With the success of The Drew
Carey Show and Whose Line Is It Anyway?, this stand-up comic turned
actor and producer has the rare honor of having two hit shows
simultaneously. Carey's lovable everyman appeal and original humor has
enabled The Drew Carey Show, which will soon begin its sixth season on
ABC, to remain a favorite for viewers. The show is praised for its
ground-breaking innovations, such as the multiple time-zone live
episode, website tie-ins, audience participation games and musical
numbers. Carey continues to diversify his career with his cutting edge
stand-up comedy, various cable television specials and work as an
author.
The Drew Carey Show is created, written
and produced by Carey and Bruce Helford, and was recently renewed
through 2003. As a stand-up comedian, audiences enjoyed Carey's humorous
interpretation of his very average life in Cleveland. This became the
basis for The Drew Carey Show, a sitcom about a single everyman just
trying to get by and have some fun along the way. Carey's involvement
throughout the creative process ensures that the show remains true to
his brand of comedy and his vision.
Carey has been lauded for bringing one of
the most innovative new shows to television and has been rewarded with
ratings successes. Carey is producer and host of Whose Line Is It
Anyway? Based on the British comedy improv television show, it is the
highest rated non-scripted program on television. The show debuted on
ABC in August of 1998, was picked up for an uncommonly high 38
additional episodes, and was recently renewed for another 100 episodes.
The show is executive produced and created by Dan Patterson and also
stars Ryan Stiles, Wayne Brady and Colin Mochrie. The success of Whose
Line led to the creation of the Drew Carey's Improv All-Stars, a live
pay-per-view improv show telecast from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Featuring various members of the rotating Whose Line cast, the show was
one of the most highly-rated programs ever to air on pay-per-view.
In May 2000, Carey starred in his first
television movie as the title character in Geppetto for ABC's Wonderful
World of Disney. Carey sang and danced in the new telling of the classic
Pinocchio tale. The musical version, which tells the story of a wooden
boy though the eyes of Geppetto, also starred Julia Louis-Dreyfuss and
featured music by Stephen Schwartz (The Prince Of Egypt, Hercules).
Geppetto topped the ratings on the evening that it aired.
Carey's debut book, Dirty Jokes and Beer:
Stories of the Unrefined, is a hilarious look at life from Drew's very
unique and comical perspective - unrefined and irreverent! The book,
like his stand-up comedy, is raw, honest, explicit and politically
incorrect. It includes his personal thoughts on a variety of topics like
women, growing up in Cleveland, Las Vegas, football, tabloid journalism
and political criticisms. Published by Hyperion in September 1997, Dirty
Jokes and Beer spent three months on the New York Times Best Seller
list.
Carey returned to his stand-up comedy
roots in July 1997 when he hosted HBO's Mr. Vegas' All-Night Party. He
felt right at home as he performed musical numbers and comedy sketches
in Las Vegas, a city much beloved by Carey - in addition to Cleveland,
of course!
While in the Marine Reserves, his
military buzz cut and black wide-rim glasses became part of his
trademark look. He began his successful career as a comedian in April of
1986 at the Cleveland Comedy Club. One of his first big breaks was
competing on Star Search '88.
In January 1991, Carey landed a spot on
HBO's 14th Annual Young Comedians Special. He also had his comedy dream
come true and did The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson in November of
1991. He did so well that Carson bestowed a rare honor on Carey and
called the comedian over to the couch and kept him there for the whole
show. Part of that appearance can be seen on the Best of Carson video
tapes.
From Carson, Carey landed his own
television development deal at Disney. While it did not lead to a
starring vehicle, it did lead to an opportunity for Carey to co-star in
the series The Good Life. Although the series lasted for half a season,
Carey received critical acclaim for his work. Carey also had the
opportunity to work with Bruce Helford, who was a consulting writing on
the series. Bruce was so impressed with Carey that he hired him as a
staff writer for The Gaby Hoffman Show. Their experience led the two of
them to decide to co-create a series for Carey. Carey went on to star in
his own comedy special for Showtime, Drew Carey: Human Cartoon and
performed in Showtime's Tenth Anniversary of the Montreal Comedy
Festival
