John Henson

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John Henson bigraphy, stories - Comedians

John Henson : biography

July 11, 1967 –

John Morris Henson (born July 11, 1967) is an American comedian, talk show host, and actor. He is the co-host of ABC’s Wipeout, a prime-time game show now in its sixth season.

Education

Henson attended St. Luke’s School in New Canaan, Connecticut.

Biography

Henson was born in Stamford, Connecticut, to Joe and Barbara (née Wright) Henson. He has four older brothers, one of whom is Dan Henson, the President and CEO of GE Capital, Americas. Another is Frank (Bubba) Henson, teacher at St. Luke’s School, New Canaan, CT. He studied acting at Boston University, Circle in the Square, Playwrights Horizons and Three of Us Studios in New York City. He has starred in various theatre productions such as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Conduct Unbecoming, Heinous Crimes and Other Delights, The Greenhouse Effect and Remote Evolution.

Henson was born with a white streak of hair on the right side of his head. As a result, he received the nickname "Skunk Boy" while hosting Talk Soup.

Filmography

Television

  • Space Ghost Coast to Coast – (1997 1998)
  • The View
  • Politically Incorrect
  • Remember WENN
  • Stand Up, Stand Up
  • Two Drink Minimum
  • Caroline’s Comedy Hour
  • 2006 LA Area Emmy Awards
  • Talk Soup – 1995-1999
  • The Best Commercials You’ve Never Seen – (1998)
  • The John Henson Project – (2004)
  • Watch This! – (2006)
  • Wipeout – (2008–Present)
  • My Name Is Earl – 2009
  • Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Host) – 2010
  • WordGirl (voice of Captain Tangent) – (2010–present)
  • Austin & Ally – (2012)
  • Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil (voice) – 2012
  • The Funniest Commercials of The Year: 2012 – 2012

Film

  • Meet Wally Sparks – 1997
  • Stag (film) – 1997 as Timan Bernard
  • Blink 182: The Urethra Chronicles – 1999
  • Bar Hopping – 2002 as Roger
  • Life Without Dick – 2002

Career

Henson began his career as a stand-up comic. He started appearing in films in the mid to late 1990s. He was the longest-running host (four years) of Talk Soup on the E! Entertainment Network, hosting approximately 1,140 shows in the four and a half years he was with the network. In 2004, he was the host of The John Henson Project, a short-lived comedy-reality show on Spike TV, and hosted several broadcast specials including ABC’s Best Commercials You’ve Never Seen, ABC’s Best TV You’ve Never Seen and, most recently, the 33rd Annual Daytime Creative Arts Emmys. From 2005 to 2007, Henson was the co-host of Watch This!, a daily television show on the TV Guide Channel. Henson has also produced numerous field segments on the entertainment industry for MSNBC and CNN and, additionally, had a small recurring role as a local newscaster on My Name Is Earl.

Since 2008, Henson has co-hosted the ABC obstacle course game-show, Wipeout, and always ends the show with the catch phrase, "Good night, and Big Balls", a reference to the signature obstacle in the show.

Henson has also appeared in the Blink-182 music video for "What’s My Age Again?".