The Tenderloins

Last updated
The Tenderloins
The Tenderloins in 2017.jpg
The Tenderloins at New Orleans in November 2017.
From left to right: James Murray, former member Joe Gatto, Brian Quinn, and Sal Vulcano
Medium Television
Nationality American
Years active1999–present
Genres
Notable works and roles
Members
Former members

The Tenderloins are an American comedy troupe composed of James "Murr" Murray, Brian "Q" Quinn, and Sal Vulcano. The group stars in the television series Impractical Jokers , which premiered on December 15, 2011. The program airs on truTV and TBS in the U.S. [1] and on Comedy Central in the UK, Ireland, and India.

Contents

Origin

The comedians met in religion class during their freshman year at Monsignor Farrell High School on Staten Island in 1990. After discovering their mutual interests in drama and improv, the group joined an improv club because "it was the only way to meet girls", since they attended an all-boys school. [2] To come up with a name for their comedy troupe, the friends referenced a list of words kept by member Sal Vulcano that he would find embarrassing to say, such as "cullottes," "gargoyles," and "nougat." The group would eventually settle on "The Tenderloins" as their troupe name.[ citation needed ]

Career

Stage

After finishing college, James Murray was on his way to work on the Staten Island Ferry where he ran into his friend Sal. They reminisced about their enjoyment doing improv. After reuniting with Joe and another friend, Mike Boccio, they practiced improv at Joe's house three days a week, for six months. The Tenderloins began in 1999 as a live improv comedy and sketch comedy troupe. [3]

By 2002, the troupe consisted of five members: Mike Boccio, Joe Gatto, Gideon Horowitz, James Murray and Sal Vulcano. [3] After the success of Impractical Jokers, the Tenderloins have also taken part in several American and international tours. They have performed in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, and participated in the San Francisco Sketch Comedy Festival and the Miami Improv Festival. [4]

Internet success

Following years of live shows, the Tenderloins redirected their talents to filmed comedic sketches. Horowitz had already left the group, and Boccio left in 2006. Former classmate Brian Quinn subsequently joined, replacing Boccio as the troupe's fourth member. [3]

The Tenderloins' comedic sketches have accumulated millions of views on YouTube, MySpace, Metacafe, and other websites. In 2007, the troupe won the $100,000 grand prize in the NBC It's Your Show competition for the sketch "Time Thugs".[ citation needed ]

Television

Following the troupe's online successes, the four were signed to develop a scripted comedy pilot for Spike TV based on their own lives. The pilot was shot on location in 2008 on Staten Island, as well as at other locations around New York City. Spike TV ultimately passed on the series. A second pilot starring the Tenderloins was officially selected for the 2009 New York Television Festival.

On April 12, 2011, truTV announced a new series to star the Tenderloins. Impractical Jokers premiered on December 15, 2011, executive-produced by the troupe themselves. Season 1 consisted of 16 episodes. The first season was watched by over 32 million viewers.

The show's second season premiered on December 13, 2012, and consisted of 28 episodes. Its third season had 31 episodes and premiered on January 2, 2014. [5] On April 21, 2014, truTV announced that the series would be renewed for a 26-episode fourth season. [6] With the fourth season renewal, a 6-episode spinoff series, Jokers Wild!, was also announced. [6] The show was renewed for a fifth season, which began in February 2016. On July 22, 2016, a sixth season was announced, which began on February 9, 2017. After another successful season, Impractical Jokers was renewed for a seventh season that began on February 1, 2018. In March 2018 TruTV announced Impractical Jokers was renewed for an eighth season, which consists of 26 episodes and premiered on March 28, 2019. A feature-length movie, Impractical Jokers: The Movie , was released theatrically on February 21, 2020. [7]

In 2019, the troupe starred in the TBS game show series, Misery Index , based on the card game "Shit Happens" created by Andy Breckman, who created and wrote the popular TV series Monk and the Netflix series The Good Cop . [8]

Live tour

The Troupe has toured steadily over the last four years with its highly-successful, "Where's Larry?", "Santiago Sent Us," & "Cranjis McBasketball" tours playing to hundreds of thousands of fans in the US and UK, including three sold-out nights at Radio City Music Hall, a sold-out Madison Square Garden, and five sold-out shows at London's O2 Arena.[ citation needed ]

Radio

In February 2017, Murr tweeted that he and the group had recorded the first episode of an upcoming limited-run show for SiriusXM Radio. On August 17, 2017, The Tenderloins Radio Show made its debut on SiriusXM Radio channel 94 (Comedy Greats). In the hour-long broadcast, the comedy troupe pranks friends and acquaintances, takes calls, answers emails from fans, and does sketches in a segment called "Tenderloins Theatre".[ citation needed ]

Podcasts

The Tenderloins Podcast

The group began hosting a podcast in April 2012. [9]

What Say You?

What Say You?, an occasional podcast hosted by Sal and Q, was named Best New Show at the 2013 Stitcher Awards. [10] The increased popularity of What Say You sparked a friendly competition among the friends, spurring Joe and Murr to release their own Tenderloins podcast without the other two members. In 2015, What Say You? was nominated for the Comedy, Entertainment, and Best Produced Podcast Awards at the 10th Annual Podcast Awards. [11] Sal and Q have stated that the podcast is their own side project, not a replacement of The Tenderloins Podcast. The group explained that it was difficult to coordinate the schedules of all four members outside of work, making it challenging to produce their troupe's official podcast with any regularity.[ citation needed ]

Members

Current

Former

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Besser</span> American actor and comedian

Matthew Gregory Besser is an American actor, comedian, director, producer, writer, and one of the four founding members of the Upright Citizens Brigade sketch comedy troupe, who had their own show on Comedy Central from 1998 to 2000. He hosts the improvisation-based podcast Improv4humans, previously on the Earwolf network, but now solely operated by himself and Brett Morris.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monsignor Farrell High School</span> Private school in Staten Island, New York, United States

Monsignor Farrell High School is an American Catholic high school for boys, located in the Oakwood section of Staten Island, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Walsh (comedian)</span> American actor and comedian (born 1964)

Matthew Paul Walsh is an American comedian and actor. He is best known for his role as Mike McLintock in Veep for which he received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations. He is a founding member of the Upright Citizens Brigade sketch comedy troupe, with which he co-starred in its original television series and the 2015 reboot. He also previously starred in short-lived comedy programs such as Dog Bites Man and Players, and was a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He has also appeared in films such as Road Trip (2000), Bad Santa (2003), School for Scoundrels (2006), Role Models (2008), The Hangover (2009), and The Do-Over (2016).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rob Huebel</span> American actor and comedian

Robert Anderson Huebel is an American comedian and actor. He is best known for his sketch comedy work on the MTV series Human Giant and for his role of Dr. Owen Maestro on the Adult Swim series Childrens Hospital. He also appeared as Russell on the FX/FXX series The League and as Len Novak on the Amazon Prime Video series Transparent. In December 2022, Entertainment Weekly called Huebel "the premier d-bag character actor of his generation".

Danielle Caroline Schneider is an American actress, writer, and improvisational comedian from the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. She co-created and starred in the Hulu reality TV parody series The Hotwives and currently co-hosts the podcast Bitch Sesh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Funny or Die</span> Comedy website/film/TV production company

Funny or Die is a comedy video website and production company owned by Henry R. Muñoz III that was founded by Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Mark Kvamme, and Chris Henchy in 2007. The website contained exclusive material from a regular staff of in-house writers, producers and directors, and occasionally from a number of famous contributors including Judd Apatow, James Franco and Norm Macdonald. The associated production company continues to make TV shows including truTV's Billy on the Street, Comedy Central's @midnight and Zach Galifianakis' web series Between Two Ferns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blake Anderson</span> American actor, comedian and producer

Blake Raymond Anderson is an American actor, comedian, producer, screenwriter, and fashion designer. Beginning in 2006, Anderson helped create and join the sketch-comedy troupe Mail Order Comedy, which produced online videos and sketches, such as those involving the rap band The Wizards, along with co-members Anders Holm, Adam DeVine, and Kyle Newacheck. In 2011, Anderson, along with Holm, DeVine, and Newacheck, began starring as fictional versions of themselves in the Comedy Central comedy television series Workaholics, which Anderson co-created. Workaholics ran on the network from 2011 until 2017, airing seven seasons. Anderson has appeared in other film and television works, often with other members of Mail Order Comedy.

Charles Henry Sanders is an American actor, comedian, and Writers Guild Award–winning writer best known for starring as Officer Joe Stubeck in the MTV comedy-action series Death Valley, writing on all five seasons of Key & Peele and creating the YouTube Premium series Weird City. He is currently hosting the hit podcast 'Bald Talk' on iHeartMedia with comedian and actor Brian Huskey.

<i>Impractical Jokers</i> American hidden camera reality show with improvisational elements

Impractical Jokers is an American hidden camera comedy and reality show with improvisational elements. Produced by NorthSouth Productions, Impractical Jokers premiered on truTV on December 15, 2011, starring the members of The Tenderloins: James "Murr" Murray, Brian "Q" Quinn, Sal Vulcano, and formerly Joe Gatto. In March 2024, it was announced that the series will relocate to TBS, who originally simulcast the tenth season, due to a programing network overhaul at truTV. Despite this, the latter will continue to air reruns.

Chris Distefano American comedian

Christopher Paul Anthony Distefano is an American comedian. Primarily a stand-up comedian, Distefano began his career in entertainment on MTV and MTV2's shows Guy Code and Girl Code. Distefano's first hour-long standup special, Chris Distefano: Size 38 Waist, was released in 2019 by Comedy Central. His second special, Speshy Weshy, premiered on Netflix in May 2022. Distefano co-hosts Hey Babe! podcast with Sal Vulcano from Impractical Jokers and hosts his own podcast, Chrissy Chaos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Lawrence (comedian)</span>

Michael Patrick Lawrence is an American comedian and writer from Davie, Florida. He formerly lived in New York City and currently lives in Los Angeles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sal Vulcano</span> American comedian

Salvatore Edward Anthony Vulcano is an American improvisational and stand-up comedian, actor, and producer from the New York City borough of Staten Island. He is a member of The Tenderloins, a comedy troupe consisting of himself, James Murray, Brian Quinn, and formerly Joe Gatto. Along with the other members of The Tenderloins, he stars in the television series Impractical Jokers, which first aired on December 15, 2011, on TruTV.

<i>Impractical Jokers: The Movie</i> 2020 comedy film directed by Chris Henchy

Impractical Jokers: The Movie is a 2020 American reality comedy film directed by Chris Henchy, based on the truTV television series Impractical Jokers. The film stars Brian Quinn, James Murray, Sal Vulcano, and Joe Gatto, also known as The Tenderloins. It was theatrically released on February 21, 2020. The film received generally mixed reviews and was a box office success, grossing $10 million against a budget of $3 million.

The Misery Index is an American television comedy game show developed for TBS that premiered on October 22, 2019. The show, based on the card game "Shit Happens," is hosted by Jameela Jamil, and stars the four members of The Tenderloins comedy troupe who also star in truTV's Impractical Jokers.

A comedy troupe is a group of comedians and associated personnel who work together to perform comedy as entertainment. The term is often used interchangeably with comedy group, and the troupe may specialize in a specific genre or style of comedy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Gatto</span> American comedian

Joseph Anthony Gatto Jr. is an American improvisational comedian, actor, and producer from the New York City borough of Staten Island. He was formerly a member of the Tenderloins, a comedy troupe consisting of Sal Vulcano, James Murray, and Brian Quinn. Along with the other members of the Tenderloins, he starred in the television series Impractical Jokers, which first aired on December 15, 2011, on TruTV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Quinn (comedian)</span> American comedian

Brian Michael "Q" Quinn is an American podcaster, improvisational comedian, and actor. He is a member of The Tenderloins, a comedy troupe also consisting of Sal Vulcano, James Murray, and formerly Joe Gatto. Along with the other members of The Tenderloins, he stars in the television series Impractical Jokers, which premiered on December 15, 2011, on TruTV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Murray (comedian)</span> American comedian (born 1976)

James Stephen "Murr" Murray is an American improvisational comedian, author, and actor from New York. He is a member of The Tenderloins, a comedy troupe also consisting of Brian Quinn, Sal Vulcano, and formerly Joe Gatto. Along with the other members of The Tenderloins, he stars in the television series Impractical Jokers, which premiered December 15, 2011, on TruTV.

<i>Loafy</i> American TV series or program

Loafy is an American adult animated comedy series of animated shorts created by former SNL cast member and comedian Bobby Moynihan and made by Cartuna, which partnered with the company, Big Breakfast. It premiered on Comedy Central's digital platforms on August 8, 2020.

The ninth season of Impractical Jokers premiered on February 4, 2021. Part of the season was filmed before the COVID-19 pandemic suspended operations in March 2020. Filming and production resumed in September and continued as late as December. The aftershow After Party season 4 was postponed, and debuted with "Space Oddity" on April 15, 2021. Following "The Prince and Me" episode, the season resumed on July 8, where cast member Sal Vulcano would be referred to as Prince Herb for the remaining episodes of the season; however, he dropped the moniker in the "Eric André" episode that aired on April 2, 2022. This was the last season to feature Joe Gatto prior to his departure from the show at the beginning of 2022 after 17 episodes into the season. The season's remaining episodes aired starting from June 16, 2022 with various celebrity guest stars that participate in the losing Joker's punishment.

References

  1. ↑ "The Tenderloins". The Tenderloins.[ dead link ]
  2. ↑ Meinert, Kendra (June 9, 2016). "Murr of 'Impractical Jokers': 'The joke's on us'". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Retrieved July 21, 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Bailey, Rob (September 17, 2019). "12 things you need to know before 'Impractical Jokers: Homecoming' Thursday". Staten Island Advance . Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Get The Tenderloins Tickets Today at TicketSmarter". www.ticketsmarter.com. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
  5. ↑ Bibel, Sara (July 8, 2013). "'Impractical Jokers' Renewed for Season 3 by truTV; New Series 'Jokers After Party' Greenlit". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on July 11, 2013. Retrieved July 8, 2013.
  6. 1 2 Kondolojy, Amanda (April 21, 2014). "'Impractical Jokers' Renewed by TruTV; Joins Six New Series Greenlights". Zap2it. Archived from the original on April 24, 2014. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
  7. ↑ Otterson, Joe (7 March 2018). "'Impractical Jokers' Renewed for Season 8 at truTV, Set First Feature Film". Variety. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  8. ↑ Petski, Denise (October 10, 2018). "TBS Picks Up Comedy Game Show 'Misery Index' Starring The Tenderloins To Series From 'Monk' Creator". Deadline Hollywood .
  9. ↑ "Podcast". The Tenderloins. Retrieved 3 Mar 2018.
  10. ↑ "The 2nd Annual Stitcher Awards". Stitcher Blog. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  11. ↑ "10th Annual Winners and Nominees". Podcast Awards. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  12. ↑ "Team | North South". www.northsouth.tv. Retrieved 2017-06-24.
  13. ↑ "Sal Vulcano on Making Season 9 of Impractical Jokers COVID-Safe — and His 'Regal' New Name". People . Retrieved 2021-04-30.
  14. ↑ Tulloch, Katrina (2014-08-16). "'Impractical Jokers' star Brian Quinn: April Fools' Day is amateur hour". syracuse.com. Retrieved 2017-06-24.
  15. ↑ Lovece, Frank (2017-02-04). "'Impractical Jokers' reflect on their comedy roots ahead of season 6". Newsday. Retrieved 2017-06-24.
  16. ↑ Haring, Bruce (January 1, 2022). "'Impractical Jokers' Star Joe Gatto Announces He's Leaving Troupe After A Long Run".
  17. ↑ Crashing the Impractical Jokers Show in BOSTON , retrieved 2023-05-01
  18. 1 2 Walker, Micah. "'Impractical Jokers' star James S. Murray touts new book as comedy tour hits Michigan". Detroit Free Press.
  19. ↑ Weatherford, Mike (October 2, 2014). "Improv rock stars find chemistry in longevity". Las Vegas Review-Journal .
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.