:Theo Von

Kurnatowski was born on March 19, 1980, in Covington, Louisiana, to Gina Capitani and Roland Theodor Achilles von Kurnatowski (1912–1996).{{Cite web |last=Courier |first=Tammy Wilkinson Of The Star |title=Von returns for Wyoming Theater gig |url=https://www.starcourier.com/story/news/2018/06/19/von-returns-for-wyoming-theater/11937703007/ |access-date=2024-08-23 |website=Kewanee Star Courier}}{{Cite web |last=Ettinger |first=Marlon |date=2024-08-22 |title='bro what?': Theo Von's viral Trump interview brings comedian's Polish aristocratic background back to light |url=https://www.dailydot.com/debug/theo-von-polish-aristocracy/ |access-date=2024-08-23 |website=The Daily Dot}}{{Cite twitter |number=975742756151705605 |user=TheoVon |title=All i want for my birthday is for you to share one of my favorite clips. |first=Theo |last=Von}} His mother was born and raised in Wyoming, Illinois, where Theo spent part of his childhood.{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Gary L. |title=Are you joking? A stand-up comic in Wyoming? |url=https://www.pjstar.com/story/entertainment/local/2017/06/18/are-you-joking-stand-up/20539706007/ |access-date=2024-08-23 |website=Peoria Journal Star}} His father was a native of Bluefields, Nicaragua, who later settled in New Orleans.{{Cite web |title=Louis Theroux |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/louis-theroux/id1190981360?i=1000660485451 |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=Apple Podcasts}}{{Cite web |title=Investigative Reporter Nate Halverson |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/co/podcast/investigative-reporter-nate-halverson/id1190981360?i=1000658873599 |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=Apple Podcasts |language=es-MX}} His grandfather was a Polish missionary who settled in Cabo Gracias a Dios; he is descended from the Kurnatowski szlachta, a noble family in Poland.{{Cite book |last=Houwald |first=Götz von |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OeykQwAACAAJ |title=Los alemanes en Nicaragua |date=1993 |publisher=BANIC |language=es}}{{Cite web |title=Kat Von D |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kat-von-d/id1190981360?i=1000638284259 |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=Apple Podcasts}} Von describes himself as Polish-Nicaraguan.{{Cite magazine |last=Abbey |first=Alison |date=2023-04-27 |title=Theo Von Is Taking Over Your TikTok FYP. He'd Rather Not |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/theo-von-comedy-tiktok-1234711587/ |access-date=2024-08-24 |magazine=Rolling Stone}}

Von's father was 67 when he was born (Von rounds the age to 70 years for his comedic material); he died of cancer in 1996 when Von was 16.{{Cite web | url=https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2017/09/theo_von_brings_new_orleans_fl.html | title=Theo Von brings New Orleans flavor to the Hilarities stage this weekend | date=2017-09-13 | first=Michael K. | last=McIntyre | website=cleveland.com}} He grew up in Covington with his older brother and two younger sisters and was legally emancipated at 14.{{Cite AV media | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6b_ei1bZ0lQ | title= BERTCAST Episode #140 - Theo Von & ME | website=Youtube}} He grew up in circumstances he describes as "low-income", stating that most of his "frame of reference" came from "poor people".{{Cite web |first=Dave | last=Walker|date=2012-05-31 |title=Theo Von gets his own Comedy Central standup showcase |url=https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/movies_tv/theo-von-gets-his-own-comedy-central-standup-showcase/article_e452c107-9a04-5e4b-9d0a-b22e67ad10a2.html |access-date=2024-08-23 |website=NOLA.com}}{{Cite web |last=Deffes |first=Olivia |date=2023-02-02 |title=Comedian Theo Von captivates crowds with Louisiana-style stories about growing up in the South |url=https://www.225batonrouge.com/things-to-do/comedian-theo-von-captivates-crowds-louisiana-style-stories-growing-south |access-date=2024-08-23 |website=[225]}}

Von later moved to Mandeville, Louisiana, and graduated from Mandeville High School.{{Cite web |title=$uicideboy$ |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/gh/podcast/%24uicideboy%24/id1190981360?i=1000659240368 |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=Apple Podcasts}} He attended Louisiana State University where he wrote for The Reveille.{{Cite web |title=Theo Von brings his Southern charm and spontaneous stories to Las Vegas |url=https://lasvegasmagazine.com/entertainment/2024/jul/01/theo-von-resorts-world-theatre-las-vegas-comedy/ |access-date=2024-08-23 |website=Las Vegas Magazine|author-last1=Kelemen|author-first1=Matt|date=1 July 2024}} He also attended the Loyola University New Orleans, University of Arizona, College of Charleston, and Santa Monica College.{{Cite web|url=https://ocweekly.com/theo-von-6405456/|title=Theo Von|date=June 10, 2010|website=OC Weekly|access-date=August 18, 2019}} Von received his undergraduate degree in Urban Planning in 2011 from the University of New Orleans.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/movies_tv/article_e452c107-9a04-5e4b-9d0a-b22e67ad10a2.html|title=Theo Von gets his own Comedy Central standup showcase|work=Times-Picayune|first=Dave|last=Walker|date=May 31, 2012 |access-date=August 18, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.unoalumni.com/alumni-spotlights-theo-von|title=Alumni Spotlights - Theo Von|website=unoalumni.com|access-date=August 18, 2019}}{{Cite web |date=2022-12-12 |title=These famous comedians are all from Louisiana |url=https://wgno.com/news/louisiana/10-louisiana-comedians-who-made-it-big/ |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=WGNO|first1=Jaclyn|last1=Tripp|first2=Marlo|last2=Lacen|first3=Carolyn|last3=Roy}}

Von appeared on MTV's Road Rules: Maximum Velocity Tour in 2000 at age nineteen. He auditioned for the show at an open casting call for The Real World and Road Rules at a bar while studying at Louisiana State University.Sklar, J. (2000, August 24). LSU student reflects on his mtv “Road” trip. The Reveille / Summer Mustang, pp. 6–6. Retrieved from https://core.ac.uk/reader/32421656. Von faced controversy on the show for his views, including stating in the casting special that he was against interracial dating, an opinion he defended to the LSU newspaper after the show aired.Sklar, J. (2000, August 24). LSU student reflects on his mtv “Road” trip. The Reveille / Summer Mustang, pp. 6–6. Retrieved from https://core.ac.uk/reader/32421656.

Von was on four seasons of MTV's reality game show The Challenge (formerly known as Real World/Road Rules Challenge), a combined spinoff of MTV's The Real World and Road Rules. He was a part of the cast of Battle of the Seasons (2002), The Gauntlet (2003–2004), Battle of the Sexes II (2004–2005), and Fresh Meat (2006). Von was runner-up in 2002, and was the winner of the following two seasons.{{Cite web|url=https://medium.com/@shmalvey7/the-greatest-male-players-in-challenge-history-14-theo-vonkurnatowski-a894fb5dafae|title=The Greatest Male Players in Challenge History: #13- Theo Vonkurnatowski|last=Alvey|first=Michael|date=June 16, 2019|website=Medium|access-date=August 22, 2019}}

In 2006, Von competed on season 4 of Last Comic Standing, not making it to the main finals, but winning the companion online competition Last Comic Downloaded.{{Cite web|url=https://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/2006/08/last-comic-standing-4-josh_blue_wins/|title=Josh Blue wins Last Comic Standing 4; Theo Von wins online competition|date=August 10, 2006|website=reality blurred}}

In mid-2008, Von was a member of the Comedy Central sketch/competition show Reality Bites Back. He won the show, beating fellow comedians, including Amy Schumer, Bert Kreischer, and Tiffany Haddish.

Beginning in 2011, Von took over as host of the Yahoo! online TV recap show Primetime in No Time.{{Cite web|title=Theo Von Takes Over as 'Prime Time in No Time' Host|url=https://www.thewrap.com/yahoo-hires-theo-von-road-rules-and-last-comic-standing-35511/|date=February 17, 2012|website=TheWrap|access-date=August 22, 2019|last=Shaw|first=Lucas}}{{Cite web|title=About – Theo Von|url=https://theovon.com/about/|access-date=August 23, 2019}} He hosted the TBS hidden camera show Deal With It (executive produced by Howie Mandel) for its run of three seasons (2013–2014).{{harvnb|Deadline Hollywood|2013|p=}} During this period, Von began appearing in cameo acting roles on select television shows, including Inside Amy Schumer and Why? with Hannibal Buress. He has said that he was not more interested in acting earlier on — despite having opportunities to do pilots and sitcoms — because he was not very enthused about the projects offered at the time and because they often conflicted with his touring and podcasting schedules.{{Citation|title=Fifty Cent Sniffs {{!}} This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von #224| date=August 19, 2019 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDF1vdDd0Ik|access-date=August 22, 2019}}

In the spring of 2018, Von's three-episode scripted comedy show Man Up was released on Comedy Central, in which he attempted to improve the 'spiraling' lives of male comics.{{Cite web|title=Man Up|url=http://www.cc.com/shows/man-up|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180428004852/http://www.cc.com/shows/man-up|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 28, 2018|website=Comedy Central|access-date=August 23, 2019}} In August 2019, Von announced that he had been cast in the big-budget film The Tomorrow War (at the time known as Ghost Draft), and had been recruited for the project by its lead actor, Chris Pratt; a few weeks later, Von announced on his podcast that he had dropped out of the movie due to the time commitment required.{{Cite web|title=Chris Pratt's 'Ghost Draft' Adds Comedian Theo Von|url=https://variety.com/2019/film/news/ghost-draft-theo-von-chris-pratt-1203308869/|last=Kroll|first=Justin|date=August 21, 2019|website=Variety|access-date=August 23, 2019}}

Von began performing stand-up comedy in Louisiana. At age 23, after his tenure on MTV, he decided to move to Los Angeles and professionally pursue a career in comedy.{{Cite web|url=http://www.innovativecomedy.com/files/7714/2713/0283/Theo_Von_-_Bio.pdf|title=Theo Von biography|last=Innovative Artists|date=2013|website=Innovative Comedy|access-date=August 22, 2019}}{{harvnb|Schulte|2018|p=}} According to Von, he had difficulty as an entertainer in Hollywood, as talent agents viewed him as a former reality TV star and were thus skeptical about giving him work as a comedian.{{harvnb|Lee|Von|2017|p=41:00}} He has since related that it has taken years to shake this image and establish himself as a comedian.{{harvnb|Kozell|2016|p=}}

Von achieved one of his first major comedic accomplishments a few years later, in 2006, when he won the title of Fan Favorite on the online competition aligned with the fourth season of Last Comic Standing. Around this time, Von began touring his set nationally. He also took part in five international tours for the USO (which included performing at Guantanamo Bay).{{Cite web|url=https://younghollywood.com/scene/for-a-good-laugh-call-theo-von.html|title=Young Hollywood {{!}} For a Good Laugh, Call Theo Von|website=younghollywood.com|access-date=August 23, 2019 |last1=Ferguson |first1=Kate }}

In 2009, Von popularized "prank texting" (sending a text message to random phone numbers to incite conversations), and began his "prank texting" blog, which was picked up as a column by CollegeHumor a year later.{{harvnb|Von|2010|p=}}{{harvnb|Donnelly|2011|p=}} {{Dead link|date=August 2024}}

On June 1, 2012, Von was the featured comedian in an episode of Comedy Central's The Half Hour, now known as Comedy Central Stand-Up Presents. He also promoted his comedy on The Arsenio Hall Show, Hello Ross, Chelsea Lately, Watch What Happens Live, @midnight, and This Is Not Happening, among other television shows. In 2016, Netflix released Von's debut hour-long comedy special No Offense. The show was taped at the Civic Theatre in New Orleans, Louisiana.{{Cite web|url=https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2253239|title=Theo Von 'No Offense' Netflix Special Taping|website=brownpapertickets.com|access-date=August 23, 2019}} In the summer of 2019, Von embarked on a three-month national tour called The Dark Arts Tour.{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/theo.von/posts/10161666793580150|title=Theo Von|website=Facebook|access-date=August 23, 2019}}

As of 2016,{{Cite web | url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-past-weekend-w-theo-von/id1190981360 | title=This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von | website=podcasts.apple.com}} Von hosts a podcast, This Past Weekend, and was a former co-host of the podcast King and The Sting (and Wing) with Brendan Schaub and Chris D'elia. He has been a recurring guest on many comedians' podcasts, including The Joe Rogan Experience, Joey Diaz's The Church of What's Happening Now, The Fighter and the Kid, Bobby Lee's TigerBelly, and The Adam Carolla Show. In 2024, Spotify announced that 'This Past Weekend w/Theo Von was the 4th biggest podcast on their platform globally.{{Cite web |last=Adrian.Covert@groupsjr.com |date=2024-12-04 |title=Revealed: The Top Artists, Songs, Albums, Podcasts, and Audiobooks of 2024 |url=https://newsroom.spotify.com/2024-12-04/top-songs-artists-podcasts-audiobooks-albums-trends-2024/ |access-date=2024-12-11 |website=Spotify}}

In April 2011, Von began his first podcast, The Comedy Sideshow. Taped at the Improv Comedy Club in Hollywood, Von interviewed comedians and other entertainers. The show had 23 episodes, the last of which premiered in November of that year.{{Cite web |title=The Comedy Sideshow with Theo Von |url=https://www.podcasts.com/the-comedy-sideshow-with-theo-von/page/20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190823023653/https://www.podcasts.com/the-comedy-sideshow-with-theo-von/page/20 |archive-date=August 23, 2019 |access-date=August 23, 2019 |website=Podcasts.com}}

In 2015, Von started a weekly podcast with filmmaker/journalist Matthew Cole Weiss called Allegedly with Theo Von & Matthew Cole Weiss. The two friends, whose styles and presentation contrasted, competed to see who had better "alleged" tales of celebrities, hilarity, trauma, dating, success, and failure from their years living in Hollywood. The podcast lasted three years and had a total of 123 episodes.{{Cite web|url=https://player.fm/series/allegedly-with-matthew-cole-weiss-131494/final-episode|title=Final Episode Allegedly With Matthew Cole Weiss podcast|website=player.fm|access-date=August 23, 2019}}

Von began a new podcast in December 2016, This Past Weekend. This long-form video podcast features storytelling, answering fan voicemails, and guest interviews.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=135736|title=This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von|website=stitcher.com|access-date=August 23, 2019}} He released his 200th episode in May 2019.{{Citation|title=Chris Lilley {{!}} This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von #200| date=May 22, 2019 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nID5wAA5RE|access-date=August 23, 2019}}

In December 2018, Von and fellow podcaster/comedian Brendan Schaub started a podcast called King and The Sting. At the podcast's release, it debuted at number 1 on the iTunes Podcast charts in the US and also reached the top charts in the United Kingdom, Canada, Spain, and Australia.{{Cite web|url=http://www.itunescharts.net/us/artists/podcast/brendan-schaub-theo-von/podcasts/king-and-the-sting/|title=iTunesCharts.net: 'King and the Sting' by Brendan Schaub & Theo Von (American Podcasts iTunes Chart)|website=itunescharts.net|access-date=July 9, 2019}}

In January 2022, Schaub and Von added a third host, Chris D'Elia, to King and The Sting, renaming it King and The Sting and Wing.{{Cite news|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sBKljMo52k|title=King and the Sting|work=Youtube|access-date=December 2, 2022}} During this time Von began taking breaks from the podcast, allowing guest-hosts to fill in. On November 4, 2022, King and The Sting and Wing was officially renamed The Golden Hour, with Workaholics actor Erik Griffin replacing Von.{{Cite news|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSuGPPHdF9Y|title=The New Best Hour of the Week|work=Youtube|access-date=December 2, 2022}}

In September 2023, Von publicly accused Kast Media and its CEO Colin Thomson of non-payment, after pro wrestling personality and podcaster Jim Cornette had made similar claims about Kast and Thomson in July. Corresponding accusations were also made by Jason Ellis, Brendan Schaub, Bryan Callen, Whitney Cummings, and Alyx Weiss, each of whom stated they were owed money by Kast Media, including several six-figure and seven-figure shortages. It was reported that Kast Media was in the process of being acquired by PodcastOne and that in lieu of full payment, Thomson offered creators partial compensation combined with stock options. Amid the news, LiveOne and PodcastOne stock dropped considerably and the company no longer planned to officially hire Thomson.{{Cite web |date=2023-07-24 |title=Kast Media accused of "not paying creators" |url=https://podnews.net/update/kast-media-payouts |access-date=2024-01-01 |website=podnews.net}}{{Cite magazine |last=Brooks |first=Dave |date=2023-09-09 |title=PodcastOne Public Listing Collides With Viral Takedown Video From Comedian Theo Von |url=https://www.billboard.com/business/streaming/podcastone-ipo-theo-von-kast-media-1235410014/ |access-date=2024-01-01 |magazine=Billboard}}{{Cite news |last=Carman |first=Ashley |date=2023-09-14 |title=A Fight Over Missing Ad Money Roils the Podcast Industry|work=Bloomberg |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2023-09-14/kast-media-and-podcastone-face-growing-fight-with-angered-creators |access-date=2024-01-01}}{{Cite web |last=Khalid |first=Amrita |date=2023-09-14 |title=Why everyone in the podcast world is mad at Kast Media's Colin Thomson |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/14/23874141/podcast-kast-media-colin-thomson-whitney-cummings-theo-von-one |access-date=2024-01-01 |website=The Verge}}{{Cite magazine |last=Brooks |first=Dave |date=2023-09-28 |title=PodcastOne Paid Brendan Schaub $1.6M, While Other Kast Podcasters Were Asked to Accept Pay Cuts |url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/podcastone-paid-brendan-schaub-but-other-kast-creators-stiffed/ |access-date=2024-01-01 |magazine=Billboard}}

In August 2024, Von interviewed U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, as well as U.S. President and Republican nominee for President Donald Trump.{{Cite web |last=Romano |first=Aja |date=2024-08-23 |title=Theo Von and Donald Trump's unlikely podcast bro tour |url=https://www.vox.com/culture/368563/theo-von-trump-interview-podcast |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=Vox}}{{Cite web |last=Lewis |first=Helen |date=2024-08-23 |title=Trump and the Cocaine Owl |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2024/08/trump-theo-von-this-past-weekend-podcast-cocaine/679589/ |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=The Atlantic}} In October 2024, he interviewed U.S. Senator and future Vice President JD Vance.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vd8mmTDDqAs|title=Sen. JD Vance | This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von #540|date=October 22, 2024|via=YouTube}}

Von has lived in Nashville, Tennessee, since September 2020, after purchasing the home of former Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason.{{Cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkwDbUyWgBk|title=Nashville|date=September 8, 2020|last=|first=|type=video|language=|publisher=This Past Weekend|minutes=4:23-8:59|access-date=September 18, 2020}} Von had an older half-brother, Roland von Kurnatowski Jr., who owned Tipitina's and founded the Tipitina's Foundation; he died in 2019 after an accidental shooting, aged 68.{{Cite magazine | url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/tipitinas-roland-von-kurnatowski-dead-hunting/ | title=Embattled Former Tipitina's Owner Roland Von Kurnatowski Dies in Hunting Accident | magazine=Billboard | date=2019-09-06 | first=Dave | last=Brooks}} Von also has one older brother who is two years his senior, two younger sisters, Rolanda and Whittier{{Cite web | url=https://dwbfilm.com/blog/theo-von-fosters-a-close-bond-with-his-two-younger-sisters/ | title=Theo Von Fosters A Close Bond With His Two Younger Sisters | website=dwbfilm.com| date=April 4, 2024 }} and an older half-sister, Joan, who is an artist.{{Cite web | url=https://barnettfineart.com/artists/joan-hooper-feibelman/ | title=Joan Hooper Feibelman | website=barnettfineart.com}}

• No Offense (Netflix, 2016){{harvnb|Netflix|2018|p=}}
• 30lb Bag of Hamster Bones (2017 album) - on March 6 it placed #1 on the iTunes Comedy Album charts and #4 on Billboard.{{harvnb|Billboard|2018|p=}}
• Regular People (Netflix, 2021)

• The Comedy Sideshow (2011)
• Allegedly with Theo Von & Matthew Cole Weiss (2015–2018)
• This Past Weekend (2016–present){{harvnb|Von|2018|p=}}
• King and The Sting (and Wing) (with Brendan Schaub (2018–2022)

{{reflist}}

Selected work

• {{cite web |last=Billboard|author-link=Billboard|date=2018|url = https://www.billboard.com/music/theo-von/chart-history/comedy-albums/song/1017498|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180522020317/https://www.billboard.com/music/theo-von/chart-history/comedy-albums/song/1017498|url-status = dead|archive-date = May 22, 2018|title =30lb Bag of Hamster Bones|publisher = Billboard| access-date = March 21, 2018 }}
• {{cite web |last=Netflix|author-link=Netflix|date=2018|url = https://www.netflix.com/jp-en/title/80080617|title =No Offense|publisher = Netflix| access-date = March 21, 2018 }}
• {{cite web|last=Von|first=Theo|date=2010|url=http://www.cranktexts.com|title=CrankTexts.com - Text message conversations with total strangers|publisher=cranktexts.com|access-date=March 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100529110946/http://www.cranktexts.com/|archive-date=May 29, 2010|url-status=dead}}

• {{Cite news |last=Caramanica |first=Jon |date=2025-04-23 |title=Theo Von Dismantles the Interview Show |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/23/arts/theo-von-this-past-weekend.html |access-date=2025-04-24 |work=The New York Times }}

• {{Official website}}
• {{IMDb name|0961918}}

{{RoadRules}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Von, Theo}}

Category:21st-century American comedians

Category:1980 births

Category:American male comedians

Category:American people of Irish descent

Category:American people of Italian descent

Category:American people of Nicaraguan descent

Category:American people of Polish descent

Category:American comedy podcasters

Category:American stand-up comedians

Category:College of Charleston alumni

Category:Comedians from Louisiana

Category:Living people

Category:Louisiana State University alumni

Category:Loyola University New Orleans alumni

Category:Road Rules cast members

Category:Participants in American reality television series

Category:Santa Monica College alumni

Category:University of Arizona alumni

Category:University of New Orleans alumni