Matt Iseman
Encyclopedia
Matthew C. "Matt" Iseman (born January 22, 1971) is an American comedian
, actor
, and television host, who began his career as a physician
.
and an M.D. from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
. He did his residency and internship in internal medicine
at the University of Colorado Hospital
in his home town of Denver, and later relocated to the Los Angeles
area.
, with a routine based partly on his experiences as a doctor. He gained performing experience with the prominent improvisational comedy troupe The Groundlings
, and finally decided in 2002 to put his medical practice in abeyance and become a full-time professional comedian, although he remains a licensed physician. In addition to comedy club
gigs, Iseman’s medical background has made him a popular performer for medical and health-related organizations.
An athletic man standing 6'3" (1.91 m), he was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis
in 2002, at age 31. His disease is being treated successfully, and he has worked his experiences being on the other end of the stethoscope into his stand-up material.
He cites Brian Regan
as the comic who inspired him to become a comedian. As is the case with Regan's, Iseman's comedy beyond the realm of medicine is mainly observational
, and he generally avoids off-color material. One favorite subject is the fact that he's the last to remain unmarried out of his circle of high-school and college friends.
He has entertained American troops
overseas at USO shows in Afghanistan
, South Korea
, Bosnia
, and Hungary
.
and Casino Night on the GSN. He currently appears as a regular cast member on the home makeover show Clean House
, and its companion outtakes show, Clean House Comes Clean, both on the Style Network
. Additionally, he hosted season 2 and 3 of American Ninja Warrior
on the channel G4
.
He also has worked episodically in television shows including The Drew Carey Show
, NCIS
, and General Hospital
. He has appeared on the syndicated MAD TV
, Comedy Central
’s Premium Blend
, Fox
’s The Best Damn Sports Show Period
, and Fox News Channel
’s Red Eye w/ Greg Gutfeld
.
As of May 4, 2010, Iseman is the host a spin-off of E!'s The Soup
on Versus
, Sports Soup
. E!, Style Network and Versus are all owned by Comcast.
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
, actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, and television host, who began his career as a physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
.
Early life and medical career
Iseman was born in Denver, Colorado. The son of a pulmonologist, Iseman was raised in Denver and followed his father into a medical career, earning a B.S. with honors from Princeton UniversityPrinceton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
and an M.D. from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, often known as P&S, is a graduate school of Columbia University that is located on the health sciences campus in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan...
. He did his residency and internship in internal medicine
Internal medicine
Internal medicine is the medical specialty dealing with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of adult diseases. Physicians specializing in internal medicine are called internists. They are especially skilled in the management of patients who have undifferentiated or multi-system disease processes...
at the University of Colorado Hospital
University of Colorado Hospital
University of Colorado Hospital is the principal teaching hospital for the University of Colorado Denver, located in Aurora, Colorado.In the most recent U.S. News and World Report hospital rankings, UCH ranked in the top 50 for 7 of 16 medical specialities.In 2005, UCH was redesignated by the ...
in his home town of Denver, and later relocated to the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
area.
Comedy career
Soon he found he was much happier doing stand-up comedyStand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
, with a routine based partly on his experiences as a doctor. He gained performing experience with the prominent improvisational comedy troupe The Groundlings
The Groundlings
The Groundlings are an improvisational comedy troupe based in Los Angeles, California. The troupe was formed by Gary Austin in 1974 and uses an improv format influenced by Viola Spolin to produce sketches and improvised scenes...
, and finally decided in 2002 to put his medical practice in abeyance and become a full-time professional comedian, although he remains a licensed physician. In addition to comedy club
Comedy club
A comedy club is a venue, typically a nightclub, bar, or restaurant where people watch or listen to performances, including stand-up comedians, improvisational comedians, impersonators, magicians, ventriloquists and other comedy acts...
gigs, Iseman’s medical background has made him a popular performer for medical and health-related organizations.
An athletic man standing 6'3" (1.91 m), he was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks synovial joints. The process produces an inflammatory response of the synovium secondary to hyperplasia of synovial cells, excess synovial fluid, and the development...
in 2002, at age 31. His disease is being treated successfully, and he has worked his experiences being on the other end of the stethoscope into his stand-up material.
He cites Brian Regan
Brian Regan
Brian Regan is a stand-up comedian who uses observational, sarcastic, and self-deprecating humor. His performances are relatively "clean" as he refrains from profanity and off-color humor. Regan's material typically covers everyday events, such as shipping a package with UPS and a visit to an...
as the comic who inspired him to become a comedian. As is the case with Regan's, Iseman's comedy beyond the realm of medicine is mainly observational
Observational comedy
Observational comedy is a style of humor based on making remarks about commonplace aspects of everyday life. It is the most common type of humor used in stand up comedy.The humor is based on the premise of "It's funny because it's true."-External links:* *...
, and he generally avoids off-color material. One favorite subject is the fact that he's the last to remain unmarried out of his circle of high-school and college friends.
He has entertained American troops
Military of the United States
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
overseas at USO shows in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
, and Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
.
Television work
Iseman has hosted the game shows Scream Play on 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...
and Casino Night on the GSN. He currently appears as a regular cast member on the home makeover show Clean House
Clean House
Clean House is a home makeover and interior design television show, originally broadcast in 2003 which has aired 9 seasons of programs on the Style Network...
, and its companion outtakes show, Clean House Comes Clean, both on the Style Network
Style Network
The Style Network is an American cable television network based in Los Angeles.Owned by NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of General Electric and Comcast, its sister channels include E! Entertainment Television, USA Network, Syfy, G4, Golf Channel, and Versus, among others.-Network Overview:Style's...
. Additionally, he hosted season 2 and 3 of American Ninja Warrior
American Ninja Warrior
American Ninja Warrior is a spin-off of Sasuke. It began on December 12, 2009 in Los Angeles, California, with the top 10 competitors moving on to compete at Mount Midoriyama in Japan...
on the channel G4
G4
G4, G.IV, G04, G.4 or G-4 may refer to:- Aircraft :* AEG G.IV, a German World War I heavy bomber* Caudron G.4, a 1915 French biplane* Friedrichshafen G.IV, a 1918 German medium bomber* Gotha G.IV, a 1916 German heavy bomber...
.
He also has worked episodically in television shows including The Drew Carey Show
The Drew Carey Show
The Drew Carey Show is an American sitcom that aired on ABC from 1995 to 2004. The show was set in Cleveland, Ohio, and revolved around the retail office and home life of "everyman" Drew Carey, a fictionalized version of the actor....
, NCIS
NCIS (TV series)
NCIS, formerly known as NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service, is an American police procedural drama television series revolving around a fictional team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which conducts criminal investigations involving the U.S...
, and General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
. He has appeared on the syndicated MAD TV
Mad TV
Mad TV may refer to:*MADtv, an American sketch comedy television series based on Mad magazine*Mad TV , a 1991 German television station management simulation game*MAD TV , a Greek music channel-See also:...
, Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
’s Premium Blend
Premium Blend
Premium Blend was a television show that aired on the American cable television channel Comedy Central from 1997 to 2005.The program features a well-known stand up comedian as an emcee who introduces four or five lesser known comedians looking for a big break on television...
, Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
’s The Best Damn Sports Show Period
The Best Damn Sports Show Period
The Best Damn Sports Show Period is an American sports television show on Fox Sports Net and Comcast SportsNet. The show regularly featured irreverent and opinionated interviews with top athletes, coaches, celebrities, and entertainers. It also aired Top 50 countdown shows and other sports...
, and Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
’s Red Eye w/ Greg Gutfeld
Red Eye w/ Greg Gutfeld
Red Eye w/Greg Gutfeld is a late-night/early-morning satirical talk show on the Fox News Channel, airing at 3:00 am ET Tuesday through Saturday. The show features panelists and guests discussing the latest news in politics, pop culture, entertainment, business, sports, and religion...
.
As of May 4, 2010, Iseman is the host a spin-off of E!'s The Soup
The Soup
The Soup is an E! Entertainment Television weekly series; it is a revamped version of Talk Soup that focuses on recaps of various pop culture and television show moments of the week...
on Versus
Versus (TV channel)
Versus is a sports-oriented cable television channel in the United States. It was previously known as Outdoor Life Network and was launched on July 1, 1995, focusing on fishing, hunting, and other outdoor sports...
, Sports Soup
Sports Soup
Sports Soup was a weekly series airing in the U.S. on Versus. The show , hosted by Matt Iseman, satirizes recent events in sports and the stations that cover them in similar fashion to sister network E! Entertainment Television's series The Soup...
. E!, Style Network and Versus are all owned by Comcast.
External links
- Matt Iseman official web site
- MySpace page for Matt Iseman
- 'Scream Play' host scripts triumph over rheumatoid arthritis, USA TodayUSA TodayUSA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, 20 July 2004 - Headliners with...Clean House's Matt Iseman, EntertainmentVine.com, 9 October 2007.
- Exclusive Matt Iseman clips on effinfunny.com