Max Amini

Last updated
Max Amini
Max Amini Wiki portrait.jpg
Amini in June 2021
Birth nameMax Amini
Born (1981-09-20) September 20, 1981 (age 43)
Tucson, Arizona, U.S.
Medium Stand-up, television, film
Education UCLA
Years active2002–present
Genres Observational comedy, Satire, Physical Comedy
Subject(s) Relationships, Family
Website Max Amini

Max Amini (born September 20, 1981) is an Iranian-American comedian, actor, producer and director. [1] Max is known primarily as a world touring stand-up comedian, and has appeared on shows such as NBC's Heroes , Netflix's Real Rob with Rob Schneider, and Comedy Central's Mind of Mencia.Los Angeles Times comedy critic Ford Hopkins described Amini as a “JV Andrew Schultz” and named him to the list of “Best Comedy on a Budget” in 2024. On an episode of Spike's Car Radio Podcast, Jerry Seinfeld named Max Amini one of the top comedians to watch. [2] Max established his production company, Abstraction Media in 2010, and has sold projects to networks such as Voice Of America, Discovery, and more. [3] Other projects include directing a Netflix original stand-up special, Enissa Amani: Ehrenwort, and the feature film, James The Second, set to release in 2022. [3]

Contents

Early life and education

Max Amini was born in Tucson, Arizona, [4] to Iranian parents who immigrated after the 1979 revolution. He went to high school in Washington, D.C., and then moved to California and graduated from the School of Theater, Film and Television at UCLA in 2004. Amini's father was an ethnic Persian from Isfahan and his mother is an Iranian Azerbaijani from Tabriz. [5]

Stand-up comedy

Amini began his stand-up comedy career in 2002 at the LA Improv, where he developed a stand-up comedy tour named "Exotic Imports," and has since performed worldwide. [6] Amini has multiple hour-long comedy specials and continues to tour, performing regularly at the Hollywood Laugh Factory. [7] He currently performs in his own shows worldwide, with tours spanning Europe, the Middle East and Asia. [8] [9]

In 2015, he released 2-hour stand-up comedy special on DVD called "Max Amini: Authentically Absurd," directed by Rob Schneider. [10] [11]

Acting

Amini is an actor with film and TV credits, including NBC's Heroes , Netflix's Real Rob with Rob Schneider, [12] Comedy Central's Mind of Mencia , and his leading role in the movie Beer Pong Saved My Life, released in 2010.

Select filmography

YearTitleRoleComments
2003LuisIce-cream manTV Series
2003Shakespeare's MerchantBenicio
2006 Heroes CabbieTV series, 2 episodes
2007-2008 Mind of Mencia Ahmad, Dave Dater, Joel, Chief WizardTV series, 7 episodes
2010Beer Pong Saved My LifeEric
2012-2013Geo's PizzaThe Armenian, Masked manTV series, 5 episodes
2015Max Amini: Authentically AbsurdSelfStand-up special, DVD
2015-2017 Real Rob [12] Stalker, Stalker SteveTV series, 9 episodes
2023The Unseen Prince: Reza Pahlavi Director, Host
2024Bad AdviceDahvieTV series, 1 episode

References

  1. "Laugh Factory Profile". Archived from the original on 2013-01-28. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
  2. "Spike's Car Radio: Jerry Seinfeld on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  3. 1 2 "Abstraction Media". Abstraction Media. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  4. "Max Amini". FOX40. 2024-04-04. Archived from the original on 2024-04-09. Retrieved 2025-08-28.
  5. Max Amini (2011-09-03), Iranian Comedian Max Amini in FARSI – UCLA (Part 2), archived from the original on 2021-12-20, retrieved 2016-03-31
  6. "The Max Amini Channel | Laugh Factory Comedy Network". www.laughfactory.com. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  7. "Hollywood's Best Stand Up Comedy Club | Laugh Factory". www.laughfactory.com. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  8. "Max Amini". FOX40 News. 2024-04-04. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
  9. "Comedian Max Amini adds second show to Nov. 17 stop at Davidson Theatre". Yahoo Entertainment. 2024-10-15. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
  10. Yamato, Jen (2014-07-18). "Rob Schneider To Direct Comedy Special 'Max Amini: Authentically Absurd'". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-04-07.
  11. Max Amini talks "Authentically Absurd" on FOX TV's "Studio 11" LA 7.22.14. 2014-07-23. Retrieved 2025-04-07 via Fox 11.
  12. 1 2 "Rob Schneider's Comedy Series 'Real Rob' Coming to Netflix (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. 2015-09-29. Retrieved 2025-04-07.