Mike Hanford

Last updated

Mike Hanford
Born
Michael Hanford

(1983-11-03) November 3, 1983 (age 42)
New York, United States
Alma mater Ithaca College
Occupations
  • Actor
  • comedian
  • musician
Years active2009–present
AgentDynamic Talent

Michael Hanford is a New York City comedian, actor, screenwriter, producer, podcaster, and musician. He started in sketch and improvisational comedy before forming The Birthday Boys sketch group with fellow Ithaca College graduates in Hollywood, Los Angeles. [1]

Contents

In 2013, Hanford started his band, The Sloppy Boys, with fellow Birthday Boys Jefferson Dutton and Tim Kalpakis. In 2020, the trio started a podcast by the same name. [2]

Early life

Hanford was born in Upstate New York and grew up playing hockey. [3]

He studied film at Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York. He spent a year abroad from Ithaca at the University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario. [4]

Career

Early career (sketch comedy)

Hanford began his career in Hollywood, Los Angeles. In 2007, he started a sketch comedy group, The Birthday Boys with friends he met at Ithaca College. [5] They quickly came to prominence on the Internet. His first appearance on the Comedy Bang! Bang! podcast was in 2010. [6] He gained further notoriety making sketch comedy videos for Funny or Die. [7]

The Birthday Boys were discovered at Upright Citizens Brigade by Bob Odenkirk, who took it upon himself to produce their TV show on IFC. [8] [9] The show premiered on October 18, 2013. [10] [11] [12]

John Lennon

Hanford gained notoriety early in his career by playing the role of the ghost of John Lennon on the improv podcast Comedy Bang! Bang! [13] [14] [15] Hanford appeared in costume as Lennon when accompanying them on their live podcast tours. [16] [17] When it was adapted into a TV show, he also appeared dressed as Lennon on Comedy Bang! Bang! The TV Show . [18] [19] [20]

He spun the character off in 2019 for Earwolf, creating Questions for Lennon, an advice podcast. [21] In 2020, Questions for Lennon moved to The Sloppy Boys' Patreon.

Other podcasts

Hanford also made his name from guest spots on other podcasts, appearing on audience-favourite episodes of Doughboys, Analyze Phish, Hollywood Handbook, With Special Guest Lauren Lapkus, Hello from the Magic Tavern, Spontaneanation, and Podcast: The Ride. [22]

The Sloppy Boys (band)

In 2013, Hanford started a Weezer cover band, The Sloppy Boys Jangly Band with fellow members of the Birthday Boys Tim Kalpakis and Jefferson Dutton. The group's name was later shortened to The Sloppy Boys. The band started writing original music in 2018.

During the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, the band started doing weekly "Zoom Rooms" to promote their new album, Paradiso, and connected with fans worldwide. [23]

The Sloppy Boys were the subject of the 2023 documentary film Blood, Sweat and Beers, or How the Sloppy Boys Made an Album on a Farm in West Texas. It won the Audience Award at the 2024 El Paso Film Festival in El Paso, Texas. [24]

The Sloppy Boys (podcast)

Riding the momentum of their Zoom rooms, The Sloppy Boys started a self-titled weekly cocktail podcast on October 22, 2020. Their goal was to drink their way through the International Bartenders Association's official cocktail list. [25] They launched their Patreon bonus show, The Sloppy Boys Blowout the same week.

Writing

YearTitleNotesRef.
2013-2014 The Birthday Boys
2015The 67th Emmy Awards [26]
2013-2016 Comedy Bang! Bang!
2016-2017 The UCB Show
2019 Bajillion Dollar Propertie$
2019 Alternatino with Arturo Castro
2023 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon [27]

Acting

Film

YearTitleRoleRef.
2013 Monsters University Additional Voices [28]
2025 The Napa Boys Officer Roland [29]

Television

YearTitleRoleRef.
2023-2025 Digman! Billy Themet [30] [31]
2023 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Himself
2019Alternatino with Arturo Castro
2016-2018 Love Wade
2017 Michael Bolton's Big, Sexy Valentine's Day Special Jack Sparrow Orchestra
2016-2017 The UCB Show
2012-2016 Comedy Bang! Bang! Mike the Boom Operator/Movie Cop/Tom Perdy/Hockey Expert/John Lennon [32]
2016 Bajillion Dollar Propertie$ Hanny [33]
2015 W/ Bob & David Virgin/Co-worker [34]
2013-2014 The Birthday Boys Various [35]
2012 Portlandia Dave Cress [36]
2012 Parks and Recreation Brad [37]

References

  1. ↑ Nelson, Jenny (October 10, 2013). "An Interview with The Birthday Boys' Mike Hanford, Dave Ferguson, and Chris VanArtsdalen". Stereogum . Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  2. ↑ James, Becca; Aurora, Akanksha; Hershon, Marc; Marr, Anna; Gularte, Alejandra; Cesiro, Leigh; Jacobs, Noah; Goldstein, Pablo (December 15, 2021). "The 10 Best Comedy Podcasts of 2021". Vulture . Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  3. ↑ Rizzo, Frances III. "The Birthday Boys: New Episodes, New Friends". DVD Talk. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  4. ↑ McCarthy, Sean (October 18, 2013). "The Birthday Boys on their intentions, influences and their TV debut on IFC tonight". The Comic's Comic. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  5. ↑ Piccalo, Gina (May 11, 2010). "The Birthday Boys' team approach to getting laughs". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Mike Hanford | Writer, Actor, Producer". IMDb . Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  7. ↑ Wyshynski, Greg (January 27, 2012). "Mike Richards is future of hip-hop and other revelations from Funny Or Die meets LA Kings (Video)". Yahoo! Sports . Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  8. ↑ Tigges, Jesse; Alive, Columbus. "TV review: 'The Birthday Boys' is hit or miss despite obvious talent". Columbus Monthly. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  9. ↑ Willmore, Alison (August 13, 2013). "IFC Sets October 18th Premiere Date for the Bob Odenkirk-Produced Sketch Comedy Series 'The Birthday Boys'". IndieWire . Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  10. ↑ Molloy, Tim (August 13, 2013). "Ben Stiller & Bob Odenkirk's 'Birthday Boys' Gets Premiere Date". The Wrap. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  11. ↑ McCarthy, Sean (October 17, 2014). "The Birthday Boys pick their favorite sketches from IFC, the UCB and online". The Comic's Comic. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  12. ↑ Seamon, Danielle (October 18, 2013). "Comedy group The Birthday Boys land self-titled sketch show on IFC". The Lantern . Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  13. ↑ Shephard, Alex (December 8, 2015). "Fictional John Lennons, ranked". The New Republic . ISSN   0028-6583 . Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  14. ↑ Bova, Henry (June 6, 2024). "After 15 years, 'Comedy Bang! Bang!' host Scott Aukerman is just getting started". The Boston Globe . Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  15. ↑ "This Week in Comedy Podcasts: Comedy Bang! Bang! Celebrates 10 Years in 10 Hours". Vulture . May 2, 2019. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  16. ↑ Fabrizio, James Di (August 31, 2016). "Comedy Bang! Bang!". Beat Magazine. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  17. ↑ "Moses Storm and Mike Hanford LIVE presented by Let's Comedy". The White Rabbit Cabaret. June 9, 2019. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  18. ↑ Zaino, Nick A. III (October 12, 2013). "Aukerman and crew come in with a 'Bang!'". The Boston Globe . Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  19. ↑ Sims, David (August 24, 2013). "Comedy Bang! Bang!: 'Andy Richter Wears A Suit Jacket And A Baby Blue Button Down Shirt'". AV Club . Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  20. ↑ Harp, Justin (September 10, 2014). "Tenacious D to appear in Birthday Boys". Digital Spy . Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  21. ↑ "Questions For Lennon Archive". Earwolf . Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  22. ↑ "This Week in Comedy Podcasts: Nicole Byer and Sasheer Zamata Are Best Friends". Vulture . June 20, 2019. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  23. ↑ "EPK". The Sloppy Boys. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  24. ↑ "Music documentary set in the borderland 'Blood, Sweat, and Beers' is now streaming". KFOX . August 14, 2024. Retrieved March 3, 2026.
  25. ↑ Rickman, James (February 2, 2021). "In Conversation: The Sloppy Boys Blow Minds in Their New 'Tha Mastah Bong Rippah' Video". FLOOD. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  26. ↑ The 67th Primetime Emmy Awards (TV Special 2015) - Full cast & crew . Retrieved March 3, 2026– via IMDb.
  27. ↑ "Tonight Show Writer Mike Hanford Interviews The Exorcist: Believer Viewers | The Tonight Show". Finger Lakes Times. October 7, 2023. Retrieved March 3, 2026.
  28. ↑ "Mike Hanford (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved March 3, 2026.
  29. ↑ "The Napa Boys - Exclusive Clip IGN Fan Fest 2026". IGN Africa . February 26, 2026. Retrieved March 3, 2026.
  30. ↑ Alexa, L'Wren (June 30, 2025). "Comedy Central Drops 'Digman!' Season 2 Trailer and Guest Lineup". Animation World Network . Retrieved March 3, 2026.
  31. ↑ Milligan, Mercedes (June 26, 2025). "'Digman!' Digs Up Treasure Trove of Guest Voices for Season 2". Animation Magazine . Retrieved March 3, 2026.
  32. ↑ Stephens, Emily L. (November 5, 2016). "When Krysten Ritter shows up, it's partay time on Comedy Bang! Bang!". AV Club . Retrieved March 3, 2026.
  33. ↑ "Make Partner Part 1 – Bajillion Dollar Propertie$ (Season 1, Episode 8)". Apple TV. April 28, 2016. Retrieved March 3, 2026.
  34. ↑ "W/ Bob & David season 1 Episode #1.2 Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved March 3, 2026.
  35. ↑ "The Birthday Boys: Sketches score with dead-on satire". The Columbus Dispatch . October 18, 2013. Retrieved March 3, 2026.
  36. ↑ Grant, Kelli B. (June 28, 2013). "Big Laughs from IC Alumni". IC View. Retrieved March 3, 2026.
  37. ↑ Grant, Drew (March 7, 2013). "Will Ferrell, Bob Odenkirk and Ben Stiller All Get New IFC Shows (Video)". Observer. Retrieved March 3, 2026.
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