Billy Eichner


Billy Eichner is an American comedian, actor, and producer. He is the star, executive producer, and creator of Funny Or Die's Billy on the Street, a comedy game show that aired on truTV. Eichner was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for "Outstanding Game Show Host" in 2013. He is also known for playing Craig Middlebrooks on the sitcom Parks and Recreation and Timon in the 2019 remake of The Lion King.

Career

Eichner gained attention as the host and writer of Creation Nation: A Live Talk Show, a critically acclaimed stage show in New York. He also appeared on Conan as a special correspondent in original video shorts and as himself on Bravo's ' with Andy Cohen, Last Call with Carson Daly, The Wendy Williams Show, and Fashion Police with Joan Rivers, among others.
Eichner has been a voiceover guest star in several episodes of the animated TV series Bob's Burgers as Mr. Ambrose, the Librarian. He has been a regular performer at New York City's Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre.
On August 5, 2013, Eichner guest starred in the sixth season of Parks and Recreation. Eichner's first episode aired on October 10, 2013. He stars as Donna's Eagleton counterpart, Craig Middlebrooks, who joins the Pawnee Parks and Recreation Department when Pawnee absorbs Eagleton. He became a series regular in episode four of the seventh season of the show.
During the 66th Primetime Emmy Awards show in 2014, Eichner appeared with show host Seth Meyers on the streets of New York, interviewing random people.
Eichner starred in a Hulu original series titled Difficult People with Julie Klausner, and executive produced by Amy Poehler, The project was originally set up at USA Network. The series began airing on August 5, 2015. In 2016, Eichner appeared in ', released on May 20. In 2017, he joined the cast of American Horror Story for recurring roles in its seventh and eighth seasons.
In 2019, Eichner provided the voice of Timon in Disney's live action remake of The Lion King, from director Jon Favreau. Eichner said that Timon " such a great role that allows you to do so much. But... the bigger the project and the bigger the names that you're working with, the more you have to ignore it. If you get to the soundstage and you're thinking, 'Oh my God, what a full-circle moment! Nathan Lane did it originally! Beyoncé's in this!' then you're paralyzed creatively. You just have to put that out of your head in order to get the job done."

Personal life

Eichner is a native of Queens and grew up in Forest Hills. He graduated from Stuyvesant High School in 1996, and from Northwestern University in 2000 with a BA in Theater. Actor Robin Lord Taylor was his college roommate. Eichner is Jewish and gay.

Politics

Eichner is a Democrat. On February 1, 2018, Eichner announced a new initiative called Glam Up the Midterms, during that night's episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! in conjunction with Funny or Die and with the support of several late night hosts including Sarah Silverman, James Corden, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Kimmel, Conan O'Brien, John Oliver, Chelsea Handler, Robin Thede, and Andy Cohen. Glam Up the Midterm's purpose was getting people to vote in the November 6, 2018, midterm elections, especially millennials, of whom only 12% voted in the previous midterm election. Eichner endorsed Elizabeth Warren in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNomineeResult
2013Daytime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Game Show HostBilly on the Street
2015Primetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Short-Format Live-Action Entertainment ProgramBilly on the Street
2016Webby AwardsOnline Film & Video: Comedy, Individual Short or EpisodeBilly on the Street
2016Dorian AwardsWilde Wit of the YearBilly on the Street
2017Primetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Variety Sketch SeriesBilly on the Street