Draft:Jeff Klinger

Jeff Klinger is an American comedian based in Los Angeles, known for his contributions to the Chicago comedy scene and his work on Comedy Central.

Jeff Klinger was born on February 7 in Brooklyn, NY, and attended school in Salt Lake City. After moving to Chicago, he wrote, produced, and directed several short films, including "Thanks Tony!" which premiered at the Chicago Comedy Shorts Film Festival. Klinger taught a successful stand-up comedy class to children at the Village Players Theater. He set a personal record with a 16-week, non-stop tour and participated in various comedy festivals such as the Chicago Comedy Festival, Bridgetown Comedy Festival, and Bentzen Ball. In 2009, he was selected for the NACA national convention, a significant honor for comedians performing for major universities. He frequently performs stand-up in Los Angeles at venues like The Comedy and Magic Club in Hermosa Beach, The Improv, Largo, and the Upright Citizens Brigade.

Jeff Klinger played a pivotal role in developing the alt-comedy scene in Chicago, particularly through his involvement with the Lyons Den. According to Mike Bridenstine's book "The Perfect Amount of Wrong," Klinger helped revitalize the Three-Ring Circus comedy show by focusing exclusively on stand-up and introducing established comedians, known as "ringers," to improve the quality of performances. Alongside Tim Adamz and Dan Kaufman, Klinger transformed the Three-Ring Circus into a prominent showcase for emerging talent.

Notable comedians such as T.J. Miller, Kumail Nanjiani, and Kyle Kinane emerged from this incubator, benefiting from the supportive environment Klinger helped create. George Carlin, a legendary comedian, once dropped in and complimented Klinger, calling him "one of the most entertaining and interesting comedians today." Klinger’s strategic changes, such as seating arrangements to enhance audience engagement, significantly contributed to the success of the Lyons Den and the careers of many comedians.

Klinger was a Last Comic Standing Quarter Finalist and a Comedy Central’s Laugh Riots Semi-Finalist for three years in a row. He starred alongside Daniel Tosh in the original pilot for Comedy Central's Tosh.0 and appeared on the one-hour special "Mashup" on Comedy Central, which led to his appearance on the show when it was picked up to series.

Television Appearances PBS - “The Cheap Show” WTTW (Chicago) - “Ben Around Town” (featured with Larry Reeb) Comedy Central - “Mash Up” “Man Up, Stand-Up”

External Links [Official Website](http://www.jeffklinger.com/) [Stand-Up Snippets on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=jeff+klinger+comedy+time) [Jeff Klinger on IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3889169/)