Eugene Mirman

Eugene Mirman
Mirman at the 2022 WonderCon
Born
Evgeniy Borisovich Mirman

(1974-07-24) July 24, 1974 (age 50)
Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Alma materHampshire College (BA)
Occupations
  • Actor
  • comedian
  • writer
Years active1991–present
Spouses
Katie Westfall Tharp
​
​
(m. 2015; died 2020)​
Therese Plaehn
​
(m. 2023)​
Children1
Websiteeugenemirman.com

Eugene Boris Mirman[1][2] (born July 24, 1974) is a Russian-American actor, comedian, and writer, known for playing Yvgeny Mirminsky on Delocated and Gene Belcher on the animated comedy Bob's Burgers.

Early life

Mirman was born Evgeniy Borisovich Mirman (Russian: Евгений Борисович Мирман) on July 24, 1974, in Moscow, Russia, when the country was part of the Soviet Union, to Boris Mirman, a Latvian Jew, and Marina, a Russian Jew.[3][4] His father was a civil engineer.[5] His family immigrated to the United States when he was four years old, and settled in Lexington, Massachusetts, where Mirman attended William Diamond Middle School and Lexington High School.[6][7] After arriving in the United States, his name was anglicized, his first name being changed to its English form, Eugene, and his patronymic Borisovich being shortened to simply Boris.

Mirman is a graduate of Hampshire College in Western Massachusetts. As part of the college's "design your own major" program, Mirman graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in comedy, with a one-hour routine as his thesis.[8] He returned to his high school to deliver its 2009 commencement address.[9] He returned to Hampshire to deliver the 2012 commencement speech as well.[10]

Career

Stand-up

In 2004, Mirman released The Absurd Nightclub Comedy of Eugene Mirman, a CD/DVD on Suicide Squeeze Records. The album was voted one of the Best Albums of 2004 by both The A.V. Club and Time Out New York. His second album, En Garde, Society was released by Sub Pop in 2006. Three years later, Mirman released another comedy album, God Is a Twelve-Year-Old Boy with Asperger's, which was recorded in Chicago at the Lakeshore Theatre.[11] In 2012, Mirman released An Evening of Comedy in a Fake, Underground Laboratory.[12]

Mirman has appeared at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, Colorado, the Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal, Bumbershoot and South by Southwest. He co-produced the weekly standup-variety show Invite Them Up with Bobby Tisdale and Holly Schlesinger, which won a Nightlife Award. Guests included the comedians Mike Birbiglia, Aziz Ansari, David Cross, and Chelsea Peretti. He produced Pretty Good Friends (formerly Tearing the Veil of Maya) at Union Hall in Park Slope, Brooklyn with Julie Smith, which has been voted the best comedy night in New York City by New York Magazine. Similar to comedians David Cross and Patton Oswalt, Mirman often performs in rock clubs and theaters as opposed to traditional comedy clubs. Often touring the US, Mirman occasionally opens for the comedy troupe Stella (former members of The State). He has opened for various bands such as The Shins and toured with Modest Mouse, Yo La Tengo, Gogol Bordello, Andrew Bird, and Cake.[13] In 2012, Mirman stated that opening for musicians is uncommon and that music concerts pay three times that of a comedy gig.[13] Mirman also toured with Patton Oswalt, Brian Posehn and Maria Bamford on the Comedians of Comedy tour. He has toured as an opener for the comedy duo Flight of the Conchords and was a regular actor on their HBO series, and he also toured with Andy Kindler and Marc Maron in Stand Uppity.

In January 2010, Mirman performed standup comedy on John Oliver's New York Stand Up Show on Comedy Central.[14]

Mirman's Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival ran for 10 years from 2008 to 2017.[15]

On April 10, 2015, Mirman filmed a live stand-up special in Tucson, Arizona, directed by Bobcat Goldthwait. The special was released on Netflix in 2015 as Eugene Mirman: Vegan on His Way to the Complain Store.

Television

Mirman has appeared on several TV shows, including Late Night with Conan O'Brien, HBO's Flight of the Conchords as the character Eugene, the BBC's Russell Howard's Good News, Comedy Central Presents, Delocated,[16] Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Comedy Central's Premium Blend, VH1, Third Watch, Cartoon Network's Home Movies, Cheap Seats, Lucy, the Daughter of the Devil and more. He also played a spokes-potato on Food Network.

In 2010, Mirman co-starred with Phill Jupitus in the Dave TV movie Comedy Exchange. In late 2010, Mirman performed on the Comedy Central show The Benson Interruption.

On February 21, 2011, Mirman appeared on The Colbert Report as a fertility clown. On April 4, 2013, Mirman provided the voice for Cecil Tunt, multi-millionaire brother of Cheryl/Carol Tunt on FX's Archer. On March 13, 2016, Mirman appeared on Last Week Tonight as a hacker.

Mirman voices the character Gene Belcher on the Fox animated series Bob's Burgers.[17]

Mirman was a guest voice as Emperor Keith Merman in the Netflix original The Adventures of Puss in Boots. Mirman voices the character Burger on the animated show Apple & Onion.

Radio and podcasts

In January 2009, Mirman released a satirical self-help book entitled The Will to Whatevs.[18]

He often appears on StarTalk Radio, hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson.[19] He has also appeared several times on the TV adaptation.

Mirman guest starred as an "Expert witness" on humorist John Hodgman's podcast Judge John Hodgman.[20]

Mirman appeared on Ken Reid's TV Guidance Counselor Podcast on April 24, 2015. The episode was recorded live as part of the 2015 Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival in Boston.

Mirman plays a supporting role of Benny the gerbil on the children's podcast This Podcast Has Fleas in 2017.[21]

Mirman hosted his own podcast, Hold On with Eugene Mirman, in 2017–18.[22]

Personal life

On September 7, 2015, Mirman wed his longtime partner Katie Westfall-Tharp (1980–2020). She was a set decorator who worked on such productions as Inside Amy Schumer and Human Giant. The two remained married until Westfall-Tharp's death from cancer on January 29, 2020.[23][24] They have one son, born in 2016.[25]

In 2023, Mirman married comedian Therese Plaehn.[26]

Discography

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2020 It Started as a Joke Himself Documentary about the final year of the Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival
2022 The Bob's Burgers Movie Gene Belcher Voice actor
2022 Confess, Fletch Yacht Club Security

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1999–2004 Home Movies Eugene (voice) 2 episodes
2002 Third Watch Bernie Foy Episode: "Firestarter"
2006–2015 Aqua Teen Hunger Force Dr. Eugene Mirman / Dr. Gene Belcher / Abortion Doctor (voice) 5 episodes
2007 Lucy, the Daughter of the Devil Special Sister (voice), various voices 10 episodes
2007–2009 Flight of the Conchords Eugene 12 episodes
2009–2012 Delocated Yvgeny Mirminsky 27 episodes
2011–present Bob's Burgers Gene Belcher (voice) Main role
2016 The Adventures of Puss in Boots Emperor Merman (voice) Episode: "Cat Fish"
2016 Broad City Zed Episode: "Rat Pack"
2016 Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Gary Episode: "Encryption"
2017 Archer Cecil Tunt (voice) 7 episodes
2018–2021 Apple & Onion Burger (voice) 14 episodes
2018 The Simpsons Gene Belcher (voice) Episode: "My Way or the Highway to Heaven"
2020 Central Park Bodyguard (voice) Episode: "Rival Busker"
2022 The Boys Presents: Diabolical Denis Fletcher (voice) Episode: "An Animated Short Where Pissed-Off Supes Kill Their Parents"
2022 Would I Lie to You? (US) Himself Episode: "Criminal Bear"
2024 Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Butternut Squash (voice) Episode: "Medicaid"

Bibliography

  • The Will to Whatevs (2009)

References

  1. ^ Russian: Евгений Борисович Мирман, Yevgeniĭ Borisovich Mirman; born July 24, 1974.
  2. ^ Jackson, Todd (2009). Eugene Mirman. Retrieved on May 13, 2009 from "Eugene Mirman | Stand-Up Comedy Database | Dead-Frog". Archived from the original on May 13, 2009. Retrieved May 13, 2009..
  3. ^ Greppi, Nathan. "Bob's Burgers, la serie animata che racconta un'altra America". mosaico-cem.it. May 25, 2022. 25 May, 2022.
  4. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions". EugeneMirman.com. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013.
  5. ^ Ramakrishna, K.; Sammakia, B.G.; Subbarayan, G.; Mirman, B. (December 1999). "Foreword contributions from the 1998 intersociety conference on thermal and thermomechanical phenomena in electronic packages". IEEE Transactions on Components and Packaging Technologies. 22 (4): 481–483. doi:10.1109/TCAPT.1999.814961. ISSN 1557-9972.
  6. ^ "Discover hidden connections || GRAMMYconnect". Discover hidden connections || GRAMMYconnect. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  7. ^ "Biography". EugeneMirman.com. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013.
  8. ^ Mirman, Eugene. "Extended Biography". Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
  9. ^ "Eugene Mirman 2009 LHS Commencement Speech". June 8, 2009. Archived from the original on February 28, 2013. Retrieved May 1, 2013 – via Youtube.com.
  10. ^ "Hampshire College • 2012 Commencement Keynote Speech • Eugene Mirman". May 20, 2012. Archived from the original on January 2, 2014. Retrieved May 1, 2013 – via Youtube.com.
  11. ^ "Eugene Mirman". SubPop.com. Sub Pop Records. Archived from the original on December 16, 2013. Retrieved December 20, 2015.
  12. ^ "Eugene Mirman: An Evening of Comedy in a Fake Underground Laboratory (TV Movie 2012)". IMDb.com. December 21, 2012. Archived from the original on April 5, 2016. Retrieved December 20, 2015.
  13. ^ a b Levy, Piet (March 21, 2012). "Bands, comedians appearing together". Music and Nightlife. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. USA Today Network. Retrieved September 8, 2018. Mirman said he generally makes (from music concerts) about two-thirds of what he would earn from five comedy club gigs.
  14. ^ "John Oliver's TV Show to Feature Eugene Mirman, Paul F. Tompkins, Janeane Garofalo, Many More". Pastemagazine.com. Paste Media Group. November 30, 2009. Archived from the original on May 3, 2013. Retrieved May 1, 2013.
  15. ^ "The Erudite Absurdist: Eugene Mirman". InterviewMagazine.com. Archived from the original on October 24, 2011. Retrieved April 2, 2012.
  16. ^ "Jon Glaser on Adult Swim, a NYC Human Giant show, Clipse". Brooklynvegan.com. March 24, 2008. Archived from the original on May 31, 2013. Retrieved May 1, 2013.
  17. ^ "Bob's Burgers: Gene". Fox. Archived from the original on January 12, 2011.
  18. ^ Mirman, Eugene (March 24, 2010). "Harper Collins Website". Harpercollins.ca. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2013.
  19. ^ "StarTalk Radio Show by Neil deGrasse Tyson | first and only popular commercial radio program devoted to all things space". Startalkradio.net. Archived from the original on April 24, 2012. Retrieved April 2, 2012.
  20. ^ MaxFun Intern (November 14, 2013). "Judge John Hodgman Episode 134: The Right to Remain Silent". Maximum Fun. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
  21. ^ "This Podcast Has Fleas - WNYC Studios - Podcasts". wnycstudios. Archived from the original on January 7, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  22. ^ "Hold On with Eugene Mirman". Apple Podcasts. April 23, 2018.
  23. ^ Parker, Ian. "Funny-Sounding". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on January 18, 2016. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  24. ^ "Katie Westfall Tharp". CapeNews.net. February 3, 2020. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  25. ^ "Eugene Mirman: Burger On A Sesame Seed Pun". NPR.org. Archived from the original on January 23, 2017. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  26. ^ "Instagram Post". www.instagram.com. Retrieved February 25, 2024. [better source needed]

Further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Eugene Mirman.