Jordan Klepper | |
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![]() Klepper in 2025 | |
Born | Kalamazoo, Michigan, U.S. | March 9, 1979
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Alma mater | Kalamazoo College (BA) |
Years active | 2011–present |
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Spouse | Laura Grey (m. 2013) |
Children | 1 [1] |
Website | www |
Jordan Klepper (born March 9, 1979) is an American comedian. He began his career as a member of The Second City and Upright Citizens Brigade. From 2014 to 2017, he was a correspondent on The Daily Show . He started his own satirical program, The Opposition with Jordan Klepper , which was canceled in 2018. He then starred in the 2019 docuseries Klepper , before returning to The Daily Show later that year as a contributor, and eventually a rotating host. [2] He often appears on a segment entitled "Jordan Klepper Fingers the Pulse."
Jordan Klepper was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on March 9, 1979, [3] the son of Betse, a secretary at Loy Norrix High School, and Mark Klepper. He is primarily of Dutch ancestry. [4] Betse and Mark were introduced to each other by Betse's cousin, the actor and comedian Tim Allen, who was Mark's roommate at Western Michigan University. [5] Klepper attended Kalamazoo Central High School and Kalamazoo Area Mathematics and Science Center, where he was a tennis player and a member of the Mock Trial Team that won Nationals. [4]
After graduating from high school, with a Frederick W. Heyl and Elsie L. Heyl Science Scholarship Fund [6] [7] full-tuition scholarship from Kalamazoo College, in 1997, [4] Klepper double-majored in math and theater and received his degree in 2001. [4] [8] [9] He studied abroad in London during his time there. [4] While at Kalamazoo College, his sister befriended aspiring actor Steven Yeun and took him to see Klepper's improv show, which inspired Yeun to attend his first acting class. [10]
After graduation, Klepper moved to Chicago, where he performed at The Second City. While there, he also worked for the Big Ten Network as a comedian on the show Big Ten Friday Night Tailgate. [11] He moved to New York City in 2011, where he began performing as a member of the Upright Citizens Brigade. [12] [13]
Klepper debuted on The Daily Show on March 3, 2014, four days after his initial audition. [3] [12] He received consistently positive reviews for his segments on the show, [14] and filled in as the host in October 2016 when Trevor Noah was sick.
In April 2017, Comedy Central announced that Klepper would host a new show in the fall, which would follow The Daily Show. [15] A special titled Jordan Klepper Solves Guns premiered on Comedy Central on June 11, 2017. The new show was titled The Opposition with Jordan Klepper and premiered on September 25. [16] The show was canceled in June 2018, with Klepper starting a new docuseries, Klepper , which aired in 2019. [17] [18] He returned to The Daily Show in December 2019. [19] He also launched a podcast with former Ohio governor John Kasich called Kasich & Klepper. [20]
In October 2021, Klepper appeared in his first role as a voice actor in the Disney Channel animated series The Ghost and Molly McGee , playing Molly's father, Pete McGee. [21]
Klepper has said that his comedy influences include Trevor Noah, [22] Stephen Colbert, [23] and Jon Stewart. [24]
Klepper married Laura Grey in 2013. The two met as members of The Second City and Upright Citizens Brigade and later wrote, directed, produced, and starred in short films. [25]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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2011 | Bone Dry | Jordan | Short film |
2011 | TMI | Kelen | Short film |
2012 | Poop Brunch | Jordan | Short film |
2012 | Engaged | Jordan | Short film |
2012 | Ex-Girlfriends | Student | Short film |
2012 | Bathroom Party | Jordan | Short film |
2013 | Who's On First? | Jeremy | Short film |
2014 | Peepers | Todd | Short film |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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2012 | I Just Want My Pants Back | Manager | Episode: "Jerk or Dork" |
2014–2017 2019–present | The Daily Show | Himself | 170 episodes |
2015 | Halal in the Family | Wally Thompson | Episode: "Spies Like Us" |
2017 | Jordan Klepper Solves Guns | Himself | TV special |
2017–2018 | The Opposition with Jordan Klepper | Himself | 128 episodes Host, co-creator, writer, executive producer |
2018 | The Who Was? Show | Bob | Episode: "Sacagawea & Blackbeard" |
2019 | Klepper | Himself | 8 episodes Host, creator, executive producer |
2021–2024 | The Ghost and Molly McGee | Pete McGee (voice) | Main role |
2023 | The Daily Show | Guest Host | Week of Apr. 17 [26] |
Year | Association | Category | Work | Result |
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2018 | GLAAD Media Award [27] | Outstanding Talk Show Episode | The Opposition with Jordan Klepper (episode "Danica Roem") | Nominated |
2022 | Emmy Awards [28] | Writing | The Daily Show: April 14, 2022 (episode No. 3666) | Nominated |