Paul Dinello
Encyclopedia
Paul Dinello is an American
actor, comedian, writer, director, and an alumnus
of Chicago-based The Second City
, Improv Institute
, and Annoyance Theatre
. He is best known for his role on Comedy Central
's Strangers with Candy
as Geoffrey Jellineck, the closeted gay
art teacher at Flatpoint High, who carries on a not-so-secret relationship with his colleague Chuck Noblet (Stephen Colbert
). Dinello dated the show's star Amy Sedaris
for eight years after they met at Second City.
In 2003 Dinello co-authored the novel Wigfield
with Sedaris and Colbert, which they promoted by creating a traveling play.
Most recently, Dinello has made guest appearances on Colbert's show The Colbert Report as Tad, the building manager. The character is often berated by Colbert, who forces him to do dangerous things. Dinello has made at least five appearances on The Colbert Report, including a tumbling
act with Colbert and their Strangers costar Sedaris in July 2006. After a prolonged absence, Dinello returned as Tad on 12 July 2011 to help Colbert interview activist Dan Savage
.
Dinello was also a writer, producer and director for the Strangers with Candy film
, which was released in July 2006. In January 2009, Participant Media announced it would produce Dinello's next film, Mr. Burnout (about a burned out
teacher seeking to rekindle his love of teaching).
He was one of the main cast in the show Exit 57
, also starring Sedaris and Colbert. He also appeared as Mr. Rooney in the film Be Kind Rewind
, alongside Jack Black
and Mos Def
.
Dinello recently directed the Nickelodeon
original movie Gym Teacher: The Movie
, starring Christopher Meloni
and Amy Sedaris
.
Dinello can be seen with Amy Sedaris
in the "Mummified Hand" episode of the Science Channel show Oddities.
On the July 12th, 2011 episode of Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report", Dinello appeared briefly as Colbert's "heterosexual accountibility-buddy" and potential companion to a gay wedding.
Dinello became a father in 2011 with the birth of his son Giancarlo Francis Dinello.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor, comedian, writer, director, and an alumnus
Alumnus
An alumnus , according to the American Heritage Dictionary, is "a graduate of a school, college, or university." An alumnus can also be a former member, employee, contributor or inmate as well as a former student. In addition, an alumna is "a female graduate or former student of a school, college,...
of Chicago-based The Second City
The Second City
The Second City is a improvisational comedy enterprise which originated in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood.The Second City Theatre opened on December 16, 1959 and has since expanded its presence to several other cities, including Toronto and Los Angeles...
, Improv Institute
Improv Institute
The Improv Institute was a improvisational comedy company in Chicago from 1984 until 1994. The mainstage show was improvised following audience suggestions. The troupe had two storefront-theaters, both on West Belmont Avenue on Chicago's North side, first at 2939 W. Belmont , and later at 2319 W...
, and Annoyance Theatre
Annoyance Theatre
The Annoyance Theatre, or Annoyance Productions as it is sometimes called, is a theater and associated ensemble based in Chicago that deals mainly in absurd, pretentious and outrageous humor. Many people that have performed with the ensemble have gone on to become successful stage and screen actors...
. He is best known for his role on Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
's Strangers with Candy
Strangers with Candy
Strangers with Candy is a television series produced by Comedy Central. It first aired on April 7, 1999, and concluded its third and final season on October 2, 2000. Its timeslot was Sundays at 10 p.m....
as Geoffrey Jellineck, the closeted gay
Closeted
Closeted and in the closet are metaphors used to describe lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning and intersex people who have not disclosed their sexual orientation or gender identity and aspects thereof, including sexual identity and sexual behavior.-Background:In late 20th...
art teacher at Flatpoint High, who carries on a not-so-secret relationship with his colleague Chuck Noblet (Stephen Colbert
Stephen Colbert
Stephen Tyrone Colbert is an American political satirist, writer, comedian, television host, and actor. He is the host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, a satirical news show in which Colbert portrays a caricatured version of conservative political pundits.Colbert originally studied to be an...
). Dinello dated the show's star Amy Sedaris
Amy Sedaris
Amy Louise Sedaris is an American actress, author, and comedian. She is known for playing the character Jerri Blank in the Comedy Central television series Strangers with Candy. Sedaris regularly collaborates with her older brother, humorist and author David Sedaris...
for eight years after they met at Second City.
In 2003 Dinello co-authored the novel Wigfield
Wigfield
Wigfield: The Can Do Town That Just May Not is a satirical novel by comedians Amy Sedaris, Paul Dinello, and Stephen Colbert, three of the four creators of the Comedy Central show Strangers with Candy. It was first published on May 7, 2003 by Hyperion Books.The book tells the story of a small town...
with Sedaris and Colbert, which they promoted by creating a traveling play.
Most recently, Dinello has made guest appearances on Colbert's show The Colbert Report as Tad, the building manager. The character is often berated by Colbert, who forces him to do dangerous things. Dinello has made at least five appearances on The Colbert Report, including a tumbling
Tumbling (gymnastics)
In gymnastics, tumbling, also known as power tumbling is an acrobatic sporting discipline which combines some of the skills of artistic gymnastics on the floor with those of trampolining. It is practised on a 25 metre long spring track...
act with Colbert and their Strangers costar Sedaris in July 2006. After a prolonged absence, Dinello returned as Tad on 12 July 2011 to help Colbert interview activist Dan Savage
Dan Savage
Daniel Keenan "Dan" Savage is an American author, media pundit, journalist and newspaper editor. Savage writes the internationally syndicated relationship and sex advice column Savage Love. Its tone is frank in its discussion of sexuality, often humorous, and hostile to social conservatives, as in...
.
Dinello was also a writer, producer and director for the Strangers with Candy film
Strangers with Candy (film)
Strangers with Candy is a 2005 comedy film released by THINKFilm, first screened at the Sundance Film Festival. It serves as a prequel to the TV series of the same name...
, which was released in July 2006. In January 2009, Participant Media announced it would produce Dinello's next film, Mr. Burnout (about a burned out
Burnout (psychology)
Burnout is a psychological term for the experience of long-term exhaustion and diminished interest. Research indicates general practitioners have the highest proportion of burnout cases; according to a recent Dutch study in Psychological Reports, no less than 40% of these experienced high levels of...
teacher seeking to rekindle his love of teaching).
He was one of the main cast in the show Exit 57
Exit 57
Exit 57 was a 30-minute sketch comedy series that aired on the American television channel Comedy Central from 1995 to 1996; its cast was composed of comedians Amy Sedaris, Paul Dinello, Stephen Colbert, Jodi Lennon, and Mitch Rouse, all of whom had previously studied improv at The Second City in...
, also starring Sedaris and Colbert. He also appeared as Mr. Rooney in the film Be Kind Rewind
Be Kind Rewind
Be Kind Rewind is a 2008 American comedy film with dramatic elements from New Line Cinema, written and directed by Michel Gondry and starring Jack Black, Mos Def, Melonie Diaz, Danny Glover and Mia Farrow. The film first appeared on January 20, 2008 at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. It was later...
, alongside Jack Black
Jack Black
Jack Black , is an American actor and musician, notably of Tenacious D.Jack Black may also refer to:* Jack Black , late 19th - early 20th Century author and hobo* Jack Black , drummer for 1970s UK punk band The Boys...
and Mos Def
Mos Def
Dante Terrell Smith is an American actor and Emcee known by the stage names Mos Def and Yasiin Bey. He started his hip hop career in a group called Urban Thermo Dynamics, after which he appeared on albums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul. With Talib Kweli, he formed the duo Black Star, which...
.
Dinello recently directed the 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...
original movie Gym Teacher: The Movie
Gym Teacher: The Movie
Gym Teacher: The Movie is a 2008 Nickelodeon Original Movie. It stars Christopher Meloni, Nathan Kress, Amy Sedaris, David Alan Grier and Chelah Horsdal.-Plot:...
, starring Christopher Meloni
Christopher Meloni
Christopher Peter Meloni is an American actor. He is best known for his television roles as NYPD Detective Elliot Stabler on the NBC police drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and as inmate Chris Keller on the HBO prison drama Oz.-Early life:Meloni was born the youngest of three children in...
and Amy Sedaris
Amy Sedaris
Amy Louise Sedaris is an American actress, author, and comedian. She is known for playing the character Jerri Blank in the Comedy Central television series Strangers with Candy. Sedaris regularly collaborates with her older brother, humorist and author David Sedaris...
.
Dinello can be seen with Amy Sedaris
Amy Sedaris
Amy Louise Sedaris is an American actress, author, and comedian. She is known for playing the character Jerri Blank in the Comedy Central television series Strangers with Candy. Sedaris regularly collaborates with her older brother, humorist and author David Sedaris...
in the "Mummified Hand" episode of the Science Channel show Oddities.
On the July 12th, 2011 episode of Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report", Dinello appeared briefly as Colbert's "heterosexual accountibility-buddy" and potential companion to a gay wedding.
Dinello became a father in 2011 with the birth of his son Giancarlo Francis Dinello.