Zach Anner
Encyclopedia
Zach Anner is an Austin, Texas
-based stand-up comedian with cerebral palsy
who gained world-wide attention with the submission of a video to Oprah's "Search for the Next TV Star" competition. He won his own TV show on OWN through Oprah's Your OWN Show: Oprah's Search for the Next TV Star
. Zach Anner's show will be a wheelchair travel show, called “Rollin’ around the World with Zach Anner,” and will air summer 2011.
. He was born with cerebral palsy
. Anner graduated from Kenmore West Senior High School
. After a stint working for Disney World as a park security specialist at Epcot
, he started college at the University of Texas, Austin, in 2005. While attending school, he obtained celebrity interviews through a sketch comedy program on the university's local Public-access television
cable TV channel called Texas Student TV K29HW-D. In 2008, he and fellow production mates started a comedy troupe called Lark the Beard, which produced a Streamy nominated web-series entitled The Wingmen
. Anner is currently involved in writing shows and feature movies with Lark the Beard. Zach has been quoted to say "I used to release a lot of videos for the internet."
. Oprah's "Search for the Next TV Star" contest is a chance for one "top five" finalist to compete on a reality show located in Los Angeles, California. The winner of the reality program receives a show on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. The "top five" online finalists are determined by the number of votes their video receives. On the morning of Friday, June 11, 2010, Anner had just over 3,000 votes for his video submission, while the leader of the competition possessed over 9000 votes.
By the night of Saturday, June 12, celebrity endorsements and support began to appear for Anner. John Mayer, an early supporter of Anner's, posted words of encouragement for Zach on his blog. According to The Daily Texan, Anner, who took a weekend trip to Dallas, Texas
, was unaware of the overnight success of his video submission. With video cameras, friends of Anner filmed his first reaction to the then over 2,000,000 votes, as well as the blog and "To Zach Anner" video by John Mayer. Anner exclaimed, "How....What the...What the Balls is this?" at the sight of his new popularity. As a response, Anner posted the subsequent "Thank You, Internet" and "I want to come and see you!" videos.
On February 25th, it was announced that Zach Anner won the competition; winning his own television show, $100,000, and a Chevrolet Equinox.
, John Mayer
, Harry Knowles
, David Hasselhoff
, Daniel Tosh
, and others on the Internet. He has also received coverage in New York Magazine, Time, Entertainment Weekly, ABC News, Fox News (Red Eye), Tubefilter.tv, and G4TV.
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
-based stand-up comedian with cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term encompassing a group of non-progressive, non-contagious motor conditions that cause physical disability in human development, chiefly in the various areas of body movement....
who gained world-wide attention with the submission of a video to Oprah's "Search for the Next TV Star" competition. He won his own TV show on OWN through Oprah's Your OWN Show: Oprah's Search for the Next TV Star
Your OWN Show: Oprah's Search for the Next TV Star
Your OWN Show: Oprah's Search for the Next TV Star is a reality competition show, created by Oprah. The executive producer is Mark Burnett, who has produced many reality competitions, such as The Apprentice, Survivor, and Design Star. The show premiered on January 7, 2011, and is currently airing...
. Zach Anner's show will be a wheelchair travel show, called “Rollin’ around the World with Zach Anner,” and will air summer 2011.
Personal life
Zach Anner is originally from Kenmore, New YorkKenmore, New York
Village of Kenmore is a village in Erie County, New York, in the United States. The population was 16,426 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Buffalo-Niagara Falls metropolitan area....
. He was born with cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term encompassing a group of non-progressive, non-contagious motor conditions that cause physical disability in human development, chiefly in the various areas of body movement....
. Anner graduated from Kenmore West Senior High School
Kenmore West Senior High School
Kenmore West Senior High School is one of two public high schools in the Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda School District. The other is Kenmore East Senior High School...
. After a stint working for Disney World as a park security specialist at Epcot
Epcot
Epcot is a theme park in the Walt Disney World Resort, located near Orlando, Florida. The park is dedicated to the celebration of human achievement, namely international culture and technological innovation. The second park built at the resort, it opened on October 1, 1982 and was initially named...
, he started college at the University of Texas, Austin, in 2005. While attending school, he obtained celebrity interviews through a sketch comedy program on the university's local Public-access television
Public-access television
Public-access television is a form of non-commercial mass media where ordinary people can create content television programming which is cablecast through cable TV specialty channels...
cable TV channel called Texas Student TV K29HW-D. In 2008, he and fellow production mates started a comedy troupe called Lark the Beard, which produced a Streamy nominated web-series entitled The Wingmen
The Wingmen
The Wingmen is a mocumentary web-series created by the Lark the Beard Comedy Troupe. It tells the story of a group of young men and the rising popularity of their radio talk show...
. Anner is currently involved in writing shows and feature movies with Lark the Beard. Zach has been quoted to say "I used to release a lot of videos for the internet."
Oprah contest
On June 2, 2010, Zach Anner uploaded a video submission to a contest sponsored by Oprah Winfrey and Harpo ProductionsHarpo Productions
Harpo Productions, Inc. is an incorporated US-based multimedia production company founded by Oprah Winfrey . It also includes Harpo Films & Harpo Radio, Inc....
. Oprah's "Search for the Next TV Star" contest is a chance for one "top five" finalist to compete on a reality show located in Los Angeles, California. The winner of the reality program receives a show on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. The "top five" online finalists are determined by the number of votes their video receives. On the morning of Friday, June 11, 2010, Anner had just over 3,000 votes for his video submission, while the leader of the competition possessed over 9000 votes.
By the night of Saturday, June 12, celebrity endorsements and support began to appear for Anner. John Mayer, an early supporter of Anner's, posted words of encouragement for Zach on his blog. According to The Daily Texan, Anner, who took a weekend trip to Dallas, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, was unaware of the overnight success of his video submission. With video cameras, friends of Anner filmed his first reaction to the then over 2,000,000 votes, as well as the blog and "To Zach Anner" video by John Mayer. Anner exclaimed, "How....What the...What the Balls is this?" at the sight of his new popularity. As a response, Anner posted the subsequent "Thank You, Internet" and "I want to come and see you!" videos.
On February 25th, it was announced that Zach Anner won the competition; winning his own television show, $100,000, and a Chevrolet Equinox.
Celebrity and media support
As of June 15, 2010, Anner has received support from Perez HiltonPerez Hilton
Mario Armando Lavandeira, Jr. , better known as Perez Hilton , is an American blogger and television personality. His blog, Perezhilton.com , is known for posts covering gossip items about celebrities...
, John Mayer
John Mayer
John Clayton Mayer is an American pop rock and blues rock musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and music producer. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He moved to Atlanta in 1997, where he refined his...
, Harry Knowles
Harry Knowles
Harry Knowles is known for his website called Ain't It Cool News. Knowles is a member of the Austin Film Critics Association.-Biography:...
, David Hasselhoff
David Hasselhoff
David Michael Hasselhoff is an American actor, singer, producer and businessman. He is best known for his lead roles as Michael Knight in the popular 1980s US series Knight Rider and as L.A. County Lifeguard Mitch Buchannon in the series Baywatch...
, Daniel Tosh
Daniel Tosh
Daniel Dwight Tosh is an American stand-up comedian and host of the Comedy Central television show, Tosh.0.-Personal life:...
, and others on the Internet. He has also received coverage in New York Magazine, Time, Entertainment Weekly, ABC News, Fox News (Red Eye), Tubefilter.tv, and G4TV.