Hal Sparks
Encyclopedia
Hal Harry Magee Sparks III (born September 25, 1969) is an American actor, comedian, musician and television personality. He is known for his contributions to VH1
, hosting E!
's Talk Soup
, and the role of Michael Novotny on the American television series Queer as Folk.
, but grew up in the small community of Peaks Mill, Kentucky. He started Boy Scouts at age 7 and karate at age 8, and filled his childhood between video games, movies, and comedy albums since the nearest TV was a mile from where he lived.
When he was 14 years old, he moved to the Chicago area and enrolled at New Trier High School
in Winnetka, Illinois
, where he fortuitously entered the theater department. Thanks to an influential teacher named Mrs. Adams, he was able to cultivate his natural talent and boundless energy into marketable skill. Despite some initial opposition by his dad, by 15 he began performing standup comedy and by 17 he won the title of "Chicago's Funniest Teenager" from the Chicago Sun-Times.
He also studied with the Second City comedy troupe in Chicago as a teenager.
, just months shy of his 19th birthday. Upon graduation, Sparks packed all his things in a car and headed for Los Angeles to begin his career in earnest. After ten long years of paying his dues, he got his major TV break when he was hired to host Talk Soup
in 1999.
He would go on to independently produce his first standup comedy DVD "Escape from Halcatraz" in 2008.
Extremely well-read and versed on politics, Sparks is a regular guest on such programs as CNN's Your $$$$$, The Joy Behar Show
and The View, when he's not hosting his own weekly progressive radio show. He's also participated in the Progressive Voices Cruise in 2009 and 2010. In 2011 he joined Stephanie Miller
and John Fugelsang
for the Sexy Liberal Comedy Tour in various cities across the country.
Radio Show, providing three hours of commentary and humor on Wednesday mornings. The program is known as "Hump Days with Hal", and is broadcast weekly from his official U-stream channel.
He continued this free "behind the scenes" U-stream show for his listeners and fans in June 2010 he got his own radio program on Chicago's Progressive Talk as host of The Hal Sparks Radio Program (megaworldwide), which broadcasts between 11am and 1pm each Saturday.
, starring Shelley Duvall
, Elliot Gould and Scott Grimes
in 1987. Over the following decades he would go on to appear in several types of TV roles, which included host of Talk Soup
in 1999.
Game shows
Sparks became the United States' youngest game show emcee in 1988 when he hosted the short-lived, syndicated game show, Treasure Mall
.
He also participated on GSN
's Extreme Dodgeball
as captain of the Chicago Hitmen team.
He provided the voice of the computer named "Mr. Q" on the U.S television adaptation of 20Q
, which aired on the Game Show Network (GSN) in 2009.
VH1 appearances
Sparks was one of five celebrities to appear in the first episode of VH1's Celebrity Paranormal Project
. He has also been a regular commentator on several VH1's series, including the following:
TV starring roles
Sparks was a regular cast member of the breakthrough Showtime television series, Queer As Folk, an American adaptation of the UK series written by Russell T Davies. According to the IMDb trivia for the American version of the show, The Los Angeles Times
had predicted that an American "Queer as Folk" would be a complete "disaster", but the series lasted five seasons. Sparks appeared in every episode in the television program in the role of Michael Novotny.
In 2007 Sparks became the voice of the lead character in the animated series for children, Tak & the Power of Juju for Nickelodeon
, which ran for twelve episodes between 2007 and 2008.
In 2009 Sparks recorded his first Showtime comedy special Charmageddon in front of a standing room only crowd at the OC Pavilion in Santa Ana, California. The special aired in 2010, and was released on DVD.
In 2011 Sparks was cast as Donald Davenport, one of the lead characters of a new Disney pilot Lab Rats 2012. Variety reported on July 12, 2011 that the series was ordered by Disney for a 2012 premiere.
TV Guest Appearances
Sparks had made appearances on various television programs from as early as 1994, when he played a long-haired skateboarder on the fourteenth episode of the first season of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
. In 1995 he appeared in the "Gentle Horse" episode of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
. From 2000 through 2006, he appeared in Martial Law
, Frasier
, One on One
, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
, and Las Vegas
.
He appeared as himself in the video "Beat It
," the Michael Jackson cover, by Fall Out Boy
, and voiced a cameo on Robot Chicken
.
Reality TV
In 2006, Sparks competed for the charity Habitat for Humanity on the Fox celebrity competition Celebrity Duets
. He performed with such musical legends as Smokey Robinson
, Gladys Knight
, Wynonna Judd
, Dennis DeYoung
, Dee Snider
and Sebastian Bach
. He made it to the finale along with Lucy Lawless
and Alfonso Ribeiro
, and came in third in the series.
In 2007, Sparks was cast as the host for the WB reality series Survival of the Richest
, where wealthy young adults were paired with those young adults with massive debts to complete challenges together and work as a team.
Also in 2007 Sparks joined Roseanne to judge Nick at Night's search for America's Funniest Mom.
Sparks was a contestant on the 2008 VH1 celeb-reality series Celebracadabra
, where the celebrities vie to out-perform each other with magic they have learned from their experienced coaches. Other celebrity contestants competing included Ant
, Lisa Ann Walter
, Carnie Wilson
, Christopher "Kid" Reid, Kimberly Wyatt
, and C. Thomas Howell
. Howell was the winner, with Sparks taking second place.
, as Zoltan
, the bubble-wrapped leader of a clan of nerds obsessed with outer space. In a 2009 interview with We Are Movie Geeks, he confirmed he created the iconic hand gesture in a "Z" formation.
Sparks has appeared in other films, including Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star
and Spider-Man 2
, where he had a memorable cameo as the elevator passenger who enjoys an awkward but funny moment with Spider-Man. He also appeared in the opening scene of the 2009 Mike Judge
film Extract
, as one of the guitar salesmen scammed out of a guitar by the con-woman played by Mila Kunis
.
In 2004 he starred as Deputy Dale in the independently produced Lightning Bug
, which was written and directed by Robert Hall, who was an original band mate in Hal's hard rock band Zero 1.
band, ZERO 1 (previously called The Hal Sparks Band). At the start, the band consisted of Hal himself, his friend Rob Hall on bass and Hal's cousin Miles Loretta on drums. Their self-titled debut album was released in December 2006 and produced by King's X
's frontman DUg Pinnick. The album is available through iTunes
and on Sparks' official website.
In 2007, both Sparks and Loretta from Zero 1 participated on DUg's solo project Strum Sum Up
.
The band now has a new lineup consisting of Hal Sparks (lead vocals and guitar) , Brian Crow (guitar and backup vocals), Bumper Renga (bass and backup vocals) and Lance Tamanaha (drums and backup vocals). They signed with the record label "rocket science" and have a new album on the way called "The sacred nothing". Also expected to debut is the band's first video for the single "American Psycho," which was directed by Adrienne Wanyo and filmed on location at the Houdini Mansion.
Hal's musical experience paid off as a contestant in the first season of Celebrity Duets
. He often joins the Los Angeles cover band Steel Panther
to sing classic 80s metal tunes, such as the Skid Row hit "Youth Gone Wild
".
Hal treats his worldwide Zero 1 fans to exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of band rehearsals, courtesy of his U-stream channel. In addition the band has played such famous venues as The Viper Room, The Knitting Factory, The Key Club and The Whiskey A Go Go.
and Stephanie Miller
as part of the Sexy Liberal Comedy Tour.
, Farm Sanctuary
, the Lilli Claire Foundation, Imagine a Cure and the Marijuana Policy Project
.
In 2010 Sparks became a real-life hero when, for the third time in his life, his life-saving CPR skills helped resuscitate an unconscious, elderly man at the Los Angeles International Airport. He was aided by Katrina Onyett, another passenger who happened to be nearby when the man collapsed.
Hal is proudly straight edge
, and practices pescetarianism
. He holds several black-belts in martial arts and presently studies kung-fu.
When not on the road performing comedy and music, Sparks resides in Los Angeles, California. He is not related to comedian Ron Sparks
, who also covers current topics in his routines.
In May 2011, Sparks announced he became a first-time dad with the arrival of his son, Camden Harrison Sparks, whom he is raising with Camden's mother, Shelley Alters. They made the announcement during a special Ustream broadcast on Father's Day.
Major distribution
Music videos
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
, hosting E!
E!
E! Entertainment Television is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by NBCUniversal. It features entertainment-related programming, reality television, feature films and occasionally series and specials unrelated to the entertainment industry.E! has an audience reach of...
's Talk Soup
Talk Soup
Talk Soup was a television show produced for cable network E! that debuted on January 7, 1991, and aired until August 2002. Talk Soup aired selected clips of the previous day's daily talk shows—ranging from daytime entries like The Jerry Springer Show and to celebrity interview shows like The...
, and the role of Michael Novotny on the American television series Queer as Folk.
Early life
Sparks was born in Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, but grew up in the small community of Peaks Mill, Kentucky. He started Boy Scouts at age 7 and karate at age 8, and filled his childhood between video games, movies, and comedy albums since the nearest TV was a mile from where he lived.
When he was 14 years old, he moved to the Chicago area and enrolled at New Trier High School
New Trier High School
New Trier High School is a public four-year high school , with its major campus located in Winnetka, Illinois, USA, and a second campus in Northfield, Illinois, with freshman classes and district administration...
in Winnetka, Illinois
Winnetka, Illinois
Winnetka is an affluent North Shore village located approximately north of downtown Chicago in Cook County, Illinois. Winnetka was featured on the list of America's 25 top-earning towns and "one of the best places to live" by CNN Money in 2011...
, where he fortuitously entered the theater department. Thanks to an influential teacher named Mrs. Adams, he was able to cultivate his natural talent and boundless energy into marketable skill. Despite some initial opposition by his dad, by 15 he began performing standup comedy and by 17 he won the title of "Chicago's Funniest Teenager" from the Chicago Sun-Times.
He also studied with the Second City comedy troupe in Chicago as a teenager.
Professional background
While still in high school, he became the host of the short-run Saturday game show Treasure MallTreasure Mall
Treasure Mall is a kids game show which aired in weekly syndication from June 11 to September 3, 1988. Future Queer as Folk star and comedian Hal Sparks was the host, with Ed MacKay announcing....
, just months shy of his 19th birthday. Upon graduation, Sparks packed all his things in a car and headed for Los Angeles to begin his career in earnest. After ten long years of paying his dues, he got his major TV break when he was hired to host Talk Soup
Talk Soup
Talk Soup was a television show produced for cable network E! that debuted on January 7, 1991, and aired until August 2002. Talk Soup aired selected clips of the previous day's daily talk shows—ranging from daytime entries like The Jerry Springer Show and to celebrity interview shows like The...
in 1999.
He would go on to independently produce his first standup comedy DVD "Escape from Halcatraz" in 2008.
Extremely well-read and versed on politics, Sparks is a regular guest on such programs as CNN's Your $$$$$, The Joy Behar Show
The Joy Behar Show
The Joy Behar Show is a news program and talk show that premiered on HLN on September 29, 2009. The show is hosted by Joy Behar, who is one of the five co-hosts of The View. The show originally aired in the 9:00PM EST slot and 8:00PM CST, but was moved to 10:00PM EST in January 2011...
and The View, when he's not hosting his own weekly progressive radio show. He's also participated in the Progressive Voices Cruise in 2009 and 2010. In 2011 he joined Stephanie Miller
Stephanie Miller
Stephanie Catherine Miller is an American comedienne and host of The Stephanie Miller Show, a progressive talk radio program produced in Los Angeles and syndicated nationally by Dial Global. Talkers magazine ranked her as the 24th most important radio talk show host in America for 2010.-Early...
and John Fugelsang
John Fugelsang
John Fugelsang is an American actor, television personality and stand-up comedian.-Stage and screen:...
for the Sexy Liberal Comedy Tour in various cities across the country.
Radio
Sparks appears as a regular guest and fill-in host on the national Stephanie MillerStephanie Miller
Stephanie Catherine Miller is an American comedienne and host of The Stephanie Miller Show, a progressive talk radio program produced in Los Angeles and syndicated nationally by Dial Global. Talkers magazine ranked her as the 24th most important radio talk show host in America for 2010.-Early...
Radio Show, providing three hours of commentary and humor on Wednesday mornings. The program is known as "Hump Days with Hal", and is broadcast weekly from his official U-stream channel.
He continued this free "behind the scenes" U-stream show for his listeners and fans in June 2010 he got his own radio program on Chicago's Progressive Talk as host of The Hal Sparks Radio Program (megaworldwide), which broadcasts between 11am and 1pm each Saturday.
Television
Sparks had his screen debut on the television movie FrogFrog
Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...
, starring Shelley Duvall
Shelley Duvall
Shelley Alexis Duvall is an American film and television actress best known for her roles in The Shining, Popeye, Thieves Like Us and 3 Women....
, Elliot Gould and Scott Grimes
Scott Grimes
Scott Richard Grimes is an American actor, voice artist and singer. Some of his most prominent roles are his appearances in ER as Dr. Archie Morris, Party of Five as Will McCorkle, Band of Brothers as Technical Sergeant Donald Malarkey, and the popular animated sitcom American Dad!, voicing Steve...
in 1987. Over the following decades he would go on to appear in several types of TV roles, which included host of Talk Soup
Talk Soup
Talk Soup was a television show produced for cable network E! that debuted on January 7, 1991, and aired until August 2002. Talk Soup aired selected clips of the previous day's daily talk shows—ranging from daytime entries like The Jerry Springer Show and to celebrity interview shows like The...
in 1999.
Game shows
Sparks became the United States' youngest game show emcee in 1988 when he hosted the short-lived, syndicated game show, Treasure Mall
Treasure Mall
Treasure Mall is a kids game show which aired in weekly syndication from June 11 to September 3, 1988. Future Queer as Folk star and comedian Hal Sparks was the host, with Ed MacKay announcing....
.
He also participated on GSN
Game Show Network
The Game Show Network is an American cable television and direct broadcast satellite channel dedicated to game shows and casino game shows. The channel was launched on December 1, 1994. Its current slogan is "The World Needs More Winners"...
's Extreme Dodgeball
Extreme Dodgeball
Extreme Dodgeball is an American Sports Entertainment television show that debuted on Game Show Network in 2004. It has also been shown in the UK on Challenge.-Standard rules:...
as captain of the Chicago Hitmen team.
He provided the voice of the computer named "Mr. Q" on the U.S television adaptation of 20Q
20Q (game show)
20Q is a Canadian/American game show based on the online artificial intelligence and handheld computer game of the same name. Licensed to and produced by Endemol USA, Minds Eye Entertainment, Buffalo Gal Pictures, Anaid Productions, Breakthrough Films and Television it premiered on June 13, 2009...
, which aired on the Game Show Network (GSN) in 2009.
VH1 appearances
Celebrity Paranormal Project
Celebrity Paranormal Project is a paranormal reality television series that originally aired from October 22, 2006 to November 1, 2007 on VH1. The show is currently on hiatus, so it is unknown if VH1 will re-air the show and begin with a second season...
. He has also been a regular commentator on several VH1's series, including the following:
- I Love the '70sI Love the '70s (U.S. TV series)I Love the '70s is a decade nostalgia television mini-series produced by VH-1. The series is based on a BBC series of the same name. It examines the pop culture of the 1970s, using footage from the era, along with "Where Are They Now?" interviews with celebrities from the decade. Additionally, the...
- I Love the '80s
- I Love the '80s Strikes BackI Love the '80s Strikes BackI Love the '80s Strikes Back is a miniseries on VH1 in which various music and TV personalities reminisce about 1980s popular culture in a mostly humorous manner...
- I Love the '80s 3-DI Love the '80s 3-DI Love the '80s 3-D is the follow-up to VH1's 1980s nostalgia show I Love the '80s and its sequel I Love the '80s Strikes Back. It premiered October 24, 2005...
- I Love the '90s
- I Love the '90s: Part DeuxI Love the '90s: Part DeuxI Love the '90s: Part Deux is a miniseries on VH1 in which various music and TV personalities reminisce about 1990s culture. It premiered on January 17, 2005. This series is a sequel to I Love the '90s...
- I Love the HolidaysI Love the HolidaysI Love the Holidays is a 90-minute television special, based on the I Love the '80s series, that premiered on VH1 on November 20, 2005. It follows the same format as VH1's other I Love the... series, and many commentators from previous series are featured here...
- I Love ToysI Love ToysI Love Toys was the eighth in VH1's series of I Love… nostalgia shows. It premiered Monday, March 6, 2006, at 10:00 p.m. EST. It is a countdown of the 100 greatest toys, chosen partially through public voting on vh1.com and also consideration of "sales, historical significance and longevity,"...
- I Love the '70s: Volume II
- I Love VH1 Talking Head Clip Show Reviews
- I Love the New MillenniumI Love the New MillenniumI Love the New Millennium, the latest entry into the I Love the... series, is a nostalgia show focusing on the 2000's and premiered on VH1 Monday, June 23, 2008. Each night, from Monday to Thursday, two of the eight episodes premiered, corresponding to the years from 2000 to 2007...
- 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs
- Black to the FutureBlack to the FutureBlack to the Future is a 2009 television mini-series produced by VH1, that talks about history of events and trends about black people, for Black History Month...
- Undateable
TV starring roles
Sparks was a regular cast member of the breakthrough Showtime television series, Queer As Folk, an American adaptation of the UK series written by Russell T Davies. According to the IMDb trivia for the American version of the show, The Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
had predicted that an American "Queer as Folk" would be a complete "disaster", but the series lasted five seasons. Sparks appeared in every episode in the television program in the role of Michael Novotny.
In 2007 Sparks became the voice of the lead character in the animated series for children, Tak & the Power of Juju for Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
, which ran for twelve episodes between 2007 and 2008.
In 2009 Sparks recorded his first Showtime comedy special Charmageddon in front of a standing room only crowd at the OC Pavilion in Santa Ana, California. The special aired in 2010, and was released on DVD.
In 2011 Sparks was cast as Donald Davenport, one of the lead characters of a new Disney pilot Lab Rats 2012. Variety reported on July 12, 2011 that the series was ordered by Disney for a 2012 premiere.
TV Guest Appearances
Sparks had made appearances on various television programs from as early as 1994, when he played a long-haired skateboarder on the fourteenth episode of the first season of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman was a live-action American television series based on the Superman comic books...
. In 1995 he appeared in the "Gentle Horse" episode of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman is an American post-Civil War western/drama series created by Beth Sullivan. Dr. Michaela "Mike" Quinn, played by Jane Seymour, left Boston in search of adventure. She goes to Colorado Springs, Colorado where she establishes herself as doctor/adviser.The show ran on CBS...
. From 2000 through 2006, he appeared in Martial Law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
, Frasier
Frasier
Frasier is an American sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for eleven seasons, from September 16, 1993, to May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee in association with Grammnet and Paramount Network Television.A spin-off of Cheers, Frasier stars...
, One on One
One on One
- Film and television :* One on One , a 2000s American sitcom* One on One , a 1977 movie starring Robby Benson and Annette O'Toole** One on One , the soundtrack album from the film...
, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
, and Las Vegas
Las Vegas (TV series)
Las Vegas was an American television series broadcast by NBC from September 22, 2003 to February 15, 2008. The show focuses on a team of people working at the ficticional Montecito Resort & Casino dealing with issues that arise within the working environment, ranging from valet parking and...
.
He appeared as himself in the video "Beat It
Beat It
"Beat It" is a song written and performed by American recording artist Michael Jackson, and produced by Quincy Jones . It is the third single from the singer's sixth solo album, Thriller . Eddie Van Halen was hired to add the song's distinctive overdriven guitar solo, but was prevented by his...
," the Michael Jackson cover, by Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is an American rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, formed in 2001. The band consists of vocalist, guitarist and composer Patrick Stump, bassist and lyricist Pete Wentz, guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hurley. The band released five studio albums from 2003–2008...
, and voiced a cameo on Robot Chicken
Robot Chicken
Robot Chicken is an American stop motion animated television series created and executive produced by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich along with co-head writers Douglas Goldstein and Tom Root. Green provides many voices for the show...
.
Reality TV
In 2006, Sparks competed for the charity Habitat for Humanity on the Fox celebrity competition Celebrity Duets
Celebrity Duets
Celebrity Duets was an American reality television show of the progressive game-show type, which combined celebrities of different backgrounds with professional singers in a weekly elimination competition....
. He performed with such musical legends as Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson
William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
, Gladys Knight
Gladys Knight
Gladys Maria Knight , known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer-songwriter, actress, businesswoman, humanitarian, and author...
, Wynonna Judd
Wynonna Judd
Wynonna Ellen Judd is an American country music singer. Her solo albums and singles are all credited to the singular name Wynonna. Wynonna first rose to fame in the 1980s alongside her mother, Naomi, in the country music duo The Judds...
, Dennis DeYoung
Dennis DeYoung
Dennis DeYoung is an American singer, songwriter, musician and producer best known for being a founding member of the rock band Styx, a tenure that lasted from 1970 to 1999.-Early life:...
, Dee Snider
Dee Snider
Daniel "Dee" Snider is an American singer-songwriter, screenwriter, radio personality, and actor. Snider is most famous for his role as the frontman of the heavy metal band Twisted Sister...
and Sebastian Bach
Sebastian Bach
Sebastian Bach is a Canadian heavy metal singer who achieved mainstream success as frontman of Skid Row from 1987 to 1996. Since his departure from Skid Row, he has had many television roles, acted within Broadway plays, and leads a successful solo career.-Early life:Bach was born Sebastian...
. He made it to the finale along with Lucy Lawless
Lucy Lawless
Lucy Lawless, MNZM is a New Zealander actress and singer best known for playing the title character of the internationally successful television series Xena: Warrior Princess....
and Alfonso Ribeiro
Alfonso Ribeiro
Alfonso Lincoln Ribeiro is an American actor, director, dancer, game show host, and comedian. While he received attention for his performance in the title role of the Broadway musical The Tap Dance Kid and his appearance as a dancer in a Pepsi commercial featuring Michael Jackson, Ribeiro is best...
, and came in third in the series.
In 2007, Sparks was cast as the host for the WB reality series Survival of the Richest
Survival of the Richest
Survival of the Richest is an American reality television show with the WB Television Network that first aired on March 31, 2006, in which seven "rich kids" who had a combined net worth of over $3 billion were forced to work together with 7 "poor kids" who had a combined debt of $150,000, through a...
, where wealthy young adults were paired with those young adults with massive debts to complete challenges together and work as a team.
Also in 2007 Sparks joined Roseanne to judge Nick at Night's search for America's Funniest Mom.
Sparks was a contestant on the 2008 VH1 celeb-reality series Celebracadabra
Celebracadabra
Celebracadabra is an American reality television series on VH1 that premiered on April 27, 2008. The series involves celebrities attempting to learn and perform magic. Magician/actor Jonathan Levit serves as the host. On Thursday June 12, 2008 C...
, where the celebrities vie to out-perform each other with magic they have learned from their experienced coaches. Other celebrity contestants competing included Ant
Ant (comedian)
ANT is an American stand-up comedian and actor. ANT prefers his name spelled in all capital letters.ANT performed at comedy clubs across the USA beginning in 1991...
, Lisa Ann Walter
Lisa Ann Walter
Lisa Ann Walter is an American actress, comedienne, writer and film producer. She has appeared in such films as the 1998 version of The Parent Trap, Bruce Almighty, Shall We Dance, and War of the Worlds as Cheryl. Walter also created and starred in the short-lived 1996-1997 sitcom, Life's Work...
, Carnie Wilson
Carnie Wilson
Carnie Wilson is an American singer and television hostess, perhaps best known as a member of the pop music group Wilson Phillips.-Early life and musical career:...
, Christopher "Kid" Reid, Kimberly Wyatt
Kimberly Wyatt
Kimberly Kaye Wyatt is an American showgirl, singer-songwriter, dancer, model, actress and choreographer. She is best known as a former member of the American pop/R&B girl group and dance ensemble, the Pussycat Dolls. She joined the Pussycat Dolls in 2003...
, and C. Thomas Howell
C. Thomas Howell
Christopher Thomas "Tommy" Howell , known by his stage name C. Thomas Howell, is an American actor and film director. He starred in the films The Outsiders as Ponyboy Curtis and in The Hitcher as Jim Halsey. He has appeared in The Da Vinci Treasure,Soul Man, Red Dawn, Secret Admirer, Gettysburg, H. G...
. Howell was the winner, with Sparks taking second place.
Film
His first breakout role in a mainstream movie was in the 2000 cult favorite Dude, Where's My Car?Dude, Where's My Car?
Dude, Where's My Car? is a 2000 American stoner comedy film directed by Danny Leiner. The film stars Ashton Kutcher and Seann William Scott as two young men who find themselves wasted and forget where they parked their car....
, as Zoltan
Zoltán
Zoltán is a Hungarian masculine first name. It originates from the Old Turkish word soltan, sultan, which was borrowed from the Arabic sultan. Initially it was pronounced with s-, not with z-. The Hungarian male first names Solt and Zsolt have similar origin. Its female form is Zoltána...
, the bubble-wrapped leader of a clan of nerds obsessed with outer space. In a 2009 interview with We Are Movie Geeks, he confirmed he created the iconic hand gesture in a "Z" formation.
Sparks has appeared in other films, including Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star
Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star
Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star is a 2003 American comedy film directed by Sam Weisman and starring David Spade and Mary McCormack.- Plot :...
and Spider-Man 2
Spider-Man 2
Spider-Man 2 is a 2004 American superhero film directed by Sam Raimi, written by Alvin Sargent and developed by Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, and Michael Chabon. It is the second film in the Spider-Man film franchise based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man...
, where he had a memorable cameo as the elevator passenger who enjoys an awkward but funny moment with Spider-Man. He also appeared in the opening scene of the 2009 Mike Judge
Mike Judge
Michael Craig Judge is an American animator, film director, writer and voice actor, best known as the creator and star of the animated television series Beavis and Butt-head , King of the Hill , and The Goode Family .He also wrote, directed and in some instances produced the films Beavis and...
film Extract
Extract
An extract is a substance made by extracting a part of a raw material, often by using a solvent such as ethanol or water. Extracts may be sold as tinctures or in powder form....
, as one of the guitar salesmen scammed out of a guitar by the con-woman played by Mila Kunis
Mila Kunis
Milena "Mila" Kunis is an American actress. Her work includes the role of Jackie Burkhart on the TV series That '70s Show and the voice of Meg Griffin on the animated series Family Guy...
.
In 2004 he starred as Deputy Dale in the independently produced Lightning Bug
Lightning Bug
Lightning Bug can refer to:* A firefly, particularly North American Photinus, Photuris and Pyractomena* Lightning Bug , a 2004 horror film by writer/director Robert Hall* Ryan Model 147 Lightning Bug, an unmanned aerial vehicle...
, which was written and directed by Robert Hall, who was an original band mate in Hal's hard rock band Zero 1.
Music
In addition to acting, Sparks is also the lead singer and guitarist for a rockRock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band, ZERO 1 (previously called The Hal Sparks Band). At the start, the band consisted of Hal himself, his friend Rob Hall on bass and Hal's cousin Miles Loretta on drums. Their self-titled debut album was released in December 2006 and produced by King's X
King's X
King's X is an American hard rock band that combines progressive metal, funk and soul with vocal arrangements influenced by gospel, blues, and British Invasion rock groups. The band's lyrics are largely based on the members' struggles with religion and self-acceptance...
's frontman DUg Pinnick. The album is available through iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
and on Sparks' official website.
In 2007, both Sparks and Loretta from Zero 1 participated on DUg's solo project Strum Sum Up
Strum Sum Up
-Tracklisting:#Perfect World#Perfect World Pt. 2#Damn It#Dynomite#Dynomite Pt. 2#Life Is What You Make It#Life Is What You Make It Pt. 2#Angel#Coming Over#Smile#All I Want#Hostile World#Cross It#Cross It Pt. 2-References:*...
.
The band now has a new lineup consisting of Hal Sparks (lead vocals and guitar) , Brian Crow (guitar and backup vocals), Bumper Renga (bass and backup vocals) and Lance Tamanaha (drums and backup vocals). They signed with the record label "rocket science" and have a new album on the way called "The sacred nothing". Also expected to debut is the band's first video for the single "American Psycho," which was directed by Adrienne Wanyo and filmed on location at the Houdini Mansion.
Hal's musical experience paid off as a contestant in the first season of Celebrity Duets
Celebrity Duets
Celebrity Duets was an American reality television show of the progressive game-show type, which combined celebrities of different backgrounds with professional singers in a weekly elimination competition....
. He often joins the Los Angeles cover band Steel Panther
Steel Panther
Steel Panther is a glam metal band from Los Angeles, California mostly known for their profane and humorous lyrics as well as their exaggerated on-stage personas...
to sing classic 80s metal tunes, such as the Skid Row hit "Youth Gone Wild
Youth Gone Wild
"Youth Gone Wild" is the debut single by Skid Row and the lead single from their 1989 eponymous debut album.Its music video received heavy airplay on MTV; however, while the album itself was a major hit and went multi-platinum in the U.S...
".
Hal treats his worldwide Zero 1 fans to exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of band rehearsals, courtesy of his U-stream channel. In addition the band has played such famous venues as The Viper Room, The Knitting Factory, The Key Club and The Whiskey A Go Go.
Stand Up
In 2011 Sparks began touring the US with John FugelsangJohn Fugelsang
John Fugelsang is an American actor, television personality and stand-up comedian.-Stage and screen:...
and Stephanie Miller
Stephanie Miller
Stephanie Catherine Miller is an American comedienne and host of The Stephanie Miller Show, a progressive talk radio program produced in Los Angeles and syndicated nationally by Dial Global. Talkers magazine ranked her as the 24th most important radio talk show host in America for 2010.-Early...
as part of the Sexy Liberal Comedy Tour.
Personal life
Sparks is an outspoken activist who regularly participates in charitable events for organizations like AIDS WalkAIDS Walk
AIDS Walk is a walkathon fundraiser that raises money to combat the AIDS epidemic. The funds raised from AIDS Walks usually benefit a local AIDS service organization , which provide services and advocacy for local community residents who are infected with HIV...
, Farm Sanctuary
Farm Sanctuary
Farm Sanctuary is an American animal protection organization, founded in 1986 as an advocate for farm animals. It promotes laws and policies that support animal welfare, animal protection and vegetarianism/veganism through rescue, education and advocacy...
, the Lilli Claire Foundation, Imagine a Cure and the Marijuana Policy Project
Marijuana Policy Project
The Marijuana Policy Project, or MPP, is the largest organization working solely on marijuana policy reform in the United States in terms of its budget, number of members, and staff...
.
In 2010 Sparks became a real-life hero when, for the third time in his life, his life-saving CPR skills helped resuscitate an unconscious, elderly man at the Los Angeles International Airport. He was aided by Katrina Onyett, another passenger who happened to be nearby when the man collapsed.
Hal is proudly straight edge
Straight edge
Straight edge is a subculture of hardcore punk whose adherents refrain from using alcohol, tobacco, and other recreational drugs. It was a direct reaction to the sexual revolution, hedonism, and excess associated with punk rock. For some, this extends to not engaging in promiscuous sex, following a...
, and practices pescetarianism
Pescetarianism
Pescetarianism is the practice of a diet that includes seafood but not the flesh of other animals.In addition to fish and/or shellfish, a pescetarian diet typically includes all of vegetables, fruit, nuts, grains, beans, eggs and dairy...
. He holds several black-belts in martial arts and presently studies kung-fu.
When not on the road performing comedy and music, Sparks resides in Los Angeles, California. He is not related to comedian Ron Sparks
Ron Sparks
Ron Sparks is a Canadian comedian, actor and writer. He was born in Chatham-Kent, Ontario but lives in Toronto, Ontario, where he is best known as a stand-up comedian and regular and favourite juror on MuchMusic's highest-rated show, Video on Trial. He also starred as The Judge in the MuchMusic...
, who also covers current topics in his routines.
In May 2011, Sparks announced he became a first-time dad with the arrival of his son, Camden Harrison Sparks, whom he is raising with Camden's mother, Shelley Alters. They made the announcement during a special Ustream broadcast on Father's Day.
Television
- Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of SupermanLois & Clark: The New Adventures of SupermanLois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman was a live-action American television series based on the Superman comic books...
in episode "Witness" (1994) as Skateboarder - Dr. Quinn, Medicine WomanDr. Quinn, Medicine WomanDr. Quinn, Medicine Woman is an American post-Civil War western/drama series created by Beth Sullivan. Dr. Michaela "Mike" Quinn, played by Jane Seymour, left Boston in search of adventure. She goes to Colorado Springs, Colorado where she establishes herself as doctor/adviser.The show ran on CBS...
in episode "Indian Agent" (1995) as Gentle Horse - Cheap Theatrix (1998)
- Talk SoupTalk SoupTalk Soup was a television show produced for cable network E! that debuted on January 7, 1991, and aired until August 2002. Talk Soup aired selected clips of the previous day's daily talk shows—ranging from daytime entries like The Jerry Springer Show and to celebrity interview shows like The...
as host (1999–2000) - Martial LawMartial Law (TV series)Martial Law was a TV crime drama that ran on CBS from 1998 to 2000, and was created by Carlton Cuse. The title character, Sammo Law, portrayed by Sammo Hung, was a Chinese law officer and martial arts expert who came to Los Angeles in search of a colleague and remains in the US.The show was a...
in episode "No Fare" (2000) as Ellroy Nelson - Queer As FolkQueer as Folk (US TV series)Queer as Folk is an American and Canadian television series co-production, produced by Showtime and Temple Street Productions, which was based on the British series of the same name, created by Russell T Davies...
(2000–2005) as Michael Novotny - Rendez-View in episodes "She Loves Him, Loves Him Not" (2001) and "Belgian Boy Toy" (2002) as a guest host
- One on OneOne on One (TV series)One on One is an American sitcom that aired on the now-defunct UPN from its September 3, 2001 premiere until May 15, 2006. The series stars Flex Alexander as a single sportscaster, who becomes a full-time dad when his ex-wife decides to accept a job out of the country and his teenage daughter...
in episodes "Unemployment Up, Pride Down" (2002) and "I Believe I Can Fly: Part 2" (2002) as Danny Davis Jr. - FrasierFrasierFrasier is an American sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for eleven seasons, from September 16, 1993, to May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee in association with Grammnet and Paramount Network Television.A spin-off of Cheers, Frasier stars...
in episode "Door Jam" (2003) as Receptionist - Extreme DodgeballExtreme DodgeballExtreme Dodgeball is an American Sports Entertainment television show that debuted on Game Show Network in 2004. It has also been shown in the UK on Challenge.-Standard rules:...
(2004) as a player for Chicago Hitmen - CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationCSI: Crime Scene InvestigationCSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
in episode "Dog Eat Dog" (2005) as Digger James - Video Game VixensVideo Game VixensVideo Game Vixens was a special four-part TV show hosted by Hal Sparks on G4 that featured what the network considered to be "the sexiest female video game characters of the year." It debuted in June 2005...
(2005) as host - Las VegasLas Vegas (TV series)Las Vegas was an American television series broadcast by NBC from September 22, 2003 to February 15, 2008. The show focuses on a team of people working at the ficticional Montecito Resort & Casino dealing with issues that arise within the working environment, ranging from valet parking and...
in "Cash Springs Eternal" (2006) - Survival of the RichestSurvival of the RichestSurvival of the Richest is an American reality television show with the WB Television Network that first aired on March 31, 2006, in which seven "rich kids" who had a combined net worth of over $3 billion were forced to work together with 7 "poor kids" who had a combined debt of $150,000, through a...
(2006) host - Celebrity DuetsCelebrity DuetsCelebrity Duets was an American reality television show of the progressive game-show type, which combined celebrities of different backgrounds with professional singers in a weekly elimination competition....
(2006) Contestant, third runner up - Celebrity Paranormal ProjectCelebrity Paranormal ProjectCelebrity Paranormal Project is a paranormal reality television series that originally aired from October 22, 2006 to November 1, 2007 on VH1. The show is currently on hiatus, so it is unknown if VH1 will re-air the show and begin with a second season...
(2006) in episode "Waverly Hills SanatoriumWaverly Hills SanatoriumThe Waverly Hills Sanatorium is a closed sanatorium located in southwestern Louisville/Jefferson County, Kentucky. It opened in 1910 as a two-story hospital to accommodate 40 to 50 tuberculosis patients. In the early 1900s, Jefferson County was ravaged by an outbreak of tuberculosis which prompted...
" - Tak and the Power of JujuTak and the Power of Juju (TV series)Tak and the Power of Juju is an all CGI-based animated series that premiered on Nickelodeon on August 31, 2007 and on Nicktoons on September 1, 2007. It has been showing on Nicktoons in the United Kingdom since 5 July 2008. Based on the video game of the same name, the show consists of two eleven...
(2007) voice of "Tak" and Really, Really Revolting Juju - America's Funniest Mom 3 (2007) himself/judge
- Rock Band 2: The Stars (2008) guest star
- CelebracadabraCelebracadabraCelebracadabra is an American reality television series on VH1 that premiered on April 27, 2008. The series involves celebrities attempting to learn and perform magic. Magician/actor Jonathan Levit serves as the host. On Thursday June 12, 2008 C...
(Reality Show) (2008) as himself, first runner up - 20Q20Q (game show)20Q is a Canadian/American game show based on the online artificial intelligence and handheld computer game of the same name. Licensed to and produced by Endemol USA, Minds Eye Entertainment, Buffalo Gal Pictures, Anaid Productions, Breakthrough Films and Television it premiered on June 13, 2009...
(2009) co-host, voice of computer - The TesterThe TesterThe Tester is a serialized reality program created by Sony Computer Entertainment and produced by 51 Minds. Notable as the first original live-action series distributed on a video game console, The Tester features eleven or twelve contestants, selected from thousands of applicants, competing in a...
(2010) [Judge in Sony PlayStation Series] - Web SoupWeb SoupWeb Soup is a weekly series airing in the U.S. on G4. The show , hosted by Chris Hardwick, comments on the latest in viral videos...
special guest appearance with Chris Hardwick - Hal Sparks: Charmageddon Stand-up special
Film
Made for television- Frog (1987) as Jim
- Signs and WondersSigns and WondersSigns and Wonders was a phrase used often by leaders of the Charismatic movement in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It is closely associated with the ministry of John Wimber and the Vineyard Movement...
(1995) as Rocker 2 - Bleacher Bums (2002) as Richie
Major distribution
- Chopper Chicks in ZombietownChopper Chicks in ZombietownChopper Chicks In Zombietown is a 1989 comedy horror movie released by Troma, featuring Billy Bob Thornton.The film is about an all-female motorcycle gang named the 'Cycle Sluts', who cruise into the isolated town of Zariah looking for a good time...
(1989) as Lance - Invader (1996) as Fort Irwin Defense Command (voice)
- Lost & Found (1999) as DJ
- Dude, Where's My Car?Dude, Where's My Car?Dude, Where's My Car? is a 2000 American stoner comedy film directed by Danny Leiner. The film stars Ashton Kutcher and Seann William Scott as two young men who find themselves wasted and forget where they parked their car....
(2000) as Zoltan – Cult Leader - Dr. Dolittle 2Dr. Dolittle 2Dr. Dolittle 2 is a 2001 American comedy film, and the theatrical sequel to the 1998 film Dr. Dolittle. The continuing tale of the doctor who can talk to the animals—this time, it's Dolittle versus Darwin when the animals launch a labor strike to protect their forest from unscrupulous human...
(2001) as School Fish #1 (voice) - Dickie Roberts: Former Child StarDickie Roberts: Former Child StarDickie Roberts: Former Child Star is a 2003 American comedy film directed by Sam Weisman and starring David Spade and Mary McCormack.- Plot :...
(2003) as Publisher - Spider-Man 2Spider-Man 2Spider-Man 2 is a 2004 American superhero film directed by Sam Raimi, written by Alvin Sargent and developed by Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, and Michael Chabon. It is the second film in the Spider-Man film franchise based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man...
(2004) as Elevator Passenger - Lightning BugLightning Bug (film)Lightning Bug is a 2004 horror film. It is the debut film by writer/director Robert Green Hall, an SFX makeup artist known primarily for his work on the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the films, Laid to Rest and its sequel, ChromeSkull: Laid to Rest 2.It is a fictionalized account of Hall's...
(2004) as Deputy Dale - Denial (2006) (executive producer)
- The House That Jack Built (2007) as Dominic
- Dead Space: DownfallDead Space: DownfallDead Space: Downfall is an animated film, a prequel to the game Dead Space and takes place during the events of Dead Space: Extraction, while the Necromorphs invade the USG Ishimura after it receives the Red Marker...
(2008) as Ramirez - ExtractExtract (film)Extract is a 2009 American comedy film written and directed by Mike Judge. Extract stars Jason Bateman, Mila Kunis, Kristen Wiig, Dustin Milligan, J. K. Simmons, and Ben Affleck. Judge also makes an uncredited appearance as 'Jim', a union organizer....
(2009) as Guitar Salesman #1
Music videos
- Beat It (Fall Out Boy Cover) Music Video (2008) as himself