Adam Ray
{{Short description|Comedian and actor}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{For|the Wisconsin politician|Adam E. Ray}}
{{Distinguish|Adam Rayner}}
{{Infobox comedian
| pre-nominals =
| name = Adam Ray
| image = Adam Ray in Japan, 2018 (cropped).jpg
| caption = Ray performing at Camp Kinser in Okinawa, Japan in 2018
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1982|6|16}}
| birth_place = Seattle, Washington, U.S.
| medium = {{hlist|Stand-up|television|film|podcast}}
| nationality =
| alma_mater = University of Southern California (BFA)
| years_active = 2006–present
| genre = {{hlist|Improvisational comedy|character comedy|sketch comedy|insult comedy|impressions|satire}}
| subject = {{hlist|American culture|American politics|everyday life|pop culture|current events}}
| website = {{url|https://adamraycomedy.com/}}
}}
Adam Ray (born June 16, 1982) is an American comedian, actor, and YouTuber. Since 2023, Ray has regularly performed stand-up and improv comedy under the persona of "Dr. Phil", a parody of "Dr. Phil" McGraw.{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2024/05/character-actor-extraordinaire-comedian-adam-ray-on-the-origins-of-his-viral-digital-series-dr-phil-live-1235914470/ |title=Character Actor Extraordinaire: Comedian Adam Ray On The Origins Of His Viral Digital Series 'Dr. Phil Live!' |last=Grobar |first=Matt |date=May 15, 2024 |work=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=May 23, 2024 |quote=}}
Early life
Ray was raised in Seattle and attended Shorecrest High School.{{Cite web |date=February 2, 2021 |title=Seattle comedian Adam Ray brings celebrity lineup to virtual benefit show for Northwest Harvest |url=https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle-comedian-adam-ray-brings-all-star-lineup-to-virtual-hometown-show/281-0e0634bc-3095-4254-bdcc-e26e341f8db6 |access-date=September 10, 2022 |website=king5.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Wilson |first=P. F. |title=Comedian Adam Ray — of 'American Vandal' — Heads to Liberty Funny Bone |url=https://www.citybeat.com/arts/comedian-adam-ray-of-american-vandal-heads-to-liberty-funny-bone-12165323 |access-date=2022-09-10 |website=Cincinnati CityBeat |language =en}} He is of Jewish descent.{{cite AV media |last=Ray |first=Adam |date=December 4, 2023 |title=Adam Ray on Writing Jokes for Joe Biden, Almost Killing Diane Keaton & Crazy Stand Up Moment |type=Podcast |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/adam-ray-on-writing-jokes-for-joe-biden-almost-killing/id518082771?i=1000637434372 |access-date=July 17, 2024 |publisher=About Last Night |series=734}} He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from University of Southern California.{{Cite web |last=Boros |first=Phyllis A. S. |date=January 17, 2017 |title=Not much time to rest for comic/actor Adam Ray |url=https://www.ctpost.com/entertainment/article/Not-much-time-to-rest-for-comic-actor-Adam-Ray-10856374.php |access-date=September 10, 2022 |website=Connecticut Post |language=en-US}}
Career
Ray joined the YouTube community as "adamraycomedy" and has 506 thousand subscribers with more than 90 million views.{{Cite web|title=adamraycomedy - YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/user/adamray24/about|access-date=April 30, 2024|website=youtube.com}} His voice has been featured in advertisements for McDonald's, Hyundai, Brooks Brothers, the San Diego Zoo Zebra Exhibit, and Burger King.
=Dr. Phil persona=
Image:Adam Ray as Dr. Phil, 26 Aug 2024 02 (cropped).jpg
In 2019, Ray began performing full-length stand-up comedy routines as "Dr. Phil", a parody of "Dr. Phil" McGraw. Ray was playing a character based on McGraw for a pilot episode of a comedy show, and decided to keep wearing the prosthetics while performing at a Laugh Factory. Following positive feedback, Ray began to develop the character, which Ray describes as "a late-night version of a daytime guy". In 2023, Ray began producing monthly shows at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles based around "Dr. Phil" interacting with other comedians, which were then uploaded to Youtube. The shows resulted in a notable increase in attention around Ray as well as an endorsement from McGraw himself.
In November 2024, Netflix aired an Adam Ray comedy special which saw Ray in the Dr. Phil persona meeting Phil McGraw face-to-face as well as interviews with Patton Oswalt and Jay Pharoah.{{cite news |last=Shanfeld |first=Ethan |date=23 October 2024 |title=Adam Ray Sets 'Dr. Phil Live!' Comedy Special at Netflix, Where He'll Interview the Real Dr. Phil |url=https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/adam-ray-dr-phil-live-netflix-special-interview-dr-phil-1236186471/ |work=Variety |location= |access-date=26 October 2024}}
Influences
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ !Year !Title !Role !class="unsortable" | Notes |
| rowspan="2"|2008
| An American Standard | Ryan | Short film |
| The Travis McFarland Club
| Bobby | Short film |
| 2010
| Santa's Xmas Party | Adam | Short film |
| rowspan="2"|2011
| Axe: Dirtcathlon | Angry Italian Chef | Short film |
| Jake Arrives
| Jake | Short film |
| rowspan="2"|2013
| The Heat | LeSoire | |
| Project Tennessee
| Adam | Short film |
| 2014
| Kay Valentine's Day Commercial Parody | Husband | Short film |
| 2015
| Spy | Agent in Jetpack | |
| 2016
| Lead Singer / Slimer (voice) | |
| 2017
| Handsome | Devon | |
| rowspan="2"|2018
| Officer Dan | |
| Second Act
| Technician | |
| 2020
| The Bellmen | Steve | |
| 2021
| Drunk Jerk | |
| 2022
| The School for Good and Evil | Town Tough | |
| rowspan="3"|2023
| Barbie | Policeman | |
| Love Virtually
| Bouncer | |
| Soda
| Bleeding Man | Short film |
| 2024
| Jackpot | Asshole Dad | |
= Television =
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year !Title !Role !class="unsortable" | Notes |
| rowspan="2"|2007
| Episode: "Most Pit!" |
| Nick Cannon Presents: Short Circuitz
| Guy | Episode #1.7 |
| 2008
| Brad | Episode: "The Hot Wife" |
| rowspan="2"|2009
| Ted Sampon: Househusband | Smarm | Episode: "Married... Again!" |
| Drunks Vs. Highs
| High | Television film |
| 2011
| Appleseed Elementary | Principal Cramer | 5 episodes |
| rowspan="3"|2012
| Tony | 2 episodes |
| A Guy Walks Into a Bar
| Bartender | 14 episodes |
| NTSF:SD:SUV::
| Fineman | Episode: "Sabbath-tage" |
| 2012–2013
| Ash Global | Denny | 6 episodes |
| rowspan="2"|2013
| Mark McGrath Dude | Episode: "In Line" |
| Knifeguard
| Ed | Miniseries |
| rowspan="2"|2014
| Johnny / Wife Beater | Episode: "Rixty Minutes" |
| Real Husbands of Hollywood
| Agent | Episode: "Don't Vote for Nick" |
| 2015
| | Episode: "Server Space" |
| rowspan="2"|2016
| | Episode: "Loss" |
| Mad TV
| Various | 8 episodes |
| rowspan="2"|2017
| Alex | 8 episodes |
| Curb Your Enthusiasm
| Uber Driver #2 | Episode: "Namaste" |
| rowspan="4"|2018
| Nobodies | Club Goer | Episode: "Open Dorf Policy" |
| American Vandal
| Officer Joe Crowder | 6 episodes |
| Ballers
| | Episode: "The Kids Are Aight" |
| Trolls: The Beat Goes On!
| Slamm-Oh | Episode: "Party Crashed" |
| 2018–2019
| Al | 3 episodes |
| 2018–2020
| She-Ra and the Princesses of Power | 26 episodes |
| 2019
| Imperial Recruitment Officer / Jambi (voice) | Episode: "Fila Ogden in: Maggie's Got a Full Load" |
| 2019, 2020
| Dilbert Tuxington III / | 3 episodes |
| 2020–2021
| Ruben (voice) | 16 episodes |
| 2020–2022
| Safety Bot | 8 episodes |
| rowspan="5"|2021
| Emcee (voice) | Episode: "Stan Moves to Chicago" |
| Hacks
| Drew Higgins | Episode: "1.69 Million" |
| When Nature Calls with Helen Mirren
| | 2 episodes |
| Archibald's Next Big Thing Is Here!
| Johnny Hawkstorm | Episode: "Johnny Hawkstorm: Two Birds, One Stone" |
| Fairfax
| Jim | Episode: "Dale Hates His Dad" |
| 2021–2023
| 14 episodes |
| rowspan="3"|2022
| Jay Leno | rowspan="2" |3 episodes |
| Gaslit |
| Welcome to Flatch
| Bert | Episode: "The Tri-state Real Estate Conference" |
| rowspan="2"|2022–2023
| Jaques | 2 episodes |
| Welcome to Chippendales
| Larry | 6 episodes |
| 2023
| Host | Episode: "Beyond Repair" |
| 2023–2024
| Dr Phil LIVE! | Dr. Phil | 6 episodes |
| rowspan="2"| 2024
| (voice) | Episode: "Remedial Archeology" |
| Impractical Jokers
| Himself | Guest Joker; Episode: "Tournament of Losers" |
=Video games=
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ !Year !Title !Role |
| rowspan="2"|2013
| Marine |
| Tomb Raider
| Solarii |
References
External links
- {{IMDb name|3066532}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ray, Adam}}
Category:21st-century American comedians
Category:21st-century American male actors
Category:Actors from Washington (state)
Category:American impressionists (entertainers)
Category:American male comedians
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:American stand-up comedians
Category:Comedians from Seattle
Category:Male actors from Washington (state)
Category:University of Southern California alumni
Category:Jewish American comedians
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