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Rory Scovel

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Rory Scovel
Scovel performing in 2013
Born (1980-08-06) August 6, 1980 (age 44)
Greenville, South Carolina, U.S.
Occupations
  • Comedian
  • actor
  • writer
Years active2004–present
SpouseJordan Boughrum
Children1
Websiteroryscovel.com

Rory J. Scovel (born August 6, 1980) is an American comedian, actor, and writer. He released his first stand-up comedy album Dilation in 2011. He has since released the stand-up specials The Charleston Special (2015), Rory Scovel Tries Stand-Up for the First Time (2017), Live Without Fear (2021), and Religion, Sex, and a Few Things in Between (2024).

As an actor, he began his career as part of the main cast on the sitcoms Ground Floor (2013–2015) and Those Who Can't (2016–2019), co-starred in the romantic comedy film I Feel Pretty (2018), and also appeared in and wrote for the comedy series The Eric Andre Show (2012–2016). In the 2020s, he created and starred in his Comedy Central series Robbie (2020) and starred in the Apple TV+ series Physical (2021–2023).

Early life

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Rory J. Scovel was born in Greenville, South Carolina, on August 6, 1980.[1] He has six siblings.[1] He played basketball, tennis, and soccer as a child, and has described himself as hyperactive and a class clown.[2] He attended St. Mary's Catholic School, then Christ Church Episcopal School, from kindergarten through eighth grade. He graduated from Greenville Senior High School in 1999.[1][3] Scovel spent one year attending the University of Central Florida before enrolling at University of South Carolina Upstate, from which he graduated with a communications degree in 2003.[4] While there, he played Division II soccer.[5]

Career

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Comedy

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Scovel first performed comedy in December 2003 at an open mic night in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He had just graduated from college and was working as a cameraman at a local television station WSPA. The following year, he moved to Washington D.C.,[6] where he performed for three years.[7] He then moved to New York City, where he performed for three years until he moved to Los Angeles, where he now lives.[7]

In 2006, Scovel participated in the Seattle International Comedy Competition; he made it to the finals.[8]

In 2010, he performed his first set for a late night show on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. The following year, Scovel performed on Conan with comedian Jon Dore using the premise that the show had accidentally booked two comedians;[9][10] Scovel would go on to perform on and be interviewed by Conan many times in the following decade. Scovel also released his first stand-up album with Stand Up! Records, Dilation.[5][11] Scovel and the record were named by The Huffington Post as one of fourteen in their "Guide To New Comedy Albums of 2011".[12]

In 2012, Scovel was named among the 10 Comics to Watch by Variety magazine.[13] In April of that year, his set was featured on Comedy Central's The Half Hour. In 2013, he performed a show at the performance venue at Third Man Records, Jack White's record label.[14] The live show was recorded to tape and transferred to vinyl. There is no digital version of this recording.[15][16] White would later executive produce Scovel's 2017 special for Netflix.

In 2015, Scovel taped his first hour-long stand-up special at the Woolfe Street Playhouse in Charleston, South Carolina;[17] the special was aptly named Rory Scovel: The Charleston Special. In 2017, his next special, Rory Scovel Tries Stand-Up for the First Time, was released by Netflix.

Scovel has opened for comedians such as Louis C.K., Nick Swardson, and Daniel Tosh.[5][18] He has performed at the Montreal Just for Laughs Festival,[19] the FYF Fest in Los Angeles,[20] the Vancouver Comedy Festival, the Del Close Improv Marathon in New York,[21] the Bumbershoot Festival in Seattle,[22] and the Chicago Improv Festival.[7]

Television and movies

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Scovel's breakthrough acting role was as Harvard in the TBS sitcom Ground Floor.[1] He was a main character for both seasons of the show, which aired from 2013 to 2015. Following the cancellation of Ground Floor, Scovel joined the main cast of Those Who Can't, which began airing on TruTV in 2016, reprising his role as Principal Quinn from the 2013 Amazon film of the same name. He had various small acting and voice acting roles throughout the 2010s, including recurring roles on MTV's Zach Stone Is Gonna Be Famous, NBC's Undateable, and TBS' Wrecked. Scovel had a small role in Demetri Martin's indie comedy film Dean. He had a supporting role in the 2017 wide-release comedy The House. Notably, he starred as the main love interest in the 2018 Amy Schumer comedy film I Feel Pretty.

Scovel was part of the writing staff for the second and fourth seasons of The Eric Andre Show, which aired in 2013 and 2016, respectively. He was featured in the show's "New Years Eve Spooktacular" as well as an episode in season two where he played the fictional Chef Rory Scovel.

In November 2018, it was announced that Comedy Central had green-lit an eight-episode scripted television series produced, co-written, and starring Scovel, called Robbie.[23] In a February 2020 interview, Scovel disclosed that the show had been produced and was looking for a distributor.[24] On May 6, 2020, Comedy Central announced that Robbie would premiere later that week. The show premiered on May 7, 2020, at which time Comedy Central released the series in its entirety on its streaming platform and YouTube. Robbie is Comedy Central's first binge-release.[25] Recently, Scovel played the lead in the Chris Blake quarantine comedy, Distancing Socially filmed remotely using the iPhone 11. The film was acquired and released by Cinedigm in October 2021.[26]

Podcasts

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Since 2018, Scovel has co-hosted The Pen Pals Podcast with fellow comedian Daniel Van Kirk. Scovel has appeared on several popular podcasts, including Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend with Conan O'Brien, Comedy Bang! Bang! with Scott Aukerman, Doug Loves Movies with Doug Benson, Sklarbro Country with The Sklar Brothers, The Nerdist Podcast with Chris Hardwick, You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes, Maximum Fun's Stop Podcasting Yourself, The Dead Authors Podcast with Paul F. Tompkins, The Dollop live at the 2016 Riot LA Comedy Festival with Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds, The Todd Glass Show, and WTF with Marc Maron, Mega, and Films to Be Buried With with Brett Goldstein.

Personal life

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Scovel is married to actress Jordan Boughrum.[27] They live in Los Angeles, where their daughter was born in 2015.[28]

Filmography

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Films

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Year Title Role Notes
2007 Groom with a View Organ Player Short film
2009 Public Service Leo's Agent Voice, short film
2010 Seattle Komedy Dokumentary Himself
2011 Dead Monkey Ricky
2012 Is There?: Todd Glass for GLSEN Party Guest Short film
2012 Broken Mike Himself
2013 Documentary Subject Wanted with Rory Scovel Himself
2016 Dean Eric
2016 Reggie Watts: Spatial Himself
2017 The House Joe
2018 I Feel Pretty Ethan
2020 Two Pan Dan Dan Short film
2020 Gutbuster Himself
2021 Distancing Socially Ben
2022 Babylon The Count Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
2023 Old Dads Terrance Huffy-Schwinn

Television

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As actor

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Year Title Role Notes
2011–2012 The Life & Times of Tim Jim/Jerry Voice, 2 episodes
2012–2016 The Eric Andre Show Chef Rory Scovel/Himself 2 episodes; also writer for 20 episodes
2013–2015 Ground Floor Harvard 20 episodes
2013 Zach Stone Is Gonna Be Famous Pat 6 episodes
2014 Modern Family Carl Episode: "Marco Polo"
2014–2016 Undateable Kevin 4 episodes
2016–2019 Those Who Can't Principal Geoffrey Quinn 25 episodes
2016 Animals. Ronnie Voice, episode: "Dogs."
2016 Casual Patrick Episode: "The Magpie"
2016–2017 Wrecked Corey 4 episodes
2017 Love Gator Episode: "The Work Party"
2017 The Great Indoors Ricky Episode: "Ricky Leaks"
2017 Powerless Russell Episode: "Win, Luthor, Draw"
2017 HarmonQuest Unpredictable Witch Episode: "Demon Realm Devilry"
2017 Do You Want To See a Dead Body? Cool Pharmacist Episode: "A Body and a Puddle (with Adam Scott and Terry Crews)"
2018 Another Period Men's Club Member Episode: "Olympics"
2018 Please Understand Me Rory Episode: "Rory & Natalie"
2019 Historical Roasts William Shakespeare Episode: "Cleopatra"
2019 Cake Voice, episode: "Cache Flow"
2019 Mixed-ish Bob Lee Episode: "Papa Don't Preach"
2020–2021 Superstore Dr. Brian Patterson 4 episodes
2020 Harley Quinn Gus, Assassin, Maitre'd Voice, 3 episodes
2020 Robbie Robbie 8 episodes; also writer, creator, and executive producer
2020–2021 Black Monday Agent Crandall 2 episodes
2021–2023 Physical Danny Rubin Series regular; 30 episodes
2022 Grace and Frankie Officer Smith Episode: "The Raccoon"
2024 Kite Man: Hell Yeah! Gus Voice[29]

As himself

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Year Title Role Notes
2007 Live at Gotham Himself Episode #2.4
2010 Late Night with Jimmy Fallon Himself Episode #2.170
2011–2019 Conan Himself 9 episodes
2011–2013 New York Stand-Up Show Himself 2 episodes
2012 The Half Hour Himself Episode #1.1, also writer
2012 UnCabaret Himself Episode #1.4, also writer
2012 The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson Himself Episode #8.242
2013 The Nerdist Himself Episode #1.3
2013 Funny as Hell Himself Episode #3.1, also writer
2013 All Growz Up with Melinda Hill Himself Episode: "Rory Scovel"
2013 Money From Strangers Himself 3 episodes
2013–2017 @midnight Himself 5 episodes
2013 The Pete Holmes Show Himself Episode: "Rory Scovel"
2016 Not Safe with Nikki Glaser Himself Episode: "Carpe Do 'Em"
2016 This Is Not Happening Himself Episode: 3.4 "Blunder", also writer
2018 The Jim Jeffries Show Himself Episode: "Questioning Trump's North Korea Strategy"
2019 2 Dope Queens Himself Episode: "Music"
2024 Office Hours Live with Tim Heidecker Himself Episode: #289

Stand-up specials

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Year Title Released by Notes
2011 Dilation Stand Up! Records
2013 Rory Scovel Live at Third Man Record Third Man Records
2015 Rory Scovel: The Charleston Special Self Released on Seeso
2017 Rory Scovel Tries Stand-Up for the First Time Netflix
2021 Rory Scovel: Live Without Fear Self Released on Youtube
2024 Rory Scovel: Religion, Sex, and a Few Things in Between Max

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Comic Rory Scovel weighs in on Woodruff Road and growing up in Greenville". The Greenville News. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
  2. ^ Thomasian, Deborah (November 7, 2012). "Get Ready To Fall in Love With Comedian Rory Scovel". Serial Optimist Magazine. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  3. ^ PARTNER (February 20, 2019). "Meet Christ Church Episcopal School's Alumni". GVLtoday. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
  4. ^ "USC Upstate News". news.uscupstate.edu. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
  5. ^ a b c Armonaitis, Dan (October 30, 2011). "Comic Rory Scovel coming home". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. Retrieved October 15, 2013 – via goupstate.com.
  6. ^ ARMONAITISdan.armonaitis@shj.com, D. A. N. "Rory Scovel: From soccer field to Netflix and movie with Amy Schumer". GoUpstate. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
  7. ^ a b c Davidson, Phil (August 23, 2012). "Talking to Rory Scovel About Standup, Characters, Alt Rooms vs. Clubs and All Sorts of Other Stuff". SplitSider. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  8. ^ "2006 Comics: Finals". Seattle International Comedy Competition. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  9. ^ "Conan Double-Books Comedians Jon Dore & Rory Scovel". Huffington Post. July 1, 2011. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  10. ^ "Jon Dore Thinks NBA Trumped By Kids Basketball League On 'Conan'". Huffington Post. January 12, 2012. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  11. ^ Brockett, Chase (October 27, 2011). "Rory Scovel gets Dilated on Debut Album". SanDiego.com. Retrieved October 15, 2013.
  12. ^ Luippold, Ross (October 29, 2011). "Our Guide To New Comedy Albums of 2011 (With Spotify Playlist!)". Huffington Post. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  13. ^ Schenker, Andrew (July 24, 2012). "Scovel: Frosh comic keeps it fresh". Variety. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  14. ^ "RORY SCOVEL LIVE AT THIRD MAN RECORDS". Third Man Records. Archived from the original on November 26, 2013. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  15. ^ Matteson, Cory (July 16, 2013). "Comic Rory Scovel brings Jack White-approved material to Omaha Saturday". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved October 15, 2013.
  16. ^ "Rory Scovel". The Mint. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  17. ^ "Rory Scovel : The Charleston Special (2015)", IMDb, retrieved December 1, 2019
  18. ^ Miller, Chris (November 8, 2011). "Comedian kills with improv, off-kilter approach". The Red & Black. Retrieved October 15, 2013.
  19. ^ Duguay, Denise (July 19, 2013). "Just for Laughs 2013: So how many grandmothers does Rory Scovel have, anyway?". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  20. ^ Fisher, Eliza (July 20, 2012). "FYF Fest 2012 Comedy Lineup Revealed". Huffington Post. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  21. ^ Pitchel, Samantha (July 9, 2012). "All Improv, No Sleep: Inside the 14th Annual Del Close Marathon". SplitSider. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  22. ^ "The Nerdist, Guest, Rory Scovel". BBC America. Archived from the original on December 13, 2013. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  23. ^ "COMEDY CENTRAL ORDERS RORY SCOVEL'S ROBBIE TO SERIES". Comedy Central Press. Archived from the original on January 17, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
  24. ^ Interviewer(s): Lee, Bobby and Khalya Khun (February 27, 2020). Tigerbelly 234: Rory Scovel, High-Fiving God (Video). Interviewee: Scovel, Rory. YouTube. Event occurs at 1:07:26–1:08:19. {{cite AV media}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  25. ^ "Comedy Central Announces 'Robbie' As It's [sic] First Ever Binge-Release". UPROXX. May 6, 2020. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  26. ^ Malkin, Marc (October 7, 2020). "'Schitt's Creek' Actor Sarah Levy Cast in COVID-Inspired Indie 'Distancing Socially' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  27. ^ "Resume". jordan scovel. November 16, 2013. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
  28. ^ "The 100 Coolest Dads in America Ranked, 2018 Edition | #48 Rory Scovel". Fatherly. September 27, 2018. Archived from the original on June 10, 2020. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
  29. ^ Milligan, Mercedes (September 14, 2023). "'Harley Quinn' Spin-Off 'Kite Man: Hell Yeah!' Ready to Soar with New Teaser". www.animationmagazine.net. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
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