- Bobby Lee
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For other people named Bobby Lee, see Bobby Lee (disambiguation).
Bobby Lee 
Born September 17, 1972
San Diego, California, U.S.Occupation Actor/Comedian Years active 1999–present Bobby Lee (born September 17, 1972)[1] is an American actor and comedian who is best known for his membership in the recurring cast of the live comedy series MADtv from 2001 to 2009 and for his roles in the films Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle and Pineapple Express.
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Early career and family life
Lee, the oldest of two sons, was born in San Diego, California to Jeanie and Robert Lee.[2][3] Lee attended Poway High School in Poway, California.[3] He is Korean American. His parents owned clothing stores in both Escondido and Encinitas, California. At 18 yrs of age Lee moved out of parents' home and took jobs in restaurants and coffee shops in the San Diego area,[4] while also attending Palomar College for a brief period.[3] In 1994 the coffee shop for which he was working closed. “I just went next door to get a job,” he said, “which was The Comedy Store in San Diego” (also known as the La Jolla Comedy Store).[4] After a few months of working odd jobs at the club he decided to try stand-up during one of their amateur nights.[4] Within a year of doing regular comedy sets he got offers to open for both Pauly Shore and Carlos Mencia.[3][4] Lee also went on to work regularly at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles, a comedy club owned by Pauly Shore's mother Mitzi.[3]
Lee has admitted in several interviews that his parents had hoped he would continue on with the family business and were less-than supportive of his comedic pursuits at first.[3][4][5] During a podcast interview conducted by fellow actor and comedian Joe Rogan on Feb 1, 2011, Lee stated that during the first few years he did stand-up his parents barely spoke to him, however after his appearance on the The Tonight Show with Jay Leno his father called him and apologized for not supporting his comedy career.[6]
Lee's parents currently live in Phoenix, Arizona.[3][5] Lee is known to have included his family in some of his work: His younger brother has appeared in several non-speaking roles on MADtv and his entire family has appeared in a skit on the show.[5] Lee also pitched a sitcom to Comedy Central in 2007 about a Korean family which was to star his very own family.[5]
MADtv
In 2001 Lee joined the cast of MADtv,[4][5] making him the show's first cast member of Asian descent. Some of Lee's recurring characters included:
- North-Korean leader Kim Jong-il as the host of the imaginary Kim Jong-il show
- Journalist Connie Chung
- Bae Sung the hapless interpreter
- Tank, an Asian-American "Street Tuner" character in the style of the film The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
- Xing Lao "Johnny" Gan, host of Many Shows! With Johnny Gan and Pongo
- "The Blind Kung-fu Master"
- Dr. Poon Ji-Sum, a character on the Korean soap opera parody Taedo-Attitudes and Feelings, Both Desirable and Sometimes Secretive
- Haidiki "The Average Asian"
- John McCain
- Yamanashi, a character appearing in the skit, "Coach Hines".
Lee remained with the cast until the series' cancellation in 2009.[4]
Other projects and appearances
Lee appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Apr 26, 2002[1][7] He played a delivery boy in the 2003 mockumentary Pauly Shore Is Dead.[8] Lee also played the part of Kenneth Park in the 2004 film Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle.[9]
In 2005, Lee and fellow Korean American comics Steve Byrne, Ken Jeong and Kevin Shea starred in the stand-up comedy tour and accompanying film titled Kims of Comedy—a Korean-American version of the touring act and film Kings of Comedy".[10] That same year he appeared on Mind of Mencia as an Asian CSI agent in the episode titled "Episode #1.6" which aired Aug 10,[11] as well as playing a Korean bookie named Sung in the episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm titled "The Korean Bookie" which aired on Nov 27.[12]
Lee appeared on Mind of Mencia once again in 2006 in role a gay pirate in an episode titled "Stereotype Olympics" which aired Jul 23. He also appeared in the 2007 film Pineapple Express as an Asian drug-gangster named Bobby.[13]
Lee appeared in the 2009 music video for Eminem's single "We Made You", playing both the character of Sulu from Star Trek as well as an Inuit.[14][15] That same year he appeared on The League in an episode titled "The Usual Bet".[16]
In 2010 he became a frequent round table panelist on the late night comedy talk show Chelsea Lately,[17] and also appeared in music video for "2 Different Tears", a single by South Korean girl group, the Wonder Girls.[18]
In 2011, he was featured in Taio Cruz' music video for "Hangover".
References
- ^ a b Bobby Lee at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Bobby Lee's bio on MADtv's official website. Retrieved Apr 24, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g Grant, Lee. "Mad man", San Diego Union-Tribune, Sep 17, 2004. Retrieved Apr 24, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g Nguyen, Joe. "Face2Face with Bobby Lee", AsiaXpress, May 5, 2009. Retrieved Apr 24, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e Yang, Jeff. "Mad Man", San Francisco Chronicle, Apr 10, 2007. Retrieved Apr 24, 2011.
- ^ Podcast #76 of The Joe Rogan Experience, 00:32:44, originally broadcast Feb 1, 2011. Retrieved Apr 24, 2011.
- ^ Bobby Lee: Credits at tvguide.com Retrieved Apr 24, 2011.
- ^ Pauly Shore Is Dead on IMDB. Retrieved Apr 24, 2011
- ^ Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle on IMDB. Retrieved Apr 24, 2011
- ^ Kims of Comedy on IMDB. Retrieved Apr 24, 2011
- ^ Mind of Mencia, "Episode #1.6" on IMDB. Retrieved Apr 24, 2011
- ^ Curb Your Enthusiasm, "The Korean Bookie" on IMDB. Retrieved Apr 24, 2011
- ^ Pineapple Express on IMDB. Retrieved Apr 24, 2011
- ^ Podcast #76 of The Joe Rogan Experience, 00:55:10, originally broadcast Feb 1, 2011. Retrieved Apr 24, 2011.
- ^ Official video for Eminem's "We Made You". Retrieved Apr 24, 2011.
- ^ The Usual Bet on IMDB. Retrieved Apr 24, 2011
- ^ Chelsea Lately on IMDB. Retrieved Apr 24, 2011
- ^ Adriane. "The Wonder Girls: New Music Video, Exclusive Pics, Videos here at MTV IGGY!", MTV IGGY, May 24, 2010. Retrieved Apr 24, 2011
External links
MADtv Cast members Seasons History 1995–2000 · 2000–2005 · 2005–2009
Recurring sketches Categories:- 1972 births
- American comedians
- American film actors
- American impressionists (entertainers)
- American television actors
- Actors from California
- Living people
- People from San Diego, California
- American actors of Korean descent
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