Jake Johannsen

{{Infobox person

| name = Jake Johannsen

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1960|7|28}}

| birth_place = Iowa City, Iowa, U.S.

| spouse = Belinda Waymouth

| children = 1

}}

Jake Johannsen (born July 28, 1960) is an American comedian, writer, and actor.

Early life

Johannsen attended Iowa State University in the early 1980s, originally majoring in veterinary medicine, and then later changing to chemical engineering. He left after three years in college and relocated to San Francisco, California, in order to pursue a career in comedy. Johannsen made his debut at Cobb's Comedy Club in San Francisco, and by 1986 had won the 11th Annual San Francisco International Comedy Competition.{{cite web|url=http://www.dead-frog.com/comedians/comic/jake_johannsen/|title=Jake Johannsen - Stand-Up Comedy Database - Dead-Frog - A Comedy Blog|website=Dead-Frog - A Comedy Blog}}

Career

During the 1990s, Johannsen starred in his own HBO comedy special, This'll Take About an Hour,{{cite journal|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1102476.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102203226/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1102476.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 November 2012|title=CABLE LINKS; Jake Johannsen Offers About an Hour's Worth of Laughs|date=29 December 1991}} which was listed as one of the Ten Best Television Shows by People Magazine in 1992. In 1994, he was nominated as "Best Male Stand-Up Comedian" for the 1994 American Comedy Awards.{{cite web|url=http://www.bluemoontalent.com/jake-johannsen.html|title=Blue Moon Talent - Corporate Event Entertainment and event management services at Blue Moon Talent - Visit us at bluemoontalent.com|website=www.bluemoontalent.com}}

According to Jerry Seinfeld, Johannsen was originally wanted for the role of George Costanza in Seinfeld, but he refused the part.{{cite web|url=http://www.accesshollywood.com/how-did-jerry-seinfeld-go-about-casting-seinfeld-2004_video_1415714|title=How Did Jerry Seinfeld Go About Casting Seinfeld? (2004)|website=Access Online}}

In 2010, Johannsen starred in his second Comedy Special titled I Love You, which aired on Showtime and was directed and produced by The Aristocrats editor Emery Emery.

Johannsen also was the star headliner of the inaugural Iowa Comedy Festival.{{cite web|url=http://www.iacomedyfest.wordpress.com|title=Comedy Guy Entertainment, LLC|website=Comedy Guy Entertainment, LLC}} Johannsen performed October 16, 2010, at People's Court in downtown Des Moines to cap off the four-day event.

Johannsen is a favorite of David Letterman and made the all time record of 46 appearances as the featured Friday night comic on the Late Show with David Letterman.