Brian Palermo

Last updated
Brian Palermo
Brian Palermo, 2019.jpg
Palermo in 2019
Born
Brian Joseph Palermo
Occupation(s)Actor, comedian, science communicator, improv instructor
Years active1994–present
Website palermoimprovtraining.com

Brian Palermo is an American character actor, science communicator, improv instructor and comedian. He has appeared in a number of television shows, commercials and movies. Palermo is also a writer whose credits include Warner Brothers' Histeria! and Disney's The Weekenders and Dave The Barbarian , both created by Doug Langdale. He is also a co-author with Randy Olson and Dorie Barton of the 2003 book, Connection: Hollywood Storytelling Meets Critical Thinking.

Contents

Career

His film credits include The Social Network , My Life In Ruins , Daddy Day Care and Big Momma's House among others. Television credits include Entourage , Friends , Gary Unmarried , 90210 , Zeke and Luther , The Middle , State of Georgia , Will and Grace , Digimon Data Squad , Malcolm In The Middle , Henry Danger , and Danger Force . [1]

Palermo has appeared numerous times on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno , [2] though in April 2011 he started doing "correspondent" pieces where he played "The Humanalyzer," pretending he can analyze dreams to prove how gullible people are. These are introduced live by Palermo and Jay Leno. [3] Palermo has also appeared as a recurring character on Tyler Perry's House of Payne as Phil who adopts a fake French accent and persona as "Phillipe."

Palermo is a member of the improvisational and sketch comedy group called "The Groundlings," based in Hollywood, California. He both performs and teaches with this company. He has performed alongside many well-known comedians such as Will Ferrell, Eddie Izzard and Harland Williams. [4]

Palermo won the 1988 "Big Easy" award for Best Actor for his role as "Teach" in David Mamet's American Buffalo .

Palermo appeared on the podcast Skepticality , where he spoke to host Derek Colanduno about teaching improv for 15 years at The Groundlings. He came to use improv to help scientists improve their communication skills thanks to Randy Olson. He states: "The idea is to get people's attention with the emotional stuff first, then hit them with the substance." He got a series of small parts in cinema, played a computer science professor in the movie The Social Network, he also had a part in Thank You for Smoking and others. "The book brings a very cerebral subject down to a level that almost everybody can understand." [5]

Palermo ran a hands-on workshop at the Ocean Sciences Meeting in February 2020 on "How to Make Your Science Communication More Effective." [6]

His Palermo Improv Training project is a consultancy whose goal is to facilitate improv training for various applications within the worlds of corporate, science communication and improv comedy. According to Palermo, "An alarmingly large number of the world's population are misinformed and uninterested in scientific issues that have incredible impacts on all of our lives. And part of correcting this situation must be improving our science communications with people at every level of our societies. But most scientists get precious little communications training." His clients include Jet Propulsion Laboratory, National Park Service, and the USDA. [7]

In 2003, Palermo, along with Randy Olson and Dorie Barton, published Connection: Hollywood Storytelling Meets Critical Thinking. The book brings together a former scientist (Olson), a story consultant (Barton), and an improv actor (Palermo) to explain how critical thinking in science combined with a century of Hollywood knowledge is used in the creation and shaping of stories. It also provides the narrative tools for effective communication.

Bibliography

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1994Hollywood DreamsLarry
1995Hollywood Dreams: Take 2Larry
1996Love Me TwiceMatt
1999 The Thirteenth Year Starter #1TV film
2000 In God We Trust Radio DJShort film
Big Brother TroubleCoffee House Manager
Big Momma's House Cazwell
2003Welcome to the NeighbourhoodBruce
Daddy Day Care Skeptical Father
Dinner with FivalBrad NortonShort film
2004Who Dead It?Mayor Jeffery ChancerDirect-to-video
2005 Kicking & Screaming Beantown Customer
Rebound Alumni Association Member #1
Dinner ConversationStephenShort film
Thank You for Smoking FBI Agent
I'm Not GayAlexShort film
2006You Did What?Andy Pztarski
Soup of the Day Todd
The Enigma with a StigmaFinnius J. Whippie
2007Women on TopKyle Rancor
Jekyll John
Hell on EarthLucTV film
2009 Shrink Mitch
My Life in Ruins Marc
Arrow HeadsSchoolboyShort film
2010Fudgy Wudgy Fudge FaceDr. Cinnamon Eyes
Gaysharktank.comShort film
The Social Network CS Lab Professor
Love Shack Ted HaynesDirect-to-video
2011 Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer Zombie
Answers to Nothing Bill
One Sharp GirlMr. SharpTV film
Let Go Dress Salesman
2012 Girl vs. Monster Steve LewisTV film
Shmagreggie Saves the WorldJimTV film
2013Breaking BeldingMr. Belding/Walter WhiteShort film
2016 Pee-wee's Big Holiday Marvin
2017Tangoborn MenclentyPublisher
Almost VegasGary SmithTV film
2018VicariousKyleTV film
The Happytime Murders Paramedic
2020The Pack PodcastPayneShort film

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1997Animal TalesClark
1998 Suddenly Susan Larry the ParamedicEpisode: "Ready...Aim...Fong!"
Baywatch CarlEpisode: "To the Max"
Damon D.E.A. ManEpisode: "Under Covers"
The Closer RussEpisode: "My Best Friend's Funeral"
The Hughleys White Guy #1Episode: "Pilot"
The Secret Lives of Men PatientEpisode: "Phil's Problem"
Man in ClinicEpisode: "The Bird"
1998-2010 The Tonight Show with Jay Leno Various rolesRecurring, 9 episodes
1999 Veronica's Closet UsherEpisode: "Veronica's Night at the Theater"
Will & Grace Brian KellyEpisode: "To Serve and Disinfect"
1999-2002 Family Law Neil SeftonRecurring role, 3 episodes
2000 Curb Your Enthusiasm BrianEpisode: "Porno Gil"
3rd Rock from the Sun SteveEpisode: "Dick Solomon's Day Off"
Mr. BarnesEpisode: "Red, White & Dick"
2001 Jack & Jill Wedding GuestEpisode: "What Weddings Do to People"
Three Sisters CustomerEpisode: "The Dry Spell"
For Your Love Episode: "The Rules of Engagement"
JAG MotoristEpisode: "Adrift"
2002 That '80s Show KenmoreRecurring role, 3 episodes
According to Jim BartenderEpisode: "No Surprises"
Crossing Jordan Lewis PateEpisode: "The Truth Is Out There"
2003 Good Morning, Miami TripEpisode: "The Ex Games"
Grounded for Life JeffEpisode: "Ticket to Ride"
2004 I'm with Her ClerkEpisode: "Party of Two"
Friends Another PassengerEpisode: "The Last One"
One on One Mr. EvansEpisode: "Lost in the Headlights"
Significant Others JamesSeries regular, 12 episodes
2004-2012 Bleach Kaname Tōsen
2005 Huff Doug ColemanEpisode: "Christmas Is Ruined"
Everwood RickEpisode: "A Mountain Town"
2006 Monk Shirt SalesmanEpisode: "Mr. Monk Goes to a Fashion Show"
Malcolm in the Middle SteveEpisode: "Mono"
The Unit National Guard CommanderEpisode: "First Responders"
Sons & Daughters Colleen's DoctorEpisode: "Hospital Visit"
Lovespring International Client's BoyfriendEpisode: "Burke Makes a Friend"
Kekkaishi Toshihiko TsukijigaokaEpisode: "The Best Cake in the World"
Big Day Jean-PierreEpisode: "Alice Can't Dance"
2006-2008 Digimon Data Squad Akihiro KurataSeries regular, 18 episodes
2007 Entourage Real Estate AgentEpisode: "Adios, Amigos"
2008 Hollywood Residential ToddEpisode: "Where's Tom?"
Gary Unmarried JimEpisode: "Gary and Allison Brooks"
Heroes Rental Car AgentEpisode: "The Eclipse: Part 1"
2009 Trust Me Richard DonarelliEpisode: "Au Courant"
Psych: Flashback to the Teen Years Job Fair GuyEpisode: "Job Un-Fair"
2009-2011 In Gayle We Trust Mike EvansSeries regular, 8 episodes
2010 Tyler Perry's House of Payne PhillipeRecurring role, 3 episodes
Warren the Ape MTV Exec #1Episode: "Bad Po-Fo"
2011 90210 Giles ScottEpisodes: "Revenge with the Nerd" & "It's High Time"
The Middle Phil BickelEpisode: "Royal Wedding"
Svetlana Lee AshtonEpisode: "Season 2, Episode 4"
State of Georgia BradyEpisode: "Best Friends For-Never"
Love Bites Rick RondoEpisode: "Boys to Men"
Good Luck Charlie Danny FluffermanEpisode: "Return to Super Adventure Land"
2011-2012 Fresh Hell TommySeries regular, 9 episodes
2012 Zeke and Luther Episode: "Inside Luther's Brain"
2013 2 Broke Girls Pilot BillEpisode: "And Just Plane Magic"
Anger Management ProsecutorEpisode: "Charlie Is an Expert Witness"
Modern Family Dryden DadEpisode: "The Future Dunphys"
Maron TeddyEpisode: "Marc's Dad"
The League Taco Truck CustomerEpisode: "The Bye Week"
2014BrianEpisode: "Ménage à Cinq"
See Dad Run DirectorEpisodes: "See Dad Watch Janie Run Away" & "See Dad Fire Original Katie... Again"
2015 Major Crimes Avery CookEpisode: "Thick as Thieves"
2016 Bungo Stray Dogs GuyEpisode: "Teaching Them to Kill, Then to Die"
Motojirou KajiiEpisode: "The Strategy of Conflict"
2017 The Adventures of Puss in Boots Various rolesEpisode: "Too Many Cats"
Bizarre BloopersNarrator
2018 The Arrangement Howie TarsesEpisode: "Surface Tension"
Nobodies Warm-Up ComicEpisode: "Tape Night"
2019 Ultraman Mitsuhiro Ide2 episodes
Mood SwingsDr. Sitwell
2020 Henry Danger Mr. WallabeeEpisode: "Mr. Nice Guy"
Grown-ish JohnnyEpisode: "Thinkin Bout You"
2021 Danger Force Mr. Nice GuyEpisode: "Miles Has Visions"
The RigmaroleImprovisorEpisode: "A Punishing Victory"

References

  1. "Jay Leno Show". Facebook. Archived from the original on 7 August 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  2. "Jay Leno photo". Archived from the original on 7 August 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. "The Groundlings". The Groundlings Theatre and School. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  4. Skepticality #218 - Make A Connection - Interviews: Randy Olson, Brian Palermo, and Dorie Barton (Podcast). November 5, 2013. Event occurs at 48:40.
  5. "Make Your Science Communication More Effective". Ocean Science Meetings. American Geophysical Union. Archived from the original on 7 August 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  6. Palermo, Brian. "Palermo Improv Training". Palermo Improv Training.