for starring in the reality comedy show Kenny vs. Spenny with his friend Spencer Rice.

Hotz has created other TV shows, like Testees for the FX network and Kenny Hotz's Triumph of the Will. He was also a writer for the popular animated show South Park. Early in his career, he worked as a photojournalist, taking pictures during important world events like the Gulf War.

Early Life and School

Hotz was born into a Jewish family in Toronto, Canada. He went to Forest Hill Collegiate Institute for high school, which is where he first met his future creative partner, Spencer Rice.

In 1992, Hotz graduated from the Media Arts program at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute. He and Rice would later make movies and create their famous TV show together.

Career Path

Photojournalism

Before he was a comedian, Hotz was a documentary filmmaker and news photographer. He took photos of important historical places like the Auschwitz and Dachau concentration camps.

He was the only Canadian photojournalist officially registered to cover the Gulf War in 1991. His powerful photos have been bought by national and provincial archives for their collections.

"Mannequins in wedding dresses", a photo taken by Kenny Hotz during the 1991 Gulf War.

Early Movies

Hotz and Spencer Rice worked together on a short film called It Don't Cost Nothin' to Say Good Morning.

In 1996, they created and starred in the documentary Pitch. The film, which showed their attempts to sell a movie idea, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 1997. It featured appearances by famous people like Al Pacino and Neil Simon.

A year later, Hotz and Rice co-wrote an episode of the TV show Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation.

The Papal Chase

In 2004, Hotz starred in his second feature film, The Papal Chase. This documentary followed his funny journey trying to meet Pope John Paul II. The movie was a success, winning awards at several film festivals, including the People's Choice Award at the Canadian Filmmakers Festival.

Kenny vs. Spenny

The DVD cover for Comedy Central's Kenny vs. Spenny – Volume One.

Kenny vs. Spenny first aired in 2003 and became a huge hit. The show was nominated for eight Gemini awards. The series was about Hotz and his friend Spencer Rice competing in wild challenges. The loser of each competition had to perform an embarrassing "humiliation."

The show was known for its outrageous humor. It eventually moved to the Showcase television network, which allowed for more creative freedom.

In 2009, Maclean's magazine called Kenny vs. Spenny one of the top ten Canadian TV shows of the decade. The show was so popular that it was remade in several other countries, including Germany, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. This made it the best-selling comedy format in Canadian TV history.

Hotz in 2006

The final episode, a Christmas special, aired in 2010, ending the show's run of 89 episodes over six seasons. In 2020, Hotz and Rice reunited for a special called Kenny & Spenny: Paldemic, which looked back at their friendship and careers.

Working with South Park

Hotz (second from right) with Spencer Rice and Kenny vs. Spenny executive producers Trey Parker and Matt Stone.

From 2004 to 2006, Hotz worked as a writer and consultant on the famous animated show South Park. He helped write 42 different episodes, including "Follow That Egg!".

Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of South Park, were big fans of Kenny vs. Spenny. They became executive producers of the show in 2007 when it started airing on Comedy Central in the United States.

Other TV Shows

Testees

In 2008, Hotz created a sitcom called Testees for the FX network. The show was about two roommates who work as human test subjects for a company that tests new products. The series ran for 13 episodes and received good reviews.

Kenny Hotz's Triumph of the Will

In 2011, Hotz created and starred in a new show, Kenny Hotz's Triumph of the Will. In this series, Hotz took on huge, difficult tasks to challenge himself and his audience. For example, one episode showed him trying to build a place of worship for a community.

Vice Media and Recent Work

Hotz is a regular contributor and host for Vice Media. In 2016, he starred in a TV special for Vice called Getting an Election, which was produced by famous director Spike Jonze.

In 2013, Hotz started a weekly radio show on Sirius Radio. In 2018, he co-directed a music video for the artist Deadmau5 for the song "Monophobia".

Personal Life

Hotz with his godmother, singer Joni Mitchell, in 1998.

Hotz can speak Hebrew. His godmother is the legendary folk singer Joni Mitchell.

In 2007, Hotz married Audrey Gair. They have three children together.

Hotz also owns a restaurant and bar in Toronto called the Dog & Bear.

Filmography

Appearances in other media

Awards and nominations

Film and television

Honours and accolades

In November 2013, Hotz was nominated for the "Digital Personality of the Year" at the Canadian Digi Awards.

In 2013, he received the "Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers" from the Governor General of Canada for his work helping childhood survivors of abuse.