Daniel Tosh

{{Infobox comedian

| image = Daniel Tosh (cropped).jpg

| caption = Tosh in 2013

| name = Daniel Tosh

| birth_name = Daniel Dwight ToshLoveline, November 5, 2009

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1975|5|29}}

| birth_place = Boppard, Rhineland-Palatinate, West Germany{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.com/news/2010/apr/21/daniel-tosh-interview |title=Daniel Tosh Interview |publisher=Independent.com |access-date=July 11, 2014}}

| medium = {{hlist|Stand-up|television}}

| active = 1997–present

| alma_mater = University of Central Florida (BS)

| genre = {{hlist|Observational comedy|black comedy|insult comedy|cringe comedy|shock humor|sarcasm|satire}}

| subject = {{hlist|Everyday life|human behavior|social awkwardness|sex|gender differences|racism|current events|pop culture}}

| spouse = {{marriage|Carly Hallam|2016}}

| notable_work = Tosh.0, Brickleberry

| website = {{URL | www.danieltosh.com}}

|children=2}}

Daniel Dwight Tosh (born May 29, 1975){{Cite web |url=http://tosh.comedycentral.com/blog/2013/05/29/happy-birthday-daniel-tosh |title=Happy Birthday, Daniel Tosh! |date=May 29, 2013 |publisher=Tosh.0 Blog |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130710052701/http://tosh.comedycentral.com/blog/2013/05/29/happy-birthday-daniel-tosh |archive-date=July 10, 2013 |access-date=July 11, 2014}} is an American comedian, writer, and producer. After graduating from the University of Central Florida with a degree in marketing, Tosh moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in comedy. His career accelerated in 2001 after a performance on the Late Show with David Letterman. He would go on to appear in other national shows, leading to his own 30-minute special on Comedy Central Presents two years later. From 2009 to 2020, Tosh was the host of Comedy Central series Tosh.0, a showcase of popular Internet video clips with the addition of Tosh's narrative comedic dialogue. Daniel Tosh also went on his own series of comedy tours from 2010 to 2015.

In addition to Tosh.0, he is known for his deliberately offensive and controversial style of black comedy and as the star of stand-up comedy tours and specials.{{cite web | url=http://www.dead-frog.com/comedians/comic/daniel_tosh | title = Daniel Tosh | work = Dead-Frog | access-date = June 17, 2007}}

Early life

Born in Boppard, Rhineland-Palatinate, West Germany to American parents,Daniel Tosh. "Enlightened Garbage." Comedy Central Records, 2005. Tosh grew up in Titusville, Florida, the son of a Presbyterian minister. After graduating from Astronaut High School in 1993, Tosh attended the University of Central Florida, graduating in December 1996 with a degree in marketing.{{cite web|url=http://today.ucf.edu/comedian-daniel-tosh-spotted-at-ucf|title=Comedian Daniel Tosh Spotted at UCF|work=UCF Today|date=April 6, 2011|access-date=February 24, 2014|author=UCF Staff}}

Among his first jobs was a telemarketer at Central Florida Research Park. He said later,

Hey, $15 an hour to annoy people! I really was not preparing myself for the future at all. I had interviews lined up. I sat through one real interview and I was like, 'I wouldn't hire me.' I left halfway through the orientation. That's the closest thing I ever got to a real job.{{cite web|url=http://www.centralfloridafuture.com/daniel-tosh-from-lake-claire-to-comedy-central-1.2056621|title=Daniel Tosh: From Lake Claire to Comedy Central|publisher=Central Florida Future|date=November 8, 2009|access-date=August 5, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708131950/http://www.centralfloridafuture.com/daniel-tosh-from-lake-claire-to-comedy-central-1.2056621|archive-date=July 8, 2011}}

Tosh moved to Los Angeles, but attributes his decision to work in comedy to being raised in Florida, which he considers "flat, hot, and dumb."{{cite web|url=http://dailycollegian.com/2010/10/26/daniel-tosh-of-tosh-o-touring-this-way|title=Daniel Tosh of Tosh.O Touring This Way|work=The Massachusetts Daily Collegian|access-date=September 3, 2017}}

Career

Tosh started touring the comedy club circuit almost immediately after graduating from college. He appeared as one of the "New Faces" at the 1998 Just for Laughs in Montreal. His act was televised in 2000 in Montreal at the Théâtre Saint-Denis.{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.com/news/2010/apr/21/daniel-tosh-interview|title=Daniel Tosh Interview|newspaper=Santa Barbara Independent|date=April 10, 2010|access-date=July 24, 2010}}

Tosh's career break came in 2001 with a performance on the Late Show with David Letterman. He made appearances on programs such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and Comedy Central's Premium Blend.{{cite news|url=http://www.americansuperstarmag.com/comedy/Jan07/Daniel_Tosh.php|title=Over The Edge With Daniel Tosh|first=Jessamyn|last=Cuneo|work=American Superstar Magazine|date=January 2007|access-date=June 17, 2007}} He hosted a local late-night comedy show in Florida called Tens,{{cite web|url=http://ke4qpf.com/wami/Legend3.htm |title=The Legend of WAMI-TV|publisher=Ke4qpf.com|access-date=July 11, 2014}}WAMI-DT and served as a spokesman in Taco Bell commercials.{{cite news|title=This Week's Day-by-Day Picks|newspaper=Houston Press|date=March 27, 2003|url=http://www.houstonpress.com/2003-03-27/calendar/this-week-s-day-by-day-picks|access-date=January 28, 2010}}

Tosh has been a regular guest on radio shows such as The Bob & Tom Show, Loveline, and Kevin and Bean. In 2003, he performed in his own 30-minute special on Comedy Central Presents. On June 17, 2007, Comedy Central aired his stand-up special: Daniel Tosh: Completely Serious. He hosted an episode of Comedy Central's Live at Gotham.{{Cite web |date=2008-07-25 |title=Daniel Tosh – Live at Gotham (Season 3, Episode 7) - Apple TV (AU) |url=https://tv.apple.com/au/episode/daniel-tosh/umc.cmc.3vmfftwzoprg2ai6vns9k154i?showId=umc.cmc.16o2cdcowmdg7u36atoyi6wun |access-date=2024-10-10 |website=Apple TV |language=en-AU}}

Tosh appeared in an episode of MTV's Punk'd as a criminal who broke into Mekhi Phifer's car.{{cite web|title=Punk'd Season 3 Episode 6|website=MTV|url=http://www.mtv.com/videos/punkd-season-3-episode-6/1557357/playlist.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090727131621/http://www.mtv.com/videos/punkd-season-3-episode-6/1557357/playlist.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 27, 2009|access-date=June 5, 2013}} He played a fictional version of himself on "Elevator" produced by HBO's Runawaybox{{cite AV media|title=Daniel Tosh Elevator – YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fg9rG_tc4t4 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/Fg9rG_tc4t4 |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|access-date=November 6, 2015}}{{cbignore}} and had a small role as Cowboy Hat in the feature film The Love Guru starring Mike Myers. Of his own acting ability, Tosh says, "I'm not a good actor. I can play myself, and a much gayer version of myself. That's about my range."

Tosh said he planned to end his career on his 38th birthday, May 29, 2013, if he had not by that time succeeded as a comedian. He said he would do this by committing suicide or retiring to the beach.{{cite news |url=http://www.denverpost.com/entertainment/ci_11733939?source=rss#ixzz10JfSlGrp|title=Daniel Tosh's jokes sneak up on you while you're already laughing|author=John Wenzel|date=February 20, 2009|newspaper=The Denver Post|access-date=September 22, 2010}}{{cite news|url=https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/AT-THE-TOP-OF-HIS-STAND-UP-GAME-2524839.php|title=At The Top of His Stand-up Game|author=Delfin Vigil|date=August 26, 2007|work=sfgate.com|publisher=San Francisco Chronicle |access-date=September 22, 2010}} He kept a countdown clock on his website that gave the number of days, minutes, and seconds until his 38th birthday which is when "Daniel's Groundhog Day Ends," a reference to the Bill Murray film. Tosh has described a comic's routine life on the road as "Groundhog Day".

His special, Daniel Tosh: Happy Thoughts, premiered on Comedy Central on March 6, 2011, with 3.25 million viewers and a 1.9/5 share.{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2011/tv/news/idol-powers-weekly-fox-rout-1118033597/|title='Idol' powers weekly Fox rout|last=Kissell|first=Rick|date=March 9, 2011|work=Variety|access-date=March 11, 2011}} It was later released on DVD.

Tosh was an executive producer of, and the voice of "Malloy" in, the Comedy Central animated sitcom Brickleberry. The show was cancelled after three seasons on January 7, 2015.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2015/tv/news/brickleberry-comedy-central-cancelled-1201395209|title='Brickleberry' Cancelled By Comedy Central After Three Seasons|author=Elizabeth Wagmeister|work=Variety|date=January 7, 2015}}

In 2012, Tosh was criticized for an interaction with a female audience member during a set at a Hollywood comedy club. After telling a series of jokes about rape, an audience member remarked that "rape jokes are never funny". Tosh responded by saying it would be funny if the audience member herself were raped by “five guys.”{{cite news |last1=Gibson |first1=Caitlin |title=Yes, you can tell a feminist rape joke. This website just showed us how. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2016/08/18/yes-there-is-a-right-way-to-tell-a-rape-joke-this-feminist-blog-just-showed-us-how/ |access-date=22 July 2018 |agency=The Washington Post |date=2016-08-18}} The exchange prompted a lengthy debate over the appropriateness of jokes about rape.{{cite news |last1=Bassist |first1=Elisa |title=Why Daniel Tosh's 'Rape Joke' at the Laugh Factory Wasn't Funny |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/why-daniel-toshs-rape-joke-at-the-laugh-factory-wasnt-funny |access-date=22 July 2018 |agency=The Daily Beast |date=2012-07-11}}{{cite news |last1=Romano |first1=Aja |title=Why Hannah Gadsby's searing comedy special Nanette has upended comedy for good |url=https://www.vox.com/culture/2018/7/5/17527478/hannah-gadsby-nanette-comedy |access-date=22 July 2018 |agency=Vox.com |date=2018-07-05}} Tosh later apologized for the joke.{{cite news |last1=Zinoman |first1=Jason |title=Toe-to-Toe at the edge of the Comedy Club Stage |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/18/arts/television/when-the-comic-and-the-heckler-both-take-offense.html |access-date=22 July 2018 |agency=New York Times |date=2012-07-17}}

In 2013, Forbes estimated Tosh's net worth at $11 million, tied for ninth place in its list of all top-earning comedians whose income is primarily from stage ticket sales.{{cite magazine|title=The Top-Earning Comedians of 2013|magazine=Forbes|url=https://www.forbes.com/pictures/eimi45ldg/no-9-daniel-tosh-tie|access-date=November 6, 2015}}

=''Tosh.0''=

Tosh's Comedy Central television show Tosh.0 premiered on June 5, 2009, based on showcasing Internet video clips.{{cite news | url = https://variety.com/2009/scene/markets-festivals/push-for-tosh-at-comedy-central-1118000904/ | title = Push for Tosh at Comedy Central | work = Variety | access-date = March 13, 2009 | first=Daniel | last=Frankel | date=March 5, 2009}} His mocking humor is described as "envelope pushing" and frequently features punchlines that are intentionally self-deprecating, racist, sexist, or homophobic. Tosh's explanation of his non-politically correct humor is "I'm not a misogynistic and racist person...But I do find those jokes funny, so I say them."{{cite web|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/01/05/daniel-tosh-defends-jokes/|title=Daniel Tosh at TCA: 'I'm not sexist or racist, I just like the jokes'|work=ew.com}}

= Tosh Show =

In November 2023, Tosh started a podcast called Tosh Show on YouTube and Apple Podcasts. He uses a common podcast format, featuring guests in studio, with Eddie, his neighbour from Tahoe that also co-created Tosh.0, behind the camera that chimes in, and video clips from the internet. He announced the podcast on November 7, and the first episode came out on November 14, with new episodes every Tuesday.{{Citation |title=Tosh Show Episode 1 - My wife's gynecologist | date=November 14, 2023 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDnJBeBC_XY |access-date=2023-11-20 |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2023-11-14 |title=Tosh Show on Apple Podcasts |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tosh-show/id1715463842 |access-date=2023-11-20 |website=Apple Podcasts |language=en-US}}

Personal life

Tosh has one brother and two sisters.{{cite web | url = http://www.danieltosh.com/bio.html | title = Biography | work = DanielTosh.com | access-date = June 17, 2007 | archive-date = June 6, 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070606043901/http://www.danieltosh.com/bio.html | url-status = dead }} Tosh has stated that he has social anxiety and that he has disfavored public speaking.[http://kroq.cbslocal.com/2011/01/11/kb-podcast-tuesday-january-11th-daniel-tosh/ Kevin and Bean] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629154903/http://kroq.cbslocal.com/2011/01/11/kb-podcast-tuesday-january-11th-daniel-tosh/ |date=June 29, 2016 }}, January 11, 2011{{cite web|url=http://punchlinemagazine.com/daniel-tosh-life-in-the-tosh-pit/|title=Daniel Tosh: Life in the Tosh Pit|last=Gadino|first=Dylan|date=November 7, 2005|work=Punchline Magazine|access-date=June 2, 2011|quote=I've always had a social anxiety. I'm not a huge fan of speaking in front of people..}} He married writer Carly Hallam on April 17, 2016 at a private ceremony in Malibu, California.{{Cite news|url=https://people.com/tv/daniel-tosh-quietly-married-carly-hallam|title=Daniel Tosh Quietly Married Tosh.0 Writer Carly Hallam: Report|work=People|first=Jodi|last=Guglielmi|date=June 28, 2018|access-date=June 28, 2018|language=en}} They have two children.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDnJBeBC_XY|title= Tosh Show Episode 1 - My wife's gynecologist] In 2018, Tosh lost his home in the Woolsey Fire.{{cite web | url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZI9iqNeN3rU&t=546 | title=My Airstream Guy - Scott | Tosh Show | website=YouTube | date=April 16, 2024 }}

=Philanthropy=

Tosh has participated in a show for the family of deceased comedian Greg Giraldo and for Alabama disaster relief.Zimbio, [http://www.zimbio.com/Greg+Giraldo/articles/csOnfm5DMX4/Daniel+Tosh+Joins+perform+Raise+Money+Greg Daniel Tosh Joins perform Raise Money for Greg Giraldo's Family], July 3, 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2011/05/daniel-tosh-on-alabama-tornado-disaster-god-hates-nick-saban/|title=Daniel Tosh on Alabama Tornado Disaster: God Hates Nick Saban!|author=k.e.|work=The Hollywood Gossip|date=May 19, 2011}}

He has hosted an annual stand-up show called "Tosh Saves The World" which has featured comedians such as Bo Burnham, Chelsea Peretti, Hannibal Buress and Kumail Nanjiani, with the proceeds going to various charities."Portland Monthly Mag", [http://www.portlandmonthlymag.com/events/tosh-saves-the-world-comedy-show/ Tosh Saves the World Comedy Show] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141030234325/http://www.portlandmonthlymag.com/events/tosh-saves-the-world-comedy-show |date=October 30, 2014 }}, November 2012

Reception

In 2011, Forbes reported that Tosh's 60-date nationwide stand-up tour was sold out.{{cite magazine | title=Tosh.0's Daniel Tosh Pushes The Envelope... Further | first=Lacey | last=Rose | date=January 5, 2011 | magazine=Forbes | url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/laceyrose/2011/01/05/tosh-0s-daniel-tosh-pushes-the-envelope-further/ | access-date=November 6, 2015}} In 2014, he performed sold out shows at an average ticket price at $161.94, according to Forbes.{{cite magazine | title=Dave Chappelle Tickets For NYC Run Second Most Expensive Comedy Tour Of 2014 | first=Jesse | last=Lawrence | date=June 17, 2014 | magazine=Forbes | url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jesselawrence/2014/06/17/dave-chappelle-tickets-for-nyc-run-second-most-expensive-comedy-tour-of-2014/ | access-date=November 6, 2015}}{{cite web | title=REVIEW: Tosh talks back | first=Carly | last=Weber | date=January 21, 2014 | publisher=Hoopla | url=http://www.hooplanow.com/2013/06/06/review-tosh-talks-back | access-date=November 6, 2015 | archive-date=November 17, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117032837/http://www.hooplanow.com/2013/06/06/review-tosh-talks-back | url-status=dead }}

Discography

True Stories I Made Up (Compact Disc, 2005)
Completely Serious (DVD, 2007)
Happy Thoughts (CD/DVD, March 8, 2011)
People Pleaser (April 19, 2016)

=Tours=

"Tosh Tour Twenty Ten" (2010)
"Tosh Tour On Ice" (2011)
"Tosh Tour Twenty Twelve" (2012)
"Tosh Tour June Gloom" (2013)
"The Great Nor'easter Tour" (2015)
"Florida Trash" (2022)
"Daniel Tosh Live" (2025)

Filmography

class="wikitable" style="margin:1em 0;"
style="background:#b0c4de;" ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes
1998	Sins of the City	DJ Dog Man	Episode: "Rave On"
2003	Comedy Central Presents	Himself	Stand-up Special
2004	Punk'd	Criminal	Episode: "3.6"
2007	Daniel Tosh: Completely Serious	Himself	Stand-up Special
rowspan="3"\| 2008	The Love Guru	Cowboy Hat
Live at Gotham	Himself (host)	Episode: "3.8"
The Life & Times of Tim	Theo (voice)	Episode: "Theo Strikes Back/Amy Gets Wasted"
2009–2020	Tosh.0	Himself (host)	Also co-creator, writer, executive producer
rowspan="2"\| 2011	\|Daniel Tosh: Happy Thoughts	Himself	Stand-up Special
Dave's Old Porn	Himself	Episode: "1.3"
2012–2015	Brickleberry	Malloy (voice)	36 episodes; also executive producer
2016	Daniel Tosh: People Pleaser	Himself	Stand-up Special
2020	Paradise PD	Malloy (voice)	Episode: "Paradise PD Meets Brickleberry"
2024	The GOAT	Host	10 Episodes