Eddie Ifft

Eddie Ifft (born 1974 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is an American stand-up comedian, actor and writer.

Biography

Ifft graduated with honors from Fox Chapel Area High School in 1992. After graduation from the University of Pittsburgh, where he was a brother of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity and competed in track and field, he moved to New York City, New York, US, and commenced performing stand-up comedy on the club circuit.

Stand-up comedy

Ifft was called "one of the most underrated comics in America" by the Onion AV Squad. He has performed on many stand-up comedy specials, including Comedy Central's Presents, NBC's Late Friday Night, BET's Comic View, ABC's Comics Unleashed, NBC's Last Comic Standing, and in July 2001 he performed at the Montreal Just for Laughs Festival in New Faces. In August 2008 he filmed his own 1/2 hour special for Comedy Central (Comedy Central Presents).

One of a few American comedians to tour globally, Ifft has toured the UK and Australia extensively. His comedy has been performed in over 20 countries in theatres, clubs and television shows. In Australia he has been featured on Rove Live, The Glass House, The Footy Show, Stand Up Australia, Wil & Lehmo, The Sideshow, Thank God You're Here, Good News Week, The Circle, and Spicks and Specks.

In June 2007 he taped his first live DVD at the Sydney Opera House to a sold-out crowd. He has recorded three live stand-up comedy CDs: I Learned the Hard Way (2004), Jokes That Make My Friends Laugh (2006), and Live from Australia (2009), produced by Roof Top Comedy. The DVD, Eddie Ifft Live was recorded at the Sydney Opera House and was released in February 2011 by Punchline DVD. In 2012, Punchline DVD released, Ifft's follow-up DVD, "I Love Pussy". Because of the obscenity in the name, the DVD was banned from being sold in many outlets in Australia and also from being mentioned on radio and TV. Ifft claimed the title was about his love for cat's.

Television

In 2013 Ifft guest starred on the FX Network sitcom Legit, where he played a personal trainer that loses his way and falls into drugs, alcohol and over eating. In order to play the part, Ifft had to undergo 3 hours of make-up to appear 40 pounds heavier.

In 2012 Ifft appeared on Showtime's Tommy Chong "420 special".

In 2010 Ifft was featured alongside Joe Rogan and Tommy Chong on Showtime's, Green Room with Paul Provenza.

Ifft was also featured in Paul Provenza's book The Satarista's.

Ifft briefly worked on the Queen Latifah Show, doing man-on-the-street segments and has been featured on many other TV shows including Fuel TV's Daily Habit and Showtime's "The Green Room" with Paul Provenza.

In 2006, Ifft moved from New York to Los Angeles where he still resides, developing sitcoms with networks. He starred in a pilot for Comedy Central, entitled Strap-On, and created a show for the FX Network while performing stand-up comedy on a nightly basis.

Radio/ Podcasting

Ifft co-hosted the now-defunct New York City WNEW morning show Sports Guys. He still appears regularly on nationwide radio shows, including KROQ-FM's Kevin and Bean Show, the Bob and Tom Show, and San Francisco's Alice 97.3 Morning Show with Sarah and Vinnie.

The podcast Talkin' Shit with Jim Jefferies and Eddie Ifft charted regularly in the Top 10 comedy podcasts globally on iTunes.

Jim Jefferies left the show in November 2012 citing his busy workload, including a new sitcom as the reason. Eddie has presented the show on his own since from his Venice home. The podcast features a crew known as the 'Mongs', many of whom are on the Autistic Spectrum. Most severely is the "Auer of Power" Jason Auer. Prior to his widely reported death in a scooter accident, Jason Auer, a former worship leader in a cult and long term homeless resident of Venice, would resign and come back on a regular basis. In March 2014 it was revealed that Auer's death had been an optimistic hoax.

The podcast was the first to be banned by iTunes. Apple claims to officially have banned it for the inappropriate name, but Ifft and Jefferies claim it was because of a feud they had with another podcast coincidentally with the name the Apple Sisters.

Ifft's latest project, binglebus.com, is going to be the first of its kind- a mobile video/audio podcast.[1]

Ifft can be heard as a regular on many other podcasts, such as the Joe Rogan Experience and Mohr Stories.

Achievements and awards

Ifft was one of five finalists in the 2006 MySpace/TBS "Stand-Up or Sit-Down" Competition.[2] GQ Magazine featured 2 of Ifft's jokes in the Top 75 jokes of all time. He was awarded #10 and #37.

Causes

In 2008 Ifft ran the New York City Marathon, along with Howard Stern's wife Beth Stern, to raise funds for the North Shore Animal Shelter.

In 2011 Ifft was the celebrity participant in the Aveda "Walk for Water". The walk was a 7K walk around the Botanical Gardens in Melbourne Australia. The walk was to raise awareness for women in Africa that have to walk 7K each day to get clean water for their families. Ifft admittedly in his comedy act claims to have not made it the whole distance, but he found a shortcut, so the women wouldn't have to walk that far.

In 2011 Ifft and fellow podcast partner Jim Jefferies, produced and performed in an event at the Hollywood Improv called, "Australia's Really Down Under". The event was to raise funds for the victims of the Brisbane Floods. Other comedians such as Wil Anderson (comedian) and Rob Riggle (actor) also performed on the fundraiser.

In 2012, Ifft is listed as a supporter of the "Oscar's Law" campaign, together with other publicly known figures (mostly Australian). The campaign protests against the factory farming of companion animals and is named after a neglected dog found in central Victoria, Australia. Other notable supporters include Mark McEntee (musician), Mick Molloy (comedian) and the Essendon Football Club (Australian Football League).[3]

Personal life

Ifft resides in Malibu, California, United States (US) with his wife, Lauren, and two dogs. His father-in-law is former Philadelphia Eagle and Detroit Lion Dennis Franks.

References

  1. ↑ https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1190153948/the-bingle-bus?ref=email
  2. ↑ Eddie Ifft (21 November 2006). "Eddie Ifft @ Stand-Up or Sit Down Finale". myspace. Myspace LLC. Retrieved 14 October 2012.
  3. ↑ Debra Tranter (2012). "Home". Oscar's Law. Oscar's Law. Retrieved 20 October 2012.

External links