Todd Hanson (writer)
Encyclopedia
Todd Hanson is a writer and voice actor, best known for his work as a writer and editor at The Onion
. Hanson also voices the character Dan Halen on the Adult Swim
program Squidbillies
.
and co-wrote The Onion Movie
, which he has since disowned.
. He made two guest appearances in the episodes of Aqua Teen Hunger Force
called Interfection and Hypno-Germ. He is also on the commentary for Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters in which he stated that he is a big fan of the show. The commentary also states that he came up with the Chicken Bittle character which was rejected to be an Aqua Teen for several years.
's The Moth
, Hanson credited his mother
for him being "a douchebag".
, Hanson spoke about his long history of depression
, as well as a suicide attempt he made in January 2009. Though he had been in counseling and on medication for the condition, he checked into a hotel room near his home in Brooklyn, wrote two notes (one to his family, another to whoever found his body), and consumed a bottle of scotch whiskey and over 60 Xanax pills; the combination caused him to lose consciousness for more than 24 hours.
He survived the attempt, and was awakened the following day by a hotel maid
. In a blacked-out state
, he returned home, where he was discovered by his roommate, still in a highly intoxicated condition. Hanson was then checked into a hospital for detox and placed on suicide observation. He now considers this day his "second birthday," and has since been in more intensive treatment and has a better grip on his depressive states.
The Onion
The Onion is an American news satire organization. It is an entertainment newspaper and a website featuring satirical articles reporting on international, national, and local news, in addition to a non-satirical entertainment section known as The A.V. Club...
. Hanson also voices the character Dan Halen on the Adult Swim
Adult Swim
Adult Swim is an adult-oriented Cable network that shares channel space with Cartoon Network from 9:00 pm until 6:00 am ET/PT in the United States, and broadcasts in countries such as Australia and New Zealand...
program Squidbillies
Squidbillies
Squidbillies is an animated television series about the Cuylers, an impoverished family of anthropomorphic hillbilly squids living in the Appalachian region of North Carolina's mountains. The show is produced by Williams Street Studios for the Adult Swim programming block of Cartoon Network and...
.
As writer
Hanson was working as a dishwasher while he was a writer at The Onion. He wrote an article in The Onion that was optioned as a movie by DreamWorksDreamWorks
DreamWorks Pictures, also known as DreamWorks, LLC, DreamWorks SKG, DreamWorks II Distribution Co., LLC, DreamWorks Studios or DW Studios, LLC, is an American film studio which develops, produces, and distributes films, video games and television programming...
and co-wrote The Onion Movie
The Onion Movie
The Onion Movie is a comedy film written by The Onion writers Robert D. Siegel and Todd Hanson along with the Chicago-based writing staff of the paper...
, which he has since disowned.
As actor
He voices the character Dan Halen on SquidbilliesSquidbillies
Squidbillies is an animated television series about the Cuylers, an impoverished family of anthropomorphic hillbilly squids living in the Appalachian region of North Carolina's mountains. The show is produced by Williams Street Studios for the Adult Swim programming block of Cartoon Network and...
. He made two guest appearances in the episodes of Aqua Teen Hunger Force
Aqua Teen Hunger Force
Aqua Teen Hunger Force , retitled Aqua Unit Patrol Squad 1 in 2011, is an American animated television series on Cartoon Network late night programing block, Adult Swim, as well as Teletoon's Teletoon at Night block and later G4 Canada's ADd block in Canada...
called Interfection and Hypno-Germ. He is also on the commentary for Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters in which he stated that he is a big fan of the show. The commentary also states that he came up with the Chicken Bittle character which was rejected to be an Aqua Teen for several years.
Personal life
Hanson has lived in Wisconsin and New York. During a storytelling segment on PRIPublic Radio International
Public Radio International is a Minneapolis-based American public radio organization, with locations in Boston, New York, London and Beijing. PRI's tagline is "Hear a different voice." PRI is a major public media content creator and also distributes programs from many sources...
's The Moth
The Moth
The Moth is a non-profit group based in New York City dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling. It was founded in 1997 by poet and novelist George Dawes Green, who wanted to recreate the feeling of sultry summer evenings in his native Georgia, when moths were attracted to the light on the...
, Hanson credited his mother
Mother
A mother, mum, mom, momma, or mama is a woman who has raised a child, given birth to a child, and/or supplied the ovum that grew into a child. Because of the complexity and differences of a mother's social, cultural, and religious definitions and roles, it is challenging to specify a universally...
for him being "a douchebag".
Depression and suicide attempt
On the July 7, 2011 episode of WTF with Marc MaronWTF with Marc Maron
WTF with Marc Maron is a twice-weekly podcast hosted by stand up comedian Marc Maron. The show launched in September 2009. The program primarily consists of interviews with comedians and comedy writers, as well as others in the entertainment and radio communities...
, Hanson spoke about his long history of depression
Mood disorder
Mood disorder is the term designating a group of diagnoses in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders classification system where a disturbance in the person's mood is hypothesized to be the main underlying feature...
, as well as a suicide attempt he made in January 2009. Though he had been in counseling and on medication for the condition, he checked into a hotel room near his home in Brooklyn, wrote two notes (one to his family, another to whoever found his body), and consumed a bottle of scotch whiskey and over 60 Xanax pills; the combination caused him to lose consciousness for more than 24 hours.
He survived the attempt, and was awakened the following day by a hotel maid
Maid
A maidservant or in current usage housemaid or maid is a female employed in domestic service.-Description:Once part of an elaborate hierarchy in great houses, today a single maid may be the only domestic worker that upper and even middle-income households can afford, as was historically the case...
. In a blacked-out state
Blackout (alcohol-related amnesia)
A blackout is a phenomenon caused by the intake of alcohol or other substance in which long term memory creation is impaired or there is a complete inability to recall the past. Blackouts are frequently described as having effects similar to that of anterograde amnesia, in which the subject cannot...
, he returned home, where he was discovered by his roommate, still in a highly intoxicated condition. Hanson was then checked into a hospital for detox and placed on suicide observation. He now considers this day his "second birthday," and has since been in more intensive treatment and has a better grip on his depressive states.
Filmography
- Space Ghost Coast to CoastSpace Ghost Coast to CoastSpace Ghost Coast to Coast is an American animated parody talk show hosted by the 60s Hanna-Barbera cartoon character Space Ghost. The show premiered on April 15, 1994 on Cartoon Network...
(1 episode, 2003) (writer) - Aqua Teen Hunger ForceAqua Teen Hunger ForceAqua Teen Hunger Force , retitled Aqua Unit Patrol Squad 1 in 2011, is an American animated television series on Cartoon Network late night programing block, Adult Swim, as well as Teletoon's Teletoon at Night block and later G4 Canada's ADd block in Canada...
(2 episodes, 2002–2004) - The AristocratsThe Aristocrats (film)The Aristocrats is a 2005 documentary film about the famous dirty joke of the same name. It was conceived and produced by comedians Penn Jillette and Paul Provenza, edited by Emery Emery, and released to theaters by TH!NKFilm...
(2005) Himself (Staff of the Onion) - The Onion MovieThe Onion MovieThe Onion Movie is a comedy film written by The Onion writers Robert D. Siegel and Todd Hanson along with the Chicago-based writing staff of the paper...
(2008) (writer) - SquidbilliesSquidbilliesSquidbillies is an animated television series about the Cuylers, an impoverished family of anthropomorphic hillbilly squids living in the Appalachian region of North Carolina's mountains. The show is produced by Williams Street Studios for the Adult Swim programming block of Cartoon Network and...
(10 episodes, 2005–2008) - Ape Trouble (2009) (V)
- Something Extremely Important (2009)
- The People vs. George LucasThe People vs. George LucasThe People vs. George Lucas is a 2010 documentary/comedy film which uses a courtroom debate approach to explore the issues of filmmaking and fanaticism pertaining to the Star Wars franchise, and its creator, George Lucas. The movie combines filmmaker and celebrity interviews with fan films which...
(2010)