It's pretty obvious where you can find comedian Bobby Moynihan on most Saturday nights: Onstage at the famed Studio 8H inside 30 Rockefeller Center, where "Saturday Night Live" has generated belly laughs for more than three decades.
The 32-year-old Eastchester native is in the middle of his third season on the legendary late-night series, having most notably impressed audiences with hysterical imitations of "Jersey Shore" star Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi and Food Network personality Guy Fieri.
He's also done memorable sketches with many of the A-listers who have populated the show since he joined the cast in 2008: Ben Stiller, Ben Affleck, Anne Hathaway, Drew Barrymore, Megan Fox, Seth Rogen, Tina Fey, Bill Murray and James Franco, to name a few.
But more often, Moynihan says that fans recognize him for his first recurring "SNL" character, Mark Payne, a disastrous, pepper-loving waiter at Pizzeria Uno.
"I don't understand it," he says. "The craziest thing in the world is that there's 10 videos on YouTube of kids, ranging from 5 to 13, reciting the entire 'Pepper' sketch."
Moynihan is hardly an overnight success, however. After studying acting at the University of Connecticut, he spent years honing his improv skills with Manhattan's Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, co-founded by "SNL" alumni and "Parks and Recreation" star Amy Poehler. He also gained notice with performances on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" and in ESPN commercials.
"It's so funny, people are like, 'You got this big break out of nowhere,'" he says. "But I've been doing comedy for years, trying really, really hard to get here."
So what don't you know about this wisecracker? Read on to learn 10 other fun facts about Bobby Moynihan.
1. He recently reprised the role of Vinny Vedecci Jr., the son of Bill Hader's Italian talk show host. What was so nerve-wracking about this particular skit? He had to threaten guest host — and movie tough-guy — Robert De Niro.
2. Moynihan slipped into a leotard and pantyhose as a backup dancer in the show's hilarious parody of Beyonce's iconic "Single Ladies" video, along with Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg. Postings of the spoof have generated more than 40 million views so far on YouTube.
3. He spent two years preparing for his first — unsuccessful — "SNL" audition. When he finally got a call to audition again, he had only four days to write all-new material — which clearly worked like a charm.
4. He cried "like a baby" when announcer Don Pardo said his name live for the first time after he joined the show in 2008.
5. He created the Mark Payne character years ago, drawn from his bartending days at a Pizzeria Uno in Yonkers. The exterior opening shot used for the "SNL" sketches is of the restaurant where he used to work.
6. You couldn't see his face, but Moynihan played the moose that was gunned down during the now-infamous "Sarah Palin Rap," performed by Amy Poehler in front of the former vice presidential candidate. That 2008 episode posted the biggest ratings for "SNL" in 14 years.
7. His first part was as Santa Claus in a third-grade class show.
8. His first professional acting job was a one-liner with Alan Arkin on the short-lived courtroom drama "100 Centre Street." After telling "everyone I knew" about the part, his line was cut — and only his shoulder ended up in the episode. "But I went to bed that night, like, 'Yo, I did it. I made it.'"
9. He worked most of his teenage years as a lifeguard at Eastchester's Lake Isle Park. When it rained, he and some co-workers would sit on garbage bags and slide down hills on the golf course.
10. As a kid, he'd secretly listen to Howard Stern's radio show. After Moynihan joined "SNL," Stern mentioned the addition to the show — and compared him to the late, great John Belushi.
From:
http://www.lohud.com/article/20110109/LIFESTYLE01/101090310/1030/LIFESTYLE/Rock-Star-Resident---SNL--star--Eastchester-native-Bobby-Moynihan
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Note that he didn't fail his first audition. It was right before the writer's strike, and they take a lot of time to make decisions. They had to pass him down until after the strike. Also, the first audition led to the second one. That's a success!
Enjoy!
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