John Hodgman
Before he went on television, JOHN HODGMAN was a simple writer, humorist, expert, and Former Professional Literary Agent living in New York City. In this capacity, he has served as the Humor Editor for the New York Times Magazine, frequent contributor to “This American Life,” advice columnist for McSweeney’s, comic book reviewer for the New York Times Book Review, and a freelance journalist specializing in food, culture, non-wine alcohol, “Battlestar Galactica,” and most other subjects.
This was enough of a career for any human.
But then he wrote a book of invented trivia and completely fake facts entitled THE AREAS OF MY EXPERTISE and was asked to appear on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart", where he continues to provide commentary as the show’s Resident Expert. Since then, he has unexpectedly become a comedian and famous minor television personality, appearing as the “PC” in a series of television ads for Apple brand computers, and guest roles as “the person wearing glasses” in a variety of films and TV shows, including “Coraline,” “Community,” “Battlestar Galactica” (a show he once wrote about as a journalist). Additionally, he appeared as Jason Schwartzan’s nemesis, Louis Greene on all three seasons of HBO’s “Bored to Death.”
Two bestselling books followed THE AREAS OF MY EXPERTISE, concluding his “COMPLETE WORLD KNOWLEDGE” trilogy in 2012 with the apocalyptic THAT IS ALL. As a comedian, he has headlined at clubs and theaters around the country, including the San Francisco Sketchfest. He is a two time main stage speaker at the TED conference, the former color commentator at the Emmys, and, most surreally, he grilled the President of the United States on his nerd credentials at the Radio and Television Correspondents Dinner in 2009.
From time to time, he is asked to explain his professional life, and in particular, the effect of this dramatic and surprising change of fortune, and typically, he finds he cannot do it.