Biography  

In 1977, Bob Zany started his career where most performers want to end up --on national television. At the tender age of fifteen, the native Southern Californian appeared on the infamous Gong Show. Halfway through his stand-up routine, which he read from a piece of paper, he was pulled off the stage by a man dressed like a nun wielding a net. Welcome to Show Biz, Bay-bee! Eleven years later, Zany made a triumphant return to The Gong Show, this time as a celebrity judge. Though the initial experience was painful, it marked the first of over 100 appearances on national television.

In 1981, while attending Mt. San Antonio College, he applied for a job as a newcaster at the campus radio station but was turned down. Later that year, he auditioned for the owner of The Ice House in Pasadena. The audition took place in the middle of the afternoon in a club that seats 300. From the only occupied chair came the voice of the owner, "You're not ready." Zany looked around the empty showroom and said "Neither is your club!" Undaunted, he talked the owner into letting him produce his own show so he could have the stage time, and for the owner, an audience. The result was The Bob Zany Show. The shows sold out consistently-- with everyone Zany knew from his hometown, West Covina, and then some--in attendance. The shows featured such newcomers as Garry Shandling, Yakov Smirnoff, Robert Wulh, Kevin Nealon, and Nia Peeples. After one show, Zany was approached by Frazier Smith, the host of a top-rated radio show on KLOS/LA. After a short time doing guest spots on Frazier's show, Zany was hired by KLOS as a personality with his own show on Saturday mornings.

His other accomplishments include the creation of Bob Zany's Comedy Outlets, with over 50 locations throughout California and Nevada; a comedy album "Hi Home, I'm Honey", on Laff Records; a soon-to-be published diet scrapbook, "Laugh at Fat, Bay-bee!", which chronicles his 175-lb weight loss (an accomplishment in itself!); numerous roles in feature films, including a starring role opposite Linda Blair in Up Your Alley; and the highlight of his career to date, being hired by his idol, Steve Martin, to appear on George Burns' Comedy Week.

Zany's stage persona has evolved over the years, but the dramatic weight loss in 1991 caused the need for a major overhaul...along with the 175-lbs, he lost 30 minutes of his act! He spent the following year doing late night spots at Hollywood clubs, trying to "reinvent" himself. The result is the cigar-smoking, audience-interactive crowd favorite Bob Zany we know and love today. The transition also led to appearances on Rodney Dangerfield's HBO Special, and as a semi-finalist on Star Search.

Zany continues to work in television and film, including recent guest-starring roles on Roseanne and The Drew Carey Show, and headlines at comedy clubs wordwide, with recent tours in England and Denmark. He is married to comedienne/actress Erin O'Connor, and they live in Los Angeles with their three dogs and three cats.


It's just business, Bay-Bee!

FILM

TITLE

ROLE

PRODUCER

Joe Dirt

Cameo

Columbia Pictures

Up Your Alley

Lead

IVE Entertainment

Repossessed

Cameo

Carolco

The Adventures of Babyman

Co-star

Jendyl Productions

I Crave Rock-n-Roll

Cameo

Carmen Santa Maria

TELEVISION

TITLE

ROLE

PRODUCER

Over 100 national appearances including:    

The Tonight Show

Featured

NBC

The American Comedy Awards

Featured/Nominee

ABC

The Drew Carey Show

Co-star

ABC

Roseanne

Guest Star

ABC

George Burns' Comedy Week

Guest Star

CBS

Life in the Fat Lane

Featured

NBC

Rodney Dangerfield's Really Big Show

Featured

HBO

Full Frontal Comedy

Featured

Showtime

Half-Hour Comedy Hour

Featured

MTV

Evening at the Improv (7 appearances)

Featured

A&E

Caroline's Comedy Hour

Featured

A&E

Stand-Up Spotlight (Best of Show)

Featured

VH-1

Star Search

Semi-Finalist

Syndicated

The Jerry Lewis Telethon (3 appearances)

Featured

Syndicated

RADIO

 

TITLE

ROLE

LENGTH

PRODUCER

Over 300 live appearances including:      

The Bob & Tom Show

Regular Call-In Guest

(Current)

WFBQ-FM, 94.7
Indianapolis, IN
(27 Station Affiliates)

The Bob Zany Show

Host

2 years

KLOS/LA

Bob Zany's Comedy Report

Host

2 years

KMDY/LA

Saturday Night Fraze

 

Recurring

KLSX/LA

Danny Bonaduce Show (Chicago)

 

Recurring

WLUP

John DeBella Show (Philadelphia)

 

Recurring

WYSP

Stevens & Pruet (Houston)

 

Recurring

KLOL

WRITING/PRODUCING

TITLE

ROLE

Kenny Loggins' Christmas Special

Writer, Executive Producer

Travel Shoppin' (Pilot)

Writer, Segment Producer

David Spade's Hollywood Minute(Saturday Night Live)

Contributing Writer

New Times

Contributing Columnist

Smoke Magazine

Guest Columnist

Laugh Factory Magazine

Associate Editor

PERSONAL APPEARANCES HEADLINER

VENUE

LOCATION

Selection from more than 500 comedy clubs worldwide  

The Improv

Los Angeles, Seattle, Dallas

The Ice House

Pasadena

The Laugh Factory

Los Angeles, Chicago, Memphis

Caroline's

New York

The Comedy Stop

Las Vegas, Atlantic City

The Riviera

Las Vegas

The Maxim

Las Vegas

Bally's

Las Vegas

The Aladdin

Las Vegas

The Laff Stop

Houston, Austin, TX

The Comedy Gallery

Minneapolis

The Comedy Zoo

Copenhagen, Denmark

London Jam

London, England

CORPORATE SHOWS

Carlsberg Brewing Company, Denmark

Los Angeles Police Department

Oil Can Harry's, Pacific Northwest

Mervyn's Department Stores

California Democratic Party Convention

Water Buffalo Club

Make A Wish Foundation

Senator Bill Lockyear

Sony

Friar's Club

Disney

Wizard Magazine

OPENING ACT

VENUE

LOCATION

Jay Leno

UCLA

Rodney Dangerfield

UCLA

Garry Shandling

Loyola Marymount

The Oakridge Boys

University of Hawaii

Leon Russell

University of Michigan

PROFESSIONAL REFERENCES

Bob Fisher

The Ice House

Budd Friedman

The Improv

Jamie Masada

The Laugh Factory, LA

Mark Babbitt

The Laff Stop

Bob Kephart

The Comedy Stop

BOOKING AND P/A:
BOB ZANY ENTERPRISES, INC
12115 MAGNOLIA, BLVD.
SUITE 103
NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA 91607