Daniel O'Brien (comedian)

{{infobox writer

| name = Daniel O'Brien

| pseudonym = DOB

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1986|1|6|mf=yes}}

| birth_place = Hazlet, New Jersey

| occupation = Writer, actor, comedian, humorist, author, songwriter

| language = English

| nationality = American

| education =

| alma_mater = Rutgers University

| genre = Humor

| subject = pop culture, history

| movement =

| notableworks = How to Fight Presidents

| influences =

| influenced =

| awards =

| signature =

| signature_alt =

| website =

| portaldisp =

}}

Daniel O'Brien (born January 6, 1986), also known as "DOB",{{cite web|title=Daniel O'Brien on Earwolf|url=http://www.earwolf.com/person/daniel-obrien/|website=www.earwolf.com|access-date=22 January 2018}} is an American humorist, author, writer, actor, comedian and songwriter; formerly for Cracked.com. In August 2018, O'Brien started as a staff writer on the HBO show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, and is currently a senior writer. In 2019 through 2024 he was part of the writing team that won six Emmy Awards for Outstanding Writing on a Variety Series.{{cite web|url=https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2020/outstanding-writing-for-a-variety-series|title=Outstanding Writing For A Variety Series - 2020|date=September 20, 2020|publisher= Television Academy and Academy of Television Arts & Sciences |access-date=September 28, 2020}}

Early life

Daniel grew up in Hazlet, New Jersey, where he attended Raritan High School. He later attended Rutgers University in New Jersey.{{cite web|url=https://njmonthly.com/articles/jersey-living/njm-qa-daniel-obrien/|title=NJM Q&A: Daniel O'Brien|date=April 10, 2014|publisher= New Jersey Monthly |access-date=February 8, 2018}} His college job as a bartender was the inspiration for his unpublished online novel, Bartender.{{cite web |year= 2010|url=http://obrienfiction.blogspot.com/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207180001/http://obrienfiction.blogspot.com/|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 7, 2013|title = About Bartender|publisher = obrienfiction.blogspot.com| access-date = November 30, 2010 | last=O'Brien| first= Daniel }} His uncle was actor Skip O'Brien.{{cite AV media|url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-local-history/id1464056693?i=1000564239019|people=Daniel O'Brien, Soren Bowie|title=A Local History|type=podcast|series=Quick Question (with Soren & Dan)|date=May 27, 2022}}

''Cracked'' writer

In 2007, O'Brien started working for Cracked.com as senior writer and editor.{{cite web|year=2010 |url=http://www.cracked.com/members/daniel. |title=Daniel |publisher=Cracked.com |access-date=November 30, 2010 |last=O'Brien |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101004034940/http://www.cracked.com/members/Daniel. |archive-date=October 4, 2010 }} O'Brien has written over 200 articles for the site that have been seen more than 50 million times.{{cite magazine |year= 2012|url = https://www.forbes.com/sites/ryanholiday/2012/04/16/exclusive-how-comedian-daniel-obrien-turned-one-joke-into-a-major-book-deal/|title = EXCLUSIVE: How Comedian Daniel O'Brien Turned One Joke Into A Major Book Deal |magazine = Forbes.com| access-date = April 18, 2012}} Starting around 2009, his articles on Cracked were published as a column called "Dan Dan Revolution".{{Cite web |last=O'Brien |first=Daniel |title=Dan Dan Revolution |url=http://www.cracked.com/blog/author/dan-obrien/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090331203124/http://www.cracked.com/blog/author/dan-obrien/ |archive-date=March 31, 2009 |website=Cracked}}{{Cite web |last=O'Brien |first=Daniel |title=Columnists Archive - Dan Dan Revolution |url=http://www.cracked.com/blog/author/dan-obrien/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160327094546/http://www.cracked.com/blog/author/daniel.?date_year=2016&date_month=March |archive-date=March 27, 2016 |website=Cracked}}

O'Brien's writing encompasses a range from politics to pop culture. O'Brien mocked himself, such as in the sketch "Mug of Pens: The Coffee Mug (For Your Pens)",{{cite web |url=http://www.cracked.com/video_17155_mug-pens-coffee-mug-for-pens.html |author=O'Brien, Dan |date=March 15, 2009 |title=Mug of Pens |publisher=Cracked.com |access-date=April 20, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130329145551/http://www.cracked.com/video_17155_mug-pens-coffee-mug-for-pens.html |archive-date=March 29, 2013 }} which also became popular on YouTube.{{cite web|title=Mug of Pens: The Coffee Mug (For Your Pens)| website=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7AnMQtVZ9A |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/S7AnMQtVZ9A |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|access-date=22 January 2018|date=16 March 2009}}{{cbignore}} He presents a fictional persona as a socially awkward pop culture enthusiast who openly admits to loving fictional characters, including Spider-Man, far more than his real friends. O'Brien has written about Spider-Man several times, such as "Proposed Script for Spider-Man 4: The Grittiest Reboot Ever",{{cite web|url=http://www.cracked.com/blog/my-spider-man-4-script/ |author=O'Brien, Daniel |date=January 15, 2010 |title=Proposed Script for Spider-Man 4: The Grittiest Reboot Ever |publisher=Cracked.com |access-date=April 20, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130329223611/http://www.cracked.com/blog/my-spider-man-4-script/ |archive-date=March 29, 2013 }} "Why Spider-Man Is a Dick",{{cite web|url=http://www.cracked.com/blog/why-spider-man-dick/ |author=O'Brien, Daniel |date=November 5, 2010 |title=Why Spider-Man Is a Dick |publisher=Cracked.com |access-date=April 20, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130330013928/http://www.cracked.com/blog/why-spider-man-dick/ |archive-date=March 30, 2013 }} and "3 Insane Spider-Man Movies You Won't Believe Almost Got Made".{{cite web|url=http://www.cracked.com/blog/3-insane-spider-man-movies-you-wont-believe-almost-got-made/ |author=O'Brien, Daniel |date=March 22, 2013 |title=3 Insane Spider-Man Movies You Won't Believe Almost Got Made |publisher=Cracked.com |access-date=April 20, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130327020040/http://www.cracked.com/blog/3-insane-spider-man-movies-you-wont-believe-almost-got-made/ |archive-date=March 27, 2013 }}

On December 4, 2017, after 10 years of working with Cracked, O'Brien tweeted, "I no longer work for Cracked.com." following the extensive staff layoffs at Cracked.

''Agents of Cracked'' and ''Cracked After Hours''

O'Brien and Michael Swaim had become the faces of Cracked, after starring in its many original web series like Agents of Cracked and Cracked After Hours.[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/crackedcom-adding-two-web-series-22232 Cracked.com adding two Web series] The Hollywood Reporter, 4/2010 "Comedy Web site Cracked.com is working on ... "After Hours," created by Dan O'Brien and Jack O'Brien (no relation)"{{cite web |date=July 31, 2010|url = http://www.thenervousbreakdown.com/dobrien/2010/07/21-questions-with-daniel-obrien/ |title = 21 Questions with Daniel O'Brien |publisher = thenervousbreakdown.com| access-date = November 27, 2010 | last=O'Brien| first= Daniel }}{{cite news |date= February 4, 2010|url = http://www.huffingtonpost.com/greg-boose/talking-comedy-and-distur_b_426288.html|title = Talking Comedy and Disturbing YouTube Clips with Cracked.com's Michael Swaim|work = The Huffington Post| access-date = November 27, 2010 | last=Boose| first= Greg}}

Agents of Cracked premiered in November 2009, and the first 13 episodes were viewed nearly 4 million times.{{cite web |date=October 26, 2010 |url=http://www.asylum.com/2010/10/26/agents-of-cracked/ |title='Agents of Cracked' Infiltrating the Interwebs One Video at a Time |publisher=asylum.com |access-date=November 30, 2010 |last=Gould |first=Wendy Rose |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101030030217/http://www.asylum.com/2010/10/26/agents-of-cracked/ |archive-date=October 30, 2010 |df=mdy-all }}{{cite web |year= 2010|url = https://www.espn.com/espn/page2/index?id=5718648|title = Why are there are no sport's in the 'Agents of Cracked?'|publisher = ESPN| access-date = November 30, 2010 | last=Watson| first= Adam }} After its first season, the series won the Audience Choice Award at the 2010 Streamy Awards.{{cite web|url=http://www.streamys.org/2010/04/12/winners-of-the-2nd-annual-streamy-awards/ |title=Winners of the 2nd Annual Streamy Awards |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101029104715/http://www.streamys.org/2010/04/12/winners-of-the-2nd-annual-streamy-awards/ |archive-date=October 29, 2010 }} Agents of Cracked was renewed in October 2010 and ran for another 13 episodes, followed the next year by a third season of 10 episodes.{{cite web |date=October 6, 2010 |url=http://www.monstersandcritics.com/smallscreen/news/article_1589360.php/Agents-of-Cracked-back-for-season-two-preview |title=Agents of Cracked back for season two, preview |publisher=Monsters and Critics |access-date=November 30, 2010 |last=MacIntyre |first=April |quote=Agents of Cracked is Cracked.com's first original web series created by Abe Epperson, Dan O'Brien and Michael Swaim, three of Cracked's most popular and recognizable personalities. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101007111131/http://www.monstersandcritics.com/smallscreen/news/article_1589360.php/Agents-of-Cracked-back-for-season-two-preview |archive-date=October 7, 2010 |df=mdy }}{{failed verification|date=April 2015}} To date, the series has been seen more than 20 million times.

Some of the material that ends up in the Agents of Cracked is based on real events, including an incident where Dan is confronted by Secret Service after writing an article titled "How to Kidnap the President's Daughter."

O'Brien also co-wrote, produced and acted in Cracked's series Cracked After Hours, which has been seen more than 15 million times and was the host of Cracked's video series "Obsessive Pop-Culture Disorder" and, as an actor, played secondary characters in various webseries of the site.

Other work

O'Brien continues to work on other projects. In 2012, he revealed an upcoming book entitled How To Fight Presidents, which was purchased by Crown Publishing Group (Random House). This followed such articles as "The 5 Most Badass presidents of All-Time"{{cite web|url=http://www.cracked.com/article_15895_the-5-most-badass-presidents-all-time.html |author=O'Brien, Daniel |date=February 15, 2008 |title=The 5 Most Badass Presidents of All-Time |publisher=Cracked.com |access-date=April 20, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130331152132/http://www.cracked.com/article_15895_the-5-most-badass-presidents-all-time.html |archive-date=March 31, 2013 }} and "How to Fight Andrew Jackson: The Deadliest President Ever"{{cite web|url=http://www.cracked.com/blog/how-to-fight-andrew-jackson-deadliest-president-ever/ |author=O'Brien, Daniel |date=February 17, 2012 |title=How to Fight Andrew Jackson: The Deadliest President Ever |publisher=Cracked.com |access-date=April 20, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130330024243/http://www.cracked.com/blog/how-to-fight-andrew-jackson-deadliest-president-ever/ |archive-date=March 30, 2013 }} The book was published March 18, 2014, full title How to Fight Presidents: Defending Yourself Against the Badasses Who Ran This Country{{cite web|url=https://www.app.com/story/entertainment/books/2014/11/30/daniel-obrien-fight-presidents/19522305/|title=Daniel O'Brien on 'How to Fight Presidents'|access-date=February 8, 2018}} and was illustrated by Winston Rowntree.{{cite book|title=Amazon.com: How to Fight Presidents: Defending Yourself Against the Badasses Who Ran This Country (9780385347570): Daniel O'Brien, Winston Rowntree: Books|isbn=978-0385347570 |last1=O'Brien |first1=Daniel |date=March 18, 2014 |publisher=Crown }}{{Better source needed|reason=Probably should just use ISBN magic instead linking directly to Amazon|date=April 2015}} The book, in addition to analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of every dead president through Reagan, includes a brief summary of their life and term as president and goes into some detail, much of it speculative,{{cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/20qm7a/i_am_daniel_obrien_the_head_writer_of_crackedcom/cg6016k|title=I Am Daniel O'Brien, the Head Writer of Cracked.com and author of How to Fight Presidents. Ask Me Anything! • /r/IAmA|date=March 18, 2014 }} concerning the genitals of said presidents.{{cite web|url=http://blog.howtofightpresidents.com/2014/01/heres-what-people-are-saying-about-how-to-fight-presidents/#.U03wUPldWSo |title=How to Fight Presidents |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140416175408/http://blog.howtofightpresidents.com/2014/01/heres-what-people-are-saying-about-how-to-fight-presidents/ |archive-date=April 16, 2014 |df=mdy }} O'Brien uses a conversational tone and breaks the fourth wall repeatedly by referencing himself directly and by praising himself and the book in the third person.

He was also a writer and editor on Cracked's The New York Times bestselling book You Might Be a Zombie and Other Bad News. He was also featured on the History Channel's Your Bleeped Up Brain{{cite news|url=http://thisdanobrien.tumblr.com/post/56806952225/watch-your-bleeped-up-brain-on-the-history|title=Watch YOUR BLEEPED UP BRAIN on the History... – This Dan O'Brien|newspaper=Tumblr }} and in the music video for "The OCDance!" by Rachel Bloom.{{Cite Video|url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ug19JBIIycs |title=The OCDance! - Rachel Bloom |date=September 23, 2014 |type=Music Video}}

In August 2018 O'Brien announced he was hired as a staff writer on the HBO show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.{{Cite news|url=https://twitter.com/DOB_INC/status/1033099204086751233|title=Daniel O'Brien on Twitter|work=Twitter|access-date=2018-09-10|language=en}}

In May 2019 O'Brien launched a free weekly podcast with friend and former Cracked coworker Soren Bowie, called [https://qqwithsorenanddaniel.podbean.com/ Quick Question With Soren And Daniel], during which they discuss random topics by asking each other questions.

O'Brien and his fellow writers for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver have won five Emmys for 'Outstanding Writing on a Variety Series' {{Cite web|url=https://www.emmys.com/bios/daniel-obrien|title=Nominees/Winners|website=Television Academy|language=en|access-date=2019-09-24}}