Anthony Barbieri
Encyclopedia
Anthony J. Barbieri (born August 26, 1963, Framingham, Massachusetts
) is an American
comedy
writer and performer. He has appeared on television programs such as Crank Yankers
and Jimmy Kimmel Live
. He is most famous for his prankish appearances as the character "Jake Byrd."
. The pieces were originally illustrated by cartoonist Bill Wray
.
, Fox News and Court TV
.
, The New York Times mistook him for a real fan in their reports. During jury deliberations, he similarly fooled Court TV.http://www.courttv.com/people/hearsay/061005_ctv.html
Framingham, Massachusetts
Framingham is a New England town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 68,318 as of the United States 2010 Census. -History:...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
writer and performer. He has appeared on television programs such as Crank Yankers
Crank Yankers
Crank Yankers is an American TV show produced by Adam Carolla, Jimmy Kimmel and Daniel Kellison that featured actual prank calls made by show regulars and celebrity guests, and re-enacted onscreen by puppets for a visual aid to show the viewer what is happening in the call...
and Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live! is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and broadcast on ABC.The nightly hour-long show made its debut on January 26, 2003, following Super Bowl XXXVII. Jimmy Kimmel Live! is produced by Jackhole Productions in association with ABC Studios...
. He is most famous for his prankish appearances as the character "Jake Byrd."
Writing
Barbieri's long-running Monroe series has appeared in more than 100 issues of Mad MagazineMad (magazine)
Mad is an American humor magazine founded by editor Harvey Kurtzman and publisher William Gaines in 1952. Launched as a comic book before it became a magazine, it was widely imitated and influential, impacting not only satirical media but the entire cultural landscape of the 20th century.The last...
. The pieces were originally illustrated by cartoonist Bill Wray
Bill Wray
William York Wray is an American cartoonist and landscape painter, notable for his Urban Landscape series of paintings, his many pages for Mad and his contributions to The Ren & Stimpy Show...
.
As Jake Byrd
Barbieri is perhaps best known for his character Jake Byrd on the show Jimmy Kimmel Live! Byrd is good-natured and obsessed with celebrities. Comedy routines involving Byrd usually satirize excessive media attention to celebrity spectacles such as the Michael Jackson trial or the arrest of Paris Hilton. Byrd usually interacts with the fans while they are being interviewed by the media or inserts himself into the press conference. He has successfully fooled major media outlets, including The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, Fox News and Court TV
Court TV
truTV is an American cable television network owned by Turner Broadcasting, a subsidiary of Time Warner. The network launched as Court TV in 1991, changing to truTV in 2008...
.
Michael Jackson trial
Barbieri posed as obsessed fan Jake Byrd at the 2005 trial of Michael Jackson. During the arraignment of Michael JacksonMichael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, The New York Times mistook him for a real fan in their reports. During jury deliberations, he similarly fooled Court TV.http://www.courttv.com/people/hearsay/061005_ctv.html
Paris Hilton trial
When celebrity Paris Hilton was sent back to jail for driving with a suspended license on June 8, 2007, "Jake Byrd" was heard screaming "No, No, No, No!" at the Paris Hilton news conference. Later, live coverage of the event showed him clowning and making faces while wearing a hat with a sign that said, "Let her live". Early press reports from the scene did not identify him as a performer.http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/06/08/state/n121004D18.DTL http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/TV/06/08/paris.hilton.ap/index.htmlhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sCbdXNZ5d0.Filmography
The following list includes shows or films in which he has a small, but credited, role as a writer or actor.- Windy City HeatWindy City HeatWindy City Heat is a made for TV reality film produced by Comedy Central. It first aired on October 12, 2003 and is shown in repeats. The DVD was released on September 26, 2006.-Background:...
(2003) - (TV movieTelevision movieA television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
) - (Writer/ActorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
) - Jimmy Kimmel LiveJimmy Kimmel LiveJimmy Kimmel Live! is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and broadcast on ABC.The nightly hour-long show made its debut on January 26, 2003, following Super Bowl XXXVII. Jimmy Kimmel Live! is produced by Jackhole Productions in association with ABC Studios...
(2003-) (Talk showTalk showA talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
on ABC) - (WriterWriterA writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
/Actor) - His own pieces, including his well known character Jake Byrd. - That '80s ShowThat '80s ShowThat '80s Show is an American sitcom that aired in half-hour long episodes from January through May 2002. Despite having a similar name, show structure, and many of the same writers and production staff, it is not considered a direct spin-off of the more successful That '70s Show, since the...
(2002-) (TV programTelevision programA television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
) - (Writer) - Crank YankersCrank YankersCrank Yankers is an American TV show produced by Adam Carolla, Jimmy Kimmel and Daniel Kellison that featured actual prank calls made by show regulars and celebrity guests, and re-enacted onscreen by puppets for a visual aid to show the viewer what is happening in the call...
(2002) (TV program) (Writer/Voice Actor) - That's My Bush!That's My Bush!That's My Bush! is an American comedy television series that aired on Comedy Central from April 4 to May 23, 2001. Created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, best known for also creating South Park, the series centers on the fictitious personal life of President George W. Bush, as played by Timothy...
(2001) (TV program) - (Writer/Actor) - A political comedy spoofing George W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
(Appeared in one episode). - The Man ShowThe Man ShowThe Man Show is an American comedy television show on Comedy Central. It was created in 1999 by its two original co-hosts, Jimmy Kimmel and Adam Carolla, and their executive producer Daniel Kellison.-Format:...
(1999–2004) (TV program) - (Writer) - Delta Force: Land WarriorDelta Force: Land WarriorDelta Force: Land Warrior is a tactical first-person shooter video game. It is the third game in the Delta Force series produced by NovaLogic, and is the sequel to Delta Force 2.-Gameplay:...
(2000) (Video Game) (Voice Actor) - Pledge NightPledge NightPledge Night is an independent film-slasher-suspense movie. It was directed by Paul Ziller. The film is notable for the antagonist, Sid, played in a flashback by Anthrax lead singer Joey Belladonna.-Plot :...
(1988) (movieFilmA film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
) - Horror film.
External links
- Paris Hilton News conference, with Jake Byrd reference
- Picture of Jake Byrd appearing in Santa Barbara News-Press
- Santa Barbara News-Press story on the Jake Byrd hoax
- Radar Magazine quoting Jake Byrd
- New York Times Article mentioning Jake Byrd along with a correction regarding his actual identity
- Complete list of Barbieri's articles for MAD Magazine