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He's most notable for his television roles.
By Samantha Maffucci — Written on Jan 09, 2019
Since Comedians of the World on Netflix premiered, we’ve been given a chance to see what life is like for comics all over the globe. The 47 comedians featured hail from the Middle East, India, Brazil, the Netherlands, Canada, and, of course, the United States, with each comic giving their unique perspective on a variety of issues.
And one of the comedians from the United States that is featured is Nick Swardson. If the name sounds familiar, you’ve probably seen him on television or have watched his stand-up specials. But just who is Nick Swardson and what do we know about his personal life? Here are 5 things to know about the comic and how he got his start in comedy.
1. He’s appeared in movies and television.
Swardson is perhaps most known for his recurring role on Reno 911! As Terry Bernadino, a flamboyant gigolo on roller skates. But he had a sketch comedy show on Comedy Central called Nick Swardson’s Pretend Time, which premiered on Comedy Central in 2010 and ran for two seasons.
He also created and stars in the show Typical Rick. In addition, he’s had roles on According to Jim, TripTank, The Goldbergs, Grandma’s Boy, 30 Minutes or Less, and Grown Ups 2.
2. He’s frequently collaborated with Adam Sandler.
After seeing his Comedy Central special in 2003, Sandler contacted Swardson and the two began working on projects together. Their first project was co-writing the screenplay for Grandma’s Boy, but his sketch show was also produced by Sandler’s Happy Madison Productions. In 2011, he starred in, co-wrote and co-produced Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star, also produced by Happy Madison Productions.
3. He’s been interested in comedy since high school.
And he began performing improv when he was just 16 years old. He struggled with drugs and alcohol, but later enrolled in a rehab program. After he graduated high school, he pursued stand-up rather than attending college.
According to Swardson, “I became obsessed with stand-up comedy out of high school. I didn’t go to college. I used to do improv and kind of looked down on stand-up, but then my improv company folded, so I started becoming obsessed with stand-up. I watched every f****** thing, every show, every late night, VHS tapes, just stacks of them. I knew every comic when I was in St Paul, Minnesota. I gravitated toward Brian Regan, Dave Attell, Anthony Clark, Dana Gould. Those were definitely four guys that I really liked watching a lot.”
4. He started doing stand-up at 18.
Swardson would perform at open mic nights in Minneapolis, originally doing his first gig as a “goof,” but was then encouraged to keep performing. He eventually won the comedy club Acme Comedy Co.’s award for “Funniest Person in the Twin Cities, and later performed at the Mall of America.
5. He’s also a writer.
He co-wrote the screenplay for Jamie Kennedy’s film Malibu's Most Wanted, but has also written for The Benchwarmers, Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star, Gay Robot, Grandma’s Boy, and his own sketch show Nick Swardson's Pretend Time.
Samantha Maffucci is an associate editor for YourTango who focuses on writing trending news and entertainment pieces. In her free time, you can find her obsessing about cats, wine, and all things Vanderpump Rules.