Emo Philips

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Emo Philips
Emo Philips 2002 cropped.jpg
Emo Philips in 2002.
Birth name Phil Soltanek
Born (1956-02-07) February 7, 1956 (age 68)
Chicago, Illinois
Medium Stand-up
Nationality American
Genres Black comedy, Surreal humor, wit/word play
Website Official website

Emo Philips (born Phil Soltanek; February 7, 1956) is an American entertainer and comedian born in the Chicago suburb of Downers Grove. Much of his standup comedy stems from the use of paraprosdokians spoken in a wandering falsetto tone of voice and a confused, childlike delivery of his material to produce the intended comic timing in a manner invoking the 'wisdom of children' or the idiot savant.

Career

Philips has recorded three comedy albums. His album E=mo², recorded live at Caroline's in New York City, won the 1985 New Music Award for best comedy album. It was later re-released along with his Live at the Hasty Pudding Theatre album on a single CD. He also released an album called Emo in 2001. A joke of his was voted funniest religious joke ever in a 2005 online poll.[1] In 2006, he appeared at the Newbury Comedy Festival. He was included in the top 50 of E4's 100 Greatest Comedians, and also appeared number 54 on Channel 4's top 100 greatest standups.

Aside from Philips' long career as a standup comic, he has been featured in acting roles on television series such as Miami Vice and The Weird Al Show. In 2006, he appeared on British television, as a guest on the panel game 8 Out of 10 Cats. Philips has several voiceover credits, including work on the animated series Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist; Home Movies; Space Ghost Coast to Coast; Adventure Time as Cuber the mysterious storyteller; and the voice of Dooper in the animated series Slacker Cats.[2] Philips also appeared on an episode of @midnight in February 2015.

He has appeared in feature films including 1989's UHF (as Joe Earley, a rather clumsy school shop teacher who accidentally saws his thumb off) and Desperation Boulevard in 1998. Additionally, he appeared in the original 1992 version of Meet the Parents (also executive producer) and was an associate producer of the 2000 remake.[3]

Personal life

Through his formative years before taking the pseudonym under which he performed, Philips' given name was Phil Soltanek. In 1988, Philips married comedian Judy Tenuta, another entertainer with an offbeat comic persona. The couple later divorced.

Discography

File:E=mo2.jpg
Cover of Philips' first album, E=mo²

References

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External links

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