Billy Eichner

American comedian, actor, and producerTemplate:SHORTDESC:American comedian, actor, and producer[[Category:**Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Pagetype/config' not found.**s with short description]]

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* sketch comedy
* physical comedy

**Billy Eichner** (born September 18, 1978) is an American comedian, actor, and producer. He is the star, executive producer, and creator of Funny Or Die's *Billy on the Street*, a comedy game show that aired on truTV. Eichner was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for "Outstanding Game Show Host" in 2013. He is also known for playing Craig Middlebrooks on the sitcom *Parks and Recreation*.

## Personal life

Eichner is a native of Queens and grew up in Forest Hills. He graduated from Stuyvesant High School in 1996, and from Northwestern University in 2000 with a BA in Theater. Actor Robin Lord Taylor was his college roommate. Eichner is Jewish and gay.

## Career

Eichner gained attention as the host and writer of *Creation Nation: A Live Talk Show*, a critically acclaimed stage show in New York. He also appeared on *Conan* as a special correspondent in original video shorts and as himself on Bravo's *Watch What Happens: Live* with Andy Cohen, *Last Call with Carson Daly*, *The Wendy Williams Show*, and *Fashion Police* with Joan Rivers, among others.

Eichner has been a voiceover guest star in several episodes of the animated TV series *Bob's Burgers* as Mr. Ambrose, the Librarian. He has been a regular performer at New York City's Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre.

On August 5, 2013, Eichner guest starred in the sixth season of *Parks and Recreation*. Eichner's first episode aired on October 10, 2013. He stars as Donna's Eagleton counterpart, Craig Middlebrooks, who joins the Pawnee Parks and Recreation Department when Pawnee absorbs Eagleton. He became a series regular in episode four of the seventh season of the show.

During the 66th Primetime Emmy Awards show in 2014, Eichner appeared with show host Seth Meyers on the streets of New York, interviewing random people.

Eichner starred in a *Hulu* original series titled *Difficult People* with Julie Klausner, and executive produced by Amy Poehler, The project was originally set up at USA Network. The series began airing on August 5, 2015. In 2016, Eichner appeared in *Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising*, released on May 20. In 2017, he joined the cast of *American Horror Story* for recurring roles in its seventh and eighth seasons.

In 2019, Eichner provided the voice of Timon in Disney's live action remake of *The Lion King*, from director Jon Favreau. Eichner said that Timon "[is] such a great role that allows you to do so much. But... the bigger the project and the bigger the names that you're working with, the more you have to ignore it. If you get to the soundstage and you're thinking, 'Oh my God, what a full-circle moment! Nathan Lane did it originally! Beyoncé's in this!' then you're paralyzed creatively. You just have to put that out of your head in order to get the job done."

## Politics

Eichner is a Democrat. On February 1, 2018, Eichner announced a new initiative called Glam Up the Midterms, during that night's episode of *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* in conjunction with Funny or Die and with the support of several late night hosts including Sarah Silverman, James Corden, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Kimmel, Conan O'Brien, John Oliver, Chelsea Handler, Robin Thede, and Andy Cohen. Glam Up the Midterm's purpose was getting people to vote in the November 6, 2018, midterm elections, especially millennials, of whom only 12% voted in the previous midterm election.

Eichner endorsed Elizabeth Warren in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries via Twitter.

## See also

* LGBT culture in New York City
* List of self-identified LGBTQ New Yorkers

## References

1. ↑ Kamp, David. "Billy Eichner Is Only Shouting Because New York Is Loud". https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2015/10/billy-eichner-is-only-shouting-because-new-york-is-loud. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
2. ↑ Larson, Sarah (2016-05-23). "Billy Eichner's Comedy of Confrontation" (in en), *The New Yorker*.
3. ↑ "Billy Eichner Biography". https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/billy-eichner/bio/355096/. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
4. ↑ "Robin Lord Taylor walks the walk as Penguin in 'Gotham'", *RedEye* (October 5, 2014). Retrieved on January 12, 2017.
5. ↑ Kensky, Eitan (March 14, 2013). "Billy Eichner Is the Funniest Man on the Internet". Retrieved on November 16, 2013.
6. ↑ [1]
7. ↑ Kamp, David (November 2015). "Billy Eichner is Only Shouting Because New York Is Loud". *Vanity Fair*. https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2015/10/billy-eichner-is-only-shouting-because-new-york-is-loud. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
8. ↑ Fallon, Kevin (February 12, 2013). "How 'Billy on the Street' Host Billy Eichner Hit the Mainstream". *The Daily Beast*. http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/02/12/how-billy-on-the-street-host-billy-eichner-hit-the-mainstream.html. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
9. ↑ Peikert, Mark (May 27, 2009). "Billy Eichner: Gay, White, and Terrified!". Backstage. http://www.backstage.com/review/ny-theater/off-broadway/billy-eichner-gay-white-and-terrified. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
10. ↑ Calhoun, Ada (May 15, 2005). "Hey Gang, Let's Put On a Twisted Talk Show". Retrieved on August 21, 2014.
11. ↑ "Team Coco Heads To The Superbowl! [sic"]. teamcoco.com. February 3, 2012. http://teamcoco.com/content/team-coco-heads-superbowl. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
12. ↑ "Watch What Happens Live - Martha Plimpton and Billy Eichner". BravoTV. Archived from the original on October 15, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131015050023/http://www.bravotv.com/watch-what-happens-live/season-6/photos/show-shots/martha-plimpton-and-billy-eichner. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
13. ↑ "Last Call with Carson Daly". NBC. http://www.nbc.com/last-call-with-carson-daly/episode-guide/12192011.shtml. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
14. ↑ "LaToya Jackson and Billy Eichner". The Wendy Williams Show. February 24, 2012. Archived from the original on December 28, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141228103445/http://www.wendyshow.com/2012/02/24/latoya-jackson-90210-the-cw/. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
15. ↑ "Billy Eichner". ucbcomedy.com. Archived from the original on October 22, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20101022060111/http://www.ucbcomedy.com/talent/view/1826/billy-eichner. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
16. ↑ Evans, Bradford (August 5, 2013). "Billy Eichner to Play Donna's Doppelganger on 'Parks and Rec'". Splitsider. http://splitsider.com/2013/08/billy-eichner-to-play-donna. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
17. ↑ Furlong, Maggie (October 10, 2013). "Billy Eichner On 'Parks And Recreation' – And Every Other Show Ever, Please (PHOTOS)". Retrieved on August 21, 2014.
18. ↑ Shorey, Eric. "Billy Eichner and Seth Meyers Harass New Yorkers About The Emmy Awards". thebacklot.com. http://www.thebacklot.com/billy-eichner-and-seth-meyers-harass-new-yorkers-about-the-emmy-awards/08/2014. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
19. ↑ "Hulu Orders Amy Poehler's Difficult People Starring Julie Klausner and Billy Eichner". *Hulu*. http://blog.hulu.com/2014/11/18/hulu-orders-amy-poehlers-difficult-people-starring-julie-klausner-and-billy-eichner/.
20. ↑ "Watch the First Difficult People Teaser -- Vulture". *Vulture*. https://www.vulture.com/2015/06/watch-the-first-difficult-people-teaser.html.
21. ↑ Kroll, Justin. "Billy Eichner Joins Cast of 'Neighbors 2'". https://variety.com/2015/film/news/billy-eichner-neighbors-2-1201601900/. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
22. ↑ Stack, Tim (March 28, 2017). "'American Horror Story': Billy Eichner Cast in Season 7". https://ew.com/tv/2017/03/28/american-horror-story-billy-eichner-season-7/. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
23. ↑ Galuppo, Mia (April 25, 2017). "Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner in Talks to Voice Timon and Pumbaa in New 'Lion King'". *The Hollywood Reporter*. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/lion-king-cast-seth-rogen-billy-eichner-talks-voice-timon-pumba-997310. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
24. ↑ Template:Cite tweet
25. ↑ "What To Expect From The Characters In The Upcoming 'The Lion King' Adaptation - Entertainment Weekly" (in en). April 25, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftRPVHyELXo&t=19s. Retrieved April 29, 2019.
26. ↑ "Billy Eichner, John Oliver, Andy Cohen, and More Are Joining Forces to Glam Up the Midterms" (in en), *Vogue*.
27. ↑ Hamilton, Isobel. "Billy Eichner is on a mission to make the mid-terms glam again" (in en), *Mashable*.
28. ↑ "Billy Eichner Launches Star-Studded Campaign to Get Millennials to Vote in Midterm Elections" (in en), *The Hollywood Reporter*.
29. ↑ "Glam Up The Midterms" (in en). http://glamupthemidterms.com/.
30. ↑ eichner, billy (2020-02-24). "Because I love her and think she has ALL the qualities of a great leader, as well as a healing way of communicating that this country so desperately needs, I'm voting for @ewarren. Do with this info what you will. I'm not a perfect person & I once lied about seeing Wicked." (in en). https://twitter.com/billyeichner/status/1232146620407377921.
31. ↑ "Shania Twain, "Broad City" Stars And More Join The Judges' Panel On "Drag Race" Season 10". New Now Next. http://www.newnownext.com/rupauls-drag-race-season-10-judges-trailer/03/2018/.
32. ↑ "The 41st Annual Daytime Entertainment Emmy Award Winners". emmyonline.org and National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. June 21, 2017. http://emmyonline.org/day\_41st\_winners\_stream. Retrieved June 17, 2013.
33. ↑ "Outstanding Short-Format Live-Action Entertainment Program - 2015". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2015/outstanding-special-class-short-format-live-action-entertainment-programs. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
34. ↑ Template:Cite press release
35. ↑ "'Carol' Sweeps Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Awards", *Variety* (18 January 2016).
36. ↑ "Outstanding Variety Sketch Series - 2017". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2017/outstanding-variety-sketch-series. Retrieved July 21, 2017.

## Further reading

* D'Addario, Daniel (June 6, 2012). "(Crazy) Man on the Street: Comedian Billy Eichner Will Accost You in Chelsea". Retrieved on August 21, 2014.
* Bierly, Mandi (December 19, 2011). "Billy Eichner's Top 6 Reasons To Watch 'Funny or Die's Billy On the Street'", Time Inc.. Retrieved on August 21, 2014.
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## External links

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* Billy Eichner on Twitter**Lua error in Module:EditAtWikidata at line 36: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).**Template:WikidataCheck
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* Profile at Funny or Die; accessed January 3, 2015.

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