Robert Smigel - wikipedia Robert Smigel Robert Smigel Smigel at the 2008 San Diego Comic - Con with Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog ( 1960 - 02 - 07 ) February 7, 1960 ( age 57 ) New York City, New York, U.S Years active 1985 -- present Genres Insult comedy Spouse Michelle Saks Children Notable works and roles Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog Robert Smigel ( born February 7, 1960 ) is an American actor, humorist, comedian and writer known for his Saturday Night Live `` TV Funhouse '' cartoon shorts and as the puppeteer and voice behind Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog. He also co-wrote both Hotel Transylvania films and You Do n't Mess with the Zohan, all starring Adam Sandler. Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 Recurring characters on SNL 5 Celebrity impressions 6 Recurring characters on Late Night with Conan O'Brien 7 Filmography 7.1 Film 7.2 Television 7.3 Music video 8 Further reading 9 References 10 External links Early life Smigel was born in New York City to Irwin Smigel and Lucia Smigel. He is Jewish and frequently went to Jewish summer camp. He attended Cornell University, studying pre-dental, and graduated from New York University in 1983 with a degree in political science. Smigel began developing his comedic talent at The Players Workshop in Chicago, where he studied improvisation with Josephine Forsberg. Bob Odenkirk was a fellow student there. Smigel was also a member of the Chicago comedy troupe `` All You Can Eat '' in the early 1980s. Career Smigel first established himself as a writer on Saturday Night Live by joining the writing staff when Lorne Michaels returned as executive producer for the 1985 -- 1986 season. Smigel was hired after then - SNL producers Al Franken and Tom Davis saw Smigel in a Chicago sketch show. After the 1985 -- 1986 season proved to be a disappointment with critics, in the ratings, and with Brandon Tartikoff ( who was planning to have SNL canceled by the last episode of season 11 due to its sliding ratings ), Michaels fired most of the cast and writers, retained the cast and writers who were standouts during the otherwise dismal season ( Smigel being one of them ), and hired new ones for the 1986 -- 1987 season. This is when Smigel began to write more memorable sketches, including one where host William Shatner urged worshipful attendees at a Star Trek convention to `` get a life. '' Smigel rarely appeared on screen, though he was credited as a featured player in the early 1990s and played a recurring character in the Bill Swerski 's Superfans sketches. While on a writers ' strike from Saturday Night Live following the 1987 -- 88 season, Smigel wrote for an improvisational comedy revue in Chicago with fellow SNL writers Bob Odenkirk and Conan O'Brien called Happy Happy Good Show. Smigel co-wrote Lookwell with Conan O'Brien for NBC. The pilot never went to series, but it has become a cult hit and has screened live at `` The Other Network '', a festival of un-aired TV pilots produced by Un-Cabaret, featuring live and taped intros by Smigel. Smigel later became the first head writer at Late Night with Conan O'Brien, where he created numerous successful comedy bits, including one where Smigel performed only the lips of public figures which were superimposed on photos of the actual people. ( This technique was pioneered on the Clutch Cargo cartoon series as a cost - saving measure, and was known as Syncro - Vox. ) In 1996, Smigel wrote and performed on the short - lived Dana Carvey Show, a primetime sketch comedy program on ABC. Despite its premature end, the show provided Smigel the opportunity to debut his first cartoon, The Ambiguously Gay Duo. Upon the show 's cancellation, Smigel continued developing more cartoon ideas the following summer and would begin airing them on Saturday Night Live under the TV Funhouse banner. Smigel would later claim, `` My whole career came out of the impulse to do cartoons on The Dana Carvey Show. '' Robert Smigel performing Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog Smigel 's most famous creation, however, would be the foul - mouthed puppet Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog, who mercilessly mocks celebrities and others in the style of a Borscht Belt comedian. This character debuted on Late Night with Conan O'Brien in February 1997 and would continue to make appearances on the show, as well as others, for many years to come. Smigel continued to establish himself on Saturday Night Live by producing short animated segments under the title TV Funhouse, which usually satirizes public figures and popular culture. It spawned a TV show on Comedy Central featuring a mix of puppets, animation, and short sketches, although only eight episodes were aired ( during the winter of 2000 -- 2001 ). Smigel occasionally appears in films ( usually alongside SNL veterans such as Adam Sandler ). According to interviews, Smigel helped punch up the scripts for Little Nicky and The Wedding Singer. Smigel acted alongside fellow SNL writer Bob Odenkirk in Wayne 's World 2 as a nerd backstage at an Aerosmith concert. His contributions were uncredited. In 2000, he voiced a sage bulldog in Little Nicky. Smigel, along with Adam Sandler and Judd Apatow, wrote the script for the film You Do n't Mess with the Zohan in which Smigel played Yosi, an Israeli electronics salesman. Smigel is also one of the executive producers of the film, which is a first for him despite his frequent collaborations with Sandler. It was reported in 2006 that Smigel and Adam Sandler were working on an animated sitcom for Fox called Animals. Fox has not made any official statement regarding the show. Additionally, Smigel played a gay mailman in the Adam Sandler film I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry and Yari the Mechanic in the `` Mister Softee '' episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. He voiced Ray and a parody of the Star Wars character, Emperor Palpatine, in the first episode of Robot Chicken Star Wars, as well as the monster 100 in the episode of the same name of Aqua Unit Patrol Squad on Cartoon Network 's ( adult swim ). Currently living in New York, he co-wrote and co-executive produced the films Hotel Transylvania ( 2012 ) and Hotel Transylvania 2 ( 2015 ), in which he voiced Marty, a fake version of Dracula, and Harry Three - Eye, respectively. In the fifth season of the FX show, Louie, Smigel received a story credit on the episode `` Cop Story '', as a similar incident as to what appears in the show actually happened to him, down to the cop crying in his apartment while Smigel went out, found the missing gun and carried it home, terrified that anyone would notice. Michael Rapaport 's character was n't based on the man Smigel knew, however, since all Smigel ever told Louis C.K. about was the gun itself. Smigel created, wrote, executive produced, and starred as Triumph the Insult Comic Dog in The Jack and Triumph Show, alongside Jack McBrayer in 2015. It was announced in January 2016 that Smigel would be starring as Triumph in Triumph 's Election Special 2016 on Hulu the following February. Personal life Smigel has a wife, Michelle, and a child. They serve on the board of New York Collaborates for Autism due to their child being autistic. They are active members of ( NYCA ), a non-profit organization founded in 2003 to address the needs of individuals and families who are living with autism. Smigel created the Night of too Many Stars, a biannual celebrity fundraiser to benefit autism education. He won an Emmy on the 2012 broadcast of Night of Too Many Stars for his writing. Recurring characters on SNL Carl Wollarski, from `` Bill Swerski 's Superfans '' Hank Fielding, with `` The Moron 's Perspective '' on Weekend Update One of the Hub 's Gyros employees ( aka the `` You like - ah the Juice ? '' guys ) Avi, the `` Sabra Price is Right '' announcer Bighead, in `` The Ambiguously Gay Duo '' cartoons Celebrity impressions Alan Dershowitz ( on SNL ) Woody Allen ( on SNL ) Al Sharpton ( on SNL TV Funhouse cartoon ) Al Franken ( on SNL TV Funhouse cartoon ) William Ginsburg ( on SNL TV Funhouse cartoon ) Don McLean ( on SNL TV Funhouse cartoon ) Lorne Michaels ( on SNL TV Funhouse cartoon ) Pat Robertson ( on SNL TV Funhouse cartoon ) Michael Gross ( on SNL TV Funhouse cartoon ) Thomas Mesereau ( on SNL TV Funhouse cartoon ) Sinbad ( on SNL TV Funhouse cartoon ) Bob Dole ( on The Dana Carvey Show ) Gene Shalit ( on The Dana Carvey Show ) Joel Siegel ( on The Dana Carvey Show ) Bob Ross ( on The Dana Carvey Show ) Rip Torn ( on The Dana Carvey Show ) Bill Walton ( on The Dana Carvey Show ) Richard Nixon ( on The Dana Carvey Show ) Sam Donaldson ( on The Dana Carvey Show ) Hussein of Jordan ( on The Dana Carvey Show ) Quentin Tarantino ( on The Dana Carvey Show ) Ringo Starr ( on The Dana Carvey Show ) Recurring characters on Late Night with Conan O'Brien Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog `` Clutch Cargo '' celebrity interviews ( Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Don King, Bob Dole, etc. ) One of the `` Nicknames for Conan '' guys ( aka the `` Conan the Barbarian '' guys ) One of the `` Ameri - clan '' guys ( with Doug Dale, Louis CK and Dino Stamatopoulos ) Voice of `` The Late Night Emergency Guest '' mannequin Gibberish Speaking Ronald Reagan on the Phone Ira, Conan 's publicist Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1993 Wayne 's World 2 Concert Nerd 1995 Billy Madison Mr. Oblaski Happy Gilmore IRS Agent 1998 Tomorrow Night Mail Room Guy with Glasses The Wedding Singer Andre 2000 Little Nicky Mr. Beefy ( voice ) 2002 Punch - Drunk Love Walter the Dentist 2007 I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry Mailman 2008 You Do n't Mess with the Zohan Yosi Also co-writer and producer 2011 Jack and Jill N / A Executive producer 2012 Hotel Transylvania Fake Dracula / Marty ( voices ) Also co-writer and executive producer This Is 40 Barry 2015 Pixels White House Reporter # 2 Hotel Transylvania 2 Marty / Harry Three - Eye / Navigator ( voices ) Also co-writer and executive producer 2016 The Do - Over Doctor 2017 Too Funny to Fail Himself Documentary 2018 The Week Of Co-writer and director Television Year Title Role Notes 1985 -- 2013 Saturday Night Live Various Writer, producer Superman 50th Anniversary Special The Brainwave 1991 Lookwell N / A Television pilot ; co-writer 1993 Late Night with Conan O'Brien Triumph the Insult Comic Dog ( voice ) Also writer and producer 1995 Howie Mandel 's Sunny Skies Phillip 1 episode The Dana Carvey Show Various Writer 1999 LateLine Pearce Dummy Episode : `` Pearce on Conan '' 2000 ShortCuts Clive Barnes Episode : `` Food '' 2000 -- 2001 TV Funhouse Various ( voices ) Also creator, writer, and producer 2002 It 's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie Triumph the Insult Comic Dog ( voice ) 2003 -- 2007 Crank Yankers Lawer / Samir / John Tierney Three episodes 2003 -- 2017 Night of Too Many Stars Himself / Triumph the Insult Comic Dog Television specials ; also writer and executive producer Space Ghost Coast to Coast Triumph the Insult Comic Dog ( voice ) Episode : `` Dreams '' 2005 Arrested Development Motherboy Member Episode : `` Motherboy XXX '' 2007 Robot Chicken : Star Wars Palpatine Parody / Ray ( voices ) 2008 Lewis Black 's Root of All Evil Triumph the Insult Comic Dog ( voice ) Episode : `` NRA vs PETA '' 2009 -- 2010 The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien Triumph the Insult Comic Dog ( voice ) 3 episodes Aqua Teen Hunger Force One Hundred Episode : `` One Hundred '' 2011 Curb Your Enthusiasm Yari Episode : `` Mister Softee '' 2011 -- 2016 Conan Various 11 episodes 2012 -- 2015 Bob 's Burgers Security Guard 2 episodes 2013 The Aquabats ! Super Show ! Krampus ( voice ) Episode : `` Christmas with the Aquabats ! '' 2015 The Jack and Triumph Show Triumph the Insult Comic Dog ( voice ) Also creator, writer, and executive producer Louie N / A Episode : `` Cop Story '' ; story The Jim Gaffigan Show Cory Episode : `` Red Velvet If You Please '' 2016 Triumph 's Election Special 2016 Triumph the Insult Comic Dog ( voice ) Television special ; also writer and executive producer Portlandia Jarvis Episode : `` Lance Is Smart '' Triumph 's Summer Election Special 2016 Triumph the Insult Comic Dog ( voice ) Television special ; also writer and executive producer Triumph 's Election Watch 2016 Triumph the Insult Comic Dog ( voice ) Miniseries ; also writer and executive producer Music video Year Title Role Notes 2005 `` Ass Like That '' Triumph the Insult Comic Dog ( voice ) Music video Further reading DiGiacomo, Frank. `` Triumph Sniffs a Hit ''. The New York Observer ( October 20, 2003 ). References Jump up ^ `` Interview : Rober Smigal ''. The A.V. Club. Retrieved September 2, 2012. Jump up ^ Bloom, Nate ( July 18, 2008 ). `` Jewish Stars ''. Cleveland Jewish News. Jump up ^ https://www.vice.com/en_ca/read/robert-smigel-556-v17n10 Jump up ^ `` Rolling Stone Magazine : Robert Smigel 's Dog Days ''. Rollingstone.com. Retrieved September 2, 2012. Jump up ^ http://www.nyu.edu/alumni.magazine/issue10/10_culture_snl.html Jump up ^ Rabin, Nathan ( August 4, 2004 ). `` Robert Smigel Interview ''. The A.V. Club. Retrieved September 2, 2012. Jump up ^ `` SNL Transcripts : Anjelica Huston & Billy Martin : 05 / 24 / 86 ''. Snltranscripts.jt.org. May 24, 1986. Retrieved September 2, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Happy ? Good ? Conan 's big Chicago show ''. Retrieved 22 January 2016. Jump up ^ `` Animation : TV & Broadcast -- The Dana Carvey Show ''. J.J. Sedelmaier Productions. 2008. Retrieved 22 January 2016. Jump up ^ Heisler, Steve Interview -- Dana Carvey and Robert Smigel The A.V. Club ( June 15, 2009 ). Retrieved on 5 - 09 - 10. Jump up ^ West, Kelly ( 2 October 2006 ). `` Smigel And Sandler Team Up For A New Fox Animated Series ''. Cinemablend. Retrieved 22 January 2016. Jump up ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1640888/ Jump up ^ http://www.hitfix.com/whats-alan-watching/how-louie-got-a-shorter-season-because-louis-ck-got-high#c26jcPl3TElThwXL.99 Jump up ^ Blistein, Jon. `` Triumph the Insult Comic Dog to Host Hulu Election Special Read more : https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/news/triumph-the-insult-comic-dog-to-host-hulu-election-special-20160121 ''. Rolling Stone. Retrieved 22 January 2016. External link in title = ( help ) Jump up ^ http://www.nyc4a.org/boardofdirectors Jump up ^ `` At autism fund - raiser, too many funny ' Stars ' ''. USA TODAY. Retrieved 2017 - 03 - 13. Jump up ^ `` Big Wins and Brief Moments at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards - Los Angeles Magazine ''. Los Angeles Magazine. 2013 - 09 - 16. Retrieved 2017 - 03 - 13. External links Robert Smigel on IMDb Interview with The A.V. Club Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series ( 1980 -- 89 ) Buz Kohan ( 1980 ) Jerry Juhl, Chris Langham and David Odell ( 1981 ) Jeffrey Barron, Dick Blasucci, John Candy, Chris Cluess, Bob Dolman, Joe Flaherty, Paul Flaherty, Stuart Kreisman, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, John McAndrew, Brian McConnachie, Rick Moranis, Catherine O'Hara, Mert Rich, Michael Short, Doug Steckler and Dave Thomas ( 1982 ) Dick Blasucci, John Candy, Bob Dolman, Joe Flaherty, Paul Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, John McAndrew, Martin Short, Michael Short, Doug Steckler and Mary Charlotte Wilcox ( 1983 ) Chris Elliott, Sanford Frank, Ted Greenberg, David Letterman, Merrill Markoe, Jeff Martin, Gerard Mulligan, Steve O'Donnell, Joe Toplyn, Matt Wickline and David Yazbek ( 1984 ) Randy Cohen, Kevin Curran, Chris Elliott, Sandy Frank, Eddie Gorodetsky, Fred Graver, Larry Jacobson, David Letterman, Merrill Markoe, Jeff Martin, Gerard Mulligan, Joe Toplyn and Matt Wickline ( 1985 ) Randy Cohen, Kevin Curran, Chris Elliott, Sandy Frank, Fred Graver, Larry Jacobson, David Letterman, Merrill Markoe, Jeff Martin, Gerard Mulligan, Steve O'Donnell, Joe Toplyn and Matt Wickline ( 1986 ) Randy Cohen, Kevin Curran, Chris Elliott, Sandy Frank, Fred Graver, Larry Jacobson, David Letterman, Jeff Martin, Gerard Mulligan, Steve O'Donnell, Adam Resnick, Joe Toplyn and Matt Wickline ( 1987 ) Jackie Mason ( 1988 ) John Bowman, A. Whitney Brown, Greg Daniels, Tom Davis, James Downey, Al Franken, Shannon Gaughan, Jack Handey, Phil Hartman, George Meyer, Lorne Michaels, Mike Myers, Conan O'Brien, Bob Odenkirk, Herb Sargent, Tom Schiller, Robert Smigel, Bonnie Turner, Terry Turner and Christine Zander ( 1989 ) Complete list ( 1957 -- 1969 ) ( 1970 -- 1979 ) ( 1980 -- 1989 ) ( 1990 -- 1999 ) ( 2000 -- 2009 ) ( 2010 -- 2019 ) Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series ( 2000 -- 2009 ) Eddie Izzard ( 2000 ) Eric Drysdale, Jim Earl, Dan Goor, Charlie Grandy, J.R. Havlan, Tom Johnson, Kent Jones, Paul Mecurio, Chris Regan, Allison Silverman and Jon Stewart ( 2001 ) Doug Abeles, James Anderson, Max Brooks, James Downey, Tina Fey, Hugh Fink, Charlie Grandy, Jack Handey, Steve Higgins, Erik Kenward, Dennis McNicholas, Lorne Michaels, Matt Murray, Paula Pell, Matt Piedmont, Ken Scarborough, Michael Schur, Frank Sebastiano, T. Sean Shannon, Robert Smigel, Emily Spivey, Andrew Steele and Scott Wainio ( 2002 ) Rich Blomquist, Steve Bodow, Eric Drysdale, J.R. Havlan, Scott Jacobson, David Javerbaum, Tom Johnson, Ben Karlin, Rob Kutner, Chris Regan, Jason Reich, Jason Ross and Jon Stewart ( 2003 ) Rich Blomquist, Steve Bodow, Tim Carvell, Stephen Colbert, Eric Drysdale, J.R. Havlan, Scott Jacobson, David Javerbaum, Ben Karlin, Chris Regan, Jason Reich, Jason Ross and Jon Stewart ( 2004 ) Rich Blomquist, Steve Bodow, Tim Carvell, Stephen Colbert, Eric Drysdale, J.R. Havlan, Scott Jacobson, David Javerbaum, Ben Karlin, Rob Kutner, Chris Regan, Jason Reich, Jason Ross and Jon Stewart ( 2005 ) Rich Blomquist, Steve Bodow, Rachel Axler, Kevin Bleyer, Tim Carvell, Stephen Colbert, Eric Drysdale, J.R. Havlan, Scott Jacobson, David Javerbaum, Ben Karlin, Rob Kutner, Sam Means, Chris Regan, Jason Reich, Jason Ross and Jon Stewart ( 2006 ) Chris Albers, Jose Arroyo, Dan Cronin, Kevin Dorff, Dan Goor, Michael Gordon, Berkley Johnson, Brian Kiley, Michael Koman, Tim Harrod, Brian McCann, Guy Nicolucci, Conan O'Brien, Brian Stack, Mike Sweeney and Andrew Weinberg ( 2007 ) Bryan Adams, Michael Brumm, Stephen Colbert, Richard Dahm, Eric Drysdale, Rob Dubbin, Glenn Eichler, Peter Grosz, Peter Gwinn, Barry Julien, Laura Krafft, Jay Katsir, Frank Lesser, Tom Purcell, Meredith Scardino and Allison Silverman ( 2008 ) Rory Albanese, Rachel Axler, Kevin Bleyer, Rich Blomquist, Steve Bodow, Tim Carvell, Wyatt Cenac, J.R. Havlan, David Javerbaum, Elliott Kalan, Rob Kutner, Josh Lieb, Sam Means, John Oliver, Jason Ross and Jon Stewart ( 2009 ) Complete list ( 1957 -- 1969 ) ( 1970 -- 1979 ) ( 1980 -- 1989 ) ( 1990 -- 1999 ) ( 2000 -- 2009 ) ( 2010 -- 2019 ) VIAF : 38145809 ISNI : 0000 0001 1567 3935 SUDOC : 177324538 BNF : cb162630965 ( data ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Robert_Smigel&oldid=821373813 '' Categories : 1960 births 20th - century American male actors 21st - century American male actors American male comedians American comedians American male film actors American male screenwriters American male television actors American puppeteers American television writers Autism activists Cornell University alumni Jewish American male actors Jewish American writers Living people Male actors from Chicago Male actors from New York City Male television writers Primetime Emmy Award winners Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development alumni Writers Guild of America Award winners Jewish American comedians Hidden categories : CS1 errors : external links Use mdy dates from December 2013 Pages using Infobox comedian with unknown parameters Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Wikipedia articles with ISNI identifiers Wikipedia articles with BNF identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia فارسی Français 한국어 Bahasa Indonesia Italiano 日本 語 Edit links This page was last edited on 20 January 2018, at 02 : 28. 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Question: who does the voice for triumph the insult dog
Answer: Robert Smigel