Steven Wright facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Steven Wright
Wright in 1994
Birth name	Steven Alexander Wright
Born	(1955-12-06) December 6, 1955 (age 69) Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.
Medium	Stand-up film television
Genres	Anti-humor deadpan one-liners wit/word play non sequitur observational comedy musical comedy

Steven Alexander Wright (born December 6, 1955) is a famous American comedian, actor, writer, and film producer. He is known for his unique, slow voice and calm way of telling jokes. His comedy often includes funny, unexpected ideas and clever one-liners. He makes people laugh with his thoughtful and sometimes silly jokes.

Rolling Stone magazine named Wright the 15th Greatest Comedian in 2017. He won an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film for a short movie he starred in, wrote, and produced called The Appointments of Dennis Jennings (1988). He also received two Primetime Emmy Awards nominations for his work as a producer on the TV show Louie.

Early Life and Education

Steven Wright was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He grew up in Burlington, Massachusetts, with his three siblings. His mother was Italian American, and his father was of Scottish descent. His father worked as an electronics technician for NASA during the Apollo space program. Later, he became a truck driver.

Wright attended Middlesex Community College for two years. He then went to Emerson College, where he graduated in 1978.

Comedy Career

Wright started doing stand-up comedy in 1979 in Boston. He looked up to comedians like George Carlin and Woody Allen. In 1982, a producer for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson saw Wright perform. The producer invited him to be on the show. Wright was so good that he was asked to come back again less than a week later.

Stand-up Success

In 1985, Wright released his comedy album I Have a Pony. It was very popular and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album. Because of the album's success, he got his own HBO comedy special called A Steven Wright Special.

By this time, Wright had developed his unique, relaxed comedy style. He became known for his calm delivery and unexpected jokes. His HBO special became one of the most popular and requested comedy shows. This helped him become very successful, especially with college audiences.

Beyond Stand-up Comedy

In 1989, Steven Wright and producer Dean Parisot won an Academy Award for their short film The Appointments of Dennis Jennings. Wright starred in the film and helped write it. When he accepted the Oscar, he joked, "We're really glad that we cut out the other sixty minutes."

In 1992, Wright had a role on the TV show Mad About You. He also provided the voice of a radio DJ in Quentin Tarantino's movie Reservoir Dogs.

Many jokes are shared online and said to be by Wright, but he has stated that he didn't write many of them. He said some were so bad he was embarrassed people thought they were his.

After his 1990 comedy special Wicker Chairs and Gravity, Wright continued to perform stand-up. However, he appeared less often on television. In 1999, he wrote and directed a short film called One Soldier. It was about a soldier after the Civil War who had many deep thoughts.

In 2006, Wright released his first stand-up special in 16 years, Steven Wright: When the Leaves Blow Away. It aired on Comedy Central. In 2007, he released his second album, I Still Have a Pony, which was the audio from that special. It was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album.

From 2008, Wright sometimes appeared on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. He would often help with the fan-mail part of the show.

Awards and Recognitions

Wright won an Oscar in 1989 for Best Short Live-Action Film for The Appointments of Dennis Jennings. He also received two Emmy Award nominations for his work as a producer on the TV show Louie in 2014 and 2015.

On December 15, 2008, Wright was the first person to be added to the Boston Comedy Hall of Fame. In a 2005 poll, he was voted among the top 50 comedy acts by other comedians. Comedy Central also named him No. 23 on their list of the 100 greatest stand-up comics.

Other Interests

Steven Wright is also a musician. He has recorded several non-comedy songs with his friend Mark Wuerthner. He also enjoys painting.

Film and Television Appearances

Steven Wright has appeared in many films and TV shows. Here are some of them:

Film

Television

Discography

Steven Wright has released several comedy albums and specials.

Albums

Specials

Appearances

See also

In Spanish: Steven Wright para niños