Paul Provenza (born July 31, 1957) is a comedian, actor, television host, filmmaker, and leading voice in comedy culture .
- Grew up in the Bronx (Pelham Parkway) and graduated from the Bronx High School of Science (1975) punchhub.ai
- Made his stand-up debut at 17 at The Improv in Manhattan.
- Earned a Theater Arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1979, with a year studying at London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art—where he even performed as Romeo moosechick.com
- Appeared on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson (1983), hosted Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Court (1988–’89), and starred as Dr. Phil Capra on Northern Exposure (1994–95) milwaukeemag.com
- Hosted Comics Only (Comedy Central, 1991–95).
- Performed on Broadway and Off‑Broadway—earning a Drama Desk nomination and a Theater World Award thecomedybureau.com
- Co‑directed the infamous comedy documentary The Aristocrats (2005) with Penn Jillette, exploring the legendary joke through the eyes of numerous comics earwolf.com
- Hosted The Green Room with Paul Provenza on Showtime (2010–11), featuring candid roundtable interviews with top comedians during Just for Laughs and beyond
- Created Set List: Stand-Up Without a Net, an improv fronted format that became a hit at global comedy festivals (Just for Laughs, Edinburgh, Melbourne)
- Wrote ¡Satiristas! in 2010, featuring in‑depth interviews with comedy heavyweights like George Carlin, Stephen Colbert, and Bill Maher
- Served as MC at the 2012 Reason Rally in Washington, D.C., showcasing his dedication to skepticism and intellectual comedy
- Appeared on shows like WTF with Marc Maron, Getting Doug with High, The Rubin Report, and Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!