Joel Hodgson

Last updated
Joel Hodgson
WW Chicago 2014 - Joel Hodgson 02 (14871901819).jpg
Hodgson in 2014
Born
Joel Gordon Hodgson

(1960-02-20) February 20, 1960 (age 64)
Stevens Point, Wisconsin, U.S.
Alma mater Bethel University (Minnesota)
Occupations
  • Writer
  • comedian
  • actor
Website joelhodgson.com

Joel Hodgson (born February 20, 1960) is an American writer, comedian and television actor. He is best known for creating Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K) and starring in it as the character Joel Robinson. In 2007, MST3K was listed as "one of the top 100 television shows of all time" by Time. [1]

Contents

From 2007 to 2013, Hodgson was part of the "movie riffing" project Cinematic Titanic with several of his fellow MST3K alumni, performing live and producing content for DVDs and direct download. He has also served as Creative Lead for Media at Pennsylvania technology firm Cannae. [2]

Early life and career

Hodgson was born on February 20, 1960, in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, and later moved to Green Bay, Wisconsin. [3] [4] [5] He was raised in an Evangelical Christian upbringing, and later claimed that the various shows his church would put on had a profound influence on his desire to become an entertainer. [6] Hodgson began his career in seventh grade as a magician and ventriloquist. Joel performed for local events in Green Bay, and attended Ashwaubenon High School. Upon graduation, Hodgson moved to Minneapolis to attend Bethel University, Minnesota, to study Theatre and Mass Media. While there, Hodgson further developed his magic act by adding comedy and began opening for musical acts at Bethel as well as performing in coffee houses and comedy clubs. Hodgson cites a Theatre of the Absurd class at Bethel taught by Dr. David Horn for helping him crystallize the meaning of his comedy. In 1981, he won the Campus Comedy Contest and then the first annual Twin Cities Comedy Invitational in 1982. [7] In November of the same year Hodgson moved to Los Angeles where he became a regular performer at the Comedy Store and the Hollywood Magic Castle, as well as the Comedy Magic Club. At the Comedy Magic Club, Hodgson was spotted by Late Night with David Letterman producer Barry Sand and three months later, at age 22, had his network television debut. He later made four other appearances on the Letterman show, as well as four on Saturday Night Live as a guest act. Hodgson also was a featured performer on HBO's "Eighth Annual Young Comedians Special", hosted by John Candy, along with Bill Maher, Paula Poundstone, and the Amazing Johnathan.

He worked at the Comedy Store while in LA, also doing traveling stand-up in San Jose, San Francisco, Detroit, Kansas City and Minneapolis. Hodgson left stand-up in 1985, citing the need for a creative sabbatical, and moved back to Minneapolis.

Between 1984 and 1988 – Hodgson's 'official' return to comedy – he built and sold sculptures, worked at a T-shirt factory, designed toys, and began designing and building props (including robots) for other comedians. In 1986 he co-wrote an HBO special with Jerry Seinfeld. [8] He was also considered for the role of Woody Boyd in Cheers . [9] He met Jim Mallon in 1987, and Mallon became production manager at the St. Paul UHF station KTMA Channel 23 in 1988. Hodgson was the first choice to portray "Philo" in the "Weird Al" Yankovic film UHF , [10] but at the time of the filming in 1988, he had begun the production of a new form of television program for KTMA. [11]

Mystery Science Theater 3000

Building on his gift for designing toys and other gizmos, Hodgson built three robot puppets and created MST3K in 1988. He starred as the show's long-suffering but inventive protagonist, Joel Robinson, who in the backstory is responsible for creating his own robot companions. Hodgson cites the 1972 film Silent Running as an influence for the premise of the show. [12]

MST3K originally aired on KTMA-TV, before becoming one of the first two shows to be picked up by the Comedy Channel, the forerunner of Comedy Central upon starting operations in 1989. The other show, also created and written by Hodgson, was the short-lived Higgins Boys and Gruber, a sketch comedy program that starred Steve Higgins, David Anthony Higgins and Dave Allen.

Hodgson surprised many fans when he left MST3K after its 107th episode, Mitchell, in 1993. Hodgson's departure was scripted into the episode, with a robot, Gypsy, ejecting Joel from the Satellite of Love in an escape pod after incorrectly believing Joel's captors were plotting to kill him. Michael J. Nelson replaced Hodgson as host for the remainder of the series' run. In contemporary interviews, Hodgson stated he was uncomfortable with acting and being in front of the camera. [13] In 1999, he added that he and producer Jim Mallon had been fighting over creative control of MST3K. His departure allowed the show to continue and gave him the opportunity to focus on his preferred creation and production work rather than on performing, which he did only reluctantly. [14]

Hodgson later made a surprise guest appearance in the season premiere for the final season of MST3K ("Soultaker", episode 1001). The original MST3K ended its run in 1999.

Hodgson said in 2008 that he felt leaving MST3K "was a bit of a personal tragedy" and that he had "...created the appearance to the press that I had other plans, but I didn't. It was all to keep [MST3K] alive." He also stated that he felt his run on MST3K "...was the perfect job." [15] In a separate interview that year, Hodgson said of his departure from MST3K, "I was, like, totally happy at Mystery Science Theater. I loved it. I wanted to stay, but I was basically having a fight with my partner, Jim Mallon. So we weren't getting along and so I just felt like — I thought it really could possibly jeopardize the show. It would have been easy to create factions out of the group. And by that time it would not have been a fun show to work on. And so, I felt like I saw it coming and I just thought [leaving] was the best thing at the time." [16]

Work after MST3K

After MST3K, Hodgson formed Visual Story Tools (VST) with his brother Jim Hodgson. They created a special for an interactive sketch comedy program called The TV Wheel for HBO, which Joel produced and hosted. [17] It aired only once, on Comedy Central, after the last new Comedy Central episode of MST3K.

Over the years Hodgson and his brother Jim maintained a side project that utilized the repurposing of movie footage with digital effects; codenamed "jollyfilter."[ citation needed ]

Hodgson's other post-MST3K projects and contributions include work as a writer on Trashed , Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves , You Don't Know Jack , Jimmy Kimmel Live! , and Everything You Need to Know. [18]

In 1999, Hodgson played a recurring role as a disco-loving clothing store salesman and DJ on the television show Freaks and Geeks . [19]

Hodgson was featured as the cover story in the November 1996 issue of Genii magazine. [20]

Hodgson at Dragon Con, 2008 JoelHodgson DragonCon 2008.jpg
Hodgson at Dragon Con, 2008

In 2007, he portrayed Blackbeard the pirate in two episodes of The Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd and recently joined fellow MST3K alum Frank Conniff's monthly comedy revue Cartoon Dump , helming his self-created puppet "Dumpster Diver Dan."[ citation needed ]

He has since starred in the science fiction computer game Darkstar: The Interactive Movie as Scythe Commander Kane Cooper. [21]

He reunited with Jerry Seinfeld as a guest on his web show, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee . [22]

In 2013, he reprised his role as Joel Robinson for a brief cameo appearance in two episodes of the fourth season of Arrested Development, along with Trace Beaulieu as Crow. [23]

From 2013 to 2018, he voiced recurring character Mayor Bill Dewey in the Cartoon Network animated series Steven Universe . [24] Creator Rebecca Sugar, a lifelong fan of Mystery Science Theater 3000 , personally cast Hodgson.

In 2015, he appeared as Zalien Fletcher, a long-haired, laid-back, dim-witted engineer on the Paul Feig produced space comedy Other Space , which premiered on Yahoo! Screen on April 14, 2015. Fellow Mystery Science Theater 3000 alum Trace Beaulieu also appears as Zalien's robot pal Art, an homage to MST3K. [25]

Cinematic Titanic

On October 30, 2007, Hodgson announced he was starting a new show with the same "riffing on bad movies" premise as MST3K called Cinematic Titanic , together with former MST3K cast and crew members Trace Beaulieu, J. Elvis Weinstein, Frank Conniff and Mary Jo Pehl. [26]

In 2012, he began touring a one-man show detailing his life and career through slides, video, and live interaction titled Riffing Myself.

Cinematic Titanic completed the final tour on December 30, 2013. [27]

Mystery Science Theater 3000 revival

On November 10, 2015, Hodgson launched a Kickstarter campaign to bring back MST3K for another season. The Kickstarter closed with over $6.3 million in funding (including "add-on rewards" offered through a separate site), allowing Hodgson to plan to produce fourteen new episodes. [28]

The project was released on Netflix as Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Return in April, 2017, and stars comedian Jonah Ray as Jonah Heston, alongside original co-star robots (puppets voiced by actors) Tom Servo, Crow, and Gypsy, much like when Hodgson hosted the show himself. Hodgson himself makes an appearance on this series as "Ardy," although he is hidden under a HAZMAT suit in this character. The series was met with mainly positive reviews. [29] and featured a nationwide live tour, titled "MST3K Live! Watch Out for Snakes! Tour." Hodgson was present for each show, marking the first time he's hosted the show in several years, and his first time hosting alongside Jonah Ray. [30] The revived series ran for two seasons on Netflix, ending in November 2018.

On April 7, 2021, Hodgson launched a second Kickstarter campaign to make another revival of the series, intended for a new service called the Gizmoplex, with a possibility that he would host two episodes. The initial $2 million goal was met within the first 25 hours, with a total of $6.5 million at the end, enabling thirteen new episodes, two featuring Hodgson as Joel Robinson, a 3D film, and Halloween and Christmas specials. [31] [32] The season soft-launched to Gizmoplex members on March 4, 2022 [33] with the season's public premiere occurring on May 6, 2022. [34] The first episode of the season in which Hodgson reprises his role as Robinson is the season's sixth, featuring the 2019 film Demon Squad . The episode premiered on June 24, 2022. [35]

Related Research Articles

<i>Mystery Science Theater 3000</i> American science fiction comedy television series

Mystery Science Theater 3000 is an American science fiction comedy film review television series created by Joel Hodgson. The show premiered on KTMA-TV in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on November 24, 1988. It then moved to nationwide broadcast, first on The Comedy Channel/Comedy Central for seven seasons until its cancellation in 1996. Thereafter, it was picked up by The Sci-Fi Channel and aired for three more seasons until another cancellation in August 1999. A 60-episode syndication package titled The Mystery Science Theater Hour was produced in 1993 and broadcast on Comedy Central and syndicated to TV stations in 1995. In 2015, Hodgson led a crowdfunded revival of the series with 14 episodes in its eleventh season, first released on Netflix on April 14, 2017, with another six-episode season following on November 22, 2018. A second successful crowdfunding effort in 2021 produced 13 additional episodes shown on the Gizmoplex, an online platform that Hodgson developed which launched in March 2022. As of 2023, 230 episodes and a feature film have been produced as well as three live tours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crow T. Robot</span> Fictional character in Mystery Science Theater 3000

Crow The Robot is a fictional character from the American science fiction comedy television series Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K). Crow is a robot, who, along with others, ridicules poor-quality B to Z movies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Servo</span> Fictional character in Mystery Science Theater 3000

Tom Servo is a fictional character from the American science fiction comedy television show Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K). Tom is one of two wise-cracking, robotic main characters of the show, built by Joel Robinson to act as a companion and help stave off madness as he was forced to watch low-quality films. At least during the Comedy Central era, he was somewhat more mature than his theatre companion, Crow T. Robot. Tom, more often than the others, signals the need to exit the theater to perform host segments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael J. Nelson</span> American comedian and writer (born 1964)

Michael John Nelson is an American comedian and writer, most known for his work on the television series Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K). Nelson was the head writer of the series for most of the show's original eleven-year run, and spent half of that time as the on-air host, also named Mike Nelson. In addition to writing books, Nelson is currently part of the online movie riffing site RiffTrax, and was previously part of the straight-to-DVD Film Crew with fellow MST3K alumni, Bill Corbett and Kevin Murphy.

Joshua Stuart "Josh" Weinstein, known professionally as J. Elvis Weinstein, is an American writer and performer, best known for his roles as Dr. Laurence Erhardt and the original puppeteer and voice for Tom Servo and Gypsy on Mystery Science Theater 3000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joel Robinson</span> Fictional character in the American Mystery Science Theater 3000 television series

Joel Robinson is a fictional character featured in the American science fiction comedy television series Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K). He was portrayed by series creator Joel Hodgson. If counting the locally-produced episodes, Joel Robinson is the show's longest-tenured host with 107 episodes on television. He also returned as an occasional host in the online Season 13.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Murphy (actor)</span> American actor and writer

Kevin Wagner Murphy is an American actor and writer best known as the voice and puppeteer of Tom Servo on the Peabody Award-winning comedy series Mystery Science Theater 3000. Murphy also records audio commentary tracks with Michael J. Nelson and Bill Corbett for Nelson's RiffTrax website.

GPC (<i>Mystery Science Theater 3000</i>) Fictional character in the American comedic film review series

GPC, formerly Gypsy, is one of the fictional robot characters on the television series Mystery Science Theater 3000. She is larger and less talkative than the other robots. GPC normally only appears during the show's host segments and introduction, but briefly took a seat in the theater to watch the movie in episode #412. She only delivered a couple of "riffs" – partially because she took the movie and what the 'boys' were saying too literally, and left after realizing how bad the movie was. Along with the other robots, GPC was designed and built by series creator Joel Hodgson. She was named Gypsy after a pet turtle his brother once owned, as the robot's size and ponderousness reminded him of the turtle.

Cambot is one of the fictional robot characters on the Mystery Science Theater 3000 television series. It is through Cambot's "eye" that viewers watch Joel Robinson and the other robots as they watch the movies that are sent to the Satellite of Love each week.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trace Beaulieu</span> American comedian, puppeteer, writer, and actor

Trace Beaulieu is an American comedian, puppeteer, writer, and actor. He is known for his roles on Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K) as well as his work with MST3K's successor Cinematic Titanic with the original creators and cast of MST3K.

Mary Jo Pehl is an American writer, actress, and comedian. She is best known for her various roles on the television series Mystery Science Theater 3000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Conniff</span> American actor

Frank Conniff Jr. is an American writer, actor, comedian and producer, who is best known for his portrayal of TV's Frank on Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K). He is the son of journalist and editor Frank Conniff.

James Joseph Mallon is an American television and film producer and writer, most notable for being executive producer of the Peabody Award-winning series Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K). He is also president of the series' original production company, Best Brains, Inc., directed more than 75 episodes of MST3K, and played the role of Gypsy from the first season until Jack Frost in the middle of the eighth season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RiffTrax</span> American audio company

RiffTrax is an American company that produces scripted humorous commentary tracks which are synced to feature films, education shorts, and television episodes. With the talents of former Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K) cast members and writers, RiffTrax also produces several live shows each year which are broadcast to movie theaters. The style of commentating originated from MST3K, their earlier television series, in which they would similarly mock films aloud while watching them. As of September 2024, RiffTrax has riffed 554 feature films, 488 short films, and 16 TV episodes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cinematic Titanic</span> 2007 American film

Cinematic Titanic was a project by Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K) creator and original host, Joel Hodgson. The project involved "riffing" B-movies, in a manner similar to that of MST3K. Joining Hodgson were some of the original MST3K cast, as well as some cast members who joined later in the show's run. These included Trace Beaulieu, J. Elvis Weinstein, Frank Conniff and Mary Jo Pehl. It was first performed live on December 7, 2007, and first aired on December 22, 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonah Ray</span> American actor

Jonah Ray Rodrigues is an American actor, comedian and writer from Los Angeles. He stars as Jonah Heston, one of the primary hosts of Mystery Science Theater 3000. He is a former host of The Nerdist Podcast and was the co-host of Comedy Central's The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hampton Yount</span>

Hampton Yount is an American stand-up comedian, writer, and actor, known for Mystery Science Theater 3000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonah Heston</span> Fictional character

Jonah Heston is a fictional character featured in the renewal of the American science fiction comedy television series Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K). He is portrayed by actor/comedian Jonah Ray.

References

  1. ↑ "Mystery Science Theater 3000 – All-TIME 100 TV Shows". Time. 2007-09-06. Archived from the original on October 16, 2007. Retrieved 2022-06-23..
  2. ↑ "Cannae Drive Website (Archive)". Archived from the original on 2015-12-05.
  3. ↑ Zeke Jarvis (7 April 2015). Make 'em Laugh! American Humorists of the 20th and 21st Centuries: American Humorists of the 20th and 21st Centuries. ABC-CLIO. pp. 140–. ISBN   978-1-4408-2995-6.
  4. ↑ "This Date in MSTory". Satellite News. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  5. ↑ Miller, Joshua M. (July 13, 2017). "Our Q&A with Joel Hodgson, Creator of 'Mystery Science Theater 3000'". Milwaukee Magazine . Archived from the original on October 1, 2018. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  6. ↑ "Episode 811 – Joel Hodgson / Jonah Ray". WTF with Marc Maron Podcast. Retrieved 2017-06-18.
  7. ↑ Strickler, Jeff (October 1, 1982). "Funnymen Fight to Knock Out Competition with Punchlines". Minneapolis Tribune. Archived from the original on January 23, 2009.
  8. ↑ Covert, Colin (May 5, 1986). "Comics Team Up for Cable Special". Minneapolis Star and Tribune. Archived from the original on January 23, 2009.
  9. ↑ Sajdak, Stephen (January 19, 2012). "Joel Hodgson: The WHM Interview". We Hate Movies. Archived from the original on November 18, 2013. Retrieved July 13, 2012.
  10. ↑ "Trivia for UHF (1989)". Internet Movie Database . Retrieved 2006-09-05.
  11. ↑ Matheny, Dave (December 19, 1988). "TV Supplies Witty Companions to Help Watch Bad Old Movies". Minneapolis Star and Tribune. Archived from the original on January 23, 2009.
  12. ↑ "20 Questions Only Joel Hodgson Can Answer about MST3K". Special Feature. Satellite News. January 1999. Retrieved 2007-03-12.
  13. ↑ Henry, Brian. "MST3K FAQ – West Brains: Aliens in L.A." MST3K Info Club. Archived from the original on April 14, 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-24.
  14. ↑ Phipps, Keith (1999-04-21). "Joel Hodgson". The A.V. Club . Archived from the original on October 10, 2007. Retrieved 2022-06-23.
  15. ↑ "Joel Hodgson Answers". Slashdot. 2008-01-25. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  16. ↑ "Podcast: Joel Hodgson, Frank Conniff and J. Elvis Weinstein of Cinematic Titanic and Mystery Science Theater 3000". MaximumFun.org. 27 February 2008. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  17. ↑ The TV Wheel at IMDb
  18. ↑ "Joel Hodgson Writer". IMDB.
  19. ↑ "Joel Hodgson Actor". IMDB.
  20. ↑ "Genii november 1996".
  21. ↑ "Darkstar Intro". Satellite News. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  22. ↑ "Joel Hodgson a Taste of here from on High". Archived from the original on 2016-01-06. Retrieved 2015-12-09.
  23. ↑ "MST3K Pops Up in New Season of 'Arrested Development'". Satellite News. 27 May 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  24. ↑ "About Me". Joel Hodgson. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  25. ↑ Wallenstein, Andrew (2014-10-14). "'Mystery Science Theater 3000' Stars Reunite in Cast of Yahoo Series 'Other Space'". Variety .
  26. ↑ "Cinematic Titanic – The Masters of Movie Riffing". Cinematic Titanic. Archived from the original on 8 December 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  27. ↑ Biese, Alex. "Cinematic Titanic says goodbye at final show". Ashbury Park Press. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  28. ↑ "Bring Back MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000". Kickstarter. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  29. ↑ "MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000: THE RETURN: SEASON 1". Rotten Tomatoes.
  30. ↑ "Tour". Mystery Science Theater 3000. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  31. ↑ Adams, Erik (April 7, 2021). "Exclusive: Joel Hodgson says it's time to #MakeMoreMST3K". The A.V. Club . Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  32. ↑ Hughes, William (May 8, 2021). "Joel and the Bots have successfully funded a full new season of MST3K". The A.V. Club . Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  33. ↑ Jones, Abby (December 8, 2021). "Mystery Science Theater 3000 sets Season 13 premiere date". Consequence. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  34. ↑ Chapman, Wilson; Urban, Sasha (March 24, 2022). "'Mystery Science Theater 3000' Returns for 13th Season on New Indie Streaming Platform (TV News Roundup)". Variety. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  35. ↑ Vorel, Jim (June 22, 2022). "Joel Hodgson Will Return This Friday to Host His First MST3K Episode in 29 Years". Paste Magazine. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
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